Mahalaya Amavasya | Mahalya Paksha| Sarvapitri Amavasya

Pithru pakshalu | Sarvapitri Amavasaya

The Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada Month of telugu calendar are considered as the Pitru Paksha. These are considered sacred days where one can offer the traditional ritual of performing the Shradaa Karma. On these days all hindus offer their homage to the ancestors upto three generations above.

It is believed that after the death, the soul would remain in an intermediate world (loka) known as the Pitru loka. The soul stays in the pitru loka untill the fourth descendant enters the same and once the fourth descendant comes, the first soul would move to the heaven or the swarga loka. So at any given time only three generations of the soul would reside in the pitru loka. This world is governed by Lord Yama. It is believed that the souls of the ancestors would come down and reside with the descendants in their home  during this period and hence one should perform the traditional ritual to satisfy the ancestors.

The legend for ancestors coming down during this period is as follows:

After Karna the well known donor, who had never said ‘no’ as answer for anything that was asked of him, died and was taken to heaven. He was offered gold and silver as food. Karna was hungry and wanted to have normal food that he can eat. He approached Indra and asked the reason for not being served with normal food. Indra replied that you have donated all the items that people wanted but never had a chance to donate food and hence was not offered the normal food. Karna prays to Indra for a remedy and asks him to allow him to return to earth and donate rice and other eatables. Indra agrees and it is believed that Karna came to earth on these days and has donated the food. After which it is believed that ancestors would return to earth on these days and hence the ritual of Shraada is performed on these days.

The shraada is performed on the thithi of the day when the ancestor died.

There are also specific thitis where a Shraad is performed irrespective of the thiti.

Chauthaa Bhaarani is the fourth day of the Kirshna paksha of Bhadrapada and Shraad for those who died in the previous year is performed.

Bhaarani Panchami is the fifth day of the Kirshna paksha of Bhadrapada and Shraad for those who died in the previous year is performed.

Avidhava Navami is the ninth  day of the Kirshna paksha of Bhadrapada and Shraad for those who died before their husbands is performed.Avidhava (one who is not a widow).

Dwadashi is the twelfth  day of the Kirshna paksha of Bhadrapada and Shraad for Yati or sages is performed.

Balbholani Teras or Trayodashi is the thirteenth day of the Kirshna paksha of Bhadrapada and Shraad for Children is performed.

Ghaayala Chaturdashi or Ghaata Chaturdashi is the fourteenth  day of the Kirshna paksha of Bhadrapada and Shraad for those who died because of a weapon or metal or injury is performed.

Sarvapitri Amavasaya is the day on which a Shraad can be performed for all.

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