Talk:Pitṛs
By Swami Harshananda
Pitṛs literally means ‘fathers,’ ‘ancestors'.
Origin of Pitṛs[edit]
The Sanskrit word ‘pitṛ’ becomes ‘pitā’ in the singular and ‘pitarah’ in the plural. Whereas the former means ‘father’, the latter has been used in several senses such as forefathers or ancestors, a type of semi-divine beings inhabiting their own world called Pitṛloka, certain types of sages and so on.
General Meaning of Pitṛs[edit]
The most common meaning as used in śrāddhas[1] is three generations of ancestors:
- Father
- Grandfather
- Great-grandfather
It is believed that during the performance of śrāddhas these pitṛs accept the offerings in the form of birds or by entering into the invitee brāhmaṇas through their subtle bodies.
Pitṛs as per Mārkandeyapurāṇa[edit]
According to another version[2] they were created as a separate class of beings along with devas,[3] rākṣasas[4] and mānavas[5] by Brahmā the creator himself. They are also, sometimes, identified with the Saptaṛṣis or the seven sages, the progenitors of mankind, as the originators of gotras or lineages.
Pitṛs as per Rgveda[edit]
Several classes of pitṛs such as Aṅgirasas, Vairupas or Bhṛgus have been mentioned in the Rgvedic verses.[6] Occasionally they have also been divided into three grades by the same Veda.[7] The pitṛs can be satiated through proper rites and they can bless their descendants by granting boons.
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore