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Ashaucha(अशौच) is a period of time (3 to 15 days) where you are not supposed to perform any poojan to any god because you are not purified/not eligible. There are two types of ashaucha

  1. Janana ashaucha जननाअशौच
  2. Mrityu ashaucha मृत्युअशौच
  1. Janana Ashaucha - It happens after birth of child in a family. It's applied for 3 days to entire family.

  2. Mrityu Ashaucha - It is applicable when someone dies in family (who is related within 3rd generation to you) it applies to all the family members who share same last names.

Now my question is since, this applies to all classes of society even the dwijas are not exempted from this rule.So how do we perform nityakarma (regular duties) like Sandhyavandanam within this period of ashaucha , and what other karmas could be performed besides sandhyavandanam.

What is vidhi of performing sandhyavandanam in ashaucha, please give reference with your answer.

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    1. Janana asoucha is when a child is born into the family. A woman's menstrual cycle only imparts asoucha to her and not the rest of the family provided she isolates herself 2. During asoucha, apparently only tarpana is to be given and no gayatri japa is to be done. Please have this verified though.
    – user1195
    Dec 20, 2015 at 15:58
  • Thanks for jnanashucha information, btw what if women doesn't isolate herself , like now a days in kaliyuga girls are here and there every day so what should be done, is the mantra apavitrahaa pavitro... okay to purify with tulsi water?
    – Yogi
    Dec 20, 2015 at 16:03
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    If possible, the women of the household should try and avoid puja rooms and kitchen. As for coming into contact with other ladies outside the house, the solution is to take off clothes worn outside and send them for washing and have a bath , wear clean clothes and do your japa. It is indeed hard to practice in kaliyuga. Btw, one must not touch tulasi after having come in contact with asouchins. Tulasi must be handled with care and reverence. In desperate times (like travel), yes praying to the sun and doing the apavitra may be enough. Please do get it verified by male scholars. vijayeebhava.
    – user1195
    Dec 20, 2015 at 20:33
  • Thanks. please think in this way that menstruation is very normal phenomenon. Everything is created by Devine God so hence we can conclude that the menstruation cycle was also created by the supreme God. Therefore, You can do the daily prayer.
    – rajan
    Feb 6, 2018 at 7:36
  • Harita Smriti सूतके मृतके चैव संध्याकर्मं समाचरेत् मनसापि स्मरेन्मन्त्रं कुशवारि विवर्जीतं ,-हारीत स्मृति even during death or birth in family when all observe ashoucham,brahmin should also do sandhya,but without kusha and water..only mental japa of mantras are done Jan 21, 2019 at 22:23

2 Answers 2

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Sandhya vandanam can/should be performed during ashoucham. Reference kanchi kamakoti periyavar's translations at brahminrituals.com :

Asowcham or Pelai:
During this period except bath and sandhya vandanam nothing else should be performed.

It also completely lists who all have the ashoucha dosham and for how long.

As long as you do not come into contact with ritu women by touch, food, clothes etc., you can do sandhya. If you do come into contact, same rules as any other time applies - bathe from head to toe (which must be done everyday by men anyways - reference1,reference2) before doing.

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  • What do you mean by bath and sandhya I am asking how to do, and what to do. I want a proper hindu scripture reference
    – Yogi
    Dec 28, 2015 at 13:07
  • Generally people designate Saturdays as 'head-bath' days, but actually that day is for 'oil-bath'. Everyday men must completely wet their body, including head, and offer water from shikha (kudumi in tamil) to pitrus. I added references in answer above. And by 'sandhya', i meant sandhya-vandanam
    – ram
    Dec 29, 2015 at 4:00
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    @Yogi, and there is no special vidhi of sandhya-vandanam during ashoucham, just follow usual procedure.
    – ram
    Dec 31, 2015 at 7:28
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How to perfrom nityakarma Sandhyavandan within period of ashaucha.What is vidhi of performing sandhyavandan in ashaucha.

I found one relative answer in a book called Nitya Karma Puja Prakash - Sandhya Prakarana , which is in Hindi. We also find the various references provided by the author about this topic in the book. I am translating the passage in english.

According to the author Maharishi Pulastya has mentioned the importance of continuity of Sandhyavandanam even during ashaucha period. i.e. JananaAshaucha and Mrityuashaucha. Below is the unsourced shloka from the book.

संध्यामिष्टिं च होमं च यावज्जिवं समाचरेत |
न त्यजेत् सूतके वापि त्यजन् गच्छत्यधोगतिम् ||


But during the ashaucha period the procedure becomes different . According to Shastras or Scriptures it then becomes "Manasi Sandhya" or Sandhya by mind only. There is no Upasthana in this kind of Sandhya. And this Sandhya is limited to offering Arghya or water oblation to Surya or Sun only.

Here one should recite Gayatri Mantra 10 times. This alone gives the fruits of Sandhyopasana during this time.

According to one opinion during this time in Sandhyavandana Kusha grass and water can not be used. its suggested that Paranayama is to be performed without uttering Mantras from mouth. Marjana Mantras should be recited in the mind alone and then to carry out Marjana. Arghya should be given to Suna god with reciting Gayatri Manta in mind. And then offering water to sun god and encompassing the sun with offering salutation .

This procedure is called Sandhya by Mind , this type of Sandhya can be carried out in case of calamity , during traveling and during physical unfitness.


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