Questions about Cremation

[Gharib]

hi everyone, a thought came to mind yesterday about why Hindus cremate the deceased body?

i read that cremation dates back thousands of years. was this something adopted by hindusim or it just happens that it is a Hindu practice having no relation to those who practiced it before?

Do the scriptures explain why the body should be cremated instead of buried? and is the first cremation of Hindusim recorded by any chance?

thanks in advance.

 

[Vinayaka]

Like many scriptures, stuff like this goes back to before recorded history, to oral traditions. The Vedas and other texts were orated before they were written. Certainly cremation has been around a very long time, as there are no archeological digs of old graveyards.

 

[Jainarayan]

Cremation is sometimes done in cultures to prevent the spread of disease. Anthropologically speaking, it's sometimes done to keep the corpse from being inhabited and re-animated by the spirit of the deceased or by another spirit. Either, all, or none of these may be the reason for the dearth of burial sites.

 

[Vinayaka]

Sorry, I forgot to give the spiritual explanation. It is to release the soul from this body. Souls (immature ones) don't always recognise they're dead, so they can try to inhabit a dead body, which would basically be useless. In order for the soul to continue on and reincarnate into a new body, it first has to give up the old one. So friends and family make sure there is no body around, thus releasing the soul to continue on in its progress. For mature souls not clouded by anava, its a celebratory time.

Think of it as a building, or a house. Hard to live in a house that is only ashes on the ground.

 

[Jainarayan]

D'oh! Yes, of course...

"As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from boyhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change." Bhagavad Gita 2.13

"As a person puts on new garments, giving up old ones, the soul similarly accepts new material bodies, giving up the old and useless ones." Bhagavad Gita 2.22

 

[Adramelek]

My recently deceased aunt was cremated, I don't know if it was for religious reasons or what, I didn't ask. I know she was a Christian and a native of the Cherokee tribe. I personally wish to be cremated when I die, not for religious reasons, its just something I personally wish.

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

 

[Vinayaka]

My recently deceased aunt was cremated, I don't know if it was for religious reasons or what, I didn't ask. I know she was a Christian and a native of the Cherokee tribe. I personally wish to be cremated when I die, not for religious reasons, its just something I personally wish.

Xeper.
/Adramelek\

There are a lot of reasons besides religious ones. For one it doesn't use up otherwise good land. For another it's cheaper. Yet another is the environment.

 

[Andal]

The funeral pyre also represents the person's last offering- their final homa of this life. The cremation releases the soul and many of the rituals contained there in dissolve the dead's responsibility to the family and the family's responsibility to the dead.

Cremation is not the only way within Hinduism. There are some tantrikas who bury their dead. Also certain groups aren't cremated. Children of a young age and yogis are often given a water burial. In Varanasi, where I used to live, snake bite victims are placed on rafts and sent down the river in case they aren't actually dead. Also, those who die with leprosy are buried in the Ganga.

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[Gharib]

thanks for the replies so far.

with the souls of those of young age who may not realize being dead or those souls who enter a dead body for example, is that possible? a couple of years ago a hindu member (can't remember who) was saying that once the person dies, the soul moves on to (for lack of a better word) 'heaven' which has different levels of density. doesn't this happen immediately after death without the choice of the soul/person preventing the souls from entering dead bodies or thinking that they are not dead? or is it the soul who chooses when to enter that realm?

 

[Andal]

There are different views on this, here is one. The soul does not immediately leave for devaloka or narakaloka (heaven/hell). It still hangs around and goes through a process of transformation, changing ethereal size and shape. During this time the family will leave offerings of rice balls- pinda, to help nourish the soul for its transformation and journey. The soul can hang around from anywhere from 7 days to a year depending I'd imagine on a lot of things. Eventual though the soul realizes that he or she is no longer a part of this particular material existence and they move on.

They spend time in heaven or hell depending on their karma and then take rebirth in the material world again.

The exception to this are those who have attained moksha. They return to Vaikunta, the paradise of Sri Vishnu. This is our true home and where every single jeevatma will return to.

Aum Hari Aum!

 

[Vinayaka]

thanks for the replies so far.

with the souls of those of young age who may not realize being dead or those souls who enter a dead body for example, is that possible? a couple of years ago a hindu member (can't remember who) was saying that once the person dies, the soul moves on to (for lack of a better word) 'heaven' which has different levels of density. doesn't this happen immediately after death without the choice of the soul/person preventing the souls from entering dead bodies or thinking that they are not dead? or is it the soul who chooses when to enter that realm?

Hinduism is vast, as you probably know, so what Andal said is very true. Don't expect the same answer from everyone, regardless of sect. So just because some Hindu at some time said something, it really doesn't mean much. Certainly nothing with any authority. Here is my view on some of what you ask: A soul cannot re-enter a dead body. There is no heaven or hell in the Islamic or Christian sense. There is an in-between place like the astral plane where souls 'wait' for another birth. As Andal said, the time varies. From my POV, it can be quite a long time, up to 10 years of more, if the soul is 'picky', The ability to determine birth; where, when, etc., depends on the age of the soul and it's desires from the previous birth. The soul will depart the body immediately upon death, but may hover around in a confused state. That's why cremation is done... so the soul does move on.

In my sampradaya, moksha simply means not having to come back, but the absolute conclusion is total and complete merging with God, as water to water. This idea will vary a lot depending on wheter its a pluralistic, dualistic, or monistic school. This is the view of monists.

 

[Madhuri]

There are a few reasons, as mentioned above.

Fire is very symbolic in Hinduism. It is associated with creation, sustenance of life and destruction; life and death. So you will find that fire is used in most rituals, including weddings and initiation, and funeral. Fire is very much connected with God, in different manifestations. Fire is Agni, god of fire. Fire is Shiva, the destroyer. And fire is Vishnu, the Creator.
So cremation can also be viewed as giving/sacrificing this life/body up to God.

 

[Atman]

Namaste Vinayaka.

In my sampradaya, moksha simply means not having to come back, but the absolute conclusion is total and complete merging with God, as water to water. This idea will vary a lot depending on wheter its a pluralistic, dualistic, or monistic school. This is the view of monists.

A bit off topic, but having read some of your posts in the past I've been curious as to what sampradaya you belong to. Your posts have given me the idea that perhaps you are a Saiva Siddhantan, of the smaller monistic branch (not Nilkantha and Markandeya's subschool). Am I correct here?

 

[Vinayaka]

Namaste Vinayaka.

A bit off topic, but having read some of your posts in the past I've been curious as to what sampradaya you belong to. Your posts have given me the idea that perhaps you are a Saiva Siddhantan, of the smaller monistic branch (not Nilkantha and Markandeya's subschool). Am I correct here?

Good guess.

 

[zenzero]

Friends,

Wiki gives a summary on the subject: Cremation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It appears slowly due to various reasons like costs, environment, health etc those who buried are changing over to cremation.
Jesus had said *Let the dead bury their dead* would state that *Let the dead bother about their dead*.
Eventually all the elements that a body is made off goes back to its original form and as am not the body per se; it hardly makes a differences how it merges back.

Love & rgds

 

[Akhilesh]

Actually cremation of body is best because it doesnot pollute earth.it isnot costly or expensive.body is madeup of five element after cremation body will return to panchtato or fiveelement it is a scientific answer of hinduism .thanks