Simplest method to perform TARPANA - on Pitru Paksha or Everyday

Why Pitru Paksha is celebrated and why it is important:

For you to be born and live today, can you imagine the number of ancestors and the efforts taken from their end? Living through harsh climate conditions and constant invasions, their lineage survives in you today. That is why Pitru Paksha is observed. The period of 15 days after Ganesh Visarjan is called as Pitru Paksha. Paksha means fortnight, and these 15 days are exclusively dedicated to honouring the Pitris or deceased ancestors. To know more about Pitru Paksha and the background incident, click this link. 

Procedure to do Tarpana by yourself at home:

We all have debts to ancestors, Devas, Rishis and other divine beings. This is the simplest way to satiate them and pay homage to them. Many people have Pitru Dosha in their horoscope, which delays their marriage or children, and sometimes creates problems in health, prosperity etc. That is simply because the debts pending to the Devas, Rishis and ancestors are not paid off. Believe me, this one simple act of 2 minutes can purify your Karmic bondage and Karmic debts to a large extent.

Tarpana, in simple terms, is providing water to Devas, Rishis, and other divine beings and ancestors. Why water? Because it conveys our emotion of gratitude to them, thereby gradually redeeming us of most of our debts to them. Tarpana in its entirety is a 1-2 hours long process with many ingredients involved - like Durva, Sesame seeds, Kalash, Akshatha, Coins, Gold, etc. There are a lot of intricate steps involved, like changing the direction of sitting, changing Janeu's position, etc. 

So it is better to do this simple ritual than not doing it altogether. Rituals are supposed to be internalised, and that is why this 2-minute procedure is more than enough. 

1. You can do this every day or on any day of Pitru Paksha. 

2. All women and men of all ages can do. You can do Tarpana even if your parents are fit and alive. There are other ancestors, Devas and Rishis, to whom Tarpana is provided. 

3. Best to do in the morning. Or any time before afternoon. Take bath in morning. Wear fresh clothes. 

4. First, say a small prayer. "To the best of my abilities, I am hereby offering Tarpana to all the Devas, Rishis, other divine beings and all my Pitris. Please accept this Tarpana, which I am doing with utter sincerity, and stay satisfied. Guide me in my journey and accomplishments of goals."

5. Now, taking some water in the right palm, drop it via the front four fingers while saying "ॐ Devāḥ Tṛpyantām" (ॐ देवाः तृप्यन्ताम्). It means you are offering water to all the Devas and keeping them satiated. (Refer to video for pronunciation)

6. The important point here is you should visualise them to be satiated and satisfied. You should feel and internalise that feeling that they are satisfied. Please do not do it half-heartedly or without dedication. 

7. Now, in the same way, drop water again via the front four fingers while saying "ॐ Saptarṣayaḥ Tṛpyantām" (ॐ सप्तर्षयः तृप्यन्ताम्). It means you are offering water to all the Sapta Rishis and keeping them satiated. (Refer to video for pronunciation)

8. Now, take some water again and drop it via the region below the little finger, while saying “ॐ Rṣayo Divya Manuṣyāḥ  Tṛpyantām” (ॐ ऋषयो दिव्य मनुष्याः तृप्यन्ताम्). You have to do this twice. It means you are offering water to all other Rishis and other Divine beings and keeping them satiated. 

9. Now, again take some water and drop it via the region between index finger and thumb, while saying “ ॐ pitaraḥ tṛpyantām tebhyaḥ svādhā namaḥ| tebhyaḥ svādhā namaḥ| tebhyaḥ svādhā namaḥ|” ( ॐ पितरः तृप्यन्ताम् तेभ्यः स्वाधा नमः।  तेभ्यः स्वाधा नमः।  तेभ्यः स्वाधा नमः।)

10. Now put some more water and wash both your palms. 

11. Again, do a small prayer. "I have hereby completed this Tarpana to the best of my abilities to all the Devas, Rishis, other divine beings and all my Pitris. Please stay satisfied and shower your entire grace upon me. Guide me in my journey and accomplishments of goals."

12. Rituals are a means to convey emotion and communicate with higher consciousness. So it has be done with a dedicated and strong intention. If you are half-hearted and doing it mechanically, then there is no point. During the entire process of Tarpana, I want you to feel satisfied mentally and emotionally that you are paying off everyone's debts by doing this, Tarpana. 

If you have any questions, let us know in the Instagram post or Instagram reel related to Pitru Paksha.