History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c73.t1.503

v5.c73.t1.503

The Mahalayaśrāddha is to be performed, as stated by the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, in accordance with the procedure of Pārva-ṇaśrāddha.¹¹⁹⁴ The Smṛtyarthasāra states that if it is not pos-sible to perform all śrāddhas (except sapiṇḍīkaraṇa) according to the detailed procedure of Pārvaṇaśrāddha they should be performed by the procedure called 'Saṅkalpavidhi', which con-sists in performing the details laid down for Pārvaṇa as far as possible except the details of *āvāhana*, *arghya*, *homa* and *piṇḍadāna*.¹¹⁹⁵ The Madanapārijāta (pp 609-610) also states that when a man has to perform a 'saṅkalpa-śrāddha' he need not go through the details of *arghyadāna*, *vikira* and there is no *āvāhana*, no agnaukaraṇa and no piṇḍadāna even, but he has simply to feed a brāhmaṇa or brāhmaṇas In the Mahālayaśrāddha the Viśvedevas are Dhuri and Locana. This śrāddha is performed for the benefit not only of the paternal and maternal ancestors with their wives, but also for other relatives and persons that are dead (together with their wives, sons and husbands if these be dead) viz one's step-mother, one's wife, son, daughter, paternal uncle, maternal uncle, brother, paternal aunt and maternal aunt, sister, paternal uncle's son, son-in-law, sister's son, father-in-law, mother-in-law, ācārya, upādhyāya, guru, friend, pupil and any other relative.¹¹⁹⁶ Some perform only for the paternal ancestors with their wives and the maternal ancestors with their wives. The day on which the moon is in Bharaṇī nakṣatra in the dark half of Bhādrapada is called Mahābharaṇī and śrāddha performed on that day is said to be equal to Gayāśrāddha (Matsyapurāṇa q. by Śr. K. L p 99) The Mahālaya-śrāddha is to be performed on the 12th tithi of Bhādrapada dark half in the case of a saṁnyāsin and on no other tithi and his yearly śrāddha is to be performed by his son according to pārvaṇa method as in the case of householders. The dvādaśī is sacred to Viṣṇu and *yatis* always repeat the words 'namo Nārāyaṇāya' and therefore the 12th is the special tithi for the mahālaya-śrāddha of yatis. The Mahālayaśrāddha is not to be performed in an intercalary month (*malamāsa*).