|
Pitru or Pitra
Paksh is a fifteen-day period during which rituals are performed for the
deceased ancestors. It is also known as Shraaddh. It
is believed that if Shraaddh is performed according to
the rules, the departed souls attain peace.
Significance
It is said in Hindu religion
that whatever you donate during Pitra Paksh period in the name of ancestors is received by them.
This way, our ancestors remain satisfied and peaceful in Pitra Lok (nether region where souls are
believed to live) and give their blessings.
If someone doesn’t know or forgets to
perform the rituals on the date of Shraaddh of their
ancestors, they can perform the rituals on Pitra Amavasya. It is considered to be an auspicious day
to perform Shraaddh ceremonies. It is believed that on this day, ancestors visit their homes
with the desire of pind-daan (a shraaddh ritual) and if someone doesn’t perform it, they
return to Pitra Lok unhappy.
When
Pitru
Paksh is observed for fifteen days during the months of Bhadrapad and Ashwin(September-
October), as per Hindu calendar. It starts on the full moon day, which begins after the Ganapati
festival. Shraaddh ends on the new moon day. Pitra Amavasya is the last day of Shraaddh or Pitra Paksha. It is
also known as Mahalaya or Visarjani Amavasya in some regions.
Legend
According to popular legend the
ritual of Shraaddh was envisioned by Sage Atri, son of Lord
Brahma. Sage Atri was the one who narrated the ritual, as laid down by Lord Brahma to Nimi, one of
his lineages. This ceremony is continued by people till today. Manu was the first person to perform
this ritual so he is known as the deity of Shraaddha.
However, there is another popular
legend explained in the epic Ramayana. When Lord Ram, Goddess Sita and Lakshman were staying in the
forest, Bharat, Ram’s younger brother, came to meet them there and informed them about the
death of their father. It is mentioned in the Ramayana that Lord Ram later performed all the rituals
related to Shraaddh, for his deceased father.
Rituals and Observations
In order to
perform Shraaddh ceremony, usually a priest is invited for meal. Those who were related to the
deceased person should not be invited for the meal. Some people prefer performing rituals such as
Pind-Daan in the presence of a priest. However, some people donate food to the poor and seek
blessings of their ancestors. Since offering food and water to a hungry and thirsty person is
considered to be the greatest daan (offering or service) one can do, it holds very high place in
Hindu religion. One should chant the prayer of “Shree Gurudev Dutta” 15 times after the
completion of the rituals. Pitra Amavasya marks the end of Shraaddh or Pitru Paksh soon after which
Navratra (a festival of nine nights) begins..
All the information given above are of general nature only,
collected and reproduced for the general information only. However, if you want some
specific, exclusive and deep information, you may avail our specially designed services, for
satisfying your thirst of knowledge.To quench your thirst of knowledge, Please click any one of the
following:
Vedic
Knowledge- Ask Us
|
