Mahalaya Amavasya

[Guest guest]

Dear friends and devotees,

Bhakti is eternal.

We are now entering into the second half of Bhadrapada, which is called “Pitru

Paksha”. Some information is already given by our elder brother Sri Dr.AAthreya

Garu.  Let us see more details:-

Paksha:

Which is called Paksha?

Each lunar month is divided into two fortnights, called Pakshas. There are two

pakshas in a lunar month, the bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) and dark

fortnight (Krishna Paksha). The time period between a day after the full moon

and the next new moon is call Krishna Paksha or dark fortnight. The time period

between a day after new moon and the next full moon is called Shukla Paksha or

bright fortnight. The fortnights are called Pakshas. The 12 lunar months also

form six rutus or seasons. Shukla Paksha is considered auspicious for rituals;

Bhadrapada Krishna Paksha is named as Pitru Paksha, meaning auspicious to

perform ancestral rites.

Pitru Amavasya or Mahalaya Amavasya

 

This is celebrated on the Amavasya day in the month of Bhadrapada.  When the sun

is in the zodiacal sign of Kanya or Virgo and in conjunction with the moon. It

is a very auspicious day for offering oblations to the pitrus that is names of

the departed ancestors. The whole fortnight called pitru pakshas i.e. the

fortnight preceding Amavasya is sacred for propitiating departed souls.  People

go to sacred rivers like Ganga in North India, Godavari and Krishna in Andhra

and Kaveri in South India to offer oblations and pindas to their ancestors. All

Hindus take it to be an auspicious day, the twice born that is dwijas and

particularly Brahmins perform the rituals on an elaborate scale according to the

rules laid down in religious manuals. Rest of the people celebrate the rituals

through Vedic pundits while the poor remain content with the offer of a day's

ration called Sahityam or Swayampakam (food cooked one self) to their family

priest in the name of their departed ancestors.  The eatables and special dishes

are prepared according to the means of the family.  Non vegetarians drink liquor

and eat meat for the satisfaction of the departed ancestor.

 

With love and regards,

 

Sastry.