Pitru Paksha 2023: Pitru Paksha is going to start from today i.e. 29th September, Friday and it will end on 14th October, Saturday, on the day of Sarvapitri Amavasya. During the 16 days of Pitru Paksha, Pind Daan, Tarpan, and Shraddha rituals are performed for the ancestors. By performing the Shraddha of ancestors during Pitru Paksha, obstacles in life are removed and blessings of ancestors are received. Astrologer Pt. Manoj Kumar Dwivedi said that it has been mentioned in the mythological texts that before worshiping the deity, the person should worship his ancestors. When the ancestors are happy, the gods also become happy.
This is the reason that in Indian culture, the elders of the house are respected while they are alive and Shraddha rituals are performed after their death. There is also a belief behind this that if the ancestors are not offered as per the rituals then they do not get salvation and their souls keep wandering in the mortal world. There is also an astrological reason for celebrating Pitru Paksha. Pitra Dosh is considered very important in astrology. When a person is deprived of success even after coming very close to success, is facing problems in procreating a child, is facing loss of money, then there are strong possibilities of suffering from Pitrudosh in Astrology. Therefore, peace of ancestors is also considered necessary to get relief from Pitrudosh.
Things to keep in mind during Pitru Paksha
It is believed that during these 16 days all the ancestors come to earth to bless their kin. To please them, Tarpan, Shraddha, and Pind Daan are done. Performing these rituals is also important because it helps a person's ancestors cross over to their favored worlds. At the same time, those who do not offer Pind Daan to their ancestors have to bear ancestral debt and Pitrudosh. Therefore, if you are performing Shraddha of your ancestors during Shraddha Paksha, then you should take special care about these things…
According to the scriptures, the eldest son and the youngest son have the right to perform Shraddha, apart from this, in special circumstances any son has the right to perform Shraddha.
Before performing the Shraddha of ancestors, take bath and wear clean clothes.
Wear a ring made of Kush grass. It is used to invoke the ancestors.
Offer a circular Pinda made of barley flour, sesame seeds, and rice as a part of Pinda Daan.
The scriptural belief is that Shraddha rituals (pind daan, tarpan) should be performed only by a qualified learned Brahmin. In Shraddha rituals, donations are given to Brahmins with full devotion and also if you can help any poor or needy person then you get a lot of virtue. Along with this, a portion of food should also be given to animals and birds like cows, dogs, crows, etc.
Do not do these things during Shraddha Paksha
According to the scriptures, no auspicious work should be done during the days of Pitru Paksha.
Do not buy any vehicle or new item during this period.
Apart from this, do not consume non-vegetarian food at all. If you wear sacred thread during Shraddha, then during Pind Daan, keep it on the right shoulder instead of the left.
A person performing Shraddha rituals should not cut his nails. Apart from this, he should not shave or cut his hair.
Do not use tobacco, smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol. Don't indulge in such bad behavior. This hinders the fruitful results of performing Shraddha rituals.
If possible, do not wear slippers in the house for 16 days.
It is believed that during the fortnight of Pitru Paksha, ancestors come to your house in any form. Therefore, in this fortnight, no animal or human being should be disrespected. Rather, any creature that comes to your door should be fed and treated with respect.
The person performing Shraddha in Pitru Paksha should follow celibacy.
It is forbidden to eat some things during Pitru Paksha, like gram, lentils, cumin, black salt, gourd and cucumber, mustard greens, etc. should not be eaten.
Do not use iron utensils for the ritual. Instead use gold, silver, copper or brass utensils to please your ancestors.
If Shraddha is performed at a particular place then it gives special results. It is said that by performing Shraddha in Gaya, Prayag, and Badrinath, ancestors get salvation. Those who cannot perform Shraddha at these holy places for any reason can offer Tarpan and Pinda Daan at any holy place in the courtyard of their house.
