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

जाताशौचविधिः॥ Jaata-Asoucha

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

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).

Shudravarna vidhis are so ordained in Dharmasindhu, death of a child who had Namakarana samskara up to the age of 3 years shuddhi for the parents and relatives happens with snana; Between 3 years to Vivaha or 16 years shuddhi happens after three days of Asoucha. If death happens after 16 years Mrtashoucham for one month has to be followed (as given above in Parashara smriti also).

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.

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.