PITRI' (a Sanskrit word literally meaning father = Latin•pater, in the plural pitaras, but in English translations from the Sanskrit usually Anglicized to pitris), a name which, in a general sense, means the deceased ancestors. of a man, but in the special sense in which it occurs in Hindu mythology, denotes an order of divine beings inhabiting celes tial regions of their own, and receiving into their society the spirits of those mortals for whom the funeral rites (see SulinnnA) have been duly performed. They include, there fore, collectively the names of the deceased ancestors; but the principal members of this order are beings of a different nature and origin. According to Maim, they were the sons of .?.riartchi, Atri Angiras, and the other rishis or saints produced by Manu, the son of Brahma; and from them issued the gods, demons, and men. According to several Puranas (q.v.), however, the first pitris were the sons of the gods; and to reconcile this discrepancy, a legend relates that the gods having offended Brahma by neglecting to worship him, were cursed by him to become fools; but, upon their repentance, he directed them to apply to their sons for instruction. Being taught accordingly the rites of expiation and penance by their sons, they addressed the latter as fathers, whence the sons of the gods were the first pitris (fathers). See Wilson's Vishnu-Purdna. Mann enumerates various classes of pitris, in defining those who were the ancestors of the gods, those who were the ancestors of the demons, and those from whom proceeded the four castes severally; but he adds, at the same time, that these are merely the principal classes, as their sons and grandsons indefinitely must likewise be considered as pitris. The Puranas divide them generally into seven classes, three of which are without form, or composed of intellectual, not elementary substance, and assuming what forms they please, while the four other classes are corporeal. In the enumeration, however, of these classes the Puranas differ. The pitris reside in a world of their own, called Pitri
loka, which is sometimes supposed to be the moon; according to the Puranas, it is below the paradise of Indra, and is also the abode of the souls of devout Brahmans. The time at which the pitris are to be worshiped, the libations which they are to receive, the benefit which they derive from them, and the boons which they confer on the wor shiper, are all minutely described in the Puranas. See SRADDMA. A song of the pitris, as given by the Vishnu-Purana, may convey an idea of the importance attributed to this worship, and of the manner in which the Brahmans turn it to their profit. It runs as follows: "That enlightened individual who begrudges not his wealth, but pre sents us with cakes, shall be born in a distinguished family. Prosperous and affluent shall that man ever be who, in honor of us, gives to the nrahmans, if he is wealthy, jewels, clothes, lands, conveyances, wealth, or any valuable presents; or who, with faith and humility, entertains them with food, according to his means, at proper seasons. If he cannot afford to give them dressed food, he must, in proportion to his ability, pre sent them with unboiled grain, or such gifts, however trifling, as he can bestow. should he be utterly unable even to do this, he must give to some eminent Brahman, bowing at the same time before him, sesamum seeds adhering to the tips of his fingers, and sprin kle water to us, from the palms of his hands, upon the ground; or he must gather, as lie may, fodder for a day, and give it to a cow; by which he will, if firm in faith, yield us satisfaction. If nothing of this kind is practicable, he must go to a forest, and lift up his arms to the sun and other regents of the spheres, and say aloud, 'I have no money, nor property, nor grain, nor anything whatever fit for an ancestral offering; bowing therefore to my ancestors, I hope the progenitors will be satisfied with these arms tossed up in the air in devotion.' " See Wilson's Vishnu-Pardna.