We have come to understand the word sraddha to mean faith, but there is a much deeper explanation of the word. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura uses an analogy to explain this deeper meaning: When sraddha is born, it is like the birth of a baby girl. When a newborn girl appears, her parents are careful to protect her from severe cold, extreme heat, too much exposure to sun, harmful creatures, hunger, and thirst. In the same way, sraddha must be protected from the harmful misconceptions of karma (desire for fruitive gain) and jnana (impersonal conceptions). Desire is an eternal companion of the soul; therefore we must direct it properly. The only genuine desire of a pure spirit soul is to satisfy the Lord by rendering Him favorable service for His pleasure. Any admixtures are compared to the bad elements from which the newborn girl must be protected.
(LFD, Vol2, Faith—The Price for the Holy Name, Pg 95 and Pg 96)