Pitru Yajna

“O Grandsire Bhishma! kindly enlighten me about Pitru Yajna” asked Dharmaja.

“O Dharmaja! Worshipping Pitaras is greater than worshipping divine bodies. For human beings, worshipping their fathers and forefathers attain all kinds of fortunes. One who performs Pitru Yajna and Pinda Pradana on every Amavasya (no-moon day) gets the benefit of worshipping Pitaras everyday.

Different kinds of results follow the worship of Pitru Yajna on different days, like getting a beautiful wife by performing Pitru Yajna on Padyami day and begetting beautiful children by performing Pitru Yajna on Vidiya day and so on. For performing Sradha Karma (pitru yajna), days in Krishna Paksha and afternoon are auspicious.

While performing Pitru yajna, gingelly seeds, Payasam (food item prepared with rice, milk and sugar) and ghee are best items. Using of fish and meat in limited extent also yields good results. Cow milk, curd, butter and ghee prepared out of cow milk are also best to be used during Pitru Yajnas. During Pitru Yajnas, ram meat, rhino meat, goat meat also can be used.

Different results follow by performing Pitru yajnas on different Nakhatras. viz., Krittika, Rohini etc.” said Bhishma.

“O Bhishma! Kindly tell me about the nature of persons to be worshipped during Pitru Yajnas.” asked Dharmaja.

“O Dharmanandana! for performing Divine worship, we need not test the veracity of brahmins in detail. If they are good, it is sufficient. But for performing Pitru yajnas, we have to test the veracity of brahmins strictly.
First of all, the brahmins to be worshipped during Pitru Yajnas shall be free from all kinds of vices. They must be learned. They must be eligible to dine along with others in the same line. Gamblers, criminals, money lenders, singers, village officers, illiterates, lepers, traders in wine, traders trading abroad, servants under King, divorcees, shepherds, sculptors, thieves are not fit to be worshipped during Pitru Yajnas.

All the food items prepared for Pitru Karma shallbe purified by sprinkling water with gingelly seeds. People with peace of mind, people with good character, people who control their sense organs, teachers, people with kind heart, wise and learned, experts in grammer, Dharmasastra and Puranas are eligible to dine along with others in the same line.

Before deputing Brahmins for Pitru Karma, one has to test their eligibility as per the above norms. Once deputed, if they are found to be unfit for Pitru Yajna, the mental agony is unbearable. One who performs Pitru Karma as per the above standards, attains higher regions. In this connection, I narrate you a story.

Athri is the brain child of Brahma. Athri’s son was Dattatreya. His son was Nimi. Nimi’s son was Srimantha. Srimanta died. Nimi was performing Shraadha karma to his son. Nimi invited his grand father, Athri to supervise the ceremony. During that time, Saint Athri explained the procedure to be followed during Sradha Karma.

“Brahmins invited for Sradha Karma must be eligible to dine with others.Dharbhas must be spread with their ends towards right side. Gingelly seeds shall be used plenty. Good quality of Dharbhas be procured. While spreading Dharbhas on floor, their ends shall face southwards. While preparing food items for Shradha, drumstick leaves, onion, spoiled meat, dirty salt, black jeera, karela leaves, assafoetida, shall not be used.

At the place of Shradha Karma,dogs, ladies under menstrual periods, prostitutes and low class people shall not be allowed to move. During the course of Sradha Karma, sneezing, crying shall be avoided. Peaceful atmosphere shall prevail. The above conditions shall strictly be followed.” said Athri to Nimi.

Athri continued to say: “In Sradha Karma, Brahma allotted shares to Aryama (sun) Soma (moon) and Agni. Along with fathers and fore fathers, Visve Devatas also shall be worshipped and shares be allotted to them. In divine bodies, there are Ushmapas numbering 60. Brahma allotted equal shares to them also along with Pitaras. If Shradha Karma were to be performed during journeys in hills and forests, simply mental worship of these sixty divine bodies is sufficient. It is equivalent to performing Shradha Karma.

Once several saints were performing Sraadha karma at a time. All the Pitaras suffered with indigestion as they consumed the offerings at a time. All Pitaras approached Chandra (lord of herbals) and sought for remedy. Chandra directed them to Brahma. All of them went to Brahma and told him about their sufferings. Brahma said that Agni will cure their indigestion. Agni told Pitaras “During Shradha Karmas, while consuming the offerings, you consume them through me. The question of indigestion does not arise.” said Agni. Since then, Pitaras have been consuming the offerings through Agni only. Therefore, during Sraadha Karma, Agni must be worshipped by which Pitaras also are satisfied.

During the course of Shradha Karma, the sacred thread (yajnopaveetamu) shall hang from right to left (apasavya). By performing Pinda Pradana, the deceased fathers and fore fathers leave their Preta Atmas and attain higher regions. Human beings aspire for more sons, with a fond hope that atleast one of their sons perform Pinda Pradana in Gaya.” said Saint Athri to his grandson Nimi.

O Dharmaja! these are the norms prescribed for Sraadha Karma.” said Bhishma to Dharmaja.