Chapter 158 - Kinds of Pollution

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Puṣkara said:

1-4. I shall describe the pollution due to abortion accepted. by Manu and others. In the case of abortion (pollution lasts) so many nights proportionate to the period of pregnancy (for the mother). If the abortion is after four months. (the pollution lasts) for three days, after five months for ten days. It lasts for four nights in the case of royal people, and for five days in the case of tradesmen. It lasts for eight days in the case of śūdra and for twelve days in the case of others. Purification has-been prescribed for women. But the father (of the abortive) (becomes pure) by bathing alone. No bathing has been laid down for those who are sapiṇḍas. (If the abortion) occurs in the seventh or eighth (month), (pollution lasts) for three nights. In the case of the death of a child after the appearance of the teeth, the sapiṇḍas become purified immediately.

5-7. (If the death of a child occurs) before the tonsure, the pollution is for a night, and before the undertaking of the vow (for the investiture of sacred thread) (it lasts) for three nights (for sapiṇḍas). For the mother and father (the pollution) lasts for ten nights. (For those who are not sapiṇḍas), if the child dies before the appearance of the teeth, or after the tonsure, (the pollution) lasts for three nights. If the child dies before it is three years old, one becomes pure after a night. In the case of a warrior class purity is after two days, and three days in that of the tradesman. A śūdra becomes pure after five days. (If the death occurs) before marriage, (the pollution lasts) for twelve days.

8. In the circumstances in which the pollution for brahmins is noted as three nights, in such cases a śūdra (would have) for twelve days and the warrior class and tradesmen (would have) for six and nine (days respectively).

9. If (a child) dies (when) two years old no cremation (be done). It should be buried in the ground. No water of libation need be given even if it had been named. Or it should be done if the child had grown teeth. (If death occurs) after the investiture of sacred thread (one has pollution) for ten (days). A brahmin who propitiates the fire and is well versed in the scriptures becomes pure after a day.

10. (The pollution) lasts for three or four days if one is inferior or still less inferior in his (learning).

11. One who has neglected the worship of fire (would become pure) after five days. One who has neglected the duties. of a brahmin (would become pure) after ten days.

12. A warrior gets pure after nine days and a brahmin possessing qualities after seven days. A tradesman possessing qualities (becomes pure) after ten days. A śūdra (gets pure) after twenty days.

13. (The normal period of pollution) would be ten days for a brahmin, twelve days for the warrior class, fifteen days for the tradesman and one month for the śūdra.

14. If there be excellent qualities (the normal pollution) for ten days would become three days, for three days would become a day, for one day would become immediate purity. One has to infer in this way in all the cases.

15. The pollution for the servant, pupil, hired servant and disciple, residents of same place will be as that of their masters. But the pollution for the death would be separate.

16. In the case of pollution due to the death of a person who performs sacrifices etc., the obsequial rites should be commenced after doing purification before the cremation is done.

17. One may touch a person (polluted) after one-third (of the period of pollution) is over in the case of all the castes. (The period after which) one may touch (the polluted) is three, four, five and ten days for the (four) castes respectively.

18. The gathering (and immersion) of the bones should be done on the fourth, fifth, seventh and ninth day (after the death) for the (four) castes in the successive order.

19. (Pollution) would be for a day in (the death of) girls not given in marriage and three days in (the death of) girls after marriage. A night and two days enclosing it has been laid down (as the period of pollution) in the (death of) married sisters and others.

20. The gotra for the unmarried girls would be that of the father, and for the married girls that of their husbands. The water of libation (should be offered) to the father on both sides in the case of the married.

21. (The pollution) for the parents (would be) for three days after ten days in (the case of) the death of the daughter. O Brahmin! the sapiṇḍas would become pure immediately in (the death of the boy) before the tonsure is done..

22. (The pollution would be) for one day in (the death of a girl) before the marriage (had been done) and three days after the girl had been given in marriage. (The pollution lasts) for a night and two days enclosing it in (the death of) the brother’s son and immediately for the sapiṇḍas.

23. A brahmin becomes pure after ten days in the death or birth through the brahmin woman. So also (a brahmin becomes pure in the death or birth) through the warrior, tradesman and śūdra respectively after six or three days or one day.

24-27. This should be known as (applicable) to the sapiṇḍas. I shall describe (the pollution) in (the case of the death of) illegitimate (children). It is said that there would be purity after three days in (the case of the death of) the illegitimate •children adulterous wives and women who had former husbands. No water of libation (need be given) for those born in the mixed castes and, those gone abroad and those committing suicide. Pollution for those having one mother and two fathers and brothers having illegitimate wives, would be one day for birth and two days in (the case of) death. (I have described) the pollution for sapiṇḍas. I shall describe (the pollution) for those having relationship by the libation of waters.

28. One becomes pure after bathing with the dress worn at the death of a person who is not a sapiṇḍa, whether the dead be a boy or has died abroad.

29. But sapiṇḍas would become pure only after ten days in the case of both birth and death. The members of the same family (distant relatives) (would become pure) after three nights. Those belonging to the same clan would become pure after bath.

30. The relationship of sapiṇḍa would cease after the seventh (generation) in the case of males. The status of being eligible for waters of libation would cease after the fourteenth generation.

31-33. If details about one’s birth are not remembered he is said to belong to another clan. One who hears about the death of a person abroad within ten days after the death, pollution would last only for the remaining period of the days. (If it is heard) ten days after (the death) pollution would be for three days. (If one hears) after one year had elapsed, one becomes pure after touching waters. (The pollution lasts) for a night enclosed by two days (in case of death) of the maternal uncle,. a night (in case of death) of the pupil, priest and relatives.

34. Only bathing is laid down in (case of) the death of son-in-law, daughter’s son, nephew (sister’s son), brotherin-law and the son of the latter.

35-38. (The pollution would last) for three days in (case of) the death of maternal grand-mother, preceptor and maternal grand-father. It is laid down that one becomes pure (in the following cases): (Death at the time of) a famine, the decadence of kingdom, a calamity has befallen, in case of death due to misfortune (or at the time of eclipse), in the death of) knower of brahman by means of fire, (in case of the death of) one who constantly performs sacrifice, one who observes a vow, a celibate, in (case of death at) battle and national calamity, while gift is being made, a sacrifice is being performed and the marriage is being conducted. An atonement in the form (of discarding life) by entering fire or water has been laid for those who kill a brahmin, a cow, and the king as also those who (attempt to) commit suicide, and one who has an incurable disease and one who is incapable of doing svādhyāya^[1].

39-41. If a woman or a man dies by hanging one’s self on account of disgrace, anger, affection and insult, somehow he (or she) would live for a lakh (of years) in an impure hell. If an old man who has neglected the ritual enjoined by the scriptures and code books, discards his life, (the period of) pollution is for three days. The collection of bones (after cremation) is done on the second day. Water of libation is to be done on the third day. The śrāddha (annual ceremony for the dead) should be done on the fourth day.

42. In the death of people struck by lightning or by fire, pollution lasts for three days for the sapiṇḍas. Women who had taken to heretic path and those who had killed their husbands are not eligible for water of libation.

43. If one’s father or mother had died (in the above described manner), one should wear wet clothes, and fast. After one year had gone, the obsequies should be done as laid down.

44. If one, who is an asapiṇḍa^[2], carried the dead body, he becomes pure after bathing with the dress, touching the fire and taking ghee.

45. If one eats food from them, he becomes pure only after ten days. If not eaten food there, he becomes pure that day itsel£ Then one should not stay in that house.

46. The brahmins who carry the dead body of a destitute brahmin, get the benefits of a sacrifice at their each step and would become pure after bathing alone.

47-49. A brahmin who accompanies the dead body of a śūdra becomes pure after three days. After having mourned the death of a person along with the relatives, one should avoid making any gifts or doing śrāddha etc. willfully for a day. If a śūdra woman delivers (a child) or dies in one’s house, the vessels should be discarded and one becomes pure after three days by sweeping the floor (of the house with water). The dead brahmin should not be made to be carried by a śūdra when the same (caste men) are available.

50. After bathing the dead body, it should be cremated after being worshipped with flowers. Never should the (dead) body be cremated naked. A part (of the body) should be left (uncovered).

51-53. One who is born in the same clan should lift and place (the dead body)on the funeral pyre. A brahmin who had consecrated the sacred fire should be appropriately cremated with the three fires^[3]. One who has not consecrated the sacred fire (should be cremated) with one (among these three fires). The others (should be cremated) with the ordinary (fire). The son should place the fire at the face with the words, “You were born from this. May this be born from you again. This is for the heaven”. The relatives (should utter) the name and clan (of the dead) and sprinkle water once.

54. The water of libation (should be done) in this way in the death of the maternal grand-father, and the preceptor. The water of libation is optional in (the case of) the death of the girl friend, sister’s son, father-in-law and priest.

55-56. The son should offer the water of libation for ten days (with the syllable) apo naḥ śośucad^[4]. Ten balls of rice should be offered (at the death) of a brahmin. Twelve (balls of rice) are remembered (to be offered) for a warrior. Fifteen (balls) are spoken to be for a tradesman. It is said that thirty (balls) (should be offered) for a śūdra. A son or daughter or anybody else may offer the balls of rice like the son.

57-59. After biting the margosa leaves, becoming selfcontrolled and sipping water at the entrance to the house, all should touch fire, water, cowdung, white mustard and place foot slowly on a stone and enter (the house). Till the pollution goes pungeant and saline food should not be taken. Flesh should not be eaten and all should sleep on the floor. After bathing, food bought from outside should be eaten. The same person, who did the first day rite, should do rites for ten days. In the absence (of that person), a brahmacāri may offer the balls of rice and waters of libation

60. Just as the pollution for the sapiṇḍas at the death (of their relatives) has been laid down, so also it would be in regard to birth for those who desire for purification.

61. The pollution due to death is applicable to all. But the pollution due to birth is only for the father and mother. Pollution would be for the mother only and the father would become pure after touching water.

62. If it had been decided that śrāddha should be done on the day of birth of the (dead) son, cow, gold and dress should be given as gift on that day.

63. The pollution due to death (goes) with (another) pollution. The pollution due to birth (goes) with (another) pollution. Even between them one gets pure with that which occurs first.

64. If a pollution due to death occurs while there is pollution due to birth and vice-versa, the pollution is based on that of death only and not on that of birth.

65. If one pollution occurs when there is already another pollution, if the two are equal or the latter is less equal then the pollution should be completed with the former. If the two are unequal, it should be completed with the second according to the words of Dharmarāja.

66. If death occurs at the end of another death, there is purification after the end of first pollution. The greater one always affects the lighter one. But the lighter one never affects the greater one.

67. If the pollution due to death or birth occurs in the midnight when there is already a pollution due to death or birth, all would become pure with the remaining part of pollution. That is that part of the night added to two days.

68. If the pollution occurs in the morning, one becomes pure after three days. In both cases one should not eat food from that family.

69. One should refrain from making any gifts. If one happened to die, he should do rites of atonement. There is no sin if it is done unknowingly in the former. Otherwise, it would be for a day for the one who dines.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Study of one’s own branch of the Veda.

[2]:

Not a sapiṇḍa.

[3]:

Sacrificial fire of three kinds gārhapatya, āhavanīya and dakṣiṇa—the fire perpetually maintained in the house, a consecrated fire taken from the previous, the sacred fire lit on the south.

[4]:

ṚV. 1.97.1a.