Pitru Tarpanam
Pitru Tarpanam
pitR tarpaNaM
Note: This should not be performed when one's father is alive.
Items Needed
Darbhas (Kusa grass)
Black Seseme Seeds
Wet raw rice
arghya pAtra
paJca pAtra (Acamana pAtra, uddhariNi, ariveNaM)
gandha
AsanaM
pavitraM (ring made of darbha worn on the right ring finger)
yajJopavIta dhAraNa vidhi
savyaM – [yajJopavIta worn on left shoulder to right side waist.]
nivItI – [yajJopavIta worn like a garland in the center of the neck to stomach on the front.]
prAcInAvItI/apasavyaM – [yajJopavIta worn on right shoulder to left side waist.]
zivAya gurave namaH |
zuciH
(talamIda nIllanu jallukoNDi)
apavitraH pavitrovA sarvAvasthAM gato'pi vA
yaH smaret puNDarIkAkSaM sa bAhyAbhyantaraH zuciH ||
puNDarIkAkSa puNDarIkAkSa puNDarIkAkSa ||
prArthanA
zuklAmbaradharaM viSNuM zazivarNaM caturbhujaM
prasannavadanaM dhyAyet sarva vighnopazAntaye ||
vakratuNDa mahAkAya koTisUryasamaprabha |
nirvighnaM kuru me deva sarvakAryeSu sarvadA ||
OM zrI mahAgaNAdhipataye namaH |
Acamya
OM kezavAya svAhA |
OM nArAyaNAya svAhA |
OM mAdhavAya svAhA |
OM govindAya namaH |
OM viSNave namaH |
OM madhusUdanAya namaH |
OM trivikramAya namaH |
OM vAmanAya namaH |
OM zrIdharAya namaH |
OM hRSIkezAya namaH |
OM padmanAbhAya namaH |
OM dAmodarAya namaH |
OM saGkarSaNAya namaH |
OM vAsudevAya namaH |
OM pradyumnAya namaH |
OM aniruddhAya namaH |
OM puruSottamAya namaH |
OM adhokSajAya namaH |
OM nArasiMhAya namaH |
OM acyutAya namaH |
OM janArdanAya namaH |
OM upendrAya namaH |
OM haraye namaH |
OM zrI kRSNAya namaH |
pavitraM
OM pavitravantaH parivAjamAsate pitaiSAM pratno abhi rakSati vratam |
mahassamudraM varuNastiro dadhe dhIrA icchekurdharuNeSvArabham ||
pavitraM te vitataM brahmaNaspate prabhurgAtrANi paryeSi vizvataH |
ataptatanUrna tadAmo aznute zRtAsa idvahantastatsamAzata ||
pavitraM dhRtvA || [Wear Pavithram]
bhUtocchATanaM
uttiSThantu bhUtapizAcAH ete bhUmibhArakAH |
eteSAmavirodhena brahmakarma samArabhe ||
prANAyAmaM
OM bhUH | OM bhuvaH | OM suvaH | OM mahaH |
OM janaH | OM tapaH | OM satyam |
tatsaviturvareNyaM bhargo devasya dhImahi |
dhiyo yo naH pracodayAt |
omApo jyotI rasomRtaM brahma bhUrbhuvassuvarom |
Perform anuloma-viloma prANAyAma three times.
saGkalpaM
zrI govinda govinda govinda | zrImahAviSNorAjJayA pravartamAnasya adya brahmaNaH dvitIya parArthe zvetavarAha kalpe vaivasvata manvantare kaliyuge prathamapAde jambUdvIpe bhAratavarSe bharatakhaNDe meroH dakSiNa digbhAge zrIzailasya pradeze , nadyoH madhye puNyapradeze samasta devatA brAhmaNa AcArya hari hara guru caraNa sannidhau asmin vartamane vyAvaharika cAndramAnena zrI nAma saMvatsare ayane Rtau mAse pakSe tithau vAsare zrIviSNu nakSatre zrIviSNu yoge zrIviSNu karaNa evaM guNa vizeSaNa viziSTAyAM puNyatithau || prAcInAvItI || asmat pitRRnuddizya asmat pitRRNAM puNyalokAvAptyarthaM pitR tarpaNaM kariSye || savyam ||
namaskAraM
IzAnaH pitRrUpeNa mahAdevo mahezvaraH |
prIyatAM bhagavAnIzaH paramAtmA sadAzivaH || 1
devatAbhyaH pitRbhyazca mahAyogibhya eva ca |
namassvAhAyai svadhAyai nityameva namo namaH || 2
mantramadhye kriyAmadhye viSNossmaraNa pUrvakam |
yatkiJcitkriyate karma tatkoTi guNitaM bhavet || 3
viSNurviSNurviSNuH ||
arghyapAtra
arghyapAtrayoH amIgandhAH |
puSpArthA ime akSatAH |
amI kuzAH |
|| savyam || namaskRtya |
OM Ayantu naH pitarassomyAsogniSvAttAH pathibhirdeva yAnaiH |
asmin yajJe svadhayA madaM tvadhi bRvantu te avantva smAn ||
idaM pitRbhyo namo astvadya ye pUrvAso ya uparAsa IyuH |
ye pArthive rajasyA niSattA ye vA nUnaM suvRjanAsu vikSu ||
pitRdevatAbhyo namaH |
OM Agacchantu me pitara imaM gRhNantu jalAJjalim |
|| prAcInAvItI ||
sakalopacArArthe tilAn samarpayAmi |
pitrAdi tarpaNaM
|| prAcInAvItI ||
asmat pitaraM (gotraM) gotraM (nAma) zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat pitAmahaM gotraM zarmANaM rudrarUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat prapitAmahaM gotraM zarmANaM AdityarUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtaraM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat pitAmahIM gotrAM dAM rudrarUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat prapitAmahIM gotrAM dAM AdityarUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat sApatnImAtaraM gotrAM dAM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtAmahaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtuH pitAmahaM gotraM zarmANaM rudrarUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtuH prapitAmahaM gotraM zarmANaM AdityarUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtAmahIM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtuH pitAmahIM gotrAM dAM rudrarUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtuH prapitAmahIM gotrAM dAM AdityarUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat AtmapatnIM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat sutaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat bhrAtaraM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat jyeSTha/kaniSTha pitRvyaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtulaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat duhitaraM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat bhaginIM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat dauhitraM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat bhagineyakaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat pitRSvasAraM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat jyeSTha/kaniSTha mAtRSvasAraM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat jAmAtaraM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat bhAvukaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat snuSAM gotraM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat zvazuraM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat zvazrUM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat syAlakaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat svAminaM/AcAryaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat guruM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat rikthinaM gotraM zarmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
pitRdevatAbhyo namaH |
suprIto bhavatu |
kuzodakaM
|| prAcInAvItI ||
eSAnnamAtA na pitA na bandhuH nAnya gotriNaH |
te sarve tRptimAyAntu mayotsRSTaiH kuzodakaiH ||
tRpyata tRpyata tRpyata tRpyata tRpyata |
niSpIDanodakaM
|| nivItI ||
yeke cAsmatkulejAtAH aputrAH gotriNo mRtAH |
te gRhNantu mayA dattaM vastraniSpIDanodakam |
samarpaNaM
|| savyam ||
kAyena vAcA manasaindriyairvA
buddhyAtmanA vA prakRtessvabhAvAt |
karomi yadyatsakalaM parasmai
nArAyaNAyeti samarpayAmi ||
namo brahmaNyadevAya go brAhmaNa hitAya ca |
jagaddhitAya kRSNAya govindAya namo namaH ||
pavitraM visRjya |
OM zAntiH zAntiH zAntiH |
OM tatsat brahmArpaNamastu |
About This Stotram
Overview
Pitru Tarpanam is a ritual procedure in which oblations of water (with sesame seeds, darbha grass, and rice) are offered to one's deceased ancestors (Pitrus) while reciting specific mantras. It is performed as a fulfillment of pitru-rina — the debt owed to one's ancestors — and represents one of the five great obligations (pancha maha yajna) recognized in Hindu dharmic practice. The text is not a stotram but a mantra-and-procedure guide drawn from Vedic and Puranic sources.
What are the benefits of chanting Pitru Tarpanam?
- Sustains the ancestral spirits through ritual nourishment
- Removes ancestral curses and negative karmic influence (pitru dosha)
- Fulfills the practitioner's obligatory duty toward departed family members
- Promotes prosperity, lineage continuity, and peace for both living and deceased
When is the best time to recite this?
Pitru Tarpanam is performed on Amavasya (new moon day) each month, throughout the Pitru Paksha fortnight, and on the death anniversaries (tithi) of specific ancestors. It is not performed when the father or paternal grandfather is still living, as the rite is specifically for those who have departed.
What is the historical and traditional background?
The obligation to perform tarpanam for ancestors is grounded in Vedic texts including the Rigveda, Atharva Veda, and the associated Brahmanas and Aranyakas. It is elaborated in detail in the Grihya Sutras, Dharma Shastras, and Puranas such as the Garuda Purana and Agni Purana. The specific mantras, materials (sesame, darbha, water), and procedural sequences vary across Vedic shakhas and regional traditions. The compiled text as presented draws from these multiple sources rather than being a single authored composition.
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 Suktam — the Rigvedic hymn (10.15) to the Pitrus that forms the Vedic textual foundation for tarpanam practice
- Pitru Stotram (Garuda Puranam) — a Puranic hymn to the Pitrus recited alongside or in conjunction with tarpanam ceremonies