History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.343.2

v5.c72.343.2

21 (last pāda, 'pūrṇe dattvodakaṁ śuciḥ') states that he becomes pure after (a bath and) offering water when the period fixed has passed off. From the words of Manu that only the father, even if he hears of the birth of a son more than ten days after the event, has to take a bath the Mit infers that there is no atikrāntāśauca for sapinḍas on birth⁶³⁵. The Mit. quotes Devala in support (vide note 621 above). The Dharmasindhu follows the Mit. Manu V. 76, Śaṅkha 15.12, Kūrmapurāṇa (Uttarārdha) 23.21 state that when ten days have passed after the event of death, the man who hears of the death is impure for three days and if he hears of the death more than a year after death, he becomes pure after a bath. In order to remove the conflict among smṛtis Vṛddha-Vasiṣṭha lays down 'āśauca is for three days if the news of death is heard within three months (but later than ten days after death), for a pakṣiṇī if it is heard within six months (but later than three months), for one day if heard before nine months (but later than 6 months) and thereafter (i. e. up to one year but later than nine months) one becomes pure by a bath. But the Mit. says⁶³⁶ that this holds good as to all except one's parents and quotes Paiṭhīnasi and another smṛti for the proposition that whenever a son staying in a distant country hears of the death of a parent whether within a year or after a year he has to observe āśauca for ten days from the day he becomes aware of it.