How do Hindus dispose of dead bodies?
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Hinduism: Why are dead Hindu children buried instead of cremated?
Children up to the age of 5 are buried without any ceremonies. The reason being children are considered perfectly pure and innocent and not responsible for their actions i.e. they have not generated any negative Karma. The age of 5 is when they develop a sense of right and wrong and independent volition.
The purpose of the cremation rituals is to absolve the deceased from their negative karma in this life-time and to propel them into their next rebirth by helping them to dissolve their attachments.
The first thing that is done in a cremation ritual is a purification and absolution ceremony. Thereafter the corpse is consecrated as an offering to the fire that the deceased has worshiped throughout his or her life (a 5 year old has never taken part in a fire ritual - i.e. havan.) Every major Hindu ceremony is accompanied by oblations made into the consecrated fire with the repetition of SVAHA - which means sva = self, ha = I offer - so the final offering of one who worships the fire is the physical body. A five year old has had no cause to utter svaha as they are forbidden from taking part in fire rituals.
The body is further purified by its being placed on the earth (Brahma), in the fire (Shiva) and then finally the ashes are scattered in water (Vishnu). The child is simply returned to the creator Brahma and mother earth - without any mantras or ceremonies.
For the adult deceased further 10 - 16 days ceremonies are performed to assist him or her to sever the bonds of attachment to family, friends and things. On the final day of mourning a purification ceremony is done and the family bath, wear new clothes and official terminated the mourning process and return to daily life.
18.6k Views · · · Answer requested by
Why was Jayalalitha buried but not cremated as per Hindu tradition?
What happens during cremation?
Funerals: Which is a better way- Burning a dead or Burying a Dead?
Is it better to get cremated or buried?
How do Parsis cremate the dead?
Cremation is the norms in Hinduism to dispose the dead body, but this norms does not apply to the dead children below 14 years or who are unmarried. Because, the children who are dead in prime age, may back to the body even, if he/she is not dead by their completing proper age. However, I give some examples form Pret Khand of Gadud Puran. Mystery of Life and Death is also another book from this knowledge can be gain.
Garuda Purana
[discourses based upon the Preta-kanda of the Garuda
Purana.Some points are highlighted or very briefly summarized below.]
The Garuda Purana is in the form of a dialogue between Lord Vishnu the supreme Personality, and Garuda. It deals with present life and afterlife, it deals with Bandhan and Moksha or bondage and liberation and describes the pathways that lead to Bondage and the pathways that lead to Liberation, it deals with the essential ceremonies required to be performed after the death of relatives and the consequences of not performing such ceremonies.
It explained about the ten day shraddha ceremony and also explained what should be done when death of a relative occurs in a far away place, when to begin shraddha? It is from the day the news is received. When the news is received but if the body is not found, then make a doll from Kusha grass, and taking the name of the deceased, burn it and place the ashes in water. When a pregnant woman dies, the unborn infant under 7 months, must be taken out and buried and then the woman is cremated. Infants upto 27 months are buried and 28 months and above are cremated. Pre-mature, still-born, miscarriage babies are not cremated but are buried
After the death of such infant, bathing cleanses the family. No Sutak and no ceremony are required. If child dies before milk teeth come out, then there is no Sutak. After death of such a child, feed milk and rice to children. When a child of 5-to 12 years dies, then ten days ceremony is done with ten pindas.
When a wedded girl dies, then the in-laws side does the Sutak. Girl, who is engaged only, then both sides observe Sutak.
When a son dies and the father is alive, then the father cannot apply or light the funeral pyre, and there is no Sapindi ceremony. Father does not do Vidhi (ceremony) for son.
The living son performs the ten day ceremony for the soul and not for the body. Living son performs the ceremony to liberate from father’s debt. If there are many sons, any one son can perform the ten-day ceremony. Sons staying apart can each perform the ceremony. Final rites for the mother and for the father, done according to scriptures, yield fruits that are equal to making Parikrama or circumambulation of earth.
Children up to the age of 5 are buried without any ceremonies. The reason being children are considered perfectly pure and innocent and not responsible for their actions i.e. they have not generated any negative Karma. The age of 5 is when they develop a sense of right and wrong and independent volition.
The purpose of the cremation rituals is to absolve the deceased from their negative karma in this life-time and to propel them into their next rebirth by helping them to dissolve their attachments.
The first thing that is done in a cremation ritual is a purification and absolution ceremony. Thereafter the corpse is consecrated as an offering to the fire that the deceased has worshiped throughout his or her life (a 5 year old has never taken part in a fire ritual - i.e. havan.) Every major Hindu ceremony is accompanied by oblations made into the consecrated fire with the repetition of SVAHA - which means sva = self, ha = I offer - so the final offering of one who worships the fire is the physical body. A five year old has had no cause to utter svaha as they are forbidden from taking part in fire rituals.
The body is further purified by its being placed on the earth (Brahma), in the fire (Shiva) and then finally the ashes are scattered in water (Vishnu). The child is simply returned to the creator Brahma and mother earth - without any mantras or ceremonies.
For the adult deceased further 10 - 16 days ceremonies are performed to assist him or her to sever the bonds of attachment to family, friends and things. On the final day of mourning a purification ceremony is done and the family bath, wear new clothes and official terminated the mourning process and return to daily life.
18.6k Views · · · Answer requested by
Why was Jayalalitha buried but not cremated as per Hindu tradition?
What happens during cremation?
Funerals: Which is a better way- Burning a dead or Burying a Dead?
Is it better to get cremated or buried?
How do Parsis cremate the dead?
Cremation is the norms in Hinduism to dispose the dead body, but this norms does not apply to the dead children below 14 years or who are unmarried. Because, the children who are dead in prime age, may back to the body even, if he/she is not dead by their completing proper age. However, I give some examples form Pret Khand of Gadud Puran. Mystery of Life and Death is also another book from this knowledge can be gain.
Garuda Purana
[discourses based upon the Preta-kanda of the Garuda
Purana.Some points are highlighted or very briefly summarized below.]
The Garuda Purana is in the form of a dialogue between Lord Vishnu the supreme Personality, and Garuda. It deals with present life and afterlife, it deals with Bandhan and Moksha or bondage and liberation and describes the pathways that lead to Bondage and the pathways that lead to Liberation, it deals with the essential ceremonies required to be performed after the death of relatives and the consequences of not performing such ceremonies.
It explained about the ten day shraddha ceremony and also explained what should be done when death of a relative occurs in a far away place, when to begin shraddha? It is from the day the news is received. When the news is received but if the body is not found, then make a doll from Kusha grass, and taking the name of the deceased, burn it and place the ashes in water. When a pregnant woman dies, the unborn infant under 7 months, must be taken out and buried and then the woman is cremated. Infants upto 27 months are buried and 28 months and above are cremated. Pre-mature, still-born, miscarriage babies are not cremated but are buried
After the death of such infant, bathing cleanses the family. No Sutak and no ceremony are required. If child dies before milk teeth come out, then there is no Sutak. After death of such a child, feed milk and rice to children. When a child of 5-to 12 years dies, then ten days ceremony is done with ten pindas.
When a wedded girl dies, then the in-laws side does the Sutak. Girl, who is engaged only, then both sides observe Sutak.
When a son dies and the father is alive, then the father cannot apply or light the funeral pyre, and there is no Sapindi ceremony. Father does not do Vidhi (ceremony) for son.
The living son performs the ten day ceremony for the soul and not for the body. Living son performs the ceremony to liberate from father’s debt. If there are many sons, any one son can perform the ten-day ceremony. Sons staying apart can each perform the ceremony. Final rites for the mother and for the father, done according to scriptures, yield fruits that are equal to making Parikrama or circumambulation of earth.
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