Joge and Bhoge is a famous mythological story that beautifully explains the significance of Pitru Paksha, also known as Pitrupaksha or the Sixteen Shradh days. This sacred 16-day period in Hinduism is dedicated to remembering and honoring one’s ancestors with devotion and offering Pinddaan for the peace of their souls. It is also referred to as Mahalaya Paksha or Apara Paksha.
According to ancient belief, performing Shradh and Tarpan with sincerity during Pitru Paksha greatly pleases the ancestors, who in return bless their descendants. The story of Joge and Bhoge illustrates how the ancestors bestow infinite blessings upon their lineage when they are honored with true devotion, service, and surrender. Let us explore this inspiring story and understand the profound glory of Pitru Paksha.
Brotherly Love: Rich Joge and Poor Bhoge
According to the legend, there were two brothers named Joge and Bhoge, who lived separately. Joge was rich while Bhoge was poor. Despite this, there was immense affection and love between the two brothers. Joge’s wife was proud of her wealth, while Bhoge’s wife was very simple and humble by nature.
When the time of Pitru Paksha came, Joge’s wife asked her husband to perform the Shraddha of the ancestors. Joge thought this was an unnecessary task and refused to perform the Shraddha. His wife thought, “If the Shraddha is not performed, then there will be a bad name in the society and people will gossip.” Also, she considered this a good opportunity to call her parents and show off her wealth. So she decided to perform the Shraddha, but she had less religious feelings and more feelings of showing off her prestige among people.
Bhoge’s wife’s help in the preparations of Shraddha
She told Joge, “Don’t worry, I will call Bhoge’s wife, she will help me.” She immediately sent Joge to her parents’ house to invite them and called Bhoge’s wife to help in the Shraddha rituals.
The next day, Bhoge’s wife, with her devotion and service spirit, came to Joge’s house and started preparing for Shraddha. She prepared many types of dishes and made all the arrangements for the Shraddha rituals. Then after finishing her work, she returned to her home, as she also had to perform the Shraddha rituals for her ancestors.
Agiyari was given for the ancestors at Bhoge’s house.
When the ancestors were invoked and came to earth, they first reached Joge’s house. They saw that there was no respect for them there, rather Joge’s in-laws were enjoying the feast. Seeing this, the ancestors got disappointed and left without eating.
After this, the ancestors reached Bhoge’s house, hoping that they might find satisfaction there. But there, only ‘Agiyaari’ (ash for burning incense) was given in the name of the ancestors. The ancestors licked its ashes and went to the river bank hungry. After a while, other ancestors also gathered there and started talking about the Shraddha performed in each other’s houses.
The ancestors of Joge and Bhoge also told their sorrows. They started thinking that if Bhoge was capable, then perhaps they would not have to stay hungry, but Bhoge was so poor that he did not have anything to eat even for himself. Thinking this, the ancestors felt pity for Bhoge and decided that they should bless him. Then all the ancestors said in one voice, “May there be wealth in Bhoge’s house, may there be wealth in Bhoge’s house!”
Blessings of the ancestors: Gold coins found from the pot
It was evening, Bhoge’s children were hungry and were demanding food from their mother. Bhoge’s wife said to the children, “There is food under the large pot in the kitchen, go and see.” When the children opened the pot, they found it filled with gold coins. The children ran to their mother happily and told her everything. Bhoge and his wife also saw this and were surprised. In this way, Bhoge’s family suddenly became rich.
However, Bhoge never became egoistic after getting money. Next year when Pitru Paksha came, Bhoge performed the Shraddha of the ancestors with complete devotion and reverence. His wife prepared fifty-six types of dishes, fed the Brahmins and offered tarpan with reverence. She also fed her brother-in-law and sister-in-law in gold and silver utensils. The ancestors were very pleased with this devotion and service. They blessed that Bhoge’s clan will always be happy and prosperous, and his house will always be blessed by the ancestors.
