CHAPTER XVI. HINDU FUNERALS. उत्तरक्रिय. (Uttara Kriya). Single is each man born; single he dies; single he receives the reward of his good, and single the punishment of his evil deeds. When he leaves his corse, like a log or a lump of clay, on the ground, his kindred retire with averted faces; but his virtue accompanies his soul. (Manu iv. 240, 241.) The various modes of disposing of the dead amongst different nations, and the ceremonies connected therewith, have always been an interesting study. We are able by such inquiry to understand a good deal as to the religious ideas of the people, and to enter somewhat into their inner life. This being the case, it is hoped that the present subject will not be devoid of interest, and perhaps of a certain amount of instruction. One would desire to approach such a topic in anything but a light spirit, for, though much of the ceremonial, and the meaning attached thereto, may appear strange and peculiar, still the sorrow and longings when we part with our dear ones, and pay for them the last sad offices, are feelings we experience in common with our fellow-men of whatever nation or faith. Callous indeed must be that one who could pass even the rudely formed bier of the Hindus, with its strange and uncouth surroundings, without experiencing, to some extent, feelings of saddened solemnity. There is a curious passage in Manu where the question seems to be raised, as to how even death can have any power over such holy beings as Brahmins, especially those learned in the Vedas, and who, undeviatingly, perform the duties laid down for their guidance. It may be interesting to quote the passage in question, though it is rather a long one, seeing that it gives as a reason for the mortality of a twice born, his probable remissness in performing religious rites, or his possible offending in the matter of diet. There is nothing said as to the possible immortality of one who may not deviate from the rules and regulations laid down for his guidance; perhaps the hypothesis is considered so vague as not to be worthy of mention. Chapter V. of Manava-Dharma-Sastra which opens with the passage quoted, is largely composed of the most minute rules and regulations as to diet; and it is difficult to conceive the possibility of mortal man avoiding some offence according thereto, and thus rendering himself amenable to the "genius of death." The passage is as follows: The sages, having heard those laws delivered for the conduct of house-keepers, thus addressed the highminded Bhrigu, who proceeded in a former birth from the genius of fire. How, Lord, can death prevail over Brahmans, who know the scriptural ordinances, and perform their duties as they have been declared ? Then he, whose disposition was perfect virtue, even Bhrigu, the son of Menu, thus answered the great Rishis: Hear, from what sin proceeds the inclination of death, to destroy the chief of the twice-born. Through a neglect of reading the Veda, through a desertion of approved usages, through supine remissness in performing holy rites, and through various offences in diet, the genius of death becomes eager to destroy them. (Manu v. 1-4.) Amongst Hindus of all castes, and both sexes, when a person is so ill as to appear near death, the family priest is summoned to administer the last sacrament (jīvanamaskaram) which last solemn rite is administered in the following manner. The sick person is lifted from the couch upon which he may be lying, and caused to recline upon the ground, supported, perhaps, by a low stool. It seems a cruel thing to lift a dying person off the comfortable couch and thus, perhaps, hasten the end; but the rules of religion call for it, and there can be no demur. A couch is not considered a pure place (madi); and the friends of a sick man will not even feed him whilst lying on the couch, unless he may be so ill as to be unable to move or be moved. For the purpose of taking food he must be lifted from off the couch, and made to sit on pure mother earth. The priest then approaches with the panchagavyam, which may be called the sacramental elements. This consists of a mixture composed of the five products of the cow-milk, curds, butter, urine, and dung. The dying person is first asked to recite after the priest certain Mantrams, and, if too weak to articulate, he is desired to recite them within himself. Afterwards the vessel containing the nauseous mixture is placed to his lips, and some of it is poured into the mouth. This whole ceremony is called prāyaschittam, or ceremony of expiation. Of the various texts recited, two are given below as speci mens: ज्ञानाज्ञानकृतदोषप्रायश्चित्तार्थं पंचगव्यसंस्कारं करिष्ये ॥ "I take this sacrament of panchagavyam for the absolution of my sins, both those committed voluntarily and involuntarily." यत्वगस्थिगतं पापं प्राशनं पंचगव्यस्य Whatever sins adhere to the skin and bone Now present in this my body; May the partaking of this panchagavyam The sick person is then replaced upon the conch to await the end. Some time, perhaps days, may elapse after this sacrament, before death, and indeed the If from sudden death, or any person may recover. other cause, this ceremony cannot be performed, the death is not considered so happy a one; and there seems to be something to provide specially for such cases in the Mantrams that are said at the commemorative ceremonies for the dead (shraddha). When it is evident that death is very near, the dying person is laid on the ground, which has been previously prepared by smearing with cowdung and placing the sacred grass darbha (poa-cynosuroides). Much importance is placed upon a person breathing his last on the bosom of pure mother earth. Indeed it is a common way of cursing, when in anger, to say— "When you come to die may there be no one to place you on the ground." There are certain phases on the moon during which it would be considered a serious calamity for any one to die inside the house, as has already been mentioned in the second chapter on the Hindu Home; we may, however, again allude to the matter here in this connection. Should death draw near at such a period, the patient is carefully carried outside to die in some outer verandah. Should the event, through any misfortune, take place inside the house during such a period, the whole dwelling would be considered polluted; it would have to be entirely vacated for some time, after which a ceremony called punyahavachanam would have to be performed in the place, to purify it before it could be reoccupied. Sometimes when such a calamity does befall a household, in order to avoid the trouble and cost of moving out entirely, a hole is made in the side wall of the house, near the room where the death took place, and the body is passed outside through the hole. In such a case, only that one side of the house would be impure and have to be purified; the other part could be inhabited as usual. This mode of action however, is not considered proper or respectable, and it is thought to reflect dishonour upon the dead. Much need not be said about the sad weeping and wailing that is given way to so bitterly by the survivors, at the time of death. The wailing of eastern women is proverbial; but it must be witnessed, and heard to be fully understood. The men are quiet in their grief; it is not considered seemly for a man to weep, and wail; but the females seem to abandon themselves completely to their sorrow, and their lamentations are both loud and long. Sometimes they will tear their hair, or beat their foreheads, and roll their bodies about as if in great agony, as they give utterance to their sorrow for the dead. I know of nothing more heart rending than to witness such giving way to grief; the effect upon one at the sight of it is inexpressibly saddening. As soon as death has taken place, a light is put at the head of the body, and preparations are at once made for the funeral. The chief person at the funeral is the near relative who has to perform the necessary rites, and who is called the Karma Karta or Karta (the one who acts). This is the eldest son, if there is one who is so old as to have received upanayanam. Failing such a son, if the dead person is a woman, her husband; if a man, his father; if the father is dead, the next brother, and so on in order of nearest relationship. All that has been described hitherto, applies to allboth to those who burn and those who bury their dead-both modes are in use amongst Hindus. The present chapter will treat of those who burn their dead-and the next will take up the case of those who bury, showing any difference in usage. Usually only a few hours elapse after death before the funeral. There is, however, no fixed rule on this point; it seems to depend on circumstances. The dead body is now washed and adorned with the pundrams (sacred marks), and then, being clothed with only one long cloth, it is put in a sitting posture, leaning against the wall, the head alone being uncovered. The Karta now performs a hōmam sacrifice in front of the dead; The fire for the hōmam is brought from the house fire, and the sacrifice consists of dropping into it ghee, and rice, and the green twigs of some such tree as the ravi or peepul |