Sri Vaishnava Shraddha Prayoga -

Offerings of cooked rice and ghee are made into the sacred fire. This "Pitru-medha" sanctifies the food before it is served.

Consequently, the Śrī Vaiṣṇava Śrāddha Prayoga teaches that the piṇḍa (rice-ball offering) and water ( tarpaṇa ) are offered not to the ancestors as independent entities, but . The rite is performed as an act of Viṣṇu-ārādhana (worship of Viṣṇu), and the merit is transferred to the departed soul. This avoids the pitfall of dualistic worship, maintaining that Viṣṇu alone is the Supreme Self ( Paramātman ). sri vaishnava shraddha prayoga

For those abroad, "Hiranya Shraddha" (using dry grains or gold/money) is sometimes performed if a full "Anna Shraddha" (cooked feast) is not possible, though the latter is highly preferred. Offerings of cooked rice and ghee are made

The day begins with Snanam (ritual bath) while reciting Punyahavachanam . The Sankalpam (vow) is crucial: you declare the Tithi (lunar date), your Gotra (lineage), and your intention. In the Sri Vaishnava Sankalpam , we add the phrase "Bhagavad-Kainkaryam Antaram" —acknowledging that this is a service to the Lord via the ancestors. The rite is performed as an act of

The term Prayoga translates to "application" or "ritual procedure." Thus, the Sri Vaishnava Shraddha Prayoga refers to the specific, doctrinally strict method of performing ancestral rites as per the Pancharatra Agama and the Bodhayana Sutras , which form the ritual backbone of the Thenkalai and Vadakalai sub-sects of Srivaishnavism.