‘Shraddh’ has been defined as ‘Shrddhyaa kriyte iti shraddh’. This means ‘what is done with utmost respect and devotion is shraddh’. This is an important ritual of remembering our deceased ancestors whereby we try to give them emancipation.
We owe a lot to our ancestors. We exist because of them. Therefore ancestors are remembered in all the important activities of life in Vedic Sanatan Dharma. However, a particular period has been dedicated to offer them respect and pray for their ‘Sadgati’ (moving of their soul towards divinity) and ‘Moksha’ (Freedom from the cycle of birth and death; salvation). In return, we get their blessings. This period is called ‘Pitri Paksha’ – The Time for The Ancestors.
Here, a question may arise as to why we repeatedly, every year, pray for Sadgati and Moksha of our ancestors. Is it not enough to perform this once? Another question often raised is if the soul gets new body after death and takes birth, which ancestor remains there to accept our offerings and poojas?
I try to explain the underlying reasoning in simple words. Every human being gets reward or punishment as per his deeds in material world. This is true for the astral word also. The person who has done good deeds during his lifetime is likely to get rebirth immediately after death or even may get Moksha. In other words, he is rewarded. The person who has not done anything good during the lifetime will not get the reward. He gets punishment, and there is a duration of punishment. Logically, the results of good deeds will not be the same as that of bad deeds. Until this tenure of punishment is completed, one will not be reborn, or get Moksha.
It is very difficult to find a human being who has not done anything wrong, knowingly or inadvertently. Thus, there is every likelihood that each of us have to go through the period of punishment. The duration may extend even beyond centuries also, depending upon the deeds.
This is where ‘Shraddh’ becomes more significant. As we inherit the property of our forefathers, we also inherit the effect of their deeds. In other words we inherit ‘Karmas’ of our parents and forefathers. So, when we perform ‘Shraddh’, we request the almighty for their salvation. Doing ‘Shraddh’ repeatedly, they are relieved from the punishment and get to go to new life or Moksha.
Another question that is raised is why to Feed a Brahmin only? An important part of this poojan is feeding the Brahmin. With the passage of time, people have started to feed the poor, patients in the hospitals, children in orphanage or similar charity as ‘Shraddh’ poojan. This is not correct. The ritual is to feed Brahmins only. The Brahmin is considered to be an intellectual human being with positive character and he has no craving for money or worldly luxuries, a supreme self. He is assumed to be representing our ancestor. When we feed such a Brahmin during ‘Shraddh’, we expect our ancestors to be like that Brahmin. Would anybody like to his ancestor to be or reborn as a wrongdoer or a sick person? No, never. This is why a healthy, knowledgeable Brahmin is supposed to be fed during ‘Shraddh’. This does not undermine the importance of charity or conveys that charity should not be done during ‘Pitri Paksha’. Charity should be done as an act of charity only. This should not be associated with ‘Shraddh’ poojan.
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