Parvana Shraddha: Honouring the Ancestors Through Annual Remembrance
In Hindu dharma, a person is never seen as a single
individual standing alone. He is a link in a long chain that begins with his
forefathers and continues through his children. Because of this belief,
remembering and serving the departed ancestors is considered a sacred duty.
Parvana Shraddha is one of the most important rites through which this duty is
fulfilled. It is also called Mritaha-anna-shraddha, since it is performed on
the death anniversary (tithi) of the departed person and food is central to the
rite.
Origin in Vedic Times
During the Vedic period, every Ahitagni, that is, a
householder who maintained the sacred fires, was required to perform the
Pindapitriyajna on every Amavasya day. The annual Shraddha that is still
followed in many Hindu families today is a smaller version of this ancient
yajna. So the practice is not a recent custom. It has come down through a very
long line of tradition and has been kept alive by families generation after
generation.
The Concept and Philosophy Behind Shraddha
The word Shraddha comes from shraddha, meaning faith,
sincerity and devotion. A Shraddha is therefore an act done with faith.
According to Hindu teaching, a person has three kinds of debts (rinas): to the
devas, to the rishis, and to the pitris. The debt to the pitris is repaid by
having children, continuing the family line, and performing Shraddha for the
departed.
Hindu belief holds that the soul is eternal and only the
body perishes. After death, the soul continues its journey, and the pitris are
sustained by the offerings and good wishes of their descendants. Food given
with mantras and faith is believed to reach them in a form suitable to their
state. The rite also reminds the living that life is temporary, and that
gratitude towards those who gave us our body, name and family is a basic human
value.
Preparations Before the Day
The performer of the Shraddha, called the karta or
shraddhakarta, must invite suitable Brahmanas on the previous day itself. This
invitation is called kshana. The invitees should belong to a different gotra,
be learned, married, healthy and of blameless character. Two Brahmanas are
meant to represent the Vishvedevas and three to represent the pitris, but in
practice only one for each is usually invited.
Yatis and sannyasins are considered the best invitees, but
as they do not accept such invitations, householders are called instead.
From the moment the invitation is given, both the karta and
the invited persons (bhoktas) must follow strict discipline. They should
observe celibacy, speak the truth, and not get angry. Whether to wear religious
marks like vibhuti or tripundra on the forehead depends on the family tradition
of the karta.
Materials Used
The materials used, both cooked and uncooked, include milk,
Ganga water, honey, sesame, wheat, masha (a kind of pulse), green gram, and
items cooked in oil. Friends of the same lineage, cousins and benefactors of
the same caste may be invited to cook the food. The daughters-in-law of the
karta are preferred to serve the food to the Brahmanas.
Main Rituals
The rite has many steps, which can be described briefly as
follows.
Sankalpa. The karta first takes a religious resolve,
stating the purpose and procedure of the rite as given in the scriptures.
Kalasha sthapana. A kalasha, a pot of consecrated
water, is established, and its water is sprinkled all over the place of the
Shraddha.
Welcoming the Brahmanas. Two mandalas are drawn on
the floor, one square and one circle. The square is for the Brahmana
representing the Vishvedevas and the circle for the one representing the
pitris. The karta washes their feet on these mandalas.
Casting of sesame. Sesame is thrown over the place
with proper mantras to drive away demons and other evil spirits.
Worship. The Vishvedevas are worshipped through the
first Brahmana and the pitris through the second. Vessels called arghyapatras,
filled with water mixed with sesame and darbha grass, are very important here.
Panihoma. A small quantity of cooked rice is offered
into the right hand of the Brahmana who represents the pitris.
Brahmana bhojana. The invitees are fed with tasty
food until they are fully satisfied. During the meal, other Brahmanas chant
mantras such as the Rakshoghna mantras, Pavamana mantras or Upanishads. This is
called abhi-shravana, and it creates a spiritual mood in those who are eating.
It is believed that the pitris enter these Brahmanas in their subtle bodies,
and it is they who enjoy the food and feel uplifted.
Pindapradana. Pindas, or rice-balls, are made from
the cooked rice and other food left in the vessels. Three balls are placed on
the ground over darbha grass and offered to three generations of pitris, namely
the father, grandfather and great-grandfather. According to Baudhayana, the
pindas may be placed where crows can come and eat them, as the pitris are
believed to enter the crows in a subtle form and be satisfied.
Closing. The Brahmanas leave after blessing the karta
and his family, and the karta follows them some distance as a mark of respect.
Finally, the whole rite is offered to Bhagavan Vasudeva (Narayana or Krishna),
with a prayer for forgiveness for any mistakes made during the ritual.
Why the Offering to Bhagavan at the End?
This last step carries an important teaching. No human being
can perform a ritual without any error. By offering the result to Bhagavan and
asking pardon, the karta shows humility and accepts that the final outcome is
in divine hands. It is the same idea found in the Bhagavad Gita, where actions
are to be done as duty and their fruits surrendered to Bhagavan.
Modern Day Relevance
Today, many families live in cities or abroad, and the full
ritual may be difficult. Some perform a simplified form with one priest, while
others do the rite at home with the help of family elders. The essential spirit
remains the same: sincerity, discipline and gratitude.
There are also social values in this rite. It brings relatives together, teaches the young ones about their roots, and gives a chance to feed the needy and honour learned persons. In an age when elders are sometimes neglected, an annual day for remembering them keeps respect for parents and grandparents alive in the family. It also gives the karta a quiet time to reflect on his own duties, and to think about what he will leave behind for the next generation.
Parvana Shraddha is not just a ceremony of food and mantras. It is an expression of faith, gratitude and duty. Whether it is done in full form or in a simple manner, when it is performed with shraddha, it strengthens the bond between the living and the departed, and keeps the family rooted in dharma.