Yajnavalkya's Teaching on the Purification of Substances

Verse 1 (garuda.1.97.1)

याज्ञवल्क्य उवाच । द्रव्यशुद्धिंप्रवक्ष्यामि तन्निबोधत सत्तमाः । सौवर्णराजताब्जानां शङ्खरज्ज्वादिचर्मणाम्

yājñavalkya uvāca dravyaśuddhiṁpravakṣyāmi tannibodhata sattamāḥ sauvarṇarājatābjānāṁ śaṅkharajjvādicarmaṇām

Yajnavalkya said: I shall declare the purification of substances; understand this, O best of sages. Of gold, silver, gem, conch-shell, rope, and leather objects —

Verse 2 (garuda.1.97.2)

पात्राणां चासनानां च वारिणा शुद्धिरिष्यते । उष्णवाभः स्रुक्स्रुवयोर्धान्यादेः प्रोक्षणेन च

pātrāṇāṁ cāsanānāṁ ca vāriṇā śuddhiriṣyate uṣṇavābhaḥ sruksruvayordhānyādeḥ prokṣaṇena ca

and of vessels and seats, purification is by water. Of the sacrificial ladles, purification is by hot water; of grain and the like, by sprinkling.

Verse 3 (garuda.1.97.3)

तक्षणाद्दारुश्रृङ्गादेर्यज्ञपात्रस्य मार्जनात् । सोष्णैरुदकगोमूत्रैः शुध्यत्याविककौशिकम्

takṣaṇāddāruśrṛṅgāderyajñapātrasya mārjanāt soṣṇairudakagomūtraiḥ śudhyatyāvikakauśikam

Wooden and horn objects are purified by scraping; sacrificial vessels, by cleaning. Woolen and silk garments are purified with hot water and cow's urine.

Verse 4 (garuda.1.97.4)

भैक्ष्यं योषिन्मुखं पश्यन्पुनः पाकान्महीमयम् । गोघ्नातेऽन्ने तथा केशमक्षिकाकीटदूषिते

bhaikṣyaṁ yoṣinmukhaṁ paśyanpunaḥ pākānmahīmayam goghnāte'nne tathā keśamakṣikākīṭadūṣite

Alms-food is purified by re-cooking; earthen vessels by re-firing. Food sniffed by a cow, or contaminated by hair, flies, or insects, requires purification.

Verse 5 (garuda.1.97.5)

भस्मक्षेपाद्विशुद्धिः स्याद्भूशुद्धिर्माजनादिना । त्रपुसीसकताम्राणां क्षाराम्लोदकवारिभिः

bhasmakṣepādviśuddhiḥ syādbhūśuddhirmājanādinā trapusīsakatāmrāṇāṁ kṣārāmlodakavāribhiḥ

Purity comes from casting ashes; purification of the ground is by sweeping and the like. Of tin, lead, and copper, purification is with alkaline, sour, and plain water.

Verse 6 (garuda.1.97.6)

भस्माद्भिर्लोहकांस्यानामज्ञातं च सदा शुचि । अमेध्याक्तस्य मृत्तोयैर्गन्धलेपापकर्षणात्

bhasmādbhirlohakāṁsyānāmajñātaṁ ca sadā śuci amedhyāktasya mṛttoyairgandhalepāpakarṣaṇāt

Of iron and bronze, purification is with ashes and water; and what is of unknown origin is always considered pure. Something smeared with an unclean substance is purified with earth and water until the smell and stain are removed.

Verse 7 (garuda.1.97.7)

शुचि गोतृप्तिदं तोयं प्रकृतिस्थं महीगतम् । तथा मांसं श्वचाण्डालक्रव्यादादिनिपातितम्

śuci gotṛptidaṁ toyaṁ prakṛtisthaṁ mahīgatam tathā māṁsaṁ śvacāṇḍālakravyādādinipātitam

Water that satisfies a cow's thirst is pure, as is water lying in its natural state upon the ground. Likewise meat is pure, provided it has not been touched by a dog, a chandala, a carnivorous animal, or the like.

Verse 8 (garuda.1.97.8)

रश्मिरग्नी रजश्छाया गौरश्वो वसुधानिलाः । अश्वाजविप्रुषो मेध्या स्तथाचमनबिन्दवः

raśmiragnī rajaśchāyā gauraśvo vasudhānilāḥ aśvājavipruṣo medhyā stathācamanabindavaḥ

Sunlight, fire, dust, shadow, a cow, a horse, the earth, and wind are always pure; the spatters from a horse or a goat are pure too, and likewise the drops scattered during achamana.

Verse 9 (garuda.1.97.9)

स्नात्वा पीत्वा क्षुते सुप्ते भुक्त्वा रथ्याप्रसर्पणे । आचान्तः पुनराचामेद्वासोऽन्यत्परिधाय च

snātvā pītvā kṣute supte bhuktvā rathyāprasarpaṇe ācāntaḥ punarācāmedvāso'nyatparidhāya ca

After bathing, drinking, sneezing, sleeping, eating, or walking on a public road, one who has already performed achamana should perform it again; and likewise after putting on different clothes.

Verse 10 (garuda.1.97.10)

क्षुते निष्ठीविते स्वापे परिधानेऽश्रुपातने । पञ्चस्वेतेषु नाचामेद्दक्षिणं श्रवणं स्पृशेत् । तिष्ठन्त्यग्न्यादयो देवा विप्रकर्णे तु दक्षिणे

kṣute niṣṭhīvite svāpe paridhāne'śrupātane pañcasveteṣu nācāmeddakṣiṇaṁ śravaṇaṁ spṛśet tiṣṭhantyagnyādayo devā viprakarṇe tu dakṣiṇe

At sneezing, spitting, sleeping, dressing, or shedding tears — on these five occasions, if one cannot perform achamana, one should touch the right ear; for the gods, beginning with Agni, dwell in a brahmin's right ear.