[Advaita-l] (no subject)

[Venkata sriram P]

Dear Vijay,
 
First of all, you need to understand that yati dhama nowhere prescribed 
"birthday celebrations" to sanyAsIs.  Only "yati ArAdhana" is there. 
 
However, these vardhantis / janma tithis are celebrated in amnAya peeTAs just to 
give anugraha to the guru-bhaktAs.  Otherwise, paramahamsAs are beyond these
laukika karma kANDAs. 
 
That said, some of the laukika sanyAsis have started cutting cakes also on their b'day.
 
As far as, yati ArAdhana is concerned, elaborate rituals are prescribed like "teertha nArAyaNa puja" where 16 kalashAs are established.   First the samAdhi of the yati is
worshipped with rudrAbhisheka.  The abhisheka jala is collected in the kalasham.  16 kalashas are worshipped which represent 12 names of viSNu starting from keshava; one's guru, parama-guru, paramESTi-guru & parApara guru etc.  Later, 16 yatis are fed; yathA shakti vastra dAna is given to them.
 
The no. 16 depends upon one's sampradAya.  Some, worship only 4 kalashAs and accordingly 4 yatis are summoned for worship who are fed and vastra dAna is given. 
These 4 represent: guru, parama-guru, paramESTi guru & parApara-guru.  
 
Again this "teertha nArAyaNa puja" varies if the yati is grihastha in pUrvAshrama or a brahmachAri.  If the yati was a grihastha, then piNDa pradAna should be performed by his son separately. The shishya performs the teertha pUja. 
 
Even during the mAsika shrAddha for the sanyAsi, every month, 6 yatis have to be fed;
3 yatis from son's side and 3 yatis from disciple's side.  
 
So, this is the samkshipta yati ArAdhana vidhi.  
 
regs,
sriram