Chapter XCVII - Purifications of Metalled articles

Yajnavalkya said:—O Brahmanas, now hear me discourse on the means of cleansing or purifying the articles of daily use. All articles of gold, silver, conch-shell, or precious stones, as well as blankets and utensils are made pure by simply washing it with water. A spoon, or a laddie, as well as paddies, may he made pure by simply dipping them in hot water. An article, made of wood or horn, is made pure by the scraping off of a slice from its body, while the utensils to be used in a s acrificial ceremony, may be made pure by simply washing them with water. A blanket, or a cloth, made of sheep’s hair or silk, is purified by dipping it in hot water, or by sprinkling drops of cow’s urine over its surface. An article, obtained by begging, is made pure by being looked at by a woman, while a baked earthen pot is purified by a second burning. A pot of boiled rice, smelled by a cow, or dropped upon by a bunch of hair, or an insect, may be made pure by simply throwing a pinch of ashes over it. The ground is purified by rubbing it with water. An utensil made of brass, lead, or copper, is purified by rubbing it with alkali or any acid substance, an iron-made one by being rubbed with ashes, while a newly-gotten thing is always pure. The water of any natural reservoir of water, is made pure by being smelled by a cow, while a bit of flesh dropped from the beaks of any carnivorous bird in carriage, or from the mouth of a dog, or touched by a Chandala, does not lose its natural purity. The rays of the sun, fire, the shadow of a goat or a cow, the earth, a horse, a goat, a Brahmana, and a dewdrop (drop of water) are above all contamination. A man should change his clothes after bathing, drinking, sneezing, sleeping, eating, or returning from a walk, and by rinsing his mouth with water after having made an Achamanam. A Brahmana need not rinse his mouth with water after an act of sneezing, sleeping, spitting, wearing an apparel, or lachrymation. It is enough to touch his right ear under the circumstance, since all the gods, such as Agni, etc., reside in the Scapha of that organ of a Brahmana.