WHETHER PITRU TARPANAM IS TO BE PERFORMED AS PART OF UPAKARMA FOR APASTAMBA SUTRA YAJUR VEDIS?

Based on traditional practice of Sishta BrAhmaNAs, for Yajur Veda Apastamba  sUtra, only KANda Rishi TarpaNam is prescribed. There is no Pitru TarpaNam as part of the  upAkarma ritual.

The upAkarma practices vary in the case of other sUtras . Each one should follow his own sUtra.

For RG Veda  and SAma  Veda, Pitru TarpaNam is there as part of upAkarma ritual.
There are variations in the sUtras. Hence  we have to follow what is ordained in our own sUtra  after properly learning the same from a  Guru.

WHETHER PREGNANT WIFE HAS TO SIT BEFORE AGNI WHILE PERFORMANCE OF SIMANTA RITUAL?

According to Apastamba, the pregnant wife must sit to the west of the Agni , facing east for performance of sImanta.

 

parishecanAntam krtvA apareNagnim prAcIm upaveSya treNya SalalyA tribhir darbha punjIlair SalAlupsenetUrdhvam sImantam unnayati vyAhrutribhiruttarabhyAm ca !

-- Apastamba Grhya sUtra

WHETHER VAPANAM IS MANDATORY FOR BRAHMACARIS ON THE UPAKARMA DAY ?

 Vapanam (Hair-cut) is mandatory for brahmacAris on the day of upAkarma. This is especially applicable to the BrahmacAris of  Yajurveda - Apastamba SUtra.

WHETHER PITRU TARPANAM HAS TO BE PERFORMED BY A VIPRA BELONGING TO APASTAMBA SUTRA WHOSE FATHER IS ALIVE?

In Yajur Veda Mantra starting with "somah pitrumAn yamo angirasvAn......" the Pitrus referred to are the nitya Pitrus and not one's own pitru, pitAmaha and prapitAmaha. Also, in the nitya pitru tarpaNam, we use only water.

A person does tarpaNam using gingelly (til) for his own pitru, pitAmaha and prapitAmaha only when his father is not alive. In regard to nitya pitru tarpaNam forming part of brahma Yajna, it is not the case. Hence every vipra, irrespective of the fact whether his father is alive or not, has to perform nitya pitru tarpaNam as part of brahma Yajna if he belongs to Yajur Veda Apastamba SUtra. Thus performance of nitya pitru tarpaNam by such a vipra whose father is alive is in order.