Among the occasions when Abhyudaya Shradhhas are performed are when a person’s daughter or son is married, Griha praveshas or House-Warmings, child’s name-giving, chuda  karma samskaras, seemantotsavaas and so on.

Shraddha karma is something which pleases Brahma, Indra, Ashwini Kumaras, Surya, Agni, Vasuganas, Marudganas, Vishva Devas, Pitruganas, Rishiganas and Bhutaganas and so on. Nitya Shraadhaas are performed every month on Krishna Paksha Amavasya, Hemanta and Sishira Ritu’s four months on Suklasshtamis specifically. Kaamya Shaaddhas are performed on the days when Uttarayana and Dakshinayana commence, on Vishuva Samkrantis, Surya-Chandra Grahanas, when Surya enters a specified Raashi, or Nakshatra or Graha which is not favourable to a person, or when a person sees a bad dream or when new food crop arrives at home.Those who perform Shraaddha to Pitruganaas on Amavasya and Anuradha or Vishakha or Swati Nakshatra conjunction, the latter would be satisfied for eight long years; similarly when Shraadhaas are executed on Amavasya and Pushya-Ardra-or Punarvasu, Pitru   happy and contented for twelve years; Shraaddhas on Amavasya in coincidence with Dhanishtha, Purvabhadra and Sathabhisha are considered as extremely joyous for Pitras; Shraaddhaas on Vaishakha Maasa Shukla Triteeya, Kartika Shukla Navami, Bhadrapada Krishna Trayodasi and Magha Amavasya are expected to be outstanding for Pitras as such Shraadhhas have the value of Yugaadi deeds and are stated to be the Providers Ananta Punya. Pitruganas keep wondering and constantly pondering :

Api dhanyaha kuley jaataadasmaakam matimaannarah,

Akurvannvittha shaathyan yah Pindaanno nirvapishyati/

(How I wish that in my vamsha, there could be one person even who might perform ‘Pinda daana’without stinging for money)! Could there be one person even who might worship Brahmanaaas and give away charity of Ratnas, vastras, vehicles, and bhogaa vastus and have them contented! At least give them good bhojan and make them satisfied! If even that was not possible, let a member of the family who might give daana of raw dhanya or uncooked grains along with some dakshina or monetary tip! Even it that were not possible, let a good brahmana be venerated with a vandana or greeting along with a fistful of Tilas with water. In the absence of that much of facility, then a vamsheeya might just confess:

Na mesti vittam na dhanam cha naanyachhadropayogyam  swapitrunnatosmi,

Trupyantu Bhaktyaa Pitaro  mayaitou krutow bhujou vataurmani maarutasya/

(I have neither money nor any suitable object with which to provide the least possible veneration to my Pitrudevaas,  excepting a sincere and humble salutation with my raised shoulders towards the sky!)

Shraaddha Vidhi: Care be taken in selecting Shrotriya Brahmanas as Ritviks  or facing   in the Shraadha Karmas of Vaishva Deva type.Depending on one’s ability, Brahmanas be appointed in odd  or numbers like one or three and so on as representatives of Pitru Devatas and in even numbers to represent Deva Paksha Brahmanas; Deva Paksha Brahmanas be seated  as ‘Purvaabhi -mukhas’ or South faced and Pitru-Matru Paksha Brahmanas are to be seated ‘Utaaraabhi -mukha’ or North faced . Both Pitru-Matru Paksha Brahmanas and Deva Paksha Brahmanas might be seated face to face on Kusha grass with Arghya daana, Avahana or Invocation followed by dhupa-deepa-gandha-maalaa-nivedana by way of kusha-graas while Pitru Paakshika Brahmanas are to be worshipped  with yagnopaveeta worn as apasavya or ‘Praacheenaaveeti’, while all the Devakaryas be performed as ‘Sayva’ or normal. After securing the clearance of Brahmanas, the Kusha grass is divided into two halves, and validate one half by Apasavya of Yajnopaveeta offer to Pitru Devas along with ‘tilodakaas’-all the deeds bing done in appropriate Mantras; then the Pitru Devas  as represented by the designated Brahmanas are provided food. There after having  the clearance of the Brahmanas, small quantities of ‘Cooked Anna’ is offered into Agni thrice with ghee but vegetables or salt; the first ‘Ahuti’ is offered with the Mantra: Agnaye havyavaahanaaya swaahaa; the second Ahuti is performed by the Mantra: Somaaya  Pitrumatey swaahaa; the third offering is given by the Mantra: Vaivasataaya swaha/ Then the remainder Anna is served to the Brahmanas as they are requested to peacefully agree to take food while the ‘Rakshoghna’ Mantra is recited and tila seeds are sprinkled on the Shraddha Bhumi thinking of Pitru / Maatru Rupa; the Mantra is recited as follows:

Pita Pitaamahaaschaiva tathaiva Prapitaa -mahah,

Mama truptim prayaantvadya Vipra deheshu samsthitaah/

Pita Pitaamaschaiva tathaiva Prapitaamahah,

Mama truptim prayaantvadya homaapyaayita murthayah/

Pitaa Pitaamahaaschaiva tathaiva Prapitaamahah,

Ttruptyam Prayaantu Pindena maya datthena Bhutaley/

Pitaa Pitaamahaaschiva tathaiva Praputaamahah,

Truptyam prayaantu mey bhaktya mamaittasmudaahyutam/

Mataamahastruptimupaitu tasyahoktaatathaa pitaa tasya pitaa tatonyaha,

Vishwecha Devaah paramaam prayaantu, Truptim pranasyantu cha yaatu dhaanaah/

Yagneshwaro havyasamastakavya bhoktaavyayaatmaa harireeswarotra,

Tasminnidhaanaadapayaantu sadyo rakshaamsya seshaanya suraascha sarvey/   

(May my father, grand father and great grand father enter the bodies of these brahmanas and be satisfied  with my offerings; may they be satisfied with my  homas; may they be satisfied by the Pindaas placed on the Bhumi; may my three paternal generations be satisfied with my sincere and devoted givings which indeed are insignificant; may also my maternal grand father, his father and the latter’s father as also the Vishwadevaganas be contented and destroy the Rakshasa ganaas; may Yagneswara Bhagavan Hari be present here and thus all the evil forces of Rakshasaas and Asuras disappear at once. After this deed, the performer of Shraddha should sprinkle food grain morsels on the Prithvi and after ‘Achamana’ or sipping a little water, sprinkle water on the morsels. Then after securing the clearance of Brahmanas, perform pinda-daana of the food-globes and Tila with water; the remnant morsels of food be sprinkled around the three Pinda-globes and one by one place towards South on the Kushaa grass bed representing the Pitru Pinda, Pitamaha Pinda and Prapitaaha Pinda in a row and after smearing with the ‘Anna sesha’, the Pindas must be taken up on hand and placed back and together worshipped  with gandha, pushpa, dhupa and naivedya and after giving achamana to the  Brahmanas, give away Pinda Daana reciting Susvadhaa and after giving dakshina, seek the blessings of the Pitruganas and providing ‘tathaastu’(So be it!). This would be followed by ‘Paada Shoucha’ or cleaning of feet, ‘Preeti vachana’or sweet conversation and saying good bye to the Brahmanas with respect till they leave; thereafter, the bhojan be performed by other Brahmanas, relatives and family members.

Vishwa devassapitaarastathaa Mataa- Mahaa Nripa,

Kulam chaapyaayatey Pumsaam Sarvam shaaddham prakurvataam/

Somaadhaarah Pitrugano Yogaadhaaraascha Chandramaah,

Shaaddhey Yoginiyogastu Tasmaadbhulaala shayastey/

Sahasrasyaapi Vipraanaam yogichepturatah sthitah,

Sarvaanbhoktrustaarayati Yajamaanam tathaa Nrupa/

(Hey Raja! Those who perform Shraadhhaas sincerely have the Vishwadeva ganaas, Pitruganaas, Mataamaha and the entire Kulaa vaasis satisfied;  Chandra is the hold of Pitruganaas; Yoga is the Adhaara of  Chandra and that is why yogijanaas are appointed in Shraaddhas; giving away bhojan to thousand Brahmanas is as good as one Shraadha Bhojana which would fetch far reaching beneficient impact!)