Criticism or inappropriate views on Shraddha Rituals and their refutation

This Year Shraddha Paksha is from 18^th September to 2^nd October. The term ‘shraddha’ (Special rituals for the departed ancestors) conjures up an incorrect impression, one of unscientific and ostentatious ritualistic activity in the minds of the younger generation in the modern scientific age. This is due to the absence of any formal education on Dharma (Righteousness), indifference towards understanding Spirituality, the influence of western culture, anti-Dharma organisations targeting traditions and customs in Hindu Dharma with a continuous barrage of hate-filled criticism. The following line of thinking is also prevalent in society about shraddha. People who lack faith in ritualistic worship or shraddha, and consider social service superior, have very naive views. They say that instead of performing shraddha for the ancestors, they would rather donate food to the poor or provide help to schools and many of these people do actually put their views into practice. This is as absurd as saying – ‘Instead of performing surgery to treat a particular disease, we will donate food to the poor or provide help to schools’.

Since the spiritually potent mantras recited during the shraddha rituals have the subtle power of providing momentum to the subtle bodies of ancestors, they can progress to a higher subtle region of existence after the rituals have been performed. This reveals the folly in the abovementioned views. The objective of this Article is to remove the veil of ignorance and blind-faith of the people who have such thinking, and to change their thinking so that they develop a positive, spiritual perspective towards shraddha rituals prescribed by the Hindu Dharma.

Inappropriate view

Shraddha rituals are a plot of the Brahmans to earn a livelihood

Refutation

A. Shraddha rituals have been in existence since times immemorial : Shraddha is being performed in every village, every household and every nook and corner of the country since times immemorial. The rituals too are identical everywhere. There is a famous quote – ‘You cannot fool all the people all the time !’ Accordingly, if the shraddha rituals were a ‘plot’ of the Brahmans, could they have fooled society for thousands of years ? Even today, shraddha is performed at Holy places such as Gaya, Tryambakeshwar, Ramtek, Prayag.

B. Due to the influence of Kaliyug, those who squander funds elsewhere feel it inappropriate to serve a meal to the Brahmans for the sake of the ancestors : The present Era being Kaliyug, people are very selfish. They arrange lavish liquor parties for friends and family, and squander money. They find happiness in these activities. However, it is surprising that they are not willing to serve a meal to the Brahmans (who represent their ancestors) to liberate themselves from the debt unto their departed parents. The fact is that the debt unto our parents is so enormous, that it cannot be repaid even if we serve them throughout our life. Irrespective of how rich an individual is, the main shraddha ritual requires just two Brahmans, one to represent the Deities and the other ancestors. At the most, five Brahmans are invited.

C. The Puranas say that serving meals to guests during shraddha rituals amounts to appeasing ancestors; because, the Yogis, evolved souls and Deities keep going around the Earth to watch the rituals of shraddha.

D. Scriptures provide a simple remedy if the poor cannot afford to perform shraddha : It is said that a utterly helpless individual should go into a forest, raise his arms skywards and cry out with bhav – ‘I am penniless and without food. Liberate me from the debt unto the ancestors’. This will beget the merit of performing shraddha.

E. Crying facing the south in a given circumstance is also a kind of shraddha ritual.

Given these facts, can the shraddha rituals ever be a plot of the Brahmans to create a means of livelihood ?

Inappropriate view

Performing shraddha is an uncivilized act; instead, it is better to donate to social organisations

Refutation

A. Since shraddha is a ritual performed as per the guidelines of the Scriptures amidst recitation of mantras and with full faith, the ancestors are pleased : If we assume that mere donations are sufficient to meet the needs of the shraddha rituals, this will mean that the disease is one and remedy is on another. Shraddha is a ritual performed as per the guidelines laid down by the Scriptures amidst recitation of mantras and with full faith. Instead of performing shraddha, if donations are made under the influence of emotion, the ancestors are not pleased; as, the fruit of the donation does not reach them.

B. If shraddha rituals are not performed, the dissatisfied ancestors suck the blood of the descendant, leading to physical defects and affecting the progeny : ‘अतर्पिताः पितरः रुधिरं पिबन्ति ।’, meaning – ‘The ancestors whose shraddha is not performed, suck the blood of those who do not perform shraddha’. The presiding Deity of blood is the ancestor. If shraddha is not performed according to the guidelines laid down by the Scriptures, they create subtlemost defects in blood. The deficiency in blood makes the semen weak, thus the progeny becomes weak, handicapped and is riddled with various diseases.

C. Karmas advised by the Scriptures such as shraddha impart energy to the ancestors : The subtle body in the form of air gains energy due to performance of karmas (such as the shraddha) advised by the Scriptures. After death, the jiva (Embodied soul) assumes another body (known as yatanadeha) and proceeds to another subtle region. It is in a corpse state without a physical body. The shraddha and such worldly rituals are necessary for it to assume a new body.

It will be clear from this that it is inappropriate to merely donate as a substitute to shraddha rituals.

– Gurudev Dr Kateswamiji (‘Ghanagarjit’, Dec. 2008 and Jan. 2009)

Inappropriate view

Honouring and gifting to the father, grandfather, etc. while they are alive is also a shraddha

Refutation

A. Shraddha is performed only for the dead : The reference to a shloka written by Sage Manu which Swami Dayanand has quoted to emphasise that ‘Honouring, respecting and gifting to the father, grandfather, etc. while they are alive is itself a shraddha’, is quite the opposite – when the father is alive, the shraddha rituals cannot be performed. Shraddha is performed only for a departed individual.

B. Benefits of shraddha : When 3 pindas are offered on the Earth (A portion of land in the southern direction is dug up, darbha are spread and 3 pindas are placed on them), the ancestors in Narak (Hell region) are liberated. A son must make every effort to perform the shraddha of his departed father. When his name and gotra are pronounced in a ritualistic manner accompanied by rituals such as offering of the pindas, they attain the next region. Since their desires are fulfilled in this manner, they do not harass the family. They also gain momentum and go to the next subtle region. It has been proved through experiments that performing shraddha begets good results.

Thus, it is observed that the statements of Swami Dayanand of Arya Samaj and other contemporary individuals are incorrect. If their statements had been true, what would have been the need for the big rituals in shraddha ?

– Gurudev Dr Kateswamiji (Ghangarjit, Dec. 2008 and Jan. 2009)

(For details, read Sanatan’s Text – ‘Spiritual science underlying various actions in Shraddha’)

Importance of chanting the Name of Deity Dattatreya during Pitrupaksha

Majority of people in Kaliyug do not perform spiritual practice, and hence, they are entrapped in Maya (The Great Illusion). As a result, their subtle bodies remain dissatisfied after death. Such dissatisfied subtle-bodies get entrapped in the Martyalok (Region of the dead, situated between Earth and the Nether region).

The protective chant of ‘Shri Gurudev Datta’ represents the Name of Deity Dattatreya. One of His functions in the Universe is eliminating distress caused by the subtle bodies of ancestors. By chanting the Name of Deity Dattatreya, the ancestors entrapped in Martyalok gain momentum. Thereafter, depending on their karma they advance to progressively higher regions. Thus, automatically the trouble caused by them to their descendants on Earth reduces.

Chanting the Name of Deity Dattatreya in daily life based on the severity of the problem of ancestors

In the present times, almost everyone is suffering from problems inflicted by ancestors; hence, all of us should chant ‘Shri Gurudev Datta |’ everyday for at least 1 to 2 hours. If the distress is medium in nature, chant this Name for 2 to 4 hours and in case of severe distress, chant this Name for 4 to 6 hours.

(Ref.: Sanatan’s Text – ‘Datta’)

Shraddha is a ritual performed as per the guidelines laid down by the Scriptures amidst recitation of mantras & with full faith !