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Shloka 14

Āśauca and Udaka-kriyā: Post-Cremation Conduct, Eligibility, and Purifiers

Devanagari script

त्रिरात्रं दशरात्रं वा शावमाशौचमुच्यते / ऊनद्विवर्ष उभयोः सूतकं मातुरेव हि

Transliteration

trirātraṃ daśarātraṃ vā śāvamāśaucamucyate / ūnadvivarṣa ubhayoḥ sūtakaṃ mātureva hi

Translation

Die rituelle Unreinheit (āśauca), die aus einem Todesfall (śāva) entsteht, soll drei Nächte oder zehn Nächte währen. Ist das Kind jedoch unter zwei Jahren, so gilt in beiden Fällen die Geburtsunreinheit (sūtaka) wahrlich nur für die Mutter.

Word by Word
त्रिरात्रम्three nights (period)
त्रिरात्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootत्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (त्रीणि रात्राणि)
दशरात्रम्ten nights (period)
दशरात्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदश (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (दश रात्राणि)
वाor
वा:
Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (particle: or)
शावम्relating to a corpse/death
शावम्:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootशाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आशौचस्य)
आशौचम्impurity (ritual)
आशौचम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootआशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन
उच्यतेis said/declared
उच्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)
ऊनद्विवर्षःless than two years old
ऊनद्विवर्षः:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootऊन (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (द्विवर्षात् ऊनः) विशेषणम् (बालस्य)
उभयोःof both (parents/sides)
उभयोः:
Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootउभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
सूतकम्birth-impurity (sūtaka)
सूतकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन
मातुःof the mother
मातुः:
Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन
एवonly/indeed
एव:
Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
हिindeed/for
हि:
Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle: for/indeed)
Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in dialogue teaching Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Timing: 3 or 10 nights of śāva-āśauca; special rule when child is under two years

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Āśauca (death-impurity) and sūtaka (birth-impurity) are time-bound and context-sensitive; for a child under two, sūtaka chiefly binds the mother.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as a purifier of conduct (ācāra-śuddhi) enabling higher pursuits; bodily events are managed without mistaking them for ultimate Self.

Application: Observe 3 or 10 nights of śāva-āśauca per tradition; if the deceased/child is under two, apply sūtaka restrictions primarily to the mother and restore others’ ritual duties accordingly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.106 (āśauca/sūtaka section, surrounding verses on durations and exceptions)

FAQs

This verse defines the customary duration of death-related impurity (three or ten nights), showing how dharma regulates mourning and ritual eligibility after a death.

Indirectly: by prescribing the family’s ritual boundaries after death, it supports the proper performance of post-death rites, which the Garuda Purana links with the departed being aided on the onward journey.

Follow tradition and local dharma guidance on mourning-period observances; note the special rule here that for a child under two years, the sutaka restriction is stated to apply only to the mother.

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