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| Sraddha or Requiem Ceremony |
The following liturgy for the Sraddha or Requiem Ceremony has been taken from the Manual of Brahmo Rituals and Devotions by Sitanath Tattwabhushan. The book was first published in 1924 with its second edition in 1971 by the Sadharan Brahmo Samaj. The language is archaeic and can be suitably modified keeping in mind with the occassion and times.
The Sraddha ceremony usually begins with Sankirtans sung in chorus early in the morning. The first part of the usual service,- up to the general prayer, is then conducted by the minister. This is usually followed by the reading of texts from the scriptures with expositions, by the same minister or another specially entrusted with the task. The scriptures selected are ordinarily the Katha Upanishad, the Bhagavadgita and the Santiparva of the Mahabharata. The following texts mostly from Brahmo Dharma quoted in the Maharshi Debendranath's Anushthan Paddhati are suitable for the occasion, The last four texts are to be read at the sraddha of parents:
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Punyam kurban punyakirtih pun asthanam sma gachchati
Punyam pranan dharayati punyam pranadamuchyate |
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| Having practised virtue, man gains pure glory and goes to pure regions. Virtue sustains life and is called the giver of life. |
Dharmam shanai sanchinuyat valmikamiba puttikah
Paraloka sahayartham sarba bhutanyapidayam.
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| One should lay up virtue gradually as ants make an anthill, for help in the next world, without giving trouble to any creature. |
Namutrahi sahayartham pita mata cha tishthate
No putra daram na jnati dharma tishtnati kebalam
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| For help in the next world there exists neither the father nor the mother neither sons nor wife nor relatives; virtue alone exists. |
Ekah prajayate jantureka eka praliyate
Eka anubhunkte sukritameka eba tu dushkritam. |
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| Alone is a creature born and alone does he die; alone does he, enjoy the fruits of his good deeds, and alone suffer the consequence of his misdeeds. |
Yatoba imani bhutani jayante
Yen jatani jeevanti
Yat prayantyabhisamvishanti
Tat vijijnasasva Tat Brahma |
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| That from which all there by which all created beings are sustained into which, when departed from here, they proceed and enter, that is Brahman. Desire to know Him. |
Anandaddheba khalvimani bhutani jayante
Anandena jatani jeevanti
Anandam prayantyabhisambishanti |
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| From love have all these things been born by love created things are sustained, into love they proceed and enter when they leave this world. |
Yedebeha tatamutra Yadamutra tadanviha
Mrityo sa mrityum apnoti ya iha naneva pashyati.
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| Whatever is in this manifested world, that is there, i.e., in the absolute state of the Brahma; what is there same is here. He who sees as different, meet with death again and again. |
Nityonityanam chetanam chetananam
Eko vahunam yo vidadhati kaman
Tamatmastham yeh anupashyanti dheerah
Tesham shantih shashvati netaresham |
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| He is the one Eternal in the midst of all transient things, who is tbe consciousness of all conscious beings, who being one, dispense unto all their desired things. The wise who see Him as dwelling in their souls attains abiding peace which is attainable unto none else. |
Eshasya paramagatireshasya parama sampat
Eshosya paramoloka eshosya parama anandah |
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| He is the Supreme refuge of man, He is the Supreme treasure of man, He is the Supreme habitation of man, He is the Supreme joy of man. |
Mataram pitaranchaiba pratyaksha sakshat devatam
Matva grihee nisheveta sada sarba prayatnatah |
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| Regarding the mother and the father as directly visible deities, the householder should serve them always with care. |
Shrabaenmridulan vanin sarbada priyamacharet
Pitrorajnanusari svat sat putrah kulapavanah |
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| The good son, who hallows his family, should speak kindly' to his' parents, do always what pleases them and be obedient to them. |
Gurunanchaiba sarbesham mata paramako guruh
Mata gurutara bhumeh khat pitochchatarastatha |
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| Of all honoured persons the mother is the most honoured. She is more weighty than the earth, and the father is higher than the sky. |
Yan matapitarou klesham sahete sambhabe nrinam
Na tasya nishkritih shakya kartum varsha shatairapi |
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The trouble which the mother and father endure when children are born, cannot be compensated even in a hundred years.
The reading and expounding of texts is followed by the reading of a life sketch of the deceased by a near relative or friend and the offering of a prayer. The minister then prays as follows:
"Mighty God, upon this solemn occasion may we feel that we are but as dust and and that thou only art real, eternally real. Here is man and in a moment he is not. Now family and friends and earthly possessions gladden and cheer us, now they are gone and the soul is launched on eternity, alone and resourceless. Therefore, we pray thee, O Eternal, to fix our hearts on things spiritual and eternal. Intensify our faith in the next world, and prepare us for life eternal. Give thou to the spirit departed all the light and glory of heaven, and though parted outwardly may we continue united in spirit. By thy infinite grace may earth be transformed into heaven, and while here, may we have a foretaste of its joy and learn to live in thee with thy blessed family of immortals and saints!" (from the Nava Samhita)
The minister then announces the sraddha gifts and charities, and the ceremony closes with a hymn or one or more sankirtans.
In the annual sraddha celebrated on the anniversary of the death of the deceased, the same ritual is adopted, excluding only the reading of a life.
Some donations are to be made to the Brahma Samaj. |
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