What is Pitra Dosh (Pitru Dosha)?
Pitra Dosh, also spelled Pitru Dosha, is a karmic condition in the birth chart linked to one’s ancestors (pitru). In Vedic astrology it is said to arise when duties toward departed elders were left incomplete, or from unresolved ancestral karma carried forward. It shows in the chart mainly through the Sun (which signifies father and lineage), the 9th house (father, fortune and dharma), and the shadow planets Rahu and Ketu. When the Sun is afflicted by Rahu, Ketu or Saturn, or the nodes sit in the 9th house, the classic markers of Pitra Dosh appear. Its effects are said to include recurring obstacles in progeny, career growth and family harmony until the ancestors are honoured. This calculator checks all four classic indicators and tells you whether Pitra Dosh is present, along with the traditional remedies (nivaran).
How It Works
Enter your birth details
Your date, time and place of birth — the Sun, 9th house and nodes depend on your precise chart.
We run the 4-point check
Using the Swiss Ephemeris we check Sun-node conjunctions, nodes in the 9th house, the 9th lord, and Moon-node affliction.
Read your Pitra Dosh result
See whether the dosh is present, how strong the indicators are, and the remedies (nivaran) if needed.
What You Get
Pitra Dosh Status
A clear Yes or No on Pitru Dosha.
Indicator Count
How many classic markers are present.
Sun Affliction
Whether the Sun is hit by Rahu, Ketu or Saturn.
9th House Check
The house of father, fortune and dharma.
Family Impact
What the dosh means for progeny and family.
Nivaran
Traditional remedies to clear the dosh.
Why Pitra Dosh Is So Often Exaggerated
Few terms are used to worry people — and sell expensive rituals — as much as Pitra Dosh. The reality is far calmer. Pitra Dosh has specific, checkable markers in the chart: the Sun conjunct Rahu, Ketu or Saturn, the nodes in the 9th house, a weak 9th lord, or a node-afflicted Moon. If these are absent or mild, there is no real dosh to fear, and a simple annual tarpan during Pitra Paksha is more than enough. Genuine Pitra Dosh does exist and deserves respect, but it is nowhere near as common as fear-based marketing suggests. Checking the actual markers replaces anxiety with a clear, honest picture.
How Pitra Dosh Shows in the Chart
Sun afflicted
The Sun (father, lineage) conjunct or aspected by Rahu, Ketu or Saturn.
Nodes in the 9th
Rahu or Ketu in the 9th house of father, fortune and dharma.
Weak 9th lord
The lord of the 9th house placed in a difficult (dusthana) house.
Moon-node link
The Moon closely afflicted by Rahu or Ketu.
What Pitra Dosh Can Affect
Progeny
Delays or difficulties around having children.
Career
Recurring blocks or slow growth despite effort.
Family harmony
Tension or distance within the family.
Fortune
A sense of luck not quite supporting one’s work.
Nivaran — Remedies for Pitra Dosh
If your chart shows genuine Pitra Dosh markers, the traditional nivaran centres on honouring the ancestors. The most important is performing Shraddh and Tarpan during Pitra Paksha, the sixteen-day period dedicated to the departed. Pind Daan, often performed at Gaya in Bihar, is the classic ritual for ancestral peace. Day to day, feeding crows (said to carry offerings to the ancestors), cows and the needy, keeping harmony with living elders, and caring for one’s parents are all powerful. Above all, Pitra Dosh responds to genuine respect and remembrance — not fear — so honouring your lineage with sincerity is the truest remedy.
Inside Your 40+ Page Report
- Your Pitra Dosh status (present or not) with clear reasoning
- How many of the four classic indicators apply
- Whether the Sun is afflicted by Rahu, Ketu or Saturn
- The condition of your 9th house and its lord
- What the dosh means for progeny, career and family
- Traditional nivaran remedies (Shraddh, Tarpan, Pind Daan)
- An honest reading — no fear-based exaggeration
- Simple daily ways to honour your ancestors
Your Complete 350+ Page Personalised Kundli
Go far beyond this calculator. Your full personalised Kundli is a 350+ page deep-dive — every house and planet from your Lagna, all divisional charts, your complete Vimshottari Dasha timeline, yogas, doshas and remedies crafted only for you.
Get My Personalised Report →Why AstroMool?
Real 4-point analysis
We check all four classic indicators — Sun-node conjunction, nodes in the 9th, the 9th lord, and Moon-node affliction — not a single vague rule.
Honest, fear-free result
Pitra Dosh is heavily overused to sell rituals. We tell you clearly if the markers are absent or mild.
Authentic Lahiri ayanamsa
Computed with the Lahiri ayanamsa, the Indian standard, so your result matches traditional Jyotish.
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