Funeral Rites, the Last Sacrament In Hinduism funeral is a sacrament just as the birth of an individual. It is rightly compared to a sacrifice and termed as the last rite (antyesti). Upon death, Hindus are not buried, but cremated according to an established procedure as detailed in the scriptures. This is based on the belief that a jiva is made up of five elements of Prakriti (nature) which need to be returned to their source upon its death. Of them fire, earth, water and air belong to the body and come from this world, whereas the fifth element the ether (fine matter) belongs to the domain of the subtle body and comes from the higher worlds. By cremating the body, the elements are rightfully returned to their respective spheres, while the subtle body along with soul returns to the worlds beyond for the continuation of its afterlife. Cremation however is not the only prescribed method of disposal of the body. Children below a certain age are buried upon death. In case of an enlightened master, his body is buried inside a tomb called samadhi while he himself is seated in a state of samadhi in lotus position. The body of a renouncer (sanyasi) is usually placed in a river, since it is customary for a sanyasi to undergo the symbolic act of cremation before taking up the life of renunciation. So a second cremation is not prescribed. While cremation is the standard procedure, Hindus prefer a watery grave for the departed in the Ganges, which is a sacred river that is believed to purify souls of their sins, or a cremation on its banks. Hindu funeral rites have a twin purpose. They are meant to ensure a souls happy migration and habitation in the other world and also save its family members from the after effects of pollution consequent upon the death of a kin. According to Hindu beliefs, when a person dies, irrespective of whether he is far or near, his family members are polluted by the very process of his death and remain so for some time till the soul completes its journey to the other world and till they are purified through rituals. So is the case with others who come to see the corpse or enter the house where it is placed. The family members of the deceased have to remain isolated and stay away from social engagements for some time before the situation returns to normalcy. The Hindu law books proscribe the recitation of Vedic hymns near a corpse. When a person dies, his body is given a final bath, usually in the house where he lived. It is then placed on a wooden stretcher and carried by his kith and kin accompanied by the chanting of the name of God to the community cremation grounds. Unless there are compelling circumstances, the body is cremated usually on the same day of the death or after a day or two. The body is placed on the funeral pyre in such a way that its feet point towards the south (the direction of Yama the lord of death) and its head towards north (the direction of Kubera the lord of wealth). The funeral pyre is lit, usually by the eldest son, with a sacred fire created for the purpose or in case of twice born with the domestic fire. Wood, dried cow dung, ghee and other materials are used in the cremation of the body. Three to ten days after cremation the ashes are collected into urns and scattered at various places. They are mingled with earth, water and air to signify the return of the body to its elements. After the funeral, the family of the deceased perform a ceremonial offering called sraddham, in which rice balls (pindas) are offered by the sons of the deceased to the departed soul. It is believed that the rice balls would help the departed soul to construct a body (annamaya-kosa) for its existence in the world of the ancestors. The offerings continue for ten days each day representing a month in the normal gestation period of a human embryo in the womb, by the end of which the ghost body would be ready. It is followed by another rite known as sapindakarana which facilitates the entry of the soul into the world of ancestors (pitrloka) and its continuation from there on. In south India there is a practice of offering rice balls to the crows near the cremation grounds to test whether the soul is happy or not with the rites performed. If the crows eat the rice balls, it is a confirmation that the soul is happy with the offerings and the rituals and settled in the other word. A function is organized on the fifteenth day after cremation and guests are invited for a meal. Members of the deceased usually do not celebrate functions and festivals for a specific period of time as a mark of respect and also to avoid causing pollution to others.
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 15:13:31 +0000
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