Final Journey Hindu Funeral Rites

5/20/2018 Final Journey Hindu Funeral Rites

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Hindu Funeral Rites

Hindu Funeral Rites and Ancestor Worship

Antyesti, Sraddha and Tarpana

1. Introduction

The following article is a summary of the history of Hindu beliefs and ritual practices

regarding death and the worship of ancestors. It includes examples of the final rites for the

disposal of the dead, antyesti, and a discussion of the post-mortem rites ofsraddhaand

tarpana, which form the basis of Hindu ancestor worship. According to Hindu belief there

are realms of existence and classes of beings that exist throughout this universe. Some of

these beings live in regions above this earth and others in regions below this earth. Some are

classified as benefic and others are classified as malefic. Among the class of benefic beings

are thepitrs, who include the ancient progenitors of mankind as well as the deceased relatives

of the living. Hindu rituals for the dead, whether of the most ancient period or of later times

serve five purposes: disposal of the body, consolation of those grieving, assistance to the

departing soul to reachpitr-loka, sustenance to thosepitrswho have reached that destination,

and a call by the living for help at special times from the pitrs.

Three Periods

The study of this ancient belief system can be divided into three periods of development: theVedic period, the Grhya period and the Puranic period. In the Vedic period it was believed

that the spirit of a dead person became apitr immediately after the disposal of the body. As

soon as the spirit became apitr it became a recipient of various Vedic sacrifices known as

pitr-yajnas.During the Grhya period it was believed that a soul did not become apitr

immediately after death, but entered an intermediate stage of life called apreta. Thispreta

being could only become apitrafter certain rituals called ekoddista-sraddhaswere performed

by living relatives. This usually took a year. During the final Puranic period the idea

expanded to include a new stage of life called the ativahikastage. As soon as the physical

body was cremated the soul did not become apreta, but instead took on an initial ativahika

body. In order to release the soul from this stage, a set of even more specialized rites called

purakashad to be performed by the living relatives. This ativahikastage generally lasted forten days after which the soul became apretawherein the ekoddista-sraddhaswould be

performed to complete the transition into apitr after one year. Underlying this process was

the belief that without the help of living relatives performing particular rites at specific times,

the departing soul was unable to obtain the necessary body by which it could partake in the

enjoyments of thepitrs. Therefore, in all stages, the living relatives had to perform some

required rites.

While addressing this topic it is important to understand that Hindu religious traditions do not

fall within the jurisdiction of any one central authority. Hinduism has no ecclesiastic body

that determines its beliefs, ritual practices or social structure. There are, of course, a largenumber of religious sects (sampradayas), with a great number of prominent teachers


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(acaryas), but the authority of the religious sect and the individual guru extends only to a

relatively small range of followers. Consequently, Hindu beliefs and practices vary widely

from one religious sect to another and from one geographic region to another. This creates a

highly diffused and multi-layered tradition. Therefore, it is difficult to determine which

practices and beliefs are original and which have been added. It is also virtually impossible to

assert that any given regional practice is standard. Nevertheless, this article will attempt tochart the middle ground and draw certain conclusions that describe the general Hindu view

on this complex topic.

In fact, tradition describes many classes ofpitrs. Here is a list of just a few: Agnisvattas (pitrs

of the gods), Barhisads (pitrs of demons), Vairajas (pitrsof ascetics), Somapas (pitrsof

brahmanas), Havismats (pitrsof ksatriyas), Ajyapas (pitrsof vaisyas), Sukalin (pitrsof

sudras), and Vyamas (pitrsof the outcastes).

Pitr-lokais the name of the realm of existance wherein the pitrsdwell.

The wordsraddhameans an act of faith. The term is not used during the Vedic period. Theword first appears during the Grhya period. In theAsvalayana-sutra(IV 7.1) thesraddhais

described as an ekoddistarite wherein in the ashes and the bones of the departed soul are

collected and placed in an urn. The word ekoddistameans meant for one.Ekoddista-

sraddhaare those rights designed solely for the benefit of the departed soul and not for the

pitrsin general.

2. The Funeral (Antyesti)

In Sanskrit the term antyestirefers to the final sacrifice, the last of the 16samskarasor life

sacraments that mark important events in an individuals life. The antyesticeremony is thefuneral ceremony. Thissamskara is performed to dispose of the dead body, to give peace to

the departed soul, and to enable it to enter the world of the ancestors (pitrs). From the earliest

Vedic times cremation was the most common means of disposing of a body. There is,

however, written evidence that burial and post burial ceremonies also occurred during the

Vedic period. TheRgandAtharvaVedas mention both burial and cremation as legitimate

methods for the disposal of the dead. We find evidence in theAranyakasthat the burial of

incinerated bones and ashes was an important and elaborate ceremony. By the Grhya and

Puranic periods, however, burial and post cremation burial are hardly mentioned. Cremation

had become the only orthodox method for the disposal of the dead.

Here is a summary of what we know about cremation from theRg-veda:

1. The fire deity, Agni, was invoked to carry the departing soul to the realm of Yama,

the god of death.

2.

In the case of a priest his sacrificial implements were burned along with his body.

3. Prayers were recited to various deities in order to transfer the departing soul to the

world of thepitrs.

4. A cow or goat, known as an anustarani, was burned along with the body of the

deceased.

5. In the case of a deceased husband, the wife would lay on the funeral pyre along side

the body of her husband. Before the fire was lighted, she would be asked to rise from

the side of her husbands body and rejoin the living.


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TheAtharva-veda(XVIII) adds the following information:

1. The body was dressed in new garments before cremation.

2. Grains and sesame seeds were scattered along side the body before cremation.

3. Thepitrswere ritually invoked to attend the ceremony and invited to sit on the

southern side of the fire.4. Streams of ghee along with prayers were offered to thepitrsduring the cremation.

5.

Prayers and oblations made of rice cakes, milk, meat, whey, honey, and water were

used in the worship of various gods in order to ensure long life and prosperity for the

living relatives.

6. Prayers and oblations were offered to three generations ofpitrs: the father, the

grandfather, and the great grandfather, during the cremation.

7. Cakes of rice, sesame and other articles of food were buried along with the cremated

bones.

It is evident from theAtharva-vedathat the worship ofpitrshad its origins in the earliest

Vedic period.

The cremation process during the Grhyaperiod may be summarized as follows:

1.

As soon as the person died a cremation pit called a smasanawas dug. The pit was

made in a fertile place inclined towards the south.2.

All hair, including head and facial hair, was removed from the body.

3. A funeral procession of four parts was organized. The immediate family members

carried the sacred fire and the sacrificial vessels. Behind them an odd number of

persons carried the dead body. Next, a cow or goat, preferably black in color,

followed. Finally, the relatives and friends of the dead person followed.4.

Once the funeral pyre had been prepared the body was placed on sacred grass that

lined the inside of the cremation pit along with wood. In the case of a husband who

had died, his wife would lie to the north side of his body. A brother or some other

representative of the deceased would ask her to rise before the fire was lighted. The

sacrificial implements used by the deceased person would also be placed alongside

the body.

5. The body would be covered with the skin of an anustaranicow or goat. If there was

no animal then cakes of rice would serve the purpose.

6. The fire was lighted starting at the head.

7. When the entire body had been consumed, the mourners would circumambulate in a

counter-clockwise direction and then leave without looking back. They would then goand bathe.

During the Puranic period the procedures were as follows.

1.

At the time of death sacred verses were recited to revive the dead person. When these

had failed the priest would announce the death. The cremation, if possible, was to be

performed on the day of the death.

2. Professional mourners would be hired, who would gather around the deceased with

disheveled hair, disordered garments, and dust covered bodies and begin wailing and

sobbing.

3.

The body was washed; the hair and nails were cut. The body was dressed in newgarments and adorned with ornaments.


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4. The body was carried on the shoulders of relatives, or pulled in a cart, followed by

mourners who would recite sacred prayers until they reached the cremation site.

5. After arriving at the cremation site the body would be placed on the funeral pyre with

the head facing the south.

6. The chief mourner placed ghee on the body to the accompaniment of sacred prayers.

7.

All jewels and ornaments were removed from the body and a small mound of cowdung was placed on the stomach or chest. The chief mourner walked around the body

three times in a counterclockwise direction while sprinkling water from an earthen

vessel. The vessel was then broken on the ground near the head of the deceased.

8. The chief mourner lighted the fire at the head to the accompaniment of prayers.

9. Prayers were recited to direct the various parts of the deceaseds body to merge with

the universal elements: the voice to the sky, the eyes to the sun, the vital breath to the

wind, and so forth.

10.After the fire has consumed the body the mourning party returned home to bathe and

purify themselves with prayers for peace.

11.Three days after the cremation the chief mourner returned to the burning area and

ceremonially sprinkled the ashes with water. The ashes were later poured into theGanges or other sacred body of water in a ceremony called visarjanam.

Current cremation practice in India generally follows this Puranic model.

Burning in Effigy (kusa-puttalika-daha)

If a person had died but the body could not be reclaimed, as in the case of a person who had

drowned or had been killed in battle, it was still absolutely essential for a cremation to take

place. The reason was simple: without cremation the departed soul could not begin the

transition into apitr. In lieu of a body an image could be cremated. TheBhavisya-puranadescribes an image made of 360 strands of kusa, a kind of sacred grass: Forty for the head,

twenty for the neck, one hundred in the two arms, twenty in the chest, twenty in the belly,

thirty in the hips, one hundred in the two thighs, and thirty in the knees and shanks. Another

account uses a coconut for the head, a bottle gourd for the mouth, five gems for the teeth, a

plantain for the tongue, two shells for the eyes, clay for the nose, plantain leaves for the ears,

the shoots of the fig tree for the hair, lotus fibers for the entrails, earth and barley paste for the

flesh, honey for the blood, the skin of an antelope for the skin, a lotus for the naval, eggplant

for the scrotum, and tree bark for garments!

If a person became missing, but was not specifically known to be dead, as in the case of

someone who had gone to a foreign land and not returned, the relatives were advised to wait12 years before performing the cremation. In the case of a person who has been cremated in

effigy, but who then returned home, the person needed to be reborn by being passed through

the legs of a female and then, step-by-step, have all the purificatory ceremonies (samskaras)

performed. This may even include a re-marriage if necessary.

There was also a special rite calledNarayana-balithat was performed when a person had

died under unusual circumstances, such as through suicide or accidental death. The

Narayana-baliwas atonement for the situation and made the deceased fit for receiving the

regular funeral process and subsequent rites.

The AnustaraniAnimal


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Both theRgand theAtharvaVedas prescribe that the skin and organs of a cow or she-goat,

called an anustaranianimal, be burned along with the body. This was done in order to lessen

the pain inflicted on the departing soul by the scorching fire. The hide of the animal covered

the body. The vital organs of the animal were placed in the hands and around the body of the

deceased.During the Grhya period this practice declined and by the Puranic period was

stopped altogether. Instead, rice was spread around the body in lieu of the skin. DuringRavanas funeral Valmiki describes how an anustaranianimal was used.

There is an interesting story in theAitreya-brahmanathat tells how rice became the substitute

for the anustaranianimal. In the beginning the gods used human beings for sacrifice.

Overtime the sap of life left the human being and entered the body of the horse. Thereafter,

the horse became the object of sacrifice. In time this sap of life left the horse and entered the

ox. The ox became the object of sacrifice. Then again when the sap of life left the ox and

entered sheep, a sheep became the object of sacrifice. Soon this sap of life left the sheep and

entered the goat, wherein the goat became the object of sacrifice. For a long time the goat

remained the object of sacrifice. Eventually, the sap of life left the goat and entered the earth.

Thereupon, the earth became rice and rice became the fit substitute for the sap of life. Herewe get the history of the sacrificial animal and the relationship between rice and the

sacrificial animal.

Post cremation Burial (Pitr-medha)

During the Vedic and early Grhya periods it was common to bury the incinerated bones of a

deceased person in an urn. This was thepitr-medhaceremony. The Grhya-sutrasof

Asvalayana describe how the burned bones were to be collected on the third lunar day (tithi)

after death. In the case of a man who had died, the bones were to be collected by elderly menand placed into a male urn. In the case of a woman, the bones were to be collected by elderly

women and placed into a female urn. Urns were designed by their shape to be male or female.

The performers of this ceremony were to walk three times in a counterclockwise direction

around the bones while sprinkling milk and water from a particular kind of twig (sami). The

bones were then placed into the urn as they were picked up individually with the thumb and

fourth finger. First the bones of the feet were to be gathered and then successively the other

bones were to be gathered working toward the head. After the bones had been purified and

gathered they were sealed and buried in a secure location.

By the end of the Grhya period the practice of burying bones in an urn declined.

3. ThePurakasRites

As we have noted, the notion of an initial subtle body, known as the ativahika-sarira,was

introduced during the Puranic period. As soon as the gross corporal body was burned, the

soul came to inhabit this subtle body composed of only three elements: heat ( tejas), wind

(vayu), and space (akasa). This was the ativahikabody.

The offering of thepuraka rites, which involve the offering of handful size cakes made with

boiled rice, sesame, honey, milk, sugar and dried fruits, served the function of step-by-step

dissolving the ativahikabody and gradually creating a subtlepretabody. Thepurakarites

usually last 10 days. The order in which the ativahikabody is dissolved and thepretabody iscreated is as follows: On the first day a cake is offered and the deceased obtains the head of


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thepreta; on the second day a second cake is offered and he obtains his ears, eyes and nose;

on the third day a third cake is offered and he obtains his chest and neck; on the fourth day he

obtains his stomach and abdomen; on the fifth day he obtains legs and feet; on the sixth day,

he obtains his vital organs; on the seventh day he obtains bones, marrow, veins and arteries;

on the eighth day he obtains nails and hair; on the ninth day all the remaining limbs and

organs along with vitality are developed. On the tenth day, when the final cake is offered, thesensations of hunger and thirst associated with the ativahikabody are removed. The ativahika

body is finally dissolved and thepretabodied is fully developed.

In an emergency situation if the mourning period could only last one day then all the ten

funeral cakes must be offered on that day. In some communities these rites are performed on

the odd numbered days, but in all cases a total of ten cakes were to be offered.

The ativahikastage is said to involve great suffering due to heat, cold and wind. It is said that

during this time the departed soul remains in the sky as wind without any support (akasa-stho

niralambo vayu-bhuto nirvasrayah) The subsequentpretabody is said to be less subtle than

the ativahikabody, but still more subtle than the physical body and therefore invisible to theeyes of this world.

Here is a brief description of how thepuraka cakes were offered. After returning from the

cremation, the nearest relatives of the deceased prepare the ground for thepuraka cakes by

creating a small altar and marking it with lines. Then with some stands of sacred grass ( kusa)

the performer sweeps the ground while naming the deceased along with the familygotra,

May this offering be acceptable to thee. Making a cake with three handfuls of boiled rice,

etc. he next says, Let this firstpuraka cake restore your head. May it be acceptable to thee.

He then puts fragrant flowers, betel leaves and similar things on the funeral cake and offers a

lamp and a woolen scarf to the deceased while saying, May this lamp and woolen cloth beacceptable to thee. He then places an earthen vessel of water and black sesame near the

puraka cake and says, May this vessel of water and sesame be acceptable to thee.

Afterwards thepuraka cakes and other things are thrown into sacred waters. The ceremony is

then concluded by wiping the ground and leaving some food for crows and other such

animals.

For ten successive days thepuraka cakes were to be offered using a varied address each day

to restore the different bodily parts.

There are many lengthy rules which prescribe who was allowed to perform thesepuraka ritesand the othersraddhas. In fact, the right to perform thesesraddhasand the rights to

inheritance were often inter-related. The general hierarchy, going from eldest to youngest

within each group, was as follows: the sons, the grandsons, the great-grandsons, the sons of a

daughter, a wife, the brothers, the sons of a brother, the father, the mother, the daughters, the

daughter-in-laws, the sisters, the sons of a sister and finally any family relation. If no family

members are available then the rites may be performed by anyone of the town or village.In

making the decision who will perform the funeral rites the emotional and mental competency

of a family member was also an important consideration. At any time one family member

could defer his or her rights to the next member.

Sixteen Ekoddista-sraddhas


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The period of the tenpuraka rites was considered a period of mourning. It was also a time of

impurity, which meant that the family members would not travel to temples or other holy

places. Nor could any sacred ceremonies take place within the family. Ordinarily this time

ended after the tenth day with the final dissolution of the ativahikabody and the creation of

thepretabody. The subsequentpretastage lasted for one year. During this time sixteen

ekoddista-sraddhaswere to be performed to maintain thepretabody of the deceased andelevate the departed soul to the status of apitrs. The last of thesesraddhaswas called the

sapindi-karana at which time the departed soul finally became apitr. The timing of these

sixteensraddhasis as follows. The firstsraddha is performed on the eleventh day after death.

After that twelvesraddhasare performed in each lunar month on the naksatraanniversary of

the death.Two furthersraddhasare performed on the six-month anniversary of the death.

These are usually performed on the day before the regular sixth month and twelfth month

naksatrasraddhas. The finalsapindi-karana-sraddha was performed on the day after the last

naksatra sraddha.In this way a total of 16 ekoddista-sraddhaswere performed.

A brief description of an ekoddista-sraddha is as follows. A clean area is selected so that the

performer can face the southern direction, the realm of Yama. The area is washed with cowdung and a seat made of sacred grass (kusa) is prepared. The performer wears his sacred

thread over the right shoulder (pracinavitin) and performs a series of rituals and prayers thatoffer water, cloth, rice cakes (pinda) and other articles to the deceased. In his left hand the

performer holds a vessel containing black sesame seeds and water, and in his right hand a

special brush made of sacred grass (kusa). This was called a kurca. He pours water through

the kurcaand names the deceased person saying (in Sanskrit), May this ablution be

acceptable to thee. Afterwards he takes a rice cake (pinda) mixed with clarified butter and

presents it saying, May this cake be acceptable to thee. He serves out the food with the

following prayers, Ancestors, rejoice. Take your respective shares and become strong. He

walks counterclockwise around the consecrated spot and says, Ancestors be glad, take your

respective shares and be strong. He returns to the same seat and again pours water on the

ground over the kurcawhile reciting, May this ablution be acceptable to you. The whole

affair concludes with the feeding of invited brahmanasin a feeding ceremony call brahmana-

bhojanam.

The process of pouring water and black sesame through kurcais called tarpana. The food

that is mixed into cakes is made of boiled rice mixed with ghee and sesame seeds. These are

calledpindas and they are similar to thepurakacakes used in thepurakaceremony.

Sapindi-karanathe final Sraddha

Thesapindi-karana-sraddha is the last of these sixteensraddhasthat are meant to elevate the

departed soul to the rank of apitr. It is performed in a similar manner to the previoussraddha

with the following additions. The performer sets out four vessels with water, sesame and

fragrance. Three are for the standard hierarchy ofpitrs, the father, the grandfather and the

great grandfather, and the fourth is for the recently departed soul. The performer then pours

the vessel meant for the recently departed soul into the vessels of the three standardpitrs.

Similarly, four cakes of rice (pindas) are prepared and the cake belonging to the recently

departed soul is broken up and added to the three cakes belonging to three standardpitrs.

After the performance of this rite thepretabeing becomes apitr and joins the assemblage of

fathers in their abode (pitr-loka).

Releasing the bull (Vrsotsarga)


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At some point during these sixteen ekoddista-sraddhasa rite involving the release of a bull

(vrsotsarga) was also performed. Some commentators suggest that it should be performed on

the eleventh day, in other words, during the first ekoddista-sraddhas,and others say that it

should be performed on last day during thesapindi-karana-sraddhas. The rite is a remnant of

the ancient rite of killing the anustaranianimal. If an actual bull was not available then an

image made of earth, rice or grass could serve the purpose.

Copyright Sanskrit Religions Institute 2003.

All rights reserved.

The term ativahikahas its origins in the Upanisadswhere it refers to those who are deployed

to carry the dead to the other world (ativahe iha lokat para-loka-prapane niyuktah).

The period of impurity would vary according to caste. Higher castes had generally shorter

periods of impurity. Ordinarily the major period of impurity would last until the eleventh day.

After that regular temple going would resume, but major auspicious family ceremonies such

as weddings may be postponed for a year until the finalsapindi-karanahad been performed.

There are 27 naksatrasin a lunar month. Seefor details.

The wordpindais derived from the Sanskrit rootpind which means to form into a ball, to

mass, or to join together. Apindais that food which is usually made of rice mashed together

with various things such as meat, sesame, ghee, dried fruits, sugar, and other condiments.

More often it is just made of plain rice. According to some authorities the size of the rice

cake should be as small as can easily enter into the mouth of a child of two years. Accordingto other sources it should be one handful of size. Some sources describe it as the size of a

hens egg. Usually threepindaare offered, one for the father, one for the grandfather, and one

for the great-grandfather.

4. Pitr-yajna

Pitr-yajna

Upon being established as apitr the departed soul became fit for receiving the benefits of the

numerouspitr-yajnas. Thepitr-yajnais a kind ofsraddha wherein ones family ancestors as

well as the general class ofpitrsare worshiped. Hindusastraprescribes a variety of suchceremonies.

Like the ekoddistarites these ceremonies involve the offerings of rice cakes (pinda), libations

of water (tarpana), and oblations through fire (homa). Three rice cakes, one for eachpitr,

were generally employed. Some of the ceremonies were performed on specific days of the

month and times of the year, namely new moon (amavasya)and during the dark half of the

month of bhadrapada(pitr-paksa). For this reason they were sometimes calledparvanarites.

Other varieties of these ceremonies are called kamyaor sometimes vrddhi-sraddhasbecause

they may be performed as desired for some specific purpose.

Tarpana


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We have made reference to the offering of libations of water during the sixteen ekoddista-

sraddhas. This process is called tarpanaand along with the use of fire it is an essential

component of thesraddhaprocess. The word tarpanais derived from the Sanskrit root trp

which means to please or to gratify. Tarpanais the act of pleasing (trpyanti pitaro yena).

Specifically, tarpanais the act of pouring water through the hands with the use of sacred

grass called kusaas a symbolic gesture of recognition, thanking and pleasing three classes ofbeings: gods, sages, and fathers. Usually thesraddha-tarpanais performed in conjunction

with other rites. Water mixed with barley is sometimes poured through the hands as an

offering to the gods. Water mixed with black sesame is poured through the hands as an

offering to thepitrs. Different parts of the hand are used for pouring water when worshiping

the different classes of beings. According to Manu, the area in the center of the palm is called

the brahma-tirtha, the area below the little finger is called theprajapati-tirtha, the region at

the tips of the fingers is called the daiva-tirtha, and the space between the bottom of the

thumb and the index finger is called thepitr-tirtha.Devasshould be gratified using the daiva-

tirtha, rsis using theprajapati-tirtha,andpitrsusing thepitr-tirtha.

During the tarpanaceremony, the sacrificial thread is worn in different positions around theshoulders and neck for worshiping the different classes of beings. A twice born is called

upavitinwhen the sacred thread rests across the left shoulder, he is called nivitinwhen thesacred thread lies down straight from the neck, and he is called pracinavitinwhen the sacred

thread rests across the right shoulder. The devasare to be worshipped in the upavitinposition,

the sages and exalted human beings in the nivitinposition, and thepitrsin thepracinavitin

position.

Similarly, different directions correspond to the different classes of beings. When offering

libations of water to the gods, one turns the face towards the east, when offering to sages one

turns the face towards the north, and when offering to the fathers one turns the face towardsthe south. These differences in thread, hand and face positions are used simply to distinguish

the gods, the sages and the fathers from each other.

The general order in which tarpanais performed is as follows: First the devas are gratified,

then thersi,then the divinepitrs. After that, starting with the most recently deceased, those

fathers who belong to the paternal are worshiped followed by those on the maternal side.

Later commentators attempt to explain why water is used during tarpana. Water is said to be

a neutral substance, therefore it can most easily be converted into the various foods needed to

satisfy the respectivepitrs.For those ancestors who have entered heaven, nectar is said to be

their food. For those ancestors who have entered into an animal species, grass may be theirfood. For those ancestors who had returned to this earthly realm, rice may be their food.

Water, being a neutral substance, can easily be converted into nectar, grass or rice, etc.

The matter is also explained in another way. When a friend or relative presents food to a lady

who is pregnant she eats the food and satisfies herself. At the same time the child within her

womb is nourished. The food is converted into a substance suitable for the child. Similarly,

when tarpanais offered to the divine fathers, they accept it by first gratifying themselves and

then gratifying the fathers over whom they preside. Tarpanais perhaps the most important of

thesraddharites and can even substitute for the rest of the sraddhaprocess.


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The wordparvanarefers to certain times within the lunar cycle, namely new moon, the

eighth and fourteenth lunar days (tithis). These are times especially set aside for thepitr-

yajnaceremonies.

Vrddhimeans increase.Kamyameans according to desire. One such Vrddhi-sraddhawas

called the nandi-mukha-sraddhabecause a certain class ofpitrscalled nandi-mukhasareevoked and asked to bring prosperity and progeny to a marrying couple.

5. The Feeding of the Brahmanas/Honoring the Pitrs

Along similar lines it was prescribed that during asraddha ceremony it was also required that

brahmanasbe fed. The brahmanaswere not to be considered as mere human beings, but as

representative of thepitrs. The position of the brahmana in asraddha rite was therefore very

high and they were regularly worshiped by the performer of thesraddha. When the

brahmanasate they ate on behalf of thepitrs.Their satisfaction was the satisfaction of the

fathers. Although the germ of paying homage to the brahmanasis found in theRg-Veda, the

practice of feeding brahmanaswas not in practice. In the Vedic period offerings for the dead

were poured directly into the fire, which then carried the food to the fathers. The feeding of

brahmanaswas a practice that developed from the Grhyaperiod. In the later periods, the

brahmanaseven came to occupy the position of the sacrificial fire. And so food and other

such articles formally offered to thepitrsbegan to be offered to the brahmanasas their

representatives on earth. In a further extension to this idea the brahmanabegan to represent,

not only thepitrs,but evenBrahmanItself. Consequently, when a brahmana ateBrahman

ate, which meant that the whole world also ate.

The Time for Honoring the PitrsIt is prescribed that thepitrsbe worshiped during the dark times. As such, the new moon

(amavasya), the dark side of the lunar month (krsna-paksa), the southern half of the suns

course (daksayana), the afternoon, during an eclipse, during the night, and so forth, became

the times when thepitrswere to be most respected. In fact, any degree of diminution of light

has come to be associated with the worship ofpitrs.

The Satapatha-brahmana explains how darkness and some other details came to be selected

for the worship of the dead: The gods once approached Prajapati and said, Give us a means

to live. Thereupon the gods were properly invested with the sacred thread over the left

shoulder and were taught to bend using the right knee. To the gods Prajapati said, Sacrificeshall be your food, immortality your sap,svah your call and the sun your light. Then the

pitrsapproached Prajapati wearing the sacred thread over the right shoulder and bending

from the left knee. To them Prajapati said, Your eating shall be monthly, your call shall be

svadhaand the moon shall be your light. In this way the harmony between the gods and the

pitrswas maintained. One is worshipped in light and the other is worshipped in darkness.

The operative rule underlying most of Hindu culture is that the light of the sun was used as a

symbol for knowledge and consciousness. Vastu-sastraprescribes that temples and homes

must open to the rising sun in the east. Temple images should also face the east. Uttarayana,

the time of increasing daylight, is considered more auspicious than daksinayana, the time of

diminishing daylight. In contrast, death, which is associated with the loss of consciousness,has come to be symbolized by darkness. As the sun is an eternal source of light and so has


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become a symbol for God and the divine life, so the moon, has become a symbol for the cycle

of birth and death. The moon regularly moves between light and darkness. Similarly, the

word devais derived from the Sanskrit root divmeaning to shine. The devasare, therefore,

the shining ones. Thepitrs, on the other hand, are bathed in the light of the moon and so in

this way are distinguished from the gods.

Pitr-paksa

In the Satapatha-brahmana it is stated that three seasons, the spring, the summer and the

rainy season belong to the gods. These three seasons together make the uttarayanaor the

time when the sun is on the northern course. As noted above, this is the time of increasing

light in the northern hemisphere. In contrast, autumn, early winter and late winter belong to

the fathers. These three seasons comprise daksinayana, the time when the sun is on the

southern course. This of course is the time of failing light in the northern hemisphere. In

particular, the dark side of the month of bhadrapada(September October) has been singled

out as the best time for the worship of fathers. A sraddhaperformed in this period was said toproduce special merit.

The manner in which the worship of thepitrsare worshiped during the month of bhadrapada

is as follows. If ones father happened to pass away on the 5th lunar day of any month

(pancami-tithi) then the 5th tithiduring the dark side of the month of bhadrapadawould be

used for honoring ones father and the otherpitrsof the family. If ones relative happened to

pass away on the 6th tithithen the 6thtithiduring the dark side of the month of bhadrapada

would be used for honoring ones father and the otherpitrs. In this way, all 16 tithisof the

dark side of the month of bhadrapadacover all the possible lunar days on which a family

member could expire.

Daksayanaoccurs when the daylight is shortest in the northern hemisphere.

During a fire sacrifice (yajna) oblations are offered into the fire with two expressions, svah

andsvadha. Offerings made to devasare made with the soundsvah and offering for thepitrs

are made using the soundsvadha.

SB ii.1.3, 1-3.

Somesastrasmention that the dark side of the month of asvinashould be set aside for theworship of the fathers, but this works out to be the same time period as the dark side of the

month of bhadrapada. This is because in some parts of South India the lunar month is

calculated from the first day of the bright fortnight to the new moon, whereas in north India

the month is calculated from the first day of the dark fortnight to the full moon. In this way,

the dark fortnight after the full moon of the month of bhadrapadais equivalent to the dark

side of asvina.

6. Another Form of Sraddha

I will conclude this article by mentioning a final variation to thesraddhaprocess, which is

based on the ancientPancaratratradition whose influence can be readily seen in theMahabharatasome of thePuranas.


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A follower of Visnu is enjoined to perform thesraddha rites with the remnants of food first

offered to Visnu. ThePadma-puranaenjoins that deities other than Visnu and the fathers

may be propitiated with food that has been first offered to Visnu. In that same text Narada

says, Following the ordinances of the SattvataSchool, the devotees first worshiped Visnu,

the God of gods, and with the remnants of such food worshiped the fathers. In the

Brahmanda-puranait is enjoined that the fathers remain gratified for thousands of kalpaswith rice cakes mixed with sacred blossoms of tulasi,prepared with the remnants of food

offered with devotion to Visnu. In the Skanda-purana,Siva says, Food should first be

offered to Visnu and then the very same food should be distributed to the minor deities and

the fathers. In thePurusottama-khanda of that same text, it is stated, For avoiding

defilement, the remnants of food offered to Visnu should be mixed with the rice cakes to be

offered to the fathers. Food is rendered pure when sprinkled with the waters of the tulasiand

when mixed with the food offered to Visnu. In the course of a conversation between Brahma

and Narada it has been made clear that the worship of Visnu alone is capable of releasing the

fathers from the suffering of hell. It is even stated that the performance of thesraddha rite is

useless in the age of Kali without first worshipping Visnu.

This series of quotations from various Puranas reflects the Pancaratrika idea that through a

persons sole reliance on Visnu all things that a human being would otherwise have to doalone could be accomplished through the grace of God. The successful outcome of the

sraddhaprocess was therefore, not dependant on the power of the ritual, the expertise of the

priest, precise timing, and availability of the articles, etc. but upon God alone. This approach

involved the handing over of the fate of the soul to God.

According to this approach, food or water that is offered to thepitrsis first offered to Visnu

and thereby transformed into visnu-prasada. The wordprasadameans mercy or grace.

Thus visnu-prasadais Gods grace. Thisprasadaof Visnu is then offered to thepitrs,whonow receive Gods grace instead of mere food or water. In this way, the grace of God has the

power to elevate and sustain thepitrsin a manner that no human power can match. In the

case of a homaor havan, a ritual performed with fire, the fire is used as the delivery system

by which Visnu is first offered food. This food offering, which is now Gods grace, is then

offered to thepitrsthrough the fire. It is thus Agnideva, the fire God, who acts as the link

between this world and the world of thepitrs.

Psychologically this approach to thesraddhaprocess is very satisfying to grieving family

members. The invocation of Gods grace to reach beyond human endeavor is indeed

powerful.

Walker, Benjamin. Hindu World, An Encyclopedic Survey of Hinduism. In two volumes.

New Delhi: Indus, 1968.

Shastri, Dakshina Ranjan. Origin and Development of the Rituals of Ancestor Worship in

India. Bookland Private: Calcutta, 1963.

Saraswati, Swami Dayanand, translation by Vaidyanath Shastri. The Sanskar Vidhi.

Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi Sabha: New Delhi, 1985.

ThePancaratraAgamasclaim to be based on the ukla-yajur-veda (which is no longerextant) and purports to be of Vedic origin. ThePancaratraAgamasare extremely


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voluminous. The number of texts is in the hundreds, but the most ancient and authoritative

Pancaratratexts are the Sattvata, Pauskara andJayakhya Samhitas.

7. The Psychological Benefits of Sacrifice

TheSatapatha-brahmana,a text of the Vedic period, speaks about the five debts that a

human being accrues by living in this world. A person becomes indebted to God, to the gods,

to the ancestors, to living persons of this world and to lesser beings. It states that these debts

can be repaid through sacrifice. God can be repaid through the sacrifice of studying and

teaching the Vedas. The gods can be repaid by the sacrifice of offering oblations into the fire.

The ancestors can be repaid through the sacrifice of offering libations of water ( tarpana).

Elders of this world can be repaid through the sacrifice of showing hospitality to guests, and

lesser beings can be repaid by the sacrifice of offering food to animals and other creatures.

In a similar way, theManu-samhita, a work of the Grhya period, explains how even

unknowingly a human being causes suffering and thereby incurs sin while living in this

world. Five places are cited: the kitchen, the grinding stone, the broom, the mortar and pestle,

and the water pot. Like the Satapatha- brahmana, Manu says that through sacrifice a human

being can atone for these sins. In other words, Hindu thinkers from the earliest times

recognized that life involved consuming the resource of this world. Both texts recognized that

a human being had a debt to settle with the world, and both agreed that it was through

sacrifice that a human could settle this debt and establish a just relationship with the world.

Thepitr-yajnawas one such attempt.

The psychological effect of sacrifice was to enlarge ones individual existence. By

performing the worship of the ancestors, one established a relationship with the ancestors.The person no longer lived alone in the universe. The meaning of the opening prayers used in

the tarpanaceremony is illustrative, From the highest point to lowest point, so far as this

universe extends, let all divine sages and patriarchs, all deceased fathers, on both the fathers

and mothers side, be worshiped. Let this humble offering of sesame and water go for benefit

the whole world, from the highest heaven down to this earth, to benefit the inhabitants of the

seven continents belonging to unlimited families in the past. The rite ofpitr-yajnawas

therefore, an attempt to psychologically harmonize the individual with the larger world

outside.

This need for psychological expansion and to establish a just relationship with the universe

was also expressed in how theBrahmana texts interpreted thepindaofferings used in thepitr-yajnas.The cakes were not simply food offerings. They represented thepitrsand

ultimately the whole of existence. The first cake, for the father, was seen as the image of the

earth (bhur) and just as fire enjoys the earth, so the soul of the father was said to enjoy the

first cake. The second cake, for the grandfather, was seen as the image of the sky (bhuvar)

and just as the wind enjoys the sky, so the grandfather was said to enjoy the second cake. The

third cake, for the great grandfather, was seen as the image of the heavens (svar) and just as

the sun enjoys the heavens, so the great grandfather was said to enjoy this third cake. In this

way, the threepindacakes were equated with the whole of creation, bhur, bhuvarandsvar.

Offering thepindato thepitrswas equal to feeding the universe.

Copyright Sanskrit Religions Institute 2003.

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