Pitra Dosha

Pitra Dosha or Pitru Dosha means ancestral affliction resulting from souls of departed ancestors stuck in various realms waiting for salvation(moksha). They can be stuck without rebirth or unrest for several reasons like curses, sins, or mistakes committed during their lifetime. This state of the ancestral beings in a lineage reflects as Pitra Dosha in the horoscope of an individual. Vedic astrology has always observed this dosha as an opportunity to liberate those souls, settle the karmic debt, and set the cosmic cycle in action.

Pitra Dosha

Given below Birth Details for the following input:

  • Date Friday, April 26, 2024
  • Time 10:58:00 PM
  • Columbus, Ohio, United States of America

The person is affected by Pitru Dosha. (9th House Lord with Pathagathipathi)

Pitra Dosha Calculator

Fill in your birth details and check out if you have the Pitra Dosha or Pitru Dosha. The free online report will tell you whether you have Pitra Dosha or Not.

Table of Contents
Given below Birth Details for the following input:
Pitra Dosha Calculator
Pitra Dosh Meaning
What causes Pitra Dosha?
Pitra Dosha Symptoms or Effects
How to Check Pitru Dosha in Kundali
14 types of Pitra dosh 
Pitra Dosh Remedies (Nivarana)
Mantra to Remove Pitra Dosh - Nivaran mantra
Frequently Asked Questions on Pitra Dosha

Pitra Dosh Meaning

Pitra in Sanskrit means forefathers or ancestors. According to Brahma Purana, during Amavasya or on a particular Tithi, Lord Yamaraj allows the souls to descend on the earth plane for Shraad or Tarpanam ritual when a soul leaves the physical body to assimilate divine energy from this process. When we do not perform Tarpanam rituals, we deprive them of this soul energy progress and an empty return to the pitruloka. This anger or disappointment reflects as a Dosha. It is also believed that these departed souls feel immense thirst and hunger on these Amavasya days or their departed tithi days and can only accept offerings from their family during Shraadh rituals.

What causes Pitra Dosha?

When our ancestors have inflicted trouble or pain on someone or committed a sin during their lifetime, it finds expression as pitru dosha in our natal chart. The list of sins or wrongdoings includes,

  • Missing out on Tarpanam and other ancestral rituals. This brings a curse from the suffering departed souls on their own family/lineage
  • A curse from outsiders or unknown people who were hurt, abused, or affected by their dead ancestors. Also, curses from animals, birds, and trees that ancestors hurt.
  • Desertion of aged parents and elderly from the family, abandoning them to fend for themselves, can curse the whole family.
  • Abortions after 48 days of pregnancy or non-adherence to tarpanam (mahalaya Amavasya rituals) for a stillborn infant. Since the soul embeds into the womb around the 7th month of pregnancy, stillborn infants should also be considered departed souls.
  • Stealing wealth, assets, or something that is not lawfully ours or forcefully pillaging and deceiving others unethical or sinful manner.
  • Accumulation of wealth by misuse of authority and powers granted to them
  • False accusations, deliberately spreading rumors and speaking ill of someone with the wrong intention.

Pitra Dosha Symptoms or Effects

  • Pitru dosha can delay marriage and cause chaos in love life, leading to traumatic break ups; it can cause scuttle in smooth conjugal relations. Failed marriages and painful episodes in marital life are the most common signs of this dosha.
  • The number of bachelors or spinsters will characterize the family with Pitra dosha. There will be eligible bachelors in the family who do not want to get married despite many suitable matrimonial matches.
  • Undiagnosed medical challenges in progeny, multiple miscarriages, and unknown causes that forbid conceiving.
  • There will be no male child born in the family for many generations or no child in the family.
  • Birth of differently-abled children with genetic disorders like Down syndrome, PWS syndrome, or Williams Syndrome, physically challenged children could reflect Pitra Dosha.
  • Sudden accidents and unnatural death of infants, children, or men in the family
  • Theft, fire accidents, and other financial losses may result from this dosha.
  • Natives may often suffer financial debts despite their productive efforts in careers or businesses. Due to the ill effects of Pitra Dosh, the family might lack financial growth and always face unplanned expenses and inadequacy
  • Lack of interest in seeking a job, continuing family business, or pursuing higher education even though they are highly capable and qualified to do so.
  • Frequent dreams of elderly ancestors or a dead family member pleading for food or asking for clothes. Also, disturbing dreams of dead family members dying again.

How to Check Pitru Dosha in Kundali

Pitru Dosha is formed in a person’s kundali when their ancestors have committed some sin or mistakes. For those sins, the native is often held accountable to repay for the sins of their forefathers by going through many hardships. It can be identified from a native’s natal chart from certain planetary positions. These combinations form different types of Pitru Dosham or Pitra Dosh or Death Dosha in Kundali. Fifth and ninth houses play a major role in determining Pitra dosh in a horoscope chart. A Kundli is considered to be affected by Pitra dosh if any of the below-mentioned planetary alignments are seen,

  • The presence of the Sun, along with Rahu or Saturn or Ketu or Mandhi, indicates Pitru dosha.
  • 5th house: Presence of malefic or debilitated planets in 5th house. When the 5th house lord is debilitated or placed in a malefic house, along with malefic planets, when the 5th house lord is weak in the Navamsa chart, if the 5th house is occupied by Ketu and is not aspected by benefic planets, the native might suffer many miscarriages.
  • 9th house- Rahu in the 9th house. 9th house lord with Rahu, Saturn, Sun, mandhi, or Pathagathipathi.Pathagathipathi: Sun with Pathagathipathi or 9th house lord and         Pathagathipathi or 9th house lord with Pathagathipathi and Saturn.
    Note: Pathagathipathi (or badhaka adipathi)is the planet that brings harm (or obstructions) to the native.
    To find out the pathagapathi,
    For Sagittarius, Pisces, Gemini, and Virgo ascendants, Pathagapathi is the Seventh Lord.
    For Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn ascendants, the pathagathipathi is the 11th Lord.
    For Taurus, Leo, Scorpio, and Aquarius, the pathagathipathi is the 9th lord.
  • Planet Moon, along with Rahu-Ketu or Saturn in the eighth house, results in serious Pretha Badhaka.
  • Lord of the eighth house in ascendant or ascendant Lord in the eighth house is also considered to form a lethal degree of pitru dosha.
  • Planetary Conjunctions
    Planet Sun’s conjunction with malefic planets like Rahu, Ketu, or Saturn due to curses in the paternal side.
    Planet Moon’s conjunction with malefic planets like Rahu, Ketu, or Saturn due to curses in the maternal side.
    Planet Mar’s conjunction with malefic Rahu or Ketu is due to curses through siblings, especially brothers.
    The conjunction of Jupiter with Rahu or Ketu due to curses from Gurus or Sages.
    Planet Venus in conjunction with malefic Rahu or Ketu due to curses from Vedic scholars, Brahmans. 

Unique Signs of Pitru Dosha

  • Frequent dreams of elderly ancestors or a dead family member pleading for food or asking for clothes. Also, disturbing dreams of dead family members dying again.
  • Last-minute obstacles and constant delays inauspicious events.

14 types of Pitra dosh 

In Vedas, there are 14 types of pitra dosh based on the strength and degree of the malefic planets forming the dosha in the kundli. However, as per scholars and astrology experts, there are 3 types of Pitra dosh based on their impact.

  • Mild Impact: Sun, when placed in an enemy’s sign or houses of malefic planets, forms a mild impact of pitra dosh.
  • Intermediate impact: if Sun is aspected by Rahu/Ketu/ Saturn /Mars, then the pitra dosh impact will be of the second degree, leaving moderate results.
  • Heavy impact: When Sun is placed along with Rahu/Ketu/ Saturn /Mars in the signs in the order Virgo/Pisces/ Capricorn & Aquarius/ Scorpio, it forms the most impactful pitra dosh. This is often said to have traumatic effects on the native.

Pitra Dosh Remedies (Nivarana)

There are simple remedies suggested in the Holy Vedas to reduce the effects of pitra dosh. These nivarana and rituals may offer some progress; however, it is imperative to consult a Vedic astrologer for a complete personalized parihara.

  • Performing worship rituals at certain powerful sthalas can mitigate the adverse effects of Pitru dosha. pujas to perform are Narayan Bali puja, Narayan Naga bali puja and Tripindi Pitra dosha puja.
  • Performing Tarpanam, Pinda Dhaan, and other ancestral offerings on Amavasya tithis. Feed Brahmins on Amavasya tithi after offering shradh to your ancestors. Also, help the poor and needy on this tithi in your own capacity.
  • Reciting Gayathri Mantra, Aditya Hrudayam, performing Surya Namaskar asana, and lighting lamps for Sun God on Sundays can pacify the Sun planet, the crucial planet in this dosha.
  • Performing homa rituals like Ravi Graha Shanti or Shani Graha Shanti, or Navagraha Shanthi.
  • Unconditional, selfless service to parents, elders, and aged people in the community.
  • Donating food and clothes to the needy and sponsoring orphans can also mitigate pitru dosha effects
  • Practicing forgiveness, accepting and apologizing when wrong
  • Feeding birds like crows, parrots, and animals like cows and dogs, or simply being inclusive of the environment around us, can greatly reduce dosha effects. Empathizing with all living beings can elevate our ancestors’ state in other realms.
  • Watering and worshipping Peepal & Banyan trees regularly or at least on Somvati Amavasya will mitigate Pitru Dosha. Planting tree saplings and conserving greenery also bring great improvement in the dosha effects

Pitru Dosha Remedies For Marriage 

Presence of Pitru Dosha in one’s kundli may pose some inevitable hardships, especially in marital life. The most common effect of pitru dosha is delayed marriage or constant breakups in love life.

  • Perform Rudra Abhishek for Lord Shiva on Mondays.
  • Do not indulge in unnecessary fights or behave rashly with elders.
  • Never hurt animals or other living beings. Feed crows and fishes with tiny balls of cooked rice every Sunday.

Best Places For Pitra Dosh Puja 

There are most sought-after powerful sthalas or temples where Pitra dosh pujas offer grand benefits; pujas like Narayan Bali puja, Narayan Naga bali puja, and Tripindi pitra dosha poojas are best performed in

  • Gokarna- Karnataka
  • Rameshwaram- Tamilnadu
  • Gaya, Bihar
  • Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh
  • Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh
  • Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh
  • Haridwar, Uttarakhand
  • Brahma Kapal, Badrinath
  • Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh
  • Mathura, Uttar Pradesh
  • Jagannath Puri, Odisha
  • Dwarka, Gujrat
  • Pushkar, Rajasthan
  • Kurukshetra, Haryana
  • Avantika, Shakti Peeth Tirth ,Siddhpur

Pitra dosh in Female

Pitra Dosh in female affects their own family first; their parental figures and siblings might go through some challenges. Pitru Dosh in female inflicts a sense of haplessness and loneliness in them. Auspicious events might be delayed for them. Post marriage, this dosha can affect progeny or have malicious effect on their children. There could be no male children for them. They tend to have strained relationships with their extended family. Their children may feel less cared for or deserted by their mother. This is also one of the reasons why Pitru dosha plays a major role in kundli matching for marriage. Negative impacts of Pitra Dosha in both male and female have similar infliction on children/progeny.

Mantra to Remove Pitra Dosh - Nivaran mantra

  • Om Pitrabhyah devatabhyah mahayogibhyech cha, Namah sawaha swadhyaye cha nityamev namah! 
  • Om Shreem Sarva Pitra Dosha Nivaranay klesham Han Han Sukh Shantim Dehi Phat Swaha! 
  • Om Sarv Pitru Devataabhyo Namah! 
  • We can also chant a simple universal mantra - "Om Namo Bhagawate Vasudevayah!"
  • Kalabhairava Stotram and Nirvana Shatakam are also suggested by Vedic astrologers to clear pitra dosha

Frequently Asked Questions on Pitra Dosha

What is Pitra dosh?

Pitra Dosh is the karmic debt of the ancestors.

Is Pitra Dosh real?

Yes. It is real. It can be identified through kundali.

How to get rid of Pitra dosh?

Perform Pitru Tarpan on Sundays or Amavasya tithis and donate generously to get rid of Pitra Dosh.

Where is Pitra dosh puja done?

It can be done in many powerful temples across India like Rameshwaram, Gaya, Varanasi etc.

Why does Pitra Dosha happen?

When pitrus or ancestors are stuck without rebirth or unrest due to sins or mistakes during their lifetime. This reflects as Pitra Dosha

How to check Pitra Dosha in Kundali?

Pitra Dosha is reflected in the Kundali in a form of malefic planetary combinations between Sun, Rahu/Saturn/Ketu/Mars and the native is often held responsible for the payback for their ancestors’ wrongdoings. Use our free pitra dosha calculator or Death dosha calculator to check if you have Pitra Dosha or Not?

How to remove pitra dosh?

To remove Pitra Dosh, we can perform pujas like, Narayan Bali puja, Narayan Naga bali puja, Tripindi Shradh and Pitra Visarjan.

What are the remedies for overcoming pitra dosh?

Pitra dosh nivarana remedies are to offer pind dhaan to ancestors regularly and water banyan trees on Sundays.