History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.397

v5.c72.397

SADYAH-ŚAUCA (purification on the same day). It has already been seen (p 274) that Dakṣa (VI 2) speaks of ten kinds of impurity on birth or death, the first two of which are *sadyaḥśauca* and *ekāha* Ekāha means day and night together (vide note 622 above) The ordinary meaning of 'sadyaḥ' is 'at once, immediately.' But when Yāj III. 29, Parāśara III 10, Atri 97 and other smṛtis employ the word 'sadyaḥ-śauca' what is meant is that there is no āśauca for a whole day or three days or ten days, but only up to the taking of a bath or up to the end of the day or the end of the night on which the event occurs Pāṇini⁶⁶³ mentions 'sadyaḥ' and thirteen other words in one sūtra as *nipātas* (irregularly formed). From Yāj. III. 23 (ādantajanmanaḥ sadya ācūḍānnaiśikī smṛtā) it impliedly follows that *sadyaḥ* has the meaning of 'a part of a day or a part of the night' (as the case may be) and 'naiśikī' means a whole day and night (as note 622 shows). The Śuddhitattva (pp. 340-341) explains⁶⁶⁴ 'sadyah' as meaning 'a portion of the day or of the night' and cites several authorities in support The Śuddhiprakāśa (p 92) explains that 'sadyahśauca' in some contexts means 'absence of āśauca,' while in others it means 'bath' and with reference to those killed in battle and the like (to whom piṇḍas have to be offered) it means 'a part of the day or of the night.' The Smṛtimuktāphala⁶⁶⁵ (āśaucakāṇḍa) p 481 says that 'sadyahśauca' means 'impurity that comes to an end by a bath' That piṇḍas have to be offered to those about whom there is 'sadyahśauca' is stated by the Ādipurāṇa⁶⁶⁶ According to the Śuddhikaumudī (p 73) 'sadyahśauca' has two meanings, viz. (1) the entire absence of āśauca as in the cases of sacrificial priests &c (Yāj III. 28), (2) āśauca that is removed by a mere bath (as in Manu V. 76)