History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.307

v5.c72.307

Dakṣa (VI. 2-3) states that there are ten varieties in impurity, viz. immediate purity (after taking a bath), one day, three days, four days, six days, ten days, twelve days, a fortnight, a month and till the end of one's life ⁶¹³ Dakṣa then explains in what cases these different periods apply. As to what is meant by impurity till life's end (lit. till he is reduced to ashes), Dakṣa (VI. 8-10) says: 'those who take their meals without bathing or offering to gods or without making gifts-all such persons are in impurity till life ends. One who is permanently afflicted with a disease, who is close-fisted (i. e. stints himself, wife and son and religious acts through greed), who is always in debt (i. e. who has not paid off his debts to gods, sages and manes), who is bereft of religious acts (*nitya* or *naimittika*), who is a fool and is under the thumb of his wife, whose mind is bent on vices (gambling, prostitution &c), who is always dependent (a king's servant or the like), who is devoid of faith and benevolence (charitable gifts)-he incurs impurity which ends only with his ashes (i. e. only when he is cremated).⁶¹⁴ These words are not to be taken literally; what is meant is that such a man is to be shunned by others (i e it is an *arthavāda* conveying merely censure)