Details of Asthi Visarjan
Asthi-Visarjan, the significant rituals of Sanatan Dharma which must be followed by every Hindu is one of the after death rites. Asthi means the bones and ashes which left after the last rites – cremation of dead person, generally collected by relative next day. Asthi needs to clean with milk generally and then tied in cloth and put it in small pot. It is keep safe outside home or other place for 10 days and then it should be immersed in sacred river or pond like River Ganga, at Triveni Sangam, Bindu Sarovar etc. The process of immersion is called Asthi-Visarjan. There are several place which believed to be highly sacred for Asthi Visarjan like Haridwar, Varanasi, Allahabad, Gaya, Dwarika, Badrinath, Pushkar, Ujjain, Ayodhya, Jagannath Puri, Chanod, Siddhapur, Sannihit Sarovar, Kurukshetra, Shaktibeah Tirth, Avantika, Mathura, etc. It is also that Hindu devotees who takes a dip or bath in the sacred water at these places wash away their sins as recommended by Hindu sacred texts and religious epics.
In Hinduism it is very important rite as the soul of the deceased is honoured with rituals that liberate the soul. Asthi Visarjan is perform to ensure peace for the soul of the departed. The tradition and procedure of Asthi Visarjan has been described in various sacred text of Hinduism. The body is consisting of the file element – Panch Bhuta, Earth - Prithvi, Water - Jal, Air- Vaayu, Fire- Agni and Ether- Akasha. Body has to submerge in this core five element during cremation ceremony and whatever is left, bones and ashes called Ashti has been followed with Asthi Visarjan rite.
It is believed that once person dies, his relation with the material body ends and the next journey starts. The soul leaves the body and based on cumulative karma soul has to travel for its next destination whether it is next birth or merge with supreme Lord – soul meets the Parbrahma.
