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Thanks for your comments.

Pitr srartham (shraddha) has 2 aspects. One is the invocation of 3 generations of pitrs as vasu rudra, adityas and their symbolic merging. This connects us verily with nArAyanA. Other is the honoring of those (vipra) who carry out the work of pitrs (the veda raksanam), by welcoming them, offering them seat, washing their feet, feeding them and on their satisfaction, seek their blessings and dust below their feet as our prasada. Both have been there for long.

What I wrote on how the South Indian Brahmins split themselves into those who remained tied to veda raksanam and others who did other work to support their counterparts is an observation of history. My surmise is that Sumangali prarthanai is part of that tradition that reveres the wives of those males who do veda raksanam.

I totally agree with you on how local traditions mix with vedic rituals.

However Sumangali prarthanai is not reserved for all female ancestors, but only to the sumangalis of the past, done by the sumangalis of the present.

My surmise was it revered the sumangalis who lived and supported their husbands doing the tough job of veda raksanam. It invoked all such women who gave their life to it, all through their life. Such women had to be sumangalis only. If a husband dies, then the women is no longer serving the cause of veda raksanam.

As that population shrank, it reduced to any living married woman and further got corrupted to seeking the boon of wives dying earlier than husband.

But you are right. There's no document or proof of these. It's just my understanding and view.

<blockquote data-quote="thebigthinkg" data-source="post: 482700" data-attributes="member: 14192">Thanks for your comments.&nbsp; Pitr srartham (shraddha) has 2 aspects. One is the invocation of 3 generations of pitrs as vasu rudra, adityas and their symbolic merging. This connects us verily with nArAyanA.&nbsp; Other is the honoring of those (vipra) who carry out the work of pitrs (the veda raksanam), by welcoming them, offering them seat, washing their feet, feeding them and on their satisfaction, seek their blessings and dust below their feet as our prasada. Both have been there for long.&nbsp; What I wrote on how the South Indian Brahmins split themselves into those who remained tied to veda raksanam and others who did other work to support their counterparts is an observation of history.&nbsp; My surmise is that Sumangali prarthanai is part of that tradition that reveres the wives of those males who do veda raksanam.I totally agree with you on how local traditions mix with vedic rituals. However Sumangali prarthanai is not reserved for all female ancestors, but only to the sumangalis of the past, done by the sumangalis of the present.&nbsp; My surmise was it revered the sumangalis who lived and supported their husbands doing the tough job of veda raksanam. It invoked all such women who gave their life to it, all through their life.&nbsp; Such women had to be sumangalis only. If a husband dies, then the women is no longer serving the cause of veda raksanam.As that population shrank, it reduced to any living married woman and further got corrupted to seeking the boon of wives dying earlier than husband.But you are right. There&#039;s no document or proof of these. It&#039;s just my understanding and view.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="thebigthinkg, post: 482700, member: 14192"] Thanks for your comments. Pitr srartham (shraddha) has 2 aspects. One is the invocation of 3 generations of pitrs as vasu rudra, adityas and their symbolic merging. This connects us verily with nArAyanA. Other is the honoring of those (vipra) who carry out the work of pitrs (the veda raksanam), by welcoming them, offering them seat, washing their feet, feeding them and on their satisfaction, seek their blessings and dust below their feet as our prasada. Both have been there for long. What I wrote on how the South Indian Brahmins split themselves into those who remained tied to veda raksanam and others who did other work to support their counterparts is an observation of history. My surmise is that Sumangali prarthanai is part of that tradition that reveres the wives of those males who do veda raksanam. I totally agree with you on how local traditions mix with vedic rituals. However Sumangali prarthanai is not reserved for all female ancestors, but only to the sumangalis of the past, done by the sumangalis of the present. My surmise was it revered the sumangalis who lived and supported their husbands doing the tough job of veda raksanam. It invoked all such women who gave their life to it, all through their life. Such women had to be sumangalis only. If a husband dies, then the women is no longer serving the cause of veda raksanam. As that population shrank, it reduced to any living married woman and further got corrupted to seeking the boon of wives dying earlier than husband. But you are right. There's no document or proof of these. It's just my understanding and view. [/QUOTE]

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