Verse 4.65

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by Ganganath Jha:

न पादौ धावयेत् कांस्ये कदा चिदपि भाजने ।
न भिन्नभाण्डे भुञ्जीत न भावप्रतिदूषिते ॥ ६५ ॥

na pādau dhāvayet kāṃsye kadā cidapi bhājane |
na bhinnabhāṇḍe bhuñjīta na bhāvapratidūṣite || 65 ||

He shall never wash his feet in a vessel of white brass. He shall not eat out of a broken dish; nor out of one that is felt to be defiled.—(65)

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

He should not wash his feet in a vessel of white brass.

In a broken vessel—even in one that may be broken in a single place;—the use of one that is broken all over would be forbidden by its very nature. In the case of cups, etc., made of leaves, however, since these are never regarded as ‘broken vessels,’ there would be no harm in using them, even though they may have holes.

‘Bhāva’ is feeling in mind; that vessel with which the mind does not feel satisfied; or that which is defiled by name—such as ‘patadgraha,’ ‘spittoon,’ and the like, in the case of these latter also, the mind does not feel satisfied.—(65)

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

This verse is quoted in Madanapārijāta (p. 328), which adds that the prohibition regarding the ‘broken vessel’ applies to vessels of metal other than copper and the like;—in Saṃskāramayūkha (p. 71);—and in Śuddhikaumudī (p. 839).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Viṣṇu (68-20).—‘Not in a broken dish.’

Viṣṇu (72.39-40).—‘He shall not wash in a vessel of white brass;—nor shall he rub one foot with another.’