According to Pret Kriya1 you believe that by offering Pindas at Gaya and other places one gets emancipation. To appease the ancestors (dead) you do Shradha (fasting of Brahmins). On this subject your religious books say the followings: Before Shradha perform Homa in fire. If there is no fire, do Homa on the hand of a Brahmin, because Brahmin and Agni (fire) are the same thing2a. (Mannu Ch. 4, Sh. 292) Against the above superstitions Guru has ordained like this: ਦੀਵਾ ਮੇਰਾ ਏਕੁ ਨਾਮੁ ਦੁਖੁ ਵਿਚਿ ਪਾਇਆ ਤੇਲੁ ॥ ਉਨਿ ਚਾਨਣਿ ਓਹੁ ਸੋਖਿਆ ਚੂਕਾ ਜਮ ਸਿਉ ਮੇਲੁ ॥1॥ ਆਇਆ ਗਇਆ ਮੁਇਆ ਨਾਉ ॥ ਪਿਛੈ ਪਤਲਿ ਸਦਿਹੁ ਕਾਵ ॥ Notes