Pitru Dosh: Causes and Remedies

Pitru Dosh is one among the important concepts in Indian Astrology. However, it is often mistaken as the curse of ancestors. But, that is not true. As they say, half knowledge is dangerous, it is important for you to have a detailed information about 'Pitru Dosh'. Ganesha explains:

A Pitra Dosh is not the curse of ancestors or forefathers. It is a Karmic Debt of the ancestors, and is to be paid by the person having Pitru Dosh in his horoscope. In simple words, a Pitru Dosh is formed in the horoscope of a person, when his/her forefathers have committed some mistakes, crimes or sins. So in return, this person is supposed to pay the Karmic debt by going through different punishments decided for those debts in different spheres of his life. He has to go through this until the debt is cleared either by taking the punishment or by doing good deeds.

Astrology has a perfect explanation to this problem. When, knowingly or unknowingly, our ancestors committed mistakes or sins, it is reflected in our horoscope as Pitru Dosh or Pitru Rina. Being their children, we are destined to suffer from the ill-effects. Because of the malefic effects of the inflicted planets, benefic planets also stop giving favourable results.

These Doshas are reflected in our Horoscope by certain planetary positions. The following are common planetary positions, which form various kinds of Pitru Doshas:

1	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.
2	Ketu is situated in the 4th House of horoscope- One receives the malefic effects of Planet Moon.
3	Mercury or Ketu or both are situated in 1st or 8th House in the horoscope- Mars gives inauspicious results to the native.
4	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.
5	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.
6	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 Venus becomes inauspicious and gives malefic effects to the native.
7	Sun, Moon or Mars or two out of these three or all these three are situated in 10th or 11thHouse in the horoscope- Saturn gives malefic effects as it becomes inauspicious due to the above placement.
8	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.
9	Moon or Mars is situated in 6th House in horoscope- Ketu gives bad results to the native.

Remedies:-

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 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.

Remedies for Rahu and Ketu
Tuesday is considered as the day for Ketu.
Friday and Saturday are considered as the days for Rahu.

Prefer propitiatory charities for crows, street dogs & sweepers respectively. Crows in mythological literature represent forefathers. Ketu represents spiritual people.

PITRA DOSH REMEDIES:

Remedies for the Sun & the Moon.
Mother/Father/King in mythological literature represent the Sun & the Moon, when afflicted/ill placed in the natal chart, are believed to be attributed to the wrong deeds done to parents. The preferred propitiatory charities are recommended. For the sun & the moon- feed cow/ox.

Remedies for Mars
The preferred propitiatory charities are recommended for the servants, younger brothers, etc. Close affliction of Mars is believed to be attributed to the wrong deeds done to servants.

Remedies for Venus
The preferred propitiatory charities are recommended for the needy/poor women, wife, etc. Close affliction/ill placement of Venus in the natal chart is believed to be attributed to ill-treating females or one's wife in previous lives.

Remedies for Saturn
The preferred propitiatory charities/services are recommended for the poor people. The close affliction, ill placement of Saturn in the natal chart is believed to be attributed to the wrong deeds to servants or poor people in one's previous lives.

Remedies for Jupiter
The preferred propitiatory charities/services are recommended for Jupiter (Guru), learned people and husband. The close affliction of Jupiter in the natal chart is believed to be attributed to wrong deeds done to learned people, one's guru and one's husband in the case of females in the previous lives.