Spirit of the Past (pitr) - This phrase is a translation of the word "fathers," and these ancestral spirits are seen as a collective group to whom every man owes obligations.
- One of these responsibilities is to conduct memorial ceremonies for them, such as the sapindikarana rite.
- The main goal of antiyeshthi samskara, like other funeral rituals (antyeshthi samskara), is to convert the recently dead and possibly evil spirit into a benevolent and helpful ancestor.
- Another responsibility is to produce boys so that the rituals may continue uninterrupted.
- Both of these are significant duties, and Hindu mythology is littered with stories of lifelong ascetics, such as Jaratkaru, who are chastised by their ancestors for failing to procreate.
- These spirits are well-defined and usually benign due to their steady ancestral position.
You may also want to read more about Hinduism here.
Be sure to check out my writings on religion here.
