Garuda purana and its teaching on death

The Garuda Purana is one of the most important texts in Hinduism specifically dedicated to the themes of death, the journey of the soul after death, the rituals to be performed for the deceased, and the mechanics of karma and rebirth.

Its teachings on death are not meant to simply inspire fear, but to provide a detailed roadmap for the soul's journey and to guide the living on how to properly assist their departed loved ones. The teachings can be broadly categorized into a few key areas:

1. The Process of Dying and the Subtle Body

• The Withdrawal of the Senses: The text describes death as a process where the senses (sight, sound, touch, etc.) withdraw into the mind, the mind withdraws into the breath, and the breath withdraws into the soul (jiva).

• Agony of Death: The dying person is said to experience great physical agony and mental turmoil. The body becomes cold, starting from the feet.

• The Subtle Body (Sukshma Sharira): At the moment of death, the soul, along with the subtle body (which contains the mind, intellect, and ego) and its accumulated karmas, leaves the physical body. This subtle body is the vehicle for the soul's journey to the next world.

2. The Journey of the Soul After Death

This is one of the most detailed and famous aspects of the Garuda Purana. The soul's journey is a direct result of its karma (actions in life).

• The Paths: Two main paths are described:

  • The Path of the Sun (Devayana or Northern Path): This is for those who have lived a life of supreme knowledge, devotion, and selfless action. Their souls ascend to higher, heavenly realms or even to liberation (Moksha), bypassing the court of Yama.

  • The Path of the Moon (Pitriyana or Southern Path): This is for the majority of souls who are bound by their karma. They take this path to the realm of Yama, the god of death, for judgment.

• The 12-Month Journey: The text gives a detailed, stage-by-stage account of the soul's difficult journey to Yamaloka. It encounters various terrifying sights, fierce beings, and undergoes hardships like scorching heat, violent storms, and walking on blades. This journey lasts for about one year.

3. Judgment in Yamaloka

• The Court of Yama: The soul is brought before Yama, the righteous judge of the dead.

• Chitragupta, the Recorder: Yama's scribe, Chitragupta, maintains a meticulous account of every single thought, word, and deed (karma) from the soul's life.

• The Scale of Justice: The soul's good deeds (Punya) and bad deeds (Papa) are weighed on a scale. The balance of this scale determines the soul's next destination.

4. The Realms After Judgment: Heaven, Hell, and Rebirth

Based on the judgment, the soul is assigned a destination:

• Swarga (Heaven): A temporary realm of enjoyment for those with a preponderance of good karma. Once the merit of their good deeds is exhausted, they must return to the cycle of rebirth.

• Naraka (Hell): This is not a permanent state of damnation like in some Western concepts. It is a temporary purgatory consisting of many different hells (often said to be 21 or 28), each designed to administer a specific punishment for a specific sin (e.g., lying, stealing, harming others, improper rituals). The soul endures suffering here to be purified of its bad karma. After the sentence is served, the soul is reborn.

• Rebirth: Most souls, after experiencing the consequences of their karma in heaven or hell, are reborn on Earth in a new body. The nature of that body—its species, health, wealth, and lifespan—is determined by their past actions and residual karma.

5. Rituals for the Deceased (Shraddha and Antyeshti)

A significant portion of the Garuda Purana is a manual for the living on how to perform rites for the dead. These rituals are considered crucial for aiding the soul's journey.

• Antyeshti (Last Rites): The proper performance of the funeral pyre rites is described in detail.

• Shraddha Ceremonies: These are post-death rituals performed to nourish the departed soul, especially during its vulnerable first year of journey. The most important is the offering of Pinda Daan (rice balls), which are believed to help form a new astral body for the deceased.

• Importance of the Son: The text heavily emphasizes the necessity of a son to perform these rites to ensure the soul's peaceful transition. This reflects the social context of its time.

6. Moral and Ethical Teachings (The Purpose Behind the Fear)

While the vivid descriptions of hells are often what the Garuda Purana is famous for, their primary purpose is pedagogical:

• Deterrence: To discourage people from committing sinful actions by illustrating their painful consequences.

• Incentive for Righteousness: To encourage virtuous living, devotion (bhakti), charity, and the performance of duty (dharma).

• Impermanence of Life: To create a sense of Vairagya (dispassion or detachment) from the temporary physical world and motivate the seeker towards spiritual goals and ultimately, Moksha (liberation from the cycle of birth and death).

Summary of Key Teachings:

In essence, the Garuda Purana provides a comprehensive cosmological and ethical framework for understanding death, not as an end, but as a critical transition in the eternal journey of the soul, governed by the inexorable law of karma.

By Jamuna Rangachari