Questions tagged [death]

Questions related to death.

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93 votes
8 answers
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Why do Hindus believe in cremation instead of burial?

The other two major religions, Christianity and Islam both practice burial after death. What factors influence the Hindus to practice cremation instead?
Pawan's user avatar
  • 1,706
33 votes
7 answers
6k views

What happens after death?

Does a human being have a soul after death? What will happen after death according to Hinduism?
w͏̢in̡͢g͘̕ed̨p̢͟a͞n͏͏t̡͜͝he̸r̴'s user avatar
30 votes
6 answers
3k views

Is organ donation allowed? Have any Hindu acharyas commented on this practice?

According to some religions, donating the human organs (especially after one's death) is considered a good practice. So is it a good thing to do according to Hindu scripture? Have any Hindu acharyas ...
jeevan kumar's user avatar
29 votes
2 answers
10k views

Does the karma from the previous life affect the current life?

I was reading this post recently where @jabahar explains about Are people always reborn as people? where user answers as — Depending upon karma a jivatma (spirit) may reborn in the body of ...
Mr. Alien's user avatar
  • 7,051
23 votes
12 answers
9k views

Do Gods die in Hinduism?

In Christianity, God dies. Something similar concept is there in Norse mythology. Are there any stories in Hinduism about the death of Gods? P.S. I am not talking about avatars.
Ankit Sharma's user avatar
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18 votes
6 answers
8k views

What does Hinduism say about Suicide?

What does Hinduism say in regards to suicide? Or maybe even assisted suicide? Not just out of depression or anger, but what if your just tired and want to retire?
Xarcell's user avatar
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17 votes
5 answers
9k views

What is the truth behind the practice of Sati? How is it related to Hinduism?

Many people use the practice of Sati (सती) as a weapon against Hinduism to point out that it is full of bad practices. I have heard that it was limited to one particular community in one of the states ...
user avatar
17 votes
2 answers
10k views

How do you know death is near for a person as per scriptures? Is there any reference?

I have seen an old man suffering for long where as healthy young man died. So is there any mention in scriptures or any indication of a man dying? I have googled around and found few answers which ...
nithin's user avatar
  • 271
16 votes
7 answers
8k views

What is "Moksha" in Hinduism?

I have heard the word "Moksha" in Hinduism. I know it is related to death and birth. What exactly it is?
Himanshu's user avatar
  • 1,628
16 votes
3 answers
65k views

What is the significance of 3, 16, or 41 days after the death?

Basically, there are a few numbers (of days) after various events that are of special significance. E.g. 41 days after a person dies, the members of their family must go to a temple; likewise for any ...
Sukan's user avatar
  • 261
15 votes
3 answers
1k views

Do all Non-Hindus remain as Pretas after death?

The Jivatma will remain as a Preta unless Śrāddha is done, but non-Hindus do not perform Śrāddha.
learner's user avatar
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15 votes
1 answer
294 views

Do we meet all our dead relatives and ancestors after death?

After dying do we meet all our dead relatives and ancestors ? Do we meet even our those ancestors whom we don't know ? What does Hinduism say about this ? Whom do we meet after death - in heaven or ...
river's user avatar
  • 6,134
14 votes
2 answers
1k views

What can one do to enjoy death or the dying process?

Death is usually very painful as noted in this Wikipedia article on Death: Death – particularly the death of humans – has commonly been considered a sad or unpleasant occasion, due to the affection ...
TheLittleNaruto's user avatar
  • 7,247
14 votes
1 answer
2k views

Cremation rituals for cows after death?

Since cow is one of the sacred animals in Hinduism, are there any cremation rituals that need to be followed when a cow dies? If yes, what is the exact process?
TheLittleNaruto's user avatar
  • 7,247
13 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is there heaven/hell in between death and rebirth?

According to Hinduism, What happens between death and rebirth? Does the soul go to heaven/hell in between? If so, does rebirth occur irrespective of whether the soul went to heaven or hell?
user13107's user avatar
  • 609
12 votes
2 answers
9k views

How was Yama born and how did he become the king of Yamaloka?

I've heard a lot about Yama who carries dead persons from Earth to Yamaloka in his vehicle, a buffalo. My question is, how was Yama born and how did he become the king of Yamaloka?
Kiran RS's user avatar
  • 8,113
12 votes
3 answers
7k views

Why do we bury dead body of a Sannyasi rather than burn it?

I have heard many times that if there is any funeral then probably we burn the deceased person. But in case of death of a Sannyasi we do not burn his body rather bury in the ground. This is even ...
Praveen Gaikwad's user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
4k views

Karma & Rebirth: If you're too attached to your pet and are reborn as that pet, what happens to your karma?

According to Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam a.k.a Bhāgavata Purāṇa, King Bharata a.k.a Jaḍa Bharata was reborn as a deer at some point because he was too attached to the deer which he adopted when it was still ...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
12 votes
2 answers
805 views

Is this true that a person who dies in Kashi never gets reborn?

I heard that who are living in kashi, they never born after death in kashi, why they never born, is this speciality only for kashi (or) any other city it has, and why their life span of time move fast....
Saisiva A's user avatar
  • 306
12 votes
2 answers
593 views

How to reconcile prāyaścitta (expiation) involving death with suicide (itself a big sin)?

A twice-born person, having, through folly, drunk wine, shall drink wine red-hot; he becomes freed from his guilt, when his body has been completely burnt by it. — (90) (Manusmriti verse 11....
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
11 votes
5 answers
2k views

Why man is mortal irrespective of good or bad activity?

Why man is mortal? Suppose one person is very religious and very responsible family person as well.He is very much dedicated/ respectful to god and he loves his family very much and he don't want to ...
Gopal Biswas's user avatar
11 votes
3 answers
1k views

Is Chitragupt of Yamlok mentioned in any scriptures?

In many movies, there is a scene about Yama-Loka where Chitragupta records good and bad deeds of people who arrive there after death. My questions: Is there a scripture that describes this part ...
aakruthi's user avatar
  • 579
11 votes
4 answers
69k views

Does re-birth take place immediately after death according to Hinduism?

I would like to know if re-birth take place immediately after the death according to Hinduism? Some people say, if the man has done some good karma, he will be gone to heaven and then enjoy the ...
user12458's user avatar
  • 4,307
11 votes
2 answers
5k views

Alternative to "rest in peace" (RIP)

What should be said on the death of a Hindu, instead of RIP? I am given to understand that religions like Christianity and Islam use the phrase RIP in relation to a dead person, so that he/she ...
spkakkar's user avatar
  • 471
10 votes
2 answers
109k views

Death in family - does a marriage need to be postponed?

I recently had a death in the family. My paternal grandmother (father's side) died at the ripe old age of 87 after a short battle with cancer. We are Hindu/Iyengaars. I am supposed to marry my fiance (...
dearN's user avatar
  • 201
10 votes
2 answers
20k views

Will the atma get moksha if a person dies unnaturally?

Will the atma get moksha if a person dies in unnatural ways such as suicide, murder, etc?
Kiran RS's user avatar
  • 8,113
10 votes
1 answer
9k views

Why do we keep saying "rama naam satya" while carrying a dead body for funeral?

Why do we only say about the Rama naam during the funeral though we have various gods in hinduism. Is there any specific story behind this? I've never heard anyone pronouncing the names of lord ...
Trialcoder's user avatar
  • 1,961
10 votes
1 answer
2k views

How many times jeeva gets human birth?

As per Hinduism we get 84 lakh yoni time birth on this earth. So how many times we get birth as human being ? is it true that we get human birth only once out of 84 lakh yoni ? Please let me know If ...
Devanshi's user avatar
  • 101
10 votes
3 answers
35k views

What was the reason for Swami Vivekananda's Death?

I have always heard that because he was a pure celibate, and have never allowed his body to waste the best chemical on planet (sperm). According to Hinduism at least this reason does not make any ...
Ritesh.mlk's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
570 views

How do the departed souls get the food given by their siblings?

How do the departed souls get the food given by their siblings?
Govinda Das's user avatar
9 votes
4 answers
3k views

Did Swami Vivekananda, Paramhamsa Yogananda, & Osho Rajneesh really attain Moksha according to Vedic scriptures? [duplicate]

Below slokas from the Gita are actually a bit mystical in nature: BG 8.23-8.26 — O best of the Bhāratas, I shall now explain to you the different times at which, passing away from this world, ...
iammilind's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
3k views

Did Vivekananda prophesy he would die before the age of 40? Why didn't he prolong his life through yoga?

I heard that Swami Vivekananda predicted he would not live beyond 40. Is this true? What were his exact words in this regard? Also, since he was a master practitioner of yoga, what reasons (if any) ...
Say No To Censorship's user avatar
9 votes
1 answer
62k views

Does the soul remain at home for 10 days after death?

When a person dies, what happens after that? Does he go to Yama Loka like this answer suggest: What happens after death? or he remains at "familiar" places for 10 days? Swami Sivananda says: The ...
Pinakin's user avatar
  • 5,311
9 votes
1 answer
458 views

What is prayopavesa?

I would like to know what our scriptures say about prayopavesa. If deciding to end one’s life is wrong, why is it prescribed in our scriptures?
Santhosh's user avatar
  • 986
9 votes
1 answer
4k views

Do Hindus mourn the death of animals the same way they mourn their deceased relatives?

Hindus remain austere and refrain from participating in any religious ritual for a specified number of days (mostly 13) when any family member expires. The popular thought is that the home becomes "...
Vikrant's user avatar
  • 553
9 votes
1 answer
244 views

Is painless killing a form of himsa?

It is clear that killing anything by paining body is himsa. That's why many people in Hinduism(especially Brahmins) generally do not prefer to eat animal food. My doubt is whether killing an animal(...
hanugm's user avatar
  • 31.4k
9 votes
1 answer
641 views

What is death and life?

Sometimes I'm very confused about what is life and death. Why are we living and why will we face death? In Vedic shastras, there is detail explanation on what happens after death, what we have to do ...
yogesh suhagiya's user avatar
9 votes
0 answers
264 views

How did Bhadra conceive children from the corpse of her husband?

Mahabharata Sambhava Parva Section CXXI mentions an interesting story of a king Vyushitashwa who dies without siring any child. His wife lamenting on his death bed hears her dead husband's voice ...
Dr. Vineet Aggarwal's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

Why do some souls remain on earth after leaving the body after death?

When death happens, the soul should leave the body and it should go back to it's original realm (whatever or wherever that place is). But we encounter stories of ghosts or spirits on earth. Why do ...
Asutosh Panda's user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

What exactly is a loka? Is it a place that be physically reached?

How to visualize the Hindu lokas, Satya-loka or Brahma-loka, Pātāla-loka etc.? What exactly are they? Are they like planets or galaxies made up of atoms and chemical elements? I am not asking why ...
user avatar
8 votes
2 answers
2k views

According to Hinduism, what do we carry into afterlife and next birth?

In our life we accumulate many things like memories, beliefs, knowledge, etc. But after death what do we actually carry from current life into afterlife, and what things will fill the next body after ...
user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
8k views

Which chapters of Bhagavad Gita should be read for Shanti of the departed ancestors?

What are the specific chapters of Bhagavad Gita that should be read for the Shanti of the departed ancestors/ family members ?
G.dhari's user avatar
  • 81
8 votes
2 answers
529 views

Is Euthanasia considered morally right?

Is Euthanasia considered morally right? Is it acceptable under certain conditions, for example, if a person is in extreme pain?
Sarah Ryan's user avatar
8 votes
1 answer
193 views

Which species are Urdhvochhishta, Ardhochhishta and Ubhayochhishta?

The Dharma Kanda (Preta Kanda) of Garuda Purana contains a great detail on description of hell, the journey of our soul after death. It also contains detailed explanation of cremation rites to be ...
Sarvabhouma's user avatar
  • 25.7k
8 votes
1 answer
190 views

Remain conscious while dying?

This question is continuation of What can one do to enjoy death or the dying process? . From answers I learned devotion can be the mArga to enjoy death process. Now my question is How to remain ...
TheLittleNaruto's user avatar
  • 7,247
8 votes
1 answer
170 views

What is the physiological criterion for death?

Modern medicine determines death by neurological criteria, but various religious groups may have reservations. For example, orthodox Jews require all vital functions to fail and do not consider a ...
Shri Kamat's user avatar
8 votes
0 answers
350 views

Jyotisha-Shastra and prediction about death?

Does Jyotisha-Shastra have elaborate methods to predict death? If so, what is the method? I read in "Jaimini sutra" pertaining to astrology that there is a predictive method for death, but the method ...
vidyarthi's user avatar
  • 765
7 votes
1 answer
24k views

Death of Lord Shiva?

Is Lord Shiva dead? Where is he? Is he still in Shiva Avatar or has engaged in a new Avatar for Kaliyuga? As @keshav said in comment that he's the one that runs each Pralaya while Brahma is asleep, ...
Nishant Solanki's user avatar
7 votes
4 answers
5k views

Which Hindu scriptures discuss the Sati practice?

My teacher said that the Sati practice was not actually a common practice and does not belong to our dharma. Vedic Religion was there from around 500 BC but Sati started from around 4th century (I ...
shinigami's user avatar
7 votes
1 answer
4k views

If soul gets rebirth into another body, will pinda pradanam and shraddha rituals reach that soul?

I had a big doubt from many years, but didn't get a chance to get it clarified. As we all know punarapi jananam; punarapi maranam from Adi Shankaracharya's Bhaja Govindam which means until all of our ...
Sharma's user avatar
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