Sanatana Dharma - Aka Hinduism (2nd Bin)

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There is a belief among many of us that the crows represent our Pitrudevatas and during Shraddha Karma, when we do Pinda Pradhanam. We wait till the crow touches the Vikiram or Pindams and be satisfied if it does so.



Yogi Vemana also questioned the human mis-understanding about our belief that the Crows represent pitrudevatas, in one of his poems, in his Satakam. "Piyya Tinedi Kaki Pitarundetlayyaraa! " (How a Crow which eats the shit, became the Forefather? Yogi Vemana Questions, thus)



Here it is how one of the Rishis from Himalayas analyses.



His Analysis:



There are some creatures in this Universe with extra sensual organisms built in by the Lord. Some of them, we usually found are Crows, cats, Jackals, (There are many). These extra sensual organisams help to recognise presence of souls.



So, when we offer food (Pindas) to our Pitru Devatas during the Sharadda Karma and invite them with relevant Mantras, they immediately come and start taking the essence of food in its usable form for them and go away after blessing the Karta of the Shraddha.



So long as the Pitrudevatas are present, no crow or for that matter no animal come nearer to the Pindam (Food). The moment the Pitrudevatas go away to their respective Lokas, then, I repeat, and then only the Crow come and take the remains of the food which is visible to us. Since the crow can feel the presence of Pitrudevatas, it will not come near to the Pindam. Therefore, it is wrong to call crows represent our Pitrudevatas or call crows as our Pitrudevatas. The Pitrudevatas do not take the form of a crow. Never. They come as is designated,designed and dignified manner by the Almighty as per their Poorva Karmas, in invisible form. That invisible form thought not visible to crows, but they feel the presence of them around the Pindams.



Sometimes, no crow comes near to the Pindams (Food). Here, it is a popular Bhakti belief that Pitrudevatas are not satisfied as the crows did not touch the food (Pindams). Here the point is whenever a wish has to be fulfilled by Kartas, the pitrudevatas, want a promise from the Karta, that he would fulfill that particular wish to the satisfaction of Pitrudevatas, and when the Karta does that, the Pitrudevatas leave the place, leaving the remains to the birds, most popularly the Crow.



This is exactly what happens during Pitru Karmas. So, let us not be under the wrong belief that crows are our Pitrudevatas. , and they represent our Pitrudevatas. The crows come there to eat the remains, then we can feel that the Pitrudevatas left to their abode, after blessing us satisfied. So, the crow coming is only indication that Pitrudevatas have left. Since the crows have the capacity to feel the presence of souls, due to some power given by Lord, the Almighty.

And Yogi Vemana knows all this and that's why he warns us to see the truth.