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Brihat Parashara Hora Shastra — Chapter 74: Pitri Dosa & Ancestral Debts

Sanskrit verses with English translation from Maharishi Parasara. Read the full classical treatise on AstroFusion Learning.

Chapter audio (Sanskrit)

Verse 1 — Pitri Dosha by Rahu in the 8th House

पितृदोषो भवेत् तस्य यस्य राहुः कुलेऽष्टमे । पितॄणां ऋणहीनत्वं शान्तिहोमैः प्रशाम्यति ॥

pitṛdoṣo bhavet tasya yasya rāhuḥ kule'ṣṭame | pitṝṇāṁ ṛṇahīnatvaṁ śāntihomaiḥ praśāmyati ||

Pitri Dosha arises for one whose Rahu occupies the 8th house (the family's decay); the ancestral debt is pacified by propitiatory fire-rites.

Verse 2 — Jyeshtha Gandanta Birth Destroys Father and Self

ज्येष्ठागण्डान्तजातस्तु पितुः स्वस्य च नाशकः । तस्य शान्तिविधिं वक्ष्ये सर्वविघ्नोपशान्तये ॥ १॥

jyeṣṭhāgaṇḍāntajātastu pituḥ svasya ca nāśakaḥ | tasya śāntividhiṁ vakṣye sarvavighnopaśāntaye || 1||

One born at the Jyeshtha-gandanta is the destroyer of his father and of himself; I shall now describe the rite of pacification for him, so that all obstacles may be allayed.

Verse 3 — Mandapa Arrangement with Indra as Deity

मूलशान्तिसमं सर्वमात्रापि मण्डपादिकम् । इन्द्रोऽत्र देवता तद्वदधिदेवोऽनलस्तथा ॥ २॥

mūlaśāntisamaṁ sarvamātrāpi maṇḍapādikam | indro'tra devatā tadvadadhidevo'nalastathā || 2||

The pavilion and every other requisite should be arranged equal to those of the principal (mula) shanti; here Indra is the deity, and likewise the presiding divinity (adhideva) and the sacred fire.

Verse 4 — Golden Image of Indra and Its Worship

विज्ञेयं च तथा विप्र रक्षः प्रत्यधिदैवतम् । यथाशक्ति सुवर्णेन कुर्यादिन्द्रस्वरूपकम् ॥ ३॥

vijñeyaṁ ca tathā vipra rakṣaḥ pratyadhidaivatam | yathāśakti suvarṇena kuryādindrasvarūpakam || 3||

O Brahmin, the Rakshasas and the counter-presiding deities (pratyadhidevata) must also be known; according to one's means one should fashion an image of Indra in gold.

Verse 5 — Worship of Divine Indra Upon the Kalasha

वज्राङ्कुशधरं दिव्यं गजराजोपरिस्थितम् । शालितण्डुलसंयुक्तकुम्भस्योपरि पूजयेत् ॥ ४॥

vajrāṅkuśadharaṁ divyaṁ gajarājoparisthitam | śālitaṇḍulasaṁyuktakumbhasyopari pūjayet || 4||

The divine one bearing the thunderbolt and goad, seated upon the king of elephants, should be worshipped upon a pot filled with rice and paddy.

Verse 6 — Abhisheka, Homa & Feeding of Brahmins

स्वस्वगृह्योक्तमन्त्रेण गन्धपुष्पाक्षतादिभिः । अभिषेकं च होमं च कुर्याद् ब्राह्मणभोजनम् ॥ ५॥

svasvagṛhyoktamantraṇa gandhapuṣpākṣatādibhiḥ | abhiṣekaṁ ca homaṁ ca kuryād brāhmaṇabhojanam || 5||

With the mantras prescribed in one's own Grihyasutras, and with sandal paste, flowers, unbroken rice (akshata) and the like, one should perform the ceremonial bath (abhisheka) and the fire-offering (homa), and feed the Brahmins.

Verse 7 — Japa of Indra Sukta & Mrityunjaya Mantra

इन्द्रसूक्तं जपेद् भक्त्या मन्त्रं मृत्युञ्जयं तथा । प्रार्थयेदिन्द्रदेवं च ततः शान्तिमवाप्नुयात् ॥ ६॥

indrasūktaṁ japed bhaktyā mantraṁ mṛtyuñjayaṁ tathā | prārthayendradevaṁ ca tataḥ śāntimavāpnuyāt || 6||

One should devotedly recite the Indra-sukta and likewise the Mrityunjaya mantra; then, praying to Lord Indra, one attains peace.

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