History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.365

v5.c72.365

It has already been stated (p 215) how it was the duty of sapiṇḍas to take out the corpse and to cremate it and how carrying the dead body of a poor brāhmaṇa was highly eulogised (Parāśara III. 39-40). But, as Manu V 101-102 provide, if a brāhmaṇa carried through affection the dead body of one ⁶⁴⁶ who was not his sapiṇḍa, as if he were a bandhu or carried (the dead body) of his mother's bandhus (such as mother's brother or sister) he became pure after three days; but if he partook of the food of those who were bereaved by death he became pure after ten days and if he does not stay in the house of those bereaved nor partakes of their food he becomes pure in a day (but if he stays in their house though not partaking of their food he has to observe aśauca for three days). Vide Kūrmapurāṇa (Uttarārdha 23. 37) and Viṣṇu 22. 7-9 also. Gautama (14. 21-25) has rules on the same subject but they somewhat differ and Haradatta remarks that this āśauca is somewhat different from the āśauca observed by sapiṇḍas, viz. he becomes untouchable but he need not follow the other rules such as sleeping on the ground &c. If a person carried a dead body through greed (for money), a brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya or śūdra had to observe āśauca respectively for 10, 12, or 15 days or a month. This was called nirhārāśauca, the word 'nirhāra' ⁶⁴⁷ including the covering of the dead body with a garment, decking it with garlands, perfumes and ornaments, carrying it and cremating it. Sapiṇḍas who are observing āśauca for the death of the same person may dine in the same house and partake of the food cooked, but not others who are not undergoing the same āśauca.⁶⁴⁸