Everything You Want to Know about Pitru Karma

1. APARA KRIYAS

Duty to Parents

The human birth is hailed as the most important as it can lead to permanent release from the cycle of births and deaths. Shastras prescribe forty samskaras (purificatory rites) for rendering the three human bodies, the sthula, sukshma and karana (gross, subtle and causal), pure and fit for redemption by God’s grace. Apara kriyas (post death ceremonies) and Shraddham performed for one’s parents are some of the most essential samskaras.

पुन्नामनरकाद्-यस्मात्पितरंत्रायते सुतः।

तस्मात्पुत्रइतिप्रोक्तःइहचापिपरत्र च॥ - (Garuda Puranam 21.32)

punnāmanarakād-yasmātpitaraṃ trāyate sutaḥ|

tasmātputra itiproktaḥ ihacāpiparatra ca||

The son saves his parents from the hell called ‘Put’ and is therefore called ‘Putra’ in this world as well as the next.

अनित्यानिशरीराणिविभवोनैवशाश्वतः।

नित्यं सन्निहितोमृत्युःकर्तव्योधर्मसङ्ग्रहः॥ (Garuda Puranam 47:24,25)

anityāni śarīrāṇi vibhavonaiva śāśvataḥ|

nityaṃ sannihitomṛtyuḥ kartavyodharma saṅgrahaḥ||

Bodies are transient; wealth is fleeting. Death is ever hovering; Dharma (virtue) alone should be accumulated. It is true that unless the jiva has attained mukti, he carries his accumulated load of punya and papa when he leaves the human body and departs for his next birth. Depending on Yama Dharmaraja’s verdict on the basis of his karmic load, the jiva is left to enjoy the pleasures of svarga, suffer the misery of naraka or is born into fresh bodies on the earth- man, animal, bird, worm, tree, grass etc. Here the Apara kriya and Shraddham performed by his son play a very helpful and positive role. These ceremonies, if properly performed, are efficacious in mitigating the misery of the jiva, increasing his happiness and even obtaining his permanent union with the Lord. Apara Kriya is the last of the samskaras (purificatory rituals) prescribed by Vedas and Smritis for the human body. Sri Vaidyanatha Dikshitar in his celebrated Nibandhana grantha ‘Smritimuktaphalam’ (also known as Vaidyanatha Dikshitiyam) has established that this is divine samskara, through which the dead person attains the state of Deva. Limitless merit (Punya) and Svarga and even Moksha are attained through proper performance of Apara Kriyas, says Dikshitar. Shastras emphasise that these are obligatory duties for the son. He will be rid of Pitru-runa (debt) only by performing these ceremonies properly. If he omits to perform them with shraddha, ie.faith, he and his descendants will suffer untold misery. As the ceremony is to be performed with shraddha, it is called Shraddham. Shraddha means faith and the resulting keenness to perform all rituals as per procedure.

Nobody should think that the mantras in Apara Kriyas are inauspicious. They are very majestic. Many of the mantras pray for Brahma Sayujyam (Merger with Brahman) of the dead person. There are prayers for the welfare, peace and joy of the village, cattle etc. Hence it is essential for everyone to perform this Karma for the welfare of himself, his family and even his village and town.

The body of a person becomes ‘Shava’ on his death. The jiva departs from the body for taking a new form. He is ‘Preta’ (one who travels). The vasanas (tendencies) in him owing to the long time connection with the body kindle intolerable hunger and thirst and feelings of sorrow on severance of relationship with those he leaves behind. His son or Karta gives him water and Pindam (food); he cremates (or buries) the body with mantras, thus taking it back to the five Mahabhutas (Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Water and Prithvi) and helps in cutting off the jiva’s relation with the body. This is Apara Kriya, extending over 12 days. The Karta removes the Preta state of the jiva, raises him to ‘Pitru’ state and unites him with his Sapinda ancestors, Pita (father), Pitamaha (grandfather) and Prapitamaha (greatgrandfather). This is Sapindikaranam, performed usually on the 12th day. Though the ‘Pitru’ state can really be attained only at the end of one whole year, Shastras permit the Karta to ‘attract’ in advance the various Shraddhas performed during the year and do them prior to Sapindikaranam on the 12th day. This provision in Shastras is given for two reasons. One is, if the Karta dies during that year, the jiva will have no chance to get released from ‘Preta’ state to the ‘Pitru’ state, with terrible consequences. The second reason is, if not done on the 12th day, the Karta loses the eligibility to celebrate auspicious functions like marriage, Seemantham etc. of his children; he does not have the necessary purity to perform ‘Naandi’ Shraddham on such auspicious occasions. However, it must be borne in mind that though the various Shraddhas of the year are attracted and performed in advance on 12th day, it is essential to perform all of them on the prescribed days during the year without fail.Apara Kriyas are essential for helping the dead person to get released from impure ‘Shava’ or ‘Preta’ state and to attain higher state. Shastras define Kartas and describe procedures to be adopted in various situations.

उपरागसहस्राणि व्यतीपातायुतानि च ।

अमालक्षंतु द्वादश्याः कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् ॥

एवं विधाया द्वादश्याः तिस्रः कोट्यर्धकोटयः ।

मातापित्रोर्-मृताहस्य कलां नार्हन्ति षोडशीम् ॥

uparāgasahasrāṇi vyatīpātāyutāni ca |

amālakṣaṃtu dvādaśyāḥ kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm ||

evaṃ vidhāyā dvādaśyāḥ tisraḥ koṭyardhakoṭayaḥ |

mātāpitror-mṛtāhasya kalāṃ nārhanti ṣoḍaśīm ||

Shraddha rituals observed during a thousand eclipses, ten thousand Vyatipata Punyakalas and a lakh of Amavasyas do not equal 1/16th part of Dvadashi. Three and a half crores of Dvadashis of such merit do not equal 1/16th part of the Apara Kriyas performed for mother and father. Hence Karta should perform Apara Kriyas with total commitment and without delay. As Kanchi Maha Swamiji has emphasised, the merit of performing ‘Anatha Preta Samskara’ (Apara Kriyas for orphaned, unknown dead persons) is equal to that of Ashvamedha yaga.

2. Last moments of Person about to die

The person about to die should take bath and perform Sarva Prayashchitta (Major Expiation). If health does not permit bath, seven types of Snana are mentioned in Dharma Shastra. They are: 1)Mantram-Snana with only mantras like Apohishtha 2) Parthiva or bhauma- Snana with soil,

3)Ajnyeya- Snana with Vibhuti 4)Vaayavya- Snana with the dust from cow’s feet 5)Divya- Snana in rain water when sun is bright 6)Manasa- Meditating on Atma 7)Yaugika- Meditating on Vishnu. Only after bath, one gets the right to perform any Vaideeka karma.

After bath, he should wear on his forehead and other parts of the body Tripundram (Vibhuti as Smarta practice), Urdhva pundram (Namam as Vaishnava practice), or both or Gopi chandanam, as per family practice. Shastras say that one who wears Urdhva pundram, even if he is Patita (fallen from Vedic path) and wherever he dies, he will shine in Vishnu loka. Similarly, one who wears Vibhuti and Rudraksham, whoever he is, attains Parameshvara’s Sarupyam. Hence, this is a must. Next he should partake of Ganga jalam or tulasi jalam which is hailed as Sri Padodakam. Shastra says if one drinks Ganga jalam with Tulasi - only one mustard quantity- he saves twenty one generations of ancestors from sin. Wetting the body with Ganga Jalam also purifies the jiva.

3. Sarva Prayashchittam

(Major Expiation)

Dharma Shastra describes very detailed Sarva Prayashchittam in terms of what is defined as Prajapatya Kruchram. If the prescribed Prayashchitta cannot be performed, he can authorize Brahmanas to perform the same. Brahmanas can undertake upavasa (fast), vrata, homam etc. on his behalf.

ब्राह्मणा जङ्गमं तीर्थं तीर्थभूता हि साधवः।

तेषां वाक्योदकेनैव शुध्यन्ति मलिना जनाः ॥

ब्राह्मणा यानि भाषन्ते मन्यन्ते तानि देवताः ।

सर्ववेदमयो विप्रो नतद्वचनमन्यथा ॥

brāhmaṇā jaṅgamaṃ tīrthaṃ tīrthabhūtā hi sādhavaḥ|

teṣāṃ vākyodakenaiva śudhyanti malinā janāḥ ||

brāhmaṇā yāni bhāṣante manyante tāni devatāḥ |

sarvavedamayo vipro natadvacanamanyathā ||

Brahmanas are walking Tirthas. Sinful people are cleansed with the tirtha of mere words of brahmanas. Whatever they speak is accepted by Devatas because brahmana is the form of all Vedas. Hence, one should speak out whatever sins he has committed before the brahmanas and give Danam. Go danam (gift of cow) is considered as an effective substitute for Prajapatya Kruchram. One, who gifts a cow, which gives plenty of milk, at the time of death, attains Brahmaloka. Shastra adds that if the dying person is unable to do this, his son who