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Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

मृतेन शुध्यते सूतिः मृतवज्जातकं जनौ / गोग्रहादौ विपन्नानामेकरात्रं तु सूतकम्

Transliteration

mṛtena śudhyate sūtiḥ mṛtavajjātakaṃ janau / gograhādau vipannānāmekarātraṃ tu sūtakam

Translation

മരണം സംഭവിക്കുമ്പോൾ സൂതികാശൗചം ശുദ്ധമാകുന്നു; ദമ്പതികളുടെ ജാതകശൗചവും മരണശൗചംപോലെ കണക്കാക്കപ്പെടുന്നു. ഗോവിനാലോ ഗ്രഹപീഡയാലോ മുതലായ കാരണങ്ങളാൽ മരിച്ചവർക്കു ഒരു രാത്രിമാത്രം സൂതകം.

Word by Word
मृतेनby (a) death / due to death
मृतेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-अर्थे (by/through death)
शुध्यतेis purified
शुध्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootशुध् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
सूतिः(impurity due to) childbirth
सूतिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसूति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
मृतवत्like a dead (person)
मृतवत्:
Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमृत + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय; उपमान/सादृश्यार्थक (like/as)
जातकम्birth-occasion/ceremony (jātaka)
जातकम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootजातक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘जन्मसम्बन्धि (birth-related rite/occasion)’
जनौat the time of birth (in the birth-event)
जनौ:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; लोकप्रयोगे ‘जनौ’ = जनसमये/जनकाले (at the time of birth)
गो-ग्रह-आदौin (cases) like cow-seizure etc.
गो-ग्रह-आदौ:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गो-ग्रह-आदि-समये = in cases like cow-seizure etc.)
विपन्नानाम्of those who have died/perished
विपन्नानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootविपन्न (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन
एकरात्रम्for one night
एकरात्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootएक + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (one-night duration)
तुindeed/but
तु:
Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)
सूतकम्impurity period (sūtaka)
सूतकम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aśauca (ritual impurity) is context-sensitive; birth-impurity can be overridden/reshaped by death-impurity; exceptional deaths shorten the period.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as niyama governing saṃsāric transitions (janma–mṛtyu) and social harmony.

Application: Apply correct aśauca duration: treat jātaka as mṛta-like for the couple; for deaths due to cow/‘graha’ affliction etc., observe one-night impurity and resume rites accordingly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: household/cremation-context

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.107 (aśauca/śauca rules context)

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda
V
Vishnu

FAQs

This verse frames sūtaka as a time-bound ritual impurity with specific dharmic durations, showing that purity rules vary by cause (birth, death, and certain accidental deaths).

It links birth-impurity and death-impurity, stating that a death can terminate postpartum impurity, and that some deaths (e.g., due to cow/graha-related calamity) entail only a one-night impurity.

Follow tradition-specific guidance on aśauca durations and purification practices, especially when managing overlapping birth-and-death events in a household.

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