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What is sutak? Why it is followed after birth and death in family?
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What is sutak?
Generally there are various prohibitions when a child is born into a family. It goes up to several days like 11 days which is called the Sutak period. There are also various community rules regarding no. of days.
Which scriptures mention about Sutak dosha?
Manu Smriti, Chapter 5 declares ten days of Sutaka (impurity) for Sapinda.
Vishnu Smriti, Chapter 22 gives impurity period by each Varna.
Gautama Smriti, Chapter 14 agree with Vishnu Smriti. It declares:
And then
Vashishtha Smriti, Chapter 4 also declares the same.
Parashara Smriti, Chapter 3 allow Brahmana to be pure after three days.
What are prohibitions on it?
Vishnu Smriti, Chapter 22 gives following prohibitions:
Most of the Dvijakarmas are to be abandoned except Sandhya-rites which can still be continued with slight variations (like without reciting mantras loudly, without pranayama and reciting sankalpam):
However one should also note the following verse:
As regards proving the fact that Sandhya-Rites can still be performed during these Asuchi days, we can quote from the book Dharma Bindu:
More answers are awaited.