Importance of Mahalaya Amavasya!
We all know the importance of Mahalaya Amavasya this time around it’s come in the first week of October. The end of the pitra paksha (Ancestors month) is when we have the Mahalaya Amavasya. Many during pitra paksha offer food and prayers to their respective ancestors.
Those who are unclear of the dates usually offer it on Mahalaya Amavasya. This is a day where one should pray and seek blessings from their ancestors. Now getting blessings from ancestors is very important and we should be very careful not to get their wrath or curse.
Getting their curse, would often bring a lot of issue into our life. Pitra Dosha is believed to cause problems in life, such as family conflicts, financial constraints, health problems, career instability, marriage delay and so on. Vivid dreams or visions of ancestors that involve them seeking help or communicating with you could be a sign of Pitra Dosha.
Another example would be Unexplained Obstacles in Ancestral Property Matters – Individuals with Pitra Dosha may encounter persistent obstacles and disputes related to ancestral property matters. These issues can manifest as legal disputes, family conflicts, or unexplained delays in inheritance.
What can be done about this ?
During the Pitru Paksh as it’s called many pray to their ancestors and offer tarpan (Offering water with sesame seeds). Pitru Tarpan is a way of gratifying the ancestors and freeing them from any unfulfilled desires so that they can complete their journey to the heavenly abode with peace, satisfaction and happiness. The objective of performing tarpan is that deceased ancestors’ souls are blessed and we in turn have their blessings.
Now I don’t want to go on about what the Sanatana Dharma says about Mahalaya Amavasya and it’s importance. This is something all of us know and each one have their own customs traditions and beliefs. Let us look at it from the view point of healing and how can we seek our ancestors blessings and how can we help ourselves to release certain patterns and ancestors karmic issues that we have been carrying forward.
As I have stated earlier having ancestors blessings is really important and we must give our due respect and offerings to our ancestors with pure love and gratitude. Through healing there are many things that can be done to please and get their blessings.
As stated there are many things that can be done, now I am no way coming in your beliefs or path. These are suggestions which can also be included when doing our bit on Mahalaya Amavasya.
Some simple tips that can be done on Mahalaya Amavasya are:
- Cleanse your home and space with salt water, smudge the area with keeping doors and windows open. Allow fresh energy to flow in to your spaces. You can play some powerful mantras/ chants while doing this ritual.
- Now once this is done, it’s time to set a altar for our ancestors. The choice is yours as to where you wish to keep your altar. Please keep some photos, anything which is personal for them. You can choose to make it an elaborate one or a simple one. Even placing a small photo with a vase with flowers and candle does the trick or work.
- What matters most is the intentions and purity of heart. So be clear and pure with your intentions and clarity before starting anything.
- Bring in some flowers as it brings a sense of peace and calm. Decorate your altar with love and gratitude for everything they have given you. Light a candle or a lamp for them and also some incense sticks.
- Keep some food cooked especially for them, honoring them with gratitude. The food and sweet is of your choice and whatever you feel they would relish and accept. The same food should also be given to some animals (Either a cow or a crow or even fish).
- Keep some clothes and offering and give it to the needy people blessing them and also accepting their blessings. (some prefer giving it to a bhraman) that is your choice no hard and fast rule here.
- To bring in some powerful healing tool, one can make a beautiful mandala for ancestors. Either in your garden or balcony, please pick up some stones, sticks, leaves and flowers. You can also carry one or two things of their personal if you wish. Some fruits, food and sweet too. Make a beautiful mandala with a particular intention. Intentions depends on what you want. It can be for ancestral blessings, releasing patterns or even for removal of ancestral curses.
- Play some sacred chants while making the mandala, you can play shamanic drumming or healing chants. If you wish Vedic chants you can play the Mahamritunjay or Vishnu shasranama. Amazing grace can be played if you wish. These are just suggestions go with your intuitions or gut feeling.
- Once the mandala is done, please light camphor and incense sticks honoring your ancestors and if you wish you can sit in meditation to seek their blessings and healing.
Please allow the mandala to be in nature, and you don’t have to dismantle it. Incase it’s made in your balcony, then maybe after a day or two can you clear it and move it into nature. If you are unable to get flowers or stones use whatever you have that can be put into your flower pots. Nature has a way of absorbing these mandalas and also bringing about a beautiful experience for the person creating the mandala.
Are they an do’s and don’ts
- The first and foremost treat your ancestors with love and gratitude. Give them the due respect without any grudge or fear.
- Set your intentions with a clean and pure heart. Though I am repeating it it’s the most important thing for one to do. Do not try to negotiate or try talk them into something. “If you do this for me I will do this for you…!!”That is not what you are asked to do. Intentions have to pure and respectful.
- Do things as per your own thoughts and beliefs and don’t let yourself to get carried away with fear or stress. We are trying to get their blessings for us to move on with their protection and blessings.
- Do the entire ritual with your family bring them in and allow them to be equally involved.
- Limited beliefs and superstition around Mahalaya Amavasya is plenty. There is only one thing to keep in mind that you are doing certain things to receive blessings and grace and nothing else.
- Incase you have the pitru dosha, please consult with a professional astrologer, healer or priest to help you understand and clear the matter.
There is a common belief that don’t step out on this day as a lot of negative things are done and put out. The reason being that it’s a day for spirit world curtains thin out and a lot of souls are coming onto Earth as their family and loved ones are praying and offering food to them. Not only during Amavasya but also the entire time of Pitra Paksha.
There is also a question often asked if souls are actually there and if there is life after death. The answer is a simple yes, therefor it’s our duty/ dharma to honor our ancestors and worship them and not leave them in the darkness or closet. We also need to know that one day we too join our ancestors and our future generations need to worship and pray to us… keeping that in mind be very pure with our own worshipping as we need space amongst them one day.
There are no hard and fast rules about daughters can’t do certain things, as a child you can pray to your ancestors and seek their blessings and protection. Be faithful and go about doing the entire ritual with love and gratitude. After which be open to receive their blessings in abundance.
Our ancestors is our past we mirror them to the present, respect and pray to them with gratitude for everything you have.
So it is!
✍️ Written by
Shuddhavidyamba
(Dr. Jayapalashri Anil)
The Spiritual Princess, Samskara Healing
