Tarpan is a term in the Vedic practice that refers to an offering made to divine entities, including gods, sages, ancestors souls, and human beings, to satisfy them. It is a way of gratifying the ancestors and freeing them from any unfulfilled desires so that they can complete their journey to the heavenly abode with peace, satisfaction, and happiness. Tarpan is a form of arghya, which is an offering made to all devas as well as the Navagrahas whenever mulamantra is recited as japa. Tilatarpana is a specific form of tarpana involving libations offered to the pitri (deceased ancestors) using water and sesame seeds during Pitru Paksha or as a death rite.

The objective of performing tarpan is that the divine entities, whose names are pronounced while performing Tarpan, should bestow happiness on us. The various types of Tarpans that are part of various rites and should be performed during the respective occasions include Brahmayadnyanga (performed during sacrificial fires), snananga (performed every day after bathing), and shraddhanga (performed during shraddha) .

The method of performing tarpan involves offering water to the divine entities, holding it in the palm, and releasing it in a specific way conducive to freeing them of some conditioning. Tarpan for gods is performed from the tip of the darbha, tarpan for sages should be performed by folding the darbha in the middle, and tarpan for deceased ancestors’ souls should be performed from the tip and root of the two darbhas. Tarpan should be performed at the riverside, and while performing Tarpan, one should either stand in the river water so that the water touches the navel region or perform it on the banks of a river.

Tarpan is an important ritual of Hinduism, and it is performed during various occasions, including Pitru Paksha, Shraddha, and ones birthday.