Govindaram Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 hare krishna after a devotee leaves the body or somebody else, what is done with the body in Iskcon? are the ashes scattered in the Ganges? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haridham Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 yes iskcon tends to follow vedic injunctions. WHen mother Krsna kanta passed away here in vancouver her family took her ashes to the ganga Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Govindaram Posted October 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 but what if ppls can't afford to take the ashes out to india etc, what then? can we put some shipped ganges water on the ashes and bury them, or put them in the sea or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haridham Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 If you cant afford to go to the ganga...... .....try fedex maybe???? lol I dont know, someone out there must know hare krsna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kulapavana Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 it is not so critical what you do with the ashes of a devotee, as it is mostly a symbolic act. ashes can be scattered into the sea or into a river that flows to the sea. it symbolizes the return of your soul to Krishna. I know of one devotee who wants his ashes composted and then spread on the land where he lives /images/graemlins/smile.gif ...he is very enthusiastic about agriculture in general. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 We try to take the ashes to Ganages in India, as we have done before. Some believe that if the ashes are put their then the soul achieves salvation, as it is considered very fortunate if your ahses are put into the Ganges. If you cannot go to India, well here in London, we have services for Indian followers where the ashes can be put into the river Thames. Putting ashes in the sea is actually illegal for obvious reasons. Many rituals are carried after the death, commonly people/community/relatives are given dinner on the 12th/13th day (depends) and other puja and stuff. This is done to help the atma (soul) to make good karma and help it on its journey. Also people say that when a person dies, the soul watches its family for upto certain number of days and its funeral. That is why your not supposed to cry, otherwise it wont let go of this life and move on (though naturally peeps are going to cry) Minesh! <font color="red"> </font color> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 Also i forgot, if you cant go to India, the funeral service people can take your ashes to India for a certain cost( i presume its quite affordable, since the funeral people take many at once) Minesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Govindaram Posted October 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 i don't want some monkey taking my ashes /images/graemlins/grin.gif, a family member or somebody trustworthy, thats just me, also i read that if your body is burned with tulasi wood then it is very good. thx for the info minesh hare krishna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theist Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 I am donating my body parts to the local dogs. First the body parts are to be mashed and pleasantly spiced, this so the doggies can have a nice tasty treat. First I tried to pre-sell it to a dog food company but their seemed aghast at the idea, so I'll have to just donate it. Anything but a land wasting burial. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Govindaram Posted October 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 i had a dog once, he would have liked your idea. land wasted thats for sure, where did this idea orginate..to bury ppls? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahak Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 Hey, haribol, theist, I know we have been separate on the issues lately, but I really got a kick out of your answer here. I like what socrates said when his executioners asked him what to do with him after their deed. he replied that they would first have to catch him, as far as his body goes, he had no more use for it after he left. I like composting. Ive lived rurally for years, and use outhouses. I have stated more than once that the perfect way to top off my personal outhouse is to lay my remains there as well, followed by the customary lime and maple leaves. Even the body doesnt die, because the body is comprised of billions of entities, whether we are alive or dead. Cremation kind of kills unnecessarily when ya think of it. As far as the ganges goes, ritual, and not so important. The vaisnava only reveres the tirthas (Holy places) because the Holy people go there, not just the water or the dirt or the location. So Id approve of creamtion and ganges ritual only if it was accompanied by hearing and chanting of Harinam. To have someone scatter remains there is useless ritual without any spiritual value. Hope yer well, ys, mahak Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Govindaram Posted October 30, 2003 Author Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 scattering ashes before hand is accompanied by kirtan of Lord Rama's name, and many other bhajans and such, its a long process. my grandmum who died recently had the same thing done, its like a nice send-off or something. /images/graemlins/smile.gif Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kulapavana Posted October 30, 2003 Report Share Posted October 30, 2003 cremation is done in Vedic culture for sanitary reasons. outhouse "composting" strikes me as too "green". Can you imagine having to use it AFTER the "burial"? too traumatic /images/graemlins/wink.gif one old lady told me that she wanted her ashes scattered under her favourite tree, where she spent many happy hours playing as a child. I kinda liked that... very sattvic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mahak Posted October 31, 2003 Report Share Posted October 31, 2003 Haribol, I was talking about capping my outer house, this is my body, left while alive and now that Im dead as well. /images/graemlins/smile.gif I would not allow the thing to be used after it is capped off. As far as the ceremony goes, this is great, the chanting makes it worthwhile. My comments (tongue in cheek) were referring to the worry that may cause someone to send ashes to India for the ganges. The ganges is also the ocean, in fact, due to Haridas Thakur, the ocean is even better than the ganges, and much more available. hare krsna, ys, mahaksadasa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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