Раrāddha IAST is a religious rite in Hinduism held in honor of a deceased ancestor and is an integral part of the cult of ancestors . It is the religious and social responsibility of all male Hindus, with the exception of sannyasins and some sadhus . It is because of shraddhi that the offspring of men are given such great importance that the ritual is possible.
The rite can be held on the deceased father, grandfather, great-grandfather, as well as on the mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. The main goal of sraddhi is to protect and support the souls of dead ancestors in the subtle world, before they are reincarnated on Earth again. According to tradition, sraddha should be performed from 11 to 31 days after the death of a relative. The time depends on the caste and other factors. Shraddha, held on the first anniversary of death, makes it possible for a deceased relative to enter the community of deceased ancestors ( pitris ). Through the sraddha, Hindus express gratitude to their parents and ancestors for the help they rendered in life. Sraddha can also be considered a day of remembrance.
Literature
- Bulich S.K. Shraddha // Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary : 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.
- Vasilkov Y. V. Shraddha // Hinduism. Jainism. Sikhism: Dictionary / Ed. ed. M.F. Albedil , A.M. Dubyansky . - M .: Republic , 1996 .-- 576 p. ISBN 5-250-02557-9
Links
- Sraddha // Encyclopædia Britannica