HINDU RELIGION | SHRADDHA | PITRUPAKSHA | TRADITIONS | MOKSHA | MAHALAYA

PATERNAL

 

Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month is the period from Pratipada to Amavasya. In Hindu religion-tradition, it is known as Pitru fortnight. Every year there is an important period of 16 days. This period is also known as Pitrupaksha or Shraddha fortnight in Hinduism.

Why is Pitrupaksha in the month of Bhadrapada only in Krishna Paksha?

  Pitrupaksha is also known as Mahalaya. During this period, one remembers the date on which one's ancestor or relative died and prays to appease their soul. It is believed that Pitrupaksha means ancestors- fathers came to earth from Pitruloka during this period. Hence they are worshiped on those days, hence that yesterday is not considered auspicious. During that time they do not generally perform auspicious deeds; they do not negotiate about it and do not make big purchases.

  While performing Shraddha, the ancestors are offered their favorite food Naivedya. It is believed that doing this brings prosperity and happiness in the house by getting their blessings. Pitrupaksha is a way of expressing gratitude to our ancestors, thanking them for what they have done for us, and remembering them.

A story of Karna related to Shraddha Paksha

  According to the story, after Karna's death, his soul ascends to heaven, and he is given a lot of gold and jewels to eat. Karna's soul does not realize why this happened. He then asked Indradeva why he had been given gold instead of food.

Indradev said that you only donated gold during your lifetime. Never offered food to our ancestors. Then Karna said, I did not know anything about my ancestors, so I could not donate anything to them.

Karna then asked for a second chance to correct his mistake and was sent to Earth for 16 days. Karna then performed Shraddha to the ancestors and gave food to them. Tarpan is done, this period of 16 days is considered Pitru Paksha.

IMPORTANCE OF PATERNALISM

According to mythology in Indian tradition, ancestors are believed to reside in a special realm between heaven and earth called 'Pitru Lok'. Ancestors are our previous three generations who have gone to the Hereafter. Yama, the god of death, is in charge of the world. It is believed that when the first generation is taken to heaven, a member of the second generation dies. The method of three generations passed through the ancestors is done. If Shraddha is performed properly, with dedication, love, and respect, the ancestors are pleased to protect us from negative forces and grant us prosperity and success. In ancient times, the New Year started on Ashwin Shukla Pratipada. Hence, the last fifteen days of the previous year were reserved for the remembrance of the departed ancestors. The Satavahana kings started the Shalivahana Shaka. It starts on Chaitra Shukla Pratipada. Hence, the Hindu New Year started on Chaitra Padva, but the Mahalaya period has not been changed. It remained only the second week of Bhadrapada. That practice has been cultivated for centuries.

Remembrance of the Departed with Reverence

A Hindu man performs the Shraddha of his relative on the same date in the Pitrupaksha on which the relative died. Shraddha means the remembrance of the deceased. On that occasion, the departed ancestors are remembered. In the Shraddha ritual, all known and unknown people from other gotras are worshiped in the form of Pindarupa. It is believed that during that fortnight pitar (deceased ancestors) came from Yamaloka to reside in the family home. Therefore, that party (fortnight) is considered suitable for such patriarchy.

Apart from inheriting the wealth of our forefathers, we also inherit the sins committed by them. Sometimes they don't get peace even after death because of some bad deeds they have done. The present generation may suffer from the turmoil of their forefathers. Shraddha is considered as a way to bring peace to their souls. By performing the Tarpan ritual in Shraddha, they can find peace of mind for their sins.

An unnatural death, mainly due to accident or suicide, is believed to prevent the soul from entering the afterlife. The Tarpana method is considered very important in Shraddha to remove the effects of this unexpected death and bring peace to the soul. Paying homage to your ancestors is auspicious.

5 Common Questions & Answers about Pitrupaksha

Question: What is the purpose of Pitru Paksha?

Answer: According to Brahma Purana and other Vedic texts, the pujas and rituals offered during Pitru Paksha help the spirits of one's ancestors attain peace and move on to the next realm. Thus performing Shraddha Puja in Pitru Paksha is very important for the welfare of one's own and ancestral soul.

Question: Is Pitru Paksha good or bad?

Answer: Pitru Paksha is the most auspicious time for our dead ancestors. Keeping them happy with various good deeds is a method of attaining Mukti or Moksha.

Question: Who is the God of Pitru Paksha?

Answer: Pitru Paksha has a reason for worshiping three generations of our ancestors. According to ancient texts, the souls of the three previous generations reside in the Pitraloka, a realm between heaven and earth and controlled by Yama, the god of death.

Question: Who can do Tarpan in Pitru Paksha?

Answer: The eldest son of the family can perform this ritual. Pitru Paksha rituals are performed by the eldest son of the family. The person performing the ritual should bathe in the morning, get clean, and wear a dhoti. All rituals should be performed under the guidance of Guruji by wearing a ring made of Darbha grass.

Question: What are the benefits of Pitrupoja?

Answer: Removes obstacles or obstacles in one's life. One can attain peace of mind and peace in life. Wealth and prosperity are in the life of man. Pitru Dosha Poojan helps maintain good harmony and cordial relationships with family members.

PLEASE NOTE

All the information in the above article is collected from various websites through the internet. According to the topic, this information has been presented to you with necessary modifications. The Compiler does not take any responsibility for its authenticity and cannot guarantee 100% about the points and information presented therein. Readers are requested to enjoy reading.