Pouring Ganga Water in the mouth of the Dying.

[Padmanabhan.J]

Pouring Ganga Water

Upon death, DharmaRaj Yama decides by which path the through which door the soul will enter his domain, East, West, North or South.

The good people enter by the East Gate. Those who during the rainy seasons give gifts or provide shelter to the homeless, those who serve their mothers and fathers and teachers, those who read religious books and the Puranas, worshippers of Siva and of deities, Pure minded people enter through the East Gate.

The West Gate (Pashchim Marga) is for the worshippers of Lord Vishnu, Those who read scriptures, make japas of Gayatri, who practice non-violence, non-stealing, agni hotra or havan ceremony, who recite the Vedas, who practice brahmacharya, ascetics, renunciates, who have the attitude of non-attachment (vairagya) and who have spiritual knowledge, enter through the West Gate

The South Gate is for the sinners who suffer the worst tortures in hell of the Baitarani river that holds boiling hot blood and flesh.

Ganga water makes the house holy. A drop of Ganga jal in the mouth of the dying, brings great benefits to both the giver of the water and to the one on the death bed....

Garuda Purana


Source: Perumal Temple

[SRBalu]

Re: Pouring Ganga Water in the mouth of the Dying.

Generally, people visit Varanasi at the old age to have a dip in Gangai river
which is a holy sacred river for self purification so as to get salvation from
the sins of previous birth. In fact, it is an ambition of many to have a dip
in Gangai river. It is said that no religious function becomes complete,
unless the Gangai water is used in some form or other. Particularly, to
those who have not visited Varanasi, Gangai water is brought in a sealed
can after doing puja at Varanasi and presented as a gift to some people
to have a holy bath. In that process, to remove the past sins, at the time
of last breath, a few drops of Gangai water is poured into the mouth of a
dying person after doing necessary sankalpam to wash away the sins even
before the last breath. After doing the formalities, ashes (mortal remains)
of the dead body are carried either to Cauvery or Gangai for immersion
to attain liberation to the passing soul.