SrI: SrImathE SatakOpAya nama: SrImathE rAmAnujAya nama: SrImath varavaramunayE nama:
Q and A Video responses
Q. Is it necessary for a SrIvaishNava to observe EkAdhaSi fasting?
Q. Why is there a difference in EkAdhaSi fasting in south and north of our country?
Q. How should a SrIvaishNava spend his time during thiruppAvai vratham?
https://youtu.be/sGSG1ySu6Yg?si=pjTpU09SqdBHZkqI
Q. Is SrIman nArAyaNa same as sathyanArAyaNa? Can SrIvaishNavas observe sathyanArAyaNa vratham?
Q. How to rectify our defects while doing vrathams? How does bhagavAn receive/react to them?
https://youtu.be/pJUkALYIb_s?si=w7T9u7xXMc8Hf2lf
Q. nArAyaNa nAmam is best, are there any celebrations or vrathas observed particularly to that?
Q and A Text responses
Q. Is it allowed to take head bath on EkAdhaSi day?
Not like that. Every day we should have head bath only.
Q. Why does EkAdhaSi and dhvAdhaSi fall on same day, sometimes?
thithi is overlapping. Sometimes it happens like that because EkAdhaSi is determined based on absence of dhaSami on that day.
Q. For those who follow strict EkAdhaSi fasting, how can we follow the prescribed fasting method when travelling to dhivya dhEsams as it is not possible to maintain the full SAsthram prescribed fasting process when travelling?
Neither EkAdhaSi vratham nor dhivyadhESa yAthrA should be done as upAyam They are done as kainkaryam and the purpose is to please bhagavAn – not for one’s own preference. So, if he gets an opportunity to go on a yAthrA, he may go and adapt his EkAdhaSi vratham accordingly for that situation.
Q. Should perumAL also fast with us on EkAdhasi?
No fasting for perumAL.
Q. So, is it okay to partake prasAdham on EkAdhasi? adiyEn has practice of offering dry fruits like dates on EkAdhaSi days and used to partake that. Is that okay to continue?
It is not okay to partake prasAdham on EkAdhaSi. But a little bit can be consumed if it is given inside temple sannidhis as a gesture in respect of prasAdham. But if one is very strict in observing EkAdhaSi fast, that can also be avoided.
Dry fruits can be offered to perumAL, but one need not consume it on EkAdhaSi day, if one can manage without them. But if one needs energy to sustain or one cannot survive without eating something, then dry fruits or fresh fruits can be consumed. Dates, figs, etc., which we get in market today are all processed – they are not ideal for vaidhIka anushtAnams. Anything unprocessed is better usually.
Q. What is the prAyaSchiththam if we eat rice on EkAdhasi, unknowingly?
Usually, next day or so, we can try to minimize food consumption. Also, general atonement for any mistake is to accept acharya SrIpAdha thIrtham.
Q. What should one do if we mistakenly eat something on the day of EkAdhaSi?
Just pray for forgiveness to bhagavAn and continue with the routine.
Q. Does eating rice before pAraNai time considered as eating rice on EkAdhaSi?
Yes – eating/drinking anything is considered at par with pAraNai only.
Q. Can women perform EkAdhaSi vratham if they have menstrual cycle?
If possible, for the individual, she can fast.
Q. What is the frequency of EkAdhaSi occurring? Why are we observing it?
EkAdhaSi occurs once every fortnight. It is the 11th day after full moon day and no moon day. Anyone can observe EkAdhaSi – actual observance per SAsthram is very difficult. Most of us try to fast on that day, nowadays. But the real intent is to constantly remain with bhagavAn and meditate upon him, sing about his glories, etc.
Q. Please explain how EkAdhasi is not an upAyam for SrlvaishNavas.
For SrivaishNavas, EkAdhaSi is not a means to attain something. Because in SAsthram, it is emphasised as an authentic vratham, we observe it as a kainkaryam. The goal of EkAdhaSi is to maximise our time in bhagavath vishayam. We try to avoid cooking which needs elaborate efforts. But if someone is unable to fast, each person can see how best he can limit his food consumption and keep it minimum. Sincere effort should be there – but if we are unable to do full fasting, it’s not going to be an issue for us.
Q. If bhOgi falls on EkAdhaSi then which one has to be given importance to celebrate?
EkAdhaSi should be observed. bhOgi to be celebrated within the limits of EkAdhaSi.
Q. During EkAdhaSi, when doing Achamanam during sandhyAvandhanam, if the person has sipped water. Will that break the nirrjala EkAdhaSi vratham? Also, would taking a sip of perumAL thIrtham break the nirrjala EkAdhaSi observance?
Taking water as part of Achamanam is not a violation of EkAdhaSi. Just as SAsthram says one should observe EkAdhaSi, same SAsthram says one should do sandhyAvandhanam everyday. Similarly, accepting perumAL thIrtham is to honour bhagavAn’s prasAdham – which needs to be done. So, no issues there too. Even when prasAdham is given, we can take a small pinch of it to honour the same – that will not violate EkAdhaSi rule.
Q. During EkAdhaSi, can we take medications that are essential for health?
Ideally, we should not take any medicine, at any time. But most of us cannot avoid. We just have to seek forgiveness from perumAL for doing so. In the olden days, there were vaishNava doctors who would prepare medicines from herbs. And while doing so, they chant bhagavAn’s divine names. Even then, it was considered secondary to take medicine. Nowadays, there is no such concept.
Q. If kanu pandigai falls on EkAdhaSi, do we have to follow EkAdhaSi?
EkAdhaSi has to be observed as usual.
Q. If AchAryan’s function happens to be on EkAdhaSi day and dhadhiyArAdhanam arranged on this occasion, is taking food a must or can we skip it?
Yes – we can follow our routine and accept a little bit of prasAdham to honour the same.
Q. On EkAdhaSi day, if for health reasons one takes solid food (Chappati etc) at night, do we still need to observe dhvAdhaSi pAraNai as usual?
Yes.
Q. What can we do if we get prasAdham(bulk) from the temple on EkAdhaSi?
We can distribute to someone who eats on EkAdhaSi. If prasAdham will not get spoilt, it can be consumed on the next day as well.
Q. EkAdhaSi specialty is seen as stories from purANas. Is it necessary for us to listen/read those?
Not necessary at all. We focus on performing EkAdhaSi as a kainkaryam only. When we listen to such stories, we will start expecting results for our acts.
Q. Can SrlvaishNavas perform vara lakshmi vratham?
No.
Q. Can SrIvaishNavas follow anantha chathurdaSi – anantha vratham?
No such vratha followed in our sampradhAyam.
Q. In the month of mArgazhi, do we refrain from consuming milk and ghee?
Though that was part of the vratham of the gOpikAs, we are not performing the same vratham – our focus is only to engage in bhagavath anubhavam and kainkaryam.
Q. Can we do sathyanArAyaNa vratham?
We don’t observe sathyanArAyaNa pUja in our sampradhAyam. Ideally, we should not participate in it also.
Q. During mArgazhi vratham can one attend a death house of a friend or far relative and continue the vratham?
Yes – we can attend. As such no specific vratham for dhanur mAsam other than engaging in kainkaryam.
Q. If someone’s grandfather had attained paramapadham, can the grandchildren keep mArgazhi nOnbu after punya jalam?
We don’t have any mArgazhi nOnbu as it is. There is no specific vratham. It is more related to being immersed in thiruppAvai and bhagavAn through such thiruppAvai.
Q. Can SrIvaishNavas perform rAdhAshtami vratham?
rAdhAshtami is not a part of SrIvaishNava sampradhAya celebrations. It is better for any individual to follow one sampradhAyam only. If we mix and match different sampradhAya principles on our own, sooner or later, we will become confused and we will also start confusing others – this is being done by many persons these days. Every sampradhAyam has their own set of philosophical aspects, rules of worship etc. It is impossible to satisfy all the rules of every sampradhAyam for anyone. Hence it is better to follow one sampradhAyam and do it well.
Q. As per Ahara niyamam can we use pAsi paruppu and thuvaram paruppu for daily cooking?
Both can be used interchangeably. But on days like dhvAdhaSi and amAvAsyai, some people prefer pAsi paruppu (moong dal).
Q. How can we celebrate vAmana dhvAdhaSi?
There is no specific vAmana dhvAdhaSi celebrations shown by our elders, at our home.
Q. Can vAzhai poo be cooked for dhvAdhaSi pAraNai?
Usually, vAzhai is not included on dhvAdhaSi days.
Q. On dhvAdhaSi day, is it okay to break the fast by accepting thIrtham, thiruthuzhAi (thuLasi) and prasAdham from nearby perumAL temple first, and to perform thiruvArAdhanam at home later?
Yes – it can be done, as long as it is little prasAdham.
Q. Is it wrong if we can’t do the dhvAdhaSi pAraNai in the morning as prescribed?
We should try our best – but if it does not happen due to other kainkaryams, it is fine. It should not be delayed for laukIka reasons.
Q. What is the significance of consuming agaththi keerai on dhvAdhaSi? Also, can we cut agaththi keerai using knife?
Probably for health reasons, SAsthram/elders may have prescribed this lighter diet for dhvAdhaSi, which includes moong dhal, nellikkay, agaththi keerai, sundai vaththal, etc., which will be easy for the stomach to digest. It is true that we should not cut agathi keerai, should just extract the leaves and cook them in full only.
Q. In dhvAdhaSi pAraNai, what should we cook, and what is the procedure of pAraNai?
Usually agaththi keerai, nellikkAy (goose berry), etc., should be there. moong dhAl is main ingredient. pAraNai should be done as early as possible after doing thiruvArAdhanam, approximately before 8.30 a.m.
Q. If pOngal pandigai falls on dhvAdhaSi day and we also have to do utharAyaNa tharpaNam on the same day, then should we do dhvAdhaSi pAraNai after tharpaNam is completed?
Yes – pAraNai only after tharpaNam.
Q. Can we use banana related items for cooking on dhvAdhaSi?
On dhvAdhaSi days, it is commonly seen that banana related items are not used.
Q. Can we add milk and curd as a part of dhvAdhaSi pAranai ?
Yes – it is usually done.