why are Hindus following Abrahamin religious practice

[prasad1]

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Creating entombed shrines with bodies of their Gurus/Godmen?
I understand that Sanyasi is not cremated and their bodies are buried.
I can understand that ashes of Gandhi being buried in Raj Ghat as a national symbol. But I fail to understand this practice of creating a mausoleum in a Hindu religious place.
I have no reason to offend any group, I am just curious to understand the reasoning.
For Hindus generally the body is cremated.
Cremation is a ritual designed to do much more than dispose of the body; it is intended to release the soul from its earthly existence. "Hindus believe that cremation (compared to burial or outside disintegration) is most spiritually beneficial to the departed soul." This is based on the belief that the "astral body" will linger "as long as the physical body remains visible." If the body is not cremated, "the soul remains nearby for days or months"The only bodies that are not generally burned are unnamed babies and the lowliest of castes, who are returned to the earth.

 

[T.S.Sankara Narayanan]

இற்ந்தவர் அனைவரும் ஒரு நாள் உயிர்பெற்று எழுவர் என்பது கிறிஸ்தவர்களின் நம்பிக்கை.

ஏசு உயிர்பெற்று எழுந்தார் என்பதால் கல்லறையில் புதைக்கப்பட்ட அனைவரும் எழுந்து வருவர் என்பது எவ்வளவு முட்டாள்தனமான வாதம்....

2011 வருடங்களாக உலகெங்கும் உள்ள அனைத்து கல்லறைகளும் காத்துகொண்டு இருக்கின்றன.க்ல்லறைகள் தான் நிறம்பி வழிகின்றது...

மாண்டவர் எவரும் எழுந்ததும் இல்லை...உயிருடன் மீண்டு வந்ததும் இல்லை....

இந்துக்களின் ஈமக்கிரியை முறை முற்றிலும் சுகாதாரமானது...அடுத்த தலைமுறைக்கு இடஞ்சலை ஏற்படுத்தாதது...

 

[nachi naga]

நம் மாதத்தில் இரண்டு வழிகளும் செரி என்று கருதபடுகின்றனர்

 

[nachi naga]

abrahamic faith is a child religion of sanathana dharma aka hindus which was christened by islamic invaders as well as christian invaders in the past history.the present jews,christians,islamic belief has the origins from what is geographically called today india.so the title shud be politically correct namely why abrahamic faith is following hindu customs and traditions and obviously they will becoz they are children of our dharma.as a advaithi,only us is there there is no :they:

 

[sangom]

Creating entombed shrines with bodies of their Gurus/Godmen?
I understand that Sanyasi is not cremated and their bodies are buried.
I can understand that ashes of Gandhi being buried in Raj Ghat as a national symbol. But I fail to understand this practice of creating a mausoleum in a Hindu religious place.
I have no reason to offend any group, I am just curious to understand the reasoning.
For Hindus generally the body is cremated.
Cremation is a ritual designed to do much more than dispose of the body; it is intended to release the soul from its earthly existence. "Hindus believe that cremation (compared to burial or outside disintegration) is most spiritually beneficial to the departed soul." This is based on the belief that the "astral body" will linger "as long as the physical body remains visible." If the body is not cremated, "the soul remains nearby for days or months"The only bodies that are not generally burned are unnamed babies and the lowliest of castes, who are returned to the earth.

I understand there is/are some canons for sanyasis according to which, any true sanyasi, worth his salt, should "die" because his jivatma escapes through the "Brahmarandhra" at the top of his head. Since this does not happen in most cases (and most sanyasis die an ordinary human death with all its associated sufferings, recent example Satya Sai Baba, the godman) it is the unwritten custom not to publicize the sufferings of sanyasis in their last hours/days and then keep the body in a sitting position (if feasible, in 'padmasana' posture) deck it suitably, and then break a coconut by hitting the top of the skull as a symbolism for the above.

Since the physical bodies of sanyasis are also supposed to have been "purified" and upgraded from those of ordinary humans, these bodies are not cremated, as a rule. They are interred and a "brindavanam" is made on the spot. It has become a custom to raise some sort of memorial in the brindavanam and so the net result becomes a mausoleum or cenotaph also, sometimes.

Does this mean that the hindu sanyasis and abrahamic nobilities are equal after death? I don't know!

 

[kunjuppu]

again, it is a custom,among many tamil hindu communities, afaik, to bury their dead.

i think it is unwanted taunt from TSS to mock other religions. we do not like to be mocked or made fun of..and believe me there are many things our way of life could be trivialized too.

many other asiatic communities bury their dead. because folks in egypt and mohenjodaro buried their dead, we have after thousands of years, some knowledge as to how these lived and prospered, as ornamentation in death, is a record of the living.

personally i prefer to be cremated, for the simple reason, that has been my heritage. when i was a student in canada, eons ago, we took a class vote as to how each of us would like to be disposed after we stop breathing. the three hindus wanted cremation. the rest, burial.

btw i did not know that gandhi had a portion of his ashes buried at raj ghat. i thought it was only his place of cremation. anandarama dikshithar, the katha kalakshepa guy, was buried and his samadhi a place of pilgrimage. i was very surprised when this happened.

 

[nannilam_balasubramanian]

I am told cremation is the general rule amongst the Hindus except for Sanyasis of
every sect buried, sometime in the sitting attitude. I believe some guidelines are
there in Manav Dharma Sastra.

Balasubramanian
Ambattur

 

[prasad1]

again, it is a custom,among many tamil hindu communities, afaik, to bury their dead.

i think it is unwanted taunt from TSS to mock other religions. we do not like to be mocked or made fun of..and believe me there are many things our way of life could be trivialized too.

btw i did not know that gandhi had a portion of his ashes buried at raj ghat. i thought it was only his place of cremation. anandarama dikshithar, the katha kalakshepa guy, was buried and his samadhi a place of pilgrimage. i was very surprised when this happened.

Mr. K,
Can you explain the first sentence.
IMO
I think burial is not green method, as it wastes a beautiful piece of land for ever, secondly all the embalming fluids leach into soil and contaminate it. Cremation is by far the most efficient, economical, and eco-friendly way for disposing the body.
My post was not taunting anyone, why did you get that impression?

anandarama dikshithar, the katha kalakshepa guy, was buried and his samadhi a place of pilgrimage. i was very surprised when this happened.

This is happening more frequently. Most of the Godmen, and gurus are getting a Brindhavan of their own,
Like Mr. Sangom says:

They are interred and a "brindavanam" is made on the spot. It has become a custom to raise some sort of memorial in the brindavanam and so the net result becomes a mausoleum or cenotaph also, sometimes.

I am not a follower of Godmen, so probably I should not comment on this topic. I feel very strange vising a mausoleum, Including Taj Mahal. Even more in front of the ashram or Temple. LOL

 

[nachi naga]

i feel sad that some members are using our bhagavan sathya sai baba as an example to prove their limited opinion.i request this not happen.i understand their inability which is their limitation to go beyond from the well that they have lived and sincerely do not know.swami used to bring it upon himself so that his embodiment of love namely his devotees do not suffer pain maximum but a minimum as they need to work out their karmas accrued from previous births.

abrahamic faith are following the sanathana dharma aka hindus but do not want to acknowledge this plain and simple truth,is my opinion again.thank you.

 

[nachi naga]

prasad,>>I am not a follower of Godmen<< sir you do follow godmen if you pray in a temple of the trinities or pancha mutrthies of our dharma.of course i am assuming that you are a hindu as we are called today.lord krishna was born as a man so did all lord shiva etc.just becoz we do not remember our past life births,we cannot say we never existed before in another body.

 

[kunjuppu]

prasad,

tamil hindus - mudaliars, pillais, et al, do practice the custom of burial. t.s. baliah, c.n. annadorai are two famous recent tamilans buried and not cremated.

i do not know the details, but aware of such practices all over the state. sorry for not providing more info.

 

[Govinda]

prasad,>>I am not a follower of Godmen<< sir you do follow godmen if you pray in a temple of the trinities or pancha mutrthies of our dharma.of course i am assuming that you are a hindu as we are called today.lord krishna was born as a man so did all lord shiva etc.just becoz we do not remember our past life births,we cannot say we never existed before in another body.

You are just emotional and naive. Only Narayana/Para Brahman is the Baghavan. Acc. to the Upanishads, He only is the Baghavan (the six unique qualities). All others are considered as His body, and all be subservient to Him only. All vedic gurus/acharya have preached Only that message. Such acclaimed are called Brahma jnAnis and if they are sannyAsis, they (tirumeni/body) are considered pure and are buried and saluted. [Also, the infants are buried too, as they don't have karmic body]. Plus, "With all ascetics there is no burning, no water rites; and the ten-days' ceremonies should not be performed for them by their sons. A man, by the mere holding of the staff, becomes Nārāyaṇa; because of carrying the three-fold staff they never go into the condition of the departed." - Garuda Purana.

Any guru calling himself as Bhagavan or avatar, is disqualified, acc. to our sampradAya(tradition). Also, people simply call their gurus or priests and declare them as AcharyAs is just as abrahamic/emotional and is non-hindu/vedic. Ofcourse one can have respect and regard for their gurus, as that is how they have come to know some better truths/values/wisdom, but adorning them as Brahma-jnAnis (as compared to real ones like parAsara, vyAsa, etc.) is simply de-meaning and un-reasonable to the great rishis/saints of our heritage. This is how we have fallen in the last 500 years, may be. This is how people got defiant and stood against our scriptures and blamed the Brahmins for the supremacy. But, over time, even Brahmins have fallen prey for these cheap emotional/sensational gimmicks.

 

[prasad1]

prasad,>>I am not a follower of Godmen<< sir you do follow godmen if you pray in a temple of the trinities or pancha mutrthies of our dharma.of course i am assuming that you are a hindu as we are called today.lord krishna was born as a man so did all lord shiva etc.just becoz we do not remember our past life births,we cannot say we never existed before in another body.

Sir, please read my original post again.
IMO
Cremation is the preferred method among majority of Hindus. The mausoleum is the newer method for Gurus. It looks like the dead body is being given more importance than the Atma of the departed. I just wanted to know why and when this practice has become prevalent. You have taken upon yourself to turn it as a comment on Satya Sai Baba.

i feel sad that some members are using our bhagavan sathya sai baba as an example to prove their limited opinion.

 

[renuka]

Just my opinion..everything in this world is made up of 5 elements.
And further more the God(as in Paramatma) pervades every single element in this world.
There is God even in a dead body as much there is in a living body.
Paramatma can never be subtracted from any entity be it animate or inanimate in this world.

So what difference does it really make even if a Samadhi is erected for anyone be it Sanyasi or even Godmen(as its the prefered word here in forum)?

The Samadhi serves as a object to focus the mind of a devotee just as much as an idol serves the same purpose.
One might wonder why I am comparing a lifeless body in a Samadhi with an Idol in a temple but frankly speaking..does it really differ?
Its also five elements too..

Its just how we view it thats all..we give no qualms to walk on a marble slab/tiles at home but when marble is used to make an idol we revere it and treat it with utmost respect.
Why the difference? Its our perception isn't it?

If we developed a broader outlook in life we will realize that basically there are no hard and fast rules for anything.
We make it more difficult by imposing rules that even God never really layed down.

At the end of the day if we can understand that God is in everything we relate..that should be enough.

 

[kameshratnam]

anandarama dikshithar, the katha kalakshepa guy, was buried and his samadhi a place of pilgrimage

He took Apath Sanyasam and he died within 10 days of his taking sanyasam

 

[prasad1]

Dear Renuka,
My post was an inquiry. As a general practice Hindu cremate their dead.
We also identify with the ATMAN and not the body. My understanding is that ATMAN is released and the lifeless body returns to the element. I was not disrespecting anyone. Generally the Muslims and Christian enshrine and pay homage to the body.

One might wonder why I am comparing a lifeless body in a Samadhi with an Idol in a temple but frankly speaking..does it really differ?

 

[vsubbu48]

It is an age old practice in Tamil Nadu to bury the body. In the olden days, the bodies were laid in huge earthern pots, thaazhi, and were buried. These earthern pots have been unearthed in various places in TN which confirms this practice. It is thus incorrect to say that burying a dead body is an abrahamic practice.

Only brahmins in TN go for cremation and the rest for burial. In states like Maharashtra and Gujarat both brahmins and non-brahmins cremate the bodies. This gives the impression that cremation is an aryan practice.

 

[Govinda]

It is an age old practice in Tamil Nadu to bury the body. In the olden days, the bodies were laid in huge earthern pots, thaazhi, and were buried. These earthern pots have been unearthed in various places in TN which confirms this practice. It is thus incorrect to say that burying a dead body is an abrahamic practice.

Only brahmins in TN go for cremation and the rest for burial. In states like Maharashtra and Gujarat both brahmins and non-brahmins cremate the bodies. This gives the impression that cremation is an aryan practice.

I dont think so. May have been rare cases. I remember having read such article and read that those were urns containing the bones/remains of the dead. Full body burials can only be of coffin kind. So, possibly they may have been cremated. Plus, tiny portion of ashes are supposed to be washed in the ganges , it is very much likely the unburnt ones may have been buried. Plus, acc. to our shAstrAs, the urns containing dry grains (rice/sesame) is to be offered and the same may have been used/buried separately. Our TN/Indian archeologists may simply want to prove Dravidian civilization separate from vedic ones or want to appease the secular factions on burials!

Plus, the cremation rules/philosophy is the same for all the varnas and there is no separate rule for Brahmins. Only the severity or timeline for the varnAs may have been different, according to their life-styles.

 

[kunjuppu]

govinda,

it is archeologists who have found the urns and interpreted them for us. the practice of burying their dead, is ok for some tamil hindu groups. why do you cast aspirations as to their honesty, or give a political slant to it?

ours is a multi polar society. not everyone has to accept or behave the same.

 

[Govinda]

govinda,

it is archeologists who have found the urns and interpreted them for us. the practice of burying their dead, is ok for some tamil hindu groups. why do you cast aspirations as to their honesty, or give a political slant to it?

That's exactly what I wanted to say. I read an article saying these urns (with grains/bones) suggest their belief in reincarnation, how funny! These "Indian" archeologists should just dig/research and report the findings and avoid any interpretations if they aren't willing to cite scriptural references [for its historicity]. Plus, a couple examples couldn't have become the norm. Don't they already carry a political slant?

 

[Govinda]

ours is a multi polar society. not everyone has to accept or behave the same.

Such varied behaviours are allowable,

1. in cases where there was/are no access to the real practice/knowledge/resources.

2. in cases of different philosophy/practice [like that of abrahamic or other religions (Egyptian), which IMU (understanding, not opinion), would say overtime they mis-interpreted or followed our scriptures literally, due to lack of direct/close contact with vedic aryan/dravidian]. But they follow literally!!

But, in other valid situations, such multi-polar cases are due to defiance. Our varied hindu practices/interpretations belongs to that worst case! The exceptions were our own history of immigrants/wars/invasions etc., but now with so much resources, these defiant cases have to rollback the new 'emotional' attachments/practices [not just pertaining to the topic of thread] developed over few generations.

 

[prasad1]

That's exactly what I wanted to say. I read an article saying these urns (with grains/bones) suggest their belief in reincarnation, how funny! These "Indian" archeologists should just dig/research and report the findings and avoid any interpretations if they aren't willing to cite scriptural references [for its historicity]. Plus, a couple examples couldn't have become the norm. Don't they already carry a political slant?

Mr. Govinda,
I agree with you, but my experiences have been outside Tamil Nadu.
Hindu Rites & Rituals: Life-Cycle Rituals - Death

The Hindu religion has many rituals, including rites for the dead. These rites are often called Antyesti, or Antim Sanskar, and they are detailed in the text of the Garuda Purana.

Read more: Hindu Burial Customs | eHow.com Hindu Burial Customs | eHow.com

Antyesti - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

When a person is dead it is said, in HINDUISM, that he has joined or merged into Pancha Bhootas (Five elements).

Cremation is the usual mode of disposal of the dead bodies, with certain exceptions – the exceptions being bodies of infants, yogis, sadhus, and a few others. Cremation became popular due to the Hindu concept of detachment of soul from the body at the time of death, and the transmigration of the soul from one body to another.

When a person is dead it is said, in HINDUISM, that his/her body or merged into Pancha Bhootas (Five elements).The Human body is called Paancha bhoutika sareeram ( A sareeram (body) made up of pancha bhoutikaas (five elements).
The Five elements are : Pruthivi ( The Earth), Aapas (water ), Tejas (fire ), Vaayu (Air), and Aakaash (space).
This body returns to these five elements after death if it is buried or cremated.
But it takes longer time to body to get converted to five elements if buried .If it is cremated, consumed to fire, it merges into five elements within 12 to 15 hours.So the aaryans (Hindus) thought it the best way to dispose of the dead with respectful regards.
If one is buried and a memorial stone is erected there in rememrance of him/her, though it is a good act, the gradually the available ground will be filled with these memories. Sometimes some persons who died with severe contagious diseases ,are likely to spread that disease as the bacteria spread after death. Cremation eliminates this possibility even, so it is welcome from environment point of view.
That is what my opinion.

Mr. Kunjuppu, I am not disrespecting some specific group, I am expressing ,y opinion.

 

[Govinda]

Just my opinion..everything in this world is made up of 5 elements. And further more the God(as in Paramatma) pervades every single element in this world. There is God even in a dead body as much there is in a living body.
Paramatma can never be subtracted from any entity be it animate or inanimate in this world.

Example: Sunlight falls on the muddy pond and on the plants, but only plants photosynthesize and produce food which we eat. Why we don't eat the mud?

All creation/matter has a jiva/soul, so does the mountains, trees, animals and humans. Why only the humans has the abitlity to reason? Why can't we be an animal? Each form has distinct features/qualities, though all of them form the body of Brahman. Every thing in the world/creation is 'Qualified'.

How my body-parts don't become Me, each creation has its qualified nature and none of the creation/form, become the Creator/Brahman [Ekam eva a-dvitiam].

So what difference does it really make even if a Samadhi is erected for anyone be it Sanyasi or even Godmen(as its the prefered word here in forum)?

This is actually idolatry if done for non-qualified sannyAsis. Eveyone needs death-rites, which is why there is 1 billion starving and hungry. The abrahamic religions got that dead wrong. Instead of global peace yagnas, our spiritual leaders should perform global tharpans, annadhAna and create more agriculture farms IMO, no more than 10 sanyAsis/gurus be allowed in whole India [for a period of 50 years] and we need a SanyAsi Act, lol! They should have been vedic scholars and 'strict' practitioners from day 1.

The Samadhi serves as a object to focus the mind of a devotee just as much as an idol serves the same purpose.

You are allowed to make a statue/idol and keep in your home and focus. I also have seen temples placing taller cross-legged shridi Baba in front of the gods, is totally careless. The godmen should be placed at the feet of the gods.

But granting samAdhi to every other godman or guru or hundreds of sadhus in hrishikesh etc. are equally harmful. Plus, throwing all of them in ganges, is equally meaningless in 'corrupted' kali yuga. People should stay away from the rivers and the inhabitable lands. There is already overwhelming population, plus the industrially polluted, grabbed lands.. The industries and the emotionally religious should grow up.

Esp. the statues and samadhis for the 1000's of politicians (e.g. marina beach) from long-gone history, instead of planting trees is totally ruthless on their part.

One might wonder why I am comparing a lifeless body in a Samadhi with an Idol in a temple but frankly speaking..does it really differ? Its also five elements too..

Oops! Scientists are looking for the God Particle (Higgs boson), the origin for the big bang. Acc. to vedas, Brahman is beyond the five elements. He is made of Suddha Sattvam, beyond the primal-matter. Vedas is their reference

Its just how we view it thats all..we give no qualms to walk on a marble slab/tiles at home but when marble is used to make an idol we revere it and treat it with utmost respect. Why the difference? Its our perception isn't it?

Then, why dont we walk on the marble kitchen slabs? It is not perception, it is understanding.

We make it more difficult by imposing rules that even God never really layed down.

Vedas are considered apaurEshayA (Eternal), and are the instructions given through every Brahma/Manu for the best of mankind.

Nobody is imposing rules. You want to follow gods, Shiva/Krishna of Vedas, but won't practice the karmas/understanding behind them.
Then, why are we imposing rules to ourself in praying to the vedic gods, but follow different karmas/activities to our convenience?

At the end of the day if we can understand that God is in everything we relate..that should be enough.

Exactly, then why don't we pray to the Tulasi trees or the Gods (idols) instead of babas or Samadhis.

 

[renuka]

Dear Govinda,

You are allowed to make a statue/idol and keep in your home and focus. I also have seen temples placing taller cross-legged shridi Baba in front of the gods, is totally careless. The godmen should be placed at the feet of the gods.

You have used the word Gods here(plural) why??

Does size really matter..God is largest than the largest and also smaller then the smallest so do you feel a larger then life size idol of Shiridi Baba towers God?
That means we have set a limit for the size of God isnt it?

Exactly, then why don't we pray to the Tulasi trees or the Gods (idols) instead of babas or Samadhi.

Why cant we also pray to Babas or Samadhi along with Tulsi and Idols?
As I said God pervades everything so any Baba/Samadhi/Tulsi/Idol serves as an object to focus for our mind.

 

[renuka]

Dear Renuka,
My post was an inquiry. As a general practice Hindu cremate their dead.
We also identify with the ATMAN and not the body. My understanding is that ATMAN is released and the lifeless body returns to the element. I was not disrespecting anyone. Generally the Muslims and Christian enshrine and pay homage to the body.

Dont get me wrong.I didnt feel that your post was disrespecting anyone.I am just giving my honest opinion.
That line I wrote is just my style of writing cos some might consider it a taboo to compare a lifeless body with an idol.

No problems Bro!!! I am cool types.

regards
renu