Ancestral affliction
Pitra dosha, sometimes written pitru dosha, is read when the Sun or the ninth house — the significators of the father and of ancestry — are afflicted, most commonly by Rahu, Ketu or Saturn. It is described in the classical texts as an obligation carried forward rather than as a fault of the person.
How it is said to show
The traditional readings involve difficulty with the father or with paternal lineage, obstruction in matters that ought to come easily, and delay in children. As with every dosha, the strength of the afflicting planet and the condition of the ninth lord decide how much weight any of this carries.
The remedies
The prescribed remedies are almost entirely ancestral rites — tarpan and shraddha performed for the forefathers, particularly during Pitru Paksha — together with charity made in their name. These are observances rather than purchases, which is worth knowing before anyone is sold an expensive alternative.
Common questions
Is pitra dosha the same as kaal sarp?
No. Kaal sarp is about all the planets falling between Rahu and Ketu. Pitra dosha concerns affliction to the Sun and the ninth house, which signify the father and ancestry.
What are the remedies?
Ancestral rites — tarpan and shraddha for the forefathers, particularly during Pitru Paksha — and charity in their name. The traditional remedies are observances, not purchases.