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[Full title: (C) The distinctive sacramental features, Part 2; (I) The funeral customs and rites; (1): Ashauca].

D. THE DISTINCTIVE SACRAMENTAL FEATURES: PART-II鈥擳HE FUNERAL CUSTOMS & RITES鈥擨. ASAUCA鈥�1) SRAVASAUCA鈥擳he general & simple rule about sravasauca is prescribed in the text. (1144). The impurity is for the days, corresponding to the months of pregnancy, according to Devala. Parasara (3/17)¹ also mentions a similar rule. He further points² out that abortion upto 4 months of pregnancy is called srava & abortion during fifth & sixth months of pregnancy is called pata. However there is impurity for ten days, if there is abortion, after 6 months of pregnancy. But the view of Marici³ is still quite different. He maintains that impurity to mother only is for three days on grava & that impurity for three days to father etc. & the days corresponding to the months of pregnancy to the mother is to be observed, when there is pata. The Yajnavalkya-smrti 4 (3.20) also contains a rule that Yaj.st is similar to that of Devala. The impart of Manu (5.66) 5 is also similar. Thus Devala agrees with Manu & Yajnavalkya, in this respect 2) DAYS OF IMPURITY FOR THE FOUR VARNAS : The days of impurity in case of four varnas are 10,15,20 & 30 respectively according to Devala (1146). This is similar to Vasistha (4/27-30)6. But other smrtis (viz.Manu, Yajnavalkya, Daksa, Atri, 7 鈥� Sankha etc.) lay down the period of 10,12,15 & 30 days respectively kaluara's i

E Nem 1 717 Da .8. for four varnas. While Gautam S. (II/5/1-3) prescribes 10,11,12 (or half month) & 30 days respectively for the same. Devala (1148) also refers to the view of 'others' (apare) that the impurity on birth or death should be observed for ten days by all varnas. The author may be referring to the view of satatapa by the term 'apare' as is clearly indicated by the verse of Angiras⁹. 3) TOUCHABILITY ALLOWED AFTER PRESCRIBED DAYS : The impurity may be lasting for 10,15,20 & 30 days respectively for the four varnas, but they can be touched, after the period of 1/3 days of the total number of days of impurity (1149). The author further declares that the four varnas can be touched, after 3,4,5 & 10 days of impurity respectively & their food can be partaken after 10,12,13 & 16 days respectively (1150). The view of samvarta (41) 10 is different. He mentions that the four varnas become touchable, during impurity, on 4th, 6th, 8th & 10th day respectively. 4) ASAUCA FOR ONE DAY TO SAGOTRAS : * Devala's view about asauca for sagotras (those belonging to the gotra of the dead) is noteworthy. He prescribes (1154) the impurity for one day to the sagotras but bath only (snanamatra) is prescribed for sagotras by Brhaspati 11 (Reconstructed, Asauca 29). 12 1 The Dharmasindhu' notes that the former view (i.e. asauca for one day) is followed by Nagoji Bhatta, while others do not prescribe asauc a (impurity) to the sagotras.

718 5) A SAUCA TO THE SLAVES : The slaves also have to observe asauca (impurity) for the days, similar to those, observed by their master. Similar view about asauca to the slaves is also to be found in the visnu-smrti (22/19), the Atrismrti (89) & the Brhaspatismrti (Reconstructed, Asauca ¹³35). This would reflect upon the fact that slavery was prevalent, during the period, when this rule about impurity to the slaves was introduced. 6) AS AUCASANNIPATA : The impurity is of two kinds (1) caused by birth (sutaka) & caused by death (Mrtaka or sava) of a person. But there may : 1 be simultaneous occurrence of the two impurities. Another similar or dissimilar kind of impurity may occur during the period of an earlier impurity. The question of days of observance of impurity in such cases requires consideration.Devala problem in the following manner (1168-1172). deals with the 1) The sutika (the lady, that has delivered), can be pure only at the end of the period of ten days. There is no relaxation in her impurity, due to the occurrence of another impurity. 2.) When another impurity of death occurs during the period of an earlier impurity caused by death, the persons become pure at the end of the earlier impurity only. This another impurity of death, must occur, before the lapse of ten days. If it falls on the last i.e. tenth day the impurity is to be extended by two days. If another impurity of death is heard in the morning of the kalpana's

719 eleventh day, the earlier impurity is to be extended by three days. The Vasistha Dharmasutra (4/24-26) & the Gautama Dharmasutra (II/5/5-7) contain similar rules. 3) The impurity, caused by death is severe & strict as compared to the impurity caused by birth. Hence the latter cannot affect the earlier one, when there is any conflict between the two. 4) The impurity of lesser days can be got rid of that of more days, but not the vice versa. 5) If there is increase in the days of impurity by the occurrence of another impurity, the person can be pure at the end of the later impurity, if the subsequent impurity occurs after the fifth day of the previous impurity. Manu & Yajnavalkya do not consider all such possible alternatives of this topic. Both of them, merely prescribe the general rule that when there is occurrence of another similar asauca, during the period of ten days of the earlier one, the person becomes pure at the end of the earlier impurity only. (Cf. Manusmriti 5/79, Yajnavalkya-smrti 3/20a)