No foremothers?

It8217;s pitr paksh again and everybody8217;s terrified of buying new cars, houses, ACs or even a measly potted plant, because, say my devout North Indian friends, 8220;The pitris will be angry and curse us.8221; Meanwhile other friends from south of the Narmada, supposedly the most orthodox amongst us, have this very reasonable query: 8220;Why would our own ancestors hurt us? They are supposed to be amidst us in pitr paksh, as electric energy. We pray to them for their blessings, we offer feasts in their honour. Logically, shouldn8217;t they be delighted when we buy new things 8212; it means we, their descendants are prospering, doesn8217;t it?8221;

This revolutionary view comes from a dear friend in his 60s who does 8216;tarpanam8217;, chants all the prayers at the temple every Pradosham and taught me to say the glorious Mantra Pushpam Taittiriya Aranyakam 1: 22. Let8217;s peep at the Mantra Pushpam for a second. It says 8220;Yo aapam pushpam veda, pushpavan, prajavan, pashuman bhavati/Chandrama va apam pushpam/ pushpavan prajavan pashuman bhavati/ ya evam veda, yo aapamaayatanam veda, aayatanavaan bhavati8221;. One rather free translation goes: 8216;He who knows the source of the waters becomes established in his Self, he becomes the possessor of flowers blooming lands, cattle and kin. The moon is the bloom born of water. He who knows this becomes the possessor of blooming lands, cattle and kin8217;.

This is one of the most famous Veda mantras and is recited at every proper puja. Its message seems very straight: God is everything. He is the Water, the soul, the raft for the soul and the journey. The person who realises this becomes rich. Not literally rich in terms of land, cattle and children: but the spiritual equivalent of these things, which make us 8220;rich8221; in our outer life. The key word is 8220;Aayatanavaan bhavati8221;: He becomes established in his Self.

In such a situation, there can be no good times and bad times. Surely every minute is good, which emanates from God. So no way could our pitris be miffed, though the Vayu Purana encourages the worst materialism saying that the pitris will shower bushels of 8220;pearls, lapis lazuli, rubies and emeralds, silk clothes, horses and elephants8221; if worshipped ritually. Logically, would you think the pitris want just rituals? Surely they8217;d rather know that we remember them in our hearts? And isn8217;t it ridiculous that women, the holders of the birth waters, have no ritual status? How can we respect only the forefathers? Would there be any without the foremothers?

I8217;d say, just buy that car and move into the new house. Enough superstition already. But I8217;d take care to remember my naani in pitr paksh and light at least one respectful incense stick to the whole gang at the temple.