Rite of Cremation

[satay]

Namaskar,
This question has been bothering me for some time so I thought to share with you all.

How does one perform his own last rites?

I have heard of sadhus doing this. What is involved? Who should perform his own last rites? Any specific qualifications required? e.g. one has to be of certain sect etc.?

Can a grishta perform his own last rites?

Any thoughts?

[sarabhanga]

Namaste Satay,

For a gRhastha, the �last rites� of cremation are performed after death. But the saMnyAsa (�renunciation of the world� or �giving up the body�) saMskAra (�consecration� or �cremation�) is a puruSamedha (�sacrifice of a man�) or Atmayaj�a (�self sacrifice�) ~ the ultimate sacrifice of jIvAtman unto paramAtman. And it is this �rite to end all rites� that effectively defines a sAdhu (�saint�), who rises from the havanam (�sacrifice� or �invocation�), now bhasmabhUta (�become ashes� or �dead�). Each sAdhu lineage has its own particular requirements, and of course there are �last last rites� specially performed for a sAdhu when mahAsamAdhi is attained, but the body of a saMnyAsin will not be cremated (again) ~ the sAdhu in samAdhi will be buried, sitting in perpetual yogAsanam, under a tumulus of earth.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~

Namaste,

Perhaps sarabhanga can review some of the traditions and measures of the final days of the body and what occurs for the last rights:

• KapAl kriyA (kapAlakriyA) - the rite of the skull; it's intent.
• Who is burnt, buried, and even sent into the river? Or perhaps not buried at all, but entombed?
• Why is the body burned? What can be expected if the body is not burned?
• What direction (South, North, etc) is the body positioned and why?
• What is considered shraddha and proper ?
• What is the best and final thought one may have?; Can someone assist with this final thought if the native expires w/o due time to prepare?

Just some ideas to perhaps advance to the discussion.

pranams

[saidevo]

We have a book in our Hindu Personal Library that devotes a whole chapter (chapter 12) for the Hindu funeral rites:

The Hindu at Home (J.E.Padfield)
http://www.archive.org/details/hindu...eing00padfrich (31.6 MB)

Some of the rites have been 'diluted' these days in the brahmin community (so far as I know), but essentially the funeral rites are as descirbed in the chapter.

We may perhaps share here the experiences of any 'last rites' we happened to peform for our deceased near and dear.

[yajvan]

Hari Om
~~~~~~

We have a book in our Hindu Personal Library that devotes a whole chapter (chapter 12) for the Hindu funeral rites:

The Hindu at Home (J.E.Padfield)
http://www.archive.org/details/hindu...eing00padfrich (31.6 MB)

Some of the rites have been 'diluted' these days in the brahmin community (so far as I know), but essentially the funeral rites are as descirbed in the chapter. We may perhaps share here the experiences of any 'last rites' we happened to peform for our deceased near and dear.

Namaste saidveo,
a very good reference book - thank you.

pranams