Digest Number 2270

[Guest guest]

The Approach of Death

SOURCE. http://www.sanathanadharma.com/samskaras/antyesti.htm#Death

 

The scriptures do not fully record all the customs followed and ceremonies

observed before death. But from the tradition we know a number of them. When

a Hindu feels that his death is near he invites his relatives and friends

and holds friendly discourse with them. To promote his future weal he makes

presents to the Brahmans and the needy. Among the presents, the gift of a

cow is the most valuable. She is called Vaitarani; she is supposed to be the

conductor of the dead over the stream of the under-world. In the Sutra

period this cow was called Anustarani and she was either sacrificed and

burnt with the corpse or let loose to run away from the cremation ground.

When the slaughter of a cow became prohibited, she was presented to a

Brahman and was believed to help the dead in crossing the infernal river

through some mysterious power of the receiver. This custom still continues.

When the dying hour draws near, the patient is placed on a cleansed spot on

sandy soil. The dying couch is prepared in proximity to the three fires or,

if he preserves only one, near it, viz., the domestic fire. Here the

deceased is laid down with his head turned towards the south. Sacred

passages from the Vedas of one's own school are chanted in the ears. If the

patient is a Brahman, passages from some Aranyaka are repeated in his ears.

At present verses from the Bhagvadgita and the Ramayana are recited to a

dying person

[Guest guest]

Dear M Battathiry

thank you so much for your work - looking, finding and sending the "article" about death.

All the best

Michael

>M P Bhattathiry

> >To:

>Re: Digest

Number 2270 >Sun, 28 Sep 2003 07:23:01 +0530 > >The Approach of

Death >SOURCE.

http://www.sanathanadharma.com/samskaras/antyesti.htm#Death > >The

scriptures do not fully record all the customs followed and

ceremonies >observed before death. But from the tradition we know a

number of them. When >a Hindu feels that his death is near he invites

his relatives and friends >and holds friendly discourse with them. To

promote his future weal he makes >presents to the Brahmans and the

needy. Among the presents, the gift of a >cow is the most valuable.

She is called Vaitarani; she is supposed to be the >conductor of the

dead over the stream of the under-world. In the Sutra >period this

cow was called Anustarani and she was either sacrificed and >burnt

with the corpse or let loose to run away from the cremation ground.

>When the slaughter of a cow became prohibited, she was presented to

a >Brahman and was believed to help the dead in crossing the infernal

river >through some mysterious power of the receiver. This custom

still continues. >When the dying hour draws near, the patient is

placed on a cleansed spot on >sandy soil. The dying couch is prepared

in proximity to the three fires or, >if he preserves only one, near

it, viz., the domestic fire. Here the >deceased is laid down with his

head turned towards the south. Sacred >passages from the Vedas of

one's own school are chanted in the ears. If the >patient is a

Brahman, passages from some Aranyaka are repeated in his ears. >At

present verses from the Bhagvadgita and the Ramayana are recited to a

>dying person > Help STOP SPAM with the new MSN 8 and get 2 months

FREE*