Three days of the Shitro Narak Dongtruk Pūjā are performed each year on the 8th, 9th, and 10th days of the 8th month of the Tibetan lunar calendar.  This corresponds with the three most important days of the great Nepalese festival of Dashain (Maha Asthami, Maha Nawami, and Maha Dashami).

The Narak Dongtruk Pūjā was devised by Guru Padmasaṃbhava by integrating the tantra and the scriptures into pith instructions.  The principal purpose of this pūjā is to pray for all sentient beings to be released from the cycle of death and rebirth.

The monks pray for those who have passed away to achieve a swift and excellent rebirth and to ultimately achieve eternal peace of mind. They pray for those who are living to have long, healthy, peaceful, and purposeful lives filled with loving kindness and compassion.  They pray for those who have committed negative deeds such as killing, stealing, lying, and harming others whether intentionally or through ignorance to be purified of their negative karma.

The Narak Dongtruk Pūjā enables the practice of confession and the purification of acts of the ten non-virtues and the breakage of vows.  This can be performed by the one who has committed the actions and also by the monks practicing on his or her behalf. The pūjā can clear away all negative energy and can help all sentient beings acquire merit and embrace boundless kindness and compassion.

May the virtue of anyone who rejoices in this auspicious activity be dedicated to the Enlightenment of all sentient beings.