In astrology, there are many formulas to find if the native has Pitra Dosh or Pitru Dosha. However, unfortunately, there are no touch-stone rules. Adding fire to fuel, so many symptoms are narrated which are kind of ‘fit-to-all’ nature.

It would be interesting to know if there is any astrological formula to check from the horoscope, whether remedies for Pitra Dosh has already been performed. My concern is based on the fact that the horoscope being a static tool, every time someone reads it, the same dosh could be found again and again..!!

What we label as Pitra Dosha need not exclusively be originated from a dead relative. To decode the secret, we need to understand the core logic of Karma. Whatever one is reaping has been sowed by none other than the person himself.

When we understand the loop of births, we find that the same soul, because of love and affection for family members and attachments with property etc, keep coming back to the same family. Thus, the negative factor that we identify as that of Pitra, could be the energy of past life unfinished business of the same person him/her self.

There are different dimensions beyond the gross physical world. The consciousness continue to exist after death in different forms and at different levels depending upon the experiences, beliefs and evolution of psyche.

Different religions have described it in different ways. In Hindu mythology there are different levels for the departed psyche e.g., Preta, Pishacha, Brahma Rakshasa, and Pitra. Generally, in astrological exploration, we come across only one generalized form in the name of ‘Pitra’ and the ritual for its resolutions is also generalized e.g., Narayana Bali etc. Because of this generalization, many a times neither diagnosis is correct nor the remedy stands effective. I think, the field to identify different level’s of psyche of the dead is an interesting subject of research.

In my personal experience, what I have found often, is an indication of unnatural and/or untimely death of a family member who could not fulfill one's desires (I avoid using the word ‘Vasana’ because it has a false label of sensuality attached with it). This gets reflected as energy intervention in the domestic life of a family.

This is not limited to just Hindu community, it is prevalent in all cultures, be it most primitive or the developed ones. Recently in Germany, some experts are addressing the influence of energy of ancestors through therapy called ‘Family Constellations’ or ‘Family Systems’. The disturbance caused by the spirit is also addressed in Hypnotherapy and some Trans-personal therapies.

When we put the remedies in the resolution template, we can say that it works on different ways. If the energy is that of a departed ancestor, if the person while living had religious beliefs, it can get satisfied because of puja and offerings. If the energy is that of the person’s past life desires it can be released from the primitive subconscious through different therapies.

With the therapies getting across the communities, gradually, this field will shift from Astrologers, black magicians and Ojas to therapists. You may also like to read this: