Guest guest Posted February 4, 2003 Report Share Posted February 4, 2003 My mother, Beatrice, passed away Tuesday eveing due to complications of congestive heart failure. She requested that she be cremated. My father and sister will see to the appropriate Jewish ceremonies and observances, but since I consider myself a Hindu, I was wondering what the funeral customs were for a Shakta -- Are there certain prayers, observances, etc. I should know? -- Len/ Kalipadma ______________ Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today Only $9.95 per month! Visit www.juno.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2003 Report Share Posted February 6, 2003 Len: Truly sorry to hear the news. Losing one's mother is not easy, however old she is. My heartfelt condolensces on the passing away of your mother. May her soul rest in peace - I am sure Amma will take her into Her fold and keep her. The following links should give you some info on Hindu funeral rites. They greatly vary from region to region in India. http://www.heb.gov.sg/faq-hdr.html http://www.hindunet.org/last_rites/ http://www.globalideasbank.org/soonlat/SL-5.HTML Usually, people read religious scriptures, observe a simple life and generally avoid going out/ socializing for a certain number of days. There are also a number of rites associated with the event that has to be performed by the son for a number of days or even for a month for the well-being of the deceased/spirit. Finally, the ashes of the deceased (because Hindus cremate) are disposed off in the Ganges or in other rivers considered sacred by Hindus. Every year, pujas are performed for the well-being of the spirit. Some people also donate money to charities or feed/clothe the poor in memory of their loved ones. Also, certain Hindus do not celebrate/observe any festivals for one year as a sign of mourning. To follow all these meticulously, one needs a lot of time and a good Hindu priest. My advise to you would be to read a scripture like the Gita or Ramayana or even Amma's books twice a day, lead a simple life (which anyway you would under such circumstances) and pray to Amma for the deceased. Hope this helps. Uma. Ammachi, Black Lotus L Rosenberg <kalipadma@j...> wrote: > > My mother, Beatrice, passed away Tuesday eveing due to complications of > congestive heart failure. She requested that she be cremated. My father > and sister will see to the appropriate Jewish ceremonies and observances, > but since I consider myself a Hindu, I was wondering what the funeral > customs were for a Shakta -- Are there certain prayers, observances, etc. > I should know? > > -- Len/ Kalipadma > > > ______________ > Sign Up for Juno Platinum Internet Access Today > Only $9.95 per month! > Visit www.juno.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2003 Report Share Posted February 6, 2003 Hinduism Today, January 1997 http://www.hinduismtoday.com/1997/1/1997-1-03.html Death and Dying The Transition Called Death: Each of us must ultimately confront our mortality. For Hindus, this is not a fearsome prospect. We know we have been born and died before, and karma and reincarnation make the inevitable seem natural. One saint consoled, "Death is like falling asleep, and birth is like waking from that sleep." Simple. Other sages speak of death joyously as release from bondage, as return to our Source. The soul, the Vedas declare, is immortal. Still, we are attached and must cope, find understanding that will make death acceptable. Our Insight this month speaks traditionally of this personal, exalted and potent experience crowning life. Is there is a Hindu equivalent of the Mourner's Kaddish? (the Jewish prayer for the dead, which does not contain the word "death" anywhere in the text). Keval Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 6, 2003 Report Share Posted February 6, 2003 I read the article from Hinduism today and have read other articles from this magazine. The teachings are interesting to me, but seem like a kind of New Age Hinduism. All of it doesn't ring true to me. Has anyone else read the article? Do these teachings seem authentic? --- Mike Brooker <patria1818 wrote: > Hinduism Today, January 1997 > > http://www.hinduismtoday.com/1997/1/1997-1-03.html > > Death and Dying > The Transition Called Death: Each of us must > ultimately confront our mortality. For Hindus, this > is > not a fearsome prospect. We know we have been born > and > died before, and karma and reincarnation make the > inevitable seem natural. One saint consoled, "Death > is > like falling asleep, and birth is like waking from > that sleep." Simple. Other sages speak of death > joyously as release from bondage, as return to our > Source. The soul, the Vedas declare, is immortal. > Still, we are attached and must cope, find > understanding that will make death acceptable. Our > Insight this month speaks traditionally of this > personal, exalted and potent experience crowning > life. > > > > Is there is a Hindu equivalent of the Mourner's > Kaddish? (the Jewish prayer for the dead, which does > not contain the word "death" anywhere in the text). > > Keval > > > > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up > now. > http://mailplus. > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 7, 2003 Report Share Posted February 7, 2003 It may be a little "New Age Hinduism." That is how it feels to me as well. Hindu families with whom I have been friendly have changed some of the details of rites after death to comply with laws here in the U.S. Two families that I know have had something like a wake for friends and family who lived far away. There was no decoration of the body -- such as make-up -- the way the usual morticians do. There seem to be many rites associated with the home of the deceased. I wish I understood more about them. I do know that South Indians believe that the souls remains close to the family for 13 days. The thirteenth day after death, therefore, is a big day for prayer and saying good-bye. Family members who may not have been as involved in the intervening days will return for the thirteenth day.. Not knowing the details of exactly what the family does, I would create my own good-bye ceremony. Condolences on your loss. Alas, we only realize how big a part of our lives, of who we are, our mothers and fathers have been until after they die. It is a blessing, however, that the period described as "grieving" is in fact a time of appreciating more and more deeply who the deceased person has been in our lives and how they blessed us. Aikya Ammachi, David Cosentino <dharmabum253> wrote: > I read the article from Hinduism today and have read > other articles from this magazine. The teachings are > interesting to me, but seem like a kind of New Age > Hinduism. All of it doesn't ring true to me. Has > anyone else read the article? Do these teachings seem > authentic? > > --- Mike Brooker <patria1818> wrote: > > Hinduism Today, January 1997 > > > > http://www.hinduismtoday.com/1997/1/1997-1-03.html > > > > Death and Dying > > The Transition Called Death: Each of us must > > ultimately confront our mortality. For Hindus, this > > is > > not a fearsome prospect. We know we have been born > > and > > died before, and karma and reincarnation make the > > inevitable seem natural. One saint consoled, "Death > > is > > like falling asleep, and birth is like waking from > > that sleep." Simple. Other sages speak of death > > joyously as release from bondage, as return to our > > Source. The soul, the Vedas declare, is immortal. > > Still, we are attached and must cope, find > > understanding that will make death acceptable. Our > > Insight this month speaks traditionally of this > > personal, exalted and potent experience crowning > > life. > > > > > > > > Is there is a Hindu equivalent of the Mourner's > > Kaddish? (the Jewish prayer for the dead, which does > > not contain the word "death" anywhere in the text). > > > > Keval > > > > > > > > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up > > now. > > http://mailplus. > > > > > > > Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now. > http://mailplus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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