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.

WHETHER PITRU TARPANAM FORMING PART OF BRAHMA YAJNAM HAS TO BE DONE DAILY EVEN BY THOSE WHOSE FATHER IS ALIVE?

The Nitya pitru tarpaNam formimg part of Brahma Yajnam has to be done every day using plain water without any tila. This is meant for invoking the pitru devatas. There is no AvAhanam for one's pitru, pitAmaha and prapitAmaha. This is to be done daily by even those whose father is alive. The proper method of doing this has to be learnt from a Guru.

 

The shaNNavati pitru tarpaNam invoking one's pitru, pitAmaha and prapitAmaha has to be done only by those whose father is not alive. This tarpaNam using tila is done during amAvAsya, sankramaNam ( birth of month) , ashtaka, etc