Shloka 39

Aśauca-vidhi — Rules of Birth/Death Impurity, Sapinda Circles, and Śrāddha Sequence

Devanagari script

क्षत्रविट्शूद्रदायादा ये स्युर्विप्रस्य बान्धवाः / तेषामशौचे विप्रस्य दशाहाच्छुद्धिरिष्यते

Transliteration

kṣatraviṭśūdradāyādā ye syurviprasya bāndhavāḥ / teṣāmaśauce viprasya daśāhācchuddhiriṣyate

Translation

ബ്രാഹ്മണന്റെ ബന്ധുക്കൾ ക്ഷത്രിയ/വൈശ്യ/ശൂദ്ര വർഗ്ഗത്തിലെ ദായാദർ (വാരിസുകൾ) ആണെങ്കിൽ, അവരുടെ അശൗചത്തിൽ ബ്രാഹ്മണന് പത്ത് ദിവസത്തിന് ശേഷം ശുദ്ധിയെന്ന് അംഗീകരിക്കുന്നു.

Word by Word

• क्षत्र-विट्-शूद्र-दायादाः: heirs of Kṣatriya, Vaiśya and Śūdra (classes)
• क्षत्र-विट्-शूद्र-दायादाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: क्षत्र (प्रातिपदिक) + विट् (प्रातिपदिक) + शूद्र (प्रातिपदिक) + दायाद (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन; ‘heirs/kinsmen belonging to Kṣatra, Viṭ, Śūdra’ (समाहार/निर्देश)

• ये: who
• ये: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: यद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, बहुवचन; relative pronoun

• स्युः: may be/should be
• स्युः: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √अस् (धातु)
• Form: विधिलिङ् (optative), प्रथमपुरुष, बहुवचन

• विप्रस्य: of a Brahmin
• विप्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• बान्धवाः: relatives
• बान्धवाः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: बान्धव (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), बहुवचन

• तेषाम्: of them
• तेषाम्: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: तद् (सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन

• अशौचे: in impurity (mourning impurity)
• अशौचे: Adhikarana (अधिकरण)
• Type: Noun
• Root: अशौच (प्रातिपदिक; अ- + शौच)
• Form: नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (अधिकरण), एकवचन

• विप्रस्य: of a Brahmin
• विप्रस्य: Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
• Type: Noun
• Root: विप्र (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी-विभक्ति (सम्बन्ध), एकवचन

• दशाहात्: from/after ten days
• दशाहात्: Apadana (अपादान)
• Type: Noun
• Root: दशाह (प्रातिपदिक; दश + अहन्/अह)
• Form: पुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (अपादान), एकवचन; ‘after ten days/from ten days’

• शुद्धिः: purification
• शुद्धिः: Karta (कर्ता)
• Type: Noun
• Root: शुद्धि (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (कर्ता), एकवचन

• इष्यते: is prescribed
• इष्यते: Kriya (क्रिया)
• Type: Verb
• Root: √इष् (धातु)
• Form: लट् (present), कर्मणि-प्रयोग (passive), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन

Speaker

Sūta (narrating the Kurma Purana’s dharma-teachings as received from the tradition of sages)

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: adbhuta

Characters & Entities

• Brāhmaṇa (Vipra)
• Kṣatriya
• Vaiśya (Viṭ)
• Śūdra
• Aśauca

FAQs

How does this verse explain the nature of the Supreme Self (Atman)?

This verse is not a metaphysical teaching on Ātman; it is a dharma-rule defining the duration of aśauca (death-impurity) for a Brāhmaṇa when the deceased relatives/heirs belong to other varnas.

What Yoga or Meditative practices are highlighted here?

No specific yogic practice is taught in this verse. Its focus is on ritual and social discipline (ācāra) within Varnāśrama Dharma, which in Purāṇic religion supports purity and steadiness necessary for later sādhana.

How does this verse depict the relationship between Shiva and Vishnu?

It does not directly address Śiva–Viṣṇu unity. The verse belongs to the Purva-bhāga’s dharma section, setting conduct rules that complement the Purāṇa’s broader synthesis where devotion and discipline support higher spiritual teachings elsewhere (including the Upari-bhāga/Iśvara Gītā).