When Death Occurs

When Death Occurs

1. The next steps may be dependent on where the loved one is located when they pass on: 

   • Expected to pass at home. Refer to: AHS: Before and After an Expected Death in the Home 

   • In a care facility

   • In a hospital

   • At home unexpectedly. Call 911.

2. The involved medical professional will pronounce the death. 

3. Chanting or Prayers (Gita chapter 8; 15 or shlokas of choice) can continue for the next little while as hearing is the last sense that leaves the body. 

4. In case of death at home, a lamp (diya) may be kept by the body of the deceased, while ensuring safety from any fire hazard. It is optional and common to light a diya and keep it in front of the photo of the deceased at the home.  

5. You may create opportunities for private time for persons close to the deceased.

6. The body stays in the hospital morgue until the selected funeral home transports it to the funeral home. In case of death at home, the funeral home takes the body from the home and keeps it there till the cremation/funeral takes place. 

Day 1 - Death occurs 

1. Contact and/or meet with the priest of your choice for advice and direction.

2. Ensure availability of the priest for the last rites/funeral date.

3. Inform family, friends and colleagues, associations, communities; assign one to three people to be responsible for letting family and friends know. 

4. If desired by the family, an obituary can be placed in a local newspaper or other media.

5. Cremation date can be determined in consideration of time needed for the completion of the paperwork, availability of the funeral home/crematorium, family’s needs, availability of the priest. Any expressed wishes of the deceased should be followed as possible.

6. Sanatan Dharma advises to conduct the cremation as soon as practical, after the death. Funeral homes have several options for caskets and flowers. The family can decide the most suitable option.

7. A funeral program and viewing of the body are not required in Sanatan Dharma but you may choose to do some or all of those as per your family wishes.

8. Collect the list of supplies needed, for last rites just before the cremation, from the priest engaged by you. 

9. In addition you may need to provide the funeral Home with an urn for ashes. This can be purchased online, from local stores or from the funeral home itself. Bio-degradable urns are available and may be preferred for disposal of ashes. 

10. After the cremation is complete, all leftover materials such as flowers, rice, consumables, etc. must not be brought back to the house. They should be disposed of. Photos, stainless steel plates/bowls etc. can be brought back to the house and should be washed before using again. 

11. FUNERAL PLANNING DOCUMENT used earlier by some families, is provided for reference only. Materials list may vary depending on the Priest's advice.

Day 2 to Day 10

1. Cremation/funeral will take place in this period as planned.

2. Ashes to be collected from the Funeral Home as advised by them. Most Funeral Homes are able to store the ashes at their premises till the family is ready to take them. Refer to Scattering Remains after Cremation in Edmonton and Alberta. Please note scattering in the North Saskatchewan River, ravines and creeks are only allowed from May to October due to safety around open water.

3. In Sanatan Dharma ashes should also not be brought into the house. If they need to be stored because scattering is not practical they can be stored at the funeral home, in the garage, or outside of the house. 

4. If ashes need to be transported overseas or by air, the funeral home will provide documentation that must be carried with the ashes. 

5. Often families have bhajan and/or gita recitation at home every day from the day of death till the cremation/funeral day. This is not necessary as per sanatan requirements but can be done for family’s comfort and social support. The most commonly read chapters are: Chapter 2 - Sankhya Yoga (verses 11-30), Chapter 8 - Akshara Brahma Yoga, Chapter 15 - Purushottama Yoga, or Chapter 12 - Bhakti Yoga.

6. Several offices (governmental, medical and nongovernmental) need to be informed of the passing of the deceased. Check with funeral homes who offer these services, some at an additional cost.

Bhajan Night

1. Ask the family if they want people to visit them daily till the funeral day. Some people have bhajans everyday for an hour and include GITA chapter 15 in the hour also. Others choose to have only one night of bhajan for an hour and sing some of the family favorites. The event can be at the mandir or at home. No food is provided after.

2. Decide on visiting hours for the bereaved. Consider having set 2-3 hour blocks of time. 

3. Decide on date, time, location of the bhajans.

Providing Food for the Family

1. Ask the family if arrangements should be made for them and any out-of-town guests for food between the time day of the demise and till funeral. Usually, simple food is prepared. A team of people may have to be set up to provide food for different days. Prepare as roaster if required.

Day 11, 12, or 13

Shraadh Pooja

The Shraadh pooja is a ritual where family members perform ceremonies to honour, nourish, and bring peace to the soul of the departed. Individual families and communities may have their own traditions and practices. 

The pooja date should be decided with the guidance of your Panditji who will provide a list of items needed. It takes approximately two hours and is often followed by lunch. Because this ceremony is to honour ancestors, many times the Panditji will ask the participant(s) or family of the departed to recite the names of family members from both the mother and fathers side. In instances where the family members' (ancestors going up generally 3 generations on both sides) names are not known, there are common names the Panditji can provide. 

1. Discuss with Panditji when the Shraadh Pooja can happen (date, time, location). 

2. Make a list of who will be asked to attend and invite those individuals.

3. Obtain the pooja supplies based on the list provided by Panditji. 

4. Food is generally provided after the Shraadh Pooja – it can be catered and delivered or picked up or it can also be homemade should that be the preference.  

5. There may be some bhajans after the pooja if there is time.