Guru Gangeshwaranandji Maharaj

Article on Shraadh

The present translation is from a book by Smt. Dhiruben Patel.

Shri Sevaramji , the organizer of the Ahmedabad Ashram, had handed over a hundred tapes to her which were compiled in a book called SHRAADH- KYA? KYON? KAISE?

In the year 1938, Gurudev were staying in Ahmedabad during CHATUR MAAS. His discourses were featured in the DAILY HERALD. The editor of the newspaper had handed over the job of compiling these lectures for the Daily to Pandit Baldev Shastri. Due to the constraints of space in the paper, the full lectures were not published.

Smt. Dhiruben took the help of Acharya Shri Shankaranandji Swami (M.A.), Poojya Swami Amar Muniji (M.A.) and Swami Sarvagya Muniji (M.A.) to translate the Sanskrit quotations and compile all the lectures. There were a total of 105 lectures published in the newspaper and out of those only 30 are presented in this compilation.

The portion being covered in this chapter is

SHRAADH KHAND

The text explains the purpose of the rituals so that we offer the shraadh rituals with understanding and gratitude to the ancestors.

INTRODUCTION

SHRAADH- Kya? Kyon? Kaise?

WHAT ? WHY? & HOW ?

India is unparalleled in the world for it has a unique tradition of Yagna (sacrifices), Daan (Charity) and Tap (Austerities).
India also has the 4 divisions or stages in a human being's life known as: Brahmacharya, Grahasthashram, Vanarprasth and Sanyas.
It is Grahast Ashram that is the foundation or the backbone of all the other 3 stages in one's life. A householder (Grahast) has to carry out certain chores on a daily basis wherein unknowingly some insects are killed in the process as under:
1. Sweeping the floor
2. Grinding the wheat for daily food.
3. Storing water in a pot
4. Cooking on fire.
5. Grinding rice and other masalas.

The rishis in the olden ages thought of certain rituals by which the householders could atone for their sins as Indian tradition believes in non-violence. In the Manu Smriti there is a mention of 5 daily Yagnas mandatory for a householder:

1. Brahmn Yagna: Learning and Teaching
2. Pitr Yagna: Offering of food and water daily to our ancestors.
3. Dev Yagna: Daily homas (fire ritual) in the name of the different deities.
4. Bhoot Yagna: Feeding the cows, dogs and crows daily.
5. Manushya Yagna: Offering food and respect to guests who visit us unannounced.

We owe gratitude to our teachers who have taught us and passed on their knowledge to us. We can show our gratitude by passing on the knowledge and enlightening others.
The ancestors have left behind legacies and WE are the very reason for our being. We owe them a lot and during Shraadh when we feed a Brahmin, we are able to show our indebtedness.

The different deities shower different kinds of blessings by which we are able to live our lives. The Rain God gives rain, the Sun gives us light and Mother Earth (prithvi maata) the soil for us to grow the food needed for our consumption. Saraswati Maa gives us education, Lakshmi Maa Wealth, etc.

The deceased sometimes are reborn as crows, dogs and cows and by feeding all the living beings we are able to pay our debts to all those with whom we may have had some relationship.

Guests that arrive at our homes are a personification of the Lord Himself and it is thus essential to respect and honour them.

Besides the daily Yagnas, there is a 15 day period allocated for Shraadh ceremonies by the Rishis during Krishna Paksh in the month of Ashwin.

Shraadh means the offerings made to the Brahmins with faith and according to one's capacity.

There are 4 limbs of a Shraadh ceremony

HOMA: fire rituals

PIND DAAN: Rice balls offered while seated on a mat made of KUSHA grass

TARPAN: Oblations of water with black sesame

FEEDING OF BRAHMINS: offering of meals with gratitude.

Ved Smriti Shastra and other texts have explanations on the procedures of conducting Shraadh ceremony and it is very explicit when such rituals are carried systematically and with complete faith (shraadha), our ancestors are indeed pacified and shower us with their blessings.

There is a shloka that is recited during the ritual which says:
"From Brahman to the Shudras, insects, Devtas, Rishis, Men with divine qualities, My mother and father, my grandfather and grandmother - may all of you be pacified with the oblations of water and black sesame (tarpan) that I am now offering."
"My ancestors who may be residing in all the 7 continents connected to me by my previous births may they also be satiated and happy with the oblations (tarpan). May their Atma (Soul) get peace."
A ritual recited with this ardent prayer is sure to receive blessings.

Nowadays modernity has crept into our lives and it is indeed a pity that the belief in this faith is fading away. The reason for this is a desire for material comforts and a lazy lifestyle.
The respect is dying for rituals and old traditions. Some people also make fun of these rituals and want to accept them only if these rituals have any scientific proof.
In 1939, Gurudev Swami Gangeshwaranandji Maharaj gave a series of lectures on this topic from October 18th to 25th in Ahmedabad which removed plenty of doubts from the minds of the people.

What is Shraadh? Why shall we perform it? How shall we perform it?

How does the shraadh reach our ancestors?
What are the benefits of this custom?
Why only during the month of Ashwin Krishna Paksh?
What texts are the sources of this custom?
If set to a scientific enquiry, how will this tradition convince people in today's world?

Swamiji answered all these questions in His impeccable style and wit in the following chapter.
It is imperative that the new generation will be convinced by the explanation that Swamiji have given in these lectures. They will now be eager to express their Gratitude to their ancestors during the15 days of Shraadh.