Forth coming Pithru Paksha and the procedures thereof

[Guest guest]

My dear friends and likeminded persons

 

REG : PITHRU PAKSHA – OFFERING AND PRAYING THE DEPARTED SOULS OF THE FAMILY

TREE- FORTNIGHT COMMENCING FROM 5TH OF THIS MONTH TO 18TH – WHAT DOES IT

INDICATE AND WHAT IS OUR RESPONSIBILITY

 

As per Hindu Traditional belief and as supported by several scientists of this

subject, I am presenting this information for your reading and taking cognizance

of it, if convinced.

 

The dark days of the month of Bhadrapada Maasa as per Chandramaan calendar and

Aswiyuja Maasa as per the Barhaspatya Maan Calendar as followed by most of the

North India based people, the fort night till the no moon day or the Amavasya is

considered as most sacred in terms of praying the departed souls in the family

tree for their peace and taking blessings for the prosperity of our children and

grand children.  Is it really so?  This is being questioned even by many

Hindus and gradually these are considered as baseless beliefs and people are

giving them up.  It is a most unfortunate state. Dr Robert gave a clear and

nice presentation on this topic and his presentation is placed in my blog in the

name of http://ritualsandprocedures.blogspot.com.

 

Please refer to the pages where tarpana vidhi is updated.  However, for quick

reference I am once again presenting the topic for the information of all the

readers, and I am only eager that none of us should skip this great opportunity.

I am giving many alternatives and the readers can accept any one convenient to

them, but I appeal to you all not to miss this opportunity. 

 

A logical presentation is that – this has come from Vedic Order of life and

Vedaas never – I repeat – NEVER – misdirect any one of us NOR the great

Sages of India who worked on these sciences.  May be, we may not get a

convincing answer as to how a small offering on this Mother Earth reaches one

who is no more in the physical form.  It is also difficult to convince at this

hour in spite of the fact that scientists like Dr Robert worked on this and give

us a clear picture. Surely there is a day, where we all upkeep our eye brows and

accept that the Great Sages are right and they gave us proper and right

direction.  Much before that, let us go by the aforementioned logic and accept

the tradition in any manner that suits us as per our place of stay and as per

our circumstances.

How this tarpana is to be done and what is the procedu

re.

1)      We need to know the tidhi i.e. the day of the departed soul of the

father or mother and on that day Pinda Pradana is to be done which needs the

assistance of a Pundit or a Purohit.

 

2)      I do not get a Pundit or a Purohit and what is to be done then?

Please take some black sesame seeds and take the sequence as mentioned in the

order below and start releasing the water three times between index finger and

thumb of right hand and for easy flow of water the hand has to be bent to the

right a little. Those who wear Yagnopaveet, the position of this are to be

changed to the reverse direction which is called as Apasavyam.  

 

3)      I do not know the names of grandfather and the great grandfather or

grandmother and great grandmother either mother side or father side, what should

I do?  In these cases, since names of the parents are known, please insert

“Yagnappa†for male or “Yagnamma†for female and continue to do this and

do not leave this just because the names are not known.

 

4)      I do not know some of the names in the order, and then what should

I do?  You can leave water and a sesame seed by just remembering them and that

is the only thing we can do. But before this please try from all sources and

remember it is essential for us to update the family tree and it is THE

GREATNESS OF INDIAN TRADITION.

 

5)      I do not know the Gothra of some of the families and what should I

do? I suggest you to say “Shri Mahaa Vishnu Gothra†or “Shri Mahadeva

Gothra†in these areas.

 

6)      I do not know whether they are alive or otherwise and what should I

do?  I suggest skipping this when it is not a certainty.  This is to be

remembered that THIS has to be given only for a departed soul in the family tree

and not otherwise.

 

7)      I do not get sesame seeds what should I do?  Please try sincerely

and explore all possibilities (this is to be remembered that the parents and

grandparents strived very hard for our future and only on account of this we are

in a position to reach this stage) and for any reason the sesame seeds are not

available, please do not give up this but continue to do this procedure using at

least water

 

8)      I get only white sesame seeds what should I do?  You can make use

of them and get some item prepared in the home so that it can be offered in the

names of the departed souls to near and dear.  But the procedure has to be

followed using water.

 

9)      I do not feel like doing all this and I do not believe all this,

what should I do?  Please take some food items and clothing and offer them to

the aged in any old age homes in the names of the departed souls and this is the

least we can do on humanitarian grounds.

 

10)   I do not have money to do anything what should I do?  If you believe

all this, offering of water does not cost anything, you can do this.

 

11)   I do not have time for all this, what should I do?  Please go out

during day time, look at the Sun Lord and please remember all the departed souls

of the family tree and pray for their peace.  You can also offer some food

items in the work spot to some of your colleagues in the names of the departed

souls.

 

12)   Is there any direction for all this?  Yes, one should preferably sit

facing south to do this when it is a must to face east while making a sankalpa

and this is a basic rule for any sankalpa.

 

13)   I do not wish to do any of the things what I should do? – Please

forgive me; I have no answer for this.

 

14)   What is the order in which tarpana or the panda pradana.  Firstly -

father, grandfather and great grandfather; secondly – mother, grandmother and

great grandmother; thirdly – any step mother; fourth –mother side –

mothers father, mothers grandfather, mothers great grandfather, then, mothers

mother, mothers grandmother, mothers great grandmother; fifth – own wife;

sixth – sons and unmarried daughters; seventh – brothers; eighth – fathers

brothers; ninth – mothers brothers and his wife; tenth – own sisters;

eleventh – grandson; twelfth – sisters son; thirteenth – fathers sisters;

fourteenth – mothers sisters; fifteenth – own son-in-law; sixteenth – own

brother in laws or wife’s brothers; seventeenth – daughter in law;

eighteenth – father in law and mother in law; nineteenth – master and

finally to whom so ever knowingly or unknowingly we are indebted – for them.

 

15)   The last one – taking the yagnopaveeta at the knots and putting a drop

of water on it and while squeezing, offer the drops to those in the family known

and unknown, departed without having any sons or without any lineage.  

 

16)   I do not have Yagnopaveeta, what should I do?  You can leave a spoon of

water remembering all those in the family tree.

 

Learned people in the groups who may receive this mail may add their suggestions

too.  It may not be out of order here that we, the HINDUs with all rich

tradition is trying to give up these rituals by some pretext or the other. 

While, it is a matter or real appreciation, in some countries and in some other

religions, people give offerings duly observing “Fathers day†“Mothers

Dayâ€, “Grand Parents Day†and so on.  Unfortunately, some among the

Hindus are slipping from the procedures of either in Hindu System or in some

system of some other religion. It is not fair.

 

Let us respect those who strived hard for us, let us consider this as a “thank

giving†or the least of it, let us maintain the family tree and remember all

those in our family at least by observing this so that we can pass on the

similar information to our next generation.

 

Last, but not least, if we do not remember our family tree, how and in what

manner our next generation prefers to remember all of us.  For every action,

there is a equal and opposite reaction.

 

Can we afford leaving the next generation without any knowledge of their family

tree?     

   Let us consider these days as “Thanks Giving Daysâ€Â  at least.

  

Yours affly

HARA HARA MAHADEVA

DR P V SESHA SAI ASWAMEDHAYAAJJI

 

Dr P V Sesha Sai Aswamedhayaaji

Camp: Albany New York, USA

Web http://aswamedhayaaji.com e mail shodasisai,

shodasisai

Cell Phone 518 368 7956

1st September 2009