Sanskaar were created with specific purposes for the well being of a Grihasth and protect him as well as the members of his family from evil influences and getting blessings and boons from good ones through appeasement like sacrifices and rituals. These are nothing but prayers and were born out sheer fears and presumptions. There is no relevance to any of these practices that by doing all these one can lead a peaceful life or by not doing all these one will live a cursed life. Everything is on mere belief.

To begin with the popular purpose, the ancient Hindu, like other nations of the world, believed that they were surrounded by superhuman influences which were potent enough for good or evil consequences. They thought that these influences could interfere in every important occasion in man's life. That is why we observe that the Ved are full of prayers to these natural forces originated out of fear and that is the reason some people consider them as Paurusheya. Therefore, they tried to remove hostile influences and attract beneficial ones, so that man may grow and prosper without external hindrances and receive timely directions and help from gods and spirits. Many items and ramifications of the Sanskaar arose out of these beliefs.

(1) For removing the unfavorable influences, the Hindus adopted several means in their Sanskaar. The first of them was propitiation. Goblins, demons and other uncanny spirits were offered praise, oblations and food, so that they may return satisfied with offerings, without causing injury to the individual. The householder was anxious to protect the life of his wife and children and regarded it his duty to deal with them. During the pregnancy of a woman, at the birth of a child, during childhood etc, such propitiation took place. In the birth ceremonies "if the disease-bringing demon, Kumaar attacks the child, the father murmurs " Kurkuraa, Sukurkuraa, who holds fast children, Chet ! Chet ! doggy let him loose. Reverence be to thee, the Sisaraa, a baarkar, a bender".

(2) The second method was that of deception. Sometimes propitiation was thought unnecessary or purposely avoided. For example, at the time of tonsure, the severed hair was mixed with cow dung and buried in a cow pen or thrown into a river, so that none could play magic upon it. Deception is also evident in the funeral ceremonies. At the approach of death, the image of a man was burnt before his death to deceive it. The motive underlying this act was that death while haunting the proper body of its victim would mistake him for an already dead person. But when propitiation and deception both proved inefficient, a third drastic step was taken. Mischievous spirits were plainly asked to go away, threatened and directly attacked.

(3) During the birth ceremonies, the father pronounces, "May Sundaa and Maarkaa, upaveeraa and Saundikeyaa, Ulookhalaa and Malimluchaa, Dronasaa and Chyavanaa, vanish hence Swaahaa"! The householder also invokes the help of gods and deities to drive away foul influences.

(4) Performing the Chaturthee Karm (the Fourth Day after marriage) the husband invites Agni, Vaayu, Soorya, Chandra and Gandharv to remove the injurious elements from the newly married wife. But sometimes, he himself, by means of water and fire, frightened and drove them off. Other devices were also used for this purpose. Water was invariably used in every Sanskaar. It washed away physical impurities and warded off demons and goblins.

(5) Noise was made at the time of burial to scare away lurking spirits. Sometimes the man himself asserted his boldness. He equipped himself with weapons to face any odds that might come in his way. For instance, the student was given a Palaash wood staff. He was forbidden to part with it and asked always to keep it close to his body. When this staff was thrown away at the end of studentship, he was provided with a stronger bamboo staff at the time of Samaavartan Sanskaar (nowadays, this is changed to a walking stick to the bridegroom during Kaashee Yaatraa). It is clearly stated that it was used not merely for protection against animals and human foes but also against Raakshas and Pishaach.

(6) Shaking was also a means to remove evil influences. Combing the hair at the time of the Seemantonnayan (Hair-parting) was done for the same purpose.

(7) Selfishness of man sometimes compelled him to transfer bad influences from his side to that of others. The marriage costume worn by the bride was given to a Braahman, as it was thought injurious to her. In this case, however, the Braahman was thought too powerful to be attacked by evil influences. The nuptial clothes were also put in a cow pen or hung on a tree.

(8) Just as untoward influences were tried to be got rid of, so the favorable influences were invited and attracted for the benefit of the recipient of a particular Sanskaar. The Hindu believed that every period of life was presided over by a deity. Therefore, on every occasion, that deity was invoked to confer boom and blessings on the man. At the time of the Garbhaadhaan (Conception) Vishnu was the chief deity, at the time of the Vivaah, Prajaapati was the chief Deity, and at the time of the Upanayan, Brihaspati Jee and so on.

(9) But there was no entire dependence on gods only. Men helped themselves also by various means. Suggestion and reference to analogous phenomena played a great part. Touch exercised a magic power. By touching things that were beneficial in themselves one expected good influences to follow. In the Seemaantonnayan ceremonies a branch of the Udumbaraa (fig) tree was made to touch the neck of the wife. Here touch was believed to bring about fertility. Mounting a stone brought about firmness and was therefore prescribed for a student and a bride. Touching the heart (Hridaya Sparsh) was thought to be a sure means of union and producing harmony between student and teacher or husband and wife. As breath was a symbol of life, the father breathed thrice on the newborn child to strengthen its breaths. For securing a male child the expectant mother was required to eat a barley corn with two beans and curd attached to it. The reason is obvious. The things which the expectant mother took were symbolical of the male sex and were expected to impart it to the embryo. To produce offspring, the juice of a many-rooted and luxuriant banyan-tree branch was instilled into the right nostril of the wife during Seemaantonnayan Sanskaar. Anointment produced love and affection. In the marriage, the bride's father anointed the couple while the bridegroom pronounced - "May all gods, may water unite our hearts..."

(10) Avoidance of ugly and inauspicious sights, and giving up contact with impure persons preserved the purity of an individual. The Snaatak was forbidden even to pronounce a word beginning with an unlucky letter, or containing a repugnant idea. Sometimes dramatic utterances were also requisitioned to bring about the desired thing. In the Seemaantonnayan ceremony the wife was asked to look at a mess of rice whereupon the husband inquired whether she was seeing into his offspring, cattle, prosperity and long life for him.

(11) The material aims of the Sanskaar were the gain of cattle, progeny, long life, wealth, prosperity, strength and intellect. The Sanskaar were domestic rites and naturally during their performance things essential for domestic felicity were asked from gods. It was a belief of the Hindu that by prayer and appeal their desire and wishes were communicated to the deities who responded to them in form of animals, children, corn, a good physique and a sharp intellect.

Shraaddh is also not an exception from the above. With the references of Rig Ved prayers, which are nothing but the prayers as detailed above. It does not seem to be rational in them except that they are a means to remember the departed soul. In such a case we can certainly remember the departed souls gratefully but in a better, useful and rational way instead of wasting money on the ritual that doubts even the chastity of the mother, grandmother and great grandmother (Please refer to the Mantra
"yan me maataa pralulobhaa bhavantyannuvrataa | tan me reeta: pitaa vrungktaam maa Aabhur anyo avapadyataagm swadaanama:|
. ...gotre ....sharmane pitre Swaahaa, pitri idam na mama)

Annual ceremonies - are they irrational?
This question often haunts the modern youth especially those living in alien atmosphere, in other countries. Some even argue that there is no mention of these ceremonies in the Vedas. Let us examine the question with reference to the available authorities.

Shraaddh Dattam Shraaddh
Shraaddh means belief, dedication, faith.. That which is given with dedication and belief is Shraaddh. To remember at least once a year parents who gave us birth and brought us up is not the practice of humans alone, but even certain animals do it. (Example: elephants.)

Rig Ved Mandal 10, Sookt 14-18 discuss about Shraaddh. Muanu Smriti, Yaagyavalkya Smriti, Aapastamb Grihya Sootra, and Aashwalaayan Grihya Sootra also mention this. Agni Puraan, Brahm Puraan, Garud Puraan, Koorm Puraan, Maarkandeya Puraan, Matsya Puraan and Vishnu Puraan etc, discuss about Shraaddh in detail.

Other than these, there are other authorities who mention it. Some examples are: Kritya Kalpataru, Shraaddh Kalpalataa, Smriti Chandrikaa, Shraaddh Kriyaa Kaumudee, Smrityaarth Saar, Shraaddh Mayookha, Shraaddha Chandrikaa, Shraaddha Tattwa, Shraaddh Vivek etc,

To remember our ancestors, at least on one day in a year, it is good to feed deserving scholars and our own relatives and give alms to the deserving people. In addition, worshipping God, meditation and Jap in addition to praying for the departed soul are all needed.

Who is Satisfied by What by Shraaddh?
According to Dharm Shaastra, seven types of persons get satisfied by performance of Shraaddh --

(1) Devtaa by Hom done in Agni
(2) Pitri in Swarg by Braahman Bhojan
(3) Pitri in Pitri Lok by Pind Daan
(4) People by Anna Daan
(5) Pishaach by Uchchhisht
(6) Those in Narak by Vikeern Anna
(7) Unknown relatives by Vaayas (crow) Pind.