Shraddha, tarpan and pindadan
The duration of Pitru Paksha is considered to be the best for pleasing the ancestors and getting their grace. During these 15 days, people do Tarpan, Shraddha and Pindadan etc. to pay tribute to their ancestors. Shraddha, pindadan and tarpan have been considered as special importance in Hinduism. It is said that if a person in the ancestral side also performs this ritual for his ancestors, then he gets the blessings of the ancestors. Often people consider Shraddha, Tarpan and Pindadan as the same, because all these works are done in the ancestral side. But in reality these three are different and their method is also different. Let’s know the difference between Shraddha, Tarpan and Pindadan.
Difference in shraddha, tarpan and pindadan
Shraddha, Tarpan and Pindadan are the deeds of expressing reverence to the ancestors and satisfying them, but the difference is that Shraddha is a wide ritual which includes Tarpan, Pinddan, Brahmin food and charity etc. Tarpan is an action of offering black sesame mixed water which is done to quench the thirst of ancestors. At the same time, Pindadan is the process of offering rice or flour bodies, which nourishes the subtle body of the ancestors and gets rid of them.
What is Shraddha?
Shraddha is a detailed ritual performed for fathers. This includes tarpan, pindadan, food to Brahmins and donating. It is a wide religious ritual that is done for the peace and liberation of the soul of the ancestors. This includes both Tarpan and Pindadan actions. Shraddha is a broad and complete ritual that includes many actions. Tarpan and pindadan is a method, and Shraddha is a complete ritual of all those methods.
What is a tarpan?
Tarpan means ‘satisfying’ or ‘giving satisfaction’. It is an important part of Shraddha, in which black sesame, barley, kush and water etc. are offered to please the ancestors. In simple words, there is an action to extinguish their thirst and give peace to the ancestors, offering water to the ancestors. In order to do tarpan, the person takes water in his hand and meditates on the ancestors by taking water in his hand and offers them. According to religious belief, Tarpan gives peace to the soul of the ancestors and gets their blessings.
What is pindadan?
Pind means dough or food, which is round shaped. In this, barley or rice flour are made by mixing milk, honey, ghee, sesame etc. and offered to the ancestors. The purpose of pindadan is to nourish the subtle body of the ancestors and provide them salvation (liberation). Pindadan has special significance at holy pilgrimage sites like Gaya.
Thus Pindadan and Tarpan, both these actions are part of a large ritual ‘Shraddha’. Shraddha not only contains bodies donations and tarpan, but also includes food and charity to Brahmins.
(Disclaimer: The information given in this news is based on religious beliefs and general information. TV 9 India does not confirm it.)