What is Shradh : What is its importance?
It is quoted in Shri Garuda Purana that when Garuda ji asked the question, Lord Vishnu himself said that devotion is essential for the salvation of ancestors and to get rid of ancestral debt. Lord says to Garuda ji that even the Gods do not accept water from the hands of the one who has not performed his ancestral duties.
According to Hemadri Vayu and Brahmavaivarta Purana, work for ancestors is considered more important than work for God. The word of Brahmapuran is, “There is no other more beneficial work in this world than Shradh.” The word of Puranas is: “Through Shradh, not only the ancestors are satisfied, but Gods, ancestors, living beings all are satisfied.” Hence, a calm mind. One who performs Shradh with full admiration becomes free from all sins and gets free from the bondage of birth and death.
When and how to perform Shradh and Tarpan:-
Tarpan – It is a daily activity, God, Rishi and one’s ancestors can be satisfied daily by offering tarpan. But in the present times, due to lack of time, it is necessary to offer tarpan especially in Ashwin Krishna Pitri Paksha. Tarpan must be done starting from the full moon till the new moon.
Shradh order :-
1) Ekodishta Shradh: – First of all, the Shradh performed with one purpose on the date of death is called Samvatsarikaikodishta Shradh.
2) Parvan Shradh:- The Shradh performed on the date of death of one’s father in the Krishna Paksha of Ashwin month is Parvan Shradh. This Shradh should be performed every year. Before Gaya Shradh, it is necessary to perform Shradh once at your home with Parvana ritual. Once Parvana Shradh is done, Gaya Shradh can be performed. The essential issue is that the confusion among the people that Parvana Shradh is not required after Gaya Shradh is not justified. Parvan Shradh or Gaya Shradh can be performed every year as per one’s capacity. There is no restriction on this but the fact is that after Parvana, Gaya Shradh should be performed and after Gaya, Shradh should be performed in other pilgrimages, but after performing Brahmakapali Shradh of Badrinath, it is prohibited to perform pindatmak Shradh. Still, on the date of death, tarpan, Brahmin food and charity are not prohibited.
Importance of Gaya Shradh :-
Gaya Shradh is necessary after Parvana Shradh. It is quoted in Vayupuran 105/9 that the ancestors start dancing with joy after seeing their son coming to the pilgrimage for Shradh. Apart from Vayu Purana, it has been said in Shrimaddevi Bhagwat 6/4/15 that the reality of a son lies only with the salvation of the ancestors by performing Shradh in Gaya Tirtha. It is told in Vayupuran 105/16/17 that by merely leaving the house, every sky-like position of the doer becomes a ladder to heaven for the ancestors. Lord Brahma has said that performing Shraddha brings ultimate welfare not only to the ancestors but also to the person doing the Shraddha. Hundred clans are saved by Pind Daan in Gaya. It is said in Vayupuran 112/59 that by donating Pind in Gaya and seeing Vishnu in person, a person becomes free from all three debts. It is stated in Vayupuran 112/59 that by donating Pind in Gaya and seeing Lord Vishnu , a person becomes free from all three debts. In Garuda Purana it is quoted that – One who has not listened to Garuda Purana, who has not performed Gaya Shradh, is not entitled to be called a son, cannot be free from debt to gods, sages and ancestors.
The special thing is that wherever Shradh is performed at home, river or pilgrimage, the Shradh starts with the meditation of Gaya, from this the importance of Gaya can be understood. Therefore, to get rid of the ghost, flowing of ashes in Ganga, listening to Garud Puran and Gaya Shradh is necessary.
Gaya Shradh order
Ghrit Shradh at home
Seventeen-day Gaya Shradh sequence: – Starting from Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi till Ashwin Krishna Amavasya, Shradh rituals respectively –
(1) Bhadra Shukla Chaturdashi :- Punpun Teerth Shradh (2) Bhadra Shukla Purnima :- Falgu Teerth Snan,Tarpan, Pinda Daan (3) Ashwin Krishna Pratipada : – Brahma Kund Shradh, Pretshila, Ramshila, Ramkund Shradh (4) Ashwin Krishna Dwitiya : – Panchatirtha – Panchamrit Abhishek of Uttarmanas Udichi, Kankhal, Dakshin Manas, Jihwalol and Gadadhar (5) Ashwin Krishna Tritiya : – Saraswati Snan, Matangwapi, Dharmaranyakup, Bodhgaya Shradh.
(6) Ashwin Krishna Chaturthi :- Brahmasarovar task Brahma Darshan Aamra Sinchan (7) Ashwin Krishna Panchami :- Vishnupad, Rudrapada, Brahmapad Shradh (8) Ashwin Krishna Shashthi :- Kartikpad, Dakshin Agni Pad, Garhapatyagni Pad, Aahvaniyagni Pad, Surya Pad. Shradh on etc. (9) Ashwin Krishna Saptami : – Shradh in Chandra Pad, Ganesh Pad, Samyagni Pad, Avasthyagni Pad, Dadhich Pad, Kanva Pad.
(10) Ashwin Krishna Ashtami : – Matang Pad, Kroch Pad, Indra Pad, Agastya Pad, Kashyap Pad, Gajakarnika Shradh Tarpan (11) Ashwin Krishna Navami : – Ramgaya, Sita Kund (12) Ashwin Krishna Dashami : – Gayashir, Gayakup Pind. (13) Ashwin Krishna Ekadashi : – Mund Page Aadigadadhar, Dhautpad Shradh (14) Ashwin Krishna Dwadashi : – Bhimgaya, Bhasmkoot darshan worship, Mangalagauri darshan, Gadalol Shradh 15) Ashwin Krishna Trayodash : – Gadadhar worship, milk offering in Phalgu (16) Ashwin Krishna Chaturdashi : – Vaitarani Shraddha, Tarpan (17) Ashwin Krishna Amavasya : – Akshayvat Shraddha, Brahmin food etc. (18) Ashwin Shukla Pratipada : – Gayatri Ghat. But Matamahadi Shraddha is performed with Parvana method.
Fact to consider : – It is said in the worldly tradition among the people that Shradh is performed only once in a year, then it is worth considering that how is Shradh possible on every pilgrimage in Shradh Paksha?
There is a state of confusion as to whether Parvana Shradh should be performed after Vriddhi Shradh (Naandimukh) Shradh or not. Here it is also worth considering that Naandimukh Shradh is performed on every occasion of the year in Purvabhimukha Savya state whereas Parvana Shradh is performed once in a year in Dakshin Mukha apsavya state. In one case, there is a mole-like mass and in the other, there is a mass mixed with moles.
Gaya Shradh time
There is a tradition of performing Gaya Shradh for seven days or even five days if there is lack of time. If there is lack of time or physical inability then there is a three day Shradh tradition and if there is more inability then the completeness of Gaya Shradh has been explained through Phalgu Ramtirtha, Vishnupad, Akshayavat Shradh in one and a half days. Seven day Gaya Shradh
(1) On the first day, take a bath in Phalgu, perform Tarpan and Phalgu Shradh, take bath in Saraswati Kund and offer evening prayers.
(2) On the next day, after taking a bath in Phalgu, go to Pret Parvat and offer bath in Brahmakund, again invoking your ancestors, perform Pindak Shradh at Pret Shila, take bath in Ramtirtha Prabhasahrid and offer Panchabali while coming down.
(3) After taking bath in Phalgu, again take bath in Uttarmanas, perform Tarpan and Shradh, then worship Uttarark, bath in Suryakund, Udichi, Kankhal and Dakshin Manas, donate Pind as per your capacity and worship Gadadhar.
(4) On the fourth day, after taking bath in Phalgu, bathe in Matangvapi in Dharmaranya, perform Tarpan Shradh and perform darshan and Shradh of Matangeshwar, Brahmatirtha Koop, Dharmeshwar, Bodhi tree, Vateshwar.
(5) For five days, take a bath in Falgu in the morning, offer tarpan in Brahmasarovar, irrigate the mango tree near Goprachar and circumambulate Brahmakup and offer Panchabali.
(6) On the sixth day, after taking Phalgu bath, worship Vishnupad darshan and do Shradh in Vishnupad, then Rudrapada, Brahmapad Dakshinagnipad, Garhyavyapada, Aahvanipad, Samyagnipad, Avasbhagyagnipad, Suryapad, Kartikeyapad, Indrapad, Agastyapad, Chandrapad, Ganeshpad, Kraunchapad, Matangpad, and Kashyap in these posts. But perform the puja and Shradh as much as possible and after this visit Gajakarnika, Kanakeshwar, Kedareshwar, Narasimha and Vaman in the north of Padashila.
(7) On the seventh day, bathe in Falgu, perform Marjan, Tarpan, Shradh in Gadalol Tirtha and perform Akshayavat Shradh, offer Shashyadan, Brahmin food, get success after seeing Prapitamaheshwar and surrender Shradh to Narayan. Five day Shradh order
On the first day – Take bath in Pretshila, Ramtirtha, do Tarpan, Shradh and darshan of Prabhaseshwar and offer sacrifice on Nag Parvat.
Second day – After taking bath in Pretparvat, Brahmakund and Pind Daan, donating Tiltoy Anjali, visit Uttarmanas, Suryaark, Udichi, Kankhal, Dakshinmanas, Dakshin Agni, again visit Phalgu Teerth, take blessings of Brahma and worship Gadadhar.
On the third day – After offering water to Brahmasarovar, offering water to the cow, sacrifice a dog to Yama, take bath in Brahmatirtha and have darshan of Gadadhar.
On the fourth day – Take bath in Falgu, perform Shradh in Gayashir, Vishnupad Shradh, Kanakeshwar, Kedareshwar, Narasimha Vaman Darshan etc.
On the fifth day – Perform Gadalol, Akshayavat Shradh, Bateshwar Darshan, Sakshishravan Karma and give Dakshina and achieve success.
Gaya Shradh of three days :- On the first day – Take bath and tarpan of Falgu and perform Shradh in Parvana method and worship Gadadhar.
On the second day – Take a bath in Falgu and perform Tarpan and Shradh in Brahmakund and Pretshila and again after visiting Ramtirtha, perform Shradh on Ramtirtha, perform cock sacrifice, dog sacrifice and perform Panchtirtha bath and Shradh.
On the third day – Perform Shradh on Akshayavat by performing Shradh on the altar of Shri Vishnupad and by offering Shashyadan, Brahmin food, pray in the form of Sakshi Shravan and attain success and pray at the feet of God.
One and a half day Shradh –
On the first day, after bathing in Falgu, tarpan, Shradh and darshan of Ramtirtha, once again perform Shradh and darshan of Gadadhar at Vishnupad, worship and offer pinda daan.
On the second day, perform Falgu bath, Akshayavat darshan, Tarpan and Shradh, Shashyadan, Brahmin food, Sakshi Karma and pray for the completeness of Shradh at the feet of God to attain success.
One day Gaya Shradh
In the morning, perform Shradh with Falgu bath, Tarpan and Parvan rituals and then in Vishnu Pad, perform Ekapindatmak Shradh dedicated to the attainment of pilgrimage and at the feet of Pind Gadadhar, perform Pindatmak Shradh or Ekapindatmak Shradh as much as possible on Akshayavat, and then perform Shashyadan and Sakshi Karma by providing food to the Brahmins. Achieve success.