Sage Ruchi’s Pitru Stuti Stotram
Let us explore ‘Pitru Stuti Stotram’ to glorify the excellence of ‘pitrues’ in this article.
Pitru devatas
Per the belief of the Hindus, the spirits of the departed forefathers, with utmost reverence, are called ‘Pitru devatas’ or ‘Pitrues’. After the death of an individual, his funeral rites are performed so that the spirit of that individual finds entry into ‘Pitruloka’, the heavenly abode of one’s departed forefathers.
In Pitruloka, the spirits of persons of one’s great grandfather’s generation will take the form of ‘Adityas’, while the spirits of persons of one’s grandfather’s generation will take the form of ‘Rudras’ and the spirits of persons belonging to their father’s generation will take the form of ‘Vasus’.
The ‘Pitru Devatas’ is different from ‘pitrues’.
3 Pitrupatis
The three ‘Pitrupatis’ are Lord Yama, Lord Sri Chandra and Kavyavaha.
7 Pitruganas
The seven ‘Pitruganas’ are Agnishvatas, Somashadas, Barhishadas, Somapas, Havirbhujas, Ajyaparas and Sukalas.
31 Chirapitrus
The thirty one ‘Chirapitrus’ are Visva, Visvabhuk, Aradhya, Dhan’ya, Dharma, Sanatana, Bhutida, Bhutikrt, Bhuti, Vara, Varenya, Varada, Tustida, Pustida, Visvapata, Dhata, Kalyana, Kalyatankarta, Kalya, Kalyatarasraya, Kalyatahetu, Anagha, Mahah, Mahamahah, Mahatejah, Matiman, Phalaprada, Sukhada, Dhanada, Dharmada and Bhutida.
They are collectively called ‘Pitru Devatas’.
Lord Vishnu Appointed Pitru Devatas
Lord Vishnu appointed them to assist ‘pitrues’ during ‘Sraaddha Karma’ and help to hand over the essence of ‘Pinda pradhana’ and ‘Tila tarpanam’ offered by the descendants of the concerned ‘pitrues.’ Owing to this ‘karma,’ ‘pitrues’ get nourishment and they resume their journey with enhanced energy towards ‘Urdhwa lokas’ (upper worlds), with fulfilled desires. Pleased by this ‘sraaddha karma,’ the ‘Pitrues’ in turn abundantly grant health, happiness, prosperity, and progeny to their beloved descendants.
Performing ‘Sraaddha karma’ is made a prime component of every individual’s ‘dharma’. The Vakya (sentence) – 2 in Chapter – 11 of ‘Taittiriya Upanishad’ invokes that “Deva pitru kaaryaabhyaam na pramaditavyam.” This means that one should never make a mistake or neglect ‘deva’ as well as ‘pitru’ rituals.
Sage Ruchi
Sage Ruchi who lived during Treta Yuga, was once visited by his ‘pitrues.’ They advised him to get married and beget a son so that their souls would get liberation. The sage readily accepted the advice of his ‘Pitrues’. At the very first sight of his ‘Pitrues’, the sage offered prostrations, spontaneously composed ‘Pitru Stuti Stotram’, and recited it with reverence as a mark of great honor to them.
As advised by his ‘Pitrues,’ the sage married ‘Malini’ the daughter of ‘Pushkar,’ (the son of Varuma), and had a son by the name ‘Rouchya’ who through penance became the resident of ‘Brahmaloka’ and consequently all the ‘pitrues’ of the sage got liberation.
Sri Ruchi’s ‘Pitru Stuti Stotram’ is incorporated in ‘Garuda Purana’, which is prominent among eighteen ‘Mahapuranas’.
- The first part of this Purana called ‘Achara Kaanda’ contains a dialogue between Lord Vishnu and Garuda.
- The second part of this Purana known as ‘Karma Kaanda’ depicts the fate of the soul after the death of an individual.
Pitru Stuti Stotram
‘O! Pitrues! Please accept my salutations to You because You are beyond physical touch (without material existence), endowed with divine splendor, greatly worshipped and meditated upon by all with much adoration, and for possessing divine vision with which You at all times grace me with looks of benevolence.
Lord Indra, His lieutenants, Daksha, Maricha, Sapta rishis and all others at all times offer You adorations with much reverence to get their wishes fulfilled. O! Pitrues! You are worshipped by Manus and kings under his jurisdiction, Lord Surya and Lord Chandra. I please You with offerings by performing ‘shraaddha karmas’ regularly on the banks of the seas or the rivers.
I with folded hands, offer my salutations to the ‘pitrues’ who are always worshipped and meditated upon by the stars, the planets, the air, the fire, the sky and the earth. I with folded hands offer my prayers to my ‘pitrues’, whom I see in the form of Kashyapa Prajapati, Soma, Varuna, and Yogeswara.
I offer my salutations to all my ‘pitrues’ of the past seven generations who reside in seven different ‘Oordhwa Lokas’ (the Upper Worlds), which can only be realized by ‘Swayambhu’ Lord Brahma through His divine yogic powers.
I with reverence offer my ‘pranamams’ to the ‘pitrues’
- who are established by the ‘Soma’ (the Moon) and
- who are the embodiment of ‘Yoga Moorty’ (the yogic form).
- I also bow to ‘Soma’ who is ‘Jagat Pita’, the Father of the Universe.
- My prostrations to other ‘pitrues’ who took the form of ‘Agni’ (Fire), highly radiant, and
- also who took the form of ‘Soma’ (the Moon) were so cool.
Consequently, the entire world was pervaded by Agni and Soma and nothing else could be perceived.
I adore those ‘pitrues’ who are the embodiment of radiance, who appear in the form of Lord Surya, Lord Chandra, and Lord Agni also who assume the form of the universe and also the form of Lord Brahma. My salutations to all those ‘yogis’ (the pitrues). I again and again offer my prayers to them with a meditative mind. May my ‘pitrues’ be propitious to me!
The ‘Pitru Stuti Stotram’ is an effective and powerful ‘stotram’ to get relief from ‘pitru dosha’ and to please one’s ‘pitrues’. One who recites this divine ‘stotram’ every day will be sumptuously bestowed with happiness, prosperity, and progeny.
