From present to past: The philosophy of Hindu rituals for ancestors (Pitṛ Pakṣa and Śrāddha)

Our cultural practices, festivals, and symbols have deep significance, with layers of our traditions, history, and philosophy embedded in them. Recently, I asked my students, "What would be your first reaction if you accidentally stepped on a book, pencil, or pen?" Their immediate response was to bow their heads to any object they touched with their foot. When I asked who taught them to do this, they could not point to a single person. In a foreign country, I once saw a student making a ladder out of books to climb up and down-stepping on books is not a taboo in other cultures. In India, we cannot even imagine touching anything or anyone by our feet-elders, stationery items, money; we have regarded everybody and everything as divine. Today, Indian children born in the 21st century follow such practices instinctively, although they are intrigued by who taught them such habits.

Our ancestors, who practiced similar habits, have passed them on to us, creating a sense of continuity and connection with our past. The Indian word for ancestors is Pitṛ-cognate with the English word paternal. Pitṛ Pakṣa, a fortnight dedicated to our ancestors, is a sacred period. It is an opportunity and a festival to express our gratitude and reverence for them. Our culture has placed these two weeks between the festivals for immersing Gaṇeśa, symbolizing dissolution, and the festival of Durgā and Garbā (derived from Garbha, i.e., womb), symbolizing evolution and birth. Between the dissolution of the past and the evolution of the new, we should pay tribute to our ancestors. These fifteen days of the year are for pausing and not launching any new venture or traveling, thus labeling them erroneously inauspicious. However, the purpose of such a taboo is to gratefully acknowledge our ancestors who brought us to this world to pursue and enjoy various bounties-Instead of planning for the future, take a break from the present and be grateful for our past in this fortnight for ancestors. Their influence on our personalities stays with us forever, physically, mentally, culturally, and socially.

The second reminder from Pitṛ Pakṣa is to be aware that whatever happened to our ancestors will happen to us also. This means we must leave the way they went, leaving worldly materialistic pursuits behind us. This is the time to understand our existence. It is time to think about the goal of this life. So, we must do śrāddha with śraddhā (faith). The term śrāddha came from śraddhā, alluding to humility and gratitude. This is the time to humble ourselves and show respect and appreciation for our ancestors.

The rites and activities during Pitṛ Pakṣa often involve visiting Gaya (the term implies ‘gone’ or ‘departed’) in Bihar and feeding Brahmins, cows, and crows. In this context, it is important to note that the term ‘Brahmin’ does not solely refer to individuals born into the Brahmin caste, but rather to those who embody the qualities and actions of a true Brahmin, as defined in the Bhagavad Gita. These qualities include knowledge, humility, and selflessness. We respect those who have given us the gift of wisdom and saṃskāras. Brahmins symbolize what our ancestors have practiced and preserved over millennia. Today, we worship knowledge, wealth, rivers, animals, birds, reptiles, earth, sun, moon, and entire cosmos. All such reverential notions came from our ancestors. So, it is time to express gratitude to all of them.

Our physical death is not the end of our journey. Similarly, when infants are born, it is not the beginning of their life. In Indic traditions, the concept of rebirth, or reincarnation, is a unique belief that offers continuity and hope. It suggests that the soul, after departing from the body at death, is reborn in a new body. The supreme goals set by our ancestors must be carried forward by us, their progenies. Celebrating their great lives by continuing their mission can be one of the best ways to pay homage to them.

According to Advait Vedanta, Brahman pervades the entire universe, so every particle is divine. However, we cannot worship all the planet’s species in rituals, so our ancestors made some species represent the rest of the universe. For example, cows symbolize mammals, crows represent birds, the Ganga represents rivers, the Himalayas represent mountains, and so on. Indian culture is so vast that we worship elephants, monkeys, and even serpents. This is not blind faith or fanaticism. We must see divinity in every particle. By applying this, we can see divinity in people of all castes and religions, every person in the world, and even in animals, birds, plants, fish, and beyond.

After someone’s death, their ashes are often immersed in the Ganga. The Ganga is considered divine in Hinduism, and its waters are believed to have the power to cleanse one’s sins and facilitate their journey to the afterlife. It is often compared to the Vaitaraṇī River, which, in Hindu mythology, is the river the departed must cross to transcend the material world. Hindus call Kashi the Mokṣa Puri, a town for liberation. Because Kashi is a step, a bridge, where we can transcend this world, a bridge between this world and the spiritual world. Ganga is considered a similar medium. We immerse the remains of the perishable body into the Ganga because the Ganga would empty into the ocean. We return our material body to the five great elements, the Mahābhūtas, i.e., air, fire, water, earth, and space. We can do the same in Kaveri, Narmada, or other holy rivers across India and beyond. Similar rites are mentioned in the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. One of the eldest son’s privileges is to show his last respect to the departed parent by shaving his head. This helps express gratitude and lowers his ego. Pilgrims do similar rituals at Tirupati. In some religious places, people cover their heads for similar reasons.

In conclusion, Pitṛ Pakṣa is a profound reminder of our deep-rooted connections to our ancestors and the timeless traditions they have passed down to us. This sacred period is not merely about rituals but about embracing humility, gratitude, and reflection. It encourages us to pause our modern pursuits and honor the legacy of those who came before us, recognizing their enduring influence on our lives. By performing śrāddha with śraddhā, we acknowledge the continuity of life and the spiritual journey that transcends physical existence. Pitṛ Pakṣa is a time to celebrate the wisdom, values, and cultural heritage our ancestors have bestowed upon us, ensuring their legacy continues guiding and inspiring future generations.

Author: Prof. Pankaj Jain, Faculty of Philosophy and Religious Studies, FLAME University