Sūtra 6.2.5 (What objects are pure or holy)

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of Vaiśeṣika sūtra 6.2.5:

यदिष्टरूपरसगन्धस्पर्शं प्रोक्षितमभ्युक्षितं च तच्छुचि ॥ ६.२.५ ॥

yadiṣṭarūparasagandhasparśaṃ prokṣitamabhyukṣitaṃ ca tacchuci || 6.2.5 ||

yat—which; iṣṭa-rūparasa-gandha-sparśaṃ—possesses prescribed colour, taste, smell, and touch; prokṣitaṃ—aspersed: Sprinkled with water together with the pronunciation of mantras or sacred hymns;—ābhyukṣitaṃ—sprinkled with water without the pronunciation of mantras; ca—and; tat—that; śuci—pure, clean, holy.

5. The pure is that which possesses prescribed Colour, Taste, Smell and Touch, and is sprinkled with water along with the recitation of sacred hymns, and also without it, or is sprinkled with water both with pronation and with supination.

Commentary: The Upaskāra of Śaṅkara Miśra:

(English rendering of Śaṅkara Miśra’s commentary called Upaskāra from the 15th century)

(Purity and impurity may be internal as well as external, that is, may relate to thought as well as to things. In the preceding aphorism, purities and impurities of the soul have been mentioned. With regard to external objects it is said as follows). Things pure and impure are also called upadhā or purity and anupadhā or impurity. Here he distinguishes between pure and impure objects:

[Read sūtra 6.2.5 above]

The above rendering of the two words, ‘prokṣita,’ ‘abhyikṣita’ is in accordance with the view of Śaṅkara misra. But,

uktānenaiva hastena prokṣaṇaṃ parikīrttitam [parikīrtitam?] |
nyañcatābhyukṣaṇaṃ proktaṃ tiraścāvokṣaṇaṃ smṛtam ||

“Sprinkling of water with the pronated hand is called prokṣaṇa; that with supinated hand is called abhyukṣaṇa; and the same with the inclined hand is known as avokṣaṇa.”

From the above saying of the Smṛti, it would appear that the correct translations would be, sprinkled with water with pronation, in the case of ‘prokṣita,’ and sprinkled with water with supination, in the case of ‘abhyukṣita.’

Whatever Substance possesses such colour, etc., as are ‘iṣṭa,’ i.e., prescribed by the Veda and the Smṛti, the same is of that character (i.e., pure). Therein, Colour (is prescribed) in such texts as “He buys the soma drink for a cow, ruddy, one year old, with tawny eyes;” “He should obtain a white goat,” etc. ‘Prokṣita, means sprinkled with water during the recitation of sacred hymns; abhyukṣita,’ means sprinkled with water without any sacred hymn. The word ca implies that which is lawfully acquired, and that is brought out by such restraining percepts as “A Brāhmaṇa, should acquire wealth by performing sacrifices, by teaching, and by receiving presents, etc.—5.