Asoucha (आशौचम्)

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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, danas and even mingling with other family members preventing socialization extending to a long period of time (even a month in some cases).

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, more of a family choice to follow the Acharas which have been handed down to us from ancient times. It is a sensible deliberate process by which we accept the changes in nature by practical and philosophical ways.

परिचयः॥ Introduction

Asoucham also called as Sutaka, in general, ensues in three situations that are common in the life of a grhastha and his family.

1. जाताशौचम् ॥ Jaata-asoucha - Asoucha after the birth of a child
2. मृताशौचम् ॥ Mrta-asoucha - After death of a family member or relatives
3. रजस्वलाशौचम् ॥ Rajasvala-asoucha - During four-day menstruation period for a girl or woman until menopause

Asoucham is not due to disease nor should be attributed to microbiological containment, 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.

आशैचलक्षणम् ॥ 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 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.

पारिभाषिकपदानि ॥ Associated Terminology

Reference to Dharmasindhu and Smriti granthas has been given from which further information may be sought on the following topics.

कूटस्थमारभ्य सप्तमपुरुषपर्यन्ताः सपिण्डाः ॥ ततः सप्तसमानोदकाः ॥ ततः सप्तैकविंशतिपर्यन्ताः सगोत्राः ॥ (Dhar. Sind. Parich. 3)

कूटस्थः॥ Kutastha: The moola purusha is the Kutastha. The fourth older generation person is the Kutastha. Ex: Consider the persons Great-grandfather, Grand-father, Father and Person X (Son) in a lineage.

सपिण्डः ॥ Sapinda: All the sons and children belonging to them, upto seven generations down from the Kutastha are called Sapindas.

समानोदकाः ॥ Samanodakas: The seven generations after the sapinda generations are called samanodakas.

सगोत्राः ॥ Sagotras: The seven generations after the Samanodaka generations are called Sagotras.

Sagotras refers all the members of the family having the same surname of twenty-one generations.

दायादिः ॥ Dayadi: All the members in family who have a share in the income generated in the joint family. This inheritance is defined from the Great-grandfather's properties. Hence all the sapindas are also related family members who have a share in the ancestral property.

सूतकम् ॥ Sutaka: A synonym for Asoucha.

शुद्धिः/शौचम्॥ Shuddhi/Soucham: Is the cleansing process which happens with the bath taken after the period of Asoucha.

अस्पृस्यत्वरुपमाशौचम् ॥ Asprushyatva-rupa Asoucha refers to the vidhi equivalent to isolation of the person without anyone getting in physical contact with them. If they have to be touched (for any reason such as offering of medicines or for food) snana removes such an asoucham. Sadly this vidhi is misrepresented as 'untouchability' by many people of the society although shastras have not restricted medical or essential help to anyone following this vidhi.

सचेलस्नानम्॥ Sachela Snanam: It is the snana vidhi ordained at certain times and refers to bathing with whatever clothes a person is wearing at an instant of time.

आशैचप्राप्तिः ॥ Asoucha Applies To

प्राप्नोति सूतकं गोत्रे चतुर्थपुरुषेण तु । दायाद्विच्छेदमाप्नोति पञ्चमो वात्मवंशजः ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.9)

The sutaka applies upto four generations (Person X, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and the sons (and their wives) and their children of the first three generations) and the sapinda relationship ends with the fifth generation person of the same family.

A woman after marriage observes the Asoucha of her husband's family and not that of her natural family. From birth upto marriage a female child follows the Asoucha of her parental family and after marriage Asoucha of husband's family applies, though she would still have to follow the Asoucha (reduced in number of days) of her blood relatives.

॥ Asoucha Based on Varnas

जाताशौचविधिः॥ Jaata-Asoucha Vidhi

According to 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.]

मृताशौचविधिः॥ Mrta-Asoucha Vidhis

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 or death. Based on the Varna of a person the vidhis are as follows

क्षत्रियो द्वादशाहेन वैश्यः पञ्चदशाहकैः । शूद्रः शुध्यति मासेन पराशरवचो यथा ॥ ३.२ ॥

According to Parasara's words, a Kshatriya has shuddhi (purity) from asoucha in twelve days (i.e., on 13th day); a Vaisya, when fifteen days have passed (i.e., on the 16th day); a Shudra, after the lapse of a month (i.e., on the 31st day).

Death due to Unnatural Reasons

In the Garuda Purana ShriKrishna explains to Garuda the vidhis of Asoucha in case of unnatural deaths such as death due to snake-bite, drowning and being struck by an horned animal, through weapons or in an accident and when no funeral rites are carried out such as cremation.

गरुड उवाच ।

सर्पाद्धि प्राप्तमृत्यूनामग्निदाहादि न क्रिया । जलेन शृङ्गिणा वापि शस्त्राद्यैर्म्रियते यदि ॥ २,१३.९ ॥

असन्मृत्युमृतानां च कथं शुद्धिर्भवत्प्रभो । एतन्मे संशयं देव च्छेत्तुमर्हस्यशेषतः ॥ २,१३.१० ॥

श्रीकृष्ण उवाच ।

षण्मासैर्ब्राह्मणः शुध्येद्युग्मे सार्धे तु बाहुजः । सार्धमासेन वैश्यस्तु शूद्रो मासेन शुध्यति ॥ २,१३.११ ॥ (Garu. Pura. 2.13.9-11)

Krishna replies : If he is a Brahmana, shuddhi is after six months, if a Kshatriya in three months; if a Vaishya - a month and a half and if he is a Shudra shuddhi is after one month.

मृताशौचनिर्णयः॥ Determining Mrta-Asoucha

Asoucha vidhis, explained below, are based on various factors with varying number of days of Asoucha prescribed for each kind of situation. Factors involved in the vidhis are one or a combination of the following

• whether death was of a family (maternal or paternal) member or of a relative
• the generation to which the person belongs to in the lineage
• the ashrama of the person
• whether the person who died has undergone has undergone any samskara especially the Upanayana samskara
• time of hearing the news of death (number of hours or days elapsed since death)
• place where the death of the person happened (nearby or far off in distant lands)
• natural or unnatural death (snake-bite, drowning etc)

Further Asoucha is of many kinds of which a few are mentioned as follows

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

Asoucha is ordained to be one of instant removal (सद्यश्शौचम्) one (एकाहाशौचम्), three (त्र्यहः), four (चतुरहः), six (षडहः), ten (दशाहः) twelve days (द्वादशदिन), fifteen days (पक्षाशौचम् , one month (मासाशौचम्) etc and persists even until the death of a person (मरणान्ताशौचम्).

सद्यश्शौचम् ॥ Sadyasoucha

Asoucham removed almost instantly in some situations. Example, in some cases of non-sapinda relatives, on hearing the news of the death of a family member, asoucham is removed on taking a sachela snanam - snana (taking a bath) with the clothes at that instant on hearing the news. Another example is when relatives visit a family in the ten-day bereavement, upon returning home their Asoucha is removed with a bath immediately.

भृग्वग्निमरणे चैव देशान्तरमृते तथा । बाले प्रेते च संन्यस्ते सद्यः शौचं विधीयते ॥ ३.12 ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.12)

A rshi undertaking penance in forest, due to age or inability to continue the tapas (due to health reasons) may choose death either by jumping off a cliff (भृगुमरणम्) or by entering fire (अग्निमरणम्). In the above two situations (of भृग्वग्निमरण), death in places far off from non-native country, in infant's and sanyasi's death, shuddhi happens on taking a bath instantly on hearing the news.

दशरात्रेष्वतीतेषु त्रिरात्राच्छुद्धिरिष्यते । ततः सम्वत्सरादूद्र्ध्वं सचैलं स्नानमाचरेत्॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.13)

If the news of death arrives anytime after the tenth day has passed (i.e., on the 11th day) but within one year, then asoucha has to be observed for three days. But according to present day aacharas, this rule is not being followed and people are opting for sadyasoucha only instead of observing the three-day asoucha. If news of death is heard after a year of passing of the person then sadyashuddhi is by Sachela snanam.

देशान्तरमृतः कश्चित्सगोत्रः श्रूयते यदि । न त्रिरात्रं अहोरात्रं सद्यः स्नात्वा शुचिर्भवेत् ॥ ३.१4 ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.14)

If information arrives that a person of the same lineage (sagotra) has died in a country other than his native land — then the rule of three days or of one day does not apply, the relatives are purified by bathing themselves on that very day.

एकाहाशौचम् ॥ Ekaaha Asoucham

Asoucha is for one day.

एकाहाच्छुध्यते विप्रो योऽग्निवेदसमन्वितः । (Para. Smrt. 3.5) A Brahman who has studied the Veda, and likewise keeps the sacred household fire, is restored to soucha in a single day.

Such a situation is extremely rare in the present society as Brahmanas who are studying Vedas and maintaining the Agni at home are extremely few in number. As it is extremely uncommon many in the general society are unaware of such situations.

त्रिरात्राशौचम् चतुरहाशौचम् षण्णिशाशौचम् च॥ Triratra Asoucham

Asoucha is for three, four and six days respectively in the following cases.

त्र्यहात्केवलवेदस्तु द्विहीनो दशभिर्दिनैः ॥ ३.५ ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.5)

He who has the knowledge of the Veda alone will recover purity in three days ; while he who is without either the Veda or the fire, will remain with Asoucha till ten days are over.

चतुर्थे दशरात्रं स्यात्षण्णिशाः पुंसि पञ्चमे । षष्ठे चतुरहाच्छुद्धिः सप्तमे तु दिनत्रयात् ॥ ३.10॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.10)

For the fourth generation person, ten days of sutaka is to be followed. For the fifth generation person he should observe six nights of Asoucha (i.e., 7th day). For the sixth generation person, shuddi will be after four days (i.e., on the 5th day). For the seventh generation person, shuddhi will be after three days (i.e., on the 4th day).

दशदिनाशौचम् ॥ Dasadina Asoucham

Asoucha for ten days is presently the widely followed system.

एकाहाच्छुध्यते विप्रो योऽग्निवेदसमन्वितः । त्र्यहात्केवलवेदस्तु द्विहीनो दशभिर्दिनैः ॥ ३.5 ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.5)

A Brahman who has studied the Veda, and likewise keeps the sacred household fire, is restored to purity in a single day ; he who has the knowledge of the Veda alone will recover purity in three days ; while he who is without either the Veda or the fire, will have Asoucha till ten days are over.

जन्मकर्मपरिभ्रष्टः संध्योपासनवर्जितः । नामधारकविप्रस्तु दशाहं सूतकी भवेत् ॥ ३.6 ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.6)

A Brahman who has never received the purificatory rites prescribed from the day of birth, who neglects to perform the threefold daily prayers (sandhya), who is a Brahman in name alone — must observe ten days of Asoucha on account of a birth or death.

एकपिण्डास्तु दायादाः पृथग्दारनिकेतनाः । जन्मन्यपि विपत्तौ च तेषां तत्सूतकं भवेत् ॥ ३.7 ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.7)

Even if the Dayadis (one who are sagotras and sapindas) have separate homes and their families are not living in joint families, they have the same rules of ten days of sutakam.

प्राप्नोति सूतकं गोत्रे चतुर्थपुरुषेण तु । दायाद्विच्छेदमाप्नोति पञ्चमो वात्मवंशजः ॥ ३.9 ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.9)

The aforesaid sutaka applies upto four generations (son, father, grandfather and great-grandfather) and the dayadi relationship ends with the fifth generation person of the same family.

पञ्चभिः पुरुषैर्युक्ता अश्राद्धेया सगोत्रिणः । ततःषट्पुरुषाद्यश्च श्राद्धेऽभोज्या सगोत्रिणः ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.11)

There is no shraddha vidhi, from the fifth generation person onwards even if they are sagotras. A sixth generation person should not partake the prasada of shraddha, even if he is a sagotra.

गर्भनाशजननाद्यशौचम् ॥ Garbhanaasha and Jaatasoucha

The vidhis for Asoucha are mentioned starting from the early months of pregnancy with varying periods of Asoucha time specified based on the time of loss of the child. Parashara smrti defines the terms as below.

आचतुर्थाद्भवेत्स्रावः पातः पञ्चमषष्ठयोः । अत ऊर्ध्वं प्रसूतिः स्याद्दशाहं सूतकं भवेत् ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.18)

An abortion taking place before four months are past, is to be called Garbha Sraava' or oozing' of the womb (गर्भस्रावः । miscarriage); it is named a 'fall' Garbha Paata (गर्भपातः । abortion) within the fifth or in the sixth month; thereafter it is called Prasuuti (प्रसूतिः । Parturition). And then for the period of ten days will the Asoucha last.

तत्र गर्भस्रावे आद्यमासत्रये मातुस्रिरात्रं चतुर्थमासे चतूरात्रमस्पृस्यत्वरुपमाशौचम्॥ पित्रादिसपिण्डानां स्रावमात्रे स्नानाच्छुद्धिः॥

• If Garbha Sraava happens anytime upto three months, only the mother has ‘Asprushyatva-rupa' Ashuchi for three days; if in fourth month then Asuchi is for four days for the mother. Shuddhi for Father and Sapindas is accorded after bath (Sadyasoucham).

पञ्चमषष्ठमासयोर्गर्भपाते गर्भिण्या माससमसंख्यं क्रमेण पञ्चषड्दिनान्यस्पृश्यत्वलक्षणमाशौचम्॥ पित्रादिसपिण्डानां तु त्रिदिनं जननाशौचं मृताशौचंतु नास्ति॥ इदं स्रावपातशौचं सर्ववर्णसाधारणम्॥

• If Garbha Paata happens then ‘Asprushyatva-lakshana' Asuchi for the mother is five days in the fifth and six days in the sixth month. Father and Sapindas have to undergo three days of Janana Asoucha (vidhi is explained below) and not have to follow Mrtaasoucha. These vidhis mentioned above are common to people of all varnas. This point is mentioned in the Parashara smriti also as follows.

  यदि गर्भो विपद्येत स्रवते वापि योषिताम् । यावन्मासं स्थितो गर्भो दिनं तावत्तु सूतकम् ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.17)

  If the foetus should perish, while yet in the womb, or be miscarried — then the woman has Asoucha of as many days, as would be equal to the number of months the child had been in the womb.

गर्भिण्याः सप्तममासप्रभृतिप्रसवे मातुः पित्रादिसपिण्डानां च संपूर्णं जननाशौचम्॥ तच्च विप्रे दशाहम्॥ क्षत्रिये द्वादशाहम्॥ वैश्ये पञ्चद्वादशाहम्॥ शूद्रे मासः संकरजातीनां शूद्रवत्॥ सर्वेषु दशाहं वा॥

• From Prasuti time, i.e., seven months onward, the complete ‘Janana -ashoucha’ vidhis would be applicable for the mother, father and all the Sapindas, which would be for ten days to Vipras, twelve days of Kshatriyas, fifteen days for Vaishyas and one month for others. Another version is that for all varnas the Jananaasoucha is for ten days only (this vidhi is being followed in the present society). The same is mentioned in Parashara Smrti as follows.

प्रसूतिकाले संप्रप्ते प्रसवे यदि योषिताम् । जीवापत्ये तु गोत्रस्य मृते मातुश्च सूतके॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.19)

When the woman approaches Prasuti (7th month onwards) if the new-born is alive then Asoucha (Jaata Asoucha for ten days) is for all the family members having the same surname (sagotra) whereas if the baby is still-born then only the mother has the Asoucha for ten days.

Infants and Children

अजातदन्ता ये बाला ये च गर्भाद्विनिःसृताः । न तेषां अग्निसंस्कारो नाशौचं नोदकक्रिया ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.16)

For infants from birth till the time the teeth had yet to grow, and for such who are still-born, no cremation (अग्निसंस्कार) is ordained, neither is there any time of Asoucha, nor are given tarpana of water (उदकक्रिया). This vidhi applies to the relatives and not the mother.

दन्तजातेऽनुजाते च कृतचूडे च संस्थिते । अग्निसंस्करणं तेषां त्रिरात्रं सूतकं भवेत् ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.21)

If an infant has died after teething, or if he has died before the growth of his teeth, but after the performance of tonsure upon him, — then for him cremation is prescribed, and his relatives have Asoucha for full three nights.

जननाशौचविधयः ॥ Jananaasoucha Vidhis

• जननाशौचे गर्भिण्या दशाहमस्पृश्यत्वम्॥ During Jananasoucham, the mother alone has Asprushyata for ten days.
• कर्मानधिकारस्तु कन्योत्पत्तौ मासं पुत्रोत्पत्तौ विंशतिरात्रम्॥ The mother does not have Karma - adhikara or eligibility to perform ‘Karyas’ such as devatarchana, pujas and danas, until forty days of the birth of a female child and thirty days of a male.
• पितुःसापत्नमातुश्च कन्यायाः पुत्रस्यवोत्पत्तौ सचैलस्नानात्प्रागस्पृश्यत्वं पित्रादिसपिण्डानां जननाशौचे कर्मानधिकारमात्रम्॥ During Jananasoucham, the father (and co-wives of the lady who delivered) has Asprushyata until Sachela snaana. They along with other Sapindas of the family do not have the karma-adhikara.
• Karmadyatirikta kale --- The family and sapindas do not have Sparshadosha with each other (here only the new mother has sparshadosha where if outsiders touch her they have to take a shuddhi snana).
• During the time of Jatakarmas the father is exempted from such Jatasoucha vidhis. In the ten-day Jaatasoucha period, on the fifth, sixth and tenth days, the father has the adhikara to perform special pujas and danas irrespective of the above mentioned vidhis. Vipras can receive danas.
• If a child is born in the Stree’s Pitru Griha, then her parents, brothers, her uncles who are residing in that particular house have to observe Janana-Ashoucha for one day.
• If the delivery is in her father in law’s house then the stree’s parents have no Ashoucha.
• If a child is still born, then there would be complete ten-day Janana asoucham but no Mrita-Ashoucha.
• If child is dead before the child’s navel is cut then three days for father and sapindas and for the mother ten-days.
• If the child dies after the navel is cut then there would be ten days of Janana Ashoucha but no Mritaashoucha; the mother of the dead child too need not observe Mritaashoucha.

Exemptions from Asoucha

शिल्पिनः कारुका वैद्या दासीदासाश्च नापिताः । राजानः श्रोत्रियाश्चैव सद्यः शौचाः प्रकीर्तिताः ॥

सव्रतः सत्रपूतश्च आहिताग्निश्च यो द्विजः । राज्ञश्च सूतकं नास्ति यस्य चेच्छति पार्थिवः ॥ (Para. Smrt. 3.27 - 28)

1. Artisans
2. Architects and builders
3. Physicians
4. Servants (male and female)
5. Rulers (Rajas)
6. Vedic scholars and officiating priests.
7. Those who are in process of a religious observance or vratas i.e. brahmacharis.
8. Ahitagnis - those who have been initiated and are engaged in the performance of a yajña lasting more than one day.

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