TEXT 41sankaro narakayaivakula-ghnanam kulasya capatanti pitaro hy esamlupta-pindodaka-kriyahSYNONYMSsankarah--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.TRANSLATIONWhen there is increase of unwanted population, a hellish situation is created both for the family and for those who destroy the familytradition. In such corrupt families, there is no offering of oblations of food and water to the ancestors.PURPORTAccording to the rules and regulations of fruitive activities, there is a need to offer periodical food and water to the forefathers of thefamily. This offering is performed by worship of Visnu, because eating the remnants of food offered to Visnu can deliver one from all kinds ofsinful actions. Sometimes the forefathers may be suffering from various types of sinful reactions, and sometimes some of them cannot evenacquire a gross material body and are forced to remain in subtle bodies as ghosts. Thus, when remnants of prasadam food are offered toforefathers by descendants, the forefathers are released from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life. Such help rendered to forefathers isa family tradition, and those who are not in devotional life are required to perform such rituals. One who is engaged in the devotionallife is not required to perform such actions. Simply by performing devotional service, one can deliver hundreds and thousands offorefathers from all kinds of misery.It is stated in the Bhagavatam (11.5.41):devarsi-bhutapta-nrnam pitrnamna kinkaro nayam rni ca rajansarvatmana yah saranam saranyamgato mukundam parihrtya kartam"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 thepath in all seriousness, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, humankind orforefathers." Such obligations are automatically fulfilled by performance of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.Source:Bhagavad Gita As It Is by HDG. A.C. BhaktiVedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada
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