Ramanisblog

Tag: Gruhayagnya

  • Death Expenses Upto Thirteen Days Detail

    People are bewildered when it they have to conduct the Final rites of the deceased.

    This is more complex and confusing in the case of Brahmins.

    The reason is that the ceremonies are elaborate in terms of Mantras and the Dhanas/ the giveaways to the deserving are quite many .

    And there are various interpretations.

    Add to this the Sentiment value attached to events, especially Death.

    To top it all you have all and sundry, well meaning though, confuse you.

    So under the circumstances one has to address two major issues.

    1. Mantras and Procedures.

    2.The total expenses.

    Under Mantras and expenses it is suggested that follow the suggestions of the Family Purohit.

    In case you do not have one, contact Srinngeri/Kanchi Mutt for Purohit.

    In places where these Mutts do not have their presence, check out the prominent temple in your city and you shall get the Purohit.

    As to general rules to be followed please check my article Mourning Death Theetu Hindu Rituals.

    As to expenses.

    Thirteen days Rituals are prescribed.

    While the first twelve days are Asubha Kaaryas,the Thirteenth Day is Auspicious, Subha.

    In Hinduism, the Body, after Life has left, is called Sava, the physical body, sans Life.

    However, at the spiritual level, the dead body,Sava is called ‘ Pretha’

    Till the twelfth day the dead remain as Pretha and only after the Pindaas are joined to earlier Pitrus or ancestors, does the Pretha becomes A Pitru.

    On the thirteenth day Subhasweekara/ Gruhayagnya is performed to denote auspiciousness.

    There are rites to be performed from the day of death.

    First day one cremates and on the next day collects the Ashes.

    If the Cremation is done on the next Thithi( on the same day), this may change during the day depending on the Movement of rhe Moon, the Ashes may be collected on the same day of Death.

    Expenses for these two days are approximately Rs. 15, 000/

    This excludes what one may incur at the Cremation ground by way of tips to Cremation ground staff.

    Many cremation grounds offer free service.

    Other wise these expenses will have to be borne.

    Sastras say that the Rites from day one to Thirteen are to be performed at Home.

    However the practice now is to perform at the Gynavapis.

    There are three types of perdorming these Rites.

    Performing Tharpana from day one to ten.

    Second option is to start from day seven.

    And the third is to start on day Nine.

    The approximate expenses from day three to Thirteen is Rs.60,000/.

    This covers ,

    Purohit Fees,

    Gyanavapi Rental,

    Materials for all the Rites, excluding the The Thirteenth day.

    Food for 30 people from day seven to day twelve.

    Dhana includes the following.

    Land as token,

    Umbrella,

    Woollen blanket,

    Chappal,

    Deepa

    Vastra,

    Swarna.

    Cow.

    The above is an indication.

    The fee mentioned includes all the Dhanas.

    So one need not be worried whether one has omitted some.

    If the Purohit does not do the Dhanas after one has given him money, the Sin would accrue to him and not to the Kartha.

    For the Thirteenth day, expenses for Food and Pooja materials(Pooaja materials might cost maximum Rs.500) is to be borne by the householder.

    The thirteenth day rite is to be conducted at Home and not anywhere else.

    The above expenses as obtaining at Chennai in 2017.

    Variation of about 10% is likely elsewhere.

    In effect, expenses for thirteen days Rituals would be around Rs.75, 000/

    This would do for the Karmas.

    Anything above this would be at your convenience.

  • Yama First To Walk Death, When did Cremation Begin

    The Concept of Death as personified is quiet ancient and Sanatana Dharma was the first to practice and is still practicing it.

    The Cremation of the Dead spread from Sanatana Dharma to Sumeria,and later to Greeks.

    Homer mentions thus,

    ‘Never again will I return from Hades when I have received my meed of fire”. ‘

    –Patroklos,in Homer’s Iliad.

    Patroklos, Doesn’t it resemble Pitrulok,the abode of Ancestors of Hinduism?

    Now to the issue of Creation.

    Early Sanatana Dharma  cremated in a House made of Clay.

    A Hymn on Varuna mentions this.

    The dead walked towards Paradise,it was believed in the earliest Vedic period.

    It was Yama,the God of Death was the First Man to walk towards Death.

    Later He guided the Dead to Swarg/Narak,Heaven/Hell based on one’s deeds.

    The Dead were offered to Fire God,Agni.

    He conveys what is offered in homa fire used for the ceremonies to devathas ,through the Apri Devathas to Heaven.

    ‘When the remains of the deceased have been placed on the funeral pile, and the process of cremation has commenced, Agni, the god of fire, is prayed not to scorch or consume the departed, not to tear asunder his skin or his limbs, but, after the flames have done their work, to convey to the fathers the mortal who has been presented to him as an offering. Leaving behind on earth all that is evil and imperfect, and proceeding by the paths which the fathers trod, invested with a lustre like that of the gods, it soars to the realms of eternal light in a car, or on wings, and recovers there its ancient body in a complete and glorified form; meets with the forefathers who are living in festivity with Yama; obtains from him, when recognized by him as one of his own, a delectable abode, and enters upon more perfect life, which is crowned with the fulfilment of all desires, is passed in the presence of the gods, and employed in the fulfilment of their pleasure.”

    Agni is worshiped thus in these ceremonies,

    ‘Make straight the pathways that lead to the gods; be kind to us, and carry the sacrifice for us”. 

    ‘To Yama, mighty king, be gifts and homage paid.

    He was the first of men that died, the first to brave
    Death’s rapid rushing stream, the first to point the road
    To heaven, and welcome others to that bright abode.
    Sir M. Monier Williams’ translation. 1

    Professor Macdonell gives a new rendering of a Vedic hymn  in which Yama is referred to as follows:

    Him who along the mighty heights departed,
    Him who searched and spied the path for many,
    Son of Vivasvat, gatherer of the people,
    Yama the king, with sacrifices worship.
    Rigveda, x, 14. 1.

    Yama judged men as Dharma-rajah, “King of righteousness”; he was Pitripati, “lord of the fathers”; Samavurti, “the impartial judge”; Kritana, “the finisher”; Antaka, “he who ends life”; Samana, “the leveller”,

    The path of humans is different,it was called Pitru Yana,while that of Gods was called Deva Yana.

    These two terms also refer to seasons and in some contexts refer to Geographical locations, the Pitru Yana,the South ( Lemuria?)and Deva Yana,the North(Arctic).

    Reference and citations.

    Iliad, xxiii, 75.

    39:1 Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts, v. 302.

    39:2 Rigveda, x. 51 (Arnold’s translation).

    39:3 A History of Sanskrit Literature, p. 117.

    40:1 From Indian Wisdom.

    40:2 A History of Sanskrit Literature, p. 117.

    40:3 Early Religious Poetry of Persia, Professor J. H. Moulton, p. 42.

    41:1 A History of Sanskrit Literature, Professor Macdonell, p. 68.

    41:2 Rigveda, x, 10.