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Sootak and Paatak
See also    Agni Puraan, 14

Uncleanliness. There are some periods when this unclean period attaches to a man or a woman or a family. Sootak is of two types - Jaat Sootak and Mrit Sootak or Paatak. Jaat Sootak is the period when a child is born in a family, and Mrit Sootak is when somebody dies in a family. There are some other unclean days also, such as, at the time of menstruation, a woman is in Sootak for four days. She doesn't touch anything. Nobody touches her. She does not worship or go to temple, or cook food. After four days she becomes clean after taking bath. 
(1) Jaat Sootak - When a baby is born, the mother and the child are in Sootak. They are kept separate for seven days. After seven days they are given bath and the Sootak is cleared. In this Sootak, no Braahman takes food in that house, no auspicious Karm is done, everything is just in sleep state. 
(2) Mrit Sootak or Paatak applies when a person dies in a house. People do not worship and go to their work for three days. To cook certain kinds of food is also prohibited for 10 days. Auspicious Karm are prohibited for 13 days, Braahman also do not take food in that house for 13 days. No worship takes place in that house. On 13th day after taking bath, Braahman are fed and the Sootak is cleared, and normal work is resumed.
(Naarad Puraan, p 432)

 

 

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Created on 03/15/2006 and Updated on 01/26/2008
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