Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha! Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha! Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya! Om! Ham!

Hanumathe Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

AMAVASYA THE PITHRU THITHI

As per the Hindu Lunar Calendar there are 16 thithis out of which 14 gets repeated twice in a cycle of 30 days starting from Prathipad (Paadyami) and ending with Chaturdasi. The other two thithis that occur once in a month are Pournima and Amavasya. Thus, there are 15 thithis in each fortnight one ending with Pournima called as Sukla Paksham (Bright fortnight) and the other ending with Amavasya called as Krishna Paksham (Dark fortnight). Amavasya is also called as Darsa thithi. Amavasya falling on Chaturdasi thithi is called as Sinivali and if it is falling on Prathipad it is called as Kuhu. In a Lunar Calendar year Amavasya occurs 12 times and of all the thithis Amavasya is given lot of significance is given in Hindu religion. Significance of Amavasya Amavasya is the darkest day of the month. On this day Moon will not be visible and it is called as New Moon day or no Moon day. On the day of Amavasya both the Sun and the Moon will conjoin together. Solar Eclipse occurs on Amavasya Day. Pithru Devathas are the presiding deities of Amavasya Thithi. Amavasya is the name given to Achhoda, Manasa Puthrika (Mind born daughter) of Pithru Devathas. Amavasya is the most favourite day for worshipping Pithru Devathas. Sacred rituals (Tharpana) are performed for forefathers on the day of Amavasya. We find people specially worshipping Goddess Durga, Lord Narasimha, Lord Hanuman and Lord Saturn on Amavasya day to ward off the problem of evil spirits and other mundane problems. We also find people fasting on Amavasya day. It is said that Lord Sri Krishnas Niryana took place on Amavasya day. While in general Amavasya is considered as inauspicious for starting any venture, as an exception we find people in Tamil Nadu considering Amavasya as auspicious. We find people performing Tantric remedies on Amavasya Day especially on the Amavasya days coinciding with Sunday and Tuesday. Legend behind Amavasya Thithi There are seven Groups of Pithru Devathas viz. Vyrajas, Agnishwatthas, Barhishadas, Sukalas, Angirasas, Suswadhas and Somapas. Achhoda is the

Manasa Puthrika (Mind born daughter) of Pithru Devathas who had great devotion and respect forthem. Once upon a time she performed a great penance targeting Pithru Devathas. Pleased with her prayers they appeared before her to give her a boon. When they appeared before her, Achhoda got fascinated towards one of the Pithru Devathas by name Mavasa. Due to this sudden reaction of hers, Achhoda was referred as Mavasya. As Mavasa did not show any counter reaction Achhoda was later referred as Amavasya. Because of this sudden passionate reaction in Achhoda she lost her Divinity. Sympathized with her condition and pleased with her penance Pithru Devathas gave her a boon that thence forth she will become popular as Amavasya Thithi that will be a favorite day for Pithru Devathas. Also said that, whoever performs Pithru Karya on Amavasya day, Pithru Devathas will get immensely pleased and bestow them with multiple benefits. It was a Divine Sankalpa that Achhoda took birth on the Earth in the 28thDwapara Yuga in the womb of a fish and was brought up by a fisherman called Vasu. She was called as Mastya Gandha and later as Sathyavathi who gave birth to Lord Veda Vyasa in a divine meeting with Sage Parasara. Later she married King Shanthanu of the great epic Mahabharatha. This legend is said to be from Mastya Purana. Unique days of Amavasya While Amavasya occurs in every Lunar month, certain days of Amavasya are unique and have attained lot of spiritual and special significance. They are as follows: Somavathi Amavasya Amavasya occurring on a Monday is called as Somavathi Amavasya. It is said that the significance and importance of Somavathi Amavasya was explained to Yudhistira (Dharmaraja) by Bheeshma Pithamaha in Mahabharatha. It is also said that who ever takes a dip in the holy rivers on this day would get freed from grief and sorrow. People also observe fasting on this day. It is dedicated to worshipping of Lord Shiva on this day. Women observe this as a Vratha for the longevity and happiness in their married life. Mouni Amavasya Mouni Amavasya occurs on the Amavasya day in the month of Magha Masam (January-February). It is derived from the word Muni, literally means an ascetic who practices silence. Fasting is observed on this day. The devotees do not talk to each other during the observance. It is considered highly meritorious to bath in Brahma Sarovar at Kurukshetra, Ganges, Prayaga,

Haridwar and Sethu (Indian Ocean) on this day. If it is coinciding with Monday it is considered to be of special significance. Shani Amavasya Amavasya occurring on a Saturday is known as Shani Amavasya. Worshipping Lord Saturn on this day with Thila Thailabhishekam and giving Black Sesame (Thil) seeds as charity is highly beneficial especially for those who are under the grip of Sade Sath, Astama Shani, and Ardhaastama Shani in Gochara or for those who are under the phase of Saturns Maha Dasa. If it is coinciding with Chaitra Masam it is considered to be still more sacred for worshipping Lord Saturn. Mahalaya Amavasya It occurs on the last day of Pithru Paksham in Bhadrapada Masam. Mahalaya Amavasya is considered as the Mother of all Amavasyas as it is the favourite day for performing sacred rites to forefathers. Deepavali Amavasya This occurs on the festival day of Deepavali on the last day of Lunar month Aaswayuja. It is considered as the most auspicious day to worship Goddess Maha Lakshmi on Deepavali night. Solar Eclipse & Amavasya Solar Eclipse invariably occurs on an Amavasya Day. Any Eclipse time is said to be very sacred and celestial and entire period of Eclipse is called as Parva Kala (most sacred time). Any sacred rituals/rites performed during a parva kala will derive more merits than the one performed during ordinary times. Eclipse is the most opportune time to perform Snana (sacred bath), Prayer, Punascharana of Upadesa Manthra, Pitru Tharpana, and Charity. Chanting of Vedic manthras/sacred Sthothram during Eclipse will ward off the negative energy that gets activated during eclipse and protects one from all negativity. Sarva Pithru Tarpana should be performed with proper sankalpa during eclipse time (by those who have lost their parents) with black Thil (sesame) seeds. Bheemana Amavasya New Moon day (Amavasya) occurring in the month of Aashada is observed as Bheemana Amavasya. On this day Women observe Vratha called Pathi Sanjeevani Vratha and worship Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi for the welfare of all the male members of the family in general and their husbands and brothers in particular. It is said that Skhanda Purana makes a reference of this Vratha and its significance.

Amavasya falling on Tuesday is called as Bhouma Amavasya and on Sunday is called as Bhanu Amavasya. Similarly Jyesta Bahula Amavasya is celebrated as Mannetthina Amavasya when Bullocks made up of mud are worshipped in households. Thus Amavasya thithi has attained lot of significance for worshipping Pithru devathas and for performing sacred rites to forefathers and is popularly known as Pithru Thithi.
Sri Krishnaarpanamasthu bhargavasarma