Significance and importance of Shradh (पितृ पक्ष श्राद्ध): According to the scriptures, there are three debts for human beings, the first is the debt of the gods, the second is the Rishi and the third is the debt of the father (pitra rin पितृ ऋण). In these, it is necessary to get rid of the debt of the ancestors by performing Pitru Paksha Shradh or Pind Daan, because our birth is meaningless if we are not free from the debt of the parents who made many efforts for the enhancement of our age, health, and happiness and good fortune.
Simply, for the ancestors, the various actions that are performed with reverence are called ‘Shraadh! it is said. The word ‘Shraadh (श्रद्धा)’ is derived from ‘Shradh ( श्राद्ध)’. It is also called patriarchy.
In our country, there is a provision to celebrate the fortnight of Krishna Paksha of Ashwin/Asvina month (September – the seventh month of the year according to the Hindu calendar) as Shradh Paksha for the peace of unsatisfied souls.
Significance and importance of Shradh
importance of Shradh – It is a natural question that how do the ancestors get the various materials of food given in Shradh? There is also no conclusive proof of the fact in which the creature takes birth after death. Such doubts have also been properly resolved in the scriptures.
With the help of gotra, the divine ancestors like Vishwadev and Agniswat easily make available poetry to the ancestors. If the father has received the god Yoni, then the ‘food’ given in Shradh, he gets it by becoming nectar there. In the human yoni in the form of ana, in the animal yoni in the form of straw, they are attained. Even in the nagadi yonis, she satisfies her by getting it in the form of substances after doing shradhdhya (श्राद्धीय) indulgent gratification.
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The month of Shradh and attainment
Starting from Bhadrapada Shukla Purnima (भाद्रपद शुक्ल पूर्णिमा) till Ashwin Krishna Amavasya (अश्विन कृष्ण अमावस्या), this sixteen-day tarpan for ancestors is called Pitru Paksha and performing Shradh in this Paksha gives satisfaction to the ancestors. This year Shradh Paksha is starting from 16th September, which will continue till 1st October. Meanwhile, any person can perform Shradh for his father and the elderly.
importance of Pitru Paksha Shradh
The day of ancestors is considered to start from Bhadrapada Shukla Purnima and it lasts till the new moon. Shukla Paksha is said to be the night of the ancestors. Therefore, according to Manusmriti, there is one Ahoratra (day and night) of ancestors equal to one month in humans. There are two sides in a month. The Krishna Paksha of human beings is the day for the actions of the ancestors and the Shukla Paksha is the night for the ancestors to sleep.
Therefore, it is considered a law to perform Shradh in the Pitru Paksha of Ashwin month. By performing Shradh, the ancestors get food every day. That is why in the scriptures, the glory of Shradh has been specially described in Pitru Paksha. The performer gets son, wealth, longevity, health, and prestige.
Types of Shradh
Different types of Shradh are mentioned in different Puranas-
According to Bhavishya Purana, there are 12 types of Shradh. Nitya, Naimittika, Kamya, Vriddhi, Sampindan, Parvana, Goshtha, Shudrtha, Kamang, Daivika, Shantyartha, and Pushtyartha. Apart from this, Nandimukh, Shodshah, Panchdev, Annual, Gaya, and Teerth Shradh are also important Shradhs. But there are two types of Shradh mentioned in our scriptures. Tithi Shradh and Parvana Shradh.
Of these, Tithi Shradh is performed every year on the date on which the person died. Parvan Shradh is performed every year on Pitru Paksha. Every year 15 days of Krishna Paksha before the Shukla Paksha of Ashwin month are known as Pitru Paksha. By adding a full moon to this Paksha, it is also called 16-day Mahalaya Shraddha Paksha or Mahalaya Paksha. People on this side offer water to their ancestors and perform Shradh with reverence on the date of death.
On this side, after Chaturdashi, comes the Amavasya festival, which is also called Pitruvirsani Amavasya or Mahalaya. Sarvapita Shradh is performed on this day. On this date, all the ancestors are immersed. Those ancestors whose death anniversary is not known to the relatives or whose Shradh is not done within 15 days of Pitru Paksha, do their Shradh, donation, and tarpan on this day.
Every year Shradh performed on the death anniversary of Haridwar, Gaya, Pushkar, Prayag, Narmada, Shriparvat, Prayas, Godavari, Kurukshetra, Ganges, Gangotri, Kashi, Puri, etc. is called Ekodishta. Tarpan, Tithi, and Parvan Shradh are mandatory among the above Shradhs.
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Process of Shradh
There are generally two processes of Shradh-
- First is Pinda dan
- second brahmin meal
Those who reach Devlok or Pitruloka after death, immediately attend the Shradh and take food through invited Brahmins on invitation through mantras. Being a micrograph, they are satisfied with the number of olfactory particles in the food. The gods eat the Havya and the ancestors eat poetry from the mouth of the Brahmin.
The Glory of Pitru Paksha Shradh
A lot has been written in the scriptures about the glory of Shradh. Shradh Dvaiparam Yash i.e. Shradh gives ultimate bliss. Lord Jagdish is satisfied when the ancestors are satisfied, and when they are satisfied, nothing remains rare in the three worlds. One who performs Shradh attains the supreme state after age, strength, fame, knowledge, and death.
It is mentioned in Agni Purana that Shradh should be started with Devkarma. Do not indulge in anger, haste, carelessness, travel, and self-study. It is written in the Vayu Purana that the Pitargans, who are satisfied by the Shradhs, always carry forward their families. The ancestors will always give confirmation and progress to the person who performs Shradh etc. from the point of view of the welfare of the people.
According to Vayu Purana, the rituals performed for the ancestors are more fruitful than the sacrifices performed for the deities. Satisfied ancestors bless their children with age, children, wealth, and education. Those who give jaggery mixed grains and sesame seeds in Shradh, their entire donation is inexhaustible, there is no sorrow in the family of the person who performs the importance of Shradh.
According to the Garuda Purana, being satisfied with the worship of the ancestors, the Pitras bestow longevity, sons, fame, fame, confirmation, strength, splendor, happiness, wealth, etc. to a man. According to Markandeya Purana, the ancestors who are satisfied with Shradh provide longevity, progeny, learning, happiness, kingdom, heaven, and salvation to the performer.
Vasu, Rudra, Aditya, Grahas, Nakshatras, and Tarkas are all happy by satisfying the ancestors in Shradh. In this way, Mahaguru Brihaspati has said in Vayu Purana that the ritual of Shradh is going to increase life, fame, subjects, intelligence, progeny, etc.
It is also mentioned in Yajnavalkya Smriti that Vasudevata Rudra and Aditya and Pitra are the deities of Shradh. He satiates the ancestors of human beings by performing Shradh and the ancestors of human beings, that is, the ancestors of humans, are pleased and provide long life, progeny, wealth, learning, salvation, happiness, and others. In the 14th chapter of Garuda Purana, four routes have been given to go to Dharmarajpur after death.
East Marg, North Marg, West Marg, and South Marg. After performing the Shradh of the ancestors, entering through the west gate of Dharmarajpur, goes inside the Dharmaraja Sabha, where Dharmaraja stands up to greet him. In this way, performing Shradh for ancestors is a sacred act of human beings.
If the family does not perform Shradh, the family becomes afflicted with Pitru Dosh, as a result of which there are opportunities for disease, grief, misery, and misfortune. gives. It is written in the Skandha Purana that the ancestors of a person who does not perform Shradh on the date of death, curse him and return to Pitruloka. According to the Brahmin Purana, the ancestors drink their blood if they do not perform Shradh in the lust of wealth.
According to Vishnu Smriti, ‘श्राद्धमेतन्न कुर्वाणो नरकं प्रतिपद्यते”’ means one who does not perform shradh, ultimately goes to hell. The person who is without Shraddha, his subjects do not grow, that is, he does not have children. Therefore, one must perform Shradh for the satisfaction and self-welfare of the ancestors. Nothing in this world is more beneficial to man than Shradh. Shradh Karma is the best Karma.
Benefits of Pitru Paksha Shradh
In the 117th chapter of Agni Purana, Agnidev has described Kamyakalp in Shradhkalp i.e. the day on which various wishes are fulfilled by performing Shradh. The person who performs Shradh on Pratipada gets wealth and property. Enemies are destroyed by performing Shradh on Tritiya. One who performs Shradh on Chaturthi attains Dharma and Kama. He gets knowledge of all the tricks of the enemies.
One who performs Shradh on Panchami Tithi attains Uttam Lakshmi and gets the fruit of the son’s wish. Devas and ancestors are pleased with the completion of Shradh Karma on Shashthi. He gets prestige in the public society. One who performs Shradh on Saptami gets the virtuous results of Yagyas. He gets progress in the fields. A person who performs Shradh on Ashtami attains all the prosperity, he gets wealth and wisdom.
importance of Shradh, A woman who performs Shradh on Navami gets abundant wealth, wealth, opulence, and a woman who walks well in her mind. A person who performs Shradh on Dashami gets Mahalakshmi. Ekadashi Shradh is the best charity. He acquires the knowledge of all the Vedas. It destroys all sinful deeds. His family grows. The Shradh of Dwadashi leads to the welfare of the nation and food in abundance.
Wealth, progeny, intellect, opulence, longevity, and healthy physique are obtained from the Shradh of Trayodashi and superiority comes among the brothers. Shradh on Chaturdashi is done for the young dead. This protects man from weapons. Shradh should be performed on Chaturdashi for those who have died by suicide, accident, murder, snakebite, and weapons.
Amavasya Shradh is said to bring everything to the dead. Those people who have a son after 3 girls or twins are born, should perform Shradh on Amavasya.
According to the Brahma Purana, after being holy in the new moon, all the desires of a person are fulfilled and he attains happiness in heaven till eternity. In this way, the person who performs the rituals of Shraddha, attaining all the desires, enjoys heaven till eternity.
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Why does only the son have the right of Shradh?
Scriptures and Smritikars have considered the son, especially the eldest son, as the first officer for the work of Pind Daan and Shradh. Manu’s statement is – The one who does ‘tra’ (trap) from the hell named ‘Pu’ is called a son.
If there is no son, then the grandson, great-grandson, daughter-in-law, wife, brother, nephew, father-mother, son-in-law, sister, nephew, Sapind (family from self to seven generations) and Sodak (eighth to fourteenth) to perform Shradh in scriptures ancestral family up to generation). In these, in the absence of the former, the latter has been given the right.
Rules for performing Pitru Paksha Shradh
- Shradh should always be performed on your own land or your home. Shradh can also be performed on a pilgrimage or the banks of a river.
- The land sloping towards the south should be found for performing Shradh. Because in Dakshinayana there is the dominance of ancestors. The influence of the deities takes place in Uttarayan. The pilgrimage sites are considered to be the best for Shradh.
- It is necessary to pay attention to faith, purity, cleanliness, and purity in Shradh Karma.
- Shradh should be done in the middle of the day.
- While offering tarpan to ancestors, some tasks are performed with the left limb. Therefore, it is necessary to do the Yagyopaveet from the left to the right. This law is only in the works of the ancestors. There is no provision for this in the works of God.
- The right of Shradh has been given only to the son. has gone. If there is no son, the daughter’s son’s grandson can perform Shradh. Among the parents who have many sons, the eldest son has the right to perform Shradh. In the absence of a son, a grandson can perform Shradh and in the absence of a grandson, a great-grandson can perform Shradh.
- Along with brahmin food, tarpan is of utmost importance in Shradhkarma.
- Read the verse thrice at the beginning and end of Shradh –
“ॐ देवताभ्यः पितृभ्यश्च महायोगिभ्य एव च
नमः स्वाहायै स्वधायै नित्यमेव नमो नम:”
According to Yajnavalakya Smriti, till the completion of the date of Shradh, the performer and importance of Shradh with Brahmins should remain celibate by being celibate. He is forbidden to datum, eat betel leaves, apply oil, take medicine, get a hair cut, do sex work, eat foreign food, travel, get angry, etc.