Verse 5.132

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

विण्मूत्रोत्सर्गशुद्ध्यर्थं मृद्वार्यादेयमर्थवत् ।
दैहिकानां मलानां च शुद्धिषु द्वादशस्वपि ॥ १३२ ॥

viṇmūtrotsargaśuddhyarthaṃ mṛdvāryādeyamarthavat |
daihikānāṃ malānāṃ ca śuddhiṣu dvādaśasvapi || 132 ||

For the cleansing of the ejectors or urine and faeces, earth and water should be used, as much as may be necessary; as also in the twelve cleansings of the bodily excretions.—(132).

 

Medhātithi’s commentary (manubhāṣya):

The impurity of the bodily excretions having been asserted in 131, the present verse proceeds to lay down directions for their cleansing.

‘Ejectors of urine and faeces’—i.e., the. organs by which these are passed,—i. e. the Anus &c.;—for the cleansing of these—one should ‘use earth and water, as much as may be necessary’; i. e. not minding any restrictions as to the number (of washings and rubbings), one should go on taking up as much water and earth as may be necessary for the total removal of smells and stains.

‘Bodily’—proceeding from the body,—‘excretions’—which are sources of impurity. In connection with the purifications necessitated by these also, earth and water are to be used as much as may be necessary. In another Smṛti we read—‘In the case of the former six excretions both earth and water should be used; in the case of the latter six one is purified even by the use of water only’.

In connection with phlegm &c. it is thus declared in another Smṛti—‘The viscid excretion from the nose is called Phlegm’; and since this occurs among the latter group of six, for cleansing it earth need not be used at all.—(132).

 

Explanatory notes by Ganganath Jha

(Verse 134 of others.)

This verse is quoted in Aparārka (p. 271), which explains ‘arthavat’ as ‘as much as may be needed for removing the smell and stains,’ and adds that in the case of the latter six of the twelve ‘impurities’ (enumerated in the next verse) the use of clay is optional;—in Madanapārijāta (p. 51), which adds that after the passing of urine and feces, washing with water is ‘arthavat,’ ‘useful’;—in Vīramitrodaya (Āhnika, p. 45), which explains ‘arthavat’ as ‘fulfilling the purposes of removing the smell and stains’;—and again on p. 104, to say that Manu should be understood to mean that out of the case of the twelve ‘impurities,’ in some both water and clay should be used, while in some either of the two only;—and in Hemādri (Śrāddha, p. 794).

 

Comparative notes by various authors

Gautama (1.42, 43).—‘Purification from defilement by unclean substances is effected when the stains and the smell have been removed;—and this shall be done first by water and then by earth.’

Baudhāyana (1.10.11-15).—‘After urinating, he shall cleanse it with earth and water; in like manner on evacuating bowels;—after an emission of semen, in the same manner as after urinating.’

Āpastamba (1.16.14-15).—‘On touching the effluvia of the nose or the eyes,... he shall either bathe or sip or merely touch water;—or he may touch moist cowdung, wet herbs or moist earth.’

Vaśiṣṭha (6.14, 16).—‘He shall perform the purification with water and with earth... For purification, the Brāhmaṇa shall take earth mixed with gravel from the river-bank.’

Viṣṇu (60.24).—‘Having cleaned his hind parts with a clod of earth, or with brick...... he must rise and clean himself with water and earth—so as to remove the smell and the filth.’

Yājñavalkya (1.17).—‘The man shall perform purification with earth and water fetched for the purpose—till the stain and the smell disappear.’