[Advaita-l] I have a question on reading of Garuda Purana at home after the death of a relative *\(Father in my case)

[rajaramvenk at gmail.com]

Definitely. Even a prior knowledge of gita is not required. Gita Mahatmiyam narrates the story of a couple who were so immoral that they became brahmarakshasas. One day, they heard some people talking about, brahman, adhyatmam, karma and purushottama. The wife was curious and asked "kim tad brahma kim adhyatmam kim karma purushottama". Immediately, she left for vaikuntha and so did her husband. Such is the power of gita that half a verse (8.1 in this case) can liberate one who speaks or hears even without understanding the meaning. 
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-----Original Message-----
From: Sunil Bhattacharjya <sunil_bhattacharjya at yahoo.com>
Sender: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
Date: Sat, 2 Feb 2013 12:19:45 
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Reply-To: Sunil Bhattacharjya <sunil_bhattacharjya at yahoo.com>,
	A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta
	<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] I have a question on reading of Garuda Purana at
	home after the death of a relative *\(Father in my case)

May be the recitation of the Bhagavad Gita could still be a valid way to help as it may refresh the Vedantic knowledge in him, who just left his physical body and is very much living  in the house  awaiting  his new body being formed. That is particularly applicable for a person who has read the Bhagavad Gita, while living, and who has developed the love for the Lord, one's higher Self. 

Regards,
Sunil KB




________________________________
 From: V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org> 
Sent: Friday, February 1, 2013 9:41 PM
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] I have a question on reading of Garuda Purana at home after the death of a relative *\(Father in my case)
 
Dear Ramesh,

It is indeed touching to read your report of your father's demise.  The
tradition of reading the Garuda purANam is as per Sri Anand Hudli's
response: it is done before the completion of the Ashaucham period, or the
period of 'impurity.'.  Your vAdhyar will be the best person to schedule
this for you.

Regarding your wish to secure for your departed father the state of mokSha,
pl. note that in Vedanta it is only through self-knowledge that moksha can
be accomplished.  And none else other than that individual can do this.
See this teaching of the Vivekachudamani:

ऋणमोचनकर्तारः पितुः सन्ति सुतादयः
बन्धमोचनकर्ता तु स्वस्माद् अन्यो न कश्चन. ५१

Sons and suchlike are able free their father from debts, but none
can free someone else from bondage. 51

मस्तकन्यस्तभारादेर्दुःखम् अन्यैर्निवार्यते
क्षुधादिकृतदुःखं तु विना स्वेन न केनचित्. ५२

The pain of something like a weight on the head can be removed by
others, but the pain of things like hunger can be put an end to by
none but oneself. 52

पथ्यमौषधसेवा च क्रियते येन रोगिणा
आरोग्यसिद्धिर्दृष्टास्य नान्यानुष्ठितकर्मणा. ५३

A sick man is seen to get better by taking the appropriate medicine
not through treatment undertaken by others. 53

वस्तुस्वरूपं स्फुटबोधचक्षुषा
स्वेनैव वेद्यं न तु पण्डितेन
चन्द्रस्वरूपं निजचक्षुषैव
ज्ञातव्यमान्यैरवगम्यते किम्. ५४

Reality can be experienced only with the eye of understanding, not
just by a scholar. What the moon is like must be seen with one’s own
eyes. How can others do it for you? 54

अविद्याकामकर्मादिपाशबन्धं विमोचितुम्
कः शक्नुयाद् विनात्मानं कल्पकोटिशतैरपि. ५५

Who but yourself can free you from the bonds of the fetters of
things like ignorance, desire and the consequences of your actions
even in hundreds of thousands of years? 55

न योगेन न सांख्येन कर्मणा नो न विद्यया
ब्रह्मात्मैकत्वबोधेन मोक्षः सिध्यति नान्यथा. ५६

Liberation is achieved not by observances or by analysis, nor by
deeds or learning, but only by the realization of one's oneness with
God, and by no other means. 56

You might wish him the best.  It might help him getting
the favorable birth that is conducive to AtmasAdhana.

regards
subrahmanian.v





On Fri, Feb 1, 2013 at 9:21 PM, RAMESH RAMANAN <rameshramanan at yahoo.co.uk>wrote:

> Dear members,
>
> Pranams and Sashtanga Namaskarams.
>
> I am extremely sad to inform you that my respectable father, aged 79,
> passed away on 30th January at 2.05 pm, after undergoing a lot of hardships
> in an hospital in Chennai. He had a paralytic stroke,burst heart-vessel (he
> had a by-pass surgery in 2009) and  severe brain hemorrage. on Monday28th
> January.
>
> Now, I would like to know from all of you, honestly, whether a good
> reading of the Garuda Purana will give peace to my father's spirit and if
> yes, when should the reading be done by the Sasthrigal (is it before or
> after the 13th day karmas?) And for how many days should the reading be
> performed, minimum and maximum number of days and do all the children and
> wife of the departed soul have to be present at the reading?
>
> My father was a very quiet, nice person, who never wished ill for anyone.
> He sacrificed all his life taking care of us and though I took care of him
> for the past three years like my own baby,, I am ashamed and sad to say
> that I did not take sufficient care of him. I  want Janma-raahitya Moksha
> (birthless salvation for him), as I definitely do not want him to take
> another birth in any form and suffer
>
> So I would definitely appreciate a good, well-thought-out answer to the
> above questions.
> I am extremely sorry to take your time and trouble you with my questions,
> but my heart aches and cries out for the peace of my father. Ramesh Ramanan.
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