A man who has passed away in the mainstream of today’s society is only mourned by his loved ones. But Tantric science suggests that there is no point in simply grieving for the deceased, but instead teaches how loved ones can lend a helping hand according to certain procedures.
Death, according to Indian Vedic science, is not a finality but rather a part of life. Thus, by extending a helping hand to the deceased, living people can find meaning in their lives. According to Vedic experts, this layer of processes from the compassionate heart will reach the deceased.
Any person who is trapped in a condition called eligible (yukta) can be helped by a living person. A person in the state of yukta can transform his consciousness (mind) into acceptance (grasping) and receive the directions of the living. This grant can be made within forty-nine days of the person’s death.
However, there is another type of proclamation. First, “no matter how long a person has been dead, he can be helped by the living” (those in authority). Second, the living can offer their help because the deceased has psychic powers.
These aids are in the form of rites, which consist of Yajnas.
A brief summary is as follows: According to the Indian Vedic tradition, the rites done for a person after his death are called “Pitru-Medha” or “Antyeshti.”
Note
Some traditionalists also consider this an inauspicious act. But, according to Vedic-science, it is auspicious as these actions are for the living person to execute his duties and as a metaphor for debt payment. It is the author’s opinion that there is nothing wrong with helping a person on the basis of their need.
Here, Ishti or Medha means Yagnya (sacrifice). There is no doubt that all of them are giving guidance to the deceased, even though there are many different traditions for doing this. However, henceforth, this issue is seen only in the form of Vedic tradition.
When any person dies, he has to be cremated first. That is, the dead person’s body should be placed on a pyre and cremated by fire with a mantra.
Note:
All the organs of the human body are also forms of the five basic elements and energies. That is, it is made up of five fundamentals (Panchikarana). After death, they have to return and reach their sources. Thus, Vedic science says that a dead person should be cremated by fire. Agni, the great conductor of oblations (i.e., Havya-Vaahaka), is the main cause of this process.
If the dead body is buried or placed in a coffin without being cremated by fire, the body decomposes slowly. Thus, deities or associated resources do not receive energy or basic substances in a decayed state. Cremation by fire is the best method, according to Vedic science. Even the act of burning has to be done with the fire of worship (Upasana Agni).
Note:
According to Vedic science, a person should make sure that the fire that is created when he gets married does not go out even after the marriage and worship it till he dies. Such a fire is said to be the fire of worship (Upasana Agni).
At the same time, a person who is doing rituals should give to charity. This is because the materials cannot be given directly to the deceased person. Then, the Karna Mantra (i.e., the Vishnu Sahasra-Nama or Bhagavad Gita verses) should be uttered loudly.
Note
Vishnu Sahasra-Nama or Bhagavad Gita verses should be recited while the person is experiencing the dying process. Otherwise, it should be recited before the cremation.
Then, worship of the Pretah has to be done. (The words Pra and Itah come together to form the word Pretah.) According to the Vedas, Pretah means one who has departed from here. The Kartru (the one performing the rituals) has to give nine types of Havis (oblations) in the worship of this Pretah. (Note: This is because the nine types of formations are the guides of the deceased.) Then, the Kartru should sit facing the east direction and chant the mantra called “Yamya Sukta.” On the next day (only if it is favorable according to the Pancha-Anga) or on the third day, the Kartru has to do the act called “Sanchayana” (Accumulation).
Note: Sanchayana is explained as follows: In the process of combustion, some bones of the body will not be burned fully. Along with these, the ashes of different parts of the cremated body should be collected and left in the running water as food for the fish. This is because humans evolved from fish. Also, every Indian is a son of Mother Ganga. (For more details please refer to my book “Vedic evolution.”)
In the following days, the Kartru has to perform rituals (i.e., Nitya-Vidhi). This Nitya-vidhi is a ten-day ritual performed after a person dies. (Hint: Details of Nitya-Vidhi are given in the Garuda Purana.) After a person dies, his soul travels. It corresponds to the five types of prana in microform, with perceptions of deed and knowledge, mind, and intellect. Vedic science refers to this as “Linga Sharira.” Thus, the odors that accompanied the physical body are now accompanied by Linga Sharira. All these elements suffer terribly as a result of losing their physical bodies. Due to the removal of this one affliction, the Nitya-vidhi has to be performed by the living person, i.e., by Kartru.
The rites and methods of the Nitya-Vidhi Karma are briefly described below: Invoke the Pretah into a stone, in which it is to be enshrined. After that, Vasodaka means the Kartru has to perform prokshana (spray) on the invited Pretah by absorbing water in his uttariya (i.e., a cotton garment worn over the shoulders). (Note: The Pretah has heat, and this function is for its appeasement.) Eleven handfuls of water should be given along with sesame seeds to quench the thirst that may have arisen due to combustion. Also, in order to appease the Pretah’s hunger, one should prepare enough rice (i.e., enough to satisfy one’s hunger) on the spot. Use 90 percent of it to make a Pindam (in a ball shape) and pour milk and curd along with the mantram on that. The remaining 10 percent is to be given as Bhuta Bali (as an offering to Pretah). The remaining cooked rice in the pot should be poured there. The Kartru has to do this work continuously for ten days, starting from the day of cremation.
Note
Although the effectiveness of all these works reaches the deceased person through the mantras, two factors are important here: Kartru’s dedication and feeling.
Then, the Kartru must then complete Dharmodaka’s task. ‘Dharmodaka’ means that on the tenth day of a person’s death, all his relatives should come together and donate a portion of the merit they have earned to the deceased person. It is essentially a debt payment or an expression of gratitude from a living person to a deceased person.
On this tenth day, a person who has died suffers from hunger pangs. Therefore, on that day, along with Nitya Bali, the act of ‘Prabhuta Bali’ should be performed. The Kartru should cook more rice and offer it for this purpose.
Then, the Pretah of the dead person, already enshrined in a stone, should be dispelled, facilitating its onward journey. The stone should be dispelled with the mantra in the water. Then, the Kartru should perform the homa of Shanti (peace) and Ananda (happiness) for the sake of the departed.
IMPORTANT
”Agha’ here means sin. “Sin” in this context means that the person living in memory of the dead person grieves outwardly and inwardly. Kartru should perform this homa to get rid of that sin
Note
Persons related to the deceased should not mourn, either outwardly or inwardly, after ten days. Because, this grief creates a huge obstacle to the progress of the deceased person.
“Mahaikoddishta Shraddha” is to be performed by the Kartru on the eleventh day. This one shraddha should be done by the Kartru in the “Paarvana” manner.
Note
Paarvana, in Vedic Shastra, means performing Shraaddha for three generations. However, the shraaddha on the eleventh day is to be performed only for the deceased person.
Then the Kartru has to do the rite of ‘Sapindikarana.’ That is to say, to make the pinda of rice in the shape of a banana and divide it into three equal parts to combine with the departed father (if female, then for husband’s mother), grandfather (if female, then for husband’s grandmother), and great-grandfather (if female, then for her husband’s father’s great- grandmother). This is called ‘Sapindikarana’. This act is intended to give divinity to the Pretah.
Note:
If the Kartru himself dies within a year, or if for some reason he is unable to perform the work within that time, the Pretah does not attain divinity. Thus, there is a tradition of doing this one act on the twelfth day. Otherwise, there is a tradition of doing it after one year.
A living person cannot decide whether a dead person will attain divinity or not. Because all these are also based on the karmas of the deceased, the opportunity for divinity for the dead should not be denied simply because of the Kartru’s irresponsibility or lapse in karma. Thus, this karma should be done by the Kartru.
Note
After the completion of sixteen months of Apakarshana (i.e., removing the stains of errors), the Kartru has to perform the action called Sapindikarana. That is, after the death of the person, the Shraddha Karma has to be performed sixteen times in the first year.
Then, on that day, the Kartru should perform the act called “Sooda Kumbha Shraaddha.” That is, a vessel full of water should be given as charity, and rituals should be performed. (Note: Read Puranas for more details.) Then, one should perform the function called “Vaikunta Samaradhana.” All relatives should be invited to this occasion, and food should be served to all along with the recitation of Vedic mantras.
There is a Vedic expression, “Sraddhavat Shraddhah.” (i.e., Dedication is the meaning of rituals.) Whatever karma one does, it has to be done with sincerity; otherwise, no karma will fulfill its real purpose. Thus, this saying has implicitly informed everyone.