Pitru Kāryam another form of Īśvara Bhakti - Bhagavan Vyasa's guidance
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Invocation
Oṃ saha nāvavatu, saha nau bhunaktu, sahavīryaṃ karavāvahai, tejasvināvadhītamastu, mā vidviṣāvahai.Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.
Background
In the Vedas, particularly in
texts such as the Rig Veda, Taitireeya Samhita, and various Brahmana
sections, the concept of Ṛṇatrayam
or the "Three Debts" is frequently mentioned. This principle guides
us in fulfilling our obligations towards the Rishis (sages), Pitrs
(ancestors), and Devas (gods).
Manu Smriti also speaks on
this concept. For example, in verses 4.257-258, it is said:
" When he has paid,
according to the law, his debts to the great sages, to the manes, and to the
gods, let him make over everything to his son and dwell (in his house), not
caring for any worldly concerns. Alone let him constantly meditate in solitude
on that which is salutary for his soul; for he who meditates in solitude
attains supreme bliss."
Manu 6.35:
"After paying the three
debts, one may focus on moksha (liberation). Seeking liberation without
fulfilling these debts leads one downward."
Manu 6.94 adds that:
“A twice-born man, who
maintains a focused and disciplined mind, adheres to the tenfold code of
conduct and has fully discharged his obligations (the three debts owed to
sages, ancestors, and gods), may then, after properly studying the Vedanta
according to the established rules, pursue the path of asceticism and
renunciation.”
Vedic References to Pitru
Karma
The 10th Mandala (15th
chapter) of the Rig Veda contains several Rik mantras dedicated to Pitru
karma, such as:
“udīratāmavara utparāsa
unma-dhyamāḥ
pitarah somyāsah…” (Rig Veda 10.015.01)
This verse calls upon the Pitrs
to bestow blessings on the descendants. The goal of Pitru Upasana
(worship) is to ensure proper progeny and the well-being of the lineage.
Another example is:
“āhaṃ pitṝn suvidatrām̐ avitsi napātaṃ
ca vikramaṇaṃ ca viṣṇoḥ…” (Rig Veda 10.015.03)
This Rik confirms that even
though we offer these rites to the Pitrs, the ultimate giver of the results is Vishnu
(Sri Hari), indicating that Ishwara is the karma phala dhāta
(dispenser of results).
Manu further on Pitru Karma
Manu further elaborates in 9.186:
"To three ancestors, water
must be offered, and to three the funeral cake. The fourth-generation
descendant performs the offerings, while the fifth has no connection to
them."
Upanishadic Insights
In the Brihadāranyaka
Upanishad (1.5.16), we find a deep elucidation of the three worlds: Manushya
Loka (world of men), Pitr lōka (world of the ancestors), and Deva Loka
(world of the gods).
“atha trayo vāva lokāḥ manuṣyalokā pitṛloko devaloka iti. so'yaṃ manuṣyalokaḥ putreṇaiva jayyo nānyena karmaṇā karmaṇā pitṛloko
vidyayā devaloko devaloko vai lokānāgͫ śreṣṭhastasmādvidyāṃ praśagͫsanti .. 1.5.16”
There are indeed three lokāḥ: Manuṣyaloka (the
lokah of humans), Pitṛloka
(the lokah of the ancestors), and Devaloka (the lokah of the gods). This
Manuṣyaloka is attained solely through putra (progeny), with no
other rite granting entry. Pitṛloka
is accessed through karma (rituals like Pitr Yagya or Agnihotra), while Devaloka
is reached through vidya (knowledge or upāsana, i.e., meditative
worship). Of these, Devaloka is the most superior, which is why vidya
is highly praised as the best path.
Sri Sankara, in his
commentary, reinforces that Pitrloka is won solely through rituals
like Agnihotra, and not through progeny or upāsana. Devaloka, however,
is attained through vidya (meditation/upasana), making it superior to
Pitrloka.
For gaining more insight into the
journey of the jeeva, please refer to Brihadāranyaka upaniṣad 6.2.16.
Gita on Pitru Worship
The Bhagavad Gita (9.25)
provides a clearer understanding of worship and its results:
yānti devavratā devānpitṝnyānti pitṛvratāḥ.
bhūtāni yānti bhūtejyā yānti
madyājino'pi mām .. 9-25..
The worshippers of the
devata go to them; to the pitru loka go the pitrvratāh (pitru worshippers); to
the Deities (spirits) who preside over the elements go their worshippers; My
devotees come to Me.
(Based on Sri Madhusudhana
Saraswati comments): -
Here the upāsakas of devatas
(divine beings - rudras, vasus, adityas), with japa, homa, āradhana, dhyana -
are the sātvika kind - called devavratā; Here the focus is not in earning punya
for further enjoyment, but the enjoyment consists in the upāsana itself.
In the case of rajasikas (who
seek enjoyment here and in the upgraded lokas to come), they are typically pitrvratas,
who adore them with srāddha, yānti etc. In the case of some, who has tamōguna
pravrrti, they adore yaksas, etc... they do to those beings (as they crave
special powers).
Now, the three things are
important, especially devratas and pitrvratas - as they have the sanction of
Sruti (as given above). But the clarity is given further by Sri Krishna, saying
- those who worship me, reach Me Alone. In other words, the effort is about the
same, but the direction when given to Ishwara (as antaryāmi, as atman, as
kshetragya) - the result is infinity abiding in infinity (unlike other efforts
which yield finite results).
This discussion highlights the
hierarchy and differentiation of worship practices. Devata Upasana (worship
of gods) and Pitru upāsana leads to finite results in the higher worlds,
while Ishwara Upasana (worship of the Supreme) leads to liberation
(moksha). Sri Madhusudhana Saraswati comments that Pitru and Devata
Upasana, while important, should be performed as Ishwara Upasana—recognizing
that these beings are manifestations of the Divine.
Refer to Gita 17.4 and 17.11 for
more insights in this matter.
Sankalpa for Pitru Karma:
Insights from Śāntiḥ
Parva.
Great clarity and insight come
from Śāntiḥ Parva
(Mahabharata) where Narada and Nara-Narayana discuss the
importance of performing Pitru Kāryam. Even the Supreme Lord Vishnu, in
His Varaha Avatara, performed these rites for the ancestors,
demonstrating that even the divine sets a precedent for mortals to follow.
"Govinda, in the form of a
boar, performed the ancestral rites, thus establishing that these rituals are
to be performed by all."
This indicates that Pitru Kāryam
is not only a means of honoring our ancestors but also a form of Ishwara
Bhakti (devotion to the Lord).
Here is an excerpt from Dr.
Adluri’s translation of the relevant sections in Śāntiḥ Parva.
(Mahābhārata 12.333.1–25 –
Constituted text of the Critical Edition)
In ancient
times, Govinda, taking on the form of a boar (Vārāharūpa), uplifted this
sea-girdled Earth, which had disappeared. Later when sun reached noon position,
following his own prescription, and making three rice-balls, the Lord performed
the ancestral ritual dedicated to himself on them according to the proper
procedure. [sa teṣv ātmānam uddiśya pitryaṃ cakre
yathāvidhi | saṃkalpayitvā
trīn piṇḍān svenaiva
vidhinā prabhuḥ]
Sprinkling them
with oil-rich sesame seeds [snehagarbhais tilair] issued from his own bodily
heat, the Lord of divinities himself performed the concluding rite facing east
[prāṅmukhaḥ kṛtavān svayam]. In order to establish the norm, he
then spoke these words, “I, the creator himself of the world, am verily intent
on creating the ancestors. When he was thinking thus on the ultimate rites of
the ancestors [tasya cintayataḥ sadyaḥ pitṛkāryavidhiṃ], suddenly, the rice-balls
which were flung from my two tusks in the southern direction [daṃṣṭrābhyāṃ pravinirdhūtā mamaite dakṣiṇāṃ diśam] reached the earth. Therefore they
[the rice-balls] are indeed the fathers.
I alone am to be
understood as the father and the grandfather and likewise the great-grandfather
established in these three rice-balls [pitā pitāmahaś caiva tathaiva
prapitāmahaḥ | aham
evātra vijñeyas triṣu piṇḍeṣu
saṃsthitaḥ]
There is no one
else greater than me: who, indeed, can be worshipped by me? Who, moreover, is
my father in the world? I, indeed, am the grandfather. I am also the father of
the grandfather; I alone am the cause here. Thus, having spoken these words,
the God of gods Vṛṣākapi [ity evam uktvā vacanaṃ devadevo
vṛṣākapiḥ], having offered the
rice-balls with the elaboration [of ritual] on the Varāha mountain, worshipped
his own Self [ātmānaṃ pūjayitvaiva]
ye yajanti pitr̥̄n devān
gurūṃś caivātithīṃs tathā |
gāś caiva dvijamukhyāṃś ca pṛthivīṃ mātaraṃ tathā |
karmaṇā manasā vācā viṣṇum eva yajanti te
Due to this,
auspicious minded one, the ancestors are understood as rice-balls [etadarthaṃ śubhamate pitaraḥ piṇḍasaṃjñitāḥ]
and they perpetually receive worship as Vṛṣākapi decreed. Those who worship the ancestors, gods, gurus and
elders and guests, as well as cows, the chief Brāhmaṇas and Mother Earth with thought, word and deed
they indeed worship Viṣṇu
himself.
tenaiṣā prathitā
brahman maryādā lokabhāvinī |
daivaṃ pitryaṃ ca kartavyam iti
tasyānuśāsanam |
By Him
(Ishwara) this world sustaining limit is established, Brāhmaṇa. This is His ordinance: [our
kartavyam] rituals to deity and ancestors are to be performed.
Pitru Kāryam
takes precedence over Devata Kāryam only when it is performed as an act
of Ishwara Upāsana—wherein the Pitru Devatas are understood to be
none other than Sriman Nārāyana Himself. In this perspective, honoring
the ancestors becomes a form of worship directed toward the Supreme Being,
elevating its significance beyond that of regular rituals for the gods.
The following pramānika sloka
from Mahābhārata highlights why pitṛkāryaṃ is considered higher than even devakāryam.
devakāryād api
mune pitṛkāryaṃ viśiṣyate |
devānāṃ ca pitr̥̄ṇāṃ ca pitā hy eko ’ham āditaḥ ||
ahaṃ hayaśiro bhūtvā samudre
paścimottare |
pibāmi suhutaṃ havyaṃ kavyaṃ ca śraddhayānvitam ||
Greater
than ritual to be done for the gods indeed, sage, is the ritual to be done for
the ancestors. From the very beginning, I am the only father of the gods as
well as of the ancestors. Taking on the Horse-head form (Hayaśiras), dwelling
in the northwestern ocean, I drink libations and sacrificial incantations which
are properly offered with devotion.
Walking through Gita to gain
perspective on viewing pitṛkāryaṃ as expression of Ishwara
Bhakti (i.e. transforming it into karma yoga)
The scriptures—be it the Vedas,
Upaniṣads, Manu Smriti, or the Mahābhārata —all emphasize the
significance of Pitru Kāryam as an essential duty. However, it becomes
even more profound when viewed as an offering to Īśvara Himself. To instill this attitude in us, Sri Hari
himself led with the example of doing the pitṛkāryaṃ (as seen in Śāntiḥ Parva).
This act of Sri Hari must remind
us of Gita slokas 3.21.
yat yat ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ tat tat eva itaraḥ
janaḥ
saḥ yat pramāṇam kurute lokaḥ tat anuvartate .. 3-21..
Whatsoever a great person
does, others follow in the same manner; whatever standard they establish, the
world adopts and follows. (Bhagavad Gita 3.21)
Now walking through key
verses in 9th chapter
"The knowers of the three
Vedas, the drinkers of Soma, purified of all sins, worshipping Me through
sacrifices, pray for the path to heaven. They reach the holy world of the Lord
of the gods and enjoy divine pleasures in heaven." (9.20)
"They, having enjoyed the
vast heaven, return to the world of mortals when their merits are exhausted.
Thus, by following the injunctions of the Vedas and desiring material gains,
they enter the cycle of birth and death." (9.21)
"Even those who worship
other gods, with faith and devotion, worship Me alone, O Arjuna, but by the
wrong method." (9.23)
Reflect: What is the wrong
method referred to in 9.23?
Although all forms of worship
ultimately reach Ishwara (the Supreme Being), those who worship other
deities with the belief that they are the destination are following a misguided
path. Their worship is sincere, but it lacks the higher knowledge (para
vidya) that leads to liberation.
"I alone am the enjoyer
and the Lord of all sacrifices. But they do not know Me in reality, and thus,
they return to this world." (9.24)
Reflect: Worship of Devatas
(gods) or Pitrus (ancestors) without understanding the supreme truth—Ishwara
as the ultimate enjoyer and benefactor—results in temporary gains and returns
the soul to the earthly plane.
"The worshippers of the
gods go to the gods; the worshippers of the ancestors go to the Pitru Loka;
those who worship elemental spirits go to those beings; but My devotees come to
Me." (9.25)
Through the effort in Devata
Upasana (worship of gods) and Pitru Kāryam (ancestral rites), if one
realizes that these are forms of Ishwara Bhakti, the result is not just
finite gains but the recognition of eternal, pure, and liberated self.
"Whoever offers Me with
devotion a leaf, a flower, a fruit, or even water, I accept that offering from
the pure-hearted devotee." (9.26)
"Whatever you do,
whatever you eat, whatever you offer in sacrifice, whatever you give, whatever
penance you practice, O Arjuna, do it as an offering unto Me!" (9.27)
Reflect: This passage
illustrates the principle of IshwarArpana Buddhi (offering everything to
the Lord). Whether it is Devata Kāryam or Pitru Kāryam, if done
with devotion and as an offering to Ishwara, it transcends ordinary
actions and leads to spiritual liberation.
“Thus, you will become free
(mōkṣyasē) from bondage in the form of actions (karmabandhanaiḥ) which are productive of good
and bad results (śubhāśubha phalaiḥ).
Havng your mind imbued with the yoga of renunciation and becoming free, you
will attain Me. (9.28)”
It is to such person, that
Swami has vouchsafed yogam & kṣemaṃ in
BG 9.22
ananyāścintayanto māṃ ye janāḥ paryupāsate.
teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yogakṣemaṃ vahāmyaham
.. 9-22..
Those persons who, becoming
ananyāścintayantah (i.e. think Ishwara Alone Is - Vasudeva is the Self of all,
and there is nothing else but Him) and meditative, worship Me everywhere
(paryu-pasate mam), for them (teṣāṃ),
who are ever attached (to Me, thier very Self) (nityābhiyuktānāṃ), I arrange for securing what
they lack (yoga)and preserving what they have (kṣemaṃ).
Sri Sankara draws an important
distinction while commenting on this ślōkā.
QUOTE
Does not the
Lord surely arrange for securing what they lack and protecting what they have
even in the case of other devotees? This is true. He does arrange for it.
But the
difference lies in this: Others who are devotees make their own efforts as well
for their own sake, to arrange for securing what they lack and protecting what
they have (anyē yē bhaktāḥ tē
ātmārthaṅ svayamapi
yōgakṣēmam īhantē). On the contrary, those who have realized non-duality do not
make any effort to arrange for themselves the acquisition of what they do not
have and the preservation of what they have (ananyadarśinastu na ātmārthaṅ yōgakṣēmam īhantē;).
Indeed, they desire nothing for themselves, in life or in death (na hi tē
jīvitē maraṇē vā
ātmanaḥ gṛddhiṅ kurvanti;). They have
taken refuge only in the Bhagavān (kēvalamēva bhagavaccharaṇāḥ tē). Therefore, Bhagavān
Himself arranges to procure what they do not have and protect what they have
gotten (ataḥ bhagavānēva
tēṣāṅ yōgakṣēmaṅ vahatīti)
UNQUOTE
Conclusion
By adopting the right attitude
(Īśvarārpana buddhi and Īśvara prasada buddhi), we can transcend finite results
and move towards the infinite, realizing the true essence of our eternal
nature.
Bhagavad Gita (9.26-28)
emphasizes (paraphrasing) "Whatever you offer, do so with devotion, and I
shall accept it."
Thus, performing Pitru Kāryam
with the understanding that it is a form of Īśvara Upāsana can lead to
freedom from the bondage of karma and bring about moksha
(liberation).
Oṃ pūrṇamadaḥ pūrṇamidaṃ pūrṇātpūrṇamudacyate,
pūrṇasya pūrṇamādāya pūrṇamevāvaśiṣyate.
Oṃ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ.
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