Thepitris (Sanskrit:पितृ,lit. 'forefathers',IAST:Pitṛ) are the spirits of departedancestors inHinduism. Following an individual's death, the performance of theantyesti (funeral rites) is regarded to allow the deceased to enter Pitrloka, the abode of one's ancestors. The non-performance of these rituals is believed to result in the fate of wandering the earth as a restlesspreta.[1]
Theamavasya (new moon day),[2] as well as the occasion ofPitri Paksha during theHindu month ofAshvin is recommended for the veneration of pitrs.[3][4]
Ancestor veneration is an ancient Indian practice. The custom of adeath anniversary is still practised in India, where the deathday of one's parents involves a number of rituals and offerings, that are elaborated in thePuranas.[5] Balls ofrice (Piṇḍa) are traditionally offered on certain occasions, due to the belief that one's ancestors still need to be fed by their descendants. For the members of the priesthood class, a sacrifice dedicated to one's pitrs must be performed on a daily basis. While the Vedic religion held that one's forefathers attainSvarga, the heavenly realm, most Hindus today believe insamsara, the cycle of rebirth, where all departed souls reincarnate on earth until they achievespiritual liberation, calledmoksha.[6]
According to popular belief, the fire deity,Agni, is believed to carry the deceased to Pitrloka with the smoke that emerges duringcremation.[7]
The pitrs are often likened to birds, as they are described to always be looking down on earth; the ancient Baudhayana stated that pitrs assume the form of birds. This led to the practice of feeding birds during funeral rites, and rituals associated with ancestor veneration.[8]
Texts like theMahabharata establish the concept of the living performing pious deeds for the benefit of their departed ancestors. Rather than a form of worship, it is stated to be the duty of every male descendant to perform rites for their pitrs.[9]
Sayana, a scholar of theVijayanagara Empire, regarded every individual born to be under the debt of their pitrs. This debt is redeemed by continuing the race, which is done by procreation. This act is stated to protect and offer longevity from the pitrs. The world of the pitrs, according to him, could only be achieved by the pious, and is unreachable by those who hateHindu deities or injure Brahmins.[10]
Pitrs have been featured in Hinduism since theRigveda, with hymns invokingAgni to decide which offerings should go to thedevas, and which to one's pitrs.[11] In this text, the Pitrloka andDevaloka are regarded to be indistinct. They are regarded to be distinct in theAtharvaveda, and in theBrahmanas, Devaloka becomes preferable to attain to the Pitroka.[12]
TheManusmriti states that a son born of theBrahma marriage absolves the sins of ten pitrs on the ascending side, and ten on the descending side of his family, as well as himself as the twenty-first.[13]
TheSmriti texts of Hinduism state that any person who does not perform theShraddha ritual is not entitled to inheritance.[14]
According to thePuranas, the first pitrs were thePrajapatis, the progenitors of the human race. After the performance of a penance,Brahma is described to have ordered thedevas, who had ceased to worship him, to acquire instruction from their sons regarding the manner of devotion and veneration. The devas were forced to call their own sons pitrs - fathers.[15][16]
The most complete accounts about the pitrs are found in theVayu Purana andBrahmanda Purana texts, that are regarded to be identical. The account in theHarivamsha resembles them. Brief accounts are also found in theMatsya Purana andPadma Purana. According to these accounts, there are different classes of the pitrs, who have different origins, forms, grades, as well as abodes. A broad distinction is said to exist between thedevāḥ pitaraḥ (divine pitrs) and themanuṣyāḥ pitaraḥ (pitrs who were deceased human beings). Some of the pitrs dwell inDevaloka, while other dwell inPatala. Thedevas and the pitrs of Devaloka are often regarded to be synonymous.[17]
TheVishnu Purana states that the most devout of Brahmins go to Pitrloka.[18]
In theMahabharata, whileYudhishthira talks toBhishma upon his bed of arrows, the latter states that whether one is a deva orasura, a human being,gandharva or uraga orrakshasa,pisaca orkinnara, one must always venerate one's pitrs. He states that performing the Shraddha ritual on each successive day of the lunar fortnight, one reaps merits, such as acquiring beautiful spouses and successful children on the first day, daughters on the second day, steeds on the third day, and so on.[19]
The pitrs are most primeval deities and they never cease to exist. Themanuṣyāḥ pitaraḥ (ancestors of human beings) can attain the same level of the divine pitrs and live with them inSvarga by righteousness.[citation needed]
They are reborn at the end of every thousandmahayugas and revive the worlds.[clarification needed] From them all theManus, and all progeny at the new creation, are said to be produced.[20]
The legend ofAurva from theMahabharata features the sage's pitrs appearing before him to request him to cease hispenance, which produces theVadavagni.[21]
A legend from theDevi Bhagavata Purana narrates that the sageJaratkaru was once travelling through the forest, when he came across his pitrs, hanging over a precipice at the end of a blade of grass. When enquiring regarding their state, the pitrs told Jaratkaru that they experienced this condition due to the latter's childlessness, which resulted in them not being to enter Svarga. To save his pitrs from their ordeal, the sage marriedManasa.[22]
TheBrahmanda Purana narrates the episode ofPururavas propitiating his pitrs.[23]
A legend from theSkanda Purana explains the origin of theShraddha ritual, stating that not offering these rites to one's ancestors during theamavasya (new moon day) will lead to one's pitrs suffering from hunger and thirst.[24]
The legend ofBhagiratha features the king performing arduous penances toGanga andShiva, to free his ancestors fromPatala, where they had been destroyed byKapila.[25]
There are seven classes of thedevāḥ pitaraḥ (divine pitrs), three of them areamurtayah (incorporeal) while the other four aresamurtayah (corporeal). The three incorporeal orders of the pitrs areVairajas,Agnishvattas andBarhishadas. The four corporeal orders of the pitrs areSomapas,Havishmanas,Ajyapas, andSukalins (orManasas).[26]
All seven classes of the divine pitrs had each onemānasī kanyā (mind-born daughter).Mena, the wife of MountHimavat was the daughter of theVairajas.Acchoda, the river was the daughter of theAgnishvattas.Pivari, the wife of the sageShuka was the daughter of theBarhishadas.Narmada, the river was the daughter of theSomapas.Yashoda was the daughter of theHavishmanas was the wife ofVishvamahat and mother of Dilipa.Viraja, the wife of kingNahusha was the daughter of theAjyapas andGo orEkshringa, the wife of the sageShukra was the daughter of theManasas.[27]
| Pre-natal |  | |
|---|---|---|
| Childhood | ||
| Educational | ||
| Marriage | ||
| Last | ||
| Related topics | ||
| Philosophy |
|  | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texts |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Deities |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Practices |
| ||||||||||||||||||
| Related | |||||||||||||||||||
