Garuda Purana

July 30, 2005

Garuda PuranaThe Garuda Purana is in the form of a dialogue between Lord Vishnu

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.For example, it is stated in the Garuda Purana

that when the death of a near relative takes place within the period of

Panchak, within one year, five members of the family can die if proper

ceremonies are not performed after the death. Panchak dates are based upon

astrological calculations. (Hindu calendars usually list Panchak tables). The

funeral and the last rites must be performed the proper way. For Panchak death

there are specific instructions

given in our scriptures that are to be performed upon the dead body before

cremation. Four small dolls made from Kusha grass (described as hair of Lord

Vishnu) are to be placed, accompanied by Mantras, on shoulders and knees of the

dead body before igniting fire.Clay pot with sesame seeds, milk, ghee etc,. are

to be ceremoniously given away. Such proper observances of the procedures

before and after cremation means then only the Preta (the soul of the deceased)

reaches Param Gati or satisfaction and peace.Upon death, DharmaRaj Yama decides

by which path the through which door the soul will enter his domain, East,

West, North or South. The good people enter by the East Gate. Those who during

the rainy seasons give gifts or provide shelter to the homeless, those who

serve their mothers and fathers and teachers, those who read religious books

and the Puranas, worshippers of Siva and of deities, Pure minded people

enter through the East Gate.The West Gate (Pashchim Marga) is for the

worshippers of Lord Vishnu, Those who read scriptures, make japas of Gayatri,

who practice non-violence, non-stealing, agni hotra or havan ceremony, who

recite the Vedas, who practice brahmacharya, ascetics, renunciates, who have

the attitude of non-attachment (vairagya) and who have spiritual knowledge,

enter through the West GateThe South Gate is for the sinners who suffer the

worst tortures in hell of the Baitarani river that holds boiling hot blood and

flesh. A must in all Hindu homes is to have Ganga water Ganga water makes the

house holy. A drop of Ganga jal in the mouth of the dying, brings great

benefits to both the giver of the water and to the one on the death

bed.Panditjee 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 buriedAfter 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. Garuda Purana explains

the make up of the physical body as well as the subtle body with the six

Chakras, and advises that we breathe 21600 times during 24 hours and that each

inhaling and exhaling be made into an act of japa mala with such mantras as

Soham, Hare Ram etc. The human body is subject to disease, old age, infirmity

etc. and

yet we hope to live but we do not realise for what purpose. While the senses are

working, practice self-realisation. Therefore make good use of time for

self-realisation. Youth does not come back. Wealth is like a dream that can

vanish. Death can come during waking hours and during sleep. We feed ourselves

with sensual pleasures. Surrounded by love and hatred, Chinta or worries eat

the alive and Chita eats the dead. Contentment brings happiness and attachment

produces misery. Bound by iron chains can be loosened, but worldly attachments,

which are invisible, are very difficult to detach. As the song goes "Kuchh Aise

Bandhan Hote Hai Jo Bina Bandhe Bandh Jaate Hai." For ten days, listen to this

katha (Garuda Purana) after some one passes away. This provides liberation to

the Pitrs and the son gets desires fulfilled. The speaker as well as the

listener of Garuda Purana benefit. Upon death of mother and father, reading

Garuda

Purana gives them salvation and the entire family becomes prosperous.Those

atheists, immoral people who ignore these instructions, even their waters

become impure. Deities and ancestors avoid their houses. They become poor,

miserable and unhappy. Where no shraddha is performed, where Garuda Purana is

not read, where other ceremonies are not performed, they are never released

from the three types of sin or debts.

Mail Stay connected, organized, and protected. Take the tour

July 31, 2005

Kindly calarify that, what is meaning of "it is stated in the Garuda Purana

that when the death of a near relative takes place within the period of

Panchak" ie; period of panchak, pls explain for this.

Adiyen,

N.D.Rukmangadan,

monaruku

Sudharsshan Shrinivas <msshrinivas (AT) (DOT) co.in> wrote:

Below is a jist of wat is Garuda Puranam, check it out. This part deals with demises.

Garuda PuranaThe Garuda Purana is in the form of a dialogue between Lord Vishnu

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.For example, , within one year, five members of

the family can die if proper ceremonies are not performed after the death.

Panchak dates are based upon astrological calculations. (Hindu calendars

usually list Panchak tables). The funeral and the last rites must be performed

the proper way. For Panchak death there are specific instructions given in our

scriptures that are to be performed upon the dead body before cremation. Four

small dolls made

from Kusha grass (described as hair of Lord Vishnu) are to be placed,

accompanied by Mantras, on shoulders and knees of the dead body before igniting

fire.Clay pot with sesame seeds, milk, ghee etc,. are to be ceremoniously given

away. Such proper observances of the procedures before and after cremation

means then only the Preta (the soul of the deceased) reaches Param Gati or

satisfaction and peace.Upon death, DharmaRaj Yama decides by which path the

through which door the soul will enter his domain, East, West, North or South.

The good people enter by the East Gate. Those who during the rainy seasons give

gifts or provide shelter to the homeless, those who serve their mothers and

fathers and teachers, those who read religious books and the Puranas,

worshippers of Siva and of deities, Pure minded people enter through the East

Gate.The West Gate (Pashchim Marga) is for the worshippers of Lord Vishnu,

Those

who read scriptures, make japas of Gayatri, who practice non-violence,

non-stealing, agni hotra or havan ceremony, who recite the Vedas, who practice

brahmacharya, ascetics, renunciates, who have the attitude of non-attachment

(vairagya) and who have spiritual knowledge, enter through the West GateThe

South Gate is for the sinners who suffer the worst tortures in hell of the

Baitarani river that holds boiling hot blood and flesh. A must in all Hindu

homes is to have Ganga water Ganga water makes the house holy. A drop of Ganga

jal in the mouth of the dying, brings great benefits to both the giver of the

water and to the one on the death bed.Panditjee 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 buriedAfter 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.

Garuda Purana explains the make up of the physical body as well as the subtle

body with the six Chakras, and advises that we breathe 21600 times during 24

hours and that each inhaling and exhaling be made into an act of japa mala with

such mantras as Soham, Hare Ram etc. The human body is subject to disease, old

age, infirmity etc. and yet we hope to live but we do not realise for what

purpose. While the senses are working, practice

self-realisation. Therefore make good use of time for self-realisation. Youth

does not come back. Wealth is like a dream that can vanish. Death can come

during waking hours and during sleep. We feed ourselves with sensual pleasures.

Surrounded by love and hatred, Chinta or worries eat the alive and Chita eats

the dead. Contentment brings happiness and attachment produces misery. Bound by

iron chains can be loosened, but worldly attachments, which are invisible, are

very difficult to detach. As the song goes "Kuchh Aise Bandhan Hote Hai Jo Bina

Bandhe Bandh Jaate Hai." For ten days, listen to this katha (Garuda Purana)

after some one passes away. This provides liberation to the Pitrs and the son

gets desires fulfilled. The speaker as well as the listener of Garuda Purana

benefit. Upon death of mother and father, reading Garuda Purana gives them

salvation and the entire family becomes prosperous.Those atheists, immoral

people who ignore these instructions, even their waters become impure. Deities

and ancestors avoid their houses. They become poor, miserable and unhappy.

Where no shraddha is performed, where Garuda Purana is not read, where other

ceremonies are not performed, they are never released from the three types of

sin or debts.

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September 2, 2006

dir/madam,

I am very curious to know about garuda purana... so who ever know, something about the garuda purana giest... plz update... any one who know everything and studied the book... plz post all the verses in english traslation.. or sanskrit.... my email id is shiman999@rediffmail.com PLZ help to learn.....

Thanks

hoping everyone will help and learn the things by sharing

...

K.Narashiman