SWARGAROHANAM 1
[The Ascension/The Assumption]
Dear friends,
I thought to write on the topic – Swargarohanam and related items. I thought of presenting in an interesting manner with lesser seriousness.
I sincerely request those members who do not like to read on topics related to death etc to skip this posting.
Sincerely,
Gopala Krishnan 23-5-2012
Reposted after updating and editing on 4-8-2020
1.. Bhishma explaining sraadha procedure to Yudhidhisthra.
We read in Mahabharatha Bhishma lying in the bed of arrows (sharashayya) after the war waiting for the uttarayanam[ Northerly declination] to have his death, calls Yudhithira, explaining many things in the ruling as a king to be followed (Raja dharma) and along with gives him instructions on sraadha procedure.
I have thought a lot about it. What was the necessity to explain sraadha procedure, at that instant? Whether sraadha was not performed during the period? Or is it was an amendment? We have instance of Seetha giving food to departed Dasaratha on the day his death anniversary, while SreeRama and Lakshmana went to procure srardha items since Dasratha(Pithru) informed he was hungry.
We know Bhishmar was the rebirth of one of the Ashtavasus who stole Kamadhenu to satisfy his wife's desire. While we perform sraadha, our late father is referred as VASU – the pithruroopa.
2. Gandhari desires to see all the dead children alive and sage Veda vyasa fulfill her desire
After the Mahabharatha war Gandhari expressed her desire to Vyasa to see all her dead children alive.
Vedavyasa agreed to and one day he took her and others to the bank of Ganges at dawn. He called all the kauravas one by one by their name and they appeared before them alive and after giving vision to Gandhari, disappeared one by one.
So sages like Vedavyasa had that much thapaswic power, they could bring those dead in a war to appear in living form. My point is the SOULS COULD TAKE BACK THE ORIGINAL FORM on command by sages.
3.. Lord Krishna brings the dead son of Guru Sandipini back to him.
We read as Gurudakshina, sage Sandipini finally, reluctantly asked Krishna, if possible to bring back his dead son .
Lord Krishna approached Varuna Deva. Varuna Deva intimated that he did have son of sage Sandipani with him and he might be with Lord Yama.
Lord Krishna then approached Yamadharma and he warmly welcomed Krishna. On the request of Krishna, Yamadharma returned the son and Lord Krishna complied his Gurudakshina. This was Lord Krishna as a boy.
So EVEN DEAD PERSONS COULD BE RETRIEVED , AND RETURNED BY INCARNATED ONES like Lord Krishna.
4.. Swargarohanam.
After the Great War Yudhisthira ruled for thirty years. He felt it was time for swargarohana. He informed the same to his brothers. They too agreed and all Pandava brothers along with Draupadi took the great journey towards south. A dog joined them on the way.
Beginning with Draupadi , one by one fell down, died, and finally Yudhisthira continued his journey. Indra welcomed him to get in to his chariot.
Yudhisthra declined to get in unless the accompanying dog was not permitted to be with him. The dog transformed as Yamadharma- his father. Both got in, first spent a small period in hell for the white-lie "Aswatthhama, hatha Kunjara" and reached the heaven. His brothers too after some similar suffering reached the heaven.
They found all Kouravas seated in swarga smiling and welcoming Pandavas. This portion has got much significance. Kauravas are depicted as wicked. Surely they must have suffered in the hell for the PAST 30 YEARS. But for the good deeds done they too came to swarga.
So no soul remains in the hell. All souls reach the heaven and there they have the original form. They have the recollection of past life.
I have read elsewhere, the children in the womb has the past life recollection, and in 99.999 % of births it get swiped on taking birth.
The remaining 0.001 % some times carries with faded past life memory.
5.. Sankaracharya incident
In the Kaliyuga we have the story of Sankaracharya who to answer the queries of Mandana Misra about Grihasthasrama leaves his physical body asking his sishyas to keep it safe and enters the body of a dead king and becomes alive as a king. Sankaracharya understands Grihasthasrama and leaves the kings body and enters in his original body.
Sankaracharya is considered as an incarnation like Lord Krishna. He could even change the physical body transferring his soul.
6. Appearance of Ganga to Santhanu
One fine day evening while king Santhanu was strolling on the banks of River Ganga, a beautiful young woman appeared before the king and he was attracted to the woman who was river Ganga herself. Subject to the laid condition that her any of her actions would not be questioned, she consented to marry king Santhanu… In due course children were born but she killed the first seven male babies born to them drowning in the river immediately after birth.
It was too much for king Santhanu. He asked the reason for drowning the children and requested to spare at least this child when she started to drown the 8th child in the River Ganga.
Ganga agreed to spare the child to him and said she has to leave him for violating the condition of questioning her action. SHE SIMPLY DISAPPEARED.
We know the child later became the Great Bhishma of the Mahabharatha epic. With out Ganga there is no Mahabharatha.So a soul could take the form of a river, a human form and disappear leaving no physical body.
7. Aandaal and Meera
We know the episodes of Aandaal marrying Sri Ranganatha of Sri Rangam and merging her soul with him. Similar is the episode of Meerabai.
8. Rama lingaAdikalar
The episode of Rama lingaadikalar entering a closed room and later changing to light and disappeared is also known to us in the Kaliyuga. Disappearance of Aadi Sankara is well known.
9. Appearance and disappearance of Siddhas
Many of us would have experienced the siddhas acquainting, guiding and helping and suddenly disappearing from us. It is the helping souls taking the form of siddha and disappearing.Some instances from my memory I have told as a base to my main theme.
9a. Soul- Life energy
In 99.9 % cases among humans the soul or life force leaves the physical body at death.. After a period of time the life force reappears as a new born child as per karmic theory in Hinduism.. In the remaining cases THE OTHER CAPABILITIES OF THE SOUL could be understand from the incidents told above. These are important also.
10. Karmic theory
The karmic theory explains to a very great extent to the life of a living being- I consider here for humans alone. The karma phala of the previous life is enjoyed in the present life. Satkarma[ good deeds] in present life adds to the positive of it and lessens the negative effects.
Bad karma in the present life reduces the positive effects and increases the negative effects. Karmic theory explains to the present life of persons in the world. No other theory could explain it in any other way.
So if a soul has to do good deeds. From childhood such qualities could be seen in it. If it is the other way destined to do bad things, we could see such activities if not from the child hood, from a later stage. We can see many people taking dharmic path actively while they were soft children in young days.
11. Hinduism and life energy thinking (soul)
Many times we hear the blessing- Ayushmanbhava. This indicates to have the full life period to enjoy the benefits of Karma it is assumed all time KARMIC EFFECTS ARE GOOD DURING BLESSING.
After the life force leaving the physical body what exactly happen to it?
The sages realized versions told through generations, have us some information about it. Yama is the only person survived death and he is in the yamaloka normally.
The most important is the departing soul from the physical body has an attachment to it and hence it is with reluctance the soul leaves the body. (I will deal about it in a later occasion)
There is physical and mental pain during death. There is generally fear and anxiety about death with most people, even those aspiring death at old age.
Karma in the past and in the present alters the life span. Either it can be good or bad karma. A person who has done bad karma has to live to repent for it after suffering. A person who has done good karma has to live to enjoy its effects.
The soul takes different forms before taking birth. In some of these forms, the soul requires our help to reach to other stages including surviving. This means while the soul is in the physical body as we take food to be energetic and retain it, even in the other forms they require it. The extent of requirement is depending on the form.
12. Pretharoopam
Immediately after leaving the body the soul remains in the premises for some time. It has no body, but it can assume the body of the dead appears for some time and disappear if it desires so. The period it remains is called the Theettu or Pula [ rituallyunclean] period. It is 10 days as per our concept. Normally we mention blood relations quarrel on petty issues- Recollect we all have 10 days pula.This is to make them recollect the blood relation. "Blood is thicker than water"
Dear friends,
Rather than Swargarohanam, what the atma desires is to join vaikuntanatha or Siva lokanatha. Swargam is only an intermediate stage. The souls remain in the swargam takes rebirth, the souls reaching Vaikuntam or Sivalokam do not have rebirth to differentiate between these lokas.
The soul merges with the Vishnu or Siva as per the world of thinking. Swargam is a world where there is only pleasure and no suffering. The soul does not get mukthi while living in swargam. The soul enjoys the benefits of the good things done as a pleasurable life in the swarga.
Probably on account of this it is told-
"Namukku namae Panivathu Nagam
Narakavum athupolae."
(We ourselves create swargam and narakam for us)
I am thankful for the careful and even word by word reading and responding by some esteemed members. Let me continue with Iyer rituals and variations.
Sincerely,
Gopala Krishnan 2-6-2012
REPOSTED ON 12-8-2020 after editing and updating information. R. Gopala Krishnan
31. Srardha dharma prakarana translation by P RR amachandran.
Before writing about Iyer customs I just read a few pages of the above book . I got some interesting information related to my previous postings either as enlightening or as additional clarification.
I request members to note that only interesting things have been written after reading it with an aim that BUSY MEMBERS could get just information. Nothing more is aimed of it.
31a. Gangajalam offering to a dying person
It has been told by sage Yanjavalkya that even If the dying person drinks minute quantity water of Ganges along with leaf of Thulasi , Then 24 GENERATIONS OF OUR ANCESTORS ARE SAVED FROM SIN. Hence the importance of giving Ganga water before death which we adhere to impending death.
31b. Laying down the dying person
When a person is about to dye it is the practice to lay on floor after spreading dharba.
31c. Description of Yamaloka
I could get a description of Yamaloka and importance of Danams.
Yama loka is told as a place the terrain is difficult to travel. Sun would be very hot. There would not be shade of trees. There would not be tank, streams and wells on the way. There would not be villages or houses. Stones and thorns would be strewn on the path besides burning sand. Only Dhana (charity) would help you to cross this road.
So we should do Dhana as much as possible. This has to be done by the sons who do after death rituals.
If they do the souls will not suffer much in reaching the land of Yama.
During our rituals there is Dhana before body is taken to cremation ground. I could now recollect the young sastrikal from Ernakulam asking us if anybody is there to receive danam or it is dattham during the death of my elder brother about 2 years ago. Nowadays there are very few to receive danams on these occasions.
31d. Who has to do karma?
Though there are several brothers the eldest son only has to do Navasradham, Sapindeekaranam and Shodasasradhams.
Even if the sons have divided the property before the death of the father, the right is only to the eldest son. If eldest son is not available nearby, the eldest among the brothers present can undertake the cremation and other rituals associated with it.
This gives a very clear clarification by the query of many members and I am adding here.
If the eldest comes before sanchayana or after sanchayana living away, HOW THE ELDEST HAS TO TAKE OVER is said in the book.
During the death of my mother my eldest brother had been away on urgent work, after seeing mother and he could come only on the 2nd day afternoon and took over further rituals from my elder brother.
31e. if the dead person has only daughters
This too has appeared as a query and I have read. The procedure told by Manu is said below in nutshell
Manu:-
In the world, there is no difference between son's son and daughter's son and so the daughter's son inherits the wealth of those who do not have a son.
So the daughter's son should be considered as having the right to do death ceremonies of his mother's parents.
Even if the maternal grandfather does not have wealth, the daughter's son should do the after death rights of his maternal grandparents.
(My note- However it could be applicable after daughter's having grown up sons and not a full answer.Nowadays the practice is brother of the deceased performingKarma or his grown up son. Wealth is given to daughters .)
31f. Uthbhan Agni
This word appeared some what strange and so I studied with interest.
The man who dies before his wife should be created by Oupasanagni. We all know what is oupasanagni.
If the wife dies earlier than the man should be cremated by Uthbhanagni .Similarly if the wife dies after her husband she should also be cremated by Uthbhanagni.
Sage Jamadagni gives an explanation for the UTHBHANAGNI
If a fist of Durba grass is burnt in the domestic fire , and in that fire another fist of Durbha is lit and in that fire , if another fist of Durbha is lit , then the resulting fire is Uthbhanagni.
I think this way Agni is prepared now. People performing oupasana or oupasagni is rare if not nil.
However the procedure for Uthbhanagni I have seen, but the name was new to me before reading
My note- Whether sageJamadagni got his name so after giving this explanation to Uthbhanagni ? A genuine thinking
31g Wearing of upaveetha during rituals and purpose of achamana.
I got an excellent explanation for the purpose of achamana in the beginning and completion including daily sandhya. The purpose has been vividly explained ..Those acts which should be done with normal wearing of sacred thread on the left shoulder are the following:
Bathing , Aachamana , Pranayama , Namaskara (saluting), Pradakshina (going round) even if it is done during a ritual of Manes (pithrus) should be performed with Normal fashion of wearing sacred thread.
Sage Baradwaja gives explanation for the achamana…
32. Importance of aachamanam with the rituals.
In the ritual connected with the corpse (pretha), Aachamana should be done in the beginning and end. This is true for every ritual FOR THE SUCCESS of the ritual. For having internal cleanliness Pranayama should be done.This clarification is given by sage Bharadwaja.
In fact I was thinking achamanam was for PURIFICATION till the reading of this. AACHAMANA IS FOR SUCCESS and pranayama is for cleanliness.
33. Offering of vasodakam and thilodakam
Till we have taint, water and rice ball offering should be done to the Pretha(Corpse) The clan members and the cremator should do Thilodhaka thrice on first day , four times on the second day , five times on third day and so on.(total of 75 Thilodhakas)
This is not applicable to Vasodhakam, It has to be done only thrice a day.
The Dhoti should be folded thrice and water expelled from it.
34. Size of the pinda
According to Smrithi the size of the Pinda (rice ball should be that of a Bilwa fruit in case of apthika (first annual ceremony) , Parvana , Gooseberry size in case of Gaya Sradha and Mahalaya, size of a coconut in case of Yekodishta and Sapindeekarana and in case of other annual ceremonies it should be of the size of a hen's egg.
I do recollect at Gaya the sasthrikals asking to make small balls of pinda. Similarly for Eakodishta and sapindikarana the size used to be big.
However this codification I thought of including so that we will have some recollection of the different size of pindas.
I have two more points about it . With Ekaodishtam and Sapindi, the soul is changing its form trom Pretha to pithru.Pretha could get full satisfaction with bigger size pinda. I just got the same point in yoga Yangavalkya also.On the tenth day because the Pretha has all its organs it feels very hungry hungry
During GAYA SRAADHA the size of pindas are very small. Prithu is least hungry and is waiting for release to Swarga. We know when our thinking on some thing, we will not be particular of quantity or quality of food in this physical form. Just a routine practice.
35 Asthisanchayana
Sage Aapasthamba has given the rules for Asthisanchayana.
The Asthi Sanchayana (collection of bones) should be done on the next day, third day , fifth day or 7th day, This should be done in the morning time. It is recommended that it should be done within four hours after sun rise.
The son who does the cremation should deposit the bones collected in river Ganges or Yamuna or Kaveri or river Sathadruthu or river Saraswathi, In case of parents proper day for Asthi Sanchayana need not be observed as per yoga yanjavalkya.
I recollect the sastrikal telling the same, but felt immediate going or safely preserving could not be done , scatter it in local river itself going a little inside.
Now the asthi is collected on the same day with electric crematorium and scattered it in the river, lake or stream near.
36. Praboothabali
People who are ritually unclean should not consume salt , pungent food , oil , betel leaf , should not have sex with woman nor should sleep on a cot.
Though small quantity of salt may be used by many , all other things are strictly observed by all
38. YekodishtaSradha
I found an interesting exception if a suitable Brahmin could not be obtained for Eakdishhta by Vigneswara.
If we do not get Brahmin for Yekodishta on the eleventh day ,we have to take hand full of Payasanna and offer it to the fire 32 times chanting "Yamayasomam".
The performer should observe silence , face the south and do the homa. If this is done, then the Yekodishta is well done.
I read some member quoting a similar rule if Bhokthas could not be obtained or normal srardha could not be performed by a person due to various inconvenience about a few years back. If my recollection is correct, going to forest are where nobody is there and utter he could not perform srardha and regret for it in high voice .
39. Sapindi and shodasam
The sixteen Sradhas can all be done on the eleventh day. The sapindeekarana has to be done on the 12th day.
As for Nampoothiri if mother died before, performing sapindi after father's death etc is not with us. There is flexibility that it can be 12th day, 4th month or 11thmonth according to Bodhayana.
I think it is a MODIFICATION TO THE PRACTICE after observing the inconveniences. So practices could be modified also. I have read the modification told by Bodhayana. It is followed now among Brahmins
Incidentally one day about two years ago I was casually talking to a sasthrikal about some rules said of srardha by BODHAYANA. Without listening what I was going to say from the mind he replied just like a reflex action- Namma Aaapasthambam aakkum, Bodhyanam chellathu… ( We are aapasthamba, Bodhayanam is not accepted by us.)
Who are all eligible to perform sapindi. According to Sankha the son has to do sapindeekarana for his father. If there is no son , the grandson or wife or brother in that order are entitled to do it.
In case of the death of a woman, if there is no son, her husband is entitled to do Sapindeekarana for her.
Without bothering for the age , if man or woman is married Sapindeekarana is to be done for them
40 Narayana bali
According to VrudhaVasishta in case of Brahmachari , eunuchs, sinners, bad woman, Nastikas (atheists) and Sanyasis, Narayana bali has to be done. I have written on Narayana Bali while discussing about Nampoothiri customs.
41. VaitharaneeGodanam.
This river is a dreaded river and its description given by Jamadagni is as follows
The river Vaitharani has bad smelling blood flowing in it , is black in colour and tides are extremely fast. It also contains bones and hair in it. This is on the way to the land of Yama. If Cow is given as gift during sapindeekarana, the pithrus cross this river easily. So gifting of cow is important during sapindeekarana.
Mostly Godanam is given with a coconut and a good amount by many. A few actually offer a cow
No comments:
Post a Comment