Pitru Paksha is an important Hindu festival in which people remember their ancestors and perform tarpan and pinddaan. This festival lasts for 16 days, and this year Pitru Paksha has started from 17 September, which will continue till 2 October. There are many religious stories about Pitru Paksha, but one story is also related to the Mahabharata period, which is related to Karna.
The story of Karna and the Pitr Paksha
Karna's character was very important in the Mahabharata. Despite being the brother of the Pandavas, he fought on the side of the Kauravas. Karna is known for his generosity and is called 'Danveer Karna'. When Karna was killed in the Mahabharata war and his soul reached heaven, he felt hungry. But whatever Karna got, it turned into gold. This troubled Karna a lot and he asked Suryadev for a solution to his problem.
Suryadev advised Karna to meet Indra. Indra told that even though Karna had given many donations, he had never donated food or water in the Shraddha for his ancestors. This was the reason why he was cursed by his ancestors.
Karna realised his mistake but was also told that he did not know anything about his ancestors, so he never performed Shraddha for them. Indra sent Karna back to earth for a few days so that he could perform Shraddha and rectify his mistake.
Karna's repentance and the beginning of the Pitru Paksha
After coming back to earth, Karna performed Pind Daan and Tarpan, remembering his ancestors. He donated food and water to the needy, which made him repent of his mistake. This act of Karna started the tradition of Pitru Paksha, in which people perform Tarpan and Pind Daan for the peace of their ancestors.
Importance of Yudhishthira and Pitra Paksha
Thousands of people died after the Mahabharata war. After this, Yudhishthira, the eldest brother of the Pandavas, came to Bodh Gaya to seek peace for the souls of the dead. Since then, this place is considered sacred for Shraddha during Pitru Paksha. By offering Pind Daan in Bodh Gaya, the souls of the ancestors attain heaven. In this way, Pitru Paksha is linked to the Mahabharata period, and this festival is celebrated to seek peace for the souls of the ancestors and to receive their blessings.
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