Asoucha (आशौचम्)

Asoucha or Asoucham (Samskrit: आशौचम्) broadly refers to a period of isolation and restriction from dharmik activities in certain situations. In Sanatana Dharma texts Asoucha, translated inadequately as Impurity, is used to denote yet another unique concept which involves restrictions on a person (who has the Asoucha) from participating in certain rituals, samskaras, yajnas, even mingling with other family members preventing socialization extending to a long period of time (even a month).

It is a deliberate isolation period wherein the family at the time of death of a member or at the time of birth of a child are not required to attend to the regular grhastha dharmas such as Aupasana, Devata puja, Panchamahayajnas, Svadhyaya etc. Asaucham is not a condition like a disease, which requires isolation to prevent spreading of the disease. It is rather a condition which one imposes upon oneself, as one of the Acharas coming down from ancient times. It is a sensible deliberate process by which we accept the changes in practical and philosophical ways.

Introduction

Asoucham, in general, ensues in three situations that are common in life of a grhastha and his family.

1. after the birth of a child - known as jananasoucham
2. after death of a family member or blood relatives - known as mrtaasoucham
3. during four-day menstruation period for a lady - known as rajasvalaasoucham

It is not to be attributed to microbiological sense, and refers purely to a Ritual Isolation in which one has to conform to a certain place with some restrictions on one's personal activities and socialising for a certain period of time. These periods of Asoucha have a religious as well as a social  and practical significance. During the Mrtaasoucha the family are relieved of their various duties and social obligations so that they have time to bear the grieving process. The situation is strictly controlled with the texts such as Garuda Purana clearly laying down the things to be done or to be avoided. It is also the retrospective time while the departed are still in connection and their near and dear. In the case of Jataasoucha the family are in isolation mainly to take complete care of the new-born and as such the time is required for the stability of the new mother and child.

Definition of Asoucha

According to Shanka smrti as mentioned in Smrtichandrika by Devala

दानं प्रतिग्रहो होमः स्वाध्यायः पितृक्रम च । प्रेतपिण्डक्रियावर्जमाशौचे विनिवर्तयेत्।।

Asoucha in a person's life is of two types पापविशेषात्मकम् । due to malefic activities or papam (such as Brahmahatya, Gohatya) and सपिण्डादिजनने मरणे वा। due to the phenomenon of birth and death of blood related family members and relatives. This is said to be the meaning of the word Asoucham. Asoucham entails restrictions in participating in certain important dharmas and rituals such as

1. Dana (one who gives charity)
2. Pratigraha (one who accepts Dana)
3. Svadhyaya (study of Vedas)
4. Homa (performing yajnas etc)
5. Pitr karmas (such as Shraddha, Darsa-shraddha).

Asoucha however allows the conduct of Pretopakaraka-pindakriyas i.e., those activities such as dana and recitation of vedamantras pertaining to the sutaka period after the death of a person.

Kinds of Asoucham

Mrta-Asoucham

When Asoucha is due to death of a family member, the removal of Asoucha depends on few conditions such as varna of the person, the time of abortion, it is of many kinds, of which a few are as follows

सद्यश्शौचं तथैकाहस्त्र्यहश्चतुरहस्तथा षड्दशद्वादशाहश्च पक्षो मासस्तथैव च। मरणान्तं तथा चान्यद्दश पक्षास्तु सूतके।

1. सद्यश्शौचम् Sadya soucham: Asoucham removed almost instantly. Example, in case of non-sapinda relatives (non-blood relatives), on hearing the news of the death of a family member, asoucham is removed on taking a bath (sachela snanam - taking a bath with the clothes at that instant). Another example is when relatives visit a family in the ten-day bereavement, upon returning home their Asoucha is removed with a bath immediately.
2. एकाहाशौचम् Ekaaha Asoucham: Asoucha is for one day.
3. त्रिरात्राशौचम् Trayahaasoucham : Asoucha is for three days.
4. चतुरहाशौचम् Chaturaha Asoucham : Asoucha is for four days.
5. पञ्चाहाशौचम् Panchaaha Asoucham : Asoucha is for five days.
6. षड्दिनाशौचम् Shaddina Asoucham : Asoucha is for six days.
7. दशदिनाशौचम् Dasa dina Asoucham : Asoucha is for ten days.
8. द्वादशदिनाशौचम् Dvadasaaha Asoucha : Asoucha is for four days.
9. पक्षाशौचम् : Asoucha is for fifteen days.
10. मासाशौचम् : Asoucha is for a month's time.
11. मरणान्ताशौचम् : Asoucha persists until death of the person.

Jaata - Asoucha References

Parasara Smriti

जातौ विप्रो दशाहेन द्वादशाहेन भूमिपः । वैश्यः पञ्चदशाहेन शूद्रो मासेन शुध्यति ।। ३.४ ।। (Para. Smrt. 3.4)

On the occasion of a birth, a Brahman recovers purity in ten days; a Kshatriya does so in twelve days; a vaishya at the expiry of fifteen days; and the purification of a Shoodra takes a month.

[Madhava says that this rule applies to the case where a Sapinda has been born ; while the rule of three days applies where a Samanodaka, a more distant relative than a Sapinda, has been born.]

Mrta-Asoucha References

Parashara Smriti

एकाहाच्छुध्यते विप्रो योऽग्निवेदसमन्वितः । त्र्यहात्केवलवेदस्तु द्विहीनो दशभिर्दिनैः ।। ३.५ ।।

जन्मकर्मपरिभ्रष्टः संध्योपासनवर्जितः । नामधारकविप्रस्तु दशाहं सूतकी भवेत् ।। ३.६ ।।

एकपिण्डास्तु दायादाः पृथग्दारनिकेतनाः । जन्मन्यपि विपत्तौ च तेषां तत्सूतकं भवेत् ।। ३.७ ।।

तावत्तत्सूतकं गोत्रे चतुर्थपुरुषेण तु । दायाद्विच्छेदमाप्नोति पञ्चमो वात्मवंशजः ।। ३.८ ।।