Surya Grahanam on August 21st 2017 in USA

Compiled by: Sridhar Sampath, Houston (email: sri_sampath@yahoo.com)

Total eclipse of the Sun at HOUSTON, TEXAS, Central Daylight Time

Event Time in Visible in Key pointers

Houston Houston
Pre-grahanam Refrain from food & water
Prepare vastram for pooja/Tarpanam etc.
Put dharba grass in milk, butter, etc.
Pre-grahanam snanam & Surya darsanam
See Pre-grahanam notes below
Total grahanam begins 11:46 AM Yes
Maximum grahanam 1:16 PM Yes
Total grahanam ends 2:45 PM Yes
Post grahanam Moksha sachela snanam (i.e. w/ clothes on)
with recitation of grahana shanti mantra, Surya
darsanam
Discard unprotected food
http://www.timeanddate.com

Activity Importance
Tarpanam** For those who do pitru tarpanam, it MUST be done soon at the commencement of the
eclipse Follow the standard operating procedures for tarpanam (bath, clothes, etc.)
Change Sankalpam as below. Bath after the eclipse ends. Only graham tarpanam is
needed, Amavasya tarpanam is not needed
Japam Must do if you have been initiated into mantra(s). Japam of other uninitiated mantras
as per personal preference. Brahma Charis are recommended to do 1008 Gayathri.
Salagrama Aradhanam Must do if you have salagrama sila at home. Only fruits can be offered, cooked food
cannot be offered until moksha.
Bahya pooja of deities Suggested activity. Only fruits can be offered, cooked food cannot be offered until
moksha.
Dhyanam Suggested activity. Helps to stay antarmukhi during the period.

Sleeping MUST be avoided for the entire length of grahanam

Suggested pathways depending on pooja, arAdhanam and Tarpanam** requirement

Beginning Maximum Ending

Pre Post
grahan grahan
Option 1 Dhyanam/Japam Japam Japan/Dhyanam
am am
Option 2-T** Tarpanam** Japam/Aradhanam Aradhanam Dhyanam
Pre grahanam Notes

One should not eat for few hours (strictly speaking 9 hrs. for lunar and 12 hrs. for solar) before grahanam
begins. One can drink water. One should observe a waterless fast while the actual grahanam is in progress. In
addition, one should not offer meals to God during this pre-grahanam period.
Food cooked before grahanam becomes unfit for consumption and must be discarded afterwards. A couple of
blades of Dharbha grass can be put on milk, yogurt, butter, ghee, oil etc. to preserve them through
grahanam.
Take Surya darsanam before grahanam (if viewable)

Dhyanam/Japam notes:

Try to be antarmukhi during the entire period.

Dhyanam of God, Guru, chanting, bhajans, kirtans etc. can be practiced.
For japam, sit on Dharbha Aasana (4 darbha blades) and wear Pavitram (2 darbha blades)
Mantras, Bhagavan Nama, Grahana Shanti Parihara Mantra (see below) or other mantras can be chanted.
It is good to do japa of all the mantras that one is initiated to, including Gayathri. Not doing the japa even for a
short while, could result in mantra maalinya.

Pooja /SalagrAma Aradhanam notes:

Include suryO uparAga puNyakAle in sankalpam and/or sAtviga thyAgam

Modified MantrAsanam offering during slagramaArAdhanam as below

Do not offer cooked food during bhojyasanam, only fruits can be offered.

Post grahanam Notes:

Take bath with the same clothes worn during grahana. If the grahanam happens in your birth raasi or
nakshatra, chant Grahana Shanti Parihara mantra while taking bath (see below)
Remember to remove Dharbha grass from food.
Take Surya darsanam after grahanam (if viewable)

Grahana Shanthi Parihara Mantra

Directly Influenced raasi*: Simha

Direclty Influenced nakshatras*: Makhaa, Poorva Phalguni, Uttara Phalguni
*
Please consult your jyothisa for additional raasi and nakshatras influenced by this Grahanam
The following mantra may be repeated for grahana shanthi. It may be chanted before/ during
grahanam or during after grahanam bath.
Disclaimer: Please follow your achArya or matam guidelines for pariharam if available

yo sou vajra dharo devaha AdityAnAm prabhurmathaha

surya grahoparAgotha grhapEdam vyapohatu

yo sou dhanda dharo dhevaha yamO mahishavAhanaha

surya grahoparAgotha grhapEdam vyapohatu

yo sou shoola dharo dhevaha pinAkI vrishavAhanaha

surya grahoparAgotha grhapEdam vyapohatu

Tarpanam** Notes (applies only for those who have to do Tarpanam)

http://www.ahobilamutt.org/us/services/sankalpam/sankalpam.asp
Tarpanam must be done after the commencement of grahanam. Follow the standard operating procedures
for tarpanam (bath, clothes, etc.). Change sankalpam as below.
For tarpanam different darba asana (3 darba strands with sharp tip) and pavitram (made with 3 darba) must
be used.

Tarpana** Sankalpam for Houston on 08/21/2017

At 11:50 AM CDT and valid through 02:29 PM:
hevilambi nAma samvathsarE, dakshinAyanE,
varsha rithou,simha mAsE,
krishna pakshE, amAvAsyAm shubha thithou,
indu vAsara, makhA nakshatra yukthAyAm...

suryO uparAga puNyakAle suryO uparAga shrArdha pratinidhi thila

tarppaNa rUpeNa adhya kariShye

Tarpanam** sankalpam for your location can be checked from the link below
http://www.ahobilamutt.org/us/services/sankalpam/sankalpam.asp)

** Only for those who must do pitru tarpanam