Pitru Paksha: In Pitru Paksha, a person should perform Shradh, Tarpan and Pind Daan for the liberation and satisfaction of his ancestors. It is believed that by doing this, one gets rid of Pitru Dosh and the lineage increases. According to Pandit Anil Mishra, by performing Tarpan, Shradh Kram, Pind Daan to ancestors in Pitru Paksha, the departed ancestors get satisfaction and as a result they bless their descendants. It is believed that in Pitru Paksha, all the ancestors reside on Earth and they expect that the descendants of their clan perform Shradh, Pind Daan, Tarpan in their name so that they can get satisfaction. This year Pitru Paksha will start from 17 September and will continue till 02 October.
The incident related to Tarpan Shraadh is also described in Mahabharata- According to Pitru Tarpan method, there is a rule of performing Tarpan on a date. If by mistake or the date is not known, then Tarpan can be performed on Amavasya date. The incident related to Tarpan Shraadh is of Jaratkaru Rishi in the 13th chapter of Mahabharata who was doing penance in the forest while living a celibate life. One day in the evening, when the sage was roaming in the forest, he saw some ancestors hanging upside down on a tree. Then the sage went to those ancestors and asked who are you people and why are you hanging upside down like this. Tell the reason for this. What is the solution for all of you to get salvation. Then the ancestors told that due to the end of the lineage in our family, there is no one left who can do Tarpan, Shraadh, Pinddaan for all of us in Pitru Paksha so that we get salvation.
The ancestors told the sage that there is one person left in our family whose name is Jaratkaru and he is also living a celibate life. Hearing this, Jaratkaru Rishi was very sad and said that I am the unlucky Jaratkaru Rishi. On hearing this, all the ancestors became happy and said that it is a matter of great fortune that I met you. If you want to give salvation and satisfaction to all of us, then get married as soon as possible and increase the lineage in your clan and on the occasion of Pitru Paksha, perform Shradh Kram, Pinddaan, and Tarpan in the name of the deceased ancestors of the family so that everyone can get salvation.
