Significance & Spiritual Meaning
Spiritual philosophy, inner meaning and eternal virtues
Shashthi Shraddha belongs to the Shraddha days of the Hindu calendar, when families remember their forefathers with food, water and prayer. The rite is kept on the tithi of the ancestor's passing, in the afternoon (Aparahna). This day is dedicated to The Ancestors (Pitrs).
Shraddha is the way a family repays its debt to the Pitrs. It is offered with faith and with the names of the ancestors, and it is held to bring their blessing on the household.
Key Rituals & Observance
Step-by-step sacred rituals and worship practices
- 1Step 1
Bathe early and dress in clean clothes.
- 2Step 2
Prepare a simple sattvic meal without onion and garlic.
- 3Step 3
Offer water with sesame to the ancestors, facing south.
- 4Step 4
Offer pinda and food, and give a share to a Brahmin, to the cow, the crow and the dog.
- 5Step 5
Feed the needy and end the day with the family eating the prasad.
Sacred Deity & Powerful Mantras
The Ancestors (Pitrs) • Vedic and Puranic chants for peace and blessings
The Ancestors (Pitrs) · Mantra
ॐ पितृभ्यः स्वधा नमः ॥
Om Pitrubhyah Svadha Namah
Salutations to The Ancestors (Pitrs).