Sutak Rules For Relatives After Death

Here is a comprehensive list of the periods of mourning after the death of a relative.

How many days of Sutak or Ashaucha to observe after the demise of a relative? 

This question comes up every time there is a death in the family. 

Here is a comprehensive list of the periods of mourning after the death of a relative.

Brahmacharis (unmarried men) do not have to observe Sutak.

The list is subdivided into two parts- 

1. Sutak is equally applicable to husband and wife when there is death in the husband's family. 
2. Sutak to be observed by the wife alone when there is a death in her parental family.

Common for husband and wife

• Maternal grandfather- Three days
• Maternal grandmother- Three days
• Mother's brother- Three days
• Mother's brother's wife- Three days
• Father-in-law- Three days
• Mother-in-law- Three days
• Mother's sister- Three days
• Father's sister- Three days
• Sister's son ( upanayana done )- Three days
• Daughter's son ( upanayana done )- Three days
• Daughter ( married )- Three days
• Sister ( married)- Three days
• Son given away in adoption- Three days
• Biological father or mother ( in case of adoption)- Three days
• Daughter of a sapinda above seven years and before marriage- Three days
• Son of a sapinda above two and a half years and below six years- Three days.
• Son of a sapinda or samanodaka above seven years- Three days
• Son or daughter of father's sister- One and a half days
• Son or daughter of mother's brother- One and a half days
• Son or daughter of mother's sister- One and a half days
• Sister's daughter- One and a half days
• Brother's daughter (married)- One and a half days
• Father's brother's daughter- One and a half days
• Son's daughter- One and a half days
• Daughter's daughter- One and a half days
• Daughter's son ( upanayana not done)- One and a half days
• Sister's son (upanayana not done )- One and a half days
• Brother, sister, or daughter of stepmother (Sapatnee mata )- One day
• Son or daughter of the above three- One day
• Wife's brother- One day
• Mother's sister's daughter- One day
• Father or mother of stepmother- One day
• Daughter of sapinda or samanodaka between two and six years- One day
• Brother from the previous gotra ( in case of adoption)- One day
• In-laws if wife and son are not there- One day
• Son of a sapinda or samanodaka from six months to two years- One day

*Sapindas - Seven generations including One's own, ie:- father, paternal grandfather, paternal great grandfather, son, grandson ( son's son), great-grandsons (son's son's son).

*Samanodakas - three generations above and below the above.

Observed by the wife alone

These are for death in her parental family. The husband doesn't have to observe these.

• Brother ( upanayanam done )- Three days
• Brother's son ( upanayana done )- Three days
• Sister's son ( upanayana done )- Three days
• Stepmother- Three days
• Father's brother- One and a half days
• Mother's sister- One and a half days
• Mother's brother- One and a half days
• Father's sister- One and a half days
• Daughters of the above four- One and a half days
• Father's father- One and a half days
• Father's mother- One and a half days
• Mother's father- One and a half days
• Mother's mother- One and a half days
• Sister- One and a half days
• Sister's daughter- One and a half days
• Step mother's Son, daughter, brother, or sister - One day
• Son of the above four ( upanayana done) or daughter ( unmarried) - One day
• Step mother's father or mother- One day

Agni-dagdhas and Anagni-dagdhas

Those pitrus whose death rites have been performed with fire as per shastra are called Agni-dagdhas. In some cases due to neglect or the relatives unable to get the body, proper cremation is not done. Such pitrus are called Anagni-dagdhas.