Hindus, to carry the dead to the Samshan Ghat, use Arthi / Bier. Any Hindu living in any part of the world understands the importance of Arthi. The use of Arthi is centuries old tradition. Any reader who is a non-Hindu and who doesn’t understand Hindu culture might wonder what bier is and why much of importance is bestowed to it. We shall come to that.
This paragraph is specially meant for all the practicing Hindus. I ask – why can’t we drag the dead body or why not we put it in the car or why shall we not put the body in a hearse van to samshan ghat? Can we carry the dead body in any manner we feel? In other words, I wish to enquire whether you know why Arthi is used? No, I am not trying to examine your knowledge or question religious devotion. That is not the point. The point is we should know why we use it. If you know or if you feel you know, you made my day!
Bier or an Arthi is made of bamboo. It is a stretcher. This stretcher is tied with coconut ropes and on it dried grass (darbha) is spread before the dead body is placed. The way a medical stretcher has the facility for four people to carry,the Arthi / Bier has similar feature. That is what you observe in the photograph above.
In every article I repeatedlymention that the Hindu death ceremonies are determined by Shri Garuda Maha Puran. The importance of Arthi is written in chapter 10 – Shlok 12 &13.
Let us go to 13th shlok first:
नीत्वास्कन्धेस्वपृष्ठेवासदातातेनलालितः | तदैवतदृणान्मुच्येन्मृतंस्वपितरंवहेत् ||
Every father carries his child. For that matter, every parent carries his/her child on shoulders, in their hands, or head or back and sometimes with lot of love and affection make children sit on lap; carry our children with lot of patience, love and ever-growing affection. Probably no other living animal will carry their children the way man carries. The important thing is the love, the devotion and the affection showered by parents. Sometimes even when the parent is not in a position to carry the child, he attempts to carry. This is the biggest blessing any child can ever receive from parents.
Let us now go to 12th shlok:
स्कन्धेस्वपितरंयःश्मशानायगछति | सोद्दश्वमेधफलंपुत्रोलभतेचपदेपदे ||
Before I explain, please understand ‘he’ shall mean and include she. After the death of parent, therefore, the child is expected to carry their parent in their last journey. The children who carry their parent in their last journey will be showing the same enduring love, affection and unending devotion to parents. Every step which the child takes while carrying the dead parent will automatically inherit, the merit of performing one Ashwamedayag.
This is the only way, and there is no other way, a child can respect parents. This is the only way, and there is no other way, a child can try to pay back to the unending love and affection showered by parents on him / her when they were children.
We at the Last Rites (India) have tried to attempt the unattemptable. The process, the method and the procedure for preparation of Arthi remain unchanged for over 10,000 years. We took the patented liberty of modernizing the Arthi while fulfilling every religious dictum of Garuda Maha Puran to meet the needs of the 21st century. This humble effort is widely appreciated for the following reasons:
1) The person usually who prepares Arthi either is not available or busy.
2) The modern-day requirement to make Arthi is- the maker extorts huge amounts from the grieving family.
3) Arthi making process is a tedious, sometimes takes one and half hour or more.
4) Till the Arthi is made the dead body cannot be moved. Keeping the dead body waiting for such a long time is not ‘assuring the dignity’for the dead.
5) In the 21st- push-button technology, instant communication and travel – century, it is inconceivable for modern man to have patience.
Thus, our patented Arthi {whose link is being provided here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_lzmjj9LmE} can be assembled in less than 2 minutes not because we don’t have time…eternity is our time…but because we cannot keep the dead waiting. Hence, to serve these needs in an efficient and religious manner this Arthi is devised.
Do remember Arthi means – repaying parental debt. Arthi is walking with the dead the last few steps…in their last journey on this planet earth. Arthi means you will never get chance again in life to accompany them. Arthi is the last respect we offer.
This is the importance of Arthi as per Garuda Maha Puran.