Shloka 13

Varṇāśrama-ācāra, Aśauca (Sūtaka) Regulations, and Prāyaścitta with Funeral-Rite Notes

Devanagari script

जन्मना च विपत्तौ च भवेत्तेषां च सूतकम् / चतुर्थे दशरात्रं स्यात्षण्णिशाः पुंसि पञ्चमे

Transliteration

janmanā ca vipattau ca bhavetteṣāṃ ca sūtakam / caturthe daśarātraṃ syātṣaṇṇiśāḥ puṃsi pañcame

Translation

അവർക്കു ജനനസമയത്തും വിപത്തുസമയത്തും സൂതകം ഉണ്ടാകുന്നു. നാലാം പദവിയിൽ അത് പത്തു രാത്രികൾ നിലനിൽക്കും; അഞ്ചാം പദവിയിൽ, പുരുഷനു, ആറു രാത്രികൾ നിലനിൽക്കും.

Word by Word

• janmanā: by birth
• janmanā: Karana (Cause/means/करण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: janman (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया-विभक्ति (Instrumental/3rd), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• vipattau: in calamity/death (misfortune)
• vipattau: Adhikarana (Location/condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: vipatti (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• bhavet: would be/should be
• bhavet: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: bhū (धातु)
• Form: लोट्/विधिलिङ्-प्रयोगः (Optative/vidhi-liṅ), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• teṣām: of them
• teṣām: Sambandha (Possessor/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Noun
• Root: tad (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: षष्ठी-विभक्ति (Genitive/6th), बहुवचन

• ca: and
• ca: Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: ca (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)

• sūtakam: impurity period (sūtaka)
• sūtakam: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: sūtaka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन

• caturthe: on the fourth (day)
• caturthe: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: caturtha (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; (दिन-आदि-शब्दे)

• daśarātram: ten nights (ten-day period)
• daśarātram: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: daśa + rātra (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (दश + रात्रम्)

• syāt: should be
• syāt: Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपदम्

• ṣaṇṇiśāḥ: six nights
• ṣaṇṇiśāḥ: Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: ṣaṭ + niśā (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; द्विगु-समासः (षट् + निशाः)

• puṃsi: in the case of a male
• puṃsi: Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: puṃs (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन

• pañcame: on the fifth (day)
• pañcame: Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pañcama (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; (दिन-आदि-शब्दे)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (speaking to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Shraddha Ritual

Timing: During janma-sūtaka and vipatti-sūtaka; graded by kinship degree (4th/5th).

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Sūtaka arises at childbirth and calamity; duration decreases with remoteness of relation (fourth/fifth degree).

Vedantic Theme: Ritual order as a means to harmonize social bonds and manage liminality (birth/death) without chaos.

Application: Determine degree of relation and apply the correct number of nights of aśauca; avoid rites requiring purity until completion.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household/kin-network

Cross References

Related Themes: Adjacent Garuda Purana verses on graded śauca durations (1.107.12, 1.107.14–16)

Characters & Entities

• Vishnu
• Garuda

FAQs

What is the importance of sūtaka (ritual impurity) in the Garuda Purana?

This verse treats sūtaka as a dharmic observance that regulates purity after major liminal events (birth and calamity), prescribing fixed durations so household rites resume in an orderly, scriptural manner.

How does this verse relate to Garuda Purana death rituals and mourning rules?

Although it mentions birth and calamity generally, it provides the same kind of time-bound framework used in Garuda Purana discussions of śauca/āśauca—defining how long restrictions apply before normal ritual life is restored.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Follow your family’s and local tradition’s śāstric guidance for impurity periods after births or bereavements, using the prescribed duration to pause optional rituals, focus on care and restraint, and then resume worship and duties with clarity.