Shloka 9

Sūtaka-Nirṇaya: Causes, Duration, Exceptions, and Purification Protocols

Devanagari script

प्रसवे च सपिण्डानां न कुर्यात् सङ्करं द्विजः / दशाहाच्छ्रुध्यते माता अवगाह्य पिता शुचिः

Transliteration

prasave ca sapiṇḍānāṃ na kuryāt saṅkaraṃ dvijaḥ / daśāhācchrudhyate mātā avagāhya pitā śuciḥ

Translation

സപിണ്ഡരിൽ പ്രസവം സംഭവിക്കുമ്പോൾ ദ്വിജൻ ആചാരങ്ങളുടെ സംകരം ചെയ്യരുത്. പത്ത് ദിവസത്തിന് ശേഷം മാതാവ് ശുദ്ധയാകും; പിതാവ് സ്നാനം ചെയ്ത് ശുചിയാകും।

Word by Word

• प्रसवे: at childbirth
• प्रसवे: अधिकरण (अधिकरणम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: प्रसव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/सप्तमी), एकवचन

• च: and
• च: समुच्चय (समुच्चयः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: च (अव्यय)
• Form: समुच्चयबोधक अव्यय

• सपिण्डानाम्: of sapindas (close kin)
• सपिण्डानाम्: सम्बन्ध (सम्बन्धः)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सपिण्ड (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/षष्ठी), बहुवचन

• न: not
• न: निषेध (निषेधः)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: न (अव्यय)
• Form: निषेधार्थक अव्यय

• कुर्यात्: should do/make
• कुर्यात्: क्रिया (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √कृ (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (Optative), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; परस्मैपद

• सङ्करम्: mixing/commingling (of impurity/rites)
• सङ्करम्: कर्म (कर्म)
• Type: Noun
• Root: सङ्कर (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/द्वितीया), एकवचन

• द्विजः: a twice-born (Brahmin etc.)
• द्विजः: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: द्विज (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• दश-अहात्: after ten days
• दश-अहात्: अपादान (अपादानम्)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दश (प्रातिपदिक/संख्या) + अहन्/अह (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी (5th/पञ्चमी), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषः—'दशाह' (ten-day period)

• शुध्यते: becomes purified
• शुध्यते: क्रिया (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √शुध् (धातु)
• Form: लट्-लकार (Present), प्रथमपुरुष (3rd person), एकवचन; आत्मनेपद, कर्मणि/भावे प्रयोग (becomes pure)

• माता: the mother
• माता: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: मातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• अवगाह्य: having bathed/immersed
• अवगाह्य: पूर्वकालक्रिया (पूर्वकालक्रिया)
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: अव-√गाह् (धातु) + ल्यप् (कृत्प्रत्यय)
• Form: ल्यप्-प्रत्ययान्त अव्ययीभावरूप कृदन्त (absolutive/gerund): 'having bathed/immersed'

• पिता: the father
• पिता: कर्ता (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: पितृ (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन

• शुचिः: (is) pure
• शुचिः: विधेय (विधेयम्)
• Type: Adjective
• Root: शुचि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/प्रथमा), एकवचन; विशेषणरूपेण (pure)

Speaker

Lord Vishnu (in instruction to Garuda/Vinata-putra)

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: During childbirth within sapiṇḍa relations, avoid saṅkara (mixing ritual states/observances); purification is time-bound—mother after ten days, father after bathing.

Vedantic Theme: Ritual purity as a discipline supporting sattva and social harmony; recognition of embodied processes without moral blame.

Application: Maintain clear boundaries for rites, food-sharing, and temple/ritual participation during birth-related āśauca; follow specified purification steps and timelines.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 2.39 on janma-āśauca durations and conduct rules

Characters & Entities

• Sapiṇḍas
• Dvija

FAQs

What is the importance of sapiṇḍa rules during childbirth in the Garuda Purana?

This verse stresses that within the close kin-group (sapiṇḍa), one must avoid mixing ritual states during childbirth-related impurity, preserving the correctness of dharma and family rites.

What purification period does the Garuda Purana mention after childbirth?

It states that the mother becomes purified after ten days, while the father becomes pure after performing a purificatory bath.

Practical application of this wisdom today?

Maintain clarity and respect around family ritual observances during childbirth—observe the traditional purification period where followed, and avoid combining sacred rites with periods of impurity.