Importance of Temple Priests in Hinduism

In Hinduism worshippers can worship their personal deities externally (bahya) with specific prayers and offerings or internally (antah) with visualization. Spiritually, the mental worship (manasa puja) is considered more effective. A devotee may perform the external worship either directly without any intermediary or indirectly with the help of a trained priest.

He may also conduct the worship at home, in a temple or at a sacred place. Traditionally, worship in Hindu temples is performed by priests, who are known as archakas (or arcakas) and yajakas. In Vaishnava temples, you invariably need the assistance of a priest to worship the deities. However, in Saiva temples, you can either worship the deity directly or with the help of a temple priest. The priests also have several local or vernacular titles such as pujari, devaswami, maharaj, etc.

Yajaka and archaka

The word Yajaka is derived from the word yaja, which means to sacrifice, worship with sacrifice, or assist those who perform the sacrifice. The worshipper or the sacrificer, and those who assist him are known as Yajis. Yajanam is the act of worship and yajamana is the one who hosts and supports the sacrifice with his patronage. The tradition of yaja dates back to the Vedic times. The word Yajurveda, meaning the Veda of rituals, the second most important Veda after the Rigveda, is derived from the root word, yajus, meaning a sacrificial prayer or formula. Presently, anyone who worships God ritually is considered yajaka.

Historically, the word archana or archaka came into prominence much later. It is derived from the word archa meaning to adore, worship, praise, sing, or salute with honor and respect. Archana is the act of worship and archaka is the worshipper. Archi means an emanation or a ray of light, or flame. The Vedas frequently compare Brahman to the immortal Sun. The immortal world of Brahman said to exist in the Sun itself and those who achieve liberation travel by the sun lit path of gods (devayana) to reach the immortal world located in the Sun. Thus, if Brahman is the Sun, each deity as an emanation of Brahman is compared to a ray of the sun (archa), and the act of worshipping him is called archana.

An archaka is one who worships an arca, meaning an image of God. In traditional Vaishnavism, an arca is a living incarnation of God in image form. The arca itself may be made of stone, wood, clay, gemstones, gold, silver, bronze, or alloys, but will be treated as an embodiment of God.

Temple as an abode of God

In this sense, in Hinduism, a temple is not a mere place of worship, but a sacred house where God resides. Since God lives in the temple not as a mere statute, or an image, but as a living and breathing entity, the temple administration has to ensure through a host of priests and attendants that He is served with great honor and treated respectfully like a king from the time he wakes up in the early hours until he goes to bed. If the particular aspect of God has a consort, family and retinue, everyone in the group has to be given due honors. The temple for all practical purposes is a universe in itself, or a heaven, in which gods dwell and interact with humans at a very personal and intimate level. Since the temple is a house of God, in most temples the principal deity and his consort are installed together and worshipped together. However, in rare cases, where the deity is either unmarried, celibate, or separated from his consort, he is worshipped alone. For example, separate temples exist for Lord Venkateswara and his consort Bhramaramba at Tirumala and Tirupathi respectively since due to a marital conflict they live separately.

Arca, the living and breathing deity

As stated earlier, an arca is a living incarnation of God in image form. Therefore, the expression idol worship in Hinduism is a complete misnomer, used by some to degrade the religion. Hindus do not worship mere stone or wooden idols. They worship a living and breathing form of God who lives inside the body that is made of stone, wood or other material. Because of it, they are treated with utmost respect, as if God is present personally to bless the devotees.

However, not all arcas are made equal. Their power and eminence depend upon how long they are present on earth, how they are installed and how many people offer them regular worship. A deity's power increases in proportion to the fervor of his or her devotees. If more people visit a temple and frequently worship the deity, the arcas installed in that temple gain more power and vigor from the offerings made and develops the ability to fulfill the wishes of the worshippers. In other words, although the same deity resides in several temples, in each temple the deity has a different potency. If they are regularly worshipped, they become active and powerful, radiate positive energy, strengthen the roots of dharma, and help more people to become spiritual and work for their liberation. Therefore, it becomes the duty (dharma) of every Hindu to visit temples and offer worship. In their turn, the temples have to ensure that the deities are regularly worshipped and more devotees are attracted to them, so that the deity (arca) gains power and potency to fulfill their wishes. It cannot happen, unless the worship is conducted by priests who are well versed in the scriptures and who have a perfect knowledge of the rituals and sacrificial ceremonies. With their knowledge and prayers, they can keep the deities well nourished and well attended.

The beginnings of temple worship

Temple worship in Hinduism was not an original Vedic practice. Vedic priests performed sacrificial ceremonies and daily practices, mostly in open places or in their homes. There was no tradition of housing the gods in temples and worship them. The tradition probably evolved overtime with the integration of several indigenous cultures who might have housed their gods and ancestors in special houses to protect them from rain and wind, and became a full-fledged practice in the post Buddhist period. The earliest temples were probably built in honor of deceased kings, saintly people, or sacred objects, by their successor and followers to discharge their debt of gratitude. Subsequently the practice might have been extended to honor the heavenly gods. Historians believe that the earliest temples were temporary structures made of wood, clay, reeds, etc. Hence, none of them survived. Construction of stone temples gained momentum during the post Mauryan era and reached its culmination in the Gupta period. It is even possible that the tradition began in the South during the reign of southern dynasties such as the Cholas, Cheras, Pandyas and Satavahanas, and spread northward. Since the earliest times, the Brahmins have been the traditional choice for all forms of Vedic worship. When temples became prominent in both north and south, they became the natural choice to perform temple rituals.

Types of priests

Broadly speaking, in Hinduism the priests who perform temple rituals fall into one or more of the following four main traditions due to their caste, family and sectarian affiliations.

1. Saivism

2. Vaishnavism

3. Shaktism

4. Folk traditions

In Vaishnava temples, priests follow either Vaikhasana or Pancaratra practices to conduct worship. Of the two, the Vaikhasana is considered the most ancient and a sect in itself. In most Vaishnava temples of southern India, including the Tirumala, Tirupathi and Madurai temples, the temple rituals are performed by Vaikhasana priests. Many Brahmin families who live in coastal Andrha, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala belong to this sect. It is said that they migrated from northern India during medieval times and settled in these parts ever since. Some of them also specialize in Ayurveda.

In Saivism and Shaktism also we come across several variations in customs and practices, as they are further divided into several sub sects, each having its own traditions, philosophy and belief system. For example, followers of Kashimiri Saivism, Vira Saivism and Pasupatha Saivism follow different methods of worship and esoteric rituals. In the present day world, with the rise of popular Hinduism and construction of modern temples which house several deities belonging to different sects, you may not see much specialization among the priests who work there. You may see the same priest worshipping different deities, or the same set of priests sharing their duties and responsibilities according to the schedule fixed by the temple administration. With the construction of temples for politicians, film stars, and gurus of modern times, the tradition is getting further diluted.

The role of Archakas or Yajakas

As worshippers of God, the temple priests occupy an important position in Hinduism. According to the scriptures a worshipping priest is a devotee of God (yajaka evam madbhakta). He is verily a part of the body of God Himself (machsariram hi yajaka). One should, therefore, treat with utmost respect any priest, who offers prayers to God. Blaming him is equal to blaming God Himself. In Vaishnavism an archaka is verily considered, without any doubt, Hari himself (archakastu hari sakshat chara rupi na samsayah). We find a similar approach in Saivism also. In terms of importance, the archakas occupy the foremost place in society because by worshipping the deities properly as stipulated in the scriptures, and keeping them happy, they prevent misfortune and calamities befalling upon people and ensure peace, prosperity, and welfare of all in the towns and villages where the temples are situated. The scriptures state that if priests worship deities with pure intentions and great sincerity, it brings rich rewards to everyone. Hence, the profession of archakas is considered the most important and sacred in the world.

A day in the life of a priest

Those who work in the temples as priests have to lead an austere and disciplined life. They have to be well-versed in the scriptures and ritual knowledge. They cannot succumb to any vice or evil. They have to be free from greed, anger, lust, envy and other evils. A priest is a servant of God, who has only one mission in life, to take care of the daily needs of the deity he worships. He has no other duty, because the deity will be responsible for his personal life. Theoretically, for him the needs of God are more important than his own needs. Having a good priest in your local temple, is a blessing, because through his actions he can make a difference to a number of people who visit the temple and pay their respects.

The relationship between the deity and his priest is very personal, deep and intimate. Every priest has to be a Bhagavata, a servant-cum-devotee of the deities he worships. He has to put his heart and soul into his service and worship God with utmost devotion, but without any desire or expectations for himself. Every day, he is expected to wake up early in the morning, take a bath, wear clean clothes, perform his morning oblations, wear necessary marks upon his body according to the sect to which he belongs, and begin the day with a stable mind. Then he should go to the temple, to begin his daily service. At the temple, he should remove yesterday's offerings, (flowers, etc.,) from the place of worship, sweep the floor in the sanctum or the room where the deity is installed, and clean the tools and utensils used in the worship.

After purifying the place and rearranging everything, he should wake up the deity with a morning prayer and perform the morning archana (ritual) with the offerings of light, incense, flowers, water, food, etc. As the day proceeds and devotees start visiting the temple, he should perform various rituals according to their needs and act as a mediator between the deity and his devotees. Depending upon the popularity of the presiding deity, the rituals would continue throughout the day with some resting period in between, during which the priest would attend upon deity as if he or she were a living entity. At the end of the day, after serving the evening meal and performing the evening rituals, he should make arrangements for the deity to take rest by singing lullabies. Finally, when he is convinced that the deity is asleep, he should close the door of the sanctum, secure everything, and return home to take rest. This is the daily routine of a priest who works in a local temple where he happens to be the main priest or the only priest. In busy temples, several priests participate in these daily rituals and share their duties according to the instructions of the head priest or the temple administration. Traditionally, the priests are also entitled to their due share in the offerings made to the deity.

Since a priest is an intermediary between the deity and his devotees, he has to strictly follow the wishes of the devotees in choosing the methods of worship or making offerings. In most cases, the devotees bring their own offerings and request the priests to perform worship according to their needs which involves recitation of different prayers. A priest has to oblige them and fulfill their wishes. Many temples also charge money from the devotees to perform specific rituals. When devotees are present in large numbers, a priest has to ensure that each devotee gets a view of the deity and a proper share in the offerings.

Types of rituals

The rituals that are performed in temples vary from deity to deity. However, they fall into the following categories.

1. Daily rituals which are offered from morning to evening to serve the deity or according to the wishes of the devotees. They usually involve recitations of Sanskrit prayers and names of the deity.

2. Periodic rituals that are performed every week, fortnight, or month to commemorate auspicious celestial or astronomical events. For example there are certain rituals that are performed on every full moon day or new moon day and on specific days in each month when the planets are aligned specifically. They are meant to ensure the smooth progression, the order and regularity of the world.

3. Special worship is also offered to the deity on festive occasions, which may be festivals that are particularly associated with the deity, such as a marriage anniversary (kalyanam)the birth of a saint, or general Hindu festivals such as Deepavali or Dussehra.

4. In case of 2 and 3, some temples may have the tradition of taking out the deity on a procession and carry him through the street. On such occasions, the principal deity along with attendant deities are placed in a chariot or a human carriage and taken out in huge procession, through the streets, to the accompaniment of music and dance. While it is customary for the devotees to visit the deity throughout the year and seek his blessings, on such occasions, the deity pays a visit to his devotees to express his love and see how they are doing. It denotes that the relationship between God and His devotee is not a one-sided affair. It is mutual and God is as eager to see his devotees as the devotees are. It is also meant to ensure that those who cannot visit the temple due to age, any physical disability or personal problem are also not ignored by Him.

Pachakas

While the archakas are responsible for the worship of the deity, they are assisted in their duties by several others. Prominent among them are the pachakas, who are mainly responsible for preparing traditional food items (naivedyam) that are used in the offerings made to the deity. After offering to the deity, the remains are distributed among the devotees. The people who are responsible for preparing and cooking the food items also hail from the Brahmin families. In several ancient temples, the right to cook food for God is hereditary and rests with a few families. Food may be prepared either in the temple premises or outside. The pachakas have to prepare the food in sattvic manner, using the purest of the ingredients that are acceptable to the deity and maintain strict personal discipline as laid down in the scriptures to avoid incurring his displeasure. In preparing the offerings, they have to keep in mind that they cannot compromise on the quality or purity. Some of the preparations are historically well known. For example, the sweet balls (laddus) and other food items prepared by the Tirumala temple for Lord Venkateswara are world famous.

Acharyas

Acharyas are Vedic scholars and spiritual teachers who are employed by the temple for spreading religious awareness and speak about the significance of the temple and its deities. They are responsible for reciting morning prayers, mantras, addressing religious gatherings and narrate stories from the scriptures about legends and anecdotes associated with the deities. They may work either on a part-time or full-time basis. Many big temples also maintain their own publication division and offer books and magazines to the devotes for fees.

Paricharikas

They are specially employed in big temples to perform menial work such as sweeping the temples, cleaning the cooking utensils, booking reservations and accommodation for the devotees, organizing events, making garlands, carrying food items, lighting lamps, and protecting the temple property from vandalism.

Administration

As an abode of God, a temple is also an institution. Small temples can be managed by a single priest and a small number of patrons. However, big temples require a more organized and professional approach to manage the temple activities. Many ancient temples of India are visited by millions of people every year from various parts of the world. Their income and expenditure amount to millions of dollars. Hence, they are managed by a huge body of government officials, trust members, security personnel, priests, administrators, and others. In ancient times, temples were supported by kings and local feudal lords with lands grants. In modern times, Government of India appointed a special board to look after the temple administration and temple lands in several states. Misuse of temple funds is not unknown. However, if people are careful and pay attention, such problems can be avoided through collective effort.

This article has been originally published by by Jayaram V on Hinduwebsite.

Who can perform Shraddha

Hindu Dharma that does not give any cause for excuse for not performing shraddha due to the absence of a particular person!

Son (including the one whose threading ceremony has not been done), daughter, grandson, great grandson, wife, daughter’s son (if he is one of the heirs), real brother, nephew, cousin’s son, father, mother, daughter-in-law, son of elder and younger sisters, maternal uncle, anyone in the seven generations and from the same lineage (sapinda), anyone after the seven generations and belonging to the same family domain (samanodak), disciple, priests (upadhyay), friend, son-in-law of the deceased person can perform Shraddha in that order.

In case of a joint family, the eldest and earning male person should perform Shraddha. In case of the unit family, everyone should perform shraddha independently.

Hindu Dharma has made arrangement so that for each and every dead person the shraddha can be performed so as to give momentum to that person to progress to a higher sub-plane. Holy text Dharma Sindhu mentions that, ‘If a particular dead person does not have any relative or a close person, then it is the duty of the king to perform Shraddha for that person’.

Performance of Shraddha by women: 

As mentioned above that the daughter, wife, mother and daughter-in-law of the deceased person have the authority to perform Shraddha. In spite of this, in the current era, the priests who conduct Shraddha deny their consent for women to perform Shraddha. This could be because in the earlier days the thread ceremony was performed for females, and in current era, this practice has been discontinued in all classes. Therefore, in accordance to that, even performing of Shraddha has been disallowed for females. In emergency conditions, however, if no one is available for performing Shraddha, then it is better for it to be performed by women instead of not performing it at all.

Significance of Shraddha Ritual performed by Son

Objectives of performing Shraddha:

Providing momentum to the deceased ancestors present in the Pitru region so that they can progress to a higher sub-plane of existence, through the means of Shraddha.

Satisfying wishes and desires of the souls of the deceased ancestors from ones’ family who are trapped in the negative regions due to unfulfilled desires and providing momentum for their further progress.

Importance and need of performing Shraddha:

Repaying the debt to ancestors is as important as repaying the debt to God, Sages and the society. It is the duty of descendants to respect their ancestors, make donations in their name and to undertake activities that will please them. Performing Shraddha is a part of obeying Dharma, as per science of Dharma.

Ancestors’ soul becomes satisfied only after receiving pinda and water from their son. In relation to this, following is a verse in the holy text Mahabharat that describes ‘who qualifies to be called as son’ 

पुन्नाम्नो नरकाद्यस्मात्पितरं त्रायते सुत: ।

तस्मात्पुत्र इति प्रोक्त: स्वयमेव स्वयंभुवा ।। – Mahabharat 1.74.39

Meaning : The son protects his ancestors’ souls from the Hell named ‘Puta’. Therefore Lord Brahma himself has named him as ‘Putra’.

As per the above verse, to enable the deceased ancestors to progress to a higher sub-plane, every son should perform ritual of Shraddha. It is amply clear in the verse that the one who is believed to be a son, he should perform these duties.

 देवपितृकार्याभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम । – Taittiriya Upanishad 1.11

Meaning : One should not commit mistakes in any task performed towards God or ancestors’ souls. One should not avoid these rituals.

Following verse, regarding people who do not perform Shraddha, in the holy text Gita is insightful

पतन्ति पितरो ह्येषां लुप्तपिन्डोदकक्रिया – Shrimadbhagwatgita 1.42

Meaning : Due to the nonperformance of rituals like pinda shraddha and offering water to deceased ancestors etc. the ancestors of such people (who do not perform Shraddha) have to reside in the Hell region. This results in stagnation and no progress of the descendants.

श्राद्धात् परतरं नान्यत् श्रेयस्करम् उदाहृतम् । – Sage Sumantu

Meaning : Nothing is as superior as the ritual of Shraddha. Therefore, a person having a pure intellect to discriminate between right and wrong should never abstain from performing Shraddha.

Activities related to deceased ancestors are more important than those related to God – Brahmavaivarta Puran. Therefore every sacred ceremony begins with Nandi Shraddha.

One who performs the ritual of Shraddha diligently and in accordance with ones financial state, he satisfies everyone right from Deity Brahma to the insignificant blade of grass. No one in the family of the person performing Shraddha remains unhappy. – Brahma Puran

At the time of death if a person feels, ‘Shraddha is meaningless and nobody should perform Shraddha for me after my death’ and later because of Shraddha having not been performed, after his death, he experiences that, ‘I am trapped’, then at that time he would not be in a state to convey this feeling to anyone. He could become unhappy because of his wish remaining unfulfilled. Taking this point into consideration, it is absolutely necessary to perform Shraddha for every deceased person.

By performing ritual of Shraddha for a deceased person, the give-and-take account that exists with that person gets fulfilled.

Benefits of performing Shraddha:

The ritual of Shraddha is a sacrificial fire performed for deceased ancestors and it is sacred. The benefits derived after performing the ritual of Shraddha are mentioned in Smrutichandrika and other holy texts.

If the ritual of Shraddha is performed on the day of an eclipse, the host derives benefit similar to the one obtained after donating a piece of land to someone.

Reference : Sanatan’s Holy text ‘Shraddha (importance and scientific explanation)’

Basic Information on Shraddha

Meaning and Origin of Shraddh

Pitra Paksha as per Hindu Panchang is observed from the 1st Tithi of the Ashwin Maas and continues till New Moon day (Amavasya) also known as Sarvapitri Amavysya or Mahalaya Amavysya. This entire phase of 15 days is also known as Pitri Pokho, Sola Shraddha, Kanagat, Jitiya or Apara Paksha. During this period, the Shraddha or Tarpan of the ancestors is performed on the Tithi on which they met eternity. 

Why is Shraddh performed?

According to Hindu mythology, after death soul has to wander in the various worlds. Pitra Paksha is an occasion to pacify the departed ancestors by performing Shraddha. It is a ritual to repay debts to the ancestors. Hindu scriptures like the Agni Puran, Garuda Puran, Vayu Puran etc. explain the significance of “Shraddha” in great details.

Meaning of Shraddh

Shraddha, originally a Sanskrit word, is combination of two words "Sat" meaning truth and "Adhar" meaning basis. So it means anything or any act that is performed with all sincerity and faith. It is said, “Shraddhyaa Kriyate Yaa Saa”: Shraddh is the ritual accomplished to satiate one’s ancestors. This ritual expresses one’s unconditional reverence towards the ancestors.

Origin of Shraddh

As per Hindu sacred texts, Rishi Atri - among the 10 sons of Lord Brahma was the first one to decipher the rituals of Shraddha as devised by Lord Brahma to his son Nimi Rishi. Grieved by Sudden death of his Son, Nimi Rishi being guided by Narad Muni started invoking his ancestors who soon appeared before him and said, “Nimi, your son has already taken the place amongst Pitra Devas. Since you have performed the act of feeding and worshiping the soul of your departed son, it is same as if you had performed Pitri Yajna”. Since that time the Shraddh is accounted as important ritual of the Sanatan Dharma.

Types of Shraddh

Prominently the texts mention 12 kinds of Shraddh. These are Nitya, Neimitik, Kaamya, Vriddhi, Sapindan, Paarvann, Goshtth, Shurdhyarth, Karmaang, Deivik, Oupcharik and Saanvatsarik Shraddh.

Exceptions in Performing Shraddh

The Shraddh of the ancestors is performed on the Lunar tithi on which they passed away. But there are certain exceptions to this: 

Pratipada Shraddh is also considered suitable to perform Shraddha for maternal grandfather and grandmother (known as Nana-Nani). 

The fourth day or Chautha Bharani and the fifth day or Bharani Panchmi is allotted for people who died in the previous year.

Panchami Shraddh is also considered suitable to perform Shraddh for family members who died unmarried

Avidha Navami is also considered suitable to perform Shraddh for married women who died before their husbands. Also known as Matrinavami it is considered suitable to perform Shraddh of one’s Mother. 

Dwadashi Shraddh is also suitable to perform Shraddh for those who had taken renunciation before death.

Trayodashi Shraddh is suitable to perform Shraddh for dead children. 

Ghata Chaturdashi is for people who died a sudden and violent death. 

The Mahalaya or Sarvpitri Amavasya is for all the ancestors and forefathers.

Shraddha Rituals

Shraddha rituals consist of following main activities:

Vishwadeva Sthapana (विश्वेदेव स्थापना)

Pindadan (पिण्डदान)

Tarpan (तर्पण)

Feeding the Brahmin (ब्राह्मण भोज)

Pindadan is the offering of rice, cow’s milk, Ghee, sugar and honey in form of Pinda (rounded heap of the offering) to the ancestors. Pandadan should be done with whole-heartedness, devotion, sentiments and respect to the deceased soul to fulfil it.

Tarpan is the offering of the water mixed with black sesame (तिल), Barley (जौं), Kusha grass (कुशा) and white flours. It is believed that ancestors are appeased by the process of Tarpan.

Feeding the Brahmin is must to complete the Shraddha ritual. Offering to the crows are also made before food is offered to the Brahmin.

Pitru Paksha Period and Duration

Pitru Paksha is the period of fifteen lunar days when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors, especially through food offerings. Each lunar month is divided into two equal Paksha which are known as Shukla Paksha and Krishna Paksha. Each Paksha consists of fifteen lunar days.

According to North Indian Purnimant Calendar, fifteen days period during Krishna Paksha of Ashwin month is known as Pitru Paksha. But according to South Indian Amavasyant Calendar, fifteen days period during Krishna Paksha of Bhadrapada month is known as Pitru Paksha. It is interesting to note that it is just nomenclature of lunar months which differs and both North Indians and South Indians perform Shraddha rituals on similar days.

Many sources include Bhadrapada Purnima which usually falls one day before Pitru Paksha into fifteen days period of Pitru Paksha. Bhadrapada Purnima which is also known as Proshthapadi Purnima is an auspicious day to perform Shraddha rituals but it is not part of Pitru Paksha. It should be noted that Mahalaya Shraddha for those who died on Purnima Tithi is done on Amavasya Shraddha Tithi during Pitru Paksha and not on Bhadrapada Purnima.

Pitru Paksha starts one or two days after Ganesh Visarjan. Pitru Paksha is also known as Mahalaya Paksha. The last day of Pitru Paksha is known as Sarvapitri Amavasya or Mahalaya Amavasya. This is the most significant day of Pitru Paksha. If the death date of the deceased person in the family is not known then his or her Shraddha can be performed on Sarvapitri Amavasya.

Why Shraddha is done?

According to Garuda Purana, after thirteen days of the death soul starts its journey for Yamapuri and it takes seventeen days to reach there.

The soul travels through Yamapuri for another eleven months and only in twelfth month it reaches to the court of Yamaraj. During the period of eleven months it has no access to the food and the water. It is believed that Pindadan and Tarpan done by the son and family members satisfy the hunger and the thirst of the soul during its journey till it reaches the court of the Yamaraj.

Hence Shraddha rituals are considered very important during first year of the death.

The Stages of Death

Sadhguru

Sadhguru looks at the various stages of death, and explores the significance of the various death rituals in the Indian way of life.

Questioner: I wanted to know, what is the importance of doing shraddh (rituals for the deceased)?

Sadhguru: In India, if someone close to you dies, you are supposed to sit and watch – no one leaves a dead body alone. If you keep the body for over two to three days, the hair will grow. If it was a man and he used to shave, you can see this from the facial hair. The nails will also grow. Therefore, in countries where they preserve the dead bodies for a longer time, the undertakers clip the nails and shave the beard. This is so because of the way life manifests. For the sake of understanding – there is fundamental life and physical life. Physical life energy, which is generally referred to as prana, has five basic manifestations. These are called samana, prana, udhana, apana, and vyana.

The Stages of Death

Within 21 to 24 minutes from the moment when a doctor would declare a person as dead, samana starts exiting. Samana is in charge of maintaining the temperature in the body. The first thing that happens after death is, the body starts cooling down. The traditional way of checking whether someone is dead or alive is to feel the nose – they would not check the eyeballs and other parameters. If the nose has gone cold, they concluded that he is dead.

Somewhere between 48 to 64 minutes after someone is considered as dead, prana exits. Between six and twelve hours after, udhana exits. There are tantric processes through which we could revive the body before udhana exits. Once udhana has exited, it is practically impossible to revive the body. Then, somewhere between eight to eighteen hours, apana exits. Subsequently, vyana, which is the preservative nature of prana, will start exiting and may continue to do so for up to 11 to 14 days if it is a normal death – that is if someone died of old age, because life became feeble. For that period of time, certain processes will continue in the body; there will still be some element of life. If someone died in an accident, when the life within was still vibrant – unless the body is totally crushed – the reverberations of this life will continue somewhere between 48 and 90 days.

During that time, there are things you can do for that life. Your experience of death is that someone is gone, but the experience of that being is that he or she has exited the body. Once they have exited the body, you have no business with them anymore. You cannot recognize them anymore, and if they came back, you would be terrified. If people you love died and would pop up again, there would be terror – not love, because your relationship is with their body or with their conscious mind and emotion. Once someone dies, those two aspects are left behind.

The mind is just a bunch of information that has natural tendencies which find expression in a certain way. When someone dies, there is no more discernment, no more intellect. If you put one drop of pleasantness into their mind, this pleasantness will multiply a million fold. If you put one drop of unpleasantness, that unpleasantness will multiply a million fold. It is a little like with children – they go out to play until they are exhausted and cannot go on anymore, because they do not have the necessary discernment as to when it is time to stop.

After death, discernment is completely absent, even more than in a child. Then, whatever quality you put into the mind, it will multiply a million fold. This is what is being referred to as heaven and hell. If you go into a pleasant state of existence, it is called heaven. If you go into an unpleasant state of existence, it is called hell. These are not geographical locations – these are experiential realities that a life which has become disembodied is going through.

Death Rituals

How well or how ridiculously it is done today is a different matter, but there is a whole science of what to do at different steps. One of the first things people traditionally do if someone dies is, they will tie the big toes of the dead body together. This is very important because it will tighten up the muladhara in such a way that the body cannot be invaded by that life once again. A life that has not lived with the awareness that “this body is not me” will try to enter through any orifice of the body, particularly through the muladhara. The muladhara is where life generates, and it is always the last point of warmth when the body is cooling down.

The reason why traditionally, we always said that if someone dies, you must burn the body within an hour-and-a-half or a maximum of four hours is because life tries to get back. This is also important for the living. If someone very dear to you died, your mind may start playing tricks, thinking that maybe a miracle will happen, maybe God will come and bring them back. It has never happened to anyone, but still the mind plays up because of the emotions that you have for that particular person. Similarly, the life that has exited the body also believes that it can still get back into the body.

If you want to stop the drama, the first thing is to set fire to the body within one-and-a-half hours. Or to be sure the person is dead, they have stretched it to four hours. But the body should be taken away as quickly as possible. In agriculture communities, they used to bury, because they wanted their forefathers’ bodies, which are a piece of soil, to go back to the soil that had nourished them. Today, you buy your food from the store, and do not know where it comes from. Therefore, burial is not advisable anymore. In earlier times, when they buried in their own land, they always put salt and turmeric on the dead body so that it quickly dissipates into the soil. Cremation is good because it closes the chapter. You will see that when there is a death in the family, people will be crying and wailing, but the moment cremation happens, they will become quiet, because suddenly, the truth has sunk in that it is over. This does not only go for the living but also for the disembodied being who has just exited the body. As long as the body is there, he or she is also under the illusion that he can get back.

There are many rituals to see that you can somehow put a drop of sweetness into such a non-discerning mind so that this sweetness will multiply many fold and they will live comfortably in a kind of self-induced heaven. That is the idea behind the rituals – if they are done properly.

Runanubandha

I am sure most of you have heard of runanubandha, which indicates a physical relationship. Whenever you touch someone – either because of blood relationship or sexual relationships, or even if you just hold someone’s hand or exchange clothes – these two bodies will generate runanubandha, a certain commonality. When someone dies, traditionally, you are seeing how to completely obliterate the runanubandha. The idea of putting the ashes in the Ganga or in the ocean is to disperse them as widely as possible so that you do not develop runanubandha with one who has departed. For you to continue your life, you must properly break this runanubandha. Otherwise, as it happens in modern societies, it will affect your physical and mental structure. Children up to eight years of age are immune to these things – nature has given them that protection, but adolescents will suffer immensely when we do not take care of the dead properly, because the energies of disembodied beings are always there and the first ones that they go after are adolescents because they are the most vulnerable. You see in the world today how much upheaval people are going through during adolescence.

One of the reasons why adolescence is more of a struggle today than it was in previous generations is that we are not properly taking care of those who have departed and these runanubandhas are all over the place. It is like loose software everywhere, and it always affects adolescent life most.

Questioner: But what to do? How do you grind your emotions into powder and sprinkle it? I don’t think it is possible to cut off your emotions.

Sadhguru: Emotions are a different, secondary aspect to life. It is the physical sameness, the runanubandha with the dead that you want to eliminate, because this can cause sickness and mental derangement, among other things. Emotion by itself is not damaging. If you had a beautiful relationship with someone and now the person is no more, it is healthy to cherish the beauty of that relationship rather than suffer. But if the runanubandha is there, it weakens your body and your mental structure in such a way that instead of cherishing all the beautiful things that happened between two people, you are suffering, and not only that – it will lead to a certain derangement of life. To avoid that, we try to destroy the physical memory alone. It is not only that you cannot forget the emotional and psychological memory, you should not forget it either. Someone who meant so much to you – why should you forget them? You must cherish that relationship forever.

This article is based on an excerpt from the July 2014 issue of Forest Flower. Pay what you want and download. (set ‘0’ for free). Print subscriptions are also available.

Kaw Punim

Kaw Punim is one of the unique festivals of the Kashmiri Hindus. The full moon of the lunar month Magha is also known as Purnima of the crow. Two sticks are tied in the shape of a cross and on the open ends of the cross grass is woven to make a long handled flat spoon. Again after some pooja, yellow rice is served on this spoon to be offered to the crow. The children sing a melodious song while making the offering to the crow. The song loosely translated reads thus:

Kaw Bhatt Kawo,
Khechrey Kawo.
Gangabala Sharana Karith,
Gurey Mechey Tyoka Karith.
Walbha Saney Larey Pyeth,
Dal Bata Khyene

(O clever crow;  
O, the lover of khichri, crow;  
Come to our new house along with your spouse;  
Be seated on the threshold of our roof – 
And partake of the salty pudding)

This festival is indicative of the love that the Kashmiris have had for the birds and the care they took of them. It may be worth mentioning that every Kashmiri household will scatter some cooked rice on a wooden shelf kept outside the house everyday before serving food to any member of the house. This shelf kept near the top right hand corner of the window is called Kaw paet - a shelf for the crow. Likewise every person keeps apart a little rice from his or her plate to be fed to the dogs. This is called Hoonya myet - the roll of rice for the dog. This shows the compassionate nature of the Kashmiris for the animal world. No doubt the Gita defines a Pandit as one who treats equally a well read Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a downcast chandala who devours dog-flesh.

Ratha Saptami

Ratha Saptami or Rathasapthami (Magha Saptami) is a Hindu festival that falls on the seventh day (Saptami) in the bright half (Shukla Paksha) of the Hindu month Maagha. It is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses (representing seven colours) towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction. It also marks the birth of Surya and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti (the Sun-god’s birthday).

Ratha Saptami is symbolic of the change of season to spring and the start of the harvesting season. For most Indian farmers, it is an auspicious beginning of the New Year. The festival is observed by all Hindus in their houses and in innumerable temples dedicated to Surya, across India.

Sun worship is deep rooted in the Vedas of the Hindu religion and its antiquity also relates to several mythologies of the world such as that of China, Egypt and Mesopotamia. The Gayatri Mantra jap – the sacred Vedic chants to Savitr (Sun god) – is recited by the Hindus every day with great reverence. As the puranic Hinduism evolved, the worship of Sun was established.

In the Rig Veda Mandala 10/Hymn 85, the sun god's bride seated on a chariot pulled by two steeds is mentioned. This symbolism is therefore common to both Norse mythology and Vedic history.

The relevant verses (translated from Sanskrit by Ralph Griffith) are as follows:

10.       Her spirit was the bridal car; the covering thereof was heaven: Bright were both Steeds that drew it when Surya approached her husband's, home.

11.       Thy Steeds were steady, kept in place by holy verse and Sama-hymn: All cars were thy two chariot wheels: thy path was tremulous in the sky,

12.       Clean, as thou wentest, were thy wheels wind, was the axle fastened there. Surya, proceeding to his Lord, mounted a spirit-fashionied car.

Religious significance

Ratha Saptami is symbolically represented in the form of the Sun God Surya turning his Ratha (Chariot) drawn by seven horses, with Aruna as the charioteer, towards the northern hemisphere, in a north-easterly direction. The symbolic significance of the ratha and the seven horses reigned to it is that it represents the seven colours of the rainbow. The seven horses are also said to represent the seven days of a week starting with Sunday, the day of Sun god Surya. The chariot has 12 wheels, which represents the 12 signs (each of 30 degrees) of the Zodiac (360 degrees) and constituting a full year, named Samvatsara. The Sun’s own house is Leo (Simha) and he moves from one house to the next every month and the total cycle takes 365 days to complete. The Ratha Saptami festival seeks the benevolent cosmic spread of energy and light from the Sun God.

Ratha Saptami also marks the gradual increase in temperature across South India and awaits the arrival of spring, which is later heralded by the festival of Ugadi or the Hindu lunar New Year day in the month of Chaitra.

Legends

Ratha Saptami also marks the birth of Surya to sage Kashyapa and his wife Aditi and hence celebrated as Surya Jayanti (the Sun-god’s birthday). A legend is narrated by the Kamboj empire’s King Yashovama, a noble king who had no heir to rule his kingdom. On his special prayers to God, he was blessed with a son. The king’s vows did not end with this, as his son was terminally ill. A saint who visited the king advised that his son should perform the Ratha Saptami pooja (worship) with reverence to rid of his past sins. Once the King’s son performed this, his health was restored and he ruled his kingdom well. It is also said that sage Bhisma breathed his last breath fourth day after the Rathasaptahmi day on ekaadashi

Religious Observances

God Vishnu in his form as Surya (the Sun-God) is usually worshipped on this day. Usually, Rathasapthami begins in households with a purification bath (bathing is also done in a river or sea) by holding several Ekka (Calotropis Gigantea) leaves on their head while bathing and chanting a verse which is supposed to invoke the benevolence of the Lord in all that one indulges in during the rest of the year. Argyam or (Tharpanam) (water held in the palms) is offered to the Sun God on this day while chanting hymns are performed to the Sun God. It also involves doing a puja with the ritual Naivedhya (food offering to God), and offering of flowers and fruits. Important prayers offered to the Sun god on this occasion are the Adityahridayam, Gayathri, Suryashtakam, Surya Sahasram namam. The preferred time for the pooja is within one hour after sunrise. In places like Mysore and Melkote, ceremonial processions carry the Surya Mandala - the icon of Surya.

Ekka leaves (in Kannada), are also known as Arka (in Sanskrit, meaning a ray or flash of lightning) leaves, Jilledu in Telugu, Erukku in Tamil and Calotropis Gigantea (bowstring hemp) in English. Arka is also a synonym for Surya or Sun. Its significance to Sun God could be compared to the significance of Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum) leaves to Vishnu. Arka leaves are also used for worship of god Ganesha known by the name Arka Ganesha and also for Hanuman worship. Its stems, called samidha (sacrificial offerings of wood) are used for the Yagna ritual as a sacrificial offering to a ritual fire. Its shape is said to represent the shoulders and chariot of Sun God. Its use during the ritualistic ceremonious bath involves placement of seven leaves - one on the head, two on the shoulders, two on the knees and two on the feet. On this day, in South India, Rangoli is drawn with coloured rice powder depicting a chariot and seven horses as symbolic of the Ratha Saptami. Cowdung cake is also burnt at the centre of this depiction and milk boiled on the fire is offered to the Sun God. In some of the important Vaishnavite temples such as the Tirumala, Sriangam, Srirangapattana and Melukote, Ratha Saptami is one of the important festivals of the year. Annual Car Festival of Lord Veera Venkatesha of Sri Venkatramana Temple in Mangalore is held on this day and is famously known as Kodial Teru or Mangaluru Rathotsava.

In Tirumala

On Ratha sapthami a one-day Brahmotsavam is held in Tirumala.On this day, the presiding deity of Lord Malayappa Swamy along with his divine consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi are taken to a procession in Thiru Mada streets in Tirumala. The deities carried out in a jubilant procession around the Thiru mada streets encircling the holy Shrine of Balaji on seven different vahanams(sapthami=seven) .Due to this reason the day of RathaSapthami is called as "Mini-Brahmotsavam" in Tirumala.The day starts with 'Surya prabha vahanam' at early morning followed by Sesha, Garuda, Hanuman, Kalpavriksha, sarvabhoopala vahanams respectively.The day is ended with the Chandra prabha vahanam. 

Sri Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple

Sri Gangeshwar Mahadev Temple (Seashore temple) at Diu, Gujarat, India is situated 3 Km away from Diu in Fudam village. Five shivlings, are located in the midst of the rocks on the seashore, washed by the tidal waves of the sea. It is believed that the five (5) Pandavas during their exile worshipped Lord Shiva in this temple. 

The Shiva lingas are worshipped by sea tidal waves, called Gangeshwar. The gentle sea waves offering their obeisance to the "Shiva Lingas" in stone have a mystic aura around them in the cave temple of Gangeshwar where the Lord makes his presence felt.