Hindu Funeral and Cremation Ceremony/Ritual Steps
As soon as death occurs, preparations for the funeral begin immediately by selecting funeral home and day of funeral. The funeral should take place as soon as possible.
Organ donation arrangement if wished by died person.
Traditionally, the body is washed by family members and close friends. Many funeral homes recognize the importance of the family washing the body and will allow the family to prepare the body. If this is not possible, the funeral home may wash and dress the body. Dress can be provided to funeral home The site where the body is to be cremated is sanctified by mantras and water. The body is also sanctified by sprinkling water .
If possible, deceased’s head should be facing southward. A lighted oil (Ghee) lamp and incense sticks as well as a picture of the deceased’s favorite deity should be kept by the deceased’s head. Place Flower arrangements near both side of body or at appropriate place. Play Chanting music in background if possible
The both toes should be tied with holy thread (Nadachhadi) individually, the hands should be placed palm-to-palm in a position of prayer if possible. The body should be covered in a plain white sheet. If the person who died was a married woman who died before her husband, she should be dressed in red.
The body should be displayed in a simple, inexpensive casket. Kanku, Vibuti (ash) or chandanam (sandalwood) should be applied to the forehead. A garland of flowers should be placed around the neck, and Dry Tulasi (holy basil) and piece of sandalwood should be placed in the casket. Many Hindus place “pinda” (rice balls) in the casket.
The Five Offerings: Pancapindadanam
Offering are made to various presiding deities and ancestors. These are done five times to seek the blessings of various deities and thereby remove obstacles in the jiva’s journey.
- At the site where death occurred to the vastu devata
- At the doorway to the gruha devata
- During the procession at the crossroad or site of rest, to the bhuta-yonis and devataas to remove obstacles to the birth of the next form namely preta
- At the site of cremation to sanctify the ground
- At the time of collection of ashes
Some also place whole coconuts in all four corners of casket and one on the chest. This ritual is performed by one or two nearest family members. Recite Ram Nam few times in the ear of deceased.
During this ritual only, nearest family and friends gather around the casket and rest remain seated and may recite hymns or mantras (Hare ram hare rama.., Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevay, Ram Ram Ram, Shree Krishna Sharnam Mam or any Jap mantra). At the end of this ritual everyone takes a place and remain seated. During ritual Shanti Mantra should be recited.
Continue chanting in very slow voice. Ask people to repeat.
Vishnu Sahastra Nam reciting or Gita Path.
Eulogy by Family and friends.
Short Mantra, Gita Path or Shanti Mantra can be chanted.
Viewing started and flowers and Pradakhina offer by family and friends.
Everyone will take a place and remain seated.
Few nearest family members start preparation for cremation. Apply abil, Kanku, gulal. Apply Ghee on eyes, forehead, hands and legs. Recite Ram Nam few times in the year of deceased. Bow down or give respect by touching deceased legs.
While Proceed to cremation hall keep deceased legs towards the cremation hall. One person (Young child of family) walk with lamp in hand in front of body and four family members each corners of casket. Rest of people keep chanting Ram Ram Ram or any holy name.
The casket is removed feet-first and brought to the place of cremation – furnace.
One Family person (Kartaa – most likely elder son) put oil lamp inside the furnace.
Funeral home officer will close the door and Family member turn on switch.
ITEMS FOR AGNI SANSKAR- DIYA 2
- GHEE (Clarified Butter) 1 Lb.
- FEW COTTON BATTI DIPPED IN GHEE (DIVET)
- AGARBATTI
- MATCHBOX
- GANGAJAL
- KUMKUM, GULAL, CHANDAN
- NADACHADI OR WHITE STRING
- TULSI PAAN
- SMALL CHIP OF GOLD
- FLOWER GARLAND
- LOOSE FLOWERS (OR PETALS)
- TULSI KANTHI
- WHOLE COCONUT 5
- PIND (LADDU MADE OF RICE FLOUR AND WATER) 4
- DABH (DRY GRASS)
- CHANDAN Wood STICKS (If possible)
- DRY TULASI STEMS
- ALLUMINUM FOIL TRAY SMALL
- SMALL STAINLESS STEEL VATAKI AND SPOON
- PAPER TOWEL ROLL
- TWIN SIZE FLAT WHITE BED SHEET 2
- PHOTO OF DECEASED
- PHOTO OF DEITY FAMILY BELIEVE IN
- CD PLAYER WITH CHANTING CD, SHANTI MANTRA, GITA PAATH, VISHNU SAHATRA PAATH
Priest will be needed?
Having a priest is not mandatory. anyone who is familiar with performing Hindu Vedic rituals and the proper chanting of mantras can guide for this ceremony.
According to the Hindu tradition, the Kartaa (Ritual performer) has the sole responsibility and authority to perform cremation rites. The pandit/purohit/pujari has only an advisory role and guides the Kartaa. The pandit/purohit/pujari is not entitled to perform the rites directly. A qualified priest is the first preference in guiding the Kartaa for properly conducting the ceremony. If one is not available, then anyone who is familiar with performing Hindu Vedic rituals and the proper chanting of mantras can assume the role of the priest for guiding the Kartaa in performing antyeshti rites.
12 DAYS RITUAL
Birth is actually bringing this two histories together. We acquire a body, mind and intellect as instruments from forefathers and use them to evolve our own jeeva consciousness. So, we are indebted to the givers of these instruments.
As the disembodied earlier conscious beings in forefathers go to higher realms of existence we need to remember them and offer our thankfulness to them. The process is called srAddha i.e., a faithful offering. As the disembodied consciousness rises to higher realms, it requires some support from the descendants in the form of these rituals. As the time in higher order is longer i.e, one month of earth time is one day in the middle realm and one year of earth time is equivalent of one day in the third realm, the sraddha is performed:
- First 10 days daily
- For next 12 months monthly (one month is one day in that intermediary space governed by moon)
- Once a year after that (one year is one day in the realm of Sun)
This ritual help the individual being rise above to the right realm and sustain there.
When my great grand son performs the rites, I will rise above to the highest realm without coming back. That is the slower method of attaining the highest which has dependency on next generations.
So, we perform this faithful rite to help our ancestors attain the right place according to their karma. If we fail to do so, they need to come back into earth plane again and either attain the highest through the yoga and vedanta or again give a try to get good progeny.
Hope this clarifies.
In simple terms this is what Garud Puran states
When the time of death arrives for a person yama sends his attendants to fetch the person to Pitraloka for deciding his next life based on his Karma. Death happens when the mortal body ceases to function. The yama’s attendants take the soul from that body and put it in a sookshma sharir (micro replica of original body invisible to humans) and escort that person to yama’s court in Pitraloka.
This body though sukshama is nevertheless still a body made of five elements and hence requires nourishment to form. In the 10 day ceremony of funeral. The pind dan is done every day. The pind dan is divided into four parts. The first two are used to make the sukshma.body, third is offered to Yama’s attendants and fourth is food for the departed person.
The offering of pind dan on first 10 days forms the sukshma body.
After eating the pindadan of 11, 12 and 13 day the soul in the sukshma body departs with attendants to meet Yama.
This journey is supposed to take 12 months ending with first Sradha. After 13th day pind dan is done once every month and this is only food the departed gets on his journey to Pitraloka. No pindadan means starvation.
After that Sradha is done every year. The purpose of sradha is alleviate the suffering of departed person as well as other ancestors who might still be waiting in Pitraloka for their time to be reborn. Sradha done by son for ancestors pleases and comforts them and also allows the departed parent of that son to join those ancestors who are in heaven instead of rotting in hell till they get a new body and are born again.