Shloka 19

Nāndīmukha-śrāddha (Prosperity Rites), Preta-kriyā, Aśauca, Ekoddiṣṭa, and Sapiṇḍīkaraṇa Framework

Devanagari script

विप्रस्यैतद् द्वादशाहं राजन्यस्याप्य् अशौचकम् अर्धमासं तु वैश्यस्य मासं शूद्रस्य शुद्धये

Transliteration

viprasyaitad dvādaśāhaṃ rājanyasyāpy aśaucakam ardhamāsaṃ tu vaiśyasya māsaṃ śūdrasya śuddhaye

Translation

Für einen Brāhmaṇa, o König, dauert diese aśauca zwölf Tage; auch für einen Kṣatriya ist aśauca vorgeschrieben. Für einen Vaiśya gilt ein halber Monat, und für einen Śūdra ein ganzer Monat—damit jeder gemäß seiner festgelegten Ordnung zur Reinheit zurückkehrt.

Word by Word

• viprasya: of a Brahmin
• viprasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• etat: this (period)
• etat: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: etad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; सर्वनाम

• dvādaśa-aham: twelve days
• dvādaśa-aham: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: dvādaśa (संख्या) + ahan (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (twelve-day period)

• rājanyasya: of a Kshatriya
• rājanyasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: rājanya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• api: also
• api: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: api (अव्यय)
• Form: अपि-कारक निपात (particle: also)

• aśaucakam: impurity (period)
• aśaucakam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: aśaucaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• ardha-māsam: half a month
• ardha-māsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ardha (प्रातिपदिक) + māsa (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः (half-month)

• tu: but
• tu: Sambandha (Particle/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: tu (अव्यय)
• Form: विरोध/विशेषणार्थक-निपात (particle: but/indeed)

• vaiśyasya: of a Vaishya
• vaiśyasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vaiśya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• māsam: a month
• māsam: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: māsa (प्रातिपदik)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd), एकवचन

• śūdrasya: of a Shudra
• śūdrasya: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śūdra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/Genitive), एकवचन

• śuddhaye: for purification
• śuddhaye: Sampradana (Dative/सम्प्रदान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: śuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, चतुर्थी (4th/Dative), एकवचन

Speaker

Sage Parāśara (in discourse to Maitreya; addressing the kingly order in general terms)

Parashara-Maitreya Dialogue

Speaker: Parasara

Topic: Varṇa-differentiated durations of aśauca following death and the return to ritual purity

Teaching: Ethical

Quality: authoritative

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aśauca is calibrated by social-ritual station (varṇa), expressing a graded dharma framework for restoring eligibility to rites.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma

Application: Engage inherited traditions with sensitivity and context; where practice differs today, preserve the underlying intent—structured grieving and restoration of communal order.

Vishishtadvaita: Varṇāśrama is presented as a functional arrangement within the Lord’s cosmic governance, enabling different modes of service while maintaining social harmony.

Characters & Entities

• Parāśara
• Maitreya
• Brāhmaṇa (Vipra)
• Kṣatriya (Rājanya)
• Vaiśya

FAQs

What is the significance of aśauca (ritual impurity) in the Vishnu Purana?

This verse frames aśauca as a dharmic, time-bound condition with prescribed durations that restore social and ritual order through śuddhi (purification).

How does Sage Parāśara explain purification rules across the varnas?

He presents graded time-periods of aśauca—shorter for Brāhmaṇa/Kṣatriya and longer for Vaiśya/Śūdra—indicating a structured, varna-linked framework for returning to ritual purity.

What is the theological importance of Lord Vishnu in this context?

Even in legal-ritual instruction, the Purāṇic vision treats dharma as part of Vishnu’s sustaining order (sthiti): regulated purification preserves harmony in a world upheld by the Supreme.