Antya Sanskar / Antyeshthi / Last cremation rites
On the demise of a beloved one, as gratitude and respect to the departed AtmA (soul), Antya Sanskar or Cremation rites are performed by the family. Cremation is the process of returning the physical body to five elements of the nature, in turn paying gratitude to the ParamAtmA or the God for blessing us with the life force energy. It signifies the unifying and merging of the AtmA , the Soul, with the ParamAtmA , the God.
Our services include:
- Organising the funeral director,
- Support with the completion of the documentation ,
- Priest , materials required for the day 1 (i.e. cremation rituals) ceremony
- Recitation of key mantras
- Invocation of Agni BhagavAn (God of Fire) and Yama BhagavAn (God of Death)
- Day 1 rituals by the family members
- Friends and relatives offering their gratitude to the departed soul
- Mukhagni* (actually setting fire) is offered to the body of the departed soul where we actually offer the body to the Agni BhagavAn by setting fire to the body
*In Australia we simulate this by lighting the incense stick and touch the flame to the lips, chest and the legs of the body. Just before the coffin goes into the furnace, we light a mud lamp with ghee and wick and place it on the lid of the coffin near the chest area.