Ceremony at the Chopel of the Crematorium.

The priest should chant the holy name of the Lord, some mantra like Sri Visnu-sahasra-nam-stotra, as well as the favorite mantras of the departed.

The priest should give a lecture from the Bhagavat-gita about the nature of the soul, and speak some comforting words to the family and friends.

The priest should request the elder son, (or another relative) to sprinkle the body with water, while saying:

"Having meditated upon all the holy places, rivers and oceans, the deceased has bathed in all these rivers."

The priest then, should hand different auspicious items to the representative of the family, to be offered to the departed: a flower garland, ghee, candana, incense, a ghee lamp, etc.

In the case that an elder member of the family has departed, the eldest son should offer some incense and a ghee lamp in arati fashion to the body.

The relatives and friends can come and offer flowers to the departed and turn three or seven times around the coffin, counter- clockwise.

When the cremation is to take place, the coffin is carried away, accompanied by singing

the holy name.

At the moment when the coffin is pushed into the burning Chamber the priest should chant:

Let this temporary body be burned to ashes, and let the air of life be merged with the totality of air. Now O my Lord, Please remember all my sacrifices. Because you are the ultimate beneficiary, please remember all that I have done for you." (Sri Isopanisad, mantra 17.).

"O my Lord, powerful as fire, omnipotent one, now I offer You all obeisances and fall on the floor at your feet. O my Lorrd, please lead me on the right path to reach you, and since you know all that I have done in the past, please free me from the reactions to my past sins, so that there will be no hindrance to my progress." (Sri Isopanisad, Mantra XVIII)

"I pray my respects to the personality of funeral fire."

End with the santi-dana.

zaiNt dan > Chant the following mantra:

3> After the Ceremony:

Collect the ashes on the fourth day after the cremation has taken place. The ashes should be thrown in a sacred river, like the Ganges or Yamuna, etc. within the period of one year.

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One should take bath in the river. In Vrindavan, the immersion of the ashes in generally done at Kesi-ghata.

Stand in the water, near the bank, and place the sacred thread on you right shoulder.

Perform Acamana with the water of the river.

Facing north, and holding some water in your joint palms, perform sankalpa, Chanting:

"On this day…..,of this forthningt ………of this month …., I throw the bones of …… in the Yamuna."

The ashes, being in a container, should be mixed with the panca-gavya, a little caranamrita, if possible. And some earth from the bank of the river, enough to form a homogenous ball.

Hold the ball in the right hand, and recite:

This mantra is for the Yamuna River. If this ceremony is performed in another river, change the name of the river in the mantra, for Ganga River:

(…….) dasSy @tain ASwIin g<gaya< ivini]paim ,

"I pay my respect to dharma."

Enter deeper into the water and throw the ball in the river, and say:

"May He be pleased with me."

Take a bath.

Come out of the river, and on the bank, facing the sun, chant the mantra:

"My dear Lord, one who eagerly waits for you to bestow Your causeless mercy opon him, while patiently suffering the reaction of his past misdeeds and offers You respectful obeisances, with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible for liberation, for it has become his rightful claim." (S. B.X, 14,8.)

(Invocaion of Auspiciousness and Purification).

Procedur:

1, Best time: £ Ai-ijt muhUtR, (noon time).

2, Perform - kuz<idka

3, Call the fire< £ m<gl ,

4, Perform - mhaVyaùit haem ,

5, Generally the priest will chant the Purusa-sukta prayers. He will pronounce svaha at the end of each verse.

After the svaha, the host should throw small morsels of Halava.

6, Perform Kirtan or Bhajan.

7, Have a short lecture.

8, Prasadam for everybody.

9, The same homa can be performed on a festival day in the temple or for the house hold deity before the bathing ceremony, with 108 names of the Deity.

. ïa˜. (Sraddha Kriya)

To ensure that the soul does not remain in a subtle boy hovering on this earth planet, but will attain a comfortable body for enjoyment on Pitriloka, offerings are made to the departed person and the Pitris.

First perform yagnopavita-dharanam if necessary.

Water is poured from the ends of the fingers of the right hand while the thread is worn across the left shoulder while saying:

Water is poured from the left side of the right hand while the thread is worn from the neck while saying:

Water is poured from the right side of the right hand while the thread is worn from right shoulder while saying:

Make rice ball prasadam. Place them onto three separate palates. One for the Devas, one for Risis’ and one for Pitris. Offer them separately using the standard offering mantras.

Perform Tarpana.

Perform Purusa-Sukta-Caru-Homa, and offer one of the rice balls to the fire from each of the three plates to the deceased person with the following mantra:

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