SRADDHA CEREMONY — What follows is a series of quotes from Prabhupada’s books wherein he explains the importance of devotees or anyone, for that matter , to perform the annual sraddha ceremony for departed relatives. The underlying principle he seems to make in most if not all of the statements, is that if one is FULLY SURRENDERED to Krsna,then these lesser dharmas are not necessary. The pivotal point in these quotes is that one be already fully surrendered in order for him/her not to be required to perform the sraddha ceremony.

Letter to Russian "…..So, this sraddha ceremony is not required for a devotee fully surrendered to the lotus feet of Krsna….and one who has taken shelter of Krsna, he has
no other duty."

Conversation between Maitreya and Vidura "… The devotee of the lord, or one who is in Krsna Consciousness, however does not need to perform such ritualistic ceremonies as sraddha because he is always pleasing the Supreme Lord"

Observing the Armies on the battlefield of Kuruksetra "According to the rules and regulations of fruitive activities, there is a need of offer periodical food and water to the forefathers of the family.THis offering is performed by worship of Visnu, , because eating the remnants of food offered to Visnu can deliver one from all kinds of sinful actions……thus when remnants of prasadam food are offered to forefathers by descendants, the forefathers are released from ghostly or other kinds of miserable life.
Such help rendered to forefathers is a family tradition, and those who are not in
devotional life are required to perform such rituals. One who is engaged in the devotional service is not required to perform such actions……."anyone who has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Mukunda, the giver of liberation, giving up all kinds of obligations,and has
takenTO THE PATH IN ALL SERIOUSNESS, owes neither duties nor obligations to the demigods, sages, general living entities, family members, humankind or forefathers."

SB 4.18.18 "…..It is the duty of family members, especially the son, to offfer oblations
to the demigod Aryama or to Lord Visnu. From time immemorial, In India the son of a dead man goes to Gaya and, at a Visnu temple there, offers oblations for the benefit of his ghostly father. It is not that everyones father becomes a ghost, but the oblations of pinda are offered to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu so that if a family member happens to become a ghost, he will be favored with a gross body.

SB 4.27.8 " ..The offering of oblations in the name of Lord Visnu is called pindodaka,
and it is necessary that the descendants of a family offer pinda to the forefathers…."

SB 6.14.26 "According to Vedic civilization, one gets married simply to have a son, who is needed to offer oblations to his forefathers."

ADI 17.8 " Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu went to Gaya to offer respectful oblations to his forefathers. This process is called pinda-dana. In vedic society, after the death of a relative, especially one’s father or mother, one must go to Gaya and there offer oblations to the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. Therefore hundreds and thousands of men gather daily to offer such oblations, or sraddha. Following this principle, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu also went there to offer pinda to his dead father…"

NOD 5 " There are many other sages, like Sankaracarya, Gautama Muni and Narada Muni, to whom we are indebted because we take advantage of their knowledge. Similarly, we are obliged to our forefathers, because we take birth in a particular family, where we take all advantages and inherit property. Therefore we are indebted to the forefathers and have to offer them pinda (prasad) after they are dead.Similarly, to the people in general we are also indebted, as well as to our relatives, friends and even animals such as cows and dogs who render us so much service.
In this way we are indebted to the demigods, to the forefathers, to the sages, to the animals and to society ingeneral. It is our duty to repay them all by proper discharge of service. But by the one stroke of devotional service,is someone gives up all obligations and simply SURRENDERS unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead , he is no longer
a debtor, nor olbiged to any other source of benefit." ……As the regulative principles of
scripture are not required by a liberated person, so the ritualistic principles indicated in the Vedic supplements are also not required for a person duly engaged in the service of Lord Ramacandra, Or Krsna, are already liberated persons and are not required to follow all the regulative principles mentioned in the ritualistic portions of the Vedic literature."
(see later quotes, the qualifications of a liberated person)

730729BG.Lon….After death according to Vedic regulations, pinda-upadka, pinda, offering Visnu prasada and water at least once in a year it is required by the family members. And according to Vedic culture, there is one month fixed up in a year when all people will offer pinda and udaka to the forefathers."

730729BG Lon….."But he does not know that how much there are different types of eating. They do not know there is eating in the subtle body also. the ghosts also, they eat. But the method is different."

730729BG.Lon……"We have got so many duties, but in this age, we have lost everything. Therefore, our only duty is to surrender unto the lotus feet of Mukunda, Krsna. that will save us. Krsna says-it is not story-Krsna says aham twam sarva papebhyo moksayisyami. "I know that you have violated your family tradition, your past regulations, everything you have done for which you are to be punished, sinful activities, but I give you assurance, if you surrender unto ME, then aham twam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami. I shall give you deliverance from all reactions of sinful activities" Therefore at the present moment, because we have lost all culture, we have done so many sinful activites, if we want to be saved, it is , the only remedy is to surrender to the lotus feet of Krsna,and thus become saved."

661007BG.NY …"So, it is prescribed in the Hindu scriptures that the child, when the father dies, the boy has to perform several ceremonies which is called sraddha ceremony, so that if the father for his sinful acts is in trouble in his next life, this ceremony will protect him……Therefore the sriptural injunction is that according to Vedic rules you get yourself married and have good sons to protect your family and to protect yourself. This is called religious sex life."

730930BG.Bom……"We are indebted in so many ways. It is VERY difficult to liquidate all these debts. It is VERY difficult. But if one surrenders to Krsna, …..surrenders FULLY to Mukunda, parihrtya kartam.. There are so many duties. Therefore Krsna says ma sucah, aham twam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami: "I shall give you protection."

740805SB.VRN……..So it is the duty of the son, sraddha ceremony, And Advaita Advaitacarya, He was also performing the sraddha ceremony, and He offered the prasadam , the remnants of foodstuff, to Haridas Thakhur."

741203SB.BOM…..But if the putra(son) is going himself to the pun-namno narakat, then who will deliver me? That is the position now. Nobody is offering sraddha ceremony.Nobody believes in that"

710103SB.SUR…….What is putra pinda? Caitanya Mahaprabhu also showed us the example.He went to Gaya Pradesh to offer pinda for his forefathers. This IS NECESSARY STILL. In Gaya there is Visnu temple, and in the Visnu temple the oblation is offered at the lotus feet of the… There are many practical cases lthat one’s or mother became ghost after death, and after offering oblations at the lotus feet of Visnu at Gaya, he was delivered. there are many cases. So, actual fact is Visnu worship. That is the ultimate goal of Vedic civilization., but they do not know. "

PLATO.Hay………..so that after death, even by mistake or somehow or other I am in a wrong position, by the pinda I am elevated. This is the idea. So marriage is for having good son, thats a fact, who will deliver me even if I am in the hell? Therefore the sraddha ceremony is there….But it is the duty of the son, as it is said, putra. Pu means there is a hell pundama. The hells name is pundama, pun. So I mean, pu and tra means one who delivers. If by chance I am put into pundama naraka trayate, one who delivers me from that hellish condition of life , he is putra, and for this kind of putra, I accept a wife, not for my sex enjoyment."

SB 7.14.26……..The Vedas recommend many ritualistic ceremonies to be performed with ones wife, on the birthdays of ones children, or during funeral ceremonies, and there are also personal reformatory methods like initiation. These must be observed according to time and circumstances and the directions of sastra…..All the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the sastras must be prededed and followed by sankirtana. This is the
recommendation of Srila Jiva Goswami.

SB 7.15…………..Among the brahmans, some are householders and are mostly attached to fruitive activites or the betterment of social conditions. Above them, however are brahmanas who are very much attracted by austerities and penances and who retire from family life. they are known as vanaprasthas. Others brahamans are very much interested in studying the Vedas and explaining the purport of the Vedas to others. Such brahmanas are called brahmacaris. And still other brahmanas are interested in different types of yoga , especialy bhakti-yoga and jnana yoga. Such brahmanas are mostly sannyasis, members of the renounced order of life.
As far as householders are concerned, they engage in different types of scriptural activities, ESPECIALLY IN OFFERING OBLATIONS TO THEIR FOREFATHERS and giving as charity to other brahamanas the paraphernalia engaged in such sacrifices.
…One should not make very elaborate arrangements to perform the sraddha ceremony of offering oblations to ones forefathers. The best process for the sraddha ceremony
is to distribute bhagavata-prasada to all of ones forefathers and relatives. This makes a first class sraddha ceremony."
Brahamanas should execute their regulative duties in worshiping Lord Visnu. Those who are advanced in knowledge of religious principles must avoid five kinds of irreligion, known as vidharma, para sharma, dharmabhasa, upadharma, and chala-sharma. One must act according to the religious principles that suit his constitutional position.:it is not that everyone must adhere to the same type of religion…." …a householder should not give up the ritualistic ceremonies, and a sannyasi should not live in society."…..Unless one is completely Krsna Conscious, there is a chance of falling down. Of course , in performing ritualistic ceremonies and other fruitive activities there are also many dangers
at every moment. Fruitive activities have been divided into twelve portions. Because of performing fruitive activities, which are called the path of dharma, one has to accept the cycle of birth and death, but when takes the path of moksa, or liberation, which is described in Bhagavad-gita as arcana-marga, one can get relief from the cycle of birth and death."

SB 7.15.2 P …….."Even though a person is a very learned scholar of sanskrit Vedic literatures, he is not accepted as MY Devotee UNLESS HE IS PURE IN DEVOTIONAL SERVICE."

SB 7.15.3……….."while offering oblations to the forefathers one may invite three brahmanas. Or in either case, only one brahmana will suffice. Even though one is very opulent, he should not endeavor to invite more brahmanas or make various expensive arrangements on those occasions." Purport…..As we have already mentioned Srila Advaita Acarya, during the generally observed ceremony to offer oblations to the forefathers,invited only Haridas Thakur…"

SB 7.15.4…….."If one arranges to feed many brahmanas or relatives during the sraddha
ceremony, there will be discrepancies in the time, place, respectability and ingredients, the person to be worshiped, and the method of offering worship.
Purport
Narada Muni has prohibited unnecessarily gorgeous arrangements to feed relatives or brahmanas during the sraddha ceremony…..the satras prohibit the excessive expenditures involved in inviting many brahamanas and relatives, especially during the sraddha ceremony.

SB 7.15.5……..When one gets the opportunity of a suitable auspicious time and place, one should with love, offer food prepared with ghee to the Deity of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and then offer the prasada to a suitable person-a Vaisnava or Brahmana. This will cause everlasting prosperity.

SB 7.14…….."money a grhastha accumulates by the grace of God, he should spend in five activities, namely worshiping the Supreme Personality of Godhead, receiving vaisnavas and saintly persons, distributing prasada to the general public and to all living entities, offering prasadTO HIS FOREFATHERS, and also offering prasad to his own self. Grhasthas should always be ready to worship everyone as mentioned above."

SB 7.14.9……….."A brahmana who is sufficiently rich must offer oblations to the forefathers during the dark-moon fortnight in the latter part of the month
of Bhadra. Similarly he should offer oblations to the relatives of the forefathers during the mahalaya ceremonies in the month of Asvina."

SB 7.14..20-23……." One should perform the sraddha ceremony on the Makara sankranti or on the kartaka sankranti…one should also perform this ceremony on the Mesa-sankranti day and the Tula sankranti day..on the Aksaya-triya..on the lunar day of the bright fortnight of Madha…finally one should perform this ceremony on days conjoined with ones own birth star……" if one performs the sraddha ceremony of oblations to the forefathers on the Ekadasi tithi, then the performer, the forefathers for who the sraddha is observed, and the purohita, or the family priest who encourages the ceremony, all go to hell." .

The list of quotes on sraddha is much more voluminous than the above. Obviously it is very important otherwise it would not be so much covered in the Srimad Bhagavatam and other places in Prabhupada’s books. The key question, I feel, is WHO is obligated to perform these duties?
Prabhupada mentions several times, that for one who has fully taken shelter at the lotus feet of Mukunda-then and only then, for him these ritualistic activities are not necessary.
So, who amongst us, is fully surrendered? What are the qualifications and characteristics of one so positioned? Obviously such a devotee is already liberated or how could he be surrendered to Krsna and not be a liberated soul?
Here is one quote about the awesome symptoms of a liberated soul.
SB 5.4.5 Purport …..Srila Viraraghava Acarya states that in the Chandogya Upanisad there are eight symptoms of a jivan mukta a person who is already liberated even when living in this body. The first symptom of one so liberated is that he is freed from all sinful activity (apahata-papa). As long as one is under the clutches of maya in the material energy, one HAS TO ENGAGE IN SINFUL ACTIVITY. Bhagavad gita describes such people as duskritina, which indicates that they are always engaged in sinful activity. One who is liberated in this life does not commit any sinful activities. Sinful activity involves illicit sex,, meat eating, intoxication and gambling. Another symptom of a liberated person is vijara,which indicates that he is not subjected to the miseries of old age. Another symptom is vimrtyu. A liberated person prepares himself in such a way that he does not take on any more material bodies, which are destined to die. In other words, he does not fall down again to repeat birth and death. Another symptom is visoka, which indicates tha he is callous to material distress and happiness. Another is vijighatsa, which indicates that he no longer desires material enjoyment. Another symptom is apipata, which means that he has no desire other than to engage in the devotional service of Krsna, his dearmost pursuable Lord. A further symptom is satya-kama, which indicates that all his desires are directed to the Suprem Truth,Krsna. He does not want anything else. He is satya-sankalpa. Whatever he desires is fulfilled by the grace of Krsna. First of all he does not desire anything for his material benefit, and secondly if he desires anything at all, he simple desires to serve the Supreme Lord. That desire is fulfilled by the Lord’s grace. That is called satya-sankalpa."
SB 7.8.9….Except for the UNCONTROLLED AND MISGUIDED MIND, there is no enemy within this world.When one sees everyone on the platform of equality, one then comes to the position of worshipping the Lord perfectly."
So, if we are seeing duality in our consciousness-then how is that fully surrendered?
In one place (which I tried to find the quote in my books) Srila Prabhupada mentions that any activity other than the nine processes of devotional service are unauthorized mental activity!! So, if we are not constantly thinking of Krsna in one of these nine ways, then we are in an unauthorized position-namely Maya’s lap-which is not a surrendered soul.

There are so many statements to the effect that a surrendered soul is not an easy commodity to come by . He is so rare. Even to come to the brahma bhuta platform is an immense qualification……"HE NEVER LAMENTS NOR DESIRES ANYTHING:HE IS EQUALLY DISPOSED TO EVERY LIVING ENTITY…"
Also, such a person sees a clod of dirt, gold, a brahmana, an elephant, everything, its all the same for him. He is equal to all- knowing all to be part of God.
A famous quote often times cited….."Grhastha devotees, however are generally engaged in MATERIAL ACTIVITIES, and therefore if they do not take to Deity worship , their falling down IS POSITIVELY ASSURED."
Srila Prabhupada knows fully well our fallen position, and he has given us, as he so many times said-everything!!! Here is one statement from SB from Prahlada Maharaj.
SB 7.5.52…"There are four processes for human society-dharma,artha, kama, and moksa-and they culminate in liberation. Human society must follow a process of religion to advance, and on the basis of religion one should try to develop his economic condition so that he can fulfill his needs for sense gratification according to the religious rules and regulations. Then liberation from material bondage will be easier to attain That is the vedic process. When one is above the stages of dharma, artha, kama and moksa, one becomes a devotee. He is then on the platform from which he is guaranteed not to fall again to material existence(yad gatva na nivartante). As advised in Bhagavad-gita if one transcends these four processes and is ACTUALLY LIBERATED, one engages in devotional service. Then he is guaranteed not to fall to material existence again."

So, the conclusion ,is we ,who are not fully surrendered souls, must perform sraddha
otherwise, we are in gross neglect of duties.

Those who are in Krsna consciousness, those who have decided to serve Krsna only, they are no longer in the categories of sva-dharma, the bodily sva-dharma, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, or brahmacari, vanaprastha. He is transcendental. That is confirmed in every sastra. So far we are concerned, Krsna conscious, so long our bodily concept of life is not completely eradicated, we must follow the sva-dharma of the body. Brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra, ity adi. But when actually advanced, that is maha-bhagavata. We should not imitate that, but our process is the more we advance in Krsna consciousness, we become transcendental to this bodily concept of life, brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya, sudra.

(B.G. Lecture 2.31, London 1st September, 1973)