Pitru Tarpanam
Pitru Tarpanam
Pitru Tarpanam
pitRRi 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
pa~ncha pAtra (Achamana pAtra, uddhariNi, ariveNaM)
gandha
AsanaM
pavitraM (ring made of darbha worn on the right ring finger)
yaj~nopavIta dhAraNa vidhi
savyaM – [yaj~nopavIta worn on left shoulder to right side waist.]
nivItI – [yaj~nopavIta worn like a garland in the center of the neck to stomach on the front.]
prAchInAvItI/apasavyaM – [yaj~nopavIta worn on right shoulder to left side waist.]
shivAya gurave namaH |
shuchiH
(talamIda nIllanu jallukoNDi)
apavitraH pavitrovA sarvAvasthAM gato.api vA
yaH smaret puNDarIkAkShaM sa bAhyAbhyantaraH shuchiH ||
puNDarIkAkSha puNDarIkAkSha puNDarIkAkSha ||
prArthanA
shuklAmbaradharaM viShNuM shashivarNaM chaturbhujaM
prasannavadanaM dhyAyet sarva vighnopashAntaye ||
vakratuNDa mahAkAya koTisUryasamaprabha |
nirvighnaM kuru me deva sarvakAryeShu sarvadA ||
OM shrI mahAgaNAdhipataye namaH |
Achamya
OM keshavAya svAhA |
OM nArAyaNAya svAhA |
OM mAdhavAya svAhA |
OM govindAya namaH |
OM viShNave namaH |
OM madhusUdanAya namaH |
OM trivikramAya namaH |
OM vAmanAya namaH |
OM shrIdharAya namaH |
OM hRRiShIkeshAya namaH |
OM padmanAbhAya namaH |
OM dAmodarAya namaH |
OM sa~NkarShaNAya namaH |
OM vAsudevAya namaH |
OM pradyumnAya namaH |
OM aniruddhAya namaH |
OM puruShottamAya namaH |
OM adhokShajAya namaH |
OM nArasiMhAya namaH |
OM achyutAya namaH |
OM janArdanAya namaH |
OM upendrAya namaH |
OM haraye namaH |
OM shrI kRRiShNAya namaH |
pavitraM
OM pavitravantaH parivAjamAsate pitaiShAM pratno abhi rakShati vratam |
mahassamudraM varuNastiro dadhe dhIrA ichChekurdharuNeShvArabham ||
pavitraM te vitataM brahmaNaspate prabhurgAtrANi paryeShi vishvataH |
ataptatanUrna tadAmo ashnute shRRitAsa idvahantastatsamAshata ||
pavitraM dhRRitvA || [Wear Pavithram]
bhUtochChATanaM
uttiShThantu bhUtapishAchAH ete bhUmibhArakAH |
eteShAmavirodhena brahmakarma samArabhe ||
prANAyAmaM
OM bhUH | OM bhuvaH | OM suvaH | OM mahaH |
OM janaH | OM tapaH | OM satyam |
tatsaviturvareNyaM bhargo devasya dhImahi |
dhiyo yo naH prachodayAt |
omApo jyotI rasomRRitaM brahma bhUrbhuvassuvarom |
Perform anuloma-viloma prANAyAma three times.
sa~NkalpaM
shrI govinda govinda govinda | shrImahAviShNorAj~nayA pravartamAnasya adya brahmaNaH dvitIya parArthe shvetavarAha kalpe vaivasvata manvantare kaliyuge prathamapAde jambUdvIpe bhAratavarShe bharatakhaNDe meroH dakShiNa digbhAge shrIshailasya pradeshe , nadyoH madhye puNyapradeshe samasta devatA brAhmaNa AchArya hari hara guru charaNa sannidhau asmin vartamane vyAvaharika chAndramAnena shrI nAma saMvatsare ayane RRitau mAse pakShe tithau vAsare shrIviShNu nakShatre shrIviShNu yoge shrIviShNu karaNa evaM guNa visheShaNa vishiShTAyAM puNyatithau || prAchInAvItI || asmat pitRRInuddishya asmat pitRRINAM puNyalokAvAptyarthaM pitRRi tarpaNaM kariShye || savyam ||
namaskAraM
IshAnaH pitRRirUpeNa mahAdevo maheshvaraH |
prIyatAM bhagavAnIshaH paramAtmA sadAshivaH || 1
devatAbhyaH pitRRibhyashcha mahAyogibhya eva cha |
namassvAhAyai svadhAyai nityameva namo namaH || 2
mantramadhye kriyAmadhye viShNossmaraNa pUrvakam |
yatki~nchitkriyate karma tatkoTi guNitaM bhavet || 3
viShNurviShNurviShNuH ||
arghyapAtra
arghyapAtrayoH amIgandhAH |
puShpArthA ime akShatAH |
amI kushAH |
|| savyam || namaskRRitya |
OM Ayantu naH pitarassomyAsogniShvAttAH pathibhirdeva yAnaiH |
asmin yaj~ne svadhayA madaM tvadhi bRRivantu te avantva smAn ||
idaM pitRRibhyo namo astvadya ye pUrvAso ya uparAsa IyuH |
ye pArthive rajasyA niShattA ye vA nUnaM suvRRijanAsu vikShu ||
pitRRidevatAbhyo namaH |
OM AgachChantu me pitara imaM gRRihNantu jalA~njalim |
|| prAchInAvItI ||
sakalopachArArthe tilAn samarpayAmi |
pitrAdi tarpaNaM
|| prAchInAvItI ||
asmat pitaraM (gotraM) gotraM (nAma) sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat pitAmahaM gotraM sharmANaM rudrarUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat prapitAmahaM gotraM sharmANaM 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 sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtuH pitAmahaM gotraM sharmANaM rudrarUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtuH prapitAmahaM gotraM sharmANaM 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 sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat bhrAtaraM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat jyeShTha/kaniShTha pitRRivyaM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat mAtulaM gotraM sharmANaM 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 sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat bhagineyakaM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat pitRRiShvasAraM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat jyeShTha/kaniShTha mAtRRiShvasAraM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat jAmAtaraM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat bhAvukaM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat snuShAM gotraM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat shvashuraM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat shvashrUM gotrAM dAM vasurUpAM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat syAlakaM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat svAminaM/AchAryaM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat guruM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
asmat rikthinaM gotraM sharmANaM vasurUpaM svadhA namastarpayAmi tarpayAmi tarpayAmi |
pitRRidevatAbhyo namaH |
suprIto bhavatu |
kushodakaM
|| prAchInAvItI ||
eShAnnamAtA na pitA na bandhuH nAnya gotriNaH |
te sarve tRRiptimAyAntu mayotsRRiShTaiH kushodakaiH ||
tRRipyata tRRipyata tRRipyata tRRipyata tRRipyata |
niShpIDanodakaM
|| nivItI ||
yeke chAsmatkulejAtAH aputrAH gotriNo mRRitAH |
te gRRihNantu mayA dattaM vastraniShpIDanodakam |
samarpaNaM
|| savyam ||
kAyena vAchA manasaindriyairvA
buddhyAtmanA vA prakRRitessvabhAvAt |
karomi yadyatsakalaM parasmai
nArAyaNAyeti samarpayAmi ||
namo brahmaNyadevAya go brAhmaNa hitAya cha |
jagaddhitAya kRRiShNAya govindAya namo namaH ||
pavitraM visRRijya |
OM shAntiH shAntiH shAntiH |
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