How to Prepare for AntimSanskar

 

In our culture, we have been taught from childhood about the greatness of dead bodies and respecting them as if they are gods because these bodies consist of soul i.e.aatma. So many people in India respect dead bodies as if it is god but this understanding is not perfectly correct that by touching or seeing a dead body one will achieve salvation or moksha after death! It would be pertinent to mention here how does a human body becomes a dead body! A human body is made up of five elements i.e.panchmahabhoot or paanch tattva namely pita, majja, shukra, vayu and kapaal.

Way for AntimSanskar 

When any of these five elements leave the human body then that body becomes lifeless i.e. dead and the person gets liberated from this earth or materialistic world. It is because of this reason that in Indian culture, we have been taught since childhood to look at dead bodies with respect but not to worship them as god/goddess! Now it would be clear why our saints like Guru Gorakhnath ji used to refer dead bodies as kabja (meaning rotten) which means wherever this material kabja is immersed or buried will, it turn into paanch tattva again and the soul will get liberated.AntimSanskar in Mumbai is always complex and people get confuse.

Since ages in India, people have been following customs to keep dead bodies clean but our Vedas clearly state that after death body becomes pure because all impurities are washed away! The fire vidhi is kept to burn the dead body so that the five elements do not leave any part of it behind. Our Hindu culture also promotes good health while living by giving due respect to bad elements by eating prithvi/earth early morning until sunrise i.e.taalajaap.

We should always remember that all humans are equal in front of God because everyone after leaving theirn any one of these five elements combinations in a human body leaves his physical frame then he becomes just a piece of rotten flesh! It is therefore important to realize this point that each of us has to leave his physical frame one day. AntimSanskar in Mumbai should be always done in proper way.

 

There are two types of AntimSanskar

 

 

Birth Antim Sanskar

This is done before any auspicious occasion or function which involves the participation of deities, God etc. After performing certain vedic mantras and prayers, this is done by putting vibhooti on mother's forehead who is pregnant with child followed by chanting mantra "OM" thrice in front of her. Then the umbilical cord is cut with a gold or silver thread dipped in butter ghee called as safasnan (thread bath), after which the baby touches the stone along with his right-hand middle finger touching

his mother's pussycat.

 

Death Antim Sanskar

This is done before the funeral pyre of a dead body by chanting Vedic mantras and prayers, by putting vibhooti on the eyes of the dead body, followed by garlands made up of tulsi leaves around its neck after which flower petals are showered on it. This is followed by burning incense called agarbathi or an oblation to fire known as "dhoop" in Hindi either jaggery or ghee along with dry coconut prior to cremation. After this oblation is initiated, all the participants chant the mantra "OM" twelve times collectively while one nearest to the head chants once more mantra "OM". The ashes are put in the river Ganga or any other clean water bodies.

 

Widows do not perform AntimSanskar because they are considered as sati until they do AntimSanskar after their husband's death which is known as Sati Vivah where she marries her deceased husband again for life without remarrying someone else! The one who performs this custom of AntimSanskar is called "purohit". It is very important to understand the meaning of word "purush" i.e. human body, so whenever we take part in any auspicious occasion like marriage, thread ceremony etc.; it is mandatory to follow customs associated with purush and avoid misappropriating its dignity by touching it without following appropriate.

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