22. Death
i. General
Āpastamba
तेषु चौदकौपस्पर्शनं तावन्तं कालम् ॥5 अनुभाविनां च परिवापनम् ॥6 न अन्यत्र विहाराद् इत्य् एके ॥7 अथअपि ब्राह्मणम्, रिक्तो वा एषो ऽ यन् मुण्डः तस्यएतद् अपिधानं यच्शिखाइति ॥8 सत्रेषु तु वचनाद् वपनं शिखायाः ॥9
5 At their death one should also bathe daily for the same period of time; 6 in addition, the mourners should shave themselves completely. 7 Some maintain that students who have returned home should not shave except when they are consecrated for a sacrifice. 8 A Brāhmaṇa, moreover, declares: "Empty and uncovered, indeed, is he who is shaven-headed; the topknot is his cover." 9 At sacrificial sessions, on the other hand, the topknot is shaved because it is explicitly enjoined. [A 1.10.5–9]
Baudhāyana
मरणे तु यथाबालं पुरस्कृत्य यज्ञोपवीतान्य् अपसव्यानिकृत्वा तीर्थम् अवतीर्य सकृत् सकृत् त्रिर् निमज्ज्यौन्मज्ज्यौत्तीर्यआचम्य तत्प्रत्ययम् उदकम् आसिच्यअत एवौत्तीर्यआचम्य गृहद्वार्यङ्गारम् उद्कम् इति संस्पृश्यअक्षारलवणआशिनो दशअहं कटमासीरन् ॥24
24 When a death has occurred, however, the relatives should wear their sacrificial cords over their right shoulders and under their left arms and, placing the younger ones first, go down to a bathing place. They should submerge in the water, rise up, climb up to the bank, sip some water, and offer a libation of water to the deceased person—repeating this sequence of acts three times. They should finally climb up to the bank, sip some water, touch a piece of coal and water at the door to the house, and remain seated there on mats for ten days eating food without spices or salt. [B 1.11.24]
Vasiṣṭha
शरीरम् अग्निना संयोज्यान् अवेक्षमाणासपसभ्यवयन्ति ॥11 सव्यैतराभ्याम्पाणिभ्यम् उदकक्रियाम्कुर्वीरनयुग्मासु दक्षिणामुखाः ॥12 पितॄणाम्वैएषा दिक्या दक्षिणा ॥13 गृहान् व्रजित्वा प्रस्तरे त्रिअहम् अनश्नन्तसासीरन् ॥14 अशक्तौ क्रीतौत्पन्नेन वर्तेरन् ॥15
11 After cremating the body, they should go away without looking back and enter a place of water. 12 Then, standing right there, they should pour libations of water with both hands. They are to be poured on uneven days and facing the south. 13 The south, clearly, is the direction of the ancestors. 14 After returning home, they should remain seated on mats-for-impurity fasting for three days; 15 or they should live on what has been purchased. [Va 4.11–15]
ii. Impurity from Death and Birth
Āpastamba
मातुश् च योनिसंबन्धेभ्यः पितुश् चआ सप्तमात् पुरुषाद् यावता वा संबन्धो ज्ञायते तेषां प्रेतेषुउदकौपस्पर्शनं गर्भान् परिहाप्यअपरिसंवत्सरान् ॥2 मातापितराव् एव तेषु ॥3 हर्तारश् च ॥4 भार्यायां परमगुरुसंस्थायां चअकालम् अभोजनम् ॥5 आतुरव्यञ्जनानि कुर्वीरन् ॥6 केशान् प्रकीर्य पांसून् ओप्येकवाससो दक्षिणामुखाः सकृद् उपमज्जयौत्तीर्यौपविशन्ति एवं त्रिः ॥7–8 तत्प्रत्ययम् उदकम् उत्सिच्यअप्रतीक्षा ग्रामम् एत्य यत् स्त्रिय आहुः तत् कुर्वन्ति ॥9 इतरेषु चएतद् एवएके उपदिशन्ति ॥10
2 Blood relations of the mother and relations of the father up to the sixth degree, or as far back as the relationship is known-when any of these dies, one should bathe, unless the deceased is a child less than one year old, 3 in which case only parents 4 and those who carry the corpse need to bathe. 5 At the death of a wife or a principal elder, people should fast from the time of death until the same time the next day 6 and display the signs of mourning: 7 the mourners should dishevel and throw dust on their hair, wear a single garment, face the south, themselves submerge once in the water, come out of the water, and sit down. 8 They should repeat this three times. They should pour out water in such a way that the deceased recognizes it, then return to the village without looking back, and do whatever else the women ask them to do. 10 Some prescribe these same observances also at the death of other relatives. [A 2.15.2–10]
Gautama
शावम् आशौचं दशरात्रम् अनृत्विग्दीक्षितब्रह्मचारिणां सपिण्डानाम् । ॥1 एकादशरात्रं क्षत्रियस्य । ॥2 द्वादशरात्रं वैश्यस्य । ॥3 अर्धमासम् एके । ॥4 मासम् शूद्रस्य । ॥5 तच् चेद् अन्तः पुनर् आपतेच् छेषेण शुध्येरन् । ॥6 रात्रिशेषे द्वाभ्याम् । ॥7 प्रभाते तिसृभिः । ॥8 गोब्राह्मणहतानाम् अन्वक्षम् । ॥9 राजक्रोधाच् च । ॥10 युद्धे । ॥11 प्रायानाशकशस्त्राग्निविषोदकोद्बन्धनप्रपतनैश् चेच्छताम् । ॥12 पिण्डनिवृत्तिः सप्तमे पञ्चमे वा । ॥13 जनने ऽप्य् एवम् । ॥14 मातापित्रोः तत् । ॥15 मातुर् वा । ॥16 गर्भमाससमारात्रीः स्रंसने गर्भस्य । ॥17 त्र्यहं वा । ॥18 श्रुत्वा चोर्ध्वं दशम्याः पक्षिणीम् । ॥19 असपिण्डे योनिसंबन्धे सहाध्यायिनि च । ॥20 सब्रह्मचारिण्य् एकाहम् । ॥21 श्रोत्रिये चोपसंपन्ने । ॥22
1 A ten-day period of death impurity affects people belonging to the same ancestry as the deceased, unless they are officiating as priests in, or are consecrated for, a sacrifice, or are vedic students. 2 In the case of Kṣatriyas, the period of impurity lasts for eleven days; 3 in the case of Vaiśyas, for twelve days—4 or, according to some, for a fortnight; 5 and in the case of Śūdras for a month. 6 If during that period another period of impurity arises, they become pure at the end of the time remaining from the first period of impurity; 7 but if only one day remains, then at the end of two days; 8 and if it happens on the morning after the conclusion of the first period, then at the end of three days. 9 When people are killed while defending cows or Brahmins, their relatives become pure immediately; 10 as also when they are killed due to the king's anger 11 or in a battle; 12 and when they die voluntarily by walking without food or drink, by fasting, by a sword, in a fire, by poison, by drowning, by hanging, and jumping from a precipice. 13 Relationship caused by ancestry ceases with the fifth or seventh generation. 14 These same rules of impurity come into effect also at the birth of a child; 15 they apply to the parents 16 or just to the mother. 17 When there is miscarriage, the period of impurity lasts for as many days as the months since conception, 18 or else for three days. 19 If someone hears of a relative's death after ten or more days, the period of impurity lasts two days plus the intervening night, 20 as also at the death of a maternal relative not belonging to his ancestry or of a fellow reciter of the Veda. 21 For a fellow student, the period of impurity lasts for a day, 22 as also for a vedic scholar who lives close by. ... 44 When infants, people who have gone to a distant region, wandering ascetics, and people who do not belong to the same ancestry die, a person is purified immediately; 45 as also kings, lest their duties be impeded; 46 and a Brahmin, so as not to interrupt his daily vedic recitation. [G 14.1–22, 44–6]
Baudhāyana
सपिण्डेष्व् आ दशअहम् आशौचम् इति जननमरणयोर् अधिकृत्यवदन्त्य् ऋत्विग्दीक्षितब्रह्मचारिवर्जम् ॥1 सपिण्डता त्व् आ सप्तमात् सपिण्डेषु ॥2 आ सप्तमासाद् आ दन्तजननाद् वाउदकौपस्पर्शनम् ॥3 पिण्डौदकक्रिया प्रेते नअत्रिवर्षे विधीयते ॥4 आ दन्तजननाद् वाअपि दहनं च न कारयेत् ॥4 अप्रत्तासु च कन्यासु ॥5 प्रत्तास्व् एके ह कुर्वते ॥6 लोकसंग्रहणअर्थं हि तद् अमन्त्राः स्त्रियो मताः ॥7 स्त्रीणाम् अकृतविवाहानां त्र्यहात्शुध्यन्ति बान्धवाः ॥8 यथाउक्तेनएव कल्पेन शुध्यन्ति च सनाभय इति ॥8
1 With reference to births and deaths, they say that the period of impurity of people belonging to the same ancestry lasts for ten days, except for officiating priests, those consecrated for a sacrifice, and students. 2 Among people belonging to the same ancestry, the relationship based on common ancestry extends to the seventh generation. 3 Only a bath is prescribed when a child dies before it is seven months old or before teething. 4 When a child dies before it is 3 years old or before teething, no offerings of food or water are prescribed, and it should not be cremated. 5 The same is true when unmarried girls die. 6 Some do perform these rites for married women, 7 but they do it just to curry favor with people; ritual formulas are thought not to apply to women. 8 When unmarried women die, their relatives become pure in three days, but their uterine brothers are purified by following the procedure given above. ... 17 If a birth and a death occur at the same time, the ten-day period of impurity is observed in common for both. 18 If, moreover, before the completion of the ninth day of one ten-day period of impurity other periods of by ten-day impurity arise, then the impurity ends after the first ten-day period. 19 At a birth, meanwhile, the ten-day period of impurity affects only the mother and the father. 20 According to some, it affects only the mother, because it is she that people avoid; 21 while according to others, it affects only the father, because of the predominance of the semen, 22 for the scriptures record sons who took birth outside the womb. 23 Without a doubt, however, both the mother and the father become impure, because they participate equally. ... 27 Even when a person unrelated by common ancestry dies, one should observe a period of impurity for three days, for a day and a night, or for a single day, depending on how closely one is related to the deceased. 28 At the death of one's teacher, tutor, or a son of theirs, the period of impurity lasts for three days, 29 as also at the death of an officiating priest. 30 At the death of a pupil, a person studying under the same teacher, or a classmate during one's vedic studentship, one should observe a period of impurity for three days, for a day and a night, and for a single day, respectively. 31 After miscarriages women remain impure for the same number of days as the months of pregnancy. [B 1.11.1–8, 17–23, 27–31]
Vasiṣṭha
उदकक्रियाशौचम्च द्विवर्षम्प्रभृति ॥9 आ दन्तजननातितिएके ॥10
9 Libations of water and period of impurity. When a person dies after the age of two, one should perform both; 10 according to some, after a person has teethed. [Va 4.9–10]
दशअहम्शावम् आशौचम्सपिण्डेषु विधीयते ॥16 सपिण्डत्वम्सआप्तपुरुषम्विज्ञायते ॥17 प्रत्तानाम्च स्त्रीणाम्त्रिपुरुषम्विज्ञायते ॥18 प्रत्तानाम् इतरे कुर्वीरन्तास्च तेषाम् ॥19 जननेअपिएवम् एव स्यात्निपुणाम्शुद्धिम् इच्छताम् ॥20 मातापित्रोस्वा ॥21 तत्निमित्तत्वात्मातुसितिएके ॥22 अथअपिउदाहरन्ति ॥23 नअशौचम्सूतके पुंसस्संसर्गम्चेत्न गच्छति ॥23 रजः तत्रअशुचि ज्ञेयम्तत्च पुंषि न विद्यते इति ॥23 तत्चेतन्तस्पुनर् आपतेत्शेषेण शुध्येरन् ॥24 रात्रिशेषे द्वाभ्याम् ॥25 प्रभाते तिसृभिः ॥26 ब्राह्मणस्दशरात्रेण ॥27 पञ्चदशरात्रेण राजन्यः ॥28 विंशतिरात्रेण वैश्यः ॥29 शूद्रस्मासेन शुध्यति ॥30 अथअपिउदाहरन्ति ॥31 अशौचे यः तु शूद्रस्य सूतके वाअपि भुक्तवान् ॥31 स गच्छेत्नरकम्घोरम्तिर्यक्योन्याम्च जायते ॥31 अनिर्दशाहे परशवे नियोगात्भुक्तवान् द्विजः ॥32 कृमिस्भूत्वा स देहअन्ते ताम्विष्ठाम्समुपाश्नुते इति ॥32 द्वादश मासान् द्वादशअर्धमासान् वाअनश्नन् संहिताअध्ययनम् अधीयानस्पूतस्भवतिइति विज्ञायते ॥33 ऊनद्विवर्षे प्रेते गर्भपतने वा सपिण्डानाम्त्रिरात्रम् आशौचम् ॥34 सद्यस्शौचम् इति गौतमः ॥35 देशअन्तरस्थे प्रेतेऊर्ध्वम्दशअहात्श्रुत्वाएकरात्रम् आशौचम् ॥36 आहिताग्निस्चेत् प्रवसन् म्रियेत पुनर्संस्कारम्कृत्वा शववत्शौचम् इति गौतमः ॥37
16 "A ten-day period of death-impurity is enjoined on those belonging to the same ancestry." 17 The days are counted from the time of death. The category of common ancestry extends up to the seventh generation; 18 in the case of unmarried women, however, up to the third generation. 19 Others should perform the funerary rites of married women; and such women should perform them for those people. 20 The very same rule regarding impurity applies also to a birth for those who desire perfect purity, 21 Alternatively, it applies only to the mother and the father, because it results from the seed; 22 according to some, only to the mother, 23 Now, they also quote: "At a birth there is no period of impurity for the man, unless he comes into contact with her. One should know that the impure element there is the vaginal discharge, and that does not occur in the man." 24 If during that period another arises, they become pure at the end of the time remaining from the first period of impurity; 25 but if only one day remains, then at the end of two days; 26 and if it happens on the morning after the conclusion of the first period, then at the end of three days. A Brahmin becomes pure after ten days, 28 a Kṣatriya after fifteen days, 29 a Vaiśya after twenty days, 30 and a Śūdra after a month. 31 Now, they also quote: "When a man eats the food of a Sūdra who is in a state of impurity caused by a death or a birth, he will go to hell and take birth in the womb of an animal. 32 If a Brahmin accepts an invitation and eats at the house of an outsider during the ten days of impurity caused by a death, when he dies he will be reborn as a worm and eat the feces of that man." 33 "Such a man," it is said, "becomes purified after reciting a vedic collection of hymns for twelve months or twelve fortnights without eating". 34 When a child less than two years old dies or when there is a miscarriage, the period of impurity of those belonging to the same ancestry lasts for three days; 35 according to Gautama, they become pure immediately. 36 When someone living in a distant region dies and the news arrives after ten days, the period of impurity lasts for one day. 37 According to Gautama, when a man who has established his sacred fires dies while he is away on a journey, his final obsequies are to be performed anew followed by the period of death-impurity. [Va 4.16–37]