Namaste,
The fortnight of Pitrupaksha is a profoundly sacred and solemn time, dedicated to expressing our deep reverence, gratitude, and love towards our ancestors, our Pitrs. During this period, specific rites, most notably the Shradh ceremony, are performed with meticulous care to honour these departed souls and ensure their well-being in the subtle realms. These sacred acts are guided by detailed injunctions (vidhi-nishedha) that encompass every aspect of the observance, including, most importantly, the food consumed by those performing and participating in the rites, as well as the food offered. Among the dietary restrictions commonly and diligently observed is the avoidance of onion (Palandu) and garlic (Lasuna)- Why avoid onion garlic Pitrupaksha
Let us see how the Puranic texts illuminate the reasons behind this ancient and enduring practice, looking for both spiritual and, if suggested, any subtle Ayurvedic or qualitative insights.
The Sacred Injunctions: A Clear Prohibition in Shradh from the Puranas
When we turn our gaze to the authoritative voices of our Puranas, we find clear, consistent, and unequivocal directives regarding the use of certain foods, particularly in the context of sacred rituals like Shradh. The avoidance of onion and garlic is presented not merely as a customary preference or a regional practice but as a mandated rule, a sacred injunction, for these solemn observances.
The Garuda Purana, a text often consulted for matters related to ancestral rites, states with clarity that “Garlick” and “onions” are “forbidden in a Sraddha.” It further explains that these items are “shunned on account of their taste” in this specific ritual context. When discussing the performance of Vaisvadeva Shradh (a daily offering to all deities, which also has components related to ancestors), the Garuda Purana includes “onion” and “garlic” in a list of items considered “essenceless in all times” for such sacred purposes.
Other Puranas echo this prohibition. The Skanda Purana, in various contexts of sacred observances and vows, lists “Onion” and “garlic” among things “to be avoided.” It specifically mentions avoiding “garlic” during observances like Karttikavrata (a sacred month of vows) and in the month of Vaisakha, which is dear to Lord Madhava (Vishnu).
The Siva Purana also includes garlic and onion among items to be avoided by a householder undertaking a sacred rite or vow.
These consistent injunctions across different Puranas underscore the widespread, fundamental, and deeply embedded nature of this dietary rule in various ritual contexts, most importantly for our discussion, in Shradh ceremonies performed during Pitrupaksha. From the direct perspective presented in these sacred texts, the avoidance of onion and garlic during Pitrupaksha is a matter of adhering to the sacred law (Shastric vidhi) prescribed for these rituals to ensure their purity and efficacy. These substances are unequivocally deemed unsuitable for offering to the Pitrs and for consumption by those involved in the sacred rites.
The Consequences of Disregard: Sin (Papa) and Spiritual Repercussions
The Puranas, do not merely list prohibited items; they also, with parental concern, detail the spiritual consequences of disregarding these sacred injunctions. This emphasizes the seriousness with which these rules should be observed. Consuming or offering forbidden items like onion and garlic during Shradh is portrayed not as a minor dietary infraction but as a grave transgression that can accrue sin (papa).
The Garuda Purana explicitly states, “By eating garlic and onion one becomes sinful.” The gravity of this sin is further highlighted by the purification rites (Prayashchitta) prescribed for its atonement. For instance, the text mentions that for the sin of eating garlic and onion, “one should perform Candrayana” (a specific and often rigorous penance involving regulating food intake according to the lunar cycle). It also notes that a Brahmachari (a celibate student) who has eaten at an Ama Shradh (a type of Shradh) and consumed forbidden items like “honey or garlic or onion etc.” requires purification by performing “prajdpaiya” (likely Prajapatya Krcchra, another form of penance).
The Brahma Purana issues even more severe warnings regarding the consumption of prohibited items in Shradh. It states with solemnity, “If he feeds on things prohibited in Sraddha, he will go to Raurava hell” (a realm of intense suffering). Furthermore, the negative consequences extend to the ancestors themselves if these forbidden items are offered to them. The Brahma Purana adds that if one gives these prohibited items to the Pitrs, “he falls along with them in Puyavaha” (another described hell, filled with pus and filth). Given these dire spiritual consequences, the text offers strong and clear counsel: “by all means, a wise person should not partake of them.”
Thus, the prohibition of onion and garlic in Pitrupaksha and Shradh ceremonies, as conveyed by these Puranic excerpts, is deeply intertwined with the core concepts of sin (Papa), its atonement (Prayashchitta), and the paramount importance of maintaining spiritual purity. This adherence ensures the well-being of both the living descendants and the departed ancestors, preventing negative karmic repercussions and ensuring that the sacred rites performed for the Pitrs are efficacious and pleasing to them.
Considering Qualities (Gunas) and Humoral Effects (Doshas) – A Puranic and Ayurvedic Perspective
Beyond the direct ritualistic prohibitions, traditional Indian systems of knowledge, including Ayurveda (the science of life) and the philosophical understanding of the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas), often inform and complement Puranic discussions on food. These systems describe the inherent qualities of food items and their effects on the body’s humours or energies (doshas: Vata, Pitta, Kapha) and on the mind.
The Puranic sources do contain some information related to the physiological properties of substances like garlic, which is known for its pungent nature and strong character.
The Garuda Purana, in a section discussing the effects of different tastes and qualities on the doshas, notes that pungent tastes (a category to which garlic belongs) “produce wind (Vata) and destroy phlegm (Kapha).” It also states that pungent, sour, and saline tastes “increase bile (Pitta).” Garlic (Lasuna) is explicitly mentioned as belonging to the “Pungent group of drugs.”
Pungent substances, in general, are described in this text as “appetising, purifying and anti-Kapha.” They are also said to “subdue Kustha (skin diseases) and itching sensation,” and “remove corpulency, lassitude and worm infections.” However, the text also wisely cautions that excessive consumption of pungent substances can lead to “adverse effects” such as “vertigo, burning sensation, etc.”
Connecting to Sattva, Rajas, Tamas:
While the Puranic excerpts focus more on the dosha effects in a general medicinal context and the direct ritualistic prohibition, traditional Ayurvedic and yogic understanding, which often intertwines with Puranic thought, classifies onion and garlic as predominantly Rajasic (stimulating, passion-inducing) and Tamasic (leading to dullness, inertia, ignorance).
- Rajasic Nature: Their strong flavor and stimulating effect on the nervous system can agitate the mind and senses. This makes them unsuitable for spiritual practices, meditation, and solemn occasions like Pitrupaksha, which require a calm, peaceful, and Sattvic (pure, harmonious) state of mind. A Rajasic mind is easily distracted and less able to focus on the subtle spiritual energies involved in Shradh.
- Tamasic Nature: When consumed in excess or by those with certain constitutions, they can also lead to a Tamasic state, characterized by lethargy, heaviness, and a clouding of consciousness. This is antithetical to the clarity, alertness, and purity required for sacred rites.
The Aim for Sattvic Offerings:
Food offered to deities and ancestors, and consumed by those engaged in sacred rites, should ideally be Sattvic. Sattvic foods promote purity, clarity, peace, and spiritual upliftment. Onion and garlic, due to their inherent Rajasic and Tamasic qualities, are considered detrimental to cultivating this Sattvic state and are therefore excluded from sacred cuisine. The goal during Pitrupaksha is to create an atmosphere of utmost purity and tranquility, both internally and externally, to facilitate a clear connection with the ancestral realm. The food consumed plays a vital role in establishing this sacred atmosphere.
It is vital to note, however, that based solely on the Puranic sources, these specific texts do not explicitly state that the ritual prohibition of onion and garlic during Pitrupaksha or Shradh is solely because of their Guna classification or their effects on the doshas in this particular ritual context. The prohibition in the ritual domain is presented as a distinct sacred injunction, a matter of upholding prescribed purity rules for the solemn act of honouring ancestors. The discussion on doshas and physiological qualities appears in a different, more general medicinal or dietary context within the Garuda Purana, not directly linked as the primary reason for the prohibition in Shradh. However, this Ayurvedic understanding of their qualities perfectly complements and provides a deeper rationale for the ritualistic avoidance.
A summary of Wisdom: Purity, Adherence, and the Subtle Nature of Offerings
Drawing upon the revered wisdom found within the Puranic excerpts, and complemented by traditional Ayurvedic understanding of food qualities, we can humbly comprehend the practice of why to avoid onion and garlic during Pitrupaksha and during the performance of Shradh ceremonies.
- Sacred Injunction (Shastric Vidhi): The primary motivation, as explicitly and repeatedly stated in these texts from the Garuda Purana, Skanda Purana, Siva Purana, and Brahma Purana, is rooted in the principles of ritual purity and strict adherence to sacred law. These texts clearly forbid their use in Shradh and other rites.
- Avoiding Sin and Negative Consequences: Their consumption and offering during these sacred times are associated with sin (Papa) and can lead to severe negative spiritual repercussions for both the individual performing the rites and the Pitrs themselves, potentially resulting in dwelling in undesirable realms (hells like Raurava and Puyavaha).
- Qualitative Unsuitability (Rajasic/Tamasic Nature): Complementing the direct prohibitions, the inherent Rajasic (agitating) and Tamasic (dulling) qualities of onion and garlic make them unsuitable for fostering the pure, calm, and Sattvic state of mind and environment essential for sacred rituals and connecting with the subtle ancestral realm. Food offered to ancestors should elevate, not agitate or dull.
- Respect for Ancestral Sensibilities: It is traditionally believed that the Pitrs, existing in a subtle state, are highly sensitive to the purity and nature of offerings. Foods with strong, pungent odors and stimulating qualities like onion and garlic are considered disruptive to their subtle senses and unpleasing to them.
Therefore, based on these venerable texts and the supporting wisdom of Ayurveda, the avoidance of onion and garlic during Pitrupaksha is a practice grounded in faith, spiritual discipline, and adherence to the sacred laws that govern these vital observances. This practice ensures that the rites performed for the ancestors are conducted with the utmost purity, reverence, and in accordance with ancient divine dictates, thereby maximizing their efficacy and ensuring the peaceful progress of the Pitrs and the well-being of the descendants.
May this humble exposition, guided by the light of the Puranas and traditional wisdom, offer clarity on this time-honoured tradition. We remain perpetual students, ever eager to learn, appreciate, and uphold the profound wisdom enshrined in our ancient scriptures.
|| हरि ॐ तत् सत् ||