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Chapter 1. Observing the Armies on the Battlefield of Kuruksetra TEXT 41 sankaro narakayaiva
SYNONYMS  sankarah--such
unwanted children; narakaya--for hellish life; eva--certainly;
kula-ghnanam--of
those who are killers of the family; kulasya--of the family; ca--also;
patanti--fall down; pitarah--forefathers;
hi--certainly;
esam--of them; lupta--stopped; pinda--offerings;
udaka--water;
kriyah--performances.
TRANSLATION When there
is increase of unwanted population, a hellish situation is created both
for the family and for those who destroy the family tradition. In such
corrupt families, there is no offering of oblations of food and water to
the ancestors.
PURPORT According to
the rules and regulations of fruitive activities, there is a need to offer
periodical food and water to the forefathers of the family. This offering
is performed by worship of Visnu, because eating the remnants of food offered
to Visnu can deliver one from all kinds of sinful actions. Sometimes the
forefathers may be suffering from various types of sinful reactions, and
sometimes some of them cannot even acquire a gross material body and are
forced to remain in subtle bodies as ghosts. Thus, when remnants of prasadam
food are offered to forefathers by descendants, the forefathers are released
from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life. Such help rendered to forefathers
is a family tradition, and those who are not in devotional life are required
to perform such rituals. One who is engaged in the devotional life is not
required to perform such actions. Simply by performing devotional service,
one can deliver hundreds and thousands of forefathers from all kinds of
misery. It is stated in the Bhagavatam:
devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnam
"Anyone who
has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of liberation,
giving up all kinds of obligation, and has taken to the path in all seriousness,
owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living
entities, family members, humankind or forefathers." (Bhag. 11.5.41)
Such obligations are automatically fulfilled by performance of devotional
service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
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