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Shloka 14

Āśauca and Udaka-kriyā: Post-Cremation Conduct, Eligibility, and Purifiers

Devanagari script

त्रिरात्रं दशरात्रं वा शावमाशौचमुच्यते / ऊनद्विवर्ष उभयोः सूतकं मातुरेव हि

Transliteration

trirātraṃ daśarātraṃ vā śāvamāśaucamucyate / ūnadvivarṣa ubhayoḥ sūtakaṃ mātureva hi

Translation

Āśauca, iaitu kenajisan ritual akibat kematian (śāva), dikatakan berlangsung tiga malam atau sepuluh malam. Namun jika anak itu belum genap dua tahun, dalam kedua-dua keadaan sūtaka (kenajisan kelahiran) sesungguhnya hanya terpakai kepada si ibu.

Word by Word
त्रिरात्रम्three nights (period)
त्रिरात्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootत्रि (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (त्रीणि रात्राणि)
दशरात्रम्ten nights (period)
दशरात्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootदश (प्रातिपदिक) + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; द्विगुसमासः (दश रात्राणि)
वाor
वा:
Sambandha/Connector (सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootवा (अव्यय)
Formविकल्पार्थक-अव्यय (particle: or)
शावम्relating to a corpse/death
शावम्:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootशाव (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन; विशेषणम् (आशौचस्य)
आशौचम्impurity (ritual)
आशौचम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootआशौच (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन
उच्यतेis said/declared
उच्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootवच् (धातु)
Formलट् (वर्तमान), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; कर्मणि प्रयोग (passive)
ऊनद्विवर्षःless than two years old
ऊनद्विवर्षः:
Visheshana (Adjectival/विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootऊन (प्रातिपदिक) + द्वि (प्रातिपदिक) + वर्ष (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1), एकवचन; तत्पुरुषसमासः (द्विवर्षात् ऊनः) विशेषणम् (बालस्य)
उभयोःof both (parents/sides)
उभयोः:
Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootउभ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुं/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), द्विवचन; सर्वनाम-प्रातिपदिक
सूतकम्birth-impurity (sūtaka)
सूतकम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootसूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1/2), एकवचन
मातुःof the mother
मातुः:
Sambandha (Genitive/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootमातृ (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6), एकवचन
एवonly/indeed
एव:
Sambandha/Emphasis (अवधारण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootएव (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक-अव्यय (emphatic particle)
हिindeed/for
हि:
Sambandha/Emphasis (निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootहि (अव्यय)
Formनिपात (particle: for/indeed)
Speaker

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

Shraddha Ritual

Timing: 3 or 10 nights of śāva-āśauca; special rule when child is under two years

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Āśauca (death-impurity) and sūtaka (birth-impurity) are time-bound and context-sensitive; for a child under two, sūtaka chiefly binds the mother.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as a purifier of conduct (ācāra-śuddhi) enabling higher pursuits; bodily events are managed without mistaking them for ultimate Self.

Application: Observe 3 or 10 nights of śāva-āśauca per tradition; if the deceased/child is under two, apply sūtaka restrictions primarily to the mother and restore others’ ritual duties accordingly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Geographic Context

Type: household

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.106 (āśauca/sūtaka section, surrounding verses on durations and exceptions)

FAQs

This verse defines the customary duration of death-related impurity (three or ten nights), showing how dharma regulates mourning and ritual eligibility after a death.

Indirectly: by prescribing the family’s ritual boundaries after death, it supports the proper performance of post-death rites, which the Garuda Purana links with the departed being aided on the onward journey.

Follow tradition and local dharma guidance on mourning-period observances; note the special rule here that for a child under two years, the sutaka restriction is stated to apply only to the mother.

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