The role and importance of a son in a Hindu family

by Raman J

 

In Hindu family importance of son is many folds. Son is considered to be the saviour and one who will give Pinda Daan that is he will take his parents ashes to the Ganges & wash them so that they will go to heaven after their death. A son is considered to take care of his old parents and their social obligations. So son's importance in Hindu family is very crucial.

 

What is the son's role in Hindu family?

 

 

A son in Hindu family is considered to spread the family tree into future generations. The family tree which consists of generation of branches and the tree is kept the tradition going is only due to a son. The male off spring of a son is considered to be the vanshaudarak that means one who will save the family link and he will carry it and pass to next generation through his male offspring.

 

The family clan will remain till the family continues to give son's birth. Such is the importance of son in a Hindu family.

 

Pinda Daan

 

Pinda Daan means after the death of his parents the eldest son does the final ritual on the burial ground and his is eligible to give fire to the corpse. This is a typical Hindu last right that a son can only perform. If the family does not have any son then the son-in-law does all the last rites & ritual.

 

Inheritance

 

According to Hindu traditions the son is the legal heir and the inheritor of the family ancestral property. By birth the son is the inheritor of the ancestral property according to the Hindu undivided property law. He in turn passes to his son and so on so forth. This way through the son the family property passes from one generation to another.

 

Why daughter's not considered as the carrier of family traditions?

 

This is an age old Hindu tradition in which daughter is considered as the property of the family she will go after her marriage (Paraya Dhan). So she is never considered to be a member of the family she is born. Therefore the tradition of dowry continues though it is no more holds good in Modern Hindu family. In marriage what ever the parents give and all the gifts she receives at the time of marriage becomes her property called stree dhan.

 

 

Taking care of old parents

 

It is the prime duty of the son in Hindu family to take care of his old parents till their death. Therefore the son is considered to be very important in the Hindu family.

 

So in rural India and some traditional Hindu family son's birth is considered lucky. And people bind in this old belief keep producing daughter after daughter till the son is born. This is one of the reasons why Indian population explosion continues.

 

Times have changed but some tradition's have till not changed. May be the laws have changed but the values & customs beliefs have still deep rooted in the minds of Indians.

 

 

Source: http://www.helium.com/items/1336194-the-role-and-importance-of-a-son-in-a-hindu-familysonhindu-family