So far , I gave you a little insight into How Hinduism , which looks very simple from the outside , is far more complicated a philosophy that most people actually realize. The whole concept of Hinduism is based on the predicament that the adherent has to finally find Self Realization.
So what self realization are we talking about ?
In this article , I will try to specifically answer a unique sacrifice which Hindu Sons are made to undergo , after the cremation of their parents . The Shaving of the Hair from their Head. For many , it might look like an ordinary tradition which the ancient Vedics prescribed and this age old practice is still being followed. For others, it might seem like an un-needed activity and a complete waste of time. There might be even some, who might say " We all are going to die, so what's the fun in unneccessarily shaving off the head ? ".
As I already mentioned, Hinduism is much maligned as a religion filled with obnoxious traditions is very difficult for a layman to understand , if the same person has not tried understanding the Vedic philosophies ingrained in the Ancient Texts .
Before I answer this mysterious tradition which Hindus ( Male sons only ) follow after the cremation of either of the Parents demise , I will give you a short synopsis of what happens in a Vedic Cremation as an overview. Let me state it here that, I am just going to share a gist of the rituals and not go into elaborate traditions and rituals involved during the cremation or after the cremation. This article will revolve around the very same question of " Why are Hindu Sons required to shave off their hair ? ".
Death and burial customs in the Hindu traditions provide a structure for honoring the deceased and offering comfort for the grieving family during the time of loss. As Hinduism upholds the belief of cycles of life through reincarnation, the rituals also prepare the deceased for the life to come.
The Hindu belief of karma affects the tone and practice of mourning rituals. By creating a positive atmosphere, the mourning family and friends pass on the merits of good karma to help prepare their loved one for a positive rebirth and future life.
If possible, many Hindu family members will attempt to be present during the last hours of the life of the loved one. This important event in the natural life cycle marks the beginning of the transition from one life to the next. The family members will provide support, prayers and mantras in hopes to honor and comfort the dying, support and encourage the family, and create good karma in preparation for the coming life cycle.
Once the Death Occurs:
Unless the circumstances of the death or the situation of the family prohibit it, the procedures for the final respects and burial take place within twenty-four hours after the death. According to most Hindu texts, the last rites can only be performed by a male family member. When the oldest surviving family members performs the ceremonies, he is called the karta. Specific circumstances and even changing religious and cultural traditions may allow for participation by a female.
Most Hindu traditions will have the body cleansed immediately after death. Often this ceremonial bathing will be performed by the women in the family. Following the bathing, the body is dressed in simple clothing, adorned with marks of the family and community, and the sacred ash across the forehead. The deceased will usually be dressed in new white clothing. If the deceased is a married woman whose husband is still alive, or an unmarried younger female, the clothing will be either a red or yellow dress. A Hindu priest will be invited to the home to lead in holy mantras and prayers. Both the mantras and the prayers will vary by specific religious tradition.
The body will be prepared for cremation by placing it on a bier, or platform. Immediate family members will scatter flowers all over the body. In addition, they will fill the mouth of the deceased with rice, nourishing the departed soul, and place coins in each hand. The body then will be taken to the cremation center.
In some Hindu traditions, burial is an accepted form for the final resting place of the body. In addition, young children, saints and sanyasi, members of a Hindu religious order that are not permitted to own property, may be buried because they are considered pure. The teaching is that burying the body allows the departed soul to more quickly abandon any attachments to the previous life and move ahead to the next incarnation.
When Should It Be Held:
A religious ceremony involving either the cremation or burial of the body is traditionally held within twenty-four hours of the death. In India, exceptions to this may be made, given the circumstances of the death or the individual needs of the family. This religious ceremony is simple and respectful, and usually only the immediate family members will participate.
How Should Respects Be Paid:
After the death of a loved one, the family enters into a period of mourning. The first sign of respect for the grief is that no cooking will be performed in the family house until the cremation takes place. An old Hindu saying affirms that the fire in the house is not lit until the fire in the cremation pyre has gone out. Some traditions apply this teaching not only to cooking but to heating and lighting as well.
When hearing of the death, it is appropriate to call or visit the bereaved. Sympathy cards or notes can be sent and can provide a meaningful, lasting expression of compassion. Viewings at a funeral home are not a part of the Hindu tradition. The body will be kept at the family home until cremation or burial, which normally occurs within twenty-four hours.
Friends and extended family will visit the bereaved during the period of intense grief which in many Hindu traditions lasts 13 days. Men should dress casually and simply. No head covering would be necessary. Women also should dress casually, but clothing should cover the arms and legs completely. Modest jewelry is permitted for women. The customary color of mourning is white; black attire would not be considered appropriate in most Hindu traditions.
It is also appropriate for gifts of food to be brought after the burial or cremation, though Hindu traditions vary on the exact menu, especially for those involved in performing the last rites. Traditional Hindu food would be vegetarian, prepared without onion or garlic, and would be pure foods.
It is appropriate to bring a gift of flowers to the home when visiting during the mourning period. If the body is still in the home before burial or cremation, the flowers may be placed at the feet of the deceased. If they are given during the thirteen day mourning period, they should be presented to the karta if possible.
The Antyeshti, or Hindu Funeral Rites:
The Antyeshti, or final Hindu funeral rites, will vary slightly according to the religious sect or caste of the deceased. The rites have customs that take place around the body, including the covering of the body with flowers, a lamp placed at the head of the body, and incense being burned in the room. During the ceremony, often officiated by a Hindu priest or by the karta, prayers will be offered and hymns sung.
Water will be sprinkled on the body at various points in the service. Extreme care should be given by all mourners to avoid touching the body, an act of blatant disrespect and impurity. The body is then carried on a stretcher to the area of cremation or burial. People accompanying the body will offer the kirtan, mantras chanted in a hymn-like manner. For many Hindus, it is important that the skull be cracked, urging the departed soul to move on. This is sometimes a significant part of the ceremony.
Non-Hindus are often invited to attend the cremation service. They usually are asked to sit rather than participate, though it is becoming more common to allow guests to participate in any part of the ceremony in which they would feel comfortable.
Final Resting State:
The funeral rites are very similar within the various traditions of Hinduism. Most Hindus cremate the dead, though some communities allow burial. Those who cremate make exceptions for young children and devout older believers. These individuals are considered pure and are not needing the purification of burning.
It is customary that on the third day after cremation, the karta goes to the cremation service area and collects the ashes of the deceased. The karta would then see that the ashes were disposed of in a significant river. In India, many still travel to the Ganges River to scatter the ashes there. Today many other rivers have been approved by Hindu leaders for such purposes.
So far , I have explained you in simple , how the entire cremation event takes place. Now we will go to the question at hand.
In Hinduism , the concept of Karma and rebirth is the end result. No Hindu yearns for a place in Heaven , as every Hindu knows , he/she will continue to be reborn as many times , until Nirvana is attained.
After the cremation of either of the Parents demise , The Hindu Sons will be asked by the Vedics to shave their head. This is done because of the same concept of Karma. The Sons will have to obligatorily accept that the soul that has departed, is now no longer attached to them. The concept of Maya ( Worthly delusion of attachments to worldly pleasures ) has to be now disowned. By shaving their heads , The Sons bid adieu to the relationship of Maya ( Worldly Love ) that existed between them and their parent. The Sons have now officially declared that the Soul that has departed is now free to assigned a rebirth as per the departed soul's Karma. The Sons no longer claim attachment to the Soul and now the departed Soul can be born as a Child in another family's home as their child.
This does not end here itself. Now the Soul is reborn.
Incase , a Child has been newly born into a Hindu family , The Vedics will now ask the parents at a suitable age of 3/7 years of the Child to be shaved off his/her hair . The Old soul has received a new body as per the Hindu Karma concept and has been reborn, however as per the Vedics , the Old Soul has not disassociated itself from its previous family. The Vedics still consider this new child as an Old Soul , whose Sons have given up on their Worldly Love towards their Parent after the demise in his/her death , but as a new body in that same old soul , this new child needs to as well shed off his/ her association from his/her previous family and hence , the Child would also have to be shaved off his/her hair in this life and be made accountable as a Child of his /her new found Parents in his/her present life .
This Whole Process of Shaving of the Hair is called as " Mundan Ceremony " in Hinduism.
As I said in the beginning of this article , Hinduism might look as a simple to some , as a complicated to many and as an utterly dud philosophy , The Rituals and Traditions which Hindus follow , have an eternal connection to the Philosophy of respecting the Atman ( Soul ) of each and every living thing ( including animals /birds ) as a highly sacred small part of the One and Only Universal Soul ( Paramatman- The Divinity ).
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