Antyesti (अन्त्येष्टिः)

Antyeshti (Samskrit: अन्त्येष्टिः) is the crematory samskara performed according to the traditions in Sanatana Dharma. It is the last samskara in the life of a person and specifically deals with the conclusive activities of the physical body. It is also an important juncture where a person's survivors consecrate his death facilitating his entry into the next world based on the person's karma. Even though this samskara does not directly concern to the living aspects of a person, it is of no less importance, because for a person living the dharmik traditions, who follows the principles of Purusharthas, Karma and Punarjanma meticulously, the value of the next world is higher than that of even the present one.

परिचयः ॥ Introduction

The rites and ceremonies associated with the death of a person constitute the Antyeshti samskara. Ayurveda clearly defines death or Mrutyu, in the context of both biological as well as in dharmik principles, as the dissociation of link between Sharira, Indriyas, Atman and manas. When the link is permanently broken, the individual can not interact with outside world and thus is called to have lost life. Death has been experienced as an abnormal event shocking the core of the person. Apart from the physical pain experienced by the person at the time of death, the mystery shrouding the events and results it produced for the victim and his relatives is forever shocking and incomprehensible.

People of Vedic tradition believe that the physical body is perishable whereas Ātmā (soul) is eternal / indestructible; there are Svarga (heaven) and Naraka (hell) that are caused by Karma (nemesis), viz. Puṇyam and Pāpam ; there is rebirth and an entity called Īśvara is running the universe.

जातस्य हि ध्रुवो मृत्युः ध्रुवं जन्म मृतस्य च। तस्मादपारिहार्येऽर्थे न त्वं शोचितुमर्हति ॥ भगवद्गीता, २.२७॥ jātasya hi dhruvo mṛtyuḥ dhruvaṃ janma mṛtasya ca। tasmādapārihārye'rthe na tvaṃ śocitumarhati ॥ Bhagavadgītā, 2.27॥

Śrīkṛṣṇa tells Arjuna during the great war of Mahābhārata – whoever is born has to die and one who is dead would be born, i.e. it is an unending cycle of birth and death. Therefore, you are not supposed to weep with regard to a thing that is inevitable.

The samskaras include a number of preliminary considerations and rites and other accompanying observances, all aiming at not only the formal purification of the body but also the entire personality development of the recipient. The famous sutrakaras divide the samskaras mainly into two with reference to death, i.e. the Purva (before) and the Apara (after). The Purva Samskaras are performed to an individual for the betterment of his everyday life. They are considered as Sodasa Samskaras. The Apara Samskaras are performed to an individual, who is breathing his last breath. Some scholars do not include this samskara in the Sodasa Samskaras and it starts from Pranotkramana and normally ends with Sapindikarana (combining of the Pretaa form with the Pitr form).

Atman Never Dies

While the physical body is perishable, death did not cause the entire annihilation of man. Sanatana Dharma extols that the process of death involves the separation of the Atman from the body. Many experience a separation of the Atman from the body, as in dreams. The distinction between such a separation and that of death was that the latter was final, a point of no return. Thus, though deceased, disembodied, the Atman continues to be living according to the principles of Sanatana Dharma. Recent researchers mention the records of the "near death experiences", at times of severe sickness when the person "experiences" separation of the Atma from the body. While such records cannot be actually verified nor can the experiences can be observed directly by Pratyaksha pramana, most patients describe the experience as 'leaving the body' and 'close to death' and subsequent 'return to the body'.

According to Rigveda the dead person’s Atman which is imperishable will go and join the Pitrloka. He will reach the specified lokas either through the Devayana or Pitryana ways according to his Karma, (the third the Narakayana).

Antyeshti Samskara

The Saṃskāra to be performed at the end (of life), i.e. at the time of death of a person. The earlier fifteen Saṃskāras are performed while a person is alive. The last one, viz. Antyeṣṭi is performed after death of a person in order to get him a comfortable position. Antyeṣṭi is performed by sons.

After the death of a person, the near relatives would attain Aśaucam (impurity) for ten days. There is a lot of procedure to be followed right from burning the dead body to offering Daśadānāni (ten kinds of donations) among which is Godānam (donation of a milky cow with calf).

Procedures

Different procedures of Antyeṣṭi are prescribed for different people, i.e. a Brahmacārī (celibate), a Śrotriya (Vedic scholar), a Yati (a Saṃnyāsī), a virgin, a married woman, a widow, a widower etc. Pitṛmedha has to be performed by the son. For the first twelve months, a monthly death ceremony called Māsikam is to be performed. Then yearly death ceremony called Ābdikam has to be performed. At every step there are some exemptions for people who cannot meet the standard procedure for some reason or the other. Such are called Āpaddharma (the Dharma in a hostile situation).