Yajnavalkya-smriti with Mitakshara and Viramitrodaya

by J. R. Gharpure | 1936 | 832,987 words

This is the English translation of the Yajnavalkya Smriti including the commentaries Mitakshara by Vijnaneshwara Bhikshu, the Viramitrodaya by Mitra Mishra as well as the Dipakalika by Shulapani (latter parts only). Note: The footnotes of the print publication quotes extensively from various Sanskrit sources in Devanagari script. However, I had no...

Go directly to: Footnotes.

Verses 1.182-183

< Previous

Next >

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration and English translation by J. R. Gharpure:

सौवर्णराजताब्जानाम् ऊर्ध्वपात्रग्रहाश्मनाम् ।
शाकरज्जुमूलफलवासोविदलचर्मणाम् ॥ १८२ ॥
पात्राणां चमसानां च वारिणा शुद्धिर् इष्यते ।
चरुस्रुक्स्रुवसस्नेहपात्राण्य् उष्णेन वारिणा ॥ १८३ ॥

sauvarṇarājatābjānām ūrdhvapātragrahāśmanām |
śākarajjumūlaphalavāsovidalacarmaṇām || 182 ||
pātrāṇāṃ camasānāṃ ca vāriṇā śuddhir iṣyate |
carusruksruvasasnehapātrāṇy uṣṇena vāriṇā || 183 ||

Of golden and silver (articles), things produced, in water, sacrificial vessels, the ladle, the stone-vessels, vegetables, ropes, roots, fruit, cloth, split bamboo, hides;—(182).

Of vessels and of camasas, with water is the purification intended; and of the caru, sruk, sruva, and oil vessels, by hot water.—(183).

The Mitākṣarā commentary of Vijñāneśvara Bhikṣu:

Sauvarṇam,—golden, made of gold;

Rājatam,—silver, made of silver;

Abjam,—produced in water, such as pearls, conch, shell, mother of pearl &c.;

Ūrdhvapātram,—sacrificial vessels, such as the sacrificial mortar &c., on account of their being associated with the grahas &c.;

Grahāḥ,—ladles such as the ṣoḍasi [ṣoḍaśī?], and the rest;

Aśmā,—stone vessel, such as the flat stone for grinding &c.;

Śākam,—vegetable, such as pot-herbs &c.;

Rajjuḥ,—rope, made of grass, water-moss &c.;

Mūlam,—root, such as ginger &c.;

Phalam,—fruit, mango &c.;

Vāso,—cloth, garment;

Vidalam,—split-bamboo, articles made of bamboos &c.;

Carma,—hides, of goats &c. The mention of split bamboos and hides is indicative by implication of articles made of these, such as umbrellas, clothes. &c.

Pātrāṇi—vessels, such as the sprinkling vessel and the like others; Chamas,^[1] the camas, for the sacrificial priest &c.

Of these i.e. of the golden vessels and the rest, if free from stain, and if they have only been touched by the unwashed^[2] after meals,

Vāriṇā,—by water, i.e. by washing with water,

Śuddhiḥ.—is the purification,

Caru—i.e. the Charu^[3] vessel.

Sruk^[4] and Sruva^[5] —are well-known;

Sasnehapātrāṇi,—oil vessels, containing oil, such as Prāśitra-haraṇa^[6] &c.

These also when free from stains are purified, by hot water,

Uṣṇena vāriṇa,—as ordained by Manu^[7] :—

“A stainless golden vessel becomes pure by water; simply likewise what is produced in water, what is made of stone, and a silver vessel not enchased^[8].” “Not enchased” i.e., of which the cavities are not filled with impurity.

As regards the purification of vessels having stains, the rule stated by Manu^[9] should be followed:—

“Of all objects made of precious metals, or of gems, and of every thing made of stone, the purification is stated by the wise to be by ashes, water, and earth.”

As ashes and earth produce the same effect, there is an option. But water must always be added. When, however, touched by the mouth of a crow &c. this rule must be observed viz.: “When touched by the mouth of a black bird, a vessel should be rubbed; and when rubbed by the mouth of a beast of prey, that vessel must not be used”. Thisṣowever, with the exception of a cat, since Manu has observed:^[10] “The cat, and the ladle, and the wind, are always pure”.

The Vīramitrodaya commentary of Mitramiśra:

Now considering that the duties of the Varṇas and the Āśramas generally consist of the purification of things, and also that the duty regarding sipping is also intended for purification, incidentally mentioning the means of the purification of gold, silver, and like other articles also, or their natural purity, the Author mentions the duty in the form of sipping commencing with the text^[11], “Of gold, silver etc,” and ending with the text^[12] “structures of baked bricks also”, on account of the variety of the means of purification, he commences with the chapter on Purification, reached in due course.

[Commentary for verses 182-183a]

Gold and Silver, i.e. any forms of gold and silver; things produced from, water, such as the conch, mother of pearl &c; sacrificial vessel, such as the sacrificial droṇa, jar, pestle, by reason of their association with graha;

Grahas—i.e. the ladles such as the ṣodaśis [ṣoḍaśis?], particular vessels used at sacrifices; aśmā, the stone slab;

Śāko,—vegetable, such as pot-herbs &c.;

Rajju,—rope, made of grass, water-moss &c;

Vidalam,—split-bamboos and the like; the mention of split-bamboo and hides is also inclusive, by implication, of umbrellas, bags &c. made of these;

Pātrāṇi,—vessels, such as the sprinkling vessels, and the like; camasāḥ, the camasa for the Hotā and similar other sacrificial utensils. Of these, if simply used for eating, or besmeared with ghee and other unctuous substance, if free from stain, the purification is by a mere washing with water.

[Commentary for verse 183b]

Caruḥ—i. e. the pot (for caru), sruk, such as the juhū and the like;

Sruvaḥ,—is well-known;

Sasnehāṇi,—with unction i.e. vessels smeared with ghee &c., such as the ājyapātra and the like. These when not used for eating, or when free from any stain, become pure by being washed with hot water; this is the deduction. As regards those, however, having a stain, the purification is stated by Manu thus:^[13] “Of all objects made of precious metal and of jewels, and of everything made of gold, with ashes, water, as also with earth has the purification been stated by the wise”. Here, between the earth and ashes, there is option, as both mean the same; water, however is to be added, owing to the difference in action. (182, 183).

The purification of sacrificial vessels &c. is by sprinkling with water