Some verses from the Garuda Purana about ancestors

Dear All: Please see link below for a nice compilation of some important information from Garuda Purana - from the conversation between Mahavishnu and Garuda about departed ancestors. http://www.dipika.org.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=220:u seful-verses-from-the-garuda-purana-&catid=24:death-a-funeral-ritesinfo&Itemid=28 Note that if a married woman dies before her husband, the rites for her are to be performed by her husband, if not by her son. A woman is also authorized to perform shraddha ceremony for ancestors (or arrange for the same) if there are no male survivors in her married family. In the Srimad Bhagavatam, for example, it is stated that Satybhama took personal charge of the arrangements for her father Satrajit's final rites. (Satrajit was murdered by his enemies, when Krishna was away from Dwaraka, due to issues surrounding the Syamantaka Mani.) Also, many others are authorized to perform the pitru karmas, including even a stranger and a well wisher. This is also embodied in the following mantra recited at the end of such shraddha ceremonies, after all ancestors (3 generations) from both sides of the family are invoked and oblations offered. Yeshaam na maataa na pitaa na bandhuhu Te sarve truptim aayaantu mayashrushtair kushodakaihee May those who have no mother, no father, no relatives and dear ones, also be propitiated now by my offering of this water and kusha. This is the final mantra to be recited to take care of all those with no relatives, or whose relatives (including sons) do not care to perform the shraddha or are too ignorant to know of their significance. Such relatives (or sons) are as good as non-existent. It is said that it was Bheeshma, who had sworn never to marry (and so had no sons to perform the shraddha oblations for him), was responsible to ensure the inclusion of these mantras. http://www.sagarworld.com/krishnaworld/characters/bhishma.htm
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Bheeshma was one of the eight Vasus who were all born as Gangadevi's sons, when she married Shantanu. (Bheeshma is called Shantanava, hence also Shantanavam in Vaishampayana portion of Vishnu Sahastranamam to signify Yuddhishttira speaking to Shanatanu's son, Bheeshma.) The eight Vasus were forced to be born here on earth due to a curse.

Shantanu stops Gangadevi from drowning their eighth child, later known as Bhishma. Shantanu woos Satyavati, the fisherwoman. Painting by Raja Ravi Varma

After Gangadevi returned to the devalokas, Shantanu fell in love with Satyavati, the daughter of the fisherman. (Satyavati was Vyasa's mother born to the sage Parashara, before she was ever married. One of Vyasa's names, Dwaipayana, comes from the circumstances of his birth, on an island in the middle of the rive Ganga, dweepa means an island.) Satyavati's father agreed to give his daughter in marriage only if Shantanu promised that her son would get the throne. Shantanu agreed but Satyavati's father tried to extract another promise. He asked, "What about your son, from Gangadevi?" Only one of the eight vasus, born of Gangadevi, survived and remained on this earth. Gangadevi herself killed each of her sons by taking them to the river Ganga and drowning them. She had told Shantanu that he should never question any of
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her actions, as a condition of their marriage. Shanatanu watched in anguish what she was doing after each child was born. He dared not stop her since she would leave him. When the eighth son was to be killed, he stopped Gangadevi who immediately told Shantanu that he had violated his promise, left the child behind, and returned to devaloka. Satyavati's father wanted to ensure that this only surviving child of Gangadevi (who was called Devavratha) would never make any claim for the kingdom. Shantanu would not agree to this cruel promise. He refused but kept pining away for Satyavati. Eventually, the truth came out. Gangadevi's son made a promise of becoming eternally celibate - that he would never marry and, not just that, remain a celibate. This promise, very difficult for any man to keep since it means foreswearing any desire for sexual relations with any woman, was extolled by all the devas. They showered him with flowers from the heavens. It is called Bheeshma (impossible to keep, fierce, terrifying) pratignyaa (vow, promise) and from that day onwards Shantanu's son came to be known as Bheeshma. He remained a celibate all his life. Even Lord Shiva, who is also known as Kameshwara, could not control his kama when he saw Mohini, the female incarnation of Mahavishnu, who appeared during the churning of the milk ocean. An enchanting woman can always appear and break any man's vow of celibacy - there is a long list of such great rishis, starting with the most famous of all - Vishwamitra!

Bhishma's Oath, a painting by Raja Ravi Varma Page 3 of 6

Bheeshma was one of the mightiest of warriors. No one could defeat him - not even Arjuna. He was named the commander of the Kaurava army by Duryodhana. We see Duryodhana addressing Drona in the opening verses of the Bhagavad Gita, after the first verse in chapter 1. This ends with the mention of Bheeshma, who is to be surrounded and kept shielded, verse 11. It was Bheeshma who first blew the conch to signal the start of the Mahabharata war, verse 12. Later, he ran havoc on the Pandava army (on the 10th day of the war), defeated Arjuna, smashed his chariot and forced Arjuna to the ground and was about to kill Arjuna. At the heat of the moment, Krishna tried to protect Arjuna and lifted the wheel of Arjuna's chariot and ran towards Bheeshma to stop him. Seeing Krishna holding the chariot wheel of Arjuna, like His Sudarshana chakra, Bheeshma stopped and told Krishna, "Now you have violated the promise you made about not bearing any weapons in this war. I shall not fight any more. I have defeated you, Krishna." Krishna was forced to drop the Arjuna's chariot wheel since He realized that the wheel had become His Sudarshana chakra. Bheeshma then dropped his arms and the Pandavaas used that as the opportunity to overpower him. Mortally wounded, he waited till the date of Uttarayanam (when the sun crosses the celestial equator and starts moving northward), the auspicious time for the soul to leave the body. This was a boon Bheeshma received from the devas when he made the promise to secure Satyavati's hand for his father. He was given the boon to breathe his last when he wished. He could pick the time and the place.
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Arjuna then prepared a bed of arrows for Bheeshma to lie comfortably upon. When he got thirsty and wanted some water to quench his thirst, Arjuna pierced the ground with his arrows to get the waters of the Ganga (his own mother) to spring from the earth and spray like a water fountain into Bheeshma's mouth. There is a temple in Mathura where Krishna appears with the chariot wheel of Arjuna as his weapon. This temple is known as the Gita temple. In this modern temple, built by the Birla family, there is a huge Gita pillar with inscriptions of all 18 chapters of the Gita. Also, there is a huge chariot depicting Arjuna receiving the Gita from Krishna and a huge statue of Hanuman. In the next email, we will discuss some verses from Srimad Bhagavatam about the passing away of Bheeshma. Among the gifts we have received from Bheeshma is the Vishnu Sahastranamam which Bheeshma chanted after Yuddishttira posed many questions to him regarding various dharmas. Bheeshma was not just a mighty warrior and a celibate, he was a great yogi with powers equal to Brahma. It was Krishna who told Yuddhishttira to go to Bheeshma and receive instructions from the latter while he awaited the time of UttarayaNam. Very sincerely V. Laxmanan September 13, 2011
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Birla Temple Vrindavan, North India

The Gita Pillar at the Gita Temple, Vrindavan

http://www.flickr.com/pho tos/dryggirl/3999358492/i n/photostream/

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