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Tag: Hindu death rites

  • Ekothistam Othan Eleventh Day Ceremony for The Dead

    Ekothistam Othan Eleventh Day Ceremony for The Dead

    Having made the Pretha get disgusted with the basic urge for Food,one should now look for measures to help the Pretha to join the ancestors.

    The Pretha,which had turned away from food now has nowhere to go and keeps loitering.

    On the Eleventh day ceremony for the dead the Pretha is made to be present in the body of a Brahmin and the Brahmin is fed.

    This is called Ekothishta,Othan in Tamil.

    Daughters must be present.

    Sraddha food is prepared and the Brahmin is offered the food.

    Uthishta means Brahmins in this context Ekothista means one Brahmin.

    After the Brahmin is asked to take the food,he walks away to eat the food.

    Those present are not to see him.

    Shanti Homa in the form of Sri Rudram is performed after this.

    Some perform it on the twelfth day.

    Why should not one see the Brahmin who is offered the food?

    The Brahmin is treated as the Pretha.

    Mantras are chanted asking the Pretha to descend in the body of the Brahmin.

    Originally 32 Kavalas (32 palmful),were offered.

    The Brahmin who took the food died as soon as he finished eating the food.

    Hence the practice of offering food instead of Kavala palmful) has been followed.

    And as the Brahmin is the personification of the Pretha and a Brahmin having died taking the food,the practice of  not looking at the Brahmin has come into vogue.

  • Hindu Tenth Day Ceremony பத்து Mangalya Removal

    The death ceremonies of the Hindus, especially. Brahmins on the Tenth Day consists of three parts.

    1.Tharpana by Gnayathis, by those related by the same Gotra.

    2.Offering of food to Pretha by daughters.

    3.Removal of Mangalya Sutra.

    The Pertha had been offered Water and Seasame seeds and water to quench their thirst and satisfy their anguish, Thaapa.

    On the Tenth Day food is offered by daughters and women to the Pretha.

    The Pretha, having been offered water and Seasame seeds for the past nine days retains the taste for food.

    IT is time that it is made to move away from food to enable it to join the ancestors.

    Satras declare that food is be prepared by the following for consumption(even for those who are alive)

    1.Preparation by Self Swayam Bhaaga,

    2.By Mother

    3.Daughter.

    Food prepared by others are not considered nourishing and are to be avoided.

    So, on the Tenth Day rice, and Raw plantain வாழைக்காய் is prepared and offered to Pretha.

    The preparation is without Salt.

    Women who are not related may also take part in this ceremony.

    The Pretha tastes this and becomes disgusted with food as it contains no Salt.

    Next is essentially a mundane practice.

    That is the removal of தாலி, Mangalya Sutra.

    Mangalya is not a part of Vedic marriage.

    Please read my article on this for details.

    Traditionally the Thaali was removed on the midnight of the Tenth Day from the wife of the deceased.

    A widow in the family of the deceased removes it from the wife of the deceased and kept in a bowl of Milk.

    The lady may wear a chain instead.

    Or the Mangalya Sutra from the chain may be removed and the chain may be worn.

    Those whose husbands are alive are not to be present during this process.

    This is solemn ceremony and has to be done quietly.

  • Hindu Death Ceremony Days 2 to 9 Daaha Thaapa Upachamanam

    The ceremonies performed after collection of bones/ashes and immersion in the sea,the Rites of Hinduism addresses three issues.

    Seasame seeds. Image

    1.The Saisfying of the Pretha,the subtle body that remains after the body is turned to ashes and immersion in the sea.

    2.The gradual process of making the Pretha getting disgusted with what is offered and moving/joining ancestors.

    3.The process of purification of Home and the relatives from the impurities attached to Death and the attendant ceremonies.

    As explained in the last article,the Subtle body,Pretha remains after life is snuffed out and the physical frame becomes Sava and is cremated.

    The Pretha,without the medium of Body is unable to satisfy its urges.

    (It may be noted that the Subtle body,when Life is present is called Sookshma Sarrera and is nourished by what we eat.It becomes Pretha only after Death).

    There are two cravings in any Human Beings in terms of what they experience.

    Daaha and Thaapa.

    Daaha may lossely translated as Urge,Thirst,Obsessive Desire to enjoy.

    Thaapa is anguish,disappointment,frustration in not getting what one desires.

    These two are resolved,to a limited degree,when one is alive,has body.

    Even if what one desires does not materialize,one has mind,when alive,to understand and compromise.

    Pretha,with no body and mind can not do this.

    However the urge,Daaha and Thaapa remain with it.

    It is to be met if the,Pretha is to move forward and join the ancestors.

    The death ceremonies of Hindus ,from Day one to thirteen address these.

    On the day of death,at the cremation ground,after consigning the body to flames,the son of the deceased makes a rough sketch of human body with sand on the ground.

    The Pretha is made to come into this,by chanting mantras requesting the,Pretha to come in and accept what is offered.

    Water,Tender Coconut Water and Seasame seeds with Water are offered to the Pretha in the Human sketch formed on the ground.

    After immersion of ashes in the sea,the Pretha is made to descend in a small stone placed in a corner at the home of the deceased.

    A small area is selected inside the house,where the deceased lived,roughly one foot by one foot,the area is paved with sand and a thatch of Coconut leaf is placed as the roof.

    The son offers water,water and Seasameseeds to the Pretha in the stone daily.

    Water is offered to quench Daaha and meet with desires of the Pretha .

    Sea same seeds with water is offered to satisfy Thaapa, anguish.

    The water and sea same seeds with water is increased every day till the tenth day.

    The Pretha is believed to be hovering around the house till it is sent to join Pitrus, ancestors on the twelfth Day.

  • Hindu Death Ceremonies Day One Two Details Meaning

    Hindu Death Ceremonies Day One Two Details Meaning

    Death is just a hairbreadth away from Life.

    What does happen just before death, at the time of Death and after death?

    For the first two points and signs of Death, according to Hinduism, please read my articles Signs of Death,Hinduism.

    What does Hinduism say on Life just afer death?

    Soul has five layers.

    Annamaya Kosa, the subtle body made of the essence of Food,

    Pranamaya Kosa, of Life’s breath,

    Manomaya Kosa, made of mind’s impressions,

    Vignanamaya Kosa, the subtle reposited impressions of Knowledge and

    Gnanamaya Kosa, the level of wisdom, discerned knowledge.

    The last one Anandamaya Kosa is an immediate Attribute of BrahmanThe Reality.

    When all the other Kosas( sheaths) , except Gnanamaya Kosa are dissipitated, the Gnanamaya Kosa gets merged, in case of Realized Souls, with Brahman or the knowledge that it is different from Brahman disappears.

    The Death ceremonies conducted for the first twelve Days in Hinduism, more specifically in the case of Brahmins,relate to these aspects.

    Once the life leaves the body it becomes Sava,without Auspiciosness,Shiva.

    The human body has two aspects,Sthula,Gross and Sookshma,Subtle.

    The physical frame is the gross aspect of Atman.

    Sookshma Sareera,Subtle body is a conglomeration of  the essence(Rasa) of Food(Anna),Prana(life energy),Mind(Manas),Knowledge(Vigyana) and Consciousness(Ananda).

    All these subtle aspects draw their nourishment from the  Five Gross elements,Earth,Water,Fire,Air and Ether(Prithvi,Appu,Agni,Vayu and Akasha).

    Each of these subtle essences nourish the body and facilitates the enjoyment,both pleasant and unpleasant,depending on one’s actions,Karma,by the Unrealized.

    Once Life ebbs away,the physical frame called Sava is cremated and the subtle body is called Pretha.

    The functions of the Sava ceases but the subtle body,Pretha remains,though it remains invisible.

    On the day of death,after the ceremonies are conducted at home ,officially christening the body as Pretha,washing it,removing everything worn,adorning with Vibhuthi or appropriate castemark,declaring the son and if the deceased had no son,the one who shall conduct the Andhima Karma,Final Rites is designated as such, along with symbolic fire which was lit as soon as the person died,the body is moved to the Crematorium,with the Grandson/s showing the light with a torch.

    At the crematorium,the body,before consigning to flames,is addressed as Pretha by the son,thanking the person for bringing up the children,declaring that the son would perform all Karmas to enable the Sookshma sareea to join the ancestors.

    At the crematorium the body which has sprung from the five elements,Earth,Water,Fire,Air and Ether is retuned.

    The body is laid on the ground and rites are performed and mantras chanted returning the body to Earth.

    Water is filled ( half pot),son walks around the body in an anticlockwise direction three times,a hole is made in the pot at each perambulation(total three) and water is allowed to flow to the earth signifying the return to Water.

    Fire is lit from the brazier to the body returning it to Fire in the condition the body came into being,that is bereft of anything.

    Air,Vayu is worshipped along with Aakasa,Ether praying they take their composition in the body.

    Food, in the form of Rice is offered to the body by relatives as the last food offered to the body stating that further food will be for the subtle body.

    If the Thithi when cremating is different from the Thithi when death occurred,the ashes/bones are collected by the son wearing Kandankathri Vegetable,( which incidentally is an antibiotic to prevent infections from the bones that mat may be found in the ashes),on the day of death and is consigned to ocean.

    There is no Theetu for the first two nazhikai from the time of death(40 minutes)

    The Kartha must take bath after entering house,( he must enter the house  after washing his feet outside the the house,so must the others)

    He should change to fresh Dhoti,not new and take light refreshments,no meals.

    The light which was lit at the time of death near the body must be kept burning till 12th Day ceremony is complete.

    Food is not to be prepared at home and it can be received from relatives.

    Sandhyavandana is not to be performed for the first two days,the day of death and collection/immersion of ashes.

    It has to be performed from day three.

    If collection of Ashes is done on the same day of death,Sandhyavandana may be performed from the next day.

    No other Vaidika Karma must be performed till the 13th day function is over.

    The karmas to be performed from The Third day follows with meaning behind them

  • 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.