अन्त्यॆि - Funeral Ceremony –(funeral rite)

This is also called pitRu medha antyeShTi antyakarma . It is an important rite and described in the
Puranas . When Jiva along with his subtle body consisting of 17 elements (i.e. 5 senses, 5 organs of
action, 5 vital airs, mind and intellect ) leaves the body which is called death, and he is immediately
given an airy body (वायवीय / वाय ) or आितवािहकशरीर (transporting body) which also protects the
subtle body. He is called पर्ॆत(preta) (literally departed from and not in the physical body) because he is
light and swiftly moving. Having lived for long time in the physical body he might develop a special
attachment with it. This pulls him towards the physical body again and again . there fore the shraaddha
rites dasagaatra etc. are recommended by the scriptures for freeing the departed from the intermediate
preta state. During the performance of shraddha one says, in order to liberate the departed soul from the
preta state (पर्ॆतत्व िवमुिक्त कामः) both for the laymen and learned in scriptures. To wean him away from
the dead body, the latter is cremated by Hindus, and himself propiated with water etc.
Scriptures do not prescribe / recommend cremation of a sanyasi’s body, for, he practiced even before
he left the body detachment for the body and all other worldly things and relations.
A child’s body is also not cremated in Hinduism because it has not lived long enough in the physical
body to develop attachment with it , and the departed soul has no obstruction to proceed in his way.
Nor any elaborate) rituals are prescribed to prepare him mentally wean away from looking back .
Living as a preta or ghost is also possible. One dying in an accident such as drowning , fire accident ,
road accident etc. becomes a preta with an airy body and continues to live in that state for some time.
Preta desires to be associated with his property and the relations , and make them like him. By virtue of
his airy body, he is capable of assuming a physical body like that of a snake, bull or buffalo or human
also, but for only a short while. One continues to live as preta for some time until pretasaMskaaraH,
dashagaatra-vidhaanaM, ShoDashashraaddha, sapiNDeekaraNa पर्ॆतसंस्कारः, दशगातर्-िवधानं, षॊडशशर्ा ,
सिपण्डीकरण are done for him.
Animals and birds do not have well developed higher five koshas (except physical) hence they cannot
develop any attachment with the body, family and circumstances, and therefore do not need any post
mortem rites.
-Prakashanandendrasaraswati Swamiji
[based on an article in Puranakathank of Gitapress P-69 -71]