Śrāddha ceremony (worship of ancestors)

From the early ancient times it is found that life and religion are closely related to each other. It is impossible to separate them from each other. From the period of Vedic Aryan, death is not considered as a terminus of life. On the other hand, it is considered as the life yonder of experiences and hence they perform sacrifices of things, which give them a smooth life thereafter. These features of life later became the worship of pitṛs known as śrāddha.^[1] Śrāddha means the worship of dead person or pitṛs by offering oblations, flowers etc. and earn their bliss.^[2]

From the Vedic times, the Hindu people are performing the śrāddha ceremony. The śrāddha ceremony shows the peaceful relationship between the dead person and the living person. The śrāddha also paves away to calm down the unsatisfied soul. This śrāddha ceremony occupies a unique and important place in the society from the ancient Vedic period. The worship of pitṛs are the root of all funeral rites in India.^[3] According to the Purāṇa, literature, Brāhmaṇa, Kṣatriya and Vaiśya should perform the śrāddha by reciting mantra prescribed in the Vedas. The Śūdra and women should perform the śrāddha without reciting mantras and by following the Brāhmaṇas. A person can perform śrāddha ceremony at any auspicious place. According to the Vedas, new moon day (Amāvasyā) and full moon day (Pūrṇimā) of every month are suitable for śrāddha ceremony.^[4] From the viewpoint of the Purāṇas, śrāddha is a very important ceremony where pitṛs are kept in the special categories of gods.^[5] In the Matsyapurāṇa, we have also found the treatment of genealogies and about fathers and their cult.^[6] Those who follow the rules related to the śrāddha very faithfully they enjoy all the affluence with long life, wealth, progenies etc.^[7]

The worth of śrāddha can be understood by the blessings which one receives after performing this ceremony. According to the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, no one perishes in the family of one who performs the śrāddha.^[8] If the pitṛs are very pleased with śrāddha, they bestow life span or longevity, wisdom, prosperity, knowledge, heaven and final emancipation, all joys and kingdom to men.^[9] Generally, śrāddha is classified into many types. According to Matsyapurāṇa,śrādha is divided into three types viz. nitya, naimittika and kāmya.^[10]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa mentions about six types of śrāddha ceremony such as:

1. nitya,
2. ābhyudayika,
3. ekoddiṣṭa,
4. sapiṇḍīkaraṇa,
5. nitya-naimittika or pārvaṇa-śrāddha,
6. kāmya-śrāddha.

1. Nitya

Nitya is the laid down fixed ceremony where every day on an amāvāsyā, on aṣṭakā day are fixed for an occasion. This observance is known as nitya. Among the five sacrifices nitya-śrāddha is one i.e. pitṛyajña^[11] According to the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, a house holder should daily perform the nitya śrāddha with rice, food and water to the pitṛs and Brāhmaṇas.^[12] After performing the pitṛyajñaśrāddha on having the fire and should offer i.e. tarpaṇa.^[13]

2. Ādhyudayika

Ādhyudayikaśrāddha is offered in some joyful occasions i.e. marriage ceremony, birth of a son etc.^[14] The pitṛs in this śrāddha are called the Nāndīmukha pitṛs, which means sign of happiness.^[15] Here the word nāndi is used as a prefix to the pitṛs.^[16] In this ceremony the performer offers piṇḍas mixed with barley and curd facing northward or eastward with calm and composed mind. It is also mentioned that this śrāddha should not be offered to the Viśvadevas.^[17] Elsewhere in this ceremony, the brāhmaṇas arranged and performed the worship in pairs or an even number or rite is performed from left to right i.e. dextral circumambulation.^[18] Also laid down the worship of Mātṛkās i.e. mother and offering the śrāddha at the marriage time.^[19]

3. Ekoddiṣṭa

According to the Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, the next type of śrāddha is called Ekoddiṣṭ śrāddha.^[20] In this śrāddha only one dead person is intended to be invoked. This śrāddha is also known as modification of pārvaṇaśrāddha.^[21] The Yajñavalkyasmṛti also describes ekoddiṣṭa.^[22] This śrāddha ceremony should be performed on the day of death of a single person. It should be performed with a single vessel which is offered to the gods. Here the person should not perform oblations with fire (āvāhana) and without the ceremonies (agnaukaraṇa). Here one should give only one piṇḍa to the dead person offered near the fragments of food. Again sesamum and water should be offered to the dead persons and should recollect his name keeping the sacred thread on the right hand. This process of karma is called cakṣayyamamukasya. After that the Brahmaṇas are dismissed using the words ‘be delighted’ and they reply that they are delighted.^[23] One should perform this śrāddha for the deceased every month for one year.^[24] It should be done till the sapiṇḍīkaraṇa śrāddha is performed.^[25] Ekoddiṣṭaśrāddha is also performed for dead women every year on the day of their death.^[26] Ekoddiṣṭa śrāddha should be performed every year on the day, the parents have died.^[27]

4. Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa

Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa śrāddha is performed at the end of the year after the death of the deceased person.^[28] In the śrāddha ceremony, only a single arghya is offered in a single vessel. In this śrāddha, the Brahmins are not invited to represent the Viśvedevas. Also this is not performed in the fire (aganukaraṇa) and without offering the oblations with fire (āvāhana).^[29] In this śrāddha, uneven numbers of Brahmins are invited to perform the task. And it is performed with the sacred thread on the right hand.^[30] In this śrāddha, four vessels are prepared and filled with sesamum, perfume and water. Out of these four vessels, one is for the dead person and the other three vessels are kept for the pitṛs. The vessel kept for the deceased and an arghya are to be dipped into three vessels and uttering the words ‘ye samānāḥ’ etc.^[31] except for the sonless woman, this śrāddha can be performed for women also.^[32] After the Sapiṇḍīkaraṇ, the grandfather of the dead person whose sapiṇḍīkaraṇ is performed is left from the list of pitṛs entitled to piṇḍas. He becomes the wiping of the hands (lepabhāk).^[33] The uncertain occasions i.e. the birth, death are called naimittika.

5. Nitya-naimittika

This is another type of śrāddha ceremony. The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa explains the term of nitya-naimittika as naimittika where the time of the waning of the moon is nimitta there. Also the naimittika period is called darśa. It is called nitya i.e. fixed. Here the nitya indicates the time is fixed.^[34] After performing this śrāddha by the living son, his father and the grandfather and the great grandfather obtain the panda and the elder three antecedents obtain the lepa.^[35] The seventh man performs this śrāddha ceremony. The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa explain that the relationship of sāpiṇḍya is increased up to seven among them i.e. sāpta-pauruṣa saṃbandha.^[36] The maternal antecedents also receive the piṇḍas along with the paternal ones.^[37] If this śrāddha is performed correctly by the seventh son, all of the six antecedents are nourished. They are nourished by performing the śrāddha ceremony in a right way. There are some ways of nourishing the ancestors. Such as, those ancestors who have become piśācas obtain satisfaction from the food that men scatter on the ground. Those ancestors, who have become trees, receive satisfaction from the water. This dips from the bathing garments on the ground. Those ancestors in a family who have attained divinity are nourished from the drops of water, that fall from the limbs on the ground. Those ancestors who have become animals are nourished by the food that fall on the ground from the piṇḍas. Those children who died of burning and though capable are performing religious ceremonies but not having undergone the purificatory rites of sacraments on them, subsist on the scattered food and the water used in scouring. Those piśācas and insects are satisfied by the water which is used by the Brahmins for rinsing out the mouth after meals and for sprinkling the feet which are used by them. Those ancestors who have been born as cāṇḍālas, pulkasas and other men of degraded caste are nourished by the śrāddha which men perform with ill-gotten wealth.^[38]

There are also another way of performing śrāddha by casting away food and drops of water. Where a man should perform the śrāddha in faith with the help of vegetables.^[39] It means that, one what is offered at śrāddha with faith to the pitṛs with their name and family became that type of food which food they have wanted.^[40]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa explains about the rules of nitya-naimittika śrāddha in the chapter 28. The procedure of this śrāddha is as discussed below—

In the afternoon, when the invited Brahmins (dvijas) arrive at home, the performer, having a pavitra in his hand, should make them sip water and make them sit on the seats kept for them. The number of invited Brahmins should be even at the rite whereas at the time of pitṛs, it should be uneven. According to the circumstances of the celebrant it should be one in each i.e. one Brāhmaṇa for the pitṛ and one Brāhmaṇa for the gods. The Brāhmaṇas should face towards the east at the time of god’s rites. On the other hand, for the rites of pitṛs, the Brahmaṇas seat should face towards the north. In the case of maternal ancestors, the same rule is applicable to a śrāddha.^[41] The worship of Viśvadevas may be performed separately in both cases i.e. pitṛśrāddha and mātāmahaśrāddha. Kuśa grass is offered to the Brahmins to sit. They worship with the arghya and other offerings and oblations. The wise dvija perform the invocation to the gods with the mantras and offer them the arghya with water, mixed with barley and perfume, garlands, water, incense, lamp etc. The performer offers these things to the pitṛs wearing the sacred thread on the right shoulder and under the left arm. The double folded kuśas should be placed one the left side of the seat. After taking permission from the Brahmins, the performer should invoke the pitṛs and offer them an arghya, barley and sesame seeds to please the pitṛs. The performer should ask the Brahmins and when the Brahmins permitted them to offer the food unmixed with condiments and salt into the fire according to rule. The performer utters the three āhutis, i.e. agnaye kavyavāhanāya svāhā somāyapitṛmatesvāh ā^[42] and yamāya pretapataye svāhā. These three formulas indicate Agni, Soma and Yama’s independent character. After performing the śrāddha, the performer should serve the rice that remains after making the offerings in plates of Brahmins according to rule. The Brahmins should eat the served food silently and tell them about the food. The performer should serve the rice without anger and bustle. The performer should recite the rakṣoghna mantras^[43] and scatter sesamum and mustard seeds on the ground for the protection since the śrāddha are apt to have many obstacles. The performer should ask the Brahmin about food satisfaction and after getting answer, obtain their permission to scatter the remaining foods on the ground and offer water to the Brahmins for rinsing out their mouth.^[44]

After collecting and mixing each cooked food with sesamum, the performer should offer piṇḍas on the darbha grass near the remains of the food which are eaten by the Brahmins in honour of the pitṛs. After that the performer should give them the water with faith and by the pitṛ-tīrtha i.e. the part of the hand between the forefinger and thumb^[45] recollecting them. According to the rule, for the maternal grandfathers, perfume, garlands etc should be offered the piṇḍas. The performer should rinse out the mouth with scent, garlands etc. After that the performer should give the fees dakṣiṇā to the Brahmins according to his ability. The performer should say to the Brahmins, let him cause them and the Brahmins satisfied and pronounce the vaiśvadevika mantras and the performer should request for their benedictions. The performer should then bid them goodbye and bet them return addressing them pleasantly and prostrating himself in faith and follow them as far as the door of his house and return with their (brahmin’s) permission.^[46] After completing the śrāddha ceremony, the performer should do daily duties and also feed the guests. Here it is noted that some men wish for a continual śrāddha for the pitṛs and some others do not desire so. Again some people do not feel the need of separate cooked food and others prefer to offer separate cooked food. It is a custom that the performer takes the food with the others.^[47]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa also discusses about the eligibility of a person for this śrāddha ceremony. According to Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, son, sapiṇḍas, sahodakas, mother’s sapiṇḍas, mother’s sahodakas, daughter’s son are entitled to perform this śrāddha accordingly.^[48] In the absence of all these relatives, the wife should perform the śrāddha of her husband without reciting any mantra.^[49] In the absence of the wife the king is entitled to perform the śrāddha ceremony along with a family member of the deceased. The other ceremonies, cremation and last rites should be performed by some people of the same caste.^[50] It is also said that the dvyāmuṣyāyaṇ i.e. designated as the sons of the couple may also perform the śrāddha for their paternal and maternal grandfather.^[51]

The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa also discusses about the time of performing this śrāddha ceremony in amāvāsyā i.e. on the night of the new moon and in the aṣṭakā days i.e. on the eighth day of every month. Again it is also performed at the arrival of the distinguished Brahmins, the eclipses of the sun and the moon, the two ananas, i.e. solstices, at the equinox (viṣuvat), at the time when the sun passes from one sign to another, on the occasion of a portent (vyatipāta), the astrological conjunctions and worthy property found for śrāddha, when dreaming an evil dream and when occupations of the bad planet affect one’s born etc. These are proper times to perform śrāddha.^[52]

6. Kāmyaśrāddha-kālā or Kāmyaśrāddha

The performance of a śrāddha ceremony on kaṛttikā or rohiṇī by one who desires a certain reward or heaven, that is called kāmyaśrāddha.^[53] The Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa explains the benefits of performing śrāddha ceremony on various times. The śrāddha can be performed from the first day to the fifteenth day of the dark half of the lunar month. It is believed that one can beget some benefits after performing the śrāddha on various days. It has been mentioned in this purāṇa that performing śrāddha on the first day of the dark fortnight a performer acquires wealth. On the second day of the dark fortnight men are bestowed. And the third day he (the performer) seeks for boons. On the fourth day of performance, the enemies are destroyed, on the fifth day a man acquires fortune, on the sixth day, the performer may attain an honourable position, on the seventh day he acquires kingship. In the eighth day he finds highest prosperity, in ninth day he gains women, in the tenth day he finds fulfilment of his all wishes, in the eleventh day he gains all the Vedas, in the twelveth day he gains continual victories, offspring, mental vigour, cattle., prosperity, independence and perfect nourishment, in the thirteenth day, he gains long life and sovereignty. On the fourteenth day, he gains satisfaction of the pitṛs slain with weapons in their youth. And performing the kāmyaśrāddha in the fifteenth day i.e. new moon day (amāvasya) he obtains all the wishes and attains heaven everlastingly.^[54] Thus the great benefits of kāmyaśrādha are delineated by Madālasa to his son Alarka.

Śrāddha and Nakṣatras

There are some results of performing śrāddha in each of the twenty eight nakṣatras described in this purāṇa. The results are explained below.

The person who worships the pitṛs when the moon is in the Kṛttikānakṣatra, he obtains heaven, when the moon is in the Rohiṇī he obtains offspring, in the Saumya he gains lustre, in the Ārdrā he obtains valour, in Punarvasu, he obtains land and other possessions, in Puṣyā he finds nourishment by always worshipping, in Aśleṣā he obtains noble sons, in Maghā he obtains pre-eminence among the relatives, in Phālgunī he obtains good fortune, in Uttarā phālgunī he obtains offspring, in Hastā he obtains pre-eminence among the good people and verily attains excellence, in Citrā he obtain offspring and beauty, in Svāti he obtains and is bestowed with success in trade, in Viśākhā he is bestowed with son or philoprogenitiveness, in Anurādhā he attains imperial rule, in Jyeṣṭhā he obtains lordship, in Mūlā he is bestowed with perfect health, in Āṣāḍhā he obtains fame, in Uttarāāṣāḍhā he obtains freedom from grief, in śravaṇa he obtains highest worlds, in Dhaniṣṭhā he obtains immense wealth, in Abhijit he acquires intimate knowledge of the Vedas, in Śatabhiṣj he obtains success in medicine, in Bhadrā he is bestowed with goats and sheep, in the Uttarabhādra he obtains amorous dalliance, in Revatī he acquires the metals, in Aśvinī he is bestowed with horses, in Bharaṇī he obtains full long life.^[55] These results are also described in Kurmapurāṇa, Brahmapurāṇa and Yajñavalkyasmṛti.^[56]

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

S.G. Kantawala, Studies in Purāṇas, p.28

[2]:

P.V. Kane, History of Dharmaśāstra, Vol.IV., p.339

[3]:

S.G. Kantawala. Studies in Purāṇas, p.29

[4]:

B.B. Paliwal, Message of the Purāṇas, p.250

[5]:

Vettam Mani, PurāṇicEncyclopaedia, p.734

[6]:

Matsyapurāṇa, 14-22; M. Winternitz, A History of Indian Literature, Vol.I., p.575

[7]:

B.B. Paliwal, Message of the Purāṇas, p.252

[8]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 28.19

[9]:

ayuḥ prajā dhanaṃ vidyāṃ svargamokṣaṃ sukhānica /
prayacchanti tathā rājyaṃ pitaraḥśrāddhatarpitāḥ // Ibid., 29.38 Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.269; Matsyapurāṇa, 19.11-12

[10]:

nityaṃ naimittikaṃ kāmyaṃ trividhaṃ śrāddhamuchyate / Matsyapurāṇa, 16.5 a

[11]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 27.2

[12]:

kuryāccāharaḥśrāddhamannādyenodakena ca /
pitṛnuddiśya viprāṅśca bhojayed vipramevavā // Ibid., 26.35
cf. kuyādaharahaḥśrāddhamannādyenodakena ca /
payomūlaphalairvāpi pitṛbhyaḥ prītimāvahan // Manusmṛti, 3.82

[13]:

pitṛyajñaṃ vinirvartya trapaṇākhyaṃ tu yo’agnimān / Matsyapurāṇa, 16.21

[14]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 27.4; S.G. Kantawala, Studies in Purāṇas, p.47

[15]:

pitaraścātra saṃpūjyāḥ khyātā nāndīmukhāastuye / Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 27.5 a

[16]:

S.G. Kantawala, Studies in Purāṇas, p.48

[17]:

udaṃmukhaḥ prāṃmukhas vā yajamānaḥ samāhitaḥ /
vaiśvadevavihīnaṃ tatkecidicchanti mānavāḥ // Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 27.5 b-6

[18]:

yugmāścātra dvijāḥ karyās te pūjyāśca pradaksiṇam / Ibid., 27.7 a

[19]:

samyac śrāddhamadatvā ca tathānabhyarcya māṭrkāḥ /
vivāhitāyāḥ kanyāyāḥ harati vyañjanaṃ tathā // Ibid., 48.106

[20]:

mṛtāhani tu kartavyamekoddiṣṭṃ sṛṇuśva tat / Ibid., 27.8 a

[21]:

P.V.Kane, History of Dharmaśāstra, Vol.IV., p.516

[22]:

ekaḥ uddiṣṭaḥ yasmin śrāddha tadekoddiṣṭamiti karmanāmadheyam / Yajñavalkyasmṛti, Mitākṣarā’ 1.251

[23]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 27.8-11 a

[24]:

anena vidhinā sarvamunumāsaṃ sarvamācaret / Matsyapurāṇa, 18.12

[25]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 27.11 b-12; cf. Manusmṛti, 3.257; Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.255

[26]:

stṛīṇāmapyevamevaitadekoddiṣṭamudāhṛtam / Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 27.17 b; Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.253

[27]:

B.B. Paliwal, Message of the Purāṇas, p.251

[28]:

atha saṃvatsare purṇe yadā vā kriyate naraiḥ /
sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ kāryaṃ tasyāpi vidhirucyate // Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 27.12

[29]:

taccāpi daivarahitam ekārghyaikapavitrakam /
naivagnaukaraṇaṃ tatra taccāvāhanavarjitam // Ibid., 27.13

[30]:

apasavyaṃ ca tatrāpi bhojayedayujo dvijān / Ibid., 27.14 a

[31]:

Ibid., 27.15 b-17 a

[32]:

sapiṇḍīkaraṇaṃ tāsāṃ putrā’bhāve na vidyate / Ibid., 27.18 a; Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.253

[33]:

sapiṇḍīkaraṇādurdhvaṃ pithryaḥ prapitāmahaḥ /
sutalepabhujo yāti praluptapitṛpiṇḍakaḥ // Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 28.1

[34]:

cdarśastatra nimittaṃ vai kālaścandrakṣayātmakaḥ /
nityatāṃ niyataḥ kāatasya saṃsūcayatyatha // Ibid., 27.25

[35]:

Ibid., 28.3-4

[36]:

ityeṣa munibhiḥ proktaḥ saṃbandhaḥ sāpta-pauruṣaḥ /
yajamānātprabhṛyūrdhvamanulepabhujastathā // Ibid., 28.5; Brahmapurāṇa, 220.84-86;
cf. caturthādyāḥ pitrādyaḥ piṇḍabhāginaḥ /
piṇḍadaḥ saptamasteṣām sāpiṇḍyaṃ sāptapauruṣam // Matsyapurāṇa, 18.27

[37]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 28.39, 41, 57

[38]:

Ibid., 28.6-17

[39]:

tasmācchrāddhaṃ naro bhaktyā śākairapi yathāvīdhi // Ibid., 28.18 b

[40]:

śrāddhayā parayā dattaṃ pitṛṇāṃ nāmagotrataḥ //
yadāhārāśca te jātāstadāhāratvameti tat / Ibid., 29.27 b-28 a

[41]:

cf. Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.228

[42]:

Vājasaneyisamhita, 2.29; Śatapathabrahmaṇa, 2.4.2.13; Śāṅkhāyanaśrautasūtra, 4.4.1

[43]:

Ṛgveda, 4.4.1-5; Vajaseniyasamhita, 13.9-13; Taitirīyasaṃhitā, 1.2.14.1-2

[44]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 28.37-54

[45]:

Ibid., 31.108

[46]:

Ibid., 28.55-60

[47]:

Ibid., 28.61-62

[48]:

Ibid., 27.19-20

[49]:

pūjayeyuryathānyāyaṃ śrāddhaoirnaomittikairapi /
sarvābhāve striyaḥ kuryuḥ svabharttṛṇāmamantrakam // Ibid., 27.22

[50]:

Ibid., 27.23

[51]:

kuryurmātāmahāyaivaṃ putrikāsatanayāsthā /
dvayāmuṣyāyaṇasaṃjñāstu mātāmahapitāmahān // Ibid., 27.21

[52]:

Ibid., 28.20-22

[53]:

P.V. Kane, History of Dharmaśāstra, Vol., IV, p.369

[54]:

Mārkaṇḍeyapurāṇa, 30.1-8 a

[55]:

Ibid., 30.8 b-16

[56]:

Kurmapurāṇa, 2.20.9-15; Brahmapurāṇa, 220.33-42; Yajñavalkyasmṛti, 1.265-268