Vedas contain two main sections. Pu:rva bha:gam, the initial section details the ways of leading life and the resulting consequences; utthara bha:gam, the final section details the nature of the soul, God, and the purpose of life as upanishads. 

In the pu:rva bha:gam, it is mentioned that a son must perform the final rites of a deceased person, a series of Vedic rituals spanning 11 days. When the deceased does not have a son, a relative’s son can perform the final rites. 

A devotee passed away recently. She does not have a son. Her sister’s son performed the final rites.

Does this mean that a soul does not move further in its path if he/she did not have someone to perform the final rites? Does having a son grant his parents the right to heaven or the abode of God? The answer is No. This is what the utthara bha:gam reveals.

As soon as a body collapses to death, the soul begins journey towards its new body. The next body is determined by the karmic records (karma bandham) of the soul. Neither a son nor a daughter can change the destiny of a soul (parent in this case).

The final rites are an opportunity for the children and the extended family to convey their final gratitude towards the parents and are to be carried out with sraddha, deep respect (and therefore the word shra:rdham to the event). There are certain activities that a male is in a better position to perform than a female and vice-versa. A male child is recommended to carry out the final rites of the deceased. This in no undermines the importance of a daughter in a family. 

The most important aspect after the final rites is to seek God’s grace for the soul that has already set out for the journey ahead. It is an opportunity for everyone in the family to seek the same grace for themselves too. 

What is the means for attaining God’s grace?

Na:ham ve:daihi na thapasa: na da:ne:na na che:jyaya: 

– Bhagavad Githa, chapter 11- sloka53

‘Vedic rituals, sacrifices, donations, meditation are not the means to attain me. I am the only means to attain Me’

What does God’s grace do?

Records of karma that are yet to be experienced drives a soul from one body into another. All such bodies are prone to disease, aging, and are affected by nature (prakruthi). Nature however is God’s pet. It follows the instructions of God. If we want nature to not affect us, then we must seek God’s grace. We do not have control over nature. It may seem like we do, but if we observe carefully, we will realize sooner or later that we are in a controlled environment and are not superior to nature. 

To avoid getting into bodies affected by prakruthi, one must surrender to God by leading life with willingness and readiness to accept His grace in complete gratitude, by realizing His supremacy and compassion. Leading life this way puts oneself in a green mode allowing God’s grace to flow through to us when the time comes for it, and not a red mode (arrogance filled) that stops it.

His grace grants one with a body that is divine and is not subject to attractions of nature, and thus in a blissful state (parama padam) in the abode of God.

What triggers God’s grace on a soul?

A:lwa:rs are those blessed souls who are deeply immersed in love for God. It is their songs/verses/poems that God listens to with joy.

Yame:va e:sha vrunathe: the:na labhyaha: tasthyaisha e:va a:tmaa vivrunathe: tha:nu:m sva:m ||

God creates ways to such devotees to know Him further, do the right deeds, and ultimately relieve them from karmic bondage. He Himself comes down to such souls and welcomes them to His abode. 

This is the reason why priests sing the verses written by Namma:lwa:r (the prime a:lwa:r) during paramapado:tsavam (parama pada – the highest state, utsavam – celebration), the joyful celebration of a soul’s journey to the abode of God, Sri Vaikunttam. When God is happy listening to the verses of Namma:lawa:r, one must surrender and pledge to lead the rest of the life with the ‘green‘ mode on. The grace of God then gets rid of the karmic bondage allowing one to come out of the effects of nature, and experience a state of joy with the almighty!

– From the discourse of Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji
– 6 th September 2020, Paramapadotsavam Event
– Dilsukhnagar, Hyderabad