Antyesti (IAST: Antyeṣṭi, Sanskrit: अन्त्येष्टि) literally means “last sacrifice” or “final auspicious ceremony,” and it refers to the funeral rites for the deceased in Hinduism, which usually involves the cremation of the body. This rite of passage is the last samskara in a series of traditional life cycle samskaras that start from conception in Hindu tradition. It is also known as Antima Samskara, Antya-kriya, Anvarohanyya, or Vahni Samskara.
The details of the Antyesti ceremony depend on the region, social group, gender, and age of the deceased.
Etymology
Antyeṣṭi (अन्त्येष्टि) is a composite Sanskrit word of antya and iṣṭi, which respectively mean “last” and “sacrifice” or “auspicious ceremony.” Together, the word means the “last sacrifice.” Similarly, the phrase Antima Samskara literally means “last sacred ceremony, or last rite of passage.”
Scriptures
The Antyesti rite of passage is structured around the premise in ancient Hindu literature that the microcosm of all living beings reflects the macrocosm of the universe. The soul (Atman, Brahman) is the essence and immortal, which is released during the Antyeshti ritual, while both the body and the universe are vehicles and transient in various schools of Hinduism. The human body and the universe consist of five elements in Hindu texts: air, water, fire, earth, and space. The final rite of passage returns the body to these five elements and its origins.
The roots of this belief are found in the Vedas, for example, in the hymns of Rigveda in section 10.16:
Don't burn him through, Agni; don't scorch him; don't singe his skin, nor his body.
When you will make him cooked to readiness, Jātavedas, then impel him forth to the forefathers.
When you will have made him cooked to readiness, Jātavedas, then deliver him to the forefathers.
When he will embark on the (way) leading to (the other) life, then he will lead at the will of the gods.
Let your eye go to the sun, your life-breath to the wind. Go to heaven and to earth as is fitting.
Or go to the waters, if it has been fixed for you there. Take your stand in the plants with your limbs.The final rites of a burial, in case of the untimely death of a child, are rooted in Rig Veda’s section 10.18, where the hymns mourn the death of the child, praying to the deity Mrityu to “neither harm our girls nor our boys,” and pleads the earth to cover and protect the deceased child like soft wool.
Antyesti Practices
Cremation Rituals
The last rites are usually completed within a day of death. While practices vary among sects, generally, the body is washed, wrapped in white cloth if the deceased is a man or a widow, or red cloth if it is a woman whose husband is still alive. The big toes are tied together with a string, and a Tilak (red, yellow, or white mark) is placed on the forehead. The deceased’s body is carried to the cremation ground near a river or water by family and friends and placed on a pyre with feet facing north.
The eldest son, a male mourner, or a priest—called the lead cremator or lead mourner—bathes himself before leading the cremation ceremony. He circumambulates the dry wood pyre with the body, says a eulogy or recites a hymn, places sesame seeds or rice in the dead person’s mouth, sprinkles the body and the pyre with ghee (clarified butter), and then draws three lines signifying Yama (deity of the dead), Kala (‘Time’, deity of cremation and finality), and the dead. Before lighting the pyre, an earthen pot is filled with water, and the lead mourner circles the body with it, then lobs the pot over his shoulder so it breaks near the head. Once the pyre is ablaze, the lead mourner and the closest relatives may circumambulate the burning pyre one or more times. The ceremony is concluded by the lead cremator, performing the ritual called kapala kriya, where the burning skull is pierced with a bamboo stave to release the spirit.
All attendees of the cremation, exposed to the dead body or cremation smoke, take a shower as soon as possible after the cremation, as the ritual is considered unclean and polluting. The cold collected ash from the cremation is later consecrated in the nearest river or sea.
In some regions, the sons and other male relatives of the deceased shave their heads and beards and invite neighbors, friends, and relatives on the tenth, eleventh, or twelfth day to share a simple meal in remembrance of the deceased. This day, in some communities, also marks when the poor and needy are offered food in memory of the dead.
Modern Cremation Methods
Both manual bamboo wood pyres and electric cremation are used for Hindu cremations. For electric cremation, the body is placed on a bamboo frame on rails near the door of the electric chamber. After cremation, the mourner collects the ashes and consecrates them in a water body, such as a river or sea.
Burial in Hinduism
Apart from cremation, several Hindu sects practice burial. Important gurus, swamis, or sadhus are often buried. The preparatory rituals are similar to cremation, such as washing the body and applying vibuthi or chandam on the forehead. However, instead of cremating, the deceased is buried. The body is either placed in a sleeping position or, in some Shaivite and tribal traditions, in Padmasana (sitting position) with legs folded and arms resting on the thighs, simulating a meditative position. The burial pit is prepared in the community burial ground called Shamshana, usually situated outside the city or village. Affluent individuals may bury their dead in their own fields. The burial pit for a sleeping position is generally three feet wide and six feet long, while for a sitting position, it is three feet by three feet. Saints are invariably buried in a sitting position in a separate place where a Samadhi is built, which becomes a place of worship. For example, followers of the Ayyavazhi sect bury the body facing north in a Padmasana position without coffins, covered by sand or Namam (sacred soil) as an act of austerity for the unfolding of Dharma Yukam.
Post-Antyesti Rituals
Other Indian rituals after death include Niravapanjali, Tarpana, Śrāddha, Rasam Pagri, and Pitru Paksha.
Genealogy Registers
Many people visit Hindu pilgrimage sites to perform Śrāddha ceremonies, like Gaya, Pehowa, Kurukshetra, Haridwar, Gokarneshwar, Nashik, etc., where they also update their genealogy registers maintained by pandas.
Observance by Hindu Communities Outside India and Nepal
Trinidad and Tobago
Hindus brought to Trinidad and Tobago as indentured laborers between 1845 and 1917 by the British colonial government faced discriminatory laws that prohibited cremation and other rites of passage, as colonial officials considered these practices pagan and uncivilized. After decades of social organization and petitions, Trinidadian Hindus gained the right to practice their traditional rites of passage, including Antyesti, in the 1950s, and built the first crematorium in the 1980s.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, traditional outdoor Hindu cremations were illegal under the 1902 Cremation Act. In 2006, Daven Ghai, a British Hindu, brought a case to court claiming that the law allowed open-air cremations as long as they were in an enclosed building and away from the public. The High Court disagreed, but in 2010, the Court of Appeals ruled that such cremations would be legal if performed within a building, even an open-air one. Ghai expressed gratitude for the ruling, which allowed him and other Hindus and Sikhs in the country to pursue traditional cremation ceremonies.
Conclusion
Antyesti, the final rite in the series of samskaras, holds significant cultural and spiritual importance in Hinduism. Whether through cremation or burial, these rituals honor the deceased, reflecting the belief in the transitory nature of the body and the eternal nature of the soul. The practices vary widely across regions and communities, showcasing the diversity and richness of Hindu traditions.
