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Aani or Aadi or AavaNi UpAkarmA : Part 3 & Final Part

From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • June 20, 1998 


Dear BhakthAs : 

In earlier postings of Sri Vijayaraghavan and
myself on the subject of UpAkarma last year ,
We mentioned that " UpAkarmA " really stands for 
" AdhyAyOpAkarmA " or VedhAramabham .This UpAkarmA 
(Rishi TarpaNam )is observed according to ChAndhra 
MaasA tradition .To that extent , it is like 
the obsevance of Sri Rama Navami and Sri Nrusimha 
Jayanthi celebrations based on chAndhra Maasa classification. 

The PourNamI relevant to UpAkarmA will some times 
be associated with SravaNa Nakshthram and at other times 
with Avitta Nakshthram . 

The PourNamI before AavaNi amaavAsyai is known as
SRAAVANEE .  Yajur Vedis observe UpAkarmA on that 
SRavaNee . 

This SrAvaNa PourNami occurs some times in Aadi 
and some times in AavaNI .If it happeans to be 
in Aadi , then the UpAkarmA has to be observed in 
Aadi .

Those , who live to the north of NarmadA river 
perform UpAkarmA only in AavaNi .

>From Aadi Sukhla Prathamai to AavaNi amAvAsyai is 
the month of SrAvaNam according to chAndramAnam .
Hence , the SrAvaNa maasam begins from the Sukhla 
prathamai following Aadi amAbvAsyai .That day 
is called SrAvaNa Suddham . That would be approximately
around the 20th of Aadi in most years .In those cases,
the the PourNami thithi will occur in AavaNi .The
PourNami thithi will be most of the times associated
with SravaNa Nakshthram and therefore , it takes on
the name of SrAvaNa PourNimai .

There are times  when the Aadi amAvasyai occurs in
the middle of Aadi . The next day is Sukla Prathamai 
and the month of SrAVaNam begins in Aadi itself .
The PourNami falls at the end of Aadi and The UpAkarma
will be  then in Aadi ( Example : Dhurmathi year , 1981) .
BahudhAnya Year is also an year , when the SraavaNa PourNami
falls in Aadi end ( August 7 ) and the Gayathri 
Japam is on August 8.The AavaNi month does not
start until August 17 . The nakshathram happens to be UtthirAdam 
on " AvaNi avittam " day . As we know ,SravaNa Nakshthram 
is in between UtthtirAdam and Avittam .

August 8 is Aadi SravaNam day . The day of Gayathri Japam for
Yajur Vedis and the day of UpAkarmaa for Rg Vedis .
For the Rg Vedis , there is a strict  sampradhAyam
of performing UpaakarmA on SravaNa nakshthram . They 
have no flexibility .Yajur Vedis put the emphasis on PourNami
thithi instead of SravaNa nakshthram because 
these is Thithi-based chAndra MaasAnushtAnam .

To add more compications , if there are two PourNamis
in SrAvaNa maasam , the 12 th Naazhikai of the day 
becomes determining factor . If the union (santhi )of
PourNami and Prathamai happens after 12 Naazhikais
( sangava kaalam ) , then the UpAkarmam and Gayathri
Japam is done on the  same day .If it is before the  12 
Naazhikais , then the PourNami day is UpAkarmA day
and the next day is Gaayathri Japam day .More details 
can be had in Upaakarma NirNayam in the June/Aadi
issue of the year 1970 of Nrusimha PriyA . Extraordinary
variations , where "PrathamOpaakarmA " is celebrated in 
the month of Aani due to mala maasams having PourNamis
with DhOsham are described there .

Gayathri Japam is peformed by Yajur Vedis 
and Rg Vedis  on the day after UpAkarma 
except in instances cited above. This observance of
UpAkarmA and Gayathri Japam on successive days 
is known as SanniyOga Sishtathvam . The Saama Vedis
perform UpAkarmA in the month of BhAdrapAtha PourNami 
( Purattaasi).They do not perfrom Gaayathri Japam 
on the next day . They perform Gaayathri japam 
on the Prathamai following SrAvaNa PourNami .
The Saama Vedis do not emphasize this sanniyOgam .
There are exceptional occasions , when Gaayathri
Japam is performed before UpAkarmA . 

We( Sri Vijaya Raghavan and Myself ) have covered earlier , 
the details on KamOkArsheeth Japam , Adhyayana Homam . 
We have indicated that KaamOkaarsheeth Japam is 
done as a PrAyascchittham for not performing 
VedOthsarjana karmA in Taisha PourNami .THis japam
has to be done like any other japam with in the first
six Naazhikais after sunrise .The KhAnda Rishi TarpaNam
is done after MaadhyAnika SnAnam , BhagavadhArAdhanam ,
Vaisvadevam and then assembling at the river side .
It was a sight to see this at NattAn VaaikkAl karai
( DakshiNa virajA nadhi ) or at the bank of 
AhOrAthra PushkaraNI at Oppilaippan Koil  in
my boyhood days .

There are some differences of opinions in these 
observances .It has been recommended by
our compassionate AchAryAs that one should observe
according to their traditions .Those , who have had 
the good fortune of Ahnika Grantha KaalakshEpam 
would be sure about their sampradhAyams . 

With this posting , I conclude this year's observations
on " AavaNi Avittam " and place it at the feet of 
Our AchArya paramparai .

Subhaamasthu ,
Oppiliappan Koli VaradAchAri SadagOpan