Pitru Suktam
Pitru Suktam
Pitru Suktam
pitRRi sUktam
(RRi.1.10.15.1)
udI'ratA_mava'ra_ utparA'sa_ unma'dhya_mAH pi_taraH' so_myAsaH' |
asuM_-ya.N I_yura'vRRi_kA RRi'ta_j~nAste no'-.avantu pi_taro_ have'Shu || 01
i_da-mpi_tRRibhyo_ namo' astva_dya ye pUrvA'so_ ya upa'rAsa I_yuH |
ye pArthi've_ raja_syA niSha'ttA_ ye vA' nU_naM su'vRRi_janA'su vi_kShu || 02
Aha-mpi_tRRInsu'vi_datrAM' avitsi_ napA'ta-ncha vi_krama'Na-ncha_ viShNoH' |
ba_rhi_Shado_ ye sva_dhayA' su_tasya_ bhaja'nta pi_tvasta i_hAga'miShThAH || 03
barhi'ShadaH pitara U_tya(1_' )rvAgi_mA vo' ha_vyA cha'kRRimA ju_Shadhva'm |
ta A ga_tAva'sA_ shanta'me_nAthA' na_-shshaM-yo.Nra'ra_po da'dhAta || 04
upa'hUtAH pi_taraH' so_myAso' barhi_Shye'Shu ni_dhiShu' pri_yeShu' |
ta A ga'mantu_ ta i_ha shru'va_ntvadhi' bruvantu_ te'-.avantva_smAn || 05
AchyA_ jAnu' dakShiNa_to ni_Shadye_maM-ya.N_j~nama_bhi gRRi'NIta_ vishve' |
mA hiM'siShTa pitaraH_ kena' chinno_ yadva_ AgaH' puru_ShatA_ karA'ma || 06
AsI'nAso aru_NInA'mu_pasthe' ra_yi-ndha'tta dA_shuShe_ martyA'ya |
pu_trebhyaH' pitara_stasya_ vasvaH_ pra ya'chChata_ ta i_horja'-ndadhAta || 07
ye naH_ pUrve' pi_taraH' so_myAso'-.anUhi_re so'mapI_thaM-va.Nsi'ShThAH |
tebhi'rya_ma-ssaM'rarA_No ha_vIM{}Shyu_shannu_shadbhiH' pratikA_mama'ttu || 08
ye tA'tRRi_Shurde'va_trA jeha'mAnA hotrA_vida_-sstoma'taShTAso a_rkaiH |
Agne' yAhi suvi_datre'bhira_rvA~N{} sa_tyaiH ka_vyaiH pi_tRRibhi'rgharma_sadbhiH' || 09
ye sa_tyAso' havi_rado' havi_ShpA indre'Na de_vai-ssa_ratha_-ndadhA'nAH |
Agne' yAhi sa_hasra'-ndevava_ndaiH paraiH_ pUrvaiH' pi_tRRibhi'rgharma_sadbhiH' || 10
agni'ShvAttAH pitara_ eha ga'chChata_ sadaH'sada-ssadata supraNItayaH |
a_ttA ha_vIMShi_ praya'tAni ba_rhiShyathA' ra_yiM sarva'vIra-ndadhAtana || 11
tvama'gna Ili_to jA'tave_do-.avA'DDha_vyAni' sura_bhINi' kRRi_tvI |
prAdAH' pi_tRRibhyaH' sva_dhayA_ te a'kShanna_ddhi tva-nde'va_ praya'tA ha_vIMShi' || 12
ye che_ha pi_taro_ ye cha_ neha yAM{}shcha' vi_dma yA.N u' cha_ na pra'vi_dma |
tvaM-ve.N'ttha_ yati_ te jA'taveda-ssva_dhAbhi'rya_jnaM sukRRi'ta-njuShasva || 13
ye a'gnida_gdhA ye ana'gnidagdhA_ madhye' di_va-ssva_dhayA' mA_daya'nte |
tebhiH' sva_rAlasu'nItime_tAM-ya.N'thAva_sha-nta_nva'-~Nkalpayasva || 14
OM shAnti_-shshAnti_-shshAntiH' |
About This Stotram
Overview
Pitru Suktam is a Vedic hymn from the tenth Mandala of the Rigveda (10.15) addressed to the Pitrus, the souls of departed ancestors who are venerated as divine beings in Hindu tradition. The verses invoke the Pitrus as wise, elevated beings and petition them to bestow blessings on their living descendants. It belongs to the Shruti category and is among the oldest surviving texts for ancestral veneration.
What are the benefits of chanting Pitru Suktam?
- Propitiates ancestral spirits and invites their blessings
- Addresses pitru dosha through the authority of Vedic recitation
- Promotes family prosperity and the well-being of the lineage
- Connects the living to their ancestral heritage through the Vedic tradition
When is the best time to recite this?
The Pitru Suktam is recited on Amavasya (new moon days), during Pitru Paksha, on Mahalaya Amavasya, and during shraaddha ceremonies. It is also appropriate on any day when ancestral rites are performed.
What is the historical and traditional background?
Rigveda Mandala 10 contains some of the most cosmologically and ritually diverse hymns of the Rigveda, including hymns to the Pitrus, to Yama (the god of death), and on creation. The Pitru Suktam (10.15) is part of this layer of the Rigveda, dated to approximately 1500–1200 BCE, and represents the earliest documented form of ancestral worship in the Hindu tradition. It predates the detailed Puranic shraaddha rituals by over a millennium and forms their Vedic foundation. The rishi credited for 10.15 is identified as Shankha Yaamayana in traditional Vedic indexes (anukramanikas).
Available scripts
This text is available in 14 scripts: devanagari, tamil, telugu, kannada, malayalam, gujarati, bengali, iast, gurmukhi, oriya, assamese, sinhala, itrans, hk. Use the script selector above to switch between them.
Related Texts
- Pitru Tarpanam — the ritual water libation procedure performed for ancestors, which draws on this suktam as its Vedic textual basis
- Pavamana Suktam — another Rigvedic suktam used in purification contexts, belonging to the same Vedic recitation tradition