[94] The School Master of Dhānk. [↑]
[95] The Pathashālā Shastri, Talpur. [↑]
[96] The School Mistress of Gondal. [↑]
CHAPTER IV.
WORSHIP OF ANCESTORS AND SAINTS.
The spirits of a deceased father, grand father, great grand father, and of a mother, grand mother, and great grand mother, i.e., all the male and female ascendants up to the third degree, receive systematic worship when the Shrāddha or funeral ceremonies are performed either on the anniversary of the death of any of them or on the day when the Nārāyan bali is performed in such holy places as Gayā, Siddhapur or Prabhās Pātan. The spirits of those who meet heroic deaths on fields of battle are called Suropuros, and pillars are erected in their memory on the spot where they breathed their last. They receive only occasional worship.[1]
The purvajas or spirits of deceased ancestors receive worship on the thirteenth or fourteenth day of the dark half of Shrāvan (the tenth month of the Gujarāt Hindu year), on the fourteenth of the dark half of Ashvin, on the death anniversaries and on days on which the Shrāddhas, tripindis or nil parnāvavi ceremonies are performed. On these occasions, the pitriyas (deceased ancestors) are represented by twisted braids of the durvā grass (cynodon dactylon).[2]
Purvajas or ancestral spirits descend to the level of ghosts when they are strongly attached to worldly objects. Such spirits often possess the bodies of their descendants, though the necessary Shrāddhas are performed for their release. The 13th, 14th and 15th days of the bright half of the months of Kārtik and Chaitra are the special days for propitiation of departed spirits by their relatives either at home or in holy places, while the whole of the dark half of the month of Bhādarvā is devoted to this purpose.[3] During this fortnight, shrāddha is performed in honour of the deceased on the day corresponding to the day of his death, when Brāhmans are feasted. Thus, a person dying on the 5th day of Kārtik has his shrāddha performed on the 5th day of the sharādian. On this occasion, water is poured at the root of the Pipal, tarpan or offerings of water are made, and pinds or balls of rice are offered to the deceased.
Of all the days of the sharādian the 13th, 14th and 15th are considered to be of special importance.