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Shloka 22

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

Devanagari script

मृतेन शुध्यते सूतिः मृतवज्जातकं जनौ / गोग्रहादौ विपन्नानामेकरात्रं तु सूतकम्

Transliteration

mṛtena śudhyate sūtiḥ mṛtavajjātakaṃ janau / gograhādau vipannānāmekarātraṃ tu sūtakam

Translation

موت واقع ہونے سے سوتکا (سوتی کا اشوچ) پاک ہو جاتا ہے؛ اور زوجین کا جاتک اشوچ بھی مردہ کے اشوچ کی مانند سمجھا جاتا ہے۔ گائے، گرہ/گرفت اور اسی طرح کے سبب سے مرنے والوں کے لیے صرف ایک رات کا ہی سوتک ہوتا ہے۔

Word by Word
मृतेनby (a) death / due to death
मृतेन:
Karana (Instrument/करण)
TypeNoun
Rootमृत (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, तृतीया (3rd/करण), एकवचन; साधन/हेतु-अर्थे (by/through death)
शुध्यतेis purified
शुध्यते:
Kriya (Action/क्रिया)
TypeVerb
Rootशुध् (धातु)
Formलट् (Present), प्रथमपुरुष, एकवचन; आत्मनेपद
सूतिः(impurity due to) childbirth
सूतिः:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसूति (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
मृतवत्like a dead (person)
मृतवत्:
Avyaya (Modifier/अव्यय)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootमृत + वत् (प्रातिपदिक)
Formअव्यय; उपमान/सादृश्यार्थक (like/as)
जातकम्birth-occasion/ceremony (jātaka)
जातकम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootजातक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st), एकवचन; ‘जन्मसम्बन्धि (birth-related rite/occasion)’
जनौat the time of birth (in the birth-event)
जनौ:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootजन (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; लोकप्रयोगे ‘जनौ’ = जनसमये/जनकाले (at the time of birth)
गो-ग्रह-आदौin (cases) like cow-seizure etc.
गो-ग्रह-आदौ:
Adhikarana (Locus/अधिकरण)
TypeNoun
Rootगो (प्रातिपदिक) + ग्रह (प्रातिपदिक) + आदि (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, सप्तमी (7th/अधिकरण), एकवचन; समासः—तत्पुरुष (गो-ग्रह-आदि-समये = in cases like cow-seizure etc.)
विपन्नानाम्of those who have died/perished
विपन्नानाम्:
Sambandha (Genitive/सम्बन्ध)
TypeNoun
Rootविपन्न (प्रातिपदिक; कृदन्त-भाव)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th/सम्बन्ध), बहुवचन
एकरात्रम्for one night
एकरात्रम्:
Karma (Object/कर्म)
TypeNoun
Rootएक + रात्र (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, द्वितीया (2nd/कर्म), एकवचन; समासः—द्विगु (one-night duration)
तुindeed/but
तु:
Avyaya (Particle/निपात)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootतु (अव्यय)
Formअव्यय; अवधारण/विरोधार्थक (but/indeed)
सूतकम्impurity period (sūtaka)
सूतकम्:
Karta (Subject/कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootसूतक (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st/कर्ता), एकवचन
Speaker

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

Philosophical Teaching

Concept: Aśauca (ritual impurity) is context-sensitive; birth-impurity can be overridden/reshaped by death-impurity; exceptional deaths shorten the period.

Vedantic Theme: Dharma as niyama governing saṃsāric transitions (janma–mṛtyu) and social harmony.

Application: Apply correct aśauca duration: treat jātaka as mṛta-like for the couple; for deaths due to cow/‘graha’ affliction etc., observe one-night impurity and resume rites accordingly.

Verse Rasa

Primary Rasa: shanta

Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka

Geographic Context

Type: household/cremation-context

Cross References

Related Themes: Garuda Purana 1.107 (aśauca/śauca rules context)

Characters & Entities
G
Garuda
V
Vishnu

FAQs

This verse frames sūtaka as a time-bound ritual impurity with specific dharmic durations, showing that purity rules vary by cause (birth, death, and certain accidental deaths).

It links birth-impurity and death-impurity, stating that a death can terminate postpartum impurity, and that some deaths (e.g., due to cow/graha-related calamity) entail only a one-night impurity.

Follow tradition-specific guidance on aśauca durations and purification practices, especially when managing overlapping birth-and-death events in a household.

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