Vedic Rituals concerning Death & After (incl Sati)

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Dear Moderator

Here are some passages from 'Yallajeeyam' ('Dharmasastra concerning

BrahmaMedha'(Death and Afterwards) Codified by Yalla Bhatta)(The book

was a 1992 reprint in Telugu from Machilipatnam) :

 

1.In order to enable the departed soul of the father reach its

intended destination(s), his son and others should bathe and worship

the Brahmins before making the 'dasa-daana'( ten gifts /presents):

 

Destination Gift

1.Heaven(Swargaloka) Cow+Land +Gold

2.Apsarasa-loka Maid-servants(daasi-daanam)

3.Reduction in Sins Sesame seeds

4.Pleasures of Indra-loka&

Swarga -loka Bed/Mattress

5 Heaven (Swarga-phalam) Ghee/Clarified Butter

6.Moon (Chandraloka) Cloth

7.Heaven(Swargaloka nimittam) Grains

8.Indraloka Pleasures Bedstead with Mattress

 

 

2 When a devout wife commits (sati)saha-gamana following her husband's

death, she gains

30050000 (30.05 million)years of heaven-time for herself as well as

her husband.

One who commits sati saves her husband from the vilest of sins he

might have commited.

Only the Pativrata can commit sati.exceptions are: The pregnant

woman, the suckling mother,

woman of loose morals.

A Pativrata Woman of any varna can commit sati.

She should take a bath and clean herself.Separate 'mantras' need not

not be recited.The 'samskara ' being performed for the husband is

sufficient for her.

The procedure for Brahmamedha is the same as that laid out for

Pitr-medha. However, after performing the homa with the

'pareyuvaagamsa'-mantra,complete the ten homas beginning with

'brahmana-eka hota' , say "bhartaasarbhriyamaanah",consult with the

dead(pretaanu-mantranam),

say 'iyam-naari'(here is your woman), say 'sayaneendrasya'(here she

lies down -beside you).

The widow should be laid next to her dead husband(she is called the

'preta-patni')

say 'suvarnaam gharmam devasyatvaa'and place the vessel made of gold

on her two hands, say 'suvarnamgharmam' and place it on her face, say

'brahmendramagnim' -on her eyes, say 'satamniyutah' -the ears,

'suvarnamkosham'- the right nostril, 'indroraajah'- the left nostril,

say the sentences beginning 'agniryajurrbhih'and place all the gold

vessels on all parts of her body.All other remain vessels of gold

should be placed on the pyre... say "mainamagne jyotishateebhih" and

set the pyre on fire.

conclude with 'sooryamtechakshuh','ajobhagah asahota' pour clarified

butter 'Yaetasya 'prayasaayaswaahaa' pour more oil, follow the

mantras:'praketunaa harigim harantam','asmanwateeh'-'apyaayasya' jump

the pits,'dwayam tamasaspari taranirviswa' for the sun to settle,

bathe after saying-'dhaatutustwa'.The rest of the procedure is as per

'pitr-medha'-rituals .

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Where does one find a more decent translation of above Death-and After

Vedic Rituals (that incl Sati )

****

Until next time

regards

HKC