Pitra Dosh: How To Get Rid Of It During Pitru Paksha

by sunil gavaskar clan member

When the departed souls of a family pleased with the family members’ ritual acts reach heavens, they their descendants with health, wealth and happiness. However, in case the the ancestors are themselves suffering and have not ascended to their rightful place after death, their present descendants experience difficulties in life. The ninth house of an individual’s horoscope is deemed the house of his father, ancestors, fate and fortune. In this house, if there is a conjunction of Rahu with Sun and other planetary combinations including the presence of Mercury, such a karmic map indicates Pitru Dosha or Pitra Dosh. This dosh has the potential to erase all auspiciousness from the house of luck. Pitra Dosh in a horoscope indicates that a person has not done enough for his ancestors or that they remain dissatisfied with him for some reason. Pitru Dosha can also result when a family member dies an unnatural death or if someone has not offered his respect to the souls of deceased relatives.

Pitra Dosha usually causes sorrows and difficulties in the life of an individual. They may take the form of money losses, conflicts in the household, law suits or an inability to conceive a child or problems on the career front. A person who suffers from Pitru Dosh will not have much luck and tends to face a lot of obstacles on nearly every front in life. Vedic scriptures state that by satisfying our forefathers who are no more in this world, we can have blessings for happy and peaceful worldly life.

How To Get Rid of Pitru Dosh with Pitra Dosha Nivaran

Shraddh

If you are planning to observe Pitru Paksha, you will have to perform a shraddh ceremony, and invite people to attend the feast. The feast is held to oblige the unrequited desires of departed souls and help it on its way to higher realms. It is advised that you feed to the Brahmins whatever favourite dishes your forefather liked, for instance, kheer, or their favourite vegetable or curry dish. Feeding additional people during the Pitru Paksha fortnight helps not only the departed ancestors, but the performer himself is liberated from past karma. For the same reason, there is the tradition of feeding cows and beggars during this time.

Brahmin Bhoj

You can feed a number of Brahmins during this fortnight, so that their blessings will accrue to your departed ancestors. On the day of the tarpan, you can offer clothes and some "dakshina" (fees) as per your capacity and touch their feet for their blessing.

Pind Daan

You can also perform the ceremony of Pind Daan by taking some cooked rice mixed with sesame seeds and have it shaped into small balls. Then sprinkle some black sesame seeds along with water on the pinda, add some curd on the ball. After this place it where birds especially crows or animals can find it and eat it.

Pitra Dosh Puja Vidhi

You can also perform Pitra Dosha Puja Vidhi like Pitra Sukt Puja on Amavasya (No Moon) and 'Chathurdashi.’Also, chanting Gayatri Mantra to the rising sun can strengthen the position of Sun in your horoscope and help reduce the impact of Pitra Dosha in one’s life.

Pitra Dosh Nivaran Mantra

"Om Pitrabhyah devatabhyah mahayogibhyech cha, Namah sawaha swadhyaye cha nityamev namah||" Chanting of the Pitra Dosh Nivaran Mantra pacifies the souls of the departed ones.