Devotee
Namaskar, viewers. Namaskar, Gurudeb.
Guru Shyama Khyapa
Namaskar.
Devotee
Friends, today Gurudeb will shed light on a very important subject. I request you to watch this entire episode without skipping. You might find a solution to a very complex problem. Today, the topic Gurudeb will discuss is Pindadan (funeral offerings). He has spoken about this before, but we consider Gurudeb a guide and a mentor. He will present how the traditional Vedic rituals can be adapted to our modern times. Gurudeb, we want to know about Pindadanâhow should it be performed in various situations today?
Guru Shyama Khyapa
As long as people are alive, they witness many funeral rites. A priest comes, the ceremony happensâpeople see this every day. But the question of Pindadan arises only after death. Man is mortal; everyone must die sooner or later. As long as the body is being cremated, there is no ritualistic impurity (asauch). Once the cremation is over and water is poured on the pyreâpeople say this is to "cool the bones"âthat is when the process begins. Water is used to bring peace to the remains.
Nowadays, electric crematoriums are common. You put the body in, and forty minutes later, the process is done. In the past, when cremating with wood, many insects would be attracted to the fire and perish with the body. At that moment, the deceasedâs "three clans" are no longer present. We have three main lineages: the paternal clan, the maternal clan, and the mother's side (extended maternal family). There is also the Guru-kul, but that is a higher spiritual concept. People often say, "There is no one left in the three clans to light a lamp."
When we cremate a body, we perform two types of Pindadan. One is the Agni-dagdha Pindaâdedicated to the insects or beings that might have died in the fire with the body. Then comes the Pret Pinda for the deceased. Regarding the vessels used, the scriptures say that if you cannot afford a copper vessel (Kansa patra), use an earthen one (Mit patra). If you cannot afford that, use a banana leaf (Kolodi patra). Our scriptures allow for this flexibility based on a personâs means.
Before returning home from the cremation, we wear a kacha (white cloth) with a key or piece of iron attached. This is not for fashion; it is to protect the living from being touched by the spirit (Pret). For ten days, the soul remains attached to the home; it does not leave immediately. The soul suffers because it can see people coming and going, talking and mourning, but it has no voice or body to respond. On the tenth day, a ritual called Purak Pinda is performed. The soul is summoned to the ghat (riverside) and told, "Come out of the house now; your offerings will be made at the ghat."
At the ghat, family members shave their heads, and the Pindadan is performed. For Brahmins, cooked rice is used; for others, a mixture of raw rice and bananas is offered.
Devotee
Gurudeb, you have explained the scriptural traditional way. But I want to ask about a specific situation you mentioned recently. Suppose I die, and I have no sons or brothersâonly a daughter. Can she perform my Pindadan?
Guru Shyama Khyapa
Yes, she can. Even if there are nephews or other male relatives, the daughter has the right.
Devotee
What if she is married and her Gotra (clan) has changed?
Guru Shyama Khyapa
Even then, she can perform the rituals. If there is no one else, she can observe the 13 days of mourning and perform the Pindadan. She is the one who performed the Mukhagni (lighting the funeral pyre), and she has the fire in her hands to release the soul. Our tradition sometimes says women cannot hold Kush grass because it represents Brahmin power. In such cases, priests use Durba grass to make a ring for the daughter to offer water. So, it is a myth that daughters cannot do it. They are fully entitled to perform Pindadan in Gaya or anywhere else. I am a reformist; I believe in science and logic over blind rituals.
Devotee
That is very reassuring, Gurudeb. You also mentioned that one can perform their own Pindadan. How is that possible?
Guru Shyama Khyapa
That is for those entering Sannyas (monasticism). When someone decides to become a monk, they perform their own funeral rites (Atma-shraddha). They "die" to their previous worldly identity, family name, and past. After that, they are reborn with a new name. If you go to Belur Math, you can see how a monk is initiated. Once they have performed their own Pindadan, no one needs to do it for them when they eventually leave their physical body. A monk has no ritualistic impurity (asauch) and no worldly ties.
Devotee
Finally, Gurudeb, you mentioned that women have been marginalized since the Vedic age. Why is that?
Guru Shyama Khyapa
It is because of a patriarchal society. Men decided that all religious activities should be done by men. But I ask: I was born from my mother's wombâshe is a womanâhow can I consider her "untouchable" in rituals? In many temples, like the Jagannath Temple in Puri, women are not allowed to cook the Bhog or perform certain pujas. I don't accept that. I have read the Vedas. In our temple, women cook, they perform puja, and they even perform Homa (fire rituals). I have enabled this.
Historically, scholars like Gargi, Maitreyi, and Apala were Vedic seers. They composed hymns and performed rituals. The restrictions came later. The "scientific" reason for keeping women at home in the past was practical: if women went out for long rituals, who would maintain the household and raise the children? In the past, women often had eight or ten children. They were kept constantly occupied with domestic life so the "nest" wouldn't be ruined.
But the world has changed. In 1956/58, laws were changed to give daughters an equal share in their father's property. If they can inherit property, why canât they inherit religious rights? Great reformers like Raja Ram Mohan Roy stopped the Sati practice, and Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar introduced widow remarriage. Women have been oppressed for too long, forced to serve in silence. Today, they are in politics, in offices, and they are doing everything. We must accept this reality.
Devotee
Friends, you heard Gurudebâs profound insights. He has shown us an easy and logical way to understand these rituals, especially regarding the rights of women. Whether you choose to follow this is up to you, but his perspective is certainly thought-provoking.
Pranam, Gurudeb.
Guru Shyama Khyapa
Pranam.