The importance of Death Rituals

It is important to differentiate between life and physical life. What we see and experience on earth is physical life and we live inside a physical body. There are five manifestations of this physical life, Samana, Prana, Udhana, Apana and Vyana.

When our physical body reaches its end, or we can say when our body dies, that is, a natural death, in the next few minutes, Samana starts leaving the body. That is why the temperature of the body goes down. In the next hour Prana leaves the body, in the next few minutes Udhana leaves the body, and then Apana leaves the body. The Vyana which is the preserving force of the Prana start exiting the body and it continues to do so up to 11 to 12 days. This is evident by observing the body, as hairs and nails still grow.

You see, you don’t love the soul, your love, your attachment was with the body or the consciousness of that person, and in your view, that person is gone. But that person’s experience is like, he exited the body, leaving that body and mind behind. Now that person has a completely new mind that is not bound to that body, it has no emotion, this new mind is not discerning and at this point, if we show even the slightest love, that love will increase manifolds into that new mind. Whatever quality or emotion you put into this new mind of that person will multiply many times.

Over time the death rituals have changed a lot, but whatever the rituals are, they are very scientific. You see, Muladhara is the first thing that forms inside the womb and it is where the life originates or starts.

Generally, when death occurs, the first thing that people do is, they tie both big toes together because tying big toes tightens the Muladhara. Why it is important? It is important because the Prana keeps trying to come back in the body due to the infatuation that it has with that body. Muladhara is the last part of the body to cool down after death. If forms first and it is the last to cool down. After death, it is the easiest orifice for Prana to come back inside the body and that is why tightening Muladhara is important.

We should burn the body as soon as possible because the effort of trying to get back in the body happen continuously, the Prana keeps trying to come back.

Cremation is very important because it gives finality to the fact that the person has died. Similarly, burning the body also finalizes this fact for the exited life because that life keeps trying to come back in the body. After the cremation, it stops and it is a good thing.

It is important to put the feeling of love in the new mind that has no sense of right or wrong, so that, the love and sweetness can multiply and that life can pass on in a happy state of mind. After the death, the soul lives on and as per the deeds during physical life, it gets heaven or hell before reaching its destination.

You see, as per Garud Puran and Vayu Puran, heaven and hell are not just in our mind or somewhere on earth, but these realms are actual geographical locations at a distance from earth and that distance is given in those Scriptures. Think of the soul of the departed person, a person you loved, would you want that soul to go to its destination unsatisfied and without the feeling of being loved? I would not! I suggest everyone remember their roots. In a blind race of modernisation, never forget your roots.