Shloka 10

Āśauca, Daśāha Piṇḍa-Rites, Vṛṣotsarga, Sāpiṇḍīkaraṇa, and the Yama-mārga

Path to Yama

Devanagari script

दशाहं शावमाशौचं सपिण्डेषु विधीयते / जनने ऽप्येवमेव स्यान्निपुणं शुद्धिमिच्छताम्

Transliteration

daśāhaṃ śāvamāśaucaṃ sapiṇḍeṣu vidhīyate / janane 'pyevameva syānnipuṇaṃ śuddhimicchatām

Translation

Among sapinda relatives, a ten-day āśauca is prescribed on account of death. In the case of birth as well, it is to be the same—for those who seek precise and proper purification.

Word by Word

• दशाहम्: ten days
• दशाहम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशाह (प्रातिपदिक) < दश + अहन्
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; कालपरिमाण

• शावम्: death-related
• शावम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शाव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण—‘pertaining to a corpse/death’

• आशौचम्: impurity
• आशौचम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: आशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन

• सपिण्डेषु: among sapinda relatives
• सपिण्डेषु: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक) < स + पिण्ड
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), बहुवचन

• विधीयते: is prescribed
• विधीयते: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: धा (धातु) उपसर्ग: वि-
• Form: लट् (Present/वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)

• जनने: in (case of) birth
• जनने: Adhikarana (Locative/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: जनन (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• अपि: also
• अपि: Sambandha (Connector)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अपि (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चय/अप्यर्थक-अव्यय (also/even)

• एवम्: thus
• एवम्: Kriya-vishesana (Adverbial)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एवम् (अव्यय)
• Form: प्रकारवाचक-अव्यय (thus/in this manner)

• एव: indeed/just
• एव: Sambandha (Emphasis)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: एव (अव्यय)
• Form: अवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (only/indeed)

• स्यात्: should be
• स्यात्: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative/विध्यर्थ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• निपुणम्: proper/precise
• निपुणम्: Visheshana (Qualifier)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: निपुण (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचन; विशेषण

• शुद्धिम्: purity/cleansing
• शुद्धिम्: Karma (Object/कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• इच्छताम्: of those who desire
• इच्छताम्: Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Verb
• Root: इष् (धातु)
• Form: शतृ (present active participle/कृत्), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन; ‘of those desiring’

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda)

Shraddha Ritual

Beneficiary: Pitr

Timing: Ten days (daśāha) for sapindas after death; likewise stated for birth for precise purification

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: For sapindas, ten days of āśauca is prescribed for death; similarly for birth, for those seeking precise purification.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as niyama (regulated order) that harmonizes personal grief/joy with communal ritual eligibility; śauca as preparatory sattva.

Application: Track the ten-day period after a death (and, per this verse, also after birth for sapindas) before resuming full ritual activities; follow prescribed purification steps.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/kinship circle (sapinda)

Cross References

Related Themes: 2.5.11 differentiating ekodaka/udakadāyin purification periods; Garuda Purana śrāddha/āśauca discussions on eligibility for rites during mourning (contextual)

Characters & Entities

• Sapindas

FAQs

What is the importance of the ten-day ashaucha in the Garuda Purana?

This verse states that for sapinda relatives, a ten-day impurity period is a dharmic rule after a death, ensuring the family completes the required transition rites and regains ritual eligibility through proper purification.

Does the Garuda Purana prescribe the same ashaucha duration for birth as for death?

Yes—this verse explicitly says that in birth (janana) too, the same rule applies, indicating a parallel ten-day observance for those aiming for exact ritual purity.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

If you are a close sapinda relative, follow a disciplined mourning/purification observance (as guided by your tradition and priest), treating both death and childbirth as liminal periods requiring regulated conduct before resuming full ritual duties.