Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Death rites for a person missing

I am often asked this question about whether and how to do death rites for a person missing for a long time.

Here are the relevant citations from Dharma Shastra.

1. If there is no reliable news on the whereabouts of a missing person for twelve years, the death rites should be performed by making a human form with kusha grass along with Narayana Bali and the complete rites as prescribed.

2. If the missing person is own father, it should be done as soon as fifteen years are over.

3. If the person for whom death rites have been performed returns - He is bathed along with a pot filled with ghee and samskaras starting from jatakarma are performed again. There is no dosha.

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