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→‎Shraddha as a Deity: Editing and adding transliteration
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Thus, absence of Shraddha is equated to lack of knowledge, to being sceptical and shraddha itself is presented herein as a precondition of happiness.<ref name=":4" />  
 
Thus, absence of Shraddha is equated to lack of knowledge, to being sceptical and shraddha itself is presented herein as a precondition of happiness.<ref name=":4" />  
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== संहृतिः ॥ Synopsis<ref name=":4" />==
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== परिभाषासंहृतिः ॥ Synopsis of Construct Analysis<ref name=":4" />==
 
The terms shraddha and ashraddha feature across 19 verses in the Bhagavad Gita. An analysis of these occurances brings to fore 9 themes surrounding the concept of shraddha; 8 from the analysis of the term shraddha and 1 from the analysis of ashraddha. These themes in turn help in deriving the definition of the construct of shraddha. A brief understanding of the construct shraddha derived in this way, through the analysis of the Bhagavad Gita verses, is enumerated below:  
 
The terms shraddha and ashraddha feature across 19 verses in the Bhagavad Gita. An analysis of these occurances brings to fore 9 themes surrounding the concept of shraddha; 8 from the analysis of the term shraddha and 1 from the analysis of ashraddha. These themes in turn help in deriving the definition of the construct of shraddha. A brief understanding of the construct shraddha derived in this way, through the analysis of the Bhagavad Gita verses, is enumerated below:  
 
# There are many behavioural outcomes of shraddha such as not finding faults in others.
 
# There are many behavioural outcomes of shraddha such as not finding faults in others.
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Such a complex understanding of the construct of shraddha cannot be captured by single word translation in English viz. faith. In fact, shraddha is a unique Indian indigenous construct that needs to be studied to help us understand not only the psychology of Indian people but also of people in societies which are similarly inclined. Moreover, understanding shraddha is also likely to help us understand other major constructs as well as understand interpersonal relationships, since shraddha itself is the foundation of many relationships.  
 
Such a complex understanding of the construct of shraddha cannot be captured by single word translation in English viz. faith. In fact, shraddha is a unique Indian indigenous construct that needs to be studied to help us understand not only the psychology of Indian people but also of people in societies which are similarly inclined. Moreover, understanding shraddha is also likely to help us understand other major constructs as well as understand interpersonal relationships, since shraddha itself is the foundation of many relationships.  
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== श्रद्धायज्ञः ॥ Shraddha Yajna ==
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Mahabharata states that everyone was entitled to take the vow of performing Manasika Yajnas (symbolic yajnas) in the depth of their conscious mind. And all the devatas as well as humans desired to be part of such a manasika yajna because these yajnas were endowed with shraddha that made them extremely pure. Therefore, according to the Mahabharata, all varnas were entitled to perform Shraddha based Yajnas.<ref name=":12">Ramnarayanadutta Shastri Pandey, Mahabharata (Vol.5 Shanti Parva), Gorakhpur: Gita Press</ref><blockquote>यज्ञो मनीषया तात सर्ववर्णेषु भारत ॥ ४७ ॥ नास्य यज्ञकृतो देवा ईहन्ते नेतरे जनाः । ततः सर्वेषु वर्णेषु श्रद्धायज्ञो विधीयते ॥ ४८ ॥<ref name=":11">Mahabharata, Shanti Parva, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D-12-%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5-059 Adhyaya 59]</ref>
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yajño manīṣayā tāta sarvavarṇeṣu bhārata ॥ 47 ॥
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nāsya yajñakr̥to devā īhante netare janāḥ । tataḥ sarveṣu varṇeṣu śraddhāyajño vidhīyate ॥ 48 ॥</blockquote>The Mahabharata also emphasizes therein that of all forms of Yajnas, Shraddha Yajna is the foremost as Shraddha is the greatest deity who purifies those performing the Yajnas.<ref name=":12" /><blockquote>अग्रे सर्वेषु यज्ञेषु श्रद्धायज्ञो विधीयते । दैवतं हि महच्छ्रद्धा पवित्रं यजतां च यत् ॥४४॥<ref name=":11" />
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agre sarveṣu yajñeṣu śraddhāyajño vidhīyate । daivataṁ hi mahacchraddhā pavitraṁ yajatāṁ ca yat ॥44॥</blockquote>
    
== Shraddha as a Deity ==
 
== Shraddha as a Deity ==
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=== In the Itihasa and Puranas ===
 
=== In the Itihasa and Puranas ===
'''Mahabharata''' - Shraddha Yajna
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अग्रे सर्वेषु यज्ञेषु श्रद्धायज्ञो विधीयते। 12.59.44 (60.40)
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दैवतं हि महच्छ्रद्धा पवित्रं यजतां च यत्। 12.59.44 (60.41)<ref name=":11">Mahabharata, Shanti Parva, [https://sa.wikisource.org/wiki/%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%B9%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AD%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%AE%E0%A5%8D-12-%E0%A4%B6%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%82%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%AA%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B5-059 Adhyaya 59]</ref>
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Meaning: Of all forms of Yajnas, Shraddha Yajna is the foremost as Shraddha is the greatest deity who purifies those performing the Yajnas.<ref name=":12">Ramnarayanadutta Shastri Pandey, Mahabharata (Vol.5 Shanti Parva), Gorakhpur: Gita Press</ref>
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यज्ञो मनीषया तात सर्ववर्णेषु भारत।। 12.59.47 (60.44)
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नास्य यज्ञकृतो देवा ईहन्ते नेतरे जनाः। ततः सर्वेषु वर्णेषु श्रद्धायज्ञो विधीयते।। 48<ref name=":11" />
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Meaning: All the Varnas are entitled to take the vow of performing symbolic Yajnas in the depth of their conscious mind. All the devatas and humans desire to be a part of such a Manasika Yajna. For, being endowed with shraddha, these yajnas are extremely pure. And therefore, all Varnas are entitled to perform Shraddha based Yajnas.<ref name=":12" />
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'''Mahabharata'''
 
'''Mahabharata'''
  

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