pc: tv9marathi
There are many rules of Pitru Paksha and many people follow them strictly. In Pitru Paksha, Shraddha is performed for the peace of the souls of the ancestors and this Shraddha is performed according to the date of death of the ancestors. During this time, giving food and donations to Brahmins is considered auspicious. It is said that if the ancestors are pleased then they take their blessings and go to their world and the one who gets the blessings of the ancestors gets happiness, prosperity, and success in life. Apart from cows, crows also have special importance in Pitru Paksha and it is considered mandatory to feed food to crows after Shraddha. Let us know the importance of crows in Pitru Paksha and the mythology related to it.
pc: Britannica Kids
Importance of crow in Pitru
Paksha: Usually, when a crow comes to the roof of a house, it is chased away because it is considered inauspicious for a crow to come and speak on the roof, but in Pitru Paksha People eagerly wait for the crow and feed it. At the time of Shraddha, apart from providing food to the Brahmins and ancestors, a part of the crow is also taken out. It is said that by feeding crows, Shraddha rituals are completed and the souls of ancestors get peace. According to mythological belief, during Pitru Paksha, ancestors come to earth in the form of crows.
pc: The Independent
Mythology related to Pitru Paksha:
According to mythology, Indra's son Jayant first took the form of a crow. This story is from Treta Yuga when Lord Shri Ram was incarnated on earth. At that time, Jayant took the form of a crow and pecked at the feet of Mother Sita. Then Lord Ram shot an arrow at Jayant's eye. When he apologized for his actions, Rama gave him a boon that he would get the food given by his ancestors. Since then the tradition of feeding crows during Shraddha has been going on. This is the reason why during the Shraddha in Pitru Paksha, food is given to crows first.
During Pitru Paksha, crows are not chased away or mistreated in any way. If a person does this then he has to face the curse of his ancestors as well as the wrath of other Gods and Goddesses and it is believed that he will never get happiness and peace in life.
