Pitrs
Encyclopedia
The Pitṛs are the spirits of the departed ancestor
s in Hindu
culture.
They are often remembered annually.
It is a Hindu's duty to his ancestors to beget at least one son, so that he may continue to make offerings to the Pitris.
If offerings are not made, they suffer and often resort to punishing themselves to try to convince their descendant to have children, as in the story of Agastya
and Lopamudra
.
and Brahmanda Purana
and both are practically identical.
The account in the Harivamsha is shorter but agrees closely with them.
The similar but brief accounts are also found in the Matsya Purana
and Padma Purana
.
According to these accounts there are different classes of the s and they have different origins, forms, grades and abodes. A broad distinction exists between the (divine s) and the (s who were deceased human beings).
Some of the s dwell in the heavenly abodes while other dwell in the netherworlds. The former who dwell in the heaven were considered as the gods and the gods were also considered as the s.
The s are most primeval deities and they never cease to exist. The (ancestors of human beings) can attain the same level of the divine s and live with them in heaven by righteousness.
They are reborn at the end of every thousand mahayugas and revive the worlds. From them all the Manu
s and all progeny at the new creation are produced.
was the daughter of the Vairajas. Acchoda, the river was the daughter of the Agnishvattas. Pivari, the wife of the sage Śuka
was the daughter of the Barhishadas. Narmada
, the river was the daughter of the Somapas. Yashoda was the daughter of the Havishmanas was the wife of Vishvamahat and mother of Dilipa
. Viraja, the wife of king Nahusha
was the daughter of the Ajyapas and Go or Ekshringa, the wife of the sage Shukra
was the daughter of the Manasas.
Ancestor
An ancestor is a parent or the parent of an ancestor ....
s in Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
culture.
They are often remembered annually.
It is a Hindu's duty to his ancestors to beget at least one son, so that he may continue to make offerings to the Pitris.
If offerings are not made, they suffer and often resort to punishing themselves to try to convince their descendant to have children, as in the story of Agastya
Agastya
Agastya was a Tamil/Vedic Siddhar or sage. Agastya and his clan are also generally credited with uncovering many mantras of the Rig Veda, the earliest and most revered Hindu scripture, in the sense of first having the mantras revealed in his mind by the Supreme Brahman...
and Lopamudra
Lopamudra
Lopamudra was an ancient Indian female philosopher. She was the wife of the sage Agastya. Together with her husband she is credited with spreading the fame of the Lalita sahasranama . She is also called Kaushitaki and Varaprada...
.
The human and divine Pitṛs
The most complete accounts about the s are found in the Vayu PuranaVayu Purana
The Vayu Purana is a Shaiva Purana, a Hindu religious text, dedicated to the god Vayu , containing about 24,000 shlokas.-Date:Banabhatta refers to this work in his Kadambari and Harshacharita...
and Brahmanda Purana
Brahmanda Purana
The Brahmanda Purana is one of the eighteen Mahapuranas, a genre of eighteen Hindu religious texts and has been assigned the eighteenth place in almost all the lists of the Puranas.Brahma in Sanskrit means "the biggest", anda/andam means globe...
and both are practically identical.
The account in the Harivamsha is shorter but agrees closely with them.
The similar but brief accounts are also found in the Matsya Purana
Matsya Purana
Matsya Purana is the sixteenth purana of the Hindu scriptures. During the period of mahapralaya, Lord Vishnu had taken Matsya Avatar to save the seeds of all lives and Manu...
and Padma Purana
Padma Purana
Padma Purana , one of the major eighteen Puranas, a Hindu religious text, is divided into five parts.In the first part of the text, sage Pulastya explains to Bhishma about religion and the essence of the religion. The second part describes in detail Prithvi...
.
According to these accounts there are different classes of the s and they have different origins, forms, grades and abodes. A broad distinction exists between the (divine s) and the (s who were deceased human beings).
Some of the s dwell in the heavenly abodes while other dwell in the netherworlds. The former who dwell in the heaven were considered as the gods and the gods were also considered as the s.
The s are most primeval deities and they never cease to exist. The (ancestors of human beings) can attain the same level of the divine s and live with them in heaven by righteousness.
They are reborn at the end of every thousand mahayugas and revive the worlds. From them all the Manu
Manu (Hinduism)
In various Hindu traditions, Manu is a title accorded to the progenitor of mankind, and also the very first brahman king to rule this earth, who saved mankind from the universal flood. He was absolutely honest which was why he was initially known as "Satyavrata"...
s and all progeny at the new creation are produced.
Seven classes of the divine Pitṛs
There are seven classes of the (divine s), three of them are amurtayah (incorporeal) while the other four are samurtayah (corporeal). The three incorporeal orders of the Pitṛs are Vairajas, Agnishvattas and Barhishadas. The four corporeal orders of the Pitṛs are Somapas, Havishmanas, Ajyapas and Sukalins (or Manasas)The Pitṛ-Vaṁśa (genealogy of the Pitṛs)
All seven classes of the divine Pitṛs had each one mānasī kanyā (mind-born daughter). Mena, the wife of Mount HimavatHimavat
Himavat is the Hindu God of snow, a personification of the Himalayan mountains. Himavat fathered the more prominent Parvati and Ganga, wife of Shiva and river goddess respectively. His wife and queen consort is Mayna....
was the daughter of the Vairajas. Acchoda, the river was the daughter of the Agnishvattas. Pivari, the wife of the sage Śuka
Suka
The Suka was a unique fiddle that was played vertically, on the knee or hanging from a strap, and the strings were stopped at the side with the fingernails; similar to the Gadulka. The body of the instrument was very similar to the modern violin, but the neck was very wide, and the pegbox was crude...
was the daughter of the Barhishadas. Narmada
Narmada River
The Narmada , also called Rewa is a river in central India and the fifth largest river in the Indian subcontinent. It is the third largest river that completely flows within India after Ganges and Godavari...
, the river was the daughter of the Somapas. Yashoda was the daughter of the Havishmanas was the wife of Vishvamahat and mother of Dilipa
Dilipa
Dilipa is a genus of butterflies in the family Nymphalidae.-External links:* at funit.fi...
. Viraja, the wife of king Nahusha
Nahusha
Nahusha was a well-known king of the Aila dynasty. He was the son of Ayu, the eldest son of Pururavas and Prabha, the daughter of Svarbhanu. Nahusha reigned from Pratishthana. He married Viraja, the daughter of the Pitrs. They had six or seven sons, according to different Puranas. His eldest son...
was the daughter of the Ajyapas and Go or Ekshringa, the wife of the sage Shukra
Shukra
Shukra , the Sanskrit for "clear, pure" or "brightness, clearness", is the name of the son of Bhrigu, and preceptor of the Daityas, and the guru of the Asuras, identified with the planet Venus, one of the Navagrahas...
was the daughter of the Manasas.
See also
- Ancestor veneration
- Pitru PakshaPitru PakshaPitru Paksha , also spelt as Pitr paksha or Pitri paksha, is a 16–lunar day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors , especially through food offerings...
: a 16-day period when the Pitrs are honoured