Basic information about what exactly happens upon death and what is

done in shraddha ceremony etc. By Madan Gopal Das, ISKCON

chowpatty, Mumbai. madan.gopal.rns@pamho.net

This is short write up about vidhis performed after death of a person.

This information is more relevant to those who know the soul. Those who don’t have
knowledge of soul should better learn about it then they can appreciate following
information.
When soul leaves body at time of death following things happen.

Soul’s iternary – After death -

In few seconds – Yamadutas take soul forcefully to Yamapuri showing him the way. The
distance travelled is 90000 Yojanas in few seconds. One Yojana = 8 miles. Then Yamadutas
bring back the soul to his place on earth again as he is still attached to body and bodily
connections.
Antyesthi – burning the body – At time of burning of body a stone is used to break an
earthen pot thrice (representing mind body words) with a stone. The soul which is attached to
body takes shelter of this stone as the body is burned now. This stone is called Jivashma.
As per scriptures antyesthi has to be performed before the next sunset or sunrise as the case
may be immediately after death.
Immediately after antyesthi – The jivashma is brought back home. The soul now has
nothing to take shelter and so it takes shelter of this stone. Then we light a lamp in home. The
lamp is kept burning for 10 days. The soul takes shelter of lamp (flame) till 10 days.
Soul gets Ati vahak body – The soul needs a subtle ati vahak body to go (be taken) to
Yamapuri. Ati Vahak means body to travel beyond human senses. It takes 10 days for
ativahak body to develop just like it takes 9 months for human body. Following parts develop
each day in 10 days.
1st Day – Head
2nd day – eyes, ears, nose
3rd day – arms, chest, neck
4th day – back, waist, navel, genitals, anus
5th day – thighs, knees
6th day – calves, feet, fingers, mind
7th day – bones, muscles, brain
8th day – nails, hairs etc
9th day – bone marrow, heart, ojas (virya)
10th day – thirst, hunger etc.

Soul attains Ati vahaka body - 10th day from death

It takes one year for soul to travel from earth to Yamapuri, a distance of 90000 yojanas.
There are major halts on the journey on specified days. Daily soul has to travel 247 yojanas in
24 hours. On 11th and 12th day the soul partakes of shraddha food offered and on 13th day he
starts his journey to Yampuri

The days of major halts are

27th day –
30th day – Saumyapur
45th day – Sauripur
60th – Nagendra bhavan
90th – Gandharva Patan pura
120th – Shailapura
150th – Kraunchapura
179th – Vaitarni river
180th – Brahmapada
210th – Dukhadah pura
240th - Nana krandapura
270th – Sapta bhavan
300th – Raudra Nagar
Payovarshan
Shitadhya
358th – Bahu bhiti
365th – Yampura

In above list the days in one or two cases the name of cities may not exactly match the day.
But the days are correct.

Soul reached Yamapuri – 1 year after death

After the journey of 1 year the soul reaches Yama puri.

Soul meets Yamaraj – 2 years after death

At Yama loka soul has to wait for one year to get appointment of Yamaraj. There is queue
there as well. At that time Yamaraj give punishment, reward according to activities of soul.

Punishment and training of soul – 2 to 3rd year after death.

Then the soul is given punishment as decided by Yamaraj. Actually this punishment also
serves the purpose of training the soul for future births in lower species. This goes on for 1
year.

Soul proceeds to future bodies – 3 years after death

Above is the iternary. Keeping this in mind you can understand the
ceremonies performed accordingly as described below.

Funeral rites – To free soul from attachment from death body. At that time soul shifts
himself from Manushya (human) body to preta sharira.

Ceremonies on each day for first 9 days -

On day of death at antyesthi a shraddya called Patheya (path) is performed to start process of
soul acquiring Preta sharira.
Then a shraddha is performed on each of 1st nine days to enable proper development of ati
vahaka sharira as mentioned above.
After people return from funeral ground a lamp is lit in home and kept burning for 10 days.
Daily some cooked rice and milk is offered to diseased soul via this lamp.

Ceremonies on 10th day -

No oil is added in lamp and it is allowed to extinguish on its own as by now the soul has got
ati vahak sharira and is now no more without a body.
As the journey to Yamapuri starts shortly following items are offered – Rotis, shoes,
umbrella. Other items required for journey of 1 year are offered tomorrow.

WHY CROW SHOULD TOUCH THE PINDA AND ITS IMPORTANCE.

Some people think that the dead soul comes via crow and eat the pinda. But the reality is as
follows.
All species have unique sensory powers. Humans can see in day, but cat can see in day and
night both, bat sees better in night and same with owl. Most 4 legged animals can see only
black & white. So crow has the power to see the soul in the pinda. When desire of diseased
person are unfulfilled then the soul in the pinda doesn’t allow the crow to come and eat it.
Soul in pinda drives away the crow. Similarly when there are no unfulfilled desires or
anxieties of diseased person then the soul doesn’t obstruct the crow to come and eat.

In Uttara kanda of Ramayan there is narration of one incidence. Once a king names Marut
was performing a Yajna. At that time Ravana who had set out to conquer the whole world
happened to come by that way. Ravana also had Blessings of Shiva that he will be
unconqurable. He challenges King Marut for fight. King Marut gets up to fight, but the sages
present there said that see, you have taken yajna diksha, so you cannot do fight for now, and
also at present Ravana has blessing from Shankar of Ravana being inconqurable, so you
cannot defeat him. So better you accept your defeat.
Actually in that yajna being performed by Marut, all devatas were present. But as Ravana
came there, devatas who knew the blessing received by Ravana from Shankar, too shelter of
various species. Indra took shelter of peacock, Yama took shelter of crow, Varuna
chameleon, etc. When Ravana goes away the devatas again take their original forms and give
blessing to those forms of whose they took shelter. At that time peacock used to be white. But
Indra blessed then that they will get beautiful form like Indra blue and also peacocks will
have many beautiful eyes. Varuna told chameleon that when you will be in danger or afraid,
you can change your colour and protect yourself. Yama blessed crows, till you touched Pinda
the fruits of pinda will not reach the Pitras. Also Yama blessed crows that they won’t have
fear of death.

Ceremonies on 11th day -

Atonement of sins performed in life time of diseased person. The list of sins atoned for is as
follows –
From birth till now sins performed in knowledge or ignorance, for gain or not, for good or
bad deeds, done by body, mind and words, in worldly life, in touch or without touch, in items
enjoyed or not enjoyed, items drank or not, all types of sins like gross severe sins, sub sins,
negligible sins, sins performed for improper sanksars, uncleanliness, lack of qualification, etc.
For atonement of above sins donations are given to Brahmans as follows -
Doing various Dana (charity) to remove the sins of diseases person. The charity is done to
brahmanas of following items. There are 6 Gopradans (cow is donated to brahmans) to atone
for following
1. Prayashitta – atonement
2. Papa dhenu dana – for various types of sins
3. Utkranti dhenu dana – for comfortable travel to Yam puri
4. Viatarni dhenu dana – for easily crossing over Vaitarni river on the way
5. Runa (debts) dhenu dana – for any liabilities left unfulfilled
6. Moksha dhenu dana – for liberation
Also dasa danas are done for mitigating the upakars done to the diseased soul in this life.
1. Dhenu
2. Bhumi
3. Tila (sesame)
4. Gold
5. Ajya (ghee)
6. Vasa (clothes)
7. Dhanya (grains)
8. Guda (jaggary)
9. Roupya (silver)
10. Lavana (salt)
Also following items are offered either in sublte mantra form or gross forms via qualified
brahmans, which reach the diseased soul in subtle form to make his travel comfortable.
Items donated to diseased person for use during his journey.
Aamanna (grains), udkumbha (pot for water), Upanaha (shoes), Kamadalu (water pot with
handle), Chatra (umbrella), Vastra (cloths), Yasti (wooden rod), Dohadanda (churning rod),
Agni shika (stove), Dipa (oil lanp), Tila (seasame), Tambula (mouth refreshments), Chandan
(cooling paste), pushpa mala (flower garland), Shyaaya (bed), Asana (sitting cloth), vessels,
shawl, hand fan, horse, japa mala, scriptures,

Ceremonies on 12th day -

Sa pindi karana & patheya shraddha.
Patheya shraddha is for transmigration of soul from Preta sharira to Ati vahak sharira.
Sa pindi karan is a process where a person gets a identity for his journey and for entrance in
Yamapuri. In this ceremony the diseased person in ati vhaka sharira which is different from
dead body died 11 days ago is introduced to his Pitras (3 past generations) i.e. dead persons
father (if already dead), grandfather and great grandfather. As this person enters the pitra loka
the great grand father is liberated from Pitra loka. So there is always a set of three in Pitra
loka called pitra trayi. Each time a next generation dies his great grandfather is liberated from
Pirta trai (and so from Pitra loka). Also Matru trai is done when a lady dies.

Ceremonies on 13th day -

This ceremony is called sudhi karana. It is ceremony to remove gross and subtle inauspicious
(negative) vibrations, thoughts, unclean things from house.
On 13th day the family members can start their all activities like worship of devatas, and lord
again.
By this day the soul has already left earth for Yamaloka,

Ceremonies on major halt days as mentioned above -

This is called Masik nivrutti as these shraddhas are performed on those halt days which are
mostly on monthly anniversary of death.

Ceremonies on till completion of 1st year. -

A shraddha is held on completion of 1 year after death as on that day the soul has reached
Yampuri.

Ceremonies on till completion of 2nd year. -

A shraddha is held on completion of 2 year after death as on that day the soul meets Yamaraj
and proceed for punishments & training accordingly.
Ceremonies on till completion of 3rd year. -
A shraddha is held on completion of 3 year after death as on that day the soul finishes his
punishment (training) and moves on to future births as per karma.

Basically, all the ceremonies are for comfortable changes of bodies of soul & for making
his journey etc more comfortable by providing things in subtle form and also to atone
for sins.

When someone do not perform ceremonies then souls progress might get stuck up in preta
sharira.

Little additional info -

How does the offering done to ancestors died long back reach them. For those ancestors who
have passed out of Yama loka and gone to various species the offering made on shraddha and
food fed to brahmans reach them as follows.
1. If ancestors are in higher planets then the food eaten by brahmanas gets converted into
Amruta and reach them.
2. If ancestors are in Raksha, yaksha, human etc bodies then food eaten by brahmanas
get converted into bhoga vilas (material enjoyement) and reach them.
3. If ancestors are in lower species then the food eaten by brahmansa gets converted into
air and reach them.

Above compilation is for free distribution to one and all, no need to ask me or anyone else.

At yours service –
Madan Gopal das, ISKCON chowpatty, Mumbai,
madan.gopal.rns@pamho.net 9769649328, 9404334033