The logic behind Sraddham

The logic behind Sraddham

A preceptor or a forefather, when he dies and his sapindeekaranam is done reaches the Vasu state.. when his next generation dies he reaches the rudra state and when the next generation also dies he raches the aditya state.. Just think that these three states are just abodes or contact points for the respective pithru.. The pithru may occupy or would have reached different staes like moksha or life in another body according to the Karmas, but the belief is that the offerings from the living sons grandsons and great grandsons by way of Sraadham are reaching these transmission towers at Vasu Rudra and Aditya lokas, and from there by Divine will the offerings transformed in the manner best suited for the pitru at his or her present janma or status is carried to the respective being.. and it is not preposterous to assume that each such being may be receiving the share of offerings from their progenies of various janmaas, all consolidated this way.. So we are actually sending our offerings to some mailboxes from where they are faithfully sorted through agni, aryama, swadhaa, swaahaa etc supervised by Lord Vishnu and correctly delievered to the addressee in his present form.

This interpretation, though simplified, is held as valid by elders and texts in so many words,, and can easily explain the whole gamut of offers to the pithrus through this logic.... The pithrulokam acts only as a transponder..

You may feed poor, or laugh at the ceremonies and dismiss them as meaningless.. everyone has the choice to do whatever he likes, especially if he is a brahmin, but that is beside the religion.. Feeding a million people even cannot substitute a Sraadham invoking the three generations of Pithrus..

Vasu, Rudra and Aditya status for the same pitru may vary according to the performer. For example, if my mother is alive, the status for my paternal grandmother is Vasu.. My periyappa and periyammai both are no more,, So when my Anna.. periyappas son performs sradham the same grandmother is in the rudra status... For amavasya, we offer tarpanam to maternal grandparents and two generation on the paternal line earlier to them..So I offer tarpanam to my maternal grandpaents in the Vasu status, and my maternal uncles who are up by one generation too offer tarpanam to the same persons in Vasu status And the time in earth is pathetically tiny compared to the divine worlds even according to shastras.. So reckoning time through earth standards is not possible in these matters..

the Deekshiteeyam and other texts are applicable to all the three--- Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaishya.. Most of the texts are like that.. Perhaps, the remaining were not a defined sect and they did not have occasion to adopt those texts.. There is no specific prohibition anywhere that it should not apply to all.. And various sects have amended and adapted their own rules.. within the fold of the same religion..

The offering goes even to the reborn being which carries the original lineage.. The offerings is made even if that departed life has attained moksha.. Whether a jeeva which has attained moksha requires any more offering is beside the point. We offer coconuts and vazhappazham to God,, and God does not really require it . We still offer it.. The transformed physical being in any form receives the offering.. I have said this already..

Sanatana Dharma encourges us to ask questions...? Yes, only to a certain level.. Definitely not to the extent of defeating its own tenets..Even in the science of logic contained in Sankhya and Nyaya Vaiseshika systems, all questions and challenges can be limited only to certain basic fundamental principes.. A frog cannot wear a snake's skin..

I am not personally irritated at all.. I am as rational and trained in modern things as anyone.. This issue is always a bone of contention in any Vidvat Sadas or any forum. Some pramanams are accepted..

Often I make posts completely unrelated to religious matters.. There I never mix religion..

I have made tax assessment all through my life... I cannot rely on Apastambha sootra or manusmriti for that.. There the Indian Incometax Act alone applies..

I just stated things clearly from an impassionate mindset.. Frankly no religion ever encourages eternal probe and cross examination touching its foundation.. The belief that every religion is catholic.. etc.. even if it Sanatana Dharma, it is only a recently held assumption.. It it not entirely so..