पितृ [ pitṛ ] [ pitṛ́ ] m. ( irreg. acc. pl. [ pitaras ] Lit. MBh. ; gen. pl. [ pitriṇām ] Lit. BhP.) a father Lit. RV. (in the Veda N. of Bṛihas-pati , Varuṇa , Prajā-pati , and esp. of heaven or the sky ; [ antarā pitaraṃ mātaraṃ ca ] , " between heaven and earth " Lit. RV. x , 88 , 15)

[ pitṛ ] m. du. ( [ °tarau ] ) father and mother , parents Lit. RV. (in the Veda N. of the Araṇis ( q.v. ) and of heaven and earth)

( [ °taras ] ) the fathers , forefathers , ancestors , (esp.) the Pitṛis or deceased ancestors (they are of 2 classes , viz. the deceased father , grandfathers and great-grandfathers of any partic. person , and the progenitors of mankind generally ; in honour of both these classes rites called Śrāddhas are performed and oblations called Piṇḍas ( q.v. ) are presented ; they inhabit a peculiar region , which , according to some , is the Bhuvas or region of the air , according to others , the orbit of the moon , and are considered as the regents of the Nakshatras Maghā and Mūla ; cf. Lit. RTL. 10 ) Lit. RV.

a father and his brothers , father and uncles , paternal ancestors Lit. Mn. ii , 151 Lit. R. Lit. Kathās.

a partic. child's-demon Lit. Suśr. ( Origin fr. √ 3 [ pā ] very doubtful ; cf. Zd. (pita) ; Gk. 1 ; Lat. (pater) , (Jup-piter) ; Goth. (fadar) ; Germ. (Vater) ; Eng. (father) . )