Pitru Dev and Sun Moon Amavasya

Tarpan muhurat and basic rules

• Best opportunity: Ashwin Krishna Paksha, 16 days of Pitru Paksha
• Main tithi: Sarva Pitru Amavasya, Mahalaya Amavasya
• Daily sadhana: Every month Amavasya
• Paksha: Krishna Paksha especially favourable
• Time: Madhyahna kaal 11 am to 2 pm, Sankalp in Brahma muhurta
• Direction: Facing south
• Attire: White or light yellow clean clothes
• Vessel: Copper or bronze kalasha
• Offerings: Water, black sesame, raw milk, rice, barley, kusha grass
• Mantra: Pitru Gayatri, Avahanam, Tarpan mantras
• Dana: Milk, rice, sugar, white cloth, wheat, jaggery
• Duration: 16 days of Pitru Paksha or at least one day on Amavasya
• Basic discipline: Truthful speech, remembrance of ancestors, respect for living elders, leaving anger and quarrels, only south facing tarpan

When both Sun and Moon shed tears

In Jyotisha the Sun is the karaka of the father. The Moon is the karaka of the mother. When both these grahas are afflicted together in the kundali or come under the influence of Rahu then a fierce Pitra Dosha is formed. This dosha is not only a play of planets. It is the burden of unfulfilled wishes, unspoken words and broken vows of ancestors that travels from generation to generation.

Our ancestors are not only departed souls. They become Pitru Dev and give us blessings. When we forget them they cannot remain peaceful. Their dissatisfaction becomes an obstacle in our life. Progeny does not come. Marriage is delayed. Wealth comes yet does not stay. Health deteriorates. Restlessness remains in the mind. It feels as if the locks of fortune are closed.

Tarpan done for the sake of ancestors in Ashwin month and on every month Amavasya opens those locks. Tarpan means to satisfy. When we offer water and sesame the Pitrus become satisfied. When the Pitrus become satisfied both Sun and Moon become peaceful. When Sun and Moon become peaceful the ninth house of the kundali awakes. The ninth house is fortune. Fortune awakes.

The real meaning of Pitra Dosha

The meaning of Pitra Dosha is not angry ghosts. Its meaning is familial debt. Our ancestors gave us life. They struggled. They sacrificed. They made a path for us. If we do not repay their debt that debt becomes an obstacle.

In Jyotisha the ninth house is the Pitru sthana. When Sun, Rahu, Ketu or Saturn are afflicted in the ninth house or with the lord of the ninth then Pitra Dosha is formed. The Sun-Rahu yoga is considered especially difficult. This yoga shows disagreement with the father, disputes in paternal property and lack of duty toward ancestors.

When Rahu or Ketu is with the Moon a dosha of the maternal side is formed. Such natives remain emotionally unstable. Sleep does not come. Fear remains in the mind. The health of the mother deteriorates. The root of both these doshas is one. We have forgotten our root.

Major signs of Pitra Dosha

Sign	Cause	Solution
Obstacle in progeny	Familial debt	Tarpan and Pinda Dana
Delay in marriage	Ancestor dissatisfaction	Shraddha and charity
Wealth does not stay	No Pitru blessing	Tarpan on Amavasya
Health deteriorates	Karmic burden	Gayatri and Surya Arghya
Restlessness in mind	Maternal side dosha	Water to Moon and Shiva puja
Ancestors appearing in dreams	Unfulfilled Pitru wish	Tarpan and food donation
Repeated accidents	No Pitru peace	Narayana Bali and Gaya Shraddha

The karmic relation of Sun Moon and Rahu

Sun is the soul. Moon is the mind. Rahu is illusion. When Rahu casts a shadow on the Sun the soul wanders. The person forgets their duty. They insult the father. They erase the name of ancestors. They leave their root and run.

When Rahu engulfs the Moon the mind becomes agitated. The person flows in emotions. They do not understand the mothers pain. They do not respect elders. They become a stranger in their own home.

Amavasya is the day of union of Sun and Moon. On this day Sun and Moon are in the same rashi. This day is dedicated to the Pitrus. Tarpan done on this day reaches directly to Pitru Loka. The shadow of Rahu is weak on this day. The Pitrus become pleased.

Major yogas of Sun Moon Rahu

Yoga	Effect	Upaya
Sun-Rahu	Pitra dosha, distance from father	Sunday Surya Arghya
Moon-Rahu	Mental restlessness, maternal trouble	Monday water to Moon
Sun-Saturn	Karmic burden, delay	Saturday sesame donation
Moon-Ketu	Renunciation, solitude	Shiva puja and Rudraksha
Sun-Moon-Rahu	Severe Pitra dosha	Tarpan in Pitru Paksha

The science and method of Tarpan

Tarpan is not only a ritual. It is energy exchange. When we offer water we release the energy of our gratitude. When we add black sesame we release a portion of our karmic burden. When we sit facing south we connect with Pitru Loka.

Simple Tarpan method

Step	Act	Bhava
1	Bathe and wear white clothes	Purity and surrender
2	Sit facing south and spread kusha grass	Pitru seat
3	Fill a copper kalasha with water	Purity
4	Mix black sesame, rice and barley in water	Pitru food
5	Take sankalp in Brahma muhurta	Purification of intent
6	Recite Pitru Gayatri and Avahanam mantra	Invocation
7	Offer water from cupped palms toward south	Tarpan
8	Feed a cow roti and give charity	Pitru satisfaction
9	Sit silent at the end and give thanks	Gratitude

Pitru Gayatri mantra

Om Devapitrubhyo Namah Om Pitrubhyo Namah Om Paramapitrubhyo Namah

This mantra should be recited three times while offering water.

The importance of Pitru Paksha and Amavasya

Pitru Paksha is the 16 day period when the Pitrus come to earth. They see their descendants. If the descendants remember them they become pleased. If not they return sorrowful. This sorrow becomes an obstacle.

This Paksha comes in the Krishna Paksha of Ashwin month. From Pratipada to Amavasya each tithi has importance. Shraddha should be done on the tithi on which the ancestor died. If the tithi is not known then Sarva Pitru Amavasya should be used for shraddha for all.

Every month Amavasya is also dedicated to the Pitrus. By doing tarpan on this day the Pitrus remain pleased always. This should be a daily karma.

Major tithis of Pitru Paksha

• Bhadrapada Purnima Shraddha: Beginning of Pitru Paksha
• Pratipada to Chaturdashi: Shraddha for respective ancestors on each tithi
• Mahalaya Amavasya: Universal shraddha for all ancestors
• Navaratri begins: After Pitru Paksha Devi puja

Who receives special fruit from this sadhana

• Those who have Sun-Rahu or Moon-Rahu yoga in the kundali
• Those facing obstacles in progeny, marriage or wealth
• Those whose ancestors appear in dreams or feel dissatisfaction
• Those afflicted by family conflict and health problems
• Those whose ninth house is afflicted and fortune does not shine
• Those suffering from mental illness connected to the maternal side
• Those who have forgotten duty toward ancestors

What should not be done

• No anger and quarrel during tarpan
• No tarpan in any direction other than south
• No tarpan in an impure place
• No shraddha only for show
• No insult of living elders
• Do not treat Pitrus as only problem solvers
• No meat, alcohol and tamoguni food during Pitru Paksha

FAQ

What is Pitra Dosha and how is it formed?

Pitra Dosha is familial debt which forms in the kundali when Sun, Moon or Rahu are afflicted. It arises from lack of duty toward ancestors.

When and how should tarpan be done?

On Amavasya and Pitru Paksha sit facing south and offer water, black sesame and rice from a copper kalasha. Recite Pitru Gayatri mantra.

What is the effect of Sun-Moon-Rahu on Pitra Dosha?

Sun-Rahu affects the paternal side, Moon-Rahu affects the maternal side. Both together create a severe karmic obstacle.

What are the major tithis of Pitru Paksha?

16 days from Bhadrapada Purnima to Ashwin Amavasya. Sarva Pitru Amavasya is the most important.

Does Pitra Dosha end only by tarpan?

Tarpan is the main upaya. Along with it charity, Gayatri japa and respect for living elders is necessary.

The water that calms the tears

On Amavasya night there is darkness in the sky. Yet in that same darkness the light of the Pitrus awakes. They see their descendants. They wait. One bowl of water. Some black sesame. One true remembrance. Only this much is needed.

When the native performs tarpan tears may fall from their eyes. These tears are not only of sorrow. These tears are of gratitude. These tears are of that debt which was never repaid. When these tears mix with the water the Pitrus become satisfied.

Both Sun and Moon become peaceful. The shadow of Rahu goes away. The ninth house awakes. The locks of fortune open. Progeny comes. Marriage happens. Wealth stays. Health improves. The mind becomes calm.

This is the science of tarpan. This is the blessing of Pitru Dev. This is the secret of Amavasya.