Hi I wanted to know if it is okay to have clay murtis (lord shiva and Krishna) in Hindu funerals? My mum died and she was very religious so don’t want to do anything that would upset the soul passing over, however I would like to have the murtis in the funeral car when she travels to crematorium. Will this be okay or considered bad omen .... thanks
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Question about Hindu murtis (idols)
- Thread starter Reetasab
- Start date
Sorry to hear of your Mum passing on, and welcome to RF
@Reetasab I’m very sorry to hear of your loss.
I don’t see anything in write-ups about murtis in Hindu funerals among the do’s and don’ts. There seem to be actually very few do’s and don’ts.
But many people, including me, have small idols in their vehicles. I have a tiny brass Ganesha on my dashboard. Honestly, I wouldn’t give it a thought. So, it would be there by default.
All in all, if it were me and it gave me comfort I would probably do it. Your inner voice, gut, intuition is the best guide. If you think it would be nice and your Mom (I’m a Yank) would like it, I’d say go for it. The gods are beyond grief but they understand us.
May this be her last birth, and that she attain mokśa.
I don’t see anything in write-ups about murtis in Hindu funerals among the do’s and don’ts. There seem to be actually very few do’s and don’ts.
But many people, including me, have small idols in their vehicles. I have a tiny brass Ganesha on my dashboard. Honestly, I wouldn’t give it a thought. So, it would be there by default.
All in all, if it were me and it gave me comfort I would probably do it. Your inner voice, gut, intuition is the best guide. If you think it would be nice and your Mom (I’m a Yank) would like it, I’d say go for it. The gods are beyond grief but they understand us.
May this be her last birth, and that she attain mokśa.
I am also sorry to hear about your mom passing away. I can't imagine there would be a problem with your idea. May she smile upon you.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
No. Idols are not associated with funerals. Actually, a 10 day/11 day/12 day/13 day period (depending on the tradition of the family about which I am not too clear) is considered unclean for the family of the diseased (known as 'sutak' in Hindi) and no worship is conducted during these days. Most probably, in old days it was sort of quarantine for the family to avoid spread of any communicable disease.
After the funeral rights are over, there is generally a 'havan' (worship with fire) known as 'griha-shanti', return of peace to the house. Normal worship is conducted only after that.
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
As the believers think, 'they are not clean enough to go to a temple or to worship the deity'. No shave, no bath, no combing of the hair. As I said a quarantine for some days, only the friends and sympathisers come to express their sorrow and show support for a short time. In some communities, even the food is sent by the daughter-in-laws people. I may not be correct in all these details, but this is sort of the general scene.
Educated people will wear white, in villages dark colours, deep blue, dark maroon, black - that is 'soag' in Western India - 'sorrow'.
Educated people will wear white, in villages dark colours, deep blue, dark maroon, black - that is 'soag' in Western India - 'sorrow'.
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Why Hindus observe Sutak after a death/birth in near family?
"Most of the Dvijakarmas (rituals that a twice-born is supposed to perform) are to be abandoned except Sandhya-rites which can still be continued with slight variations (like without reciting mantras loudly, without pranayama and reciting sankalpam):
A Vipra (brahmin), on the occasion of a birth or death, should refrain, for ten days, from making gifts or studying the Vedas. A Kshatriya is purified in twelve days ; a Vais'ya in fifteen days ; and a S'udra in a month. Such is the deliverance of Samvarta.
A twice-born person should, daily and duly, perform - the five sacrifices. A Vipra, seeking his well-being, should, under no circumstances, abandon them. One should, (however), always abandon them (in an impurity consequent) on birth and death.
Samvarta Smriti"
Which scriptures mention about Sutak dosha (various prohibitions on child birth)?
More on internet search.
The same was the reason for sutak at child-birth - to save the child and the mother from infections (that is the modern explanation).
They made it a part of religion.
"Most of the Dvijakarmas (rituals that a twice-born is supposed to perform) are to be abandoned except Sandhya-rites which can still be continued with slight variations (like without reciting mantras loudly, without pranayama and reciting sankalpam):
A Vipra (brahmin), on the occasion of a birth or death, should refrain, for ten days, from making gifts or studying the Vedas. A Kshatriya is purified in twelve days ; a Vais'ya in fifteen days ; and a S'udra in a month. Such is the deliverance of Samvarta.
A twice-born person should, daily and duly, perform - the five sacrifices. A Vipra, seeking his well-being, should, under no circumstances, abandon them. One should, (however), always abandon them (in an impurity consequent) on birth and death.
Samvarta Smriti"
Which scriptures mention about Sutak dosha (various prohibitions on child birth)?
More on internet search.
The same was the reason for sutak at child-birth - to save the child and the mother from infections (that is the modern explanation).
They made it a part of religion.
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Idol worship or any puja, except meditation, are proscribed for a period of 4 or 11 or 13 days.
Apart from cleanliness issues, imo, it also has to do with wrong kind of wish fulfilment, arising out of attachment with the deceased.