[Vaideekam] Why karthas beat their thigh while rounding the dead body at cremation ground?

June 30, 2008

nvs is justified in asking for getting feed back from seekers.

the difficulty is combining abstract with absolute.

vedic pundits/patasala professors should come forward /collaborate with modern professors of science and technology compare and contrast the knowledge of present and past and come out in seminars.

sadas is close nit and does not invite scientists.

just like college professors attending /conducting international conferences for upliftment of their subjects can we sponsor patasala teachers/vedic scholars to interact with modern scientists on specific areas to bring the gap closer.

gps--- On Mon, 6/30/08, Kanchi Kamakoti <Hindu1010 wrote:

Kanchi Kamakoti <Hindu1010[Vaideekam] Why karthas beat their thigh while rounding the dead body at cremation ground?vaideekam Date: Monday, June 30, 2008, 5:12 AM

Dear NVSji, I too have seen the slapping of the right thigh as the kartha went round the body. I have also wondered why?Kanchi***Yes, Now I could understand about this action,(touching the right thigh = who's thigh? ours or the body's? was the confusion... we will often touch the right thigh while we do sankalpam, but while sankalpam we can not round ....)So, the question should be clear! OK.Now we come to the point.Here is the explanation :When doing this, following are the manthrams and actions :Before few feet from the "Shithai" (the crematorial bed where the body is going to burn) the body will be placed in the ground and the kartha will dig three small pits near the head of the body and drop the bali ( a mixture of rice, sesame seeds, ghee and water)kept in a pot and say "pathi vaasibhya: bhoothebhya: balim dhathami, upari thilothakam dhathami",then they (karthas) will start round

the body by beating their thigh (left then right then left) by uttering the vedha manthram (the same will be done in three places) :"pooshemaa aasaaha: ...." place 1; "Ayur vishvaayu: ...." place 2 and 3The reason to send away the bhutha gaNams which follows and disturbs the dead body. The sound and air produced from the thigh (the thighs will be about two feet from the dead body) simultaneously by all karthas will knock out the bhutha gaNams.Bhutham means = a thing or living being which is there;('Pretham' can be consider as antonym for this)Bhutha gaNams = a large group of such things, they will eat fuzzy or oily substances flowing from the dead bodies which causes that body to decay. By having this knowledge Sastram creates a rule to avoid such loss to the dead body of a brahmin before cremated respectfully.So, should realise that shastram is prepared by analyzing very minutely in every aspects.Most of

the (knowledgeable) members are keeping silence is disturbing me again. Why nobody is sending any counter arguments?! or acceptance with further details from their view point??!!I don't want (to circulate) messages like "fantastic, excellent etc."I want with reasons why you feel it is fantastic or excellent!I am getting doubt about "To whom I am sending these (efforfully prepared) answers to some "Bhuthams"?! !nvs Namaskarams, 'Good if some one clarifies on two points.1. What is the reson or why we do three rounds touching the thigh while we do 1st day apara karma2. What is the reason and sasthram in having two grahathwara kunda and thatakatheera kundaSome more on these is appreciatednamaskaramsrajan***I could not understand the 1 question.answer for question 2 may be given by me after circulating the message if

necessary.nvs

July 3, 2008

Dear Sriman NVS,

As you have rightly pointed out there is no exclamation needed for the enormous work done by our predecessors in defining various rules and procedures, after thinking a lot and researching. We definitely cannot appreciate in words at all - we should appreciate it by following it and as you rightly pointed out, again, by understanding the meaning of the ritual . It reminds me of my father, who was my Acharyan as I am thathachari, who used to say whenever I asked the meaning of any vedam which he used to teach, first learn it correctly and by heartedly, then your mind will start researching on it and you will find out the meaning eventually, which is very true.

I also used to question a lot about our various rituals, the way it is done, so on and so forth to my parents (of course - who else to fall back on while at tender age) and as my father was very learned, he used to give us lot of information on various things and try to find answer in books, or from other learned persons to clarify my doubts. This was the main reason for me joining this group so that atleast I can get more knowledge from really learned members like you so that down the road I can also share my knowledge gained.

Thanks a lot for the yeomen service you are doing to Sri Vaishnavas in whole....

Adiyen

Dasan

Kannan--- On Mon, 6/30/08, Kanchi Kamakoti <Hindu1010 wrote:

Kanchi Kamakoti <Hindu1010[Vaideekam] Why karthas beat their thigh while rounding the dead body at cremation ground?vaideekam Date: Monday, June 30, 2008, 5:42 PM

Dear NVSji, I too have seen the slapping of the right thigh as the kartha went round the body. I have also wondered why?Kanchi***Yes, Now I could understand about this action,(touching the right thigh = who's thigh? ours or the body's? was the confusion... we will often touch the right thigh while we do sankalpam, but while sankalpam we can not round ....)So, the question should be clear! OK.Now we come to the point.Here is the explanation :When doing this, following are the manthrams and actions :Before few feet from the "Shithai" (the crematorial bed where the body is going to burn) the body will be placed in the ground and the kartha will dig three small pits near the head of the body and drop the bali ( a mixture of rice, sesame seeds, ghee and water)kept in a pot and say "pathi vaasibhya: bhoothebhya: balim dhathami, upari thilothakam dhathami",then they (karthas) will start round

the body by beating their thigh (left then right then left) by uttering the vedha manthram (the same will be done in three places) :"pooshemaa aasaaha: ...." place 1; "Ayur vishvaayu: ...." place 2 and 3The reason to send away the bhutha gaNams which follows and disturbs the dead body. The sound and air produced from the thigh (the thighs will be about two feet from the dead body) simultaneously by all karthas will knock out the bhutha gaNams.Bhutham means = a thing or living being which is there;('Pretham' can be consider as antonym for this)Bhutha gaNams = a large group of such things, they will eat fuzzy or oily substances flowing from the dead bodies which causes that body to decay. By having this knowledge Sastram creates a rule to avoid such loss to the dead body of a brahmin before cremated respectfully.So, should realise that shastram is prepared by analyzing very minutely in every aspects.Most of

the (knowledgeable) members are keeping silence is disturbing me again. Why nobody is sending any counter arguments?! or acceptance with further details from their view point??!!I don't want (to circulate) messages like "fantastic, excellent etc."I want with reasons why you feel it is fantastic or excellent!I am getting doubt about "To whom I am sending these (efforfully prepared) answers to some "Bhuthams"?! !nvs Namaskarams, 'Good if some one clarifies on two points.1. What is the reson or why we do three rounds touching the thigh while we do 1st day apara karma2. What is the reason and sasthram in having two grahathwara kunda and thatakatheera kundaSome more on these is appreciatednamaskaramsrajan***I could not understand the 1 question.answer for question 2 may be given by me after circulating the message if

necessary.nvs