Sri Rama was not son of Jatayu. Can he do the last rites?

Question

Of late some doubts are being raised how cow and bull can be sacred to Hindus!

Sri Rama performed the last rites of Jatayu, in simple words a BIRD. Is it correct and if so what are the implications?

Answer 1

Just try to imagine how people were living 1000 years before when there was no technology and science that is seen at present.

Peoples food requiremnets were met either by hunting or by agriculture. There were several people who may feel killing another animal is not correct, then they have to depend only on agriculture. One needs the help of a bull to plough the land. To increase the population of bulls we need cows. Milk reuirements of people are also met by the cows. For Hindus cows are so sacred that they perform pooja to cows every day. Cows milk, curd, ghee are uesed in all sacred offerings. Cow urine and dung are used for purification of houses. People say cow dung and urine have lot of medicinal properties. Cow dung dried and burnt is used as Bhasma for wearing on the body. Among all animals cows are so soft and helpful to the humanity.

When the cows and bulls are very much helpful for the humanity to lead life what is wrong in worshipping them?

Jatayu was the friend of Ramas father Dasaratha. When Ravana was taking away Sita, Why Jaatayu tried to prevent. He could have kept quite, since she was not his wife. He looses nothing if he keeps quite. Jatayu felt that Ravana is comitting heinous crime of taking a way the wife of some one that too when her husband is not in home. It is the belief of Hindus that when a crime occurs in society, people have to resist. If they fail to do so they may perish of the sin. When Jatayu fights for the cause of Rama and gives him the information that Sita was taken by Ravana. performiong last rites for such noble soul is correct.

In India many people perform last rittes for Snakes when they have to kill them intentionally or accidentally. They keep a copper coin in the mouth of dead snake and pour some milk and burn them and after they will take a bath. These all ARE DONE to show every creature had right to survive on this planet and human beings have to respect the coexistance.

You take MaHABHARATHA When Draupadi was disrobed in the royal court all great people like Bhishma and Drona kept quite. Did not even try to prevent. You take Jatayu though a bird did its might to prevent Ravana. Does it not deserve last rites in the hands of Lord Rama?

Answer 2

Hindus revere the cow for a very different reason than known to others. Many believe we ( Hindus ) consider the cow as God but that is not exactly the case.

In ancient times and even now, the cow was considered a valuable property since the cow was useful to mankind in many ways. It helped to plough the field where rice and wheat was grown. It provided milk whihc is also used to produce butter and cheese. The cow was also a mode of transportation ( bullock cart ). Considering all this, the ancient Indians decided to classify the cow as holy.

In order to inculcate respect for the cow in the hearts of the mass, ancient Hindu mythology included the cow as a consort to the Gods and built statues of the cow in temples.

As for the last rites performed by Lord Rama, the soul is not subject to species classification e.g. human, bird, fish, plant etc. A soul is free of all this and what physical form the soul takes will depend on its karma. I may be a human in this life but may also have taken the form of a bird, dog or a tree in my previous life or in my lives to come.

The rites are performed to liberate a departed soul and pray for it's smooth journey until it takes it's next birth. So the rites can be performed by anyone intending well for any departed soul.

Answer 3

Animal worship is not new. Over the ages in different places they are being worshipped. This not only creates a sense of respect for these animals , for the services provided by them to the society , but also curbs the wanton killing of these animals , which human beings are so notorious of doing so , for so many reasons.
Performance of last rites of animals , birds , reptiles , by human beings is also not new . Instances of the same are also available in history. It depends on how grateful we are to our close ones . The other is also true in Parsi religion , where dead bodies are feeded to the vultures or representatives of the Sun God.
Similar way we offer our prayers to inanimate objects like Sun , Moon , Stars , it all depends on your beliefs and spiritual environment.
One thing is for sure , this helps to bring mental peace and satisfaction to the believer .
Jatayu , from the descriptions we get from the books , was a higher form of human being (a bird cannot distinguish if someone is being kidnapped) , it is a separate thing that he was a winged creature . If somebody tries to save your wife , sister , daughter and dies in this chivalrious process , it is quite human , to show your respect , by doing the last rites.
Why the film "Hathi Mere Saathi", was loved by all? Was it not the story of friendship,bonding,love and respect between humans and animals?
If you are a true human being and if you want to show your ultimate gratitude to any departed soul, in our religion , performing the last rites is the best way to show your feeling.
So Sri Rama did the most natural and correct thing by performing the last rites of Jatayu.
Sorry , my answer was long , to drive home the point.

Answer 4

Rama, according to our faith, is said to have lived in the dretha yug, some 17.5 millions of years ago. Then, man lived in unison with nature and all other living organisms in a manner which cannot be imagined now. Rama, in exile, considered Jatayu, a bird, who laid down his life, in an attempt to prevent Ravana from taking away his wife, as his father, who had died earlier, in agony, over the separation of his son, and thought it fit to do the last rites to the dead Jatayu, as is due from a son. You must be proud of Rama and the tradition to which we are heir to. Ignore all the taunts and criticism, which are devoid any knowledge of our great tradition.

Answer 5

about cows and bulls i hv replied to alberto

It is not always the son who performs last rites as per Garuda Puran

Son, father, brother, Guru, disciple, priests, or any prominent citizen can perform last rites

Hence rama had all the rights to perform last rites of Jatayu

Answer 6

Well its not as the popular belief, but as Lord Ram was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu, The Care-Taker of the World, much like the care-taker of a small family[the role of the Father as the care-taker of the family] ,but as a human-form on Earth he was removed of his fatherly Duties and as he was of the age of a son to the Mighty old Jatayu and so he performed the duties of a son by cremating Jatayu!!
Also as he[Lord Ram] was born on earth he was considered the son of Raja Dashrath but as the Son Of Earth[Shrishti] and so he had the sole rights for the event. Even in his heavenly Avataar of Lord Vishnu, Garud was his transport media and was still older than Lord Vishnu himself and that makes him pay his tribute by perfroming the duties of his Son.

There is one more strong Reason ......... as Lord Ram was the incarnation of the Mighty One......he could know things beyond his sight......while he was in the Forest......his Father died and as being the Eldest son he missed his duty ; so he quencged the thirst of his heart by performing the duties for Jatayuu!!

Answer 7

Path of Dharma is top concept in this world. Hence, even though you are not son of a parents, you can do last rites to any person. That is satisfaction as life cylce from birth to death is common to all. Even though it is bird, snake one has to do it. This is a basic Dharm in Bharat.

Answer 8

usually religious books are not subjected to arguments... because religious literature of all the religions have description of supernatural incidents and characters... religion is a field of faith...