The deceased person is considered as a follower of Vasu, his/her parents of Rudra and his/her grandparents of Aditya.
Narayan Bali Puja – What is Narayan Bali Puja Shradh in Hindu Funeral Rituals?
Narayan Bali Puja is performed to give moksha to those souls that met with an unusual death like suicide, accident, murder or death by animals like snake etc. Effectively Narayan Bali Puja purifies the deceased from sins and renders the person fit for being offered a Shradha.
Basically it based on the belief that one who met with an unnatural death will be still wandering on the earth. The usual Shradh that are performed are ineffective. To first give release to the soul Narayan Bali Puja is performed. Then other Shradh rituals can be performed.
Narayan Bali Puja should be performed on the Shukla Paksha Ekadasi tithi or the 11th day during the waxing phase of moon in a fortnight.
If the person died of Snake bite then the ritual should be performed on the Shukla Paksha Panchami tithi or the fifth day during the waxing phase of moon.
The rituals and puja are dedicated to Vishnu and Yama.
You will need the help of a qualified priest to perform the puja.
Narayan Bali Puja details are found in the Vishnu Purana and Yajnavalkya Smriti.
What is Darsha Shradh?
Performing Darsha Shradh is equal to performing Shradh daily.
Daily Shradh is that in which a person offers water daily to the souls of ancestors. There is no elaborate ceremony. When this is not possible Darsha Shradh is performed.
Tripindi Shradh
Tripindi Shradh is an important funeral ritual performed in Hinduism. This is performed if Shradh offerings are not done for three consecutive years. It is believed that a person who does not receive Shradh for three consecutive years falls into the Pret Yoni.
To help the soul to escape from Pret Yoni, Tripindi Shradh is performed.
The puja and rituals are dedicated to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.
One need the help of a priest to perform the Tripindi Shradh.
Trishali – Three Tirthas Famous for Pitru Tarpana and Shraddha
Trishali is the name given to three Tirthas, sacred water bodies and places, famous for Pitru Tarpana and Shraddha in Hinduism. Pitru Tarpana and Shraddha are important ceremonies performed by Hindus for the souls of the ancestors to achieve Moksha or liberation.
All these holy places are located on the banks of Ganga River.
Millions of Hindus perform Pitru Tarpana and Shraddha in the above said places.
Mahalaya Amavasya
Mahalaya Amavasya is observed on the no moon day (Amavas) in the month of Ashvin or Ashwayuja (September-October). Mahalaya Amavasya 2023 date is on October 14. Mahalaya should be performed in the morning. It is the final and the most important day during the Pitru Paksha Shradh fortnight. The popular belief is that performing Mahalaya Shraddha is equal to performing Shradh and Tarpan on all days of Pitru Paksha.
Mahalaya Amavasya also marks the beginning of Durga Puja rituals. Goddess Durga descends on to earth on the day.
It is said that those people who failed to observe Shradh rituals on a particular day during Pitru Paksha fortnight can solve it by observing Mahalaya Amavasya Shradh.
Another popular belief suggests that the souls of those people who had unnatural deaths like accident etc are satisfied and rest in peace when their relatives or sons or daughters perform Mahalaya Amavasya Tarpan rituals.
Pinda Daan Ritual Dedicated to the Dead
Pinda Daan is an important ritual dedicated to the dead in Hinduism. Offering Pindas (Pinda Daan) helps the soul of the dead person to achieve Moksha.
It is believed that after Pinda Daan ritual the soul of the dead person severs his/her attachment with the materialistic world and attains liberation and merges with the Supreme Soul.
Pinda Daan during Pitra Paksha fortnight in Ashwin month is considered the apt period to satisfy an unsatisfied spirit.
Sapindikaran Shradh
Sapindikaran Shradh is an important Shradh ritual for some Hindu communities. It is performed one day before the one year completion of death of the person.
After this ritual, the soul of the dead person joins other Piturs and then gets further categorized as Parvan.
Pishangi – Rangoli or Kolam drawn using Ash in Shradh Ritual
Pishangi is Shradh ritual is the rangoli or kolam drawn using ash and with chanting of mantras around the meal plate arranged for priest. The rangoli is drawn in clockwise direction.
Rangoli is also drawn in a clockwise direction around the food plate arranged for deities and in reverse direction around the food plate arranged for ancestor’s soul.
Pishangi is drawn during all types of Shradh. Today it is only drawn by most communities while performing Pindadaan.
Child Shradh Rituals for Dead Son or Daughter – Balabholaniteras during Pitru Paksha Fortnight
Death of a son or daughter when the parents are alive is considered highly unfortunate. No words can console such parents. In Hinduism, during Pitru Paksha Shradh fortnight in Ashwin month there are special rituals and rites for children who have passed away when their parents are alive. It is known as Kakbali or Balabholaniteras in
Balabholaniteras is observed on the 13th day of the Krishna Paksha (waning phase of moon) in the month of Ashwin in North India. It is the thirteenth day of the Pitru Paksha Shradh fortnight.
Ghatha Chaturdashi – For Those Who Had Unnatural Death
The rites and rituals on the fourteenth day during the Pitru Paksha fortnight is offered to those people who passed away due to accidents or those that met with other unnatural deaths like snake bites, accidents, suicide, war etc. The day is known as Ghatt Chaturdashi or Ghatha Chaturdasi in some regions. In 2023, Ghatha Chaturdashi is on October 13.
This Tithi is meant for Accidental Victims only. Others not to do paksha on this day.
Saubhagyavati Shradh
Saubhagyavati Shradh is observed on the ninth day of the Pitru Paksha fortnight and is dedicated to women who did not die as a widow. It is observed during the waning phase of moon (Krishna Paksha) in Ashwin month. Saubhagyavati Shradh 2023 date is October 7. Saubhagyavati Shradh rituals and rites are strictly followed for women who died when their husbands were alive.
In some regions, the no rituals are performed on the day. Instead food or meal is offered to the married woman’s soul. Some people also feed a Sumangali (married women) on the day.
Saubhagyavati rituals vary from region to region and from community to community. But in all regions on the day, Shradh is performed for one’s mother or any other woman in the family, who did not die a widow.
In the rituals, instead of deities, demigods known as dhurilochan whose eyes remain half closed are invoked. Dhuri means smoke and lochan means eyes; their eyes remain half closed due to smoke.
Ashtaka Shraddha – Krishna Ashtami Shraddha
Ashataka Shradh is observed on the eighth day during the Shukla Paksha or waxing phase of moon in the month of Margashirsha, Paush, Magh and Falgun months. On Ashataka Shraddha day, dead ancestors, relatives and parents are offered their favorite food on the day.
In some regions and for some Hindu communities, it is observed mainly on Falgun (February – March) Krishna Paksha Ashtami (eighth day during waning phase of moon).
Ashataka Shraddha is believed to have been performed during the Vedic period and is mentioned in the Mahabharata.
Dead souls are offered vegetables, sesame seeds (Til) and some of their favorite food items.
Vedic deities like Agni, Surya, Prajapati are propitiated on the day.
Yatinam Mahalaya
Shradh for Missing Persons – Death Rituals in Hindu Religion for Family Members Who Cannot Be Traced
If a person is missing for several years, some Hindu communities presume the person to be dead and perform the Hindu rituals that are performed for the dead. By most Hindu communities when a person is missing for 12 years, the death of the person is assumed by relatives. The rituals are performed after 12 years.
Shradh Tarpan And Other Death Rituals For Those Committed Suicide
The rites and rituals on the fourteenth day during the Pitru Paksha fortnight is also offered to those people who committed suicide. The day is known as Ghat Chaturdashi in some regions. Observed in Ashwin month, the Shradh and tapan date for those committed suicide is on October 13, 2023.
There is a popular belief among some devout Hindus that the souls of those people who had an unnatural death wander around and do not rest in peace. Hindus perform special pujas, rites and rituals for the dead person’s soul to rest in peace.
Pitru Paksha fortnight Shradh rites and rituals observed during the Krishna Paksha of Ashwin month are considered apt for giving peace to the souls of all types of unnatural deaths.
All Shradh rituals are best performed with the help of knowledgeable elderly person or a qualified priest.
Maka or Bhringraj Leaf in Shradh Rituals
Bhringraj leaf is widely used in Shradh Rituals in some regions. Bhringraj is known as Bhangra, Maka in Marathi, Kayyunni in Malayalam, Karisalaankanni in Tamil and Garugada Soppu in Kannada. It is used to restrain the Rajasic and Tamasic particles that stop the free movement of pitrus from their world to earth.