अहन्यम्ब रात्रिसमये समयान्तरेवा
संचिन्तय स्ववशगाऽवशगाऽथवामाम् ।
एष्यामि तत्र समयं सकलं विहाय
विश्वासमाप्नुहि मृतावपि संस्करिष्ये ॥

‘Oh mother! When you think of me I will give up all my work and come to
you, whether you think of me at day, night or in between them (Sandhya
time, that occurs at sunrise and sunset), whether you are conscious,
unconscious or burdened with sorrow. If you die, I will myself perform your
last rites. You can believe me.’
*Mother’s Funeral Rites*

Sankara received news that his mother was seriously ailing. He left his
disciples and proceeded to Kaladi alone. His mother was then bedridden.
Sankara touched her feet in reverence. He praised Lord Hari. Hari’s
messengers came. Sankara's mother gave up her physical body and went along
with those messengers to the abode of Hari.

Sankara encountered serious difficulties in performing the funeral rites of
his mother. Usually, Sannyasins do not perform any of the rites or
ceremonies which are enjoined on the householders. The Nambudiri Brahmins
were all against Sankara. Sankara's relatives also did not help him. They
did not come forward to assist him even in carrying the dead body to the
place of cremation and refused to give fire for igniting the funeral pyre.
At last Sankara determined to perform the funeral rites all alone. As he
could not carry the entire dead body, he cut it into pieces and removed the
pieces one by one to the backyard of the house. He then made a pyre there
of stems of plantain trees and set fire to it by his Yogic power. Sankara
wanted to teach the Nambudiris a lesson. He then made the local chief issue
an edict that a corner should be set apart in each Illam or house of the
Nambudiri Brahmins to burn the dead of the family and that they should cut
the dead body into parts and then burn the same. This practice continues
even today amongst Nambudiri Brahmins.







*
*  <http://sig.graphicsfactory.com/>*

நல்லதுசெய் நல்லதே நடக்கும்
*जन सेवा ईश्वर  सेवा *
*cnu.pne*

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