Verse 5.115-116

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

मार्जनं यज्ञपात्राणां पाणिना यज्ञकर्मणि ।
चमसानां ग्रहाणां च शुद्धिः प्रक्षालनेन तु ॥ ११५ ॥
चरूणां स्रुक्स्रुवाणां च शुद्धिरुष्णेन वारिणा ।
स्फ्यशूर्पशकटानां च मुसलौलूखलस्य च ॥ ११६ ॥

mārjanaṃ yajñapātrāṇāṃ pāṇinā yajñakarmaṇi |
camasānāṃ grahāṇāṃ ca śuddhiḥ prakṣālanena tu || 115 ||
carūṇāṃ sruksruvāṇāṃ ca śuddhiruṣṇena vāriṇā |
sphyaśūrpaśakaṭānāṃ ca musalaulūkhalasya ca || 116 ||

During sacrificial performance there should be cleaning of the sacrificial vessels; the purification of spoons and cups is accomplished by washing;—(115)

The purification of the ‘Caru’, the ‘Sruk’ and the ‘Sruva’ is done by means of hot water; as also of the ‘Sphya’, the winnowing basket, the cart, the pestle and the mortar.—(116).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

These two verses are to be taken as citing examples in illustration of what has been laid down in the Śruti.

When the cups, the spoons and other sacrificial vessels have been used in one performance, they become smeared with clarified butter and other offering-materials employed at that performance; and with a view to avoid the contamination of the fresh performance by such stains and smearings, these have to be removed by means of hot water; and this cleansing has to be done in the manner prescribed for each case: sometimes by hand, sometimes by kuśa-grass, sometimes by the threads at the end of one’s garment, and so on.

The purification here mentioned is in connection with sacrificial performances; in the event of the vessels becoming defiled with food-leavings etc., the cleaning is to be done in the same manner as in the case of ordinary vessels. In as much as we have the Vedic declaration—‘they do not become unclean by Soma’.—it is understood that in the case of other defilements, the ordinary purification is to be done.

The exact shapes of the ‘graha’ the ‘chamasa’ and the ‘sphya’ are to be ascertained from persons versed in sacrificial lore.—(115-116).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

(verse 5.115)

(Verse 116 of others.)

This verse is quoted in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 805);—and in Śuddhikaumudī, (p. 310), which explains ‘graha’ as ‘a particular vessel used at sacrifices.’

(verse 5.116)

(Verse 117 of others.)

This verse is quoted in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 805);—and in Śuddhikaumudī (p. 310), which explains ‘carūṇām’ as ‘things smeared with boiled rice,’—‘Sruk sruva and other vessels’ as smeared with oily substances,—‘sphya’ as ‘a particular kind of ladle used at sacrifices.’

 

Comparative notes by various authors

(verse 5.115)

Parāśara (7.2).—(Same as Manu.)

Baudhāyana (1.8.50, 51).—‘The cups and vessels used at sacrifices are cleansed according to the injunction:—the Veda declares that they do not become impure through Soma.’

Baudhāyana (1.13.30-32).—‘Purification by washing with Kuśa-grass and water is prescribed at the Agnihotra, the Gharmocchiṣṭa, the Dadhigharma, the Kuṇḍapāyināmayana the U tsar jināmayana, the Dākṣāyaṇa sacrifice, the Ardhodaya, the Catuścakra, and the Brahmandanas;—also at all Soma-sacrifices, the cups should be cleansed with water only on the Mārjālīya mound; if these cups are defiled by urine, ordure, blood, semen and the like, they must be thrown away.’

Āpastamba (1.17.13).—‘At a sacrifice, vessels should he cleansed according to Vedic injunctions.’

Viṣṇu (23.8-11).—‘Stone cups and vessels used at Soma-sacrifices are cleansed with water:—sacrificial pots, ordinary wooden ladles, and wooden ladles with two collateral excavations are cleansed with hot water. Vessels used for oblations are cleansed by rubbing them with hand (with Kuśa-blades) at the time of the sacrifice. Sword-shaped pieces of wood for stirring the boiled rice, winnowing baskets, implements used for preparing grain, pestles and mortars are cleansed by sprinkling water over them.’

Yājñavalkya (1.182-183).—(See under 110 and further.)

Do. (1.185).—(Same as Manu)

(verse 5.116)

Parāśara (7.3).—(Same as Manu.)

Viṣṇu (23.2-11).—(See under 115.)

Yājñavalkya (1.183, 184).—‘Caru, sruk, sruva and greasy vessels are cleansed with hot water; the Sphya, the Śūrpa, the skins and grains, as also pestles, mortars and carts and heaps of cloth and grains heaped together,—are cleansed by sprinkling water over them.’

Baudhāyana (1.13.26).—‘Wooden vessels touched by impure man shall he scraped.’

Laugākṣi (Aparārka, p. 259).—‘Large quantities of things, touched by Caṇḍālas and others, are purified by sprinkling water; a small quantity of grain should be washed; but rice,??? small quantity, should be thrown away.’

Baudhāyana (Do.).—‘Grains are purified by sprinkling water; vegetables, roots and fruits by water; or by removing just the defiled portion, or by removing the chaff.’

Viṣṇu—‘Of uncooked grains, one should throw away just that quantity which has been defiled, and the rest should be threshed and washed.’