Chapter 52 - Rules for Sipping Water

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Vyāsa said:

1-19. An excellent brāhmaṇa should again sip water having eaten, or drunk or slept, after walking in a street or having touched his lips after licking them, after putting on a garment, after having ejected semen, or urinated or cleared the bowels, after having told a lie, after spitting, at the beginning of study, after having (an attack of) asthma, so also after having crossed a place where many roads meet or a crematory, at the time of both the prayers, even though he has already sipped water. Similarly he should sip water after talking with a cāṇḍāla or a mleccha, or with a woman, or a śūdra, or a person who has not washed his hands etc. after eating food, so also on seeing a man who has not washed his hands etc. and on seeing leavings of food, or on seeing tears being shed or bleeding, at the time of taking food, at the time of both the prayers after bathing, having drunk (water etc.), and having come after urination or clearing his bowels or should sip water once after having slept (and then got up), so also for other (similar reasons). On touching fire or cows, or a holy person, so also on being touched by women, he should sip water, so also after having touched a diseased person, grass or ground; so also (he should sip water) on touching his own hair, or on touching a garment that has fallen down. Always desiring purity, he should, with his head or neck covered, or with his hair and the lock of hair on the crown of his head loose, and being seated with his face towards the east or north, sip properly, water that is not hot, does not have hair in it and which is pure. Without washing his feet he would not be pure from (the impurity of having walked over) a path. A wise man should not sip water with shoes on, or while in a carriage or with his turban on; so also with the streams of rain-showers, while standing, or with water drawn out (of a well etc.), or with water made over with one hand and without wearing the sacred thread. So also (he should not sip water) while sitting on a seat; or with his knees outstretched, so also while talking, laughing, seeing (something) or lying on a bed. (He should not sip water) impaired with foam etc. or (water) that is dropped from the hands of a śūdra or an impure person or saline water. (While sipping water) he should not produce sound with his fingers, should not be distracted; (he should not sip water) which is polluted with colours and liquids; so also (the water) from crevices; so also that which is agitated with the hands, or with his shoulders stretched out. A brāhmaṇa is purified when the water reaches his heart, a kṣatriya becomes pure when it reaches his throat; a vaiśya, a woman and a śūdra are purified when it touches (their bodies) from within after it is drunk. The part of the hand situated on the line at the root of the thumb is called Brāhma. The part between the thumb and the fore finger is said to be the holy place of the manes. The part below the little is called Prājāpatya. The tip of a finger is said to be divine. The same is called Ārṣa (‘of the sages’). The root is daiva or ārṣa, and the middle part is said to be Āgneya (of Agni). The same is sacred to Soma. Knowing this he is not confounded. A brāhmaṇa should always sip with the Brāhma holy place.

20-34a. Brāhmaṇas should offer sacrifices with the daiva and (offer oblations) to the manes with the paitrya (i.e. the portion between the thumb and the fore-finger). Then, being restrained, he should thrice offer water with the Brāhma (portion). Having washed with the root of the thumb he should touch the mouth. With the thumb and the ring-finger he should then touch both his eyes. He should (then) touch the two nostrils with the forefinger and the thumb. He should touch the ears with the little finger and the thumb. With all of them he should touch the chest, the head and both the shoulders with his thumb. He should drink (i.e. sip) water thrice. By that the deities, viz. Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva are pleased. This is what we have heard. By wiping Gaṅgā and Yamunā are pleased. When the eyes are touched, the Moon and the Sun are pleased. When he would touch the two nostrils, Nāsatya and Dasra (i.e. the two Aśvins) are pleased. Similarly when the ears are touched, wind and fire are pleased. When the chest is touched all the deities are pleased. By touching the head, that Puruṣa (the highest lord) is pleased. He does not become impure with the water-drops clinging to his mouth; similarly in the case of water-drops clinging to the teeth, he would become pure by the touch of the tongue. There would be no impurity due to the drops which would touch his feet when he makes others sip water. They should be regarded like dust particles. Manu declared that in the case of Madhuparka, Soma, eating tāmbūla, or fruits, roots, sugarcane, there is no blemish. A man might have a thing in his hand, while moving for food or drink; having put that thing on the ground, and having sipped water he should sprinkle water over it. If after taking a golden object a brāhmaṇa would become impure, he should keep it on the ground; and after sipping water, should sprinkle (water over it). By not putting the object on the ground, by taking which he becomes impure, he would (continue to) be impure (if he does not, after keeping it down, sip water). There would be an option in the case of garments etc. Having touched it he may sip water.

34b-47. If he urinates or clears his bowels, with an object in his hand, in a solitary forest, at night, or on a path full of thieves and tigers, he is not defiled. Putting his sacred thread on his right ear he should urinate or clear his bowels while facing the north during the day, and facing the south during the night. Having covered the ground with pieces of wood, leaves, clods or grass, and having covered his head, he should urinate or clear his bowels. He should not urinate or excrete in shade, a hollow, a river, a cow-pen, a sanctuary, water, on a road or ashes, so also fire and crematory. He should not urinate or excrete on cow-dung, a piece of wood, a great tree, meadow, while standing without clothes, the region of a mountain, in an old temple, an anthill; so also into ditches with beings in them, or while going; so also on fire of chaff or pieces of broken jars, and on a highway. So also (he should not urinate or excrete) in a field, a hole, a sacred place or a place where many roads meet, in a garden, near water, on a barren spot with saline soil, and in caves; (he should not urinate or excrete) with shoes or wooden sandals on, or with an umbrella or in the air; (he should not urinate or execrete [excrete?]) facing women, his preceptor, brāhmaṇas or cows, deities and temples or water, while looking at stars or with his back to them; so also by facing the sun, fire or the moon. Taking clay from a mound that would remove the smell, he should carefully purify himself with water that is drawn up. A brāhmaṇa should not take (i.e. use) the clay that is defiled or muddy or from the road or from a barren spot with saline soil, or that has remained after being used by someone else, or from a temple, or a well, a house or water. Then, he should always sip water as told before.