Pitru Paksha in Mauritius
Pitru Paksha-Significance
Pitru Paksha, also known as Pitri Paksha or Pitr Paksha, is a 16-day lunar period in the Hindu calendar during which Hindus honour their ancestors with Shraddha or Tarpan.
Shraddha is a Sanskrit term that means “everything or any act done with sincerity and faith.“
According to Hinduism, the souls of one’s ancestors’ three prior generations reside in Pitru-Loka, a world between heaven and earth.
It is thought that by honouring and remembering our ancestors during this season, they will give us health, riches, knowledge, and life, as well as, ultimately, heaven and salvation (moksha).
This is our moment to repay our ancestors’ obligations, which is one of the most essential debts we must repay in this lifetime.
It is thought that our ancestors come down to earth to bless us throughout these 16 days.
The Legend Behind Pitru Paksha
When the legendary Karna died in the epic Mahabharata conflict, his soul went to heaven and was fed money and jewels.
However, Karna required actual food and asked Indra, the lord of heaven, why gold was served as food.
Indra told Karna that he had always given gold to his ancestors, but had never given food to his ancestors in Shraddha.
Karna stated that because he was uninformed of his forefathers, he never donated in their honour.
Karna was granted permission to return to Earth for 15 days to perform Shraddha and provide food and water in their honour. This is currently known as the Pitru Paksha era. Indra substitutes Yama in certain stories.
Pitru Paksha in Mauritius: Dates to Remember
In 2022, Pitru Paksha begins on the 10th of September and ends on the 25th of September.
The last day of Pitru Paksha is Sarva Pitra Amavasya.
The first day is the Purnima Shradh, one of the significant days of the Pitru Paksha.
Why do we worship our ancestors?
Water has two units of life, fire has three, air has four, space has five, trees have six, animals have seven, and humans have eight units of life and are known as ashtavasu. Superhumans blossomed into people with nine units of life who do remarkable work, whether very good or very bad and have nine units of life.
Humans can also develop up to sixteen different types of life. When we die, we gain power in some way. We have nine to 10 units of life. This is weird, yet it is true.
This is why ancestors are revered. When this body dies, the spirit becomes free, without limits, and nothing can stop it. “The spirit is free to travel about.”
If it is bound in the body, you only have eight units of life, but when you die, you have access to the ninth and tenth units, giving you far more access to the planet.
That is why your ancestors have the power to bless you.
They have more “life” than you since their spirit has been liberated from the confines of the physical body. They can recognize, bless, and assist you.
Their presence is palpable. As a result, if you pray to them, they may grant you specific boons.
They can impart whatever power they have on you.
Ancestral worship is practised in China, Latin America, and a variety of other places.
In the Christian tradition, All Souls’ Day is observed to honour the souls and ask for their blessings.
One can also book online pind daan and shradh poojan. Many people who cannot come to India due to covid restrictions or personal reasons often book their poojan online. We conduct live poojan for them.
All of us at Prayag Pandits believe that paying respect to our ancestors is a must for all Hindus all around the world. We help people from countries such as Mauritius to have shradh poojan and pind daan poojan at the most prominent places in India like Gaya, Varanasi, Prayagraj, Badrinath, etc. We would love to help people come to India for such poojans.