Agni Purana — Dharma-shastra, Shloka 10
Śāva-āśauca and Sūtikā-śauca: Death/Childbirth Impurity, Preta-śuddhi, and Śrāddha Procedure
Chapter 157
सूतिका दशरात्रेण शुद्धिमाप्नोति नान्यथा विवाहिता हि चेत् कन्या म्रियते पितृवेश्मनि
sūtikā daśarātreṇa śuddhimāpnoti nānyathā vivāhitā hi cet kanyā mriyate pitṛveśmani
สตรีหลังคลอดย่อมได้ความบริสุทธิ์ก็ต่อเมื่อครบสิบคืนเท่านั้น มิใช่อย่างอื่น และหากบุตรีที่แต่งงานแล้วถึงแก่กรรมในเรือนบิดา กฎข้อนี้ก็พึงถือปฏิบัติเช่นเดียวกัน
Lord Agni (in dialogue framework, instructing Vasiṣṭha)
Vidya Category: {"primary_vidya":"Dharmashastra","secondary_vidya":"Vrata","practical_application":"Determining the duration of āśauca (ritual impurity) after childbirth and death in the natal home, so that daily rites, śrāddha, and social/temple participation resume at the correct time.","sutra_style":true}
Encyclopedic Reference: {"reference_type":"Definition","entry_title":"Sūtikā-śauca (ten-night purification) and death of a married daughter in father’s house","lookup_keywords":["sūtikā","daśarātra","āśauca","śuddhi","vivāhitā kanyā mṛtyu"],"quick_summary":"Postpartum impurity for the mother lasts ten nights; similarly, if a married daughter dies while staying in her father’s house, the relevant impurity rule is to be applied accordingly for the household."}
Concept: Ritual purity is time-bound and rule-governed; liminal life-events (birth/death) require regulated withdrawal and re-entry into rites.
Application: Householders schedule bathing, cooking/temple entry, japa, and śrāddha timing according to the ten-night postpartum rule and the death-in-natal-home contingency.
Khanda Section: Dharma-shastra (Ashaucha–Shuddhi: impurity and purification rules)
Primary Rasa: shanta
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A household observing postpartum seclusion: the new mother resting, attendants maintaining separation, a water-pot and bathing area prepared; parallel vignette of a married daughter’s death occurring in her father’s home with family observing impurity rules.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala temple mural style, warm earthy palette, interior gṛha scene: sūtikā in a curtained corner, women attendants, ritual water vessels, subtle depiction of ten-night observance; secondary panel: mourning in father’s house, restrained expressions, traditional ornaments, flat perspective.","tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting with gold work: symbolic composition showing Dharma as a palm-leaf rule tablet, ten lamps representing ten nights, household figures in stylized attire; secondary motif of a father’s house with mourning family, rich borders and gilded highlights.","mysore_prompt":"Mysore painting style, fine linework: instructional tableau with labeled ‘daśarātra’ sequence, bathing vessel, calendar-like ten marks; adjacent scene of death in natal home indicating applicability of the same śauca framework.","mughal_miniature_prompt":"Mughal miniature, detailed domestic interior: postpartum chamber with attendants and separation cues; second vignette of a funeral-related gathering in the father’s house, subdued colors, precise textiles, marginal notes indicating ‘daśarātra śuddhi’."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"contemplative","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"medium","voice_tone":"instructional"}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: शुद्धिमाप्नोति = शुद्धिम् + आप्नोति; नान्यथा = न + अन्यथा; पितृवेश्मनि = पितृ + वेश्मनि (तत्पुरुष-समास)
Related Themes: Agni Purana 157 (Āśauca–Śuddhi section); Agni Purana śrāddha/antyeṣṭi-related adhyāyas (general)
FAQs
It specifies the śauca (purification) period for a sūtikā: ritual purity is regained after ten nights; it also notes the special case of a married daughter dying in her father’s house within impurity/purification rules.
Beyond mythology, the Agni Purana preserves practical dharma-shastra guidance for householders—codifying time-bound purity rules connected with childbirth and death, topics essential for correct performance of daily rites and funerary observances.
Observing the prescribed purification period is treated as maintaining ritual order (dharma), enabling valid performance of worship and rites; neglecting it is traditionally viewed as causing ritual fault (doṣa) and diminishing the merit of religious acts.