Crow in Hinduism and offering Pindam to Crow
As per Agni Purana, crows in the world were born from Kaki, the daughter of Sage Kashyap and Tamra.
Crow and Rice-offerings:
Sangalikita Smiriti gives instruction to give Vayasa Pinda to crow and then only the pitrus get the satisfaction. Apastamba Sutra or the Bodhayana Sutra like Grihya Sutras gives details to perform Srardha and give direction on Vayasa Pinda.
In Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, there is a story about the crow's right to eat the offering of rice to Pitrus.
.
Once a King named Marutta performed a Mahesvara sattra. Indra and other Gods attended the sattra; hearing about this, Ravana came that way.
The frightened Gods took the forms of different birds. Indra took the form of peacock. Yama escaped the attention in the form of a crow. Kuber took the form of chameleon. Varuna took the form of Royal Swan.
From that time, Yama was pleased with crows.
'When human beings suffering from hunger, if you are fed / eating, those people become happy as if they have (met and fed) all his relatives (past and present).
He gave a blessing that in future, when human beings worship the pitrus by offering rice to them, the crows will have the right to eat that rice. Thus the right of the crows to eat offerings of rice, originated from that time.
Crows do not represent Pithrus
.
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
organisms help to recognize 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 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. 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.
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 the
Almighty.
As per Agni Purana, crows in the world were born from Kaki, the daughter of Sage Kashyap and Tamra.
Crow and Rice-offerings:
Sangalikita Smiriti gives instruction to give Vayasa Pinda to crow and then only the pitrus get the satisfaction. Apastamba Sutra or the Bodhayana Sutra like Grihya Sutras gives details to perform Srardha and give direction on Vayasa Pinda.
In Valmiki Ramayana, Uttara Kanda, there is a story about the crow's right to eat the offering of rice to Pitrus.
.
Once a King named Marutta performed a Mahesvara sattra. Indra and other Gods attended the sattra; hearing about this, Ravana came that way.
The frightened Gods took the forms of different birds. Indra took the form of peacock. Yama escaped the attention in the form of a crow. Kuber took the form of chameleon. Varuna took the form of Royal Swan.
From that time, Yama was pleased with crows.
'When human beings suffering from hunger, if you are fed / eating, those people become happy as if they have (met and fed) all his relatives (past and present).
He gave a blessing that in future, when human beings worship the pitrus by offering rice to them, the crows will have the right to eat that rice. Thus the right of the crows to eat offerings of rice, originated from that time.
Crows do not represent Pithrus
.
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
organisms help to recognize 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 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. 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.
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 the
Almighty.