Introduction to Pitra Karma...

My late vedic astrology Guru T.N. Sarma, in his uncountable astrological teachings alway used to lay great emphasis about Pitra Karma: giving acknowledging to past ancestral spirits and their contributions. He said Brahma was to worshipped during Pitra Paksha to seek the blessings of the past ancestors. He said that according to our own past Karmas our own horsocopes were formed. And certain planetary combinations were directly indicative of Pitra Dosh/ pitra karma... pending past life Karmic debts. Which were to be resolved in our current incarnation. I begin this blog with Tribute and Homage to my Late Guru, Tirtha Nath Sarma. 

Since years I had been exploring deep into the roots of various lifetime issues. But after Naadi readings in Kerala and astrologer Savita Jain's revelation of Pitra Dosh in my horoscope in form of Saturn + Ketu in my 9th house, did a lot of things become clear for me. My perennial vexations of years had their roots in Pitra Karma: pending debts from past lives and dues owed to past ancestors.
WHAT's Pitra Karma/ Pitra Dosha??
Pitras are our own departed ancestors who have been thrown into pretha yoni or any other lokas because of pending karmas. They YEARN to get mukti from that uncomfortable state through the karma of their successors/ descendants. Thus Pitras are considered to be more important to a person than any other devathaas, Gods, planets. ESPECIALLY for those with Pitra Karma. They are considered equal to Gods. As WE ourselves have come into existence SOLELY because of our ancestors. If the pitras are satisfied and happy with us, they can bring joy, prosperity and a clear path to success. However pending Pitra Karma is one of the biggest obstacle on the path to siddhi/ illumination. Material Success is completely not possible if one has Pitra Dosh, pending Pitra Karma...

How To Recognize it in a Birthchart/ Kundali :

9th house in a horoscope is called house of dharma, father. When 9th house is under influence of malefic planets, this shows the indication of Pitra Karma. It also indicates lack of fulfillment of paternal desire. When 9th house, 9th lord, 9th house from the moon or the lord of 9th from the moon is under influence of malefic planets especially Rahu and Ketu, this indicates Pitra Dosh. Such natives are affected by disruption of education, employment, progress, happiness etc. Those who are physically and mentally handicapped have such affliction. MOREOVER if Jupiter is Debilitated/ Retrograde/ under influence of malefics it also indicates Pitra Dosha. As Jupiter is symbolic of placement of Brihaspati/ Brahma/ Pitra in ones chart.

Generally Pitras are defined as ancestors from our current and previous lifetimes. But Pitras are also synonymous with Lord Brahma, the universal Father/ Godhead. I realised that Pitras/ Brahma/ Brihaspati is different names of one Singular Deity. This knowledge came through a chapter "Brihaspati: The Power of the Soul" in the book 'The Secret Of The Veda' by Sri Aurobindo. In this chapter, he decodes the true nature of Brahma/ Brihaspati. He says in the original Vedic conception, Brihaspati, Brahmanspati, Brahma were three different names of the SAME vedic deity. One single god, to whom Rishi Vamadeva addresses his mystic hymns of praise. It's only later, in the Puranic theologies, that Brihaspati and Brahma have become SEPARATE  deities. Brahma is now the Creator, one of the Puranic trinity. And Brihaspati, has become the spiritual Guru/ teacher of the Gods. And the guardian/ reprsentative of the planet Jupiter!
And Brahmanspati, the middle term linking the two, has disappeared.
To Understand the TRUE nature of Brahma/ Brihaspati/ Pitras, we have to Re-Unite what has been disjoined. We have to CORRECT the value of the two separate terms Brahma and Brihaspati in light of the Original vedic conception. My Late guru, astrologer T.N. sarma used to say that only Brihaspati/ Brahma could be worshipped during Pitra Paksha. This defines synonimity of Brahma/ Pitras/ Brihaspati as one deity!

Facts I unravelled about the original Vedic Brihaspati:
1. The original existence out of which all creation is made is sailam, water. This watery subconscient existence is obscure, unstable, fluid, indeterminant. The first need of Creation is to make a stable formation out of this flux. Brihaspati is he, who out of this wayward flux, creates a Stable/ physical manifestation of the world. He does this by firmly establishing  the limits and definitions of Earth/ material reality. Brihaspati does this by applying great force. By imposing a mighty constraint, constriction on the flux/ flow of the subconscient.
2. The energy flow from the 2nd Chakra to the 1st chakra is depictive of this process. The 2nd chakra Swadhistana, is ruled by Vishnu/ Varuna, symbolised by the watery realms of the subconscient. Its ruling animal is Makara, a crocodile like creature inhabiting the watery/ fluid/ indeterminate subconscient realms. However the 1st Chakra, Muladhara, is ruled by Brahma and symbol is a elephant of massive strength, who creates Stability/ formation from thw watery/ flux realms of the  2nd Chakra. By using a great force, constraint. By setting limits, contraction to material reality.

Hence Brahma/ Pitras/ Brihaspati rules the Muladhar/ ROOT chakra, the sources of our Karmic/ Cosmic lineage!! And it is  He, who creates stability / ORDER out of Chaos!