MAHALAYA AMAVASYA

The last day of the fortnight which is sacred for offering oblations to departed ancestors, the new moon day, is considered as the most important day in the year for performing ceremonies and rites. It is the annual festival for propitiating the spirits of ancestors, with prayers for peace.

According to ancient Hindu texts, on Mahalaya Amavasya, there is a conjunction of the sun and the moon and that the sun enters the sign Virgo (Kanya). On this day, it is believed that ancestors leave their abode and come down to the world of mortals and occupy the houses of their descendants.

MYTHOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF MAHALAYA AMAVASYA

According to Legend, the offerings reach the departed souls immediately and directly, due to a boon from Lord Yama. Karna, a renowned hero according to the Mahabharata was a very generous man. After his death the great charity he had done on earth was returned to him hundred fold in heaven. However all he got was gold and silver.There was no food as he been very generous only with gold and silver during his life. He prayed to God of Death and was sent back to earth for fourteen days to make up for this.

During the 14 days he fed the poor and offered oblations of water. On his return to the heaven he was offered food in plenty. The fourteen days are commemorated in the Mahalaya Paksha. It is believed that due to the grace of Lord Yama, it came to be so ordained that such rites done at this particular period acquired unique merits.

PITRU PAKSHA

The dark fortnight of Ashwayuja is known as the Pitru Paksha (Mahalaya) or the fortnight specially sacred for offering oblations to the departed ancestors. The last day of this period, the new moon day, called mahalaya amavasya, is considered as the most important day in the year for performing obsequies and rites. Due to the grace of the Yama, it has been ordained that offerings made during this period benefit all the departed souls, whether they are connected to you or not.

On Amavasya, oblations are offered to the last 3 generations - father, grand father and great grand father and then to mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Similarly this is done to mother's side of the family also. If one of these persons are still alive, their name is skipped and the corresponding person from the earlier generation is offered oblation. Then a final oblation is offered to those anonymous souls which died and have nobody in their lineage offering oblation. These oblations are believed to ensure birth of healthy offsprings without mental or physical challenges.