Delving Deeper: Facts & Fiction of Shraadh
As mentioned in the previous part, Sharaadh is essentially service of parents, elders, teachers and guests done with full devotion during their lifetime. This was the order of the day and was practised probably in the olden times. In modern times with increasing scientific and technological advancements and materialistic pursuits, people have become more selfish, less considerate and self-centred. In the process, the bonds between generations have got weakened and, serving the elderly parents with devotion can be seen in only a lesser percentage of the population. I am abreast with many media reports of elderly parents being driven out of homes, their property being usurped by dubious means, of parents being beaten or ill-treated and disowned on the streets or put in old age homes. So, instead of real Shraadh as defined above, what we witness is more of a dis-shraadh being practised.
What is proof that living people only called Pitr or pitru?
Proof of the pudding lies in eating it: So let us see the usage of the word pitr or pitru.
“ye samaanaaha samanaso jiivaa jiiveshum maamakaaha |
theshaa shrirmayi kalpathaamasmimlloke shatahaha samaaha” ||Yajurved 19/46.
Commentary of Uvat: “yajamaanaaha ye samaanaaha samanasaha jiivaaha jiivanvanthaha|
jiiveshu jiivanavatsu maddhye maamakaaha madiiyaha”||
My pitar (parents) who live among the people around are of equal mind and noble action in thought, word and deed. May their honour, wealth and grace be vested in me and live on for a hundred years in this world.
In this hymn, both Mahidhar and Uvvat have accepted that living ones are called Pitar. Therefore, the explanation of the mythological priestly class, of Pitar being the dead ones does not hold water and is omissible.
“upahuutaaha pitaraha somyaaso bahirsheshyu niddhishu priyeshu|
tha aagamanthu th’e iha shruvanthvadhi bruvamthu th’e’vanthvasmaan”||yajurved 19/57
Commentary of Mahidhar: “hey pitar! Ih yajne aagamanthu aagach’chhanthu | vyatyayena shapo luk |
th’e shruvanthu asmadvachaha shrnvanthu | shrutvaa cha addhibruvanthu pitrbhihi putraanaam yad’vaktavyam thad’vadanthu |
th’e asmaanavanthu||
O’ elders (pitars), please come to our fire offering, our house, our exchequer, listen to our views, give advice and protect us.
In this hymn, both Uvat and Mahidhar have accepted that pitar are living and not dead, because, the coming of pitar in fire offering, listening to children, giving them advice and protecting them are all tasks that can be accomplished by living ones and not dead ones.
“shataminthu shardo anthi devaa yatraa nashckakraa jarasam tanuunaam|
putraaso yatra pitaro bhavanthi maa no maddhyaa ririshataayurgantho”||yajurved 25/22
Commentary of Mahidhar: “yatraasmaakaam jaraayaam putraaso’smatputraaha pitaro bhavanthi putravanto bhavanthi| yaavadaasmakam pautraa bhavantiithyartthaha| thaavat maddhye nosmaakamaayurmaa ririshata maa himsishta||
Parents (mother and father) are saying when they attain senility, let our sons become Pitar, meaning let them become parents. Hey Supreme Lord! Till we do not have grandchildren, please do not finish off our age, meaning may we remain alive.
The commentary of this hymn by Mahidhar has broken the back of the mythic mythologists. Mahidhar has acknowledged that when sons too have sons, they come under the category of Pitars. It is a prayer from Pitars that we may remain alive till our sons become Pitar. Based on this Vedic hymn, and the commentary of Mahidhar, the claim of mythological priests that the category of Pitars represents dead ones stands disproved. By citing three Vedic hymns and, the commentary of Mahidhar, it is established that the category of Pitars represents living ancestors and not dead ancestors. Let us quote some more testimony in favor of it.
“vid’yaadaataa’annadaataacha bhayatraataa cha janmadaha|
kanyaadaataa cha vedoktaa naraanaam pitaraha smrtaaha||
Brahm. Vai. Pur. (Gan) 9/47/21
“jyashttoo bhraataa pitaa vaapi yascha chid’yaam ptayac’chati|
thrayaste pitaro jneyaaha ddharme cha patthivartinaha|| Val. Rama. Ki. 18/13
Those who give knowledge, those who give grains (food), those who give birth, those who give a girl in marriage, and big brothers, all come under the category of Pitr (Living ancestor). Big brother, father and giver of knowledge, all these three are pitar (living ancestor), if they are treading the path of righteousness.
From the testimony of above mentioned hymns of Puran and Valmiki Ramayan, it gets established that the living ones alone are called Pitar and not dead ones.
About food to be served during shraaddh
Some of the misplaced and macabre versions appearing in some of the mythological books can be seen in part 2 on Shraaddh. The following is an excerpt of the same given in manusmruti, chapter 3 with the verse numbers.
266. I will now declare what kind of sacrificial food, given to the manes, according to the rule, will serve for a long time or eternity.
267. The ancestors of men are satisfied for one month with sesamum grains, rice, barley, masha beans, water, roots, and fruits, and given according to the prescribed rule,
268. Two months with fish, three months with the meat of gazelles, four with mutton, and five indeed with the flesh of birds,
269. Six months with the flesh of kids, seven with that of spotted deer, eight with that of the black antelope, but nine with that of the (deer called) Ruru,
270. Ten months they are satisfied with the meat of boars and buffaloes, but eleven months indeed with that of hares and tortoises,
271. One year with cow-milk and milk-rice; from the flesh of a long-eared white he-goat their satisfaction endures twelve years.
272. The (vegetable called) Kalasaka, (the fish called) Mahasalka, the flesh of a rhinoceros and that of a red goat, and all kinds of food eaten by hermits in the forest serve for an endless time.
What fantastic solutions have been concocted by the mythological priests/scholars? Great, just feed the meat of a long-eared goat to the Brahmins and the dead ancestors roaming around would be totally freed of the attendance at Shraaddh.
In this context somebody may ask a question: Are these not written for devils or demons and not for priests or scholars?
Well, the answer is: No, it is not written for devils or demons but for Pitars or Brahmins only. The reason for the same is as follows.
- It is so written that the pitars are pleased with the meat of fish etc. The question is, does the food that you serve reach the pitars or not? If yes, then, your pitars are getting the meat of fish and other animals. So, are your pitars demons or devils?
- It is very clear that in the above descriptions of animal food for ancestral parents, nowhere is it mentioned that it is for demons or devils.
- But what is written is just opposite to it.
“yatra ye bhojaneeyaaha syuryei cha vajyaa d’vijotthamaaha|
yaavantashchaivaa yaishchaannaisthaanpravachyaamyasheshataha”||
‘In the shraaddh for dead ancestors, who are the good brahmins who should be fed and, who are not to be, how many should be fed, who should be fed grain etc., I shall tell you’. This verse clearly states that the shraaddh food is to be served to good brahmins and not to unauthorized ones. When there is no right for the unauthorized brahmins to eat the shraaddh food, how could the devils or demons have the right?
“niyuktastu yathhaanyaayam yo maamsam naati maanavaha|
se pretya pashutaam yaathi sambhavaanekavimshatim”|| Manusmruti 5/35
“kulluukabhaashya-shraad’dhe madhuparke cha yathhaashaastram niyaktuha”
What is said here is that those who are designated as per scriptures to take part in Shraadh and Madhupark (a ritualistic offering made during marriage etc. though it means ‘Penta elixir’ or ‘panchamrit’ made of a mixture of honey, liquid jaggery, cow milk, curd and ghee) are expected to partake meat and, if they do not, they are condemned to be born as an animal form for 21 times. Now, tell O’ questioner! You thought that animal food is for devils but here a heavy awaits those who do not eat meat. Had it been ordained for devils, then, how come such a heavy punishment is ordained? The second thing is that here the diet is prescribed for normal humans and not devils. According to belief, devils are quite a different class from normal humans. So, your contention that meaty food is designated for devils is false.
“niyuktasthu yatihi shraad’dhe daive vaa maamsamutsrjeth| yaavanthi pashuromaani thaavannarakamic’chathi” Vaa. 34/11.
Somebody has quoted this verse. (What is the elaboration of Vaa. is not clear, This verse is not part of Vaayu Puran, Vaman Puran or Valmiki Ramayan).
Meaning: Any brahmin or hermit, who does not partake meat offered during Shraadh or, the fire offering to Gods, will have to spend that many years in hell as the number of hairs on the animal used on the occasion. If the meaty food of shraadh is for devils, why then this punishment of spending lakhs of years in hell? It is clear that there is a testament for meat serving during Shraadh as per some scriptures but, it is totally un-Vedic as there is no such mention in the Vedic texts.
Eligibility:
A third thing that is found mentioned in ancestral offering (Shraadh) is about whom the ritual food is to be given. From a perusal of all authentic scriptures, there is never found any mention of ancestral offering. Testimony for the same is as follows:
“chikitsakaan devalakaanmaansavikrayinastathaa|
Manusmriti (3/152)
“somavikrayino nishttaa bhishaje pooyashonitam|
nashtam devalake dat’thamapratishttam thu vaardhashou”||
(180)
“yaavatho grasthe graasaan havyakavyeshvamantravit|
thaavatho grasathe prethya diiptashoolarshjyayogudaan”||
(133)
“jyothirvidho hayatharvaanaha keeraaha pauraanapaattakaaha|
shraad’dhe yajne mahaadhaane na varaniiyaaha kadhaachanaha”||
Atri smruti 385
“patanthi pitaro hayeshaam dhaanam chaiva thu nishfalam”
(386)
There is textual variation in this verse.
“aavikashchitrakaarashcha vaid’yoo nakshatrapaattaha|
chaturvipraaha na bhojyanthe brhaspatihi samaa api”||
(385) Atri smruti 385 – 387
Physicians, priests, meat sellers, shop owners, and alcohol sellers should not be fed Shraadh food. Whoever would feed these people or the ones who do not Vedas or who will partake shraadh food shall have their mouths stuffed with hot iron balls, trident etc. Astrologers and misers or the readers of mythological scriptures should never sit to partake the food served during Shraadh or the great fire offering as, by giving them food or by giving alms to them, the Pitar become befallen and the alms giving becomes ineffective. Therefore, these people should never be offered Shraadh food. Sheep raisers, painter, ayurvedic doctors and astrologers should not be served Shraadh food even if they become like the seer Brihaspati. It is to be asked of the priests of mythological scriptures (Purans) whether Shraadh to dead ancestors can be offered as per this list? As per what is mentioned here, not only the priests, traders, ayurvedic practitioners, astrologers, artisans and those who have no knowledge of Ved, should not be offered Shraadh food but, heavy punishment is ordained for those who offer Shraadh food to them besides the backslide of pitars. So, even according to the mythological scriptures, Sharaadh is contravened. What is needed is that those who practice Shraadh of dead ancestors should refrain from it to avoid receiving punishment. On one side you perform shraadh and on the other side, you receive punishment; of what benefit is it of?
Mode of reaching food
The fourth question is, how does food reach the dead ancestors? Both Vedic believers and mythological followers accept that there is rebirth of the soul after death. It is really worth thinking how can the food reach them if they have taken rebirth? There is no definite explanation with the mythologists about this. Some say that depending on the classes of birth the food would reach the ancestors accordingly. It is the belief of others that the pitars remain in the ancestral realm (pitru lok) and so the food reaches them there. A third set of people say that the pitars come down to this world to partake the food. Apparently, there is no clear understanding or explanation amongst the mythologists. This itself proves that Shraadh to dead ancestors is a false or unrealistic observance, just established by tradition and being followed blindly without any logic or reason. One or two examples are being given below. These are from Garud Puran, Chapter 10
“nimantrithaastu ye vipraaha shraad’dhpoovadine khaga|
pravishya pitarasteshu bhuktwaa yaanthi svamaalayam”||
(26)
“shraad’dhkarjaa thu yad’yekaha shraad’dhe vipro nimantrithaha|
ud’sthaha pithaa tasya vaamaparshve pithaamaha”||
(27)
“papithaamaho dakshinathaha prshttathaha pindabhakshakaha”||
(28)
When the performer of Shraadh feeds a Brahmin, the deceased father seated inside would avail the food from the stomach of the Brahmin. Sitting on the left lap grandfather, grand mother and great grand parents would eat food and, sitting on the back, pind (bolus of food made of barley flour, rice etc.) eater will avail the food. What a pathetic way of feeding food to dead ancestors by the believers of mythology?
How would the pitar eat the food from the stomach of the Brahmin? Would the pitar eat the food after digestion in the stomach or as soon as the food reaches the stomach? If, latter is the case then, why not have the food sitting outside only? Why sit inside the stomach? What is there in the stomach? Some sweet dishes or some divine offering? After digestion, the digested food gets absorbed into the blood; so, if the pitar will have the food after digestion, would the pitar then suck the blood like a leech?
It is indeed an irony that different mythological texts have different versions about Shraadh procedure, food to be offered, about the whereabouts of pitars etc. According to Garud Puran (mythological text), the pitars seem to come from wherever to eat the Shraadh food and, apparently, they consume feces, blood etc. of the Brahmin after he has eaten the food. Does it make sense? What an absurdity! Is this not a clear cut example of of the so called ‘blind belef’? People generally believe blindly in whatever is taught to them or whatever is seen in the childhood. They just accept and follow whatever they believe in or, should I say is made to believe? This they do without any logical thinking or reasoning – unvalidated erroneous blind belief. Let us look at another belief in contradiction to the above again from Garud Puran, Chapter 10.
“Gaandharve bhogaroopena pashutwe thu thrnam bhavet”||
(5)
“shraad’dham thu vaayurupena naagatwe’ apyanugac’chathi|
falam bhavathi pakshitwe raakshaseshu that’thaamsham”||
(6)
“dhaanavatwe thathaa maamsam prethatwe ridhiram that’thaa|
manushyatwe’annapaanaadhi baalye bhogaraso bhavet”||
(7)
If the dead ancestor of the Shraadh offeror has become a demigod/celestial spirit (Gandharva), the food will reach in the offered form, if the ancestor has become a cow or a herbivorous animal, it would receive in the form of grass, if the ancestor has become a snake, it would receive in the form of air, if has become a bird, in the form of fruit, if has become a demon/devil, then, in the form of meat, if has become a ghost, in the form of blood, if has become a human being then, in the form of food and water and if born as a child, in the form of juices. One thing is that these verses appear as concocted absurdity. It defies all logic and is beyond all rationality. The second thing is that these verses completely demolish the myth of Shraadh for dead Pitar. It completely denounces all the mythological concepts of Pitar, Pitrlok (ancestral world) etc. Even it contravenes the above utterances of Pitar coming down to accept the food offering or the food reaching them in the pitrlok. These concepts completely opposite to those of the above contentions. If the present concept be accepted, imagine a situation where the dead ancestor has born as a pig; will it receive Shraadh food as feces? If that be the case, what an injustice it is? The brahmans are with fed kheer (rice porridge) and pude (a bub like fried cake) and what does the ancestor receive in turn is feces. If a vaishnav (devotee of Vishnu) who is against meat eating, performs Shraadh, his ancestor will receive the Shraadh food as meat if has born as a devil. This si quite contrary to truth as all animals are the Pitars of someone or other and they never receive any Shraadh food. As per the dictates of this contention the Shraadh offeror should actually feed the Brahmins with grass, meat and blood as per the class of birth of the ancestors and even pebbles if born as a type of partridge.
Questions to be posed to mythological followes
It appears that the Shraadh offeror should feed the Brahmins with all varieties of food mentioned above befitting different classes of birth as, no one knows what in class the ancestor has born into. Below is given certain questions that can commonly be asked with reference to Shraadh to those irrational mythologists if confronted with.
- Can one give any reasonable or logical answer or testimony from Vedas for the Shraadh food offered to brahmins reaching the dead ancestor?
- According mythologists’ belief, once the bones are floated in Ganges, the soul gets liberation and attains Brahmic form there is no question of the liberated one has no requirement of earing and drinking, then, who comes to partake the shraadh food?
- Kindly provide some vedic hymns in support of Shraadh ceremonies like ‘dasgatr*; sapindikaran* and pind’daan*’. It is all definitely Un-Vaidic and totally concocted, fanciful and imaginary.
- The appropriation of all the hymns of the 18th chapter of Atharva Ved in terms of final ite o funeral rites have been done by Achaya Sayan. Is it not against the appropriations of Acharya Sayan to apply it to Shraadh o dead ancestors?
- Does the food reach the Pitars through Brahmnas or directly? If it reaches as such then, what is the purpose of feeding the Brahmins? If it reaches through the Brahmins then, we should weigh the Brahmin after feeding; if the weight of the Brahmin shows an increase then, the food does not reach the Pitar. If the weight shows a decrease, then only the food can be thought of as having reached the Pitar.
- After the food is eaten by the brahmin does the food reach the Pitar as blood and flesh or as otherwise as something else? Is there any testimony for the same?
- What is the proof that the food partaken by the Brahmin reaches the Pitar without any knowhow of their place of residence? If the living father and mother are locked in a room and the Brahmins are fed in their name outside, will the food reach the parents in spite of knowing where they are? If the food would not reach the parents with known address how come food would reach dead parents with no known address?
- If mythological followers believe in Shraadh for dead ancestors then why Shraadh is offered only for three generations? Why not for other generations too? Actually, father, grandfather and great grand father are very possible to be alive together and that is why Shraadh is offered for three generations. This itself is an indication that Shraadh is done to the living and not to the dead.
- If there are four sons and all the four sons perform Shraadh at four different places, at whose place would the Pitar go to partake? If the Pitar partakes food from one of them, Brahmans would enjoy free food offered by the other three.
- There was a woman called Shanti at Delhi. She recalled her past birth and described all about her in laws, brother in law son etc. which were all found true. A local commission was set up to verify the narration of shanti which even included an Muslim member. All were found factual and all her past relatives were hale and hearty. It was clear that Shanti had taken rebirth. Now, the question is what about ancestral word, ancestor and Shraadh offering etc.? She was very much in existence at Delhi and had never gone to partake shraadh food!
- Suppose some one’s father has born as a goat after death and if the son kills that goat and peforms shraadh, then, to whom will that shraadh go? Imagine a father after death gets reborn as son in that same family. Now the father has become the son. In this case who will receive the Shraadh food?
- Who gets the epithet of Pitar/ancestor? The body or the soul? If it is of the body then, the body is already burnt to ashes. If it be said of soul then, it is wrong as the soul by itself does not have the sentiments of father, son etc. as it can be born in the house of the son itself or in the family of some animal or bird etc. Therefore, it does not have the epithet of Pitar. This itself proves that the soul endowed body alone is called as Pitar and it is in the alive form and not in the dead form.
- There appears a story in the Uttar Khand of Padma Puran that a father and mother after death got reborn as a bitch and a bull in the same house. The son performed Shaadh fo his dead parents but the food did not reach them; in fact, daughter in law broke the back of the bitch and the bull died of hunger. This incident clearly proves that Shaadh food does not reach the dead ones.
Some questions and answers
Q. In ceremonial rites, it is written that the graduate should sprinkle water on the floor wearing the sacred thread (janoi) from the left shoulder to the right (apasavya). This gives testimony to Shraadh to dead ancestors.
Ans. The meaning of ‘apasavya’ is not to change the sacred thread but it actually means to south or to turn the the body towards south. It is so written in chapter 3, section 1 of Amarkosh that-
“vaamam shariiram savyam syaadapasavyam thu dakhsinam” (74)
The left half of the body is called ‘savyam’ and he right half is known as ‘apasavya’. The face of the celibate graduate (ancient graduate of scriptures) is first turned toward east but, afterwards he turns it to the south and prays to the scholar teachers that just as this water is provider of inner peace, you have also provided me inner peace by imparting the attribute of scriptural wisdom; please present peace to others too.
Even during marriage ceremonies, the importance of water is clearly shown by the ritual of sprinkling water over the bride and the bridegroom. There is no inkling of dead ancestral Shraadh whatsoever in these rites.
Q. In this world. The son gets the wealth or property of father and so, the karm of father also is also passed on to the son.
Ans. This is completely untrue that the son would receive the karma of father; the real fact is that getting born in the house of wealthy or poor is because of the ‘prarabdha karma’ [part of the total accumulated karma (sanchita karma) that is ready or ripe for reaping in this birth]. It is the prarabdha karma only that leads one to be born in a wealthy family and another one in a poor family. Someone gets the wealth and property of father and another one remains deprived of it. It is all the play of one’s own karmas.
An important thing to be remembered is that there could be flaws and injustices in the laws and rules of kings, people or government but the laws of the Supreme Lord (Paramatma or Allah or the Supreme truth God) is ever flawless and are just and fair. Whoever sows will only reap or, ‘as you sow so shall you reap’. In the justice system of the Supreme Lord the deeds off one cannot be passed on to another one (whatever be the relation) and that alone is the irrevocable justice of the Supreme Lord.
Ref: Bagra online portal
From ‘Shraadh Kandan by Pndit Bud’dhdev Meerpuri
Presented in Arya milan
Should we conduct Shraaddha or not?
Late Siddhagopal Kaviratna
