Sumangalya Prarthana

Sumangalya Prarthana

The spirit behind this prayer to Sumangalis or performance of Sumangalya Prarthana should be understood properly..

In fact, the honour of Sumangalis is done to respect the memory of the departed sumangalis of the family..

We pray that the mothers who departed as Sumangalis would watch the welfare of the children of their clan and family.

Certain texts on Sraddham even prescribe that if there are sumangalis in the family who have departed.. then either during their sraddham or during the sraddham of other pitrus, along with the bhokthas (or brahmins being fed,) a Sumangali also should be honoured and fed..

But somehow, this practice is not followed..

In that place, actually Sumangalis in the family worship the departed Sumangalis. through Sumangalya Prarthana

So sumangalya prathathani is actually as sacred and important as a sradham..

And whenever there is a function or ritual conducted in the family, the rule is that the pitru karyam should precede any other function.

In fact even for any shubha karyam, we perform the Nandi Shraddam, prior to the function..

No one would ask whether anyone can do the Nandi after the upanayanam or Marriage..( In fact Nandi can be performed prior to any shubha karyam.. although we restrict it to certain functions now)

Even for a tarpanam on amavasya, we perform the pitru karyam and then alone do the daily pooja..

So Sumangalya Prarthana which is none other than a pitru pooja in honour of departed lady pitrus, should precede the function..any function

Of course, sumangalya prarthana can be done as many times as possible.. prior to or after any function.. but if the Sumangalya prarthana is intended as a part of a function, then it should happen prior to the function..

In the text on Shraddhams.. Shraadha kalpalatha.. it is said
If a lady dies while her husband is alive or if she leaves entering the pyre of her husband, then during her sraddham, a Suvaasinee also should be fed along with the brahmins invited for the sraddha..
The idea of Sumangalya Prarthana arose from this practice..
श्राद्धकल्पलतायाम्॥
(तथा च स्मृत्यन्तरे ) 
भर्तृरग्रे मृता नारी सहदाहमृतापि या।
सुवासिनीं नियुञ्चीत तस्याः श्राद्धे द्विजैः सह॥इति
śrāddhakalpalatāyām||
tathā ca smṛtyantare  
bhartṛragre mṛtā nārī sahadāhamṛtāpi yā|

suvāsinīṁ niyuñcīta tasyāḥ śrāddhe dvijaiḥ saha||iti