Mahalaya Amavasya is an auspicious day to show gratitude to your forefathers. It is also known as Pitru Paksha or Sarvapitri Amavasya. Mahalaya Amavasya is the most auspicious day for spiritual life as the combined energies of the Sun and Moon are felt more on this planet, and all living beings are elevated upwards.
Mahalaya Paksha is for 15 days, where you can show respect and appreciation to your ancestors. These 15 days are considered "Tithi" in Hindu mythology. The last day of the Mahalaya Paksha is the Mahalaya Amavasya, a new moon day that marks the start of the Dussehra festival (Navratri).
You express respect and gratitude to your past generations of people by performing Mahalaya Tarpanam. You can also perform Tithi to the persons who died by accidents or unnatural death. The wandering soul is believed to attain the Pitru Loka after you offer Tarpanam. You can perform the rituals on any 15 days of the Mahalaya Paksha.
Mahalaya Amavasya Significance
The story of Mahabharata describes the importance of performing Mahalaya Tarpanam during Mahalaya Paksha. When Karna died on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, he attained the abode of heaven, and he had all the luxuries to enjoy but no food. When inquired, Lord Yama replied that Karna gave everything in charity, including gold, gems, etc., but never performed Tarpanam to his ancestors. When he was alive, he didn't know who his parents or forefathers were until his death. So he couldn't offer the rituals to his ancestors. Yama allowed Karna for 15 days to perform the rituals during Mahalaya Paksha on this earth. Hence, Karna performed Mahalaya Tarpanam to his ancestors and returned to heaven.
What is Mahalaya Tarpanam?
Different rituals are performed by people to satisfy their ancestors or to please them and invoke their blessings.
Pind Daan: They make rice balls combined with black sesame and feed the crows and cows.
Pitra Bhoj: They feed the brahmin and perform the Shraadh ceremony.
Daan: They give the brahmins clothes, gold, and money as a symbolic effort to satisfy their ancestors.
Book Reading: They read Garuda Purana, Srimad Bhagavatam, and Bhagavad Gita, making the wandering souls reach the abode of heaven.
Why Mahalaya Amavasya is observed?
People's life is tormented for no reason at all. According to scriptures and Hindu mythology, problems occur if you don't appease your ancestors. They named the causeless problems as Pitru Dosha. You may incur Pitru Dosha for the reasons cited below:
The unnatural or accidental death of your relatives
Unfulfilled desires of the departed relatives
Bad deeds of the ancestors or children.
To nullify the Pitru Dosha, one must perform the rituals during Mahalaya Paksha. Completing the Mahalaya Tarpanam to the departed souls will please the forefathers and yield benefits, such as:
All your unwanted troubles will vanish.
The sufferings of the departed souls will end.
The departed souls may rest in peace and go to the abode of Pitru Lokha.
The ritual performed will make both your ancestors and your family happy. It will resolve all your life problems. Usually, the Mahalaya Amavasya timings are observed in the Ashwin month (mid-Sep to mid-Oct). This year, Mahalaya Amavasya 2022 falls on 25th September. Perform the rituals as per instructions, get blessings from Pitrus, and lead a happy and prosperous life.
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