Son is considered to prevent parents from entering a horrible type of Hell, ‘Puth’: hence son is called as ‘Puthra’ in Sanskrit.
What do the Puranas say about the duties of the son?
For every child, devotion to parents is the primary Duty.
So much so ,the Upanishad says, Mathru Devo Bhava,Pitru Devo Bhava’,Devote yourself to Mother ,Father.
This, during the parents’ lifetime.
Last and ensuing rites after death is to be performed by the son, and by the father for the son.
These Karmas are to be performed with the Sacred Thread worn on the Left shoulder(Pracheena Veedhi)
The Last rites are to be performed only by the eldest son That is the rites performed immediately after death.
But after the Thirteenth day all the Rites, including Srardha is to be performed by all the sons.
There is a view that if the elder son performs the Srardha, other sons need not perform.
If all the brothers stay in one house and perform the Srardha the eldest can do and the others can be by his side.
If they stay separately then every one has to perform separately.
Other than the sons of the wife married in the Vedic way, sons of the deceased may perform the last rites, if
The son was born to a Man who married without paying the parent’s of the girl ,
of a Concubine.
On death, all the relatives must bathe the dead body ,dress it up with only Dhoti,or Saree apply Vibhuthi,Thiruman or Kumkum and adorn with Garland.
No ornaments, even if it is Rudraksha has to be removed and the body’s head should face the South.
All the relatives must take part in this.
Daughter of the deceased must bathe the body and wash the place where the body was kept initially and keep the washed body there.
As soon as one is dead, a smoking fire is to be kept outside the House.
None should eat till the body is set afire.
After the Pretha(Body)Karmas are done with and the body burnt in the Ghat, people should enter the house after washing their feet and take bath with their clothes.
Should sleep on the floor till the twelfth day.
Till the thirteenth day food can be taken only once in the morning and Pinda, a Rice ball, is to be placed for the dead.
The Karmas are to be performed at Home.
A small hole, Kuzhis, is to be made , just outside the house,within the compound, and covered.
The Kuzhi Tharpana is to be performed by the Paternal side relatives till the tenth day.
Should take bath outside the village or town, offer Tharpana and donate Dhoti,Angavastra or Saree and Blouse bit on the First,Third, Seventh and ninth day of the death.
Asthi Sanjayan, the dissolving of ashes is to be done on the Fourth day.
(The Current practice is performing this Karma on the second day, Vishnu Purana says it should be done on the Fourth day)
After twelfth day one can sleep on he bed.
But till the thirteenth day no intimate relations with husband or wife is allowed.
During this period, all the three varnas, Brahmana,Kshatriya and Vaisya should not recite Vedas, Engage in Dhaana or Dharma nor should one accept any thing from the others..
For more on this read my posts on Srardha and Srardha Samayal
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