What is the Significance of Performing Shraadh?

Shradh is a holiday that is a time to pay homage to the ancestral ancestors. This article will talk about the significance of the festival and the reason why it has an important place in India.

When I was a kid I've questioned various gurus and pandits about the significance to Shradh to comprehend the reason why rituals are conducted. It was only recently that these questions were addressed and once I understood the underlying philosophy and the significance of their beliefs, I realized the importance and the elegance of this tradition. This article will discuss briefly the meaning I was able to decipher in the hope that it can help you see the old ritual in a different perspective, the same way I did.

"vedavinasinam nityamya enam ajam avyayam
katham sa purusah partha
kam ghatayati hanti kam"

As per the Bhagavad Gita This shloka was delivered by Lord Krishna prior to the beginning of war in order to describe the concept of the Indestructibility Aatma(soul) in Arjuna. It is a statement that says it is true that the soul could not be destroyed or created what is the way anyone can murder or cause the death of anyone?

While it is true that Aatma is impervious to destruction, it does not mean that it is invincible. It's still a concentration of energy that is searching for a place to live in. It is not able to be a part of a body that it can create at its own choice nor will return to the vessel that it was removed from. Some discover a body however, others don't. they are believed to wander through the wilderness within the spiritual realm.

Now let's discuss the significance of Shraadh:

To celebrate the peace and the salvation of spirits, we commemorate Shradh. The second portion of the Hindu Calendar month of Bhadrapada coincides with the Shradh period. It falls just before it is the Navratri festival. The Shradh period is often referred to by the name of Pitra Paksha (fortnight of the ancestors) is observed for the duration of Sarvapitra Amavasya (New Moon), i.e. 29 th September. According to Hindu texts it is believed that during the time that is Shradh that spirit spirits from our ancestral ancestors ascend from the spirit realm into Earth. Earth. The purpose of shradh is to show our gratitude to the spirits of our ancestors.

The word'shradh' an abbreviation of the word shraddha" that literally means sincere faith. The person must present their sacrifices to the forefathers in a the utmost devotion to the sake of their moksh(salvation). This practice in the Hindu faith is part of the 16 Sanskaras, which were identified by the ancient rishis. These are the essential actions one should accomplish to allow to liberate the soul.

Barley, milk and Gangajaalare blended with water to create ' Tarpana Tarpana', which is served to gods each day during Pitra Paksha. There is also a ' Pind' which is a blend consisting of milk, rice, as well as sesame seeds. The mixture is split into four portions and then offered to dogs, cows as well as guests on the particular day(lunar day) of the passing of your family member. If you're unsure of the exact date, you can offer an offering during the festival that falls on Amavasya.

The left picture depicts the process of making pind while the other depicts the pind being handed to an owl. The underlying philosophy behind these rituals is explained in a passage from Sadhguru, yogi , and founder of Isha Foundation, "When an Aatma is let go of the body their minds, conscious and discernible are removed. The mind is left with an assortment of information that is prone to certain patterns that are its own. When you've got an inert mental mind. If you place one drop of happiness in the mind, it will multiply by a million. If you add an unpleasant drop in the mind the unpleasantness will multiply by a million. This is what's called the hell or heaven. If you experience the state of bliss, it's called heaven. However, If you fall into an unsatisfactory state it is referred to as hell. The idea behind these rituals is to somehow inject a little sweetness into the minds of those who are not discerning to allow the Aatma to reside in a self-induced paradise."

Pitru Paksha is also considered to help one redeem yourself by releasing oneself from Pitru dosh(bad Karma committed by people who were your ancestors). The belief is that negative actions of your ancestors or elders plant seed of bad luck into your Aatma too , and that repentance is required for moksha (liberation). Rituals can also aid in the cleansing of these bad Karmas (bad actions) and also to clear the path towards peace and heaven more clear.