History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.324.3

v5.c72.324.3

two nights with a day between or two days with a night between). There are other views on this point which are passed over. For example, Viṣṇu-dharmasūtra (22. 32-34) says that in the case of a married woman there is no āśauca on the parents' side; but when she is delivered of a child or dies in the father's house then the impurity is for one day or three days respectively.⁶²⁶ A married woman has to observe aśauca for three days for the death of her parents or step-mother if ten days have not elapsed from the day of death or for the remaining days out of the period of ten (Yāj. III. 21 latter half). If the married daughter hears of the death of the parents or step-mother at a time more than ten days after the death or within one year she has to observe aśauca for a pakṣiṇī. If a brother whose upanayana has been performed dies at his married sister's house or vice *versa*, aśauca has to be observed for three days by them, but if they do not die at each other's house but in a different one then the āśauca is for a pakṣiṇī and if the death occurs in another village then there is āśauca only for one day. The same rules apply to step-brothers and step-sisters and also among sisters. A married woman on the death of her paternal grand-father or paternal uncle has to undergo only a bath. If a maternal uncle dies, the nephew and the niece have to observe āśauca for a pakṣiṇī.