As I am looking down on the cremation of my dear friend, Jatayu, a certain sadness fills my heart. I know that he died with great honor, trying to save Sita from an unfortunate abduction. However, I know that he deserves a more grand affair. He deserves to be buried with all of the proper rituals afforded to followers of the gods. Rama and Lakshmana did what they could, and I give them full credit.
As Jatayu lay dying, Rama and Lakshmana ran across his mutilated body. Jatayu uttered his last words, and the two kings went to work to bury the dear friend of their father. They could spare no time, for Sita was in grave danger. Rama went to gather brightly colored flowers and incense to burn over the body of Jatayu. This was to appease me and the other gods, so that Jatayu might be accepted into his final resting place. Lakshmana chopped down a a nearby tree to burn over the body, and cut up meat to lay out as an offering to the birds in the forest.
As Rama and Lakshmana continued to make preparations for the cremation, they offered up prayers to me, praying for an easy entry into the gates of paradise. They burned incense near his body, and the smell was a pleasing aroma to my nostrils. They finished decorating the pile of wood with flowers and other colorful decorations. The bright orange and yellow colors of the flowers, and the smell they produced reminded me of summertime, and how pleasant that time of year is. They said their last goodbyes, and set the wood aflame. All of these offerings were necessary for Jatayu to pass on to the next life.
As the wood burned, Rama and Lakshmana recounted the deeds of Jatayu. They praised him for his bravery in facing Ravana in battle. They remembered Jatayu as not only a bird, but a creature of immense bravery and valor. Rama recounted to Lakshmana all the years of dedication that Jatayu had given to their father, Dasaratha. At last, the body was done burning, and Jatayu's spirit had fully left his body to make its way to the gates of paradise. Dasaratha and many of Jatayu's closest companions were waiting to welcome him home. Me, and many of the other gods, felt a great joy as one of our fiercest warriors entered his final rest.
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| Rama and Lakshmana with dying Jatayu. Source: Hare Krishna Tempel Portal |
Author's Note:
I decided to write the story of Jatayu's funeral because of the fact that I attended a ceremonial Hindu cremation. It was a learning experience, so I wanted to pass on what little I knew of the ceremonies to the other members of the class. There really isn't a funeral, but just a gathering of people as they burn the body. They stack wood over the body, and put incense and flowers around the pile. They also lay out flowers to appease the gods. On some occasions, the family will put together an extremely colorful array of paper and decorations to burn on top of the body. The family has to purchase a plot to burn the body on, and then once they are done, the ashes are swept off to make room for the next person. There are other elements such as ceremonial washings, and ceremonies that the family does alone. But I wanted to give a small picture of what a Hindu cremation ceremony would look like. This story comes from Buck's Ramayana.
Bibliography:Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way
Dakota,
ReplyDeletethank you so much for writing this! It was a really easy read, and I enjoyed hearing the details of the funeral. You described it beautifully and I could really picture the scene, even smell the incense! It was a good choice to tell it from the perspective of a god (though I'm not sure if it is supposed to be a specific god). It's really interesting that cremation is the usual choice for a body after death. It makes you wonder why our culture often buries our dead - as if we want to hold them close to use as long as possible. Good job!
Dakota, this was very interesting to read. You included so many great details of the cremation that really added to the original story. I also liked the scene being told from a god's point of view as s/he watched Rama and Lakshmana arrange the cremation. I loved that in your author's note you included that you had seen traditional Hindu cremations. Knowing that added even more to the story since the description was from your own experience. Great job!
ReplyDeleteYour story was the complete opposite of mine. Jatayu survived in my story. I really enjoyed that you gave the accounts of what happened when Rama and Lakshmana found Jatayu. I found it great that they did not just leave his body in a rush to find Sita, they gave him the attention and respect he deserved. The explanation in your authors not was spectacular. I appreciate that you used the details you learned about a ceremonial Hindu cremation in your story. Otherwise I would not have know just how detailed and beautiful the ceremonies were. Its really interesting that the family has to purchase a plot to burn the body on but the remains are then swept away for the next. I find the photo you chose very appropriate as well. Your stories always bring an new and in-depth view of the already great story. Keep up the good work!
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