Mahalaya Paksha & Shraddha Karma

According to Lunar calendar, Pitru Paksha starts from Padyami (1st day) of Bahula Paksha (succeeding full moon day) of Telugu month Bhadrapada generally falls in the calendar month September and ends with Amavasya (no moon day). In Pitru Paksha, Pinda Pradhan can be done at home or in holy shrines. We are providing the details of Choultries, Ashrams and Purohits to be contacted in the Shrines for the guidance of those who desire to perform the rituals in holy shrines of Varanasi (Kashi), Gaya, Prayag Raj. 

God will appear in their forms of Matru (Mother) Devobhav, Pitru (Father) Devobhav, Acharya (Teacher) Devobhav and Atidhi (Guest) Devobhav. Human beings can bring Moksha to their parents, teacher, relatives and friends by performing rituals and other rites in holy places. The rituals can perform by the sons, Jamata (daughter’s husband/ son-in-law), Dauhitra (daughter’s son/grandson) of the deceased or deploying a priest and the family of those who performed the rituals in the forth coming Pitru Paksha can get happiness with ther blessings of their ancestors as per legends. Pinda Pradhan has  to be performed in Panch (five) Gaya Shrines Shiro Gaya (Bihar), Nabhi Gaya (Orissa), Pada Gaya (Andhra Pradesh), Matru Gaya (Siddhapur, Gujarat) and Brahmakapal (Badrinath) which are considered to be Pitru Mukti Kshetra for the liberation of the souls of their deceased ancestors. In addition to these Five, Pinda Pradhan in Kasi considered to be the abode of Lord Shiva after Kailash and one of the Seven Mukthi Shrines. Those who are physically and financially unable to perform pind pradhan in Panch Gaya are advised to perform the rituals at Varanasi or Kashi, Gaya and Prayag.   

As per legends, in the absence of a qualified person to perform Shraddha Karma or Pinda Pradhan, i.e. the son, son-in-law etc., the rituals may be performed with a priest on behalf of the Kartha (qualified person). In some Choultries and Ashrams this facility is available to arrange priest to the rituals of Shraddha Karma and Pinda Pradhan. There is the facility of live telecast of Annual ritual and Pinda Pradhan deploying a Priest as an alternative as stated in the legend for those who have the desire to do or perform Pitru Karma and unable to come from abroad or those who have the desire to do Pitru Karma but are physically not strong or unable to do it.

Shraddha Karma is considered to be impure and inauspicious as it is associated with death. People used to know the information about their ancestors from the elders because they lived in joint families in villages during the preceding years. Over time in the next generation, due to their education and work for livelihood were migrated to the cities  and abroad. In today’s daily life, living far away from their parents and due to their work pressure, they are unable to arrange for the last rites and subsequent rituals along with annual rites of their parents, due to lack of time, energy though they financially well settled in their life. They are not having enough time to talk with their elders and relatives. At least they are not in a position to tell the details of their ancestors and their clan. This should be treated as a serious matter. Apart from auspicious activities such as Upanayanam and Marriage rituals, for inauspicious activities such as vedic Karma, Shradda Karma, Pindapradhan etc. also there is the  need of Names of ancestors, Clan, pravara etc. of the three generations in the lineage. Most of them are unable to tell the clan and names of their grandfathers. It is surprise that many of the Brahmins do not know their Pravara (origin).

By worship of the ancestors and offering tarpan on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya, the souls of the ancestors roaming on earth without being able to reach the heaven satisfy with the rituals and attain salvation. Issues related to money, health, relationship and career will be resolved with the blessings of ancestors performing Pinda Pradhan. Thus the performer of Sraddha Karma can get good luck and a prosperous life and the bad karma due to not doing Tarpan in the past will be removed. The sins committed by the ancestors are removed and helps to the performer of Sradha Karma to achieve success in everything.

In West Bengal, the Mahalaya Paksh begins on Durga Puja festival i.e. Ashviyuja Shudda Padyami, on the day Goddess Durga descended on earth. In Mahalaya Paksha, Bengali people wake up early in the morning and traditionally chant hymns from Devi Mahatya and worship the ancestors in homes and in temporary atriums. Thee worship of the ancestors and offering tarpan on the day of Mahalaya Amavasya, the souls of the ancestors roaming on earth without being able to reach heaven satisfy with the rituals    and attain salvation.