R: Swamiji, I want do Pind Daan in Gaya. Kindly give me some dates in March when I should perform the pooja in Gaya. Pranam
Swami Ram Swarup: You may go ahead at your own but as far as Vedas are concerned, the custom of Pind daan does not exist therein and hence is unauthentic. In this regard, I also paste my article below:-
Anna Daan/Shradh to departed soul
Vedas are eternal knowledge which emanate direct from God at the beginning of every universe. Being the knowledge direct from God, each statement of Ved mantra is also eternal truth.
Thirty-ninth chapter of Yajurveda states about death. The soul when leaves the human body remains under control of a divine air named “Sutratma vayu”. Mantras tell that after wandering unconsciously for thirteen days in the space and planets like Sun, moon, etc., soul comes again on this earth inside the vegetation. Then either the soul enters the male living being’s body according to pious deeds and sins through pores or is duly mixed within vegetation and taken by a male person. Then the soul takes rebirth through parents.
This process is an eternal truth. However, if soul is religious and has done hard Tapasya then the soul gets salvation. Only soul has to face the result of previous lives’ deeds through living being’s body. Since soul is alive whereas body is non-alive matter. So body does not face the result of deeds. When soul has gone out of body then how the soul will see, hear, taste, smell or touch or will be benefited of any pious deed etc.? Therefore Vedas do not tell about the present system of shradh etc.
However, the pious deeds done to remember the departed soul by means of devotion or organizing the holy Yajyen with Ved mantras, its result never goes in vain and the family is benefited.
Departed soul never meets again please. Even departed soul, when take rebirth, forgets every event of his previous life. As regards dreams Atharvaveda states that dreams of departed soul are not good so it is in your interest and welfare that you do not see dreams.
SHRADH
At the time of death, the soul comes out of the body and when a person is dead, his body is burnt on pyre. When soul resides in human body, person uses his mouth to eat, ear to listen, eye to see, hand to work, legs to move etc. Now the body has been burnt and the soul remains alone. Alone soul can do nothing but remains in the stage of Sushupt i.e., like in coma. Then after thirteen days, the soul takes rebirth. So how the dead person would eat the food which is made for him during Shradh. So Shradh is not mentioned in Vedas. Vedic meaning of Shradh is to serve the alive parents and elders by providing them with food, bedding and necessary goods etc., faithfully and lovingly.
Sunil Kr. Kamat: What were the method of teaching at primary level? How maths was taught to Ram, Lakshman, Bharat and Satrughna?
Swami Ram Swarup: The ancient education i.e., Science, Maths etc., form of pious deeds/moral duties, the eternal way of worship of God containing Vedas, in the ancient Gurukul, the said education was given and accordingly Sri Ram, Sri Krishna Maharaj, Dashrath, Harishchandra and several Rajrishis including their public became learned of science, maths etc. we should still study Vedas to be a learned person because Vedas knowledge emanates direct from God in the beginning of every creation for the benefit of mankind.
Anonymous: Meri problem yah he ki meri marriage ka yag nahi ban pa rehe he. Please give me some suggestion for better life.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you, my daughter. In this regard, I paste one of my answers.
Marriage is in the hand of Almighty God. However, God helps those who help themselves. You must also do daily hawan with Gayatri mantra both times. In the end of hawan, you must pray to God daily for His blessings for the same. It will be much better if you also, chant the Gayatri mantra in heart without speaking it, sitting on any asan, along with its meaning. For marriage, birth kundli match is not necessary because such procedure has not been mentioned in vedas, shastras, Bhagwad Geeta, Valmiki Ramayana etc. Vedas state that marriage should be performed based on good qualities of both sides. For example- Boy must be earning well to support his wife and wife must know the way of creating and maintaining good atmosphere of family. I have mentioned such good qualities of both husband and wife in my book- Vedas- A Divine Light (III) in English worth Rs.100/- which can be sent to you on receipt of your demand and postal address.
