By Rajendra Diwe :
“Mahalaya Parva has Navami tithi which is dedicated to pay homage to mothers. Matru Shodashi, the 16 hymns are important to recognise the journey of women during nine-month period from the first day of conception to the birth of child”
Pitru Paksha or Mahalaya Parva is a 15 lunar day’s period very important in Sanatan Vedic Dharma. During the period, people pay homage to their ancestors by offering food. In Maharashtra and in South India, the period starts from the full moon day of Bhadrapada (Proushthapadi Pournima, next day of Anant Chaturdashi) or a day after full moon day. According to North Indian calendar, the period falls in the lunar month of Ashwin beginning with the full moon day of Bhadrapada. Though the nomenclature of lunar months differs in North and South Indian calendar, the shraddha rituals are being performed in the same way. The last day of Pitru Paksha is known as Sarvapitri Amavasya or Mahalaya Amavasya. Each day in these 15-day period has been dedicated to particular relationships. The ninth day of Mahalaya period is known as Matru Navami.
This is the most suitable day to perform Shraddha of ‘mother’. It is believed that doing Shraddha on this tithi appeases all deceased female members in the family. According to Sanatana Dharma principles, “Shraddha and Tarpan are the two major rituals being performed during Mahalaya parva. Pururav-Aardrav and Dhurilochana are deities of ancestors’ souls. Shraddha is associated with Aditya, Vasu and Rudra and the hymns chanted during the Shraddha and the rites performed enables one to connect to these deities. The deceased person for whom the ritual of Shraddha is being performed, is considered as a follower of Vasu, his parents are considered as followers of Rudra and his grandparents are considered as followers of Aditya.
Therefore, during Shraddha, the names of father, grandfather and great grandfather (or mother, grandmother and great grandmother) are pronounced as representatives of Vasu-Rudra-Aditya respectively” Kamlesh Parekh, a retired bank employee and member of Gayatri Pariwar states, “Karmakand Pradeep, a researched document of Brahmavarchas of Shantikunj Haridwar has mentioned special rituals for the female members. There are 16 hymns dedicated to female members recited to offer 16 pindas to mother or female member in the family. All Hindus believe that by offering Pindas (balls made of food) to the departed souls, they get comfort and later solace. A person without both parents offers 64 pindas , out of them 16 are specially reserved for the mother.
These are offered by chanting sixteen Manthras called Matru Shodasi.” Hemant Bhende, an executive engineer and member of Gayatri Pariwar who is performing rituals of Matru Shodadhi states, “Children who performed Antim Sanskar of their mothers, should perform the rituals of Matru Shodashi in Mahalaya Parva. Ninth day of Mahalaya Parva is especially dedicated to mothers, thus, it is known as Matru Navami. In Maharashtra, the rituals are being performed on this day for the women who passed away as ‘Savashna’ or before their husbands. Matru Shodashi has 16 hymns to offer 16 pindas to female members of family.
These hymns are chanted to come out of the debt of Mother (Nishkraman). These hymns are dedicated to all the journey of life of women from the first day of conception of a baby in her womb. Mother carries a foetus in her womb; she walks on uneven ground, experience sufferings, therefore, to pay homage to her sufferings people offer pinda.” Gaurishankar Bisen, a retired scientist in Indian Bureau of Mines and member of Gayatri Pariwar says, “A Sanskrit word Nishkramana has no exact meaning in English. But it is a like to bring baby outside the house for the first time. Matru Shodashi is the 16 hymns which explain the presence of a person in the womb of a mother and the nine months period of her sufferings when she gives birth to a baby. These hymns explain how much untold sufferings a person had caused to his or her mother. This is the process of asking forgiveness to mother and pay gratitude to her for giving person a beautiful life.