How to identify the shannavathi (96) days of an year for tharpanam?

Question

Shannavathi Tharpanam - means 96 days of oblations to our elders. While this answer beautifully explains how the count 96 is arrived, I am still perplexed on how to identify them on the calendar/panchangam(almanac)?

To avoid a dead link, I quote the answer that I referred here:

1) Number of Shraddham or Tharpana per year:

Shannavathi - 96 days when Shraddham or atleast Tharpana is to be performed.

The following are the 96 days:

Amavasya - 12

Masapirappu (Sankramanas) - 12

Pournami - 12

Kruthayugathi - 1

Threthayugathi - 1

Dwaparayugathi - 1

Kaliyugathi - 1

Vaithruthi Yogas - 14

Vyatheepatha Yoga -14

Mahalayathi -16

Ashtaka - 4

Anvashtaka - 4

Thisroshtaka -4

Apart from the listed days above, one has to perform the Tharppanam on the Eclipse days and also on the next day to Mathru/Pithru Srardha days.

According to the Vaidhyanatheeyam and Srivaishnava Deepika, a dutiful Brahmin has to perform 96 tharppanams in a year, as stipulated in the Vedic scripts. Listed above are the days on which a Brahmin has to perform his duty in Thila tharpana roopam. Out of these, the Mahalaya Tharpanam can be done with Hiranyam or with Brahmmana bhojanam also; if not on all the sixteen days, any one day that one considers himself as most important – viz. Mahabharani, Madhyashtami or on his mathru/ pithru srardha thithi days that falls during Mahalayam.

If one cannot afford to perform the Tharsha Srardham known as Thila tharppanam on all the above days, one should stick to minimum possible on Amavasya, Mesha Sangramanam, Dakshinayana punyakaalam, Thula Vishu Punyakalam, Utharayana punyakalam, Mahalaya Tharpanam (one day), Visible Surya/Chandra Grahana days and also on the next days to Mathru/Pithru srardha.

2) Shraddham and Tharpana in life time:

(i) Pinda Tharpanam at Badrinath:

The Pinda Tharpanam at Brahma Kapalam, Badrinath is to be done atleast once in life time by all.

(ii) Shraddham and Tharpanam at Gaya:

The following are to be performed atleast once in life time by all at Gaya.

a) Pinda and Thila Tharpanam at the riverbed Falgu

b) Pinda Tharpanam at Vishnupadam

c) Shraddham at Gaya

d) Pinda Tharpanam at Akshayavada Source(s): http://www.trsiyengar.com/id139.shtml C. Sri Vidya Rajagopalan · 8 years ago

Of these listed days, it is easy for me to find:

Amavasya - 12 Masapirappu (Sankramanas) - 12 Pournami - 12 Mahalayathi -16

While I have no clue on how to find:

Kruthayugathi - 1 Threthayugathi - 1 Dwaparayugathi - 1 Kaliyugathi - 1 Vaithruthi Yogas - 14 Vyatheepatha Yoga -14 Ashtaka - 4 Anvashtaka - 4 Thisroshtaka -4

Answer 1

My reference here is the book "Essence of Dharma Sindhu" @Kamakoti.org

The 96(Shannavati) Shraddha days are:

In fact in each year there are ninety six Shraaddhas to be performed and these are: twelve Amavasyas, four yugaadis, fourteen Manvantaraas, Twelve Kranthis, Twelve Vaidhritis, twelve Vyatipaataas, Mahalayaas fifteen , Ashtakas as five, Anvashtakas five , Purveddha shraaddhas five, totalling ‘Shannavati’ Shraaddhaas.

Now you have said that you already know some of these days. Those which are missing from your list and those days which you can't identify are given below:

4 Yugadi days(Yugadi day is the day on which the Yuga is believed to have started):

Kritha Yugadi-Aksahya Navami(Month-Karthik,Paksha-Sukla,Tithi-Navami)

Treta Yugadi-Akshaya Tritiya(Vaishakh,Sukla,Triteeya)

Dwapara Yugadi-Magha Bahula Trayodashi(Magha,Krishna,Trayodashi)

Kali Yugadi-Bhadrapada Krishna Trayodashi.

Kali Yuga started on Bhadrapada, Krishnapaksha -13th day, in Vyatipaat yoga at midnight, in the Aashlesha Nakshatra and the age of the Kali Yuga has been fixed as 5101 years as till date that is Vikram Samvat 2057 = Shaka 1922 = 2000 AD.

12 Vyaptipata and 12 Vaidhruti Yogas:

In a year the Vyaptipata Yogas and Vaidruthi Yoga days are each 12 in number and not 14 like you mentioned.(See my quote above,they list 12 days for each of these yogas).

A hindu day consist of 5 limbs or the "Panchangas" one of which is the Yoga other 4 being Tithi,Nakshtra,Vara and Karana.

You can check on any Panchanga site(like Drikpanchang.com ) for Vyaptipata and Vaidruthi Yoga days for your place.This will give you the 24 Shraddha days in a year.

Five Purvavedu days:

Five Purvavedu or Saptami days of Krishna Pakshas of Bhadrapada, Marg ashira, Pushya, Maagha, and Phalgunaas;

14 Manvadis(the day on which each Manvantara started):

On the Chaitra Shukla Triteeya itself the Manvaadis or the beginning of reign of Fourteen Manus ; in fact the Manvaadis are celebrated on Chaitra Shukla Triteeya and Purnima, Jyeshtha Purnima, Ashadha Shukla Dashami and Purnima, Shravana Krishna ashtami, Bhadrapada Shukla Triteeya, Ashvayuja Shukla Navami, Kartika Shukla Dwadashi and Pournamaasi, Pousha Shuklaikaadashi, Maagha Shukla Saptami and Phalguna Purnima and Amavaashya

5 Ashtakas and 5 Anashtakas days :

Ashtami Tithis of Krishna Pakshas of the afore-mentioned Maasaas(the 5 months mentioned under Purbavedu days) are the 5 Ashtakas and the and Anvashtaka Krishna Navamis of the same 5 Months.