Pitra Dosh is not the curse of our ancestors or forefathers. It is a Karmic Debt of the ancestors which needs to be paid by the person affiliated with Pitru Dosh in the natives’ horoscope. In simple words, a Pitru Dosh is formed in the horoscope of a person, when his/her forefathers have committed any mistakes, crimes or sins in their life journey. So in return, the person is deemed to pay the Karmic debt by experiencing different punishments decided for those debts in different spheres of life.
When, knowingly or unknowingly, our ancestors committed mistakes or sins in their lives, it is all reflected in our horoscope as Pitru Dosh or Pitru Rina. Being their children, we are destined to suffer from those ill-effects. Moreover, because of the malefic effects of the inflicted planets, benefic planets also stop giving favorable results.
These Doshas are reflected in our Horoscope when planets attain certain positions in a horoscope.
The Strongest Pitra dosha is formed when Sun and Rahu get associated with the 9th house in the horoscope. This can happen through conjunction or aspect of both planets.
The following are the common planetary positions, which form various kinds of Pitru Doshas:
- When Venus, Saturn and Rahu or two of these three are situated in the 5th House of horoscope- The Sun becomes malefic and shows its ill effects on the native.
- If Ketu is situated in the 4th House of horoscope. One receives the malefic effects of Planet Moon.
- If Mercury or Ketu or both are situated in 1st or 8th House in the horoscope- Mars gives inauspicious results to the native.
- If Moon is situated in the 3rd or 6th House of the horoscope of the native- The native suffers from the malefic effects of planet Mercury.
- When Venus, Mercury or Rahu, any two of these three or all the three planets are situated in 2nd or 5th or 9th or 12th House of the horoscope of the native- The planet Jupiter gives inauspicious results.
- If Sun or Moon or Rahu or any two out of these three or all these three planets are situated in the 7th House of the horoscope- The planet of Venus becomes inauspicious and gives malefic effects to the native.
- When Sun, Moon or Mars or two out of these three or all these three are situated in 10th or 11th House in the horoscope- Saturn gives malefic effects as it becomes inauspicious due to the above placement.
- When Sun or Venus or both are situated in 12th House in the horoscope- Rahu gives bad results to the native as it is rendered inauspicious due to this planetary position.
- If Moon or Mars is situated in 6th House in a horoscope- Ketu gives bad results to the native.
Remedies of Pitra Dosh
Whenever Pitru Dosh is found in the native’s birth chart, besides regular remedies, one should offer food to crows, street dogs, and sweepers during ‘Shradhas’ (the lunar paksha dedicated to the forefathers).
In Vedic Astrology, offerings for Rahu and Ketu are given to alleviate the Pitru Dosh – if the curses of forefathers are found in the natal chart in the form of close afflictions of Rahu and Ketu/or aspects on functional benefics/or continuance of malefic planets Dasha periods. Services to parents, elderly and needy people, sweeper and poor people is recommended.
As far as remedies for Rahu and Ketu are concerned, Tuesday is considered as the day for Ketu. Friday and Saturday are considered as the days for Rahu. So, prefer propitiatory charities for crows, street dogs & sweepers respectively on these days. Crows in mythological literature represent forefathers whereas Ketu represents spiritual people.
- The native should feed the Brahmins. Donate money and red clothes to them and perform Pitru Tarpan on a Sunday of Sankranti or Amavasya.
- As a remedy for this dosh, the native should arrange for Pitra Dosh Nivaran puja which comprises Tripindi Shradh and Pitra Visarjan.
- The natives should perform the rituals of Shradh with utmost sincerity and faith to remember and pay respect to their forefathers.
- Natives should offer water to his pitras for 15 days during the shradh or on the tithi of their death.
- Apart from this, offering water to Banyan tree and lord Shiva daily further minimizes the negative effects of Pitra Dosh in the Kundli.
