Shloka : 88

जन्माशौचं मृताशौचं स्वसम्बन्धानुसारत: ।

पालनीयं यथाशास्त्रं चातुर्वर्ण्यजनैर्मम ॥ 88 ॥

અને અમારા સત્સંગી એવા જે ચારે વર્ણના મનુષ્ય, તેમણે જન્મનું સૂતક તથા મરણનું સૂતક, તે પોતપોતાના સંબંધને અનુસારે કરીને યથાશાસ્ત્ર પાળવું. ॥ 88 ॥

And my devotees of all the four castes should perform the purifications of birth and that of death as per one's relationship and according to scriptures. || 88 ||

Commentary

Shri Hari has instructed the rule of purification after the birth of a child like this: The father of a new born son should have bath wearing the clothes. He becomes impure for ten consequtive days and nights, starting immediately after child birth. As a result, the father is not eligible to worship his worshipping God through mantra, religious rites etc. The mother of a new born son becomes pure after twenty one days. (These twenty one days should be counted after completing the first ten days.) The mother of a new born daughter becomes pure after one month. (Here, also one month should be counted after completing the first ten days). Till then she is not eligible to be touched. Here, it is adviced that the 'Sapind' relatives i.e. blood relations upto seventh generation become impure for ten days and the 'Sodak' relatives i.e. blood relatives from eighth generation upto fourteenth generation are affected for three days. Moreover, due to birth related impurity the mother of the new born child should not be touched. It is advisible to have bath after touching the mother of a new born child. The father of the new born child is not considered impure for performing 'Jatakarman Sanskar' i.e. ceremonies to be performed at the birth of a child, and for performing charity on the first, sixth and tenth day after child birth.

Now, Shri Hari has instructed the rules of purification after death like this: After death, the 'Sapind' relatives become impure for ten days and 'Sodak' relatives become impure for three days. If a new born baby dies within ten days of birth, then the relatives should not perform the purification of death, only the purification of birth should be performed. If a child dies after naming ceremony and before having any tooth, then ‘Sapind’ rela­tives should only have a bath to purify themselves. If a child dies before completing three years or between the age of 3 - 5 years or before performing the sacred thread ceremony, then purifica­tion should be performed for three days. If sacred thread ceremo­ny had been performed, ten days purification should be performed, in death of an engaged woman, three days purification should be performed. After the death of a married man or woman, purifica­tion should be performed as per the custom of their respective castes. In case of the death of a married woman, purification should be performed for ten days by her 'Sapind' relatives through her marriage. And her father, mother and brother should perform the purification for three days, while other relatives of the dead woman from her father’s side should perform the purifi­cation for one day. The daughter should perform the purification for three days in case of the death of any of her parents.

While performing the purification of death, it it not required to perform the purification of birth, but not the vice versa.

Moreover, purification is performed by having only bath while performing charity; after commencement of marriage ceremony; while performing Yagya, after being initiated for the Yagya; during war; during absence of law and order in the country and during emergency i.e. at the time of great grief etc.