Shradh 2024 (Pitra Paksh)

In this article, we are going to cover in depth details of Shradh (Pitra Paksh). We will know about shradh, its significance, history and the complete calendar of Shradh 2024. 

History of Shradh

First of all, we need to know the beginning of Shradh. Knowledge of Shraddh was given to Saint Atri by Saint Nimi. Nimi was one of the famous saints which were famous in Jain dharm also. 

Apart from this, many of our holy books and scriptures have told the significance of our ancestors and their shradh to please & satisfy their spirit. 

Firstly, Athraved has described the importance of Pitras. It has described that Pitras (Our ancestors who have died) have immense power and their blessings give us prosperity & good health. Atharveda says that Pitra are our ancestors who have gone to Pitra Yoni due to some karmas and they move around Sun who is the king of the planet. Some Pitras move around your house and they anticipate that their son and daughters will give them food & water to make them satisfied. When they get food and water from their children then they get happy and give infinite blessings by which their children get rapid growth in their life. 

Secondly, there are a lot of examples given in our Puranas where shradh was performed for the various characters described in Puranas. 

Lord Parshuram perform shradh for their father, mother and other ancient ancestors to make them free and satisfied, 

Similarly Lord Rama also performed shradh for his father named Dashrath. One of the famous examples is given in Mahabharat where Pandavas performed the shradh for their ancestors who died in War. 

Apart from it, the most authentic event we hear from our parents is that Lord Vishnu slaughtered Gayasur who was a terrific demon. When Gayasur was repenting for his bad deeds , he realized that he has done wrong with the people then he prayed to Lord Vishnu and Lord Vishnu got pleased by his prayer and gave him a boon that whoever will come at this place where Gayasur died, and perform shradh for their ancestors, their ancestors will get mukti for sure hence lot of people go to Gaya (Bihar) and perform rituals to make their ancestors freed from this materialistic world 

How to Perform Shradh (Tarpan) 

Shraddh means doing some specific ritual to make your ancestors satisfied. But what’s the concept behind doing tarpan for the people who have died. The answer is given in our Puranas..

Our scriptures say that every material has its own element of power & energy & this power & energy can be consumed by spirits though they can’t touch the material but they can feel the energy and elements which are being released from that material. Hence they have the power to get the virtue of that material.

Following this, we offer Pind (Piece of Wheat Flour & RIce) & Black Sesame Seeds. Some people cook food like Roti, Poori & Rice and put them on the warmed cow dung and when it gets burned on the cow dung, we consider that pitras have got their food and they are satisfied. 

Get to know Shradh Tarpan Step By Step 

The procedure for performing Pitru Tarpan, a ritual performed to honor and appease ancestors, involves several steps. The ritual is usually carried out during the Pitru Paksha, which is a 15-day period dedicated to ancestral worship. Here is a detailed step-by-step guide to performing Pitru Tarpan:

It is generally done on the specific Tithi of the deceased ancestors.

2. Cleanse the Space: Ensure that the area where the ritual will be performed is clean and sanctified. This could be a specific corner of the home or a designated area for religious ceremonies.

3. Gather Materials: Collect all the necessary items for the ritual. This typically includes:

   - Water (preferably from a sacred source)

   - Black sesame seeds (Til)

   - Rice (Akshat)

   - Ghee (clarified butter)

   - Flowers

   - Husked rice

   - Jaggery (optional)

   - A lamp (Diya)

   - A small vessel or plate for offerings

   - A few coins (optional, for charity)

   - A clean cloth (to cover the offering plate)

4. Personal Preparation: Perform a personal purification by taking a bath and wearing clean clothes. It is customary to wear traditional attire, often in white or other light colors.

Performing the Ritual

1. Set Up the Ritual Space: Arrange the items neatly on a clean surface. Place a small vessel or plate in the center to hold the offerings.

2. Light the Lamp: Begin the ritual by lighting a lamp or diya to signify the presence of divine energy and to sanctify the space.

3. Offer Water: Pour a small amount of water into the vessel or palm of your hand and sprinkle it around the area where the ritual will take place. This is to purify the space and to invite the presence of the ancestors.

4. Recite Invocations: Recite specific mantras or prayers to invoke the presence of the ancestors. The most common mantra used is:

 Om Pitru Devaya Namah

Alternatively, you can use other traditional mantras based on your family or regional practices.

5. Prepare the Offerings:

 - Mix black sesame seeds (Til) with rice (Akshat) and ghee in the vessel.

 - You may add a bit of jaggery to the mixture if desired.

 - Offer this mixture as Tarpan to the ancestors. It is believed that this sacred mixture pleases the spirits of the deceased.

6. Perform the Tarpan:

 - Hold the mixture in your right hand (if you are right-handed) and offer it to the ancestors while reciting the following mantra:

 Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya

- Gently pour the mixture into the water vessel or directly into the sacred space, ensuring that you maintain a respectful and solemn demeanor.

7. Offer Water (Tarpan):

Take a small amount of water in your palm and offer it to the ancestors by gently pouring it towards the ground or into a vessel.

Recite the following mantra while offering the water:

Om Pitru Namah

8. Pray for the Ancestors:

   - Pray for the peace and liberation of the souls of your ancestors. Request their blessings for   your family and yourself.

   - You may also make a small donation or charity as a part of the ritual.

9. Conclude the Ritual:

   - Offer a final prayer or chant in gratitude for the ancestors' presence and blessings.

   - Extinguish the lamp (Diya) and cleanse the area where the ritual was performed.

10. Distribution of Offerings:

    - Distribute the offerings to family members or to a Brahmin (priest) if desired.

    - Some families also choose to give food or other forms of charity to the needy as part of the ritual.

Post-Ritual Activities

1. Clean the Space: Clean the area where the ritual was performed, as a mark of respect and to remove any residual energy.

2. Share the Prasad: The food offerings (Prasad) are typically shared among family members.

By following these steps with devotion and respect, you honor your ancestors and seek their blessings. The ritual of Pitru Tarpan is an important part of maintaining spiritual connection and familial harmony.

Important Thing on Shradh (Pitra Paksh)

In our Sanatan Dharma, ancestors have been given a special place in the scriptures. It is believed that ancestors play an important role in the peace and happiness of the family. The time of Shraadh Paksha is considered the best to please the ancestors. Along with this, this time is also considered perfect for getting rid of Pitra Dosh.

Many people say that those who have been gone for years must have been born again, then why is Shraddh celebrated in their name till now? So we want to say to those great people that when once a year we consider our birthday or anniversary or any festival as a special day and celebrate it with great pomp, then can't we dedicate one day in the memory of our ancestors because of whom we are here today...!!

That is why our scriptures have kept everything balanced so that we humans do not forget our generations, the favor they have done to us in bringing us into this world, we should dedicate a special day to that favor… that is why these fifteen days are important if we think practically and the scriptures always maintain a balance, that is why the Gita and the Upanishads give importance to carrying karma and dharma together.

According to the scriptures, if we want to keep our ancestors happy, then we must do some measures in Pitru Paksha, they are as follows.. First of all, do Pitru Tarpan... Pitru Tarpan is a special worship in which food, water, and pind are offered to the souls of ancestors. It should be done carefully and with devotion and if we are not able to do it properly, then we should call a good ritual pandit and get this worship done with full rituals.

By meditating and praying for our ancestors, all the Vaastu defects of our house are eliminated and we also get free from Pitra Dosh.

After performing the Puja, we should have a feast and do charity because doing charity and performing Yagna in the name of our ancestors in their memory can also make them happy. Also, we should dedicate any one chapter of the Gita to them by taking a pledge in their name.

Worship the Peepal tree for the ancestors. It is believed that the ancestors reside in the Peepal tree. There is a provision to worship for the ancestors by lighting a lamp under the Peepal tree, offering fruits and flowers, or offering water.

During Pitru Paksha, light a lamp every day and place it in the south direction, this is considered the direction of ancestors. If you water the Peepal tree and light a ghee lamp every day during Pitru Paksha, then the ancestors are pleased. Lighting a lamp during Pitru Paksha is considered very auspicious.

According to Garuda Purana, if someone is unable to perform tarpan properly in these fifteen days of Pitru Paksha, then he can perform tarpan on the day of Amavasya. On the day of Amavasya, it is very useful to perform tarpan of ancestors by mixing black sesame, flowers, milk in water at the time of tarpan. This satisfies the ancestors soon. If you want, you can also do this by going to any pilgrimage or river bank.

Performing rituals at a pilgrimage site gives infinite multiplication of fruits. Shri Ram and Mother Sita also went to Gaya Tirtha and performed tarpan for ancestors. Stay away from non-vegetarian food during the days of Pitru Paksha. Do not consume garlic, onion, meat, mudra etc. Doing this can cause Pitru Dosh in your horoscope and even the scriptures do not allow non-vegetarian food.

Chanting the mantra Om Pitru Daivatayai Namah 108 times while offering water to the ancestors also pleases the ancestors.

According to Vastu Shastra, placing the picture of ancestors in the south direction of the house makes the ancestors happy. To please the ancestors, offering Pinddaan and water regularly for fifteen days is beneficial. It is auspicious to recite these mantras while offering water.

Our offerings to the fathers. Our offerings to the grandfathers.

Our offerings to the great-grandparents. I offer my respectful obeisances to all the fathers.

By chanting this mantra, the ancestors become happy and satisfied.

Along with this we can also chant the Pitru Gayatri Mantra Om Pitru Ganaya Vidmahe Jagat Dharini Dheemahi Tanno Pitro Prachodayat.

There is a provision in any religion to ask for forgiveness after doing any work, therefore, to get the blessings of ancestors, remembering the ancestors in mind while eating food and asking for forgiveness for the mistakes is complete.

Remember, the virtuous behavior with our ancestors will determine our future and in Sanatan Dharma, the ancestors of the house are said to be equal to Narayana, it is only with their blessings that prosperity and good fortune remain and the happiness of the gods is also in the service of Nar Narayana.

For information about any remedy or ritual, you can also take advice from the experienced team of our website Astrosaga App. It will be our true happiness if there is a positive change in your life and prosperity remains.