Yajnavalkya's Teaching on Impurity and Livelihood in Adversity

Verse 1 (garuda.1.106.1)

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच । प्रेता (त) शौचं प्रवक्ष्यामि तच्छृणुध्वं यतव्रताः । ऊनद्विवर्षं निखनेन्न कुर्यादु दकं ततः

yājñavalkya uvāca pretā (ta) śaucaṁ pravakṣyāmi tacchṛṇudhvaṁ yatavratāḥ ūnadvivarṣaṁ nikhanenna kuryādu dakaṁ tataḥ

Yajnavalkya said: I shall declare the impurity rules concerning the dead; hear this, O disciplined ones. A child under two years should be buried, and the water-rite should not be performed for him.

Verse 2 (garuda.1.106.2)

आ श्मशानादनुव्रज्य इतरैर्ज्ञातिभिर्युतः । यमसूक्तं तथा जप्यं जपद्भिर्लौकिकाग्निना

ā śmaśānādanuvrajya itarairjñātibhiryutaḥ yamasūktaṁ tathā japyaṁ japadbhirlaukikāgninā

The body, for others, having been followed to the cremation ground, accompanied by other kinsmen, reciting the Yama-sukta, with fire carried from a common source —

Verse 3 (garuda.1.106.3)

स दग्धव्य उपेतश्चैदाहिताग्न्यावृतार्थवत् । सप्तमाद्दशमाद्वापि ज्ञातयोऽभ्युपयान्त्यपः

sa dagdhavya upetaścaidāhitāgnyāvṛtārthavat saptamāddaśamādvāpi jñātayo'bhyupayāntyapaḥ

he should be cremated; but if he had maintained the sacred fires, it should be done duly with his own fires. On the seventh or tenth day, the relatives approach the water —

Verse 4 (garuda.1.106.4)

अपनः शोशुचदघमनेन पितृदिङ्मुखाः । एवं मातामहाचार्यपत्नीनां चोदकक्रियाः

apanaḥ śośucadaghamanena pitṛdiṅmukhāḥ evaṁ mātāmahācāryapatnīnāṁ codakakriyāḥ

reciting 'apa naḥ śośucad agham,' facing the direction of the ancestors. Likewise the water-rites are performed for maternal grandparents, the teacher, and the teacher's wife —

Verse 5 (garuda.1.106.5)

कामोदकाः पुत्रसखिस्वस्त्रीयश्वशुरर्त्विजः । नामगोत्रेण ह्युदकं सकृत्सिञ्चन्ति वाग्यताः

kāmodakāḥ putrasakhisvastrīyaśvaśurartvijaḥ nāmagotreṇa hyudakaṁ sakṛtsiñcanti vāgyatāḥ

optionally by a son, a friend, a sister's son, a father-in-law, or an officiating priest; they, observing silence, pour water once, using the deceased's name and gotra.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.106.6)

पाषण्डपतितानां तु न कुर्युरुदकक्रियाः । नब्रह्मचारिणो व्रात्या योषितः कामगास्तथा

pāṣaṇḍapatitānāṁ tu na kuryurudakakriyāḥ nabrahmacāriṇo vrātyā yoṣitaḥ kāmagāstathā

But the water-rite should not be performed for heretics or fallen persons; nor for those who broke celibacy, for vratyas, or for women who lived unchastely —

Verse 7 (garuda.1.106.7)

सुराप्यस्त्वात्मघातिन्यो नाशौचोदकभाजनाः । ततो न रोदितव्यं हि त्वनित्या जीवसं स्थितिः

surāpyastvātmaghātinyo nāśaucodakabhājanāḥ tato na roditavyaṁ hi tvanityā jīvasaṁ sthitiḥ

nor for those women who drank liquor or who took their own lives — for these, neither the impurity-observance nor the water-rite applies. Therefore one should not grieve excessively, for the state of life is impermanent.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.106.8)

क्रिया कार्या यथाशक्ति ततो गच्छेद्गृहान्प्रति । विदश्य निम्बपत्राणि नियता द्वारि वेश्मनः

kriyā kāryā yathāśakti tato gacchedgṛhānprati vidaśya nimbapatrāṇi niyatā dvāri veśmanaḥ

The rites should be performed according to one's ability; then one should go toward home. Having chewed neem leaves, disciplined, at the door of the house —

Verse 9 (garuda.1.106.9)

आचम्याथाग्निमुदकं गोमयं गौरसर्षपान् । प्रविशेयुः समालभ्य कृत्वाश्मनि पदं शनैः

ācamyāthāgnimudakaṁ gomayaṁ gaurasarṣapān praviśeyuḥ samālabhya kṛtvāśmani padaṁ śanaiḥ

having sipped water, then touching fire, water, cow-dung, and white mustard seeds, they should enter, having first slowly placed a foot upon a stone.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.106.10)

प्रवेशनादिकं कर्म प्रेतसंस्पर्शनादपि । ईक्षतां तत्क्षणाच्छुद्धिः परेषां स्नानसंयमात्

praveśanādikaṁ karma pretasaṁsparśanādapi īkṣatāṁ tatkṣaṇācchuddhiḥ pareṣāṁ snānasaṁyamāt

The rite of entering and the rest, and even the touching of the corpse — for those who merely saw it, purity comes instantly; for others, through bathing and self-restraint.

Verse 11 (garuda.1.106.11)

क्रीतलब्धाशना भूमौ स्वपेयुस्ते पृथक्पृथक् । पिण्डयज्ञकृता देयं प्रेतायान्नं दिनत्रयम्

krītalabdhāśanā bhūmau svapeyuste pṛthakpṛthak piṇḍayajñakṛtā deyaṁ pretāyānnaṁ dinatrayam

They should eat only bought or freely given food, and sleep on the ground, separately. Food should be given to the departed for three days, along with the pinda-offering.

Verse 12 (garuda.1.106.12)

जलमेकाहमाकाशे स्थाप्यं क्षीरं तु मृन्मये । वैतानोपासनाः कार्याः क्रियाश्च श्रुतिचोदिताः

jalamekāhamākāśe sthāpyaṁ kṣīraṁ tu mṛnmaye vaitānopāsanāḥ kāryāḥ kriyāśca śruticoditāḥ

Water should be kept in the open for one day, and milk in an earthen vessel. The worship of the sacred fires should be resumed, and the rites enjoined by the Shruti performed.

Verse 13 (garuda.1.106.13)

आदन्तजन्मनः सद्यः आचूडं नैशिकी स्मृता । त्रिरात्रमा व्रतादेशाद्दशरात्रमतः परम्

ādantajanmanaḥ sadyaḥ ācūḍaṁ naiśikī smṛtā trirātramā vratādeśāddaśarātramataḥ param

From birth until the appearance of teeth, the impurity lasts just one night; until the tonsure-rite, three nights; until the upanayana, ten nights, and beyond that —

Verse 14 (garuda.1.106.14)

त्रिरात्रं दशरात्रं वा शावमाशौचमुच्यते । ऊनद्विवर्ष उभयोः सूतकं मातुरेव हि

trirātraṁ daśarātraṁ vā śāvamāśaucamucyate ūnadvivarṣa ubhayoḥ sūtakaṁ mātureva hi

three nights or ten nights — this is called the death-impurity. For a child under two years, the birth-impurity, for both birth and death, applies to the mother alone.

Verse 15 (garuda.1.106.15)

अन्तरा जन्ममरणे शेषाहोभिर्विशुध्यति । दश द्वादश वर्णानां तथा पञ्चदशैव च

antarā janmamaraṇe śeṣāhobhirviśudhyati daśa dvādaśa varṇānāṁ tathā pañcadaśaiva ca

Between the periods of birth and death, purification comes with the remaining days. Ten, twelve, and fifteen days respectively are the periods for the brahmin, kshatriya, and vaishya varnas,

Verse 16 (garuda.1.106.16)

त्रिंशद्दिनानि च तथा भवति प्रेतसूतकम् । अहस्त्वदत्तकन्यासु बालेषु च विशोधनम्

triṁśaddināni ca tathā bhavati pretasūtakam ahastvadattakanyāsu bāleṣu ca viśodhanam

and thirty days for the shudra — this is the death/birth impurity. Purification comes within a single day for an unmarried girl and for children —

Verse 17 (garuda.1.106.17)

गुर्वन्तेवास्यनूचानमातुलश्रोत्रियेषु च । अनौरसेषु पुत्रेषु भार्यास्वन्यगतासु च

gurvantevāsyanūcānamātulaśrotriyeṣu ca anauraseṣu putreṣu bhāryāsvanyagatāsu ca

and likewise for one's teacher, a fellow-student, a scholar, a maternal uncle, or a learned brahmin; for an adopted son; and for a wife living apart —

Verse 18 (garuda.1.106.18)

निवासराजनि तथा तदहः शुद्धिकार(ण)म् । हतानां नृपगोविप्रैरन्वक्षं चात्मघातिनाम्

nivāsarājani tathā tadahaḥ śuddhikāra(ṇa)m hatānāṁ nṛpagoviprairanvakṣaṁ cātmaghātinām

and for one dwelling with a king. That day alone is the cause of purification. For those killed by a king, a cow, or a brahmin, and for suicides —

Verse 19 (garuda.1.106.19)

विषाद्यैश्च हतानां च नाशौचं पृथिवीपतेः । सत्रिव्रतिब्रह्मचारिदातृब्रह्मविदां तथा

viṣādyaiśca hatānāṁ ca nāśaucaṁ pṛthivīpateḥ satrivratibrahmacāridātṛbrahmavidāṁ tathā

and for those killed by poison and the like, there is no impurity-period for the king; likewise for those engaged in a sacrificial session, those under a vow, celibate students, generous donors, and knowers of Brahman —

Verse 20 (garuda.1.106.20)

दाने विवाहे यज्ञे च संग्रामे देशविप्लवे । आपद्यपि च कष्टायां सद्यः शौचं विधीयते

dāne vivāhe yajñe ca saṁgrāme deśaviplave āpadyapi ca kaṣṭāyāṁ sadyaḥ śaucaṁ vidhīyate

at the time of giving gifts, at a wedding, at a sacrifice, in battle, during civil unrest, and even in a difficult calamity — immediate purification is prescribed.

Verse 21 (garuda.1.106.21)

कालोऽग्निः कर्ममृद्वायुर्मनो ज्ञानं तपो जपः (लम्) । पश्चात्ताषो निराहारः सर्वेषां शुद्धिहेतवः

kālo'gniḥ karmamṛdvāyurmano jñānaṁ tapo japaḥ (lam) paścāttāṣo nirāhāraḥ sarveṣāṁ śuddhihetavaḥ

Time, fire, ritual action, earth, wind, the mind, knowledge, austerity, japa, remorse, and fasting — these are the causes of purification for all.

Verse 22 (garuda.1.106.22)

अकार्यकारिणां दानं वेगो नद्यास्तु शुद्धिकृत् । क्षात्त्रेण कर्मणा जीवेद्विशां वाप्यापदि द्विजः

akāryakāriṇāṁ dānaṁ vego nadyāstu śuddhikṛt kṣāttreṇa karmaṇā jīvedviśāṁ vāpyāpadi dvijaḥ

Giving to those unable to fulfil their duties, and the flow of a river, also purify. In adversity, the twice-born may live by the occupation of a kshatriya or a vaishya —

Verse 23 (garuda.1.106.23)

फलसोमक्षौमवीरुद्दधि क्षीरं घृतं जलम् । तिलोदनरसक्षारमधु लाक्षा शृतं हविः

phalasomakṣaumavīruddadhi kṣīraṁ ghṛtaṁ jalam tilodanarasakṣāramadhu lākṣā śṛtaṁ haviḥ

but he should never sell: fruit, soma, flax, curd, milk, ghee, water, sesame, cooked rice, meat-juice, alkali, honey, lac, and cooked food,

Verse 24 (garuda.1.106.24)

वस्त्रोपलासवं पुष्पं शाकमृच्चर्मपादुकम् । एणत्वचं च कौशेयं लवणं मासमेव च

vastropalāsavaṁ puṣpaṁ śākamṛccarmapādukam eṇatvacaṁ ca kauśeyaṁ lavaṇaṁ māsameva ca

cloth, salt-stone, liquor, flowers, vegetables, clay, leather, sandals, antelope-hide, silk, salt, and meat,

Verse 25 (garuda.1.106.25)

पिण्याकमूलगन्धांश्च वैश्यवृत्तो न विक्रयेत् । धर्मार्थं विक्रयं नेयास्तिला धान्येन तत्समाः

piṇyākamūlagandhāṁśca vaiśyavṛtto na vikrayet dharmārthaṁ vikrayaṁ neyāstilā dhānyena tatsamāḥ

oil-cake, roots, or perfumes — one following the vaishya's occupation should not sell these. Sesame should not be sold for profit, only traded equally for grain —

Verse 26 (garuda.1.106.26)

लवणादि न विक्रीयात्तथा चापद्गतो द्विजः । हीनाद्विप्रो विगृह्णंश्च लिप्यते नार्कवद्द्विजः

lavaṇādi na vikrīyāttathā cāpadgato dvijaḥ hīnādvipro vigṛhṇaṁśca lipyate nārkavaddvijaḥ

and salt and the like should not be sold, even by a twice-born in adversity. A brahmin who accepts from a degraded person while himself rejecting wrongdoing remains untainted, like the sun.

Verse 27 (garuda.1.106.27)

कुर्यात्कृष्यादिकं तद्वदविक्रेया हयास्तथा । बुभुक्षितस्त्र्यं स्थित्वा दृष्ट्वा वृत्तिविवर्जितम् । राजा धर्म्यां प्रकुर्वीत वृत्तिं विप्रादिकस्य च

kuryātkṛṣyādikaṁ tadvadavikreyā hayāstathā bubhukṣitastryaṁ sthitvā dṛṣṭvā vṛttivivarjitam rājā dharmyāṁ prakurvīta vṛttiṁ viprādikasya ca

He may engage in agriculture and the like, but horses should never be sold. Seeing one who, hungry, has waited three days and is without livelihood, the king should provide righteous livelihood for that brahmin and others.