Pitru Paksha 2024: In the month of Pitru Paksha, Hindu people remember their ancestors and offer Tarpan and Pind Daan. Pitru Paksha lasts for 16 days. This year Pitru Paksha started on 17th September, which will continue till 2nd October. There are many religious stories prevalent regarding Pitru Paksha, but among all these, there is one such story which is related to the Mahabharata period. Yes! You heard it right, the connection of Pitru Paksha is from the Mahabharata period. Let us know the story behind this.
Pitru Paksha’s relation with Mahabharata period
Mahabharata is a Hindu mythological epic. Which tells you how to live life. Karna, an important character of Mahabharata, was the brother of Pandavas, but fought on behalf of Kauravas in the Mahabharata war. Arjun had killed Karna in the war between the cousins. It is believed that Karna had a kind heart. People used to call him Danveer Karna. When Karna died in the war of Mahabharata and his soul reached heaven, he felt hungry. Whatever Karna touched would turn into gold.
Karna got scared after seeing these incidents happening to him and he immediately started narrating these incidents to his father Surya Dev. Seeing this dilemma of Karna, Suryadev asked him to meet Indradev for its solution. Indra said that even though Karna is known as the charitable Karna, he always helped the needy by giving them gold. Karna never donated food during Shraddha. Therefore Karna has been cursed by his ancestors.
Since Karna did not know anything about his ancestors, he never performed Shraddha in the name of his ancestors nor did he donate anything to the needy people in their name. Therefore, Karna was sent back to Earth for 14 to 15 days to correct his mistake.
After this, Karna returned to earth and during Shraddha, remembering his ancestors, donated food and water to the needy, due to which Karna repented for his mistake. This period is celebrated as Pitru Paksha.
Yudhishthir is also related to the Mahabharata period.
It is believed that thousands of people had lost their lives in the war of Mahabharata, after which Yudhishthir, the eldest among the five Pandavas, came to Bodh Gaya for the peace of the souls of the dead. Since then this place is associated with Shraddha during Pitru Paksha. Bodh Gaya is such a holy place, where if you offer Pind Daan to your ancestors, your ancestors attain heaven.
Also read – Who said that India is proud of the existence of Ram?
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