CODE
OF CONDUCT
Sikh
Reht Maryada
Funeral
Ceremonies (Antam Sanskar)
a.
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The
body of a dying or dead person,
if it is on a cot, must not be taken
off the cot and put on the floor.
Nor must a lit lamp be placed beside,
or a cow got bestowed in donation
by, him/her or for his/her good
or any other ceremony, contrary
to Guru's way, performed. Only Gurbani
should be recited or "Waheguru,
Waheguru" repeated by his/her side.
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b. |
When some one shuffles the mortal
coil, the survivors must not grieve
or raise a hue and cry or indulge
in breast beating. To induce a mood
of resignation to God's will, it
is desirable to recite Gurbani or
repeat "Waheguru".
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c.
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However
young the deceased may be, the body
should be cremated. However, where
arrangements for cremation cannot
be made, there should be no qualm
about the body being immersed in
flowing water or disposed of in
any other manner.
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d. |
As to the time of cremation, no
consideration as to whether it should
take place during day or night should
weigh.
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| e. |
The dead body should be bathed and
clothed in clean clothes. While
that is done, the Sikh symbols-Kangha,
Kachha, Karha, Kirpan-should not
be taken off. Thereafter putting
the body on a plank, Ardas about
its being taken away for disposal
be offered. The hearse should then
be lifted and taken to the cremation
ground. While the body is being
carried to the cremation ground,
hymns that induce feelings of detachment
should be recited. On reaching the
cremation ground, the pyre should
be laid. Then the Ardas for consigning
the body to fire be offered. The
dead body should then he placed
on the pyre and the son or any other
relation or friend of the deceased
should set fire to it, The accompanying
congregation should sit at a reasonable
distance and listen to kirtan or
carry on collective singing of Shabads
or recitation of detachment-inducing
Shabads. When the pyre is fully
aflame, the Kirtan Sohila (prescribed
preretirement night Scriptural prayer)
be recited and the Ardas offered.
(Piercing the Skull half an hour
or so after the pyre has been burning
with a rod or something else in
the belief that will secure the
release of the soul-kapal kriya-is
contrary to the Guru's tenets).
The congregation should then leave.
Coming back home, a reading of the
Guru Granth Sahib should be commenced
at home or in a nearby Gurdwara,
and after reciting the six stanzas
of the Anand Sahib, the Ardas, offered
and Karhah prashad (sacred pudding)
distributed. The reading of the
Guru Granth Sahib should be completed
on the tenth day. If the reading
cannot, or is sought not to, be
completed on the tenth day, some
other day may be appointed for the
conclusion of the reading having
regard to the convenience of the
relatives. The reading of the Guru
Granth Sahib should he carried out
by the members of the household
of the deceased and relatives in
cooperation. if possible, Kirtan
may be held every night. No funeral
ceremony remains to be performed
after the "tenth day."
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| f. |
When the pyre is burnt out, the
whole bulk of the ashes, including
the burnt bones, should be gathered
up and immersed in flowing water
or buried at that very place and
the ground levelled. Raising a monument
to the memory of the deceased at
the place where his dead body is
cremated is taboo.
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| g. |
Adh Marg (the ceremony of breaking
the pot used for bathing the dead
body amid doleful cries half way
towards the cremation ground), organised
lamentation by women, foorhi (sitting
on a straw mat in mouming for a
certain period), diva (keeping an
oil lamp lit for 360 days after
the death in the belief that that
will light the path of the deceased),
Pind (ritual donating of lumps of
rice flour, oat flour, or solidified
milk (khoa) for ten days after death),
kirya (concluding the funeral proceedings
ritualistically, serving meals and
making offerings by way of Shradh,
Budha Marna (waving of whisk, over
the hearse of an old person's dead
body and decorating the hearse with
festoons), etc. are contrary to
the approved code. So too is the
picking of the burnt bones from
the ashes of the pyre for immersing
in the Ganga, at Patalpuri (Kiratpur),
at Kartarpur Sahib or at any other
such place.
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