Communicate with your ancestors…the Vedic way

During the 16 days of Pitra Paksh, portals to the dimension of our ancestors (Pitrilok) open, and they are allowed to come and visit us. Most of them use this time to establish a contact with us and seek our help for their release and onward journey.

The practice of propitiating the ancestors has been there since antiquity, not just in India, but across the world. All across the world, certain days are marked when portals open at those respective locations, and then people make offerings to the ancestors. In China, Singapore & Malaysia it is called the Hunger Ghost Festival, in Indonesia and Bali Hari Raya Galungan, in Thailand Sat Thai, in Cambodia Pchum Ben, Kalan Gwav in Celtic countries and All Saints Day and All Souls Day in Europe.

Feeding, nurturing and serving cows and bulls deserves a special mention in satiating the Pitrs. Across countries and civilisations, cow has been revered as the mother and Nandi bull is the foremost among Shivganas. Both these creatures are highly sensitive and subtle and aid the journey of the spirit in mysterious ways. Our shastras regard the cows and bulls equivalent to brahmans and yogis. The service and feeding of sick, injured, abandoned, unproductive, accident-struck cows and bulls, especially male calves, during Pitra Paksh brings maximum satisfaction to the ancestors, and paves way for happy fruitful life for their progeny.

Our scriptures describe the Vaitarni River, which has to be crossed by all souls after leaving the body. This can be an excruciating and horrifying experience for the soul. It is said that this river can be crossed effortlessly by holding the tail of a cow or a bull. However, the entitlement to find this cow or bull after death is limited to those who have performed 'gauseva' during their birth or whose future generations are serving the cows and bulls in their stead.

You might have observed that whenever a good soul leaves the body, a cow or bull will come there out of nowhere. This is not a coincidence, it is a time-tested science. All the devas reside in the body of the cow/bull. The souls which are due to take on the journey to higher dimensions have to pass through the body of the cow/bull for purification before moving on.

If a person does not perform seva for his/her pitrs, then the dis-satisfaction of the ancestors translates as various kinds of disturbances around him/her in the form of family discords, infighting, financial strain, difficulty in having a child or if there is a child, then troubles surrounding him/her. This is termed as the Pitr Dosh.

Our shastras prescribe paying off the debts we owe to our ancestors (who are responsible for granting us this birth and the body), within our lifetime, with complete gratitude or shraddha, The process is called Shraadh hence. If you do not believe in this, you are welcome to come to Dhyan Ashram and communicate with your ancestors through pitri yagyas and ask them for yourselves!

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)