The philosophy behind “Shraddha” Ritual after death…
Concept: Puri Peethadhishwar Jagadguru Shankaracharya Swami Nishchalananda Saraswati Ji Maharaj
Credits: Sandeep Sehgal Ji
The Jeeva Atma leaves one body and travels into another body, “Shraddha”-the ritual for the deceased is done after death. Where does that go?
It is written in Chhandogya Upanishad, Bhagwaan Shankaracharya has written a detailed commentary on that. You must be familiar with Bank, where the money is deposited; today all know it. Suppose a person has sufficient money in his bank account, he has so much capital in his bank account or his house, so that he can live his life in a good manner, you must have understood this. Any other person may or may not deposit anything in his account.
Similarly, those who have earned so much Punya (merits) in their lifetime; his sons or grandsons, whoever is authorized can utilize this. In that case, doing or not doing any Shraddha, he is liberated with his capital only. But those, who don’t have this much capital of Punya the ritual help them. Their sons, grandsons, relatives, vows mantras, prescribed material to that soul. All these combined go to the Jeeva Atma or the Jiva which has passed away from this body.
So, now consider ‘Daha Sanskaar’. It is duly performed as per Shastras. Shraddha, Tarpana, are called that capital, and that Punya goes to that Jeeva on the basis of relation, basis of vow, basis of prescribed method, basis of prescribed material, basis of feelings reach there.
In Matsya Purana, it is explained in detail. You are in Bharata, one of your relative lives in America. You can send him the currency of India, through the money exchange mechanism. It will be converted to dollars and will reach him. Similarly, the body in which Jeeva resides, whatever food is useful for that body, gets converted into that kind of material as per the exchange mechanism. It is applicable to all living things. If somebody becomes a ghost after death, then he will get a diet of a ghost, it becomes a lion, then a diet of a lion. In his name, his Asthi is processed in Ganga Ji or in Triveni. With the effect of that Punya, his Bhavarajya (Imagination thoughts) will get changed. Imagine if somebody becomes a lion in his dream, but after some time, he finds himself as a ruler, then Gandharva, then human, then only Bhavrajya is transformed. Due to change in Bhavrajya, the body also looks like separate in that particular vertical.
First, he considered himself as the body of a lion then considers himself as a king, so, here the capital of Punya plays the part if the person is not born yet, after his death. We need to understand this from a Scriptural viewpoint. If the body is formed only in Bhavrajya, so with the capital of that Punya, a new Bhavrajya gets formed and he gets a divine body again. This is the principle behind the mechanism of Shraddha.
Narayana !!!
