CHECKLIST OF KARTRUTVA IN THE DESCENDING ORDER OF PREFERENCE FOR PERFORMING THE LAST RITES FOR BRAHMANAS

CHECKLIST OF KARTRUTVA IN THE DESCENDING ORDER OF PREFERENCE FOR PERFORMING THE LAST RITES FOR BRAHMANAS

1) Putra – Son (Eldest)
2) Pautra- Son’s Son
3) Prapautra – Son of Pautra
4) Datta – Adopted Son, Son given in Adoption
5) Datta Putra – Son of Datta
6) DhanahArI Dauhitra – Son of Daughter ( who is the inheritor of wealth)
7) DhanaGhrahaNa abhAvepi Dauhitra --- Son of Daughter (Though not the inheritor of wealth)
8) PatnI –Wife
9) Jyeshtha BhrAtA– Elder Brother
10) SapatnI Putra – ( Co-Wife’s Son in case of Women)
11) BhartA - Husband
12) PutrI – Daughter
13) BhrAtA – Brother
14) Bhratru Putra – Brother’s Son
15) Pitruvya PutrAh -- Sons of Paternal Uncle ( cittappA , periappA )
16) Pitruvya Putrasya PutrAh – Sons of Paternal Uncle’s Son
17) PitA –Father
18) MAtA – Mother
19) SnushA -- Daughter-in-Law
20) PautrI --- Son's daughter
21) DauhitrI --- Daughter's daughter
22) Pautrasya PatnI -- Wife of Son's Son
23) Pautrasya PutrI-- Daughter of Son's Son
24) Dattasya PatNI --- Wife of Datta
25) BhaginI – Sister
26) BhAgineYa – Son of Sister
27) SapiNda
28) SamAnodaka
29) MAtrU Sapinda
30) Matru SamAnodaka
31) Sagotra - Same Gotra as the deceased
32) Sishya – Disciple
33) jAmAtA – Son-in-Law
34) sakhA – Friend
35) DhanahArI – One who is going to inherit Wealth of the deceased

Note : In case of non-availability of any relatives, DakshiNA can be given to a BrAhmaNa and he may be requested to perform the Last Rites.

WHETHER WOMEN HAVE KARTUTVA TO PERFORM THE LAST RITES?

There are 35 persons who have the eligibility of kartrutva. Out of these, the following women have the kartrutva in the descending order of preference:
(a) PatnI --Wife
(b) PutrI -- Daughter
(c) mAtA -- Mother
(d) SnushA -- Daughter-in-Law
(e) PautrI --- Son's daughter
(f) DauhitrI --- Daughter's daughter
(g) Pautrasya PatnI -- Wife of Son's Son
(h) Pautrasya PutrI-- Daughter of Son's Son
(i) Dattasya PatNI --- Wife of Datta
(j) BhaginI -- Sister

It has to be kept in view that while Kartrutva is there for women as above, they cannot perform the religious rites independently themselves. They have to do the sankalpa and entrust performance of the rites to a BrAhmaNa of their choice who has undergone upanayanam. This is done symbolically by the woman concerned by handing over the darbha after the sankalpa to the BrAhmaNa as aforesaid. The Rites would be performed by the above BrAhmaNa.

WHETHER SON IN LAW CAN PERFORM THE LAST RITES?

There is no restraint in the SAstras that Son-in-Law's father should not be alive in case he has to perform the last rites of the father-in-law. The kartrutvam by Son-in-Law comes later in the order of preference of the eligible KartAs. Amongst the list of eligible KartAs, dauhitra ( son of daughter) ranks next to Putra (Son) followed by brother, brother's son and so on. The SAstras compassionately allow sagotra (One belonging to the same Gotra) or sakhA (one's friend) or a BrAhmaNa ( by giving some money) also to perform the last rites if there are no relatives available. The moot point is that samskAra of the dead should be performed .

It is not correct to state that those who have father never enter crematorium nor should they perform any funeral rites with the exception of their mother. For example, the dauhitran ( daughter's son) can perform the last rites of his grandfather, even though his own father is alive.

WHAT ARE THE GOTRAS WITH FIVE RISHIS?

The following are the Gotras having pancArsheya (five Rishis):

anUpa Gotra
apnavana Gotra
avata Gotra
Apastambi Gotra
ArshtisheNa Gotra
AtmabhU Gotra
ucatya Gotra
Aurva Gotra
karNa Gotra
kapila Gotra
KAtyAyana Gotra
garga Gotra
gartabhya Gotra
kAlava Gotra
gautama Gotra
kaumAnda Gotra (3 Variants)
cyavana Gotra
mAmantareshaNa Gotra
MArkaNdeya Gotra
mAsUrAksha Gotra (3 Variants)
maudgalya Gotra
yAskAyana Gotra
Rksha Gotra
raukshAyaNa Gotra
vatsa Gotra
vatsapurotas Gotra
vAtSAyana Gotra
vAtsya Gotra
VAtsyAyana Gotra
vAlmIkI Gotra
vIhatahavya Gotra
caicira (2 Variants)
caila bhArgava Gotra
sAnkrtya Gotra
sakIni Gotra
sAmbarAyaNa Gotra
sAvarNi Gotra

WHAT ARE THE 18 PURANAS?

The 18 Puráńas are as follows:

1. Brahmá Puráńa
2. Padma Puráńa
3. Vishńu Puráńa
4. Váyavíya Puráńa
5. Bhágavata Puráńa
6. Naradíya Puráńa
7. Márkańdeya Puráńa
8. Agni Puráńa
9. Bhavishya Puráńa
10. Brahma-vaivartta Puráńa
11. Linga Puráńa
12. Varáha Puráńa
13. Skanda Puráńa
14. Vámana Puráńa
15. Kúrma Puráńa
16. Matsya Puráńa
17. Gáruda Puráńa
18. Brahmáńda Puráńa

MANTRA FOR ASVATTHA PRADAKSHINAM

The following Mantra to be recited while doing pradakshiNam of aSvattha tree.

mUlato brahmarUpAya madhyato vishNu rUpiNe !
agratah Siva rUpAya vrksha rAjAya te namah !!

Thus the aSvattha tree is of the form of trimUrti comprising of Brahma, VishNu and Siva.
aSvattha is considered as the king of trees.