Who Are You Honoring? Meet the Three Generations of Ancestors in Shradh.

Namaste,

When we perform the sacred rites of Shradh, who exactly are we honouring? We often speak of the ancestors, the Pitris, but who falls within that immediate circle of remembrance, especially concerning the often-mentioned three generations in Shradh?

Focusing our minds and hearts on the intended recipients makes our offerings, our shraddha, all the more potent. Let us draw the curtain back, guided by the lamps of our ancient Puranas, and meet the revered souls we connect with during this profound ritual.

Who Are You Honoring? Meet the 3 Generations of Ancestors in Shradh

When we sit down for Shradh, with the scent of ghee, rice, and sesame in the air, and the mantras resonating softly, our intention needs direction. Who are the primary guests at this subtle, spiritual feast? The scriptures provide clear guidance.

The Core Recipients: Focusing Our Devotion

The three generations in Shradh form the central focus of our worship. Think of it as the inner circle of your ancestral family tree, the ones most closely connected to you in the immediate past, acting as conduits for blessings and carrying the lineage forward. Our Puranas consistently point towards these specific figures.

The venerable Brahma Purana puts it quite directly. It tells us that during the Parvana Shradh (the type often performed during Pitrupaksha), the offerings of Pindas (the sacred rice balls) and the meals are primarily directed towards three paternal and three maternal forefathers.

Let’s break that down:

The Paternal Lineage (Pitr-Vamsha): Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather

This is the lineage traced through your father. The primary recipients here are:

1. Pita (Father): Your immediate predecessor, the one who gave you life and name in this world. His presence is often felt most strongly, especially if his departure was recent.
2. Pitamaha (Grandfather): Your father’s father. He represents the next link in the chain, the foundation upon which your father stood.
3. Prapitamaha (Great-Grandfather): Your father’s grandfather. He completes the triad, representing the deeper roots of your paternal ancestry that directly receive the Pinda.

The Agni Purana confirms this, advising that these three forefathers – “father, grand-father and great grand-father” – should be invoked individually during the rites. The Varaha Purana echoes this, stating clearly that the “enjoyers in Pitryajna (ancestral offering) are the father, grand-father and great-grand-father.” Similarly, the Markandeya Purana identifies these three as the “males related by the Pinda” on the paternal side. They form the immediate Pitr trinity we honour directly.

The Maternal Lineage (Matru-Vamsha): Mother’s Father, Grandfather, Great-Grandfather

Our connection to our ancestors flows through both parents. Therefore, honouring the three generations in Shradh also includes the key figures from your mother’s side. The Agni Purana is careful to mention that the forefathers on the maternal side (“to whom one is entitled to offer”) should also be invoked separately. These are:

1. Matamaha (Maternal Grandfather): Your mother’s father. He is the head of the maternal line directly connected to you.
2. Pramatamaha (Maternal Great-Grandfather): Your mother’s grandfather.
3. Vriddhapramatamaha (Maternal Great-Great-Grandfather): Your mother’s great-grandfather. (Note: Sometimes the terms might vary slightly in texts, but the concept is the three preceding generations starting from the mother’s father).

The Brahma Purana‘s mention of “three maternal forefathers” confirms this vital inclusion. We owe our existence equally to our mother’s lineage, and Shradh acknowledges this profound debt by honouring her immediate ancestors as well.

So, the primary focus group consists of these six ancestors: three from your father’s side and three from your mother’s side. They are the direct recipients of the individual Pindas and the focused prayers during the main Shradh rites.

Why Specifically Three Generations? The Significance of the ‘Pinda’ Connection

You might wonder, why the line is drawn at three generations? Why not two, or four, or more? The answer lies in the profound concept of Pinda Sambandha – the relationship defined by the sharing of the Pinda.

The Garuda Purana provides a key insight: it mentions that three generations from oneself are those who share the Pinda. This implies a particularly strong energetic and spiritual connection among these generations. Think of the Pinda not just as a rice ball, but as a symbolic offering representing sustenance, continuity, and the very essence of the lineage. Those who directly ‘share’ this offering are considered to be in the closest sphere of interaction during the Shradh ritual.

The Markandeya Purana, as noted, also explicitly connects the father, grandfather, and great-grandfather as being related through the Pinda. This connection defines the immediate ancestral body that directly partakes in the offerings made by the descendant.

Imagine it like the closest roots of a tree – the taproot and the main supporting roots. While the tree has finer, deeper roots, these three are the most immediate and vital conduits connecting the living tree (the descendant) to the earth (the ancestral source). Focusing on these three generations in Shradh ensures the most direct and potent transmission of our reverence and sustenance.

The Role of the Newly Departed and the ‘Sapindikarana’ Rite

While the three generations form the established group of Pitris, there’s a special focus often given to the most recently departed, particularly the father if he has passed within the year or recently. The Padma Purana hints at this when it speaks of inviting the dead ancestors and “indicating the dead person separately,” even preparing a separate pot and Pinda initially.

This ties into a very important rite called Sapindikarana. Mentioned in both the Padma Purana and the Garuda Purana, this ritual is usually performed around the 12th day after death, or sometimes after one year. Its purpose is crucial: it formally merges the soul of the recently departed (preta) with the collective body of ancestors (Pitris) – specifically, with their father, grandfather, and great-grandfather who are already Pitris.

Here’s the interesting part regarding the count of generations: The Garuda Purana clarifies what happens after Sapindikarana. The great-great-grandfather (the fourth ancestor back in the paternal line) becomes ‘tyajaka’ – meaning, “one who is dropped” or relinquished from receiving direct, separate offerings. He is now considered fully merged with the collective ancestral spirits (like the Agnisvattas mentioned in the Padma Purana) and no longer requires individual Pinda or water libations in the standard Parvana Shradh.

What does this mean for the three generations? The Sapindikarana process effectively ‘retires’ the fourth generation back from the immediate group receiving Pindas, thereby cementing the focus on the three generations in Shradh preceding the performer: the father (who, after Sapindikarana, fully joins the Pitris), the grandfather, and the great-grandfather. This ritual dynamically maintains the focus on the three closest ancestral links who share the Pinda.

Looking Beyond: The Wider Circle of Ancestors and Kinsmen (Bandhavas)

Does this mean we forget everyone beyond these three generations? Absolutely not, my child! While the direct offerings and primary focus during the Pinda Daan are for the three generations in Shradh on both paternal and maternal sides, the merit (punya) and benefits of the ritual ripple outwards, reaching a much wider circle of ancestors and departed kinsmen (Bandhavas).

The Garuda Purana, after establishing the Pinda connection for the three generations, goes on to list others for whom the Pindas should deliver everlasting benefit. This list includes:

• Father, Grandfather, Great-grandfather
• Mother, Paternal Grandmother, Paternal Great-grandmother
• Maternal Grandfather, Maternal Great-grandfather, Maternal Great-great-grandfather
• Maternal Grandmother, Maternal Great-grandmother, Maternal Great-great-grandmother
• Other kinsmen (like uncles, aunts, siblings, etc., who may have passed)

How does this work? Think of dropping a stone in a pond. The main splash is where the stone enters (the three generations receiving the direct Pinda), but the ripples spread outwards across the entire pond (the wider ancestral family). The shraddha and offerings generate positive spiritual energy that benefits the entire Kula (lineage).

The Skanda Purana speaks of maintaining the “continuity of the traditional eternal path through the Pitris.” This implies that honouring the immediate ancestors strengthens the entire chain, benefiting all who are part of that lineage and residing in Pitriloka or other realms. So, while our specific actions and mantras might name the primary three, the loving intention and the sanctity of the rite encompass the well-being of all departed souls connected to us. Our Shradh becomes an offering for the peace and upliftment of the entire ancestral collective.

So, Who Are We Truly Honoring? A Summary

Let’s bring this understanding together clearly. When you perform Shradh:

1. Primary Focus: You are directly honouring and offering sustenance (Pindas, Tarpanam) to three generations of paternal ancestors (Father, Grandfather, Great-grandfather) and three generations of maternal ancestors (Mother’s Father, Mother’s Grandfather, Mother’s Great-grandfather). These are the Pinda Sambandhis, the ones directly connected through the offering.
2. Sapindikarana’s Role: This rite formally integrates the recently deceased (like the father) into the Pitri fold and confirms the focus on the three preceding generations by ‘retiring’ the fourth (great-great-grandfather) from separate offerings.
3. Wider Benefit: The positive merit (punya) and spiritual energy generated by the Shradh extend beyond the core six ancestors, benefiting other departed relatives including grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and other kinsmen (Bandhavas) connected to your lineage. The entire ancestral family shares in the grace.
4. The Role of Faith: As the Agni Purana reminds us, performing Shradh with faith (Shraddha) is paramount. Your sincere devotion is what truly reaches and satisfies all the ancestors, near and far back in the lineage.

Knowing who you are addressing helps channel your prayers and intentions more effectively. Visualizing your father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and your maternal grandfather, great-grandfather, and great-great-grandfather receiving your offerings with peace and contentment adds immense depth to the ritual.

Conclusion: Connecting with Your Roots Through the Three Generations

Understanding the three generations in Shradh allows us to appreciate the structure and spiritual science behind this ancient practice. It’s not an arbitrary number but one rooted in the concept of the Pinda connection and maintained through rites like Sapindikarana.

By focusing our reverence on these immediate ancestors – the six pillars representing our paternal and maternal lineage – we create a powerful connection to our roots. And through them, the blessings flow back to us, while the merit of our actions ripples outwards to benefit the entire ancestral collective.

May this knowledge deepen your connection during Shradh, my child. May you always remember and honour these vital links to your past with love, respect, and unwavering Shraddha.

|| ॐ पितृ देवताभ्यो नमः ||