5 Top Remedies for Pitru Dosha You Can Do at Home

शान्ति: शान्ति: शान्ति:।

“May there be peace in the heavens, peace in the sky, peace upon earth, peace in the waters, peace in the plants, peace in the trees, peace in the gods, peace in Brahman, and peace in all beings.”

This Vedic invocation is often recited when one seeks harmony between the worlds of the living and the departed. In Hindu tradition, that harmony is sometimes disrupted by what is known as Pitru Dosha. Rooted in the karmic and spiritual debts towards one’s ancestors, Pitru Dosha is believed to affect families across generations if the departed souls are not at peace or their obligations are left unfulfilled.

According to ancient scriptures like the Garuda Purana and Matsya Purana, Pitru Dosha can manifest as difficulties in family life, recurring financial struggles, delay in marriage, health challenges, or an overall sense of stagnation. While traditional remedies involve elaborate rituals and ceremonies performed at sacred sites, there are also simple yet powerful practices one can follow at home to seek relief and restore balance.

One of the simplest and most essential remedies is performing a daily offering of water to the ancestors. In scriptures, this act is called tarpan, which means satisfaction. It is said that just as we need food and water in the physical world, departed souls seek pinda (food offering) and jal (water offering) in the subtle world.

At home, you can offer clean water mixed with black sesame seeds, kusha grass, or a few Tulsi leaves. The Tulsi plant, revered as sacred in Hindu households, is believed to purify offerings and carry them to the ancestors. Standing in the morning sunlight and pouring the water while chanting simple mantras like Om Pitrubhyo Namah strengthens the ritual. This daily act not only honors the ancestors but also creates a regular flow of gratitude and remembrance in the family.

Fire, or Agni, is considered the bridge between the earthly and spiritual worlds. Lighting a diya (oil lamp) daily in remembrance of the ancestors is an ancient and accessible remedy for Pitru Dosha. Scriptures describe that the flame represents purity, transformation, and the soul’s journey toward liberation.


At home, this can be done by lighting a ghee lamp near the Tulsi plant or in the prayer room. It is ideal to do this in the evening during sandhya (twilight), which is considered a powerful time when the worlds of the living and the departed are most connected. Some families also add camphor, cloves, or a small piece of dry coconut while lighting the diya, as these are considered offerings that cleanse negative influences and bring divine blessings.

In Hindu belief, crows are regarded as messengers of the ancestors. Offering food to them is a direct way of expressing respect to the departed souls. The Mahabharata and Garuda Purana mention that crows act as carriers between the human and ancestral realms.

Feeding crows at home, especially with rice, chapati, or grains mixed with ghee, is a widely practiced remedy. Along with crows, feeding cows, dogs, and needy people is also considered powerful. This practice arises from the principle of anna daan (food offering), which is regarded as the highest form of charity. By feeding living beings, one generates positive energy that helps to pacify Pitru Dosha and ensures that the family remains under the blessings of the ancestors.

Mantras are vibrational tools that harmonize the subtle worlds. For Pitru Dosha, specific mantras are prescribed that bring peace to the departed souls. Among the most important is the Pitru Gayatri mantra:

“Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya Pitrudevaya Namah.”

Chanting this mantra regularly with sincerity invokes Lord Vishnu and the Pitru Devatas to bless the family. Alongside this, reciting the Mahamrityunjaya Mantra of Lord Shiva is considered highly effective. Shiva, known as Pashupatinath and Mahakaal, is believed to liberate souls from bondage and guide them to higher realms. Consistent chanting, even a few rounds daily with a focused mind, not only helps ancestors but also calms the mind of the practitioner, removing fears and obstacles linked to Pitru Dosha.

Amavasya, the no-moon day, holds special importance for ancestral worship. According to Hindu belief, during Amavasya the veil between the living and the departed is thinnest, allowing direct connection with Pitru Lok. Similarly, the Shraddha Paksha or Pitru Paksha, a fortnight dedicated to ancestors; offers a powerful time for remedies.

At home, families can observe these days by offering cooked rice, black sesame seeds, and fruits in honor of the ancestors. If elaborate rituals are not possible, even simple prayers, lighting a diya, and chanting mantras with devotion on these days are effective. The intention and faith behind the act are more important than the scale of the ritual. Regular remembrance during Amavasya ensures that the ancestors are honored throughout the year, keeping their blessings alive within the family.

To forget our ancestors is to forget our roots. To remember them is to remember the foundation on which we stand. Pitru Dosha dissolves not through grand rituals alone but through small acts of devotion practiced with faith.

Light a lamp, offer water, feed a crow, chant a mantra, observe Amavasya. Each act is simple, but together they weave a thread of peace that binds the past, present, and future.

When the ancestors are at peace, the family thrives. And when we walk with their blessings, we walk with strength, clarity, and grace.