Shloka 14

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

षष्ठे चतुर हाच्छुद्धिः सप्तमे च दिनत्रयम् / देशान्तरे मृते बाले सद्यः शुद्धिर्यतो मृते

ṣaṣṭhe catura hācchuddhiḥ saptame ca dinatrayam / deśāntare mṛte bāle sadyaḥ śuddhiryato mṛte

چھٹے درجے میں چار دن بعد پاکی ہوتی ہے اور ساتویں درجے میں تین دن بعد۔ لیکن اگر بچہ دوسرے دیس میں مرے تو فوراً پاکی سمجھی جاتی ہے، کیونکہ وہاں موت کا عمل گویا مکمل مانا جاتا ہے۔

ṣaṣṭheon the sixth (day)
ṣaṣṭhe:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootṣaṣṭha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; (दिन-आदि-शब्दे)
caturaḥfour (days)
caturaḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeAdjective
Rootcatur (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), बहुवचन; (दिनाः इति अध्याहारः)
ahātfrom a day-count (i.e., after days)
ahāt:
Apadana (Measure/source/अपादान)
TypeNoun
Rootahan (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, पञ्चमी-विभक्ति (Ablative/5th), एकवचन; (काल-परिमाणे)
śuddhiḥpurification
śuddhiḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
saptameon the seventh (day)
saptame:
Adhikarana (Time/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootsaptama (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; (दिन-आदि-शब्दे)
caand
ca:
Sambandha (Connector/सम्बन्ध)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootca (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चयबोधक-अव्यय (conjunction)
dinatrayamthree days
dinatrayam:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootdina + traya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन; द्विगु-समासः (त्रयः दिनाः)
deśāntarein another country/place
deśāntare:
Adhikarana (Location/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootdeśa + antara (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; सप्तमी-तत्पुरुषः (देशस्य अन्तरे)
mṛtewhen (someone) has died
mṛte:
Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmṛ (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; (मृते सति)
bālein the case of a child
bāle:
Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootbāla (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन
sadyaḥimmediately
sadyaḥ:
Visheshana (Adverbial modifier/क्रियाविशेषण)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootsadyaḥ (अव्यय)
Formकालवाचक-अव्यय (adverb of time)
śuddhiḥpurification
śuddhiḥ:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootśuddhi (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा-विभक्ति (Nominative/1st), एकवचन
yataḥbecause/for
yataḥ:
Hetu (Cause/हेतु)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootyataḥ (अव्यय)
Formहेतुवाचक-अव्यय (causal indeclinable: 'because/from which')
mṛtewhen (someone) has died
mṛte:
Adhikarana (Condition/अधिकरण)
TypeAdjective
Rootmṛ (धातु)
Formक्त-प्रत्ययान्त (past passive participle), पुंलिङ्ग/नपुंसकलिङ्ग, सप्तमी-विभक्ति (Locative/7th), एकवचन; (मृते सति)

Lord Vishnu

Timing: Exception case: death in a distant place; immediate śuddhi locally (especially for a child).

Concept: Purification periods can depend on timing/conditions; death in a distant place (especially of a child) yields immediate local purity due to presumed completion of death-rites there.

Vedantic Theme: Context-sensitive dharma (deśa-kāla-pātra) balancing compassion and practicality.

Application: When death occurs away, confirm circumstances and follow the rule of immediate/shortened aśauca as applicable; avoid unnecessary prolonged impurity observance.

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: karuna

Type: distant settlement/foreign region

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.107.12–16 on śauca gradations and exceptions

FAQs

This verse specifies how long purification lasts in certain timing-based cases and notes an exception—immediate purification when a child dies far away—showing that dharma includes context-sensitive ritual rules.

Indirectly: it focuses on the living family’s purification observances (ashaucha-śuddhi) that accompany death, which the Garuda Purana treats as part of correct post-death dharma alongside other rites.

Follow tradition-specific bereavement and purification practices with attention to circumstance (time, place, and age), ideally guided by one’s family custom and a qualified priest or dharma advisor.