Let us now hear the sacred instructions on purity and morning rites, as revealed in the scriptures. The prescribed acts of cleansing after urination or defecation are carefully measured: the second and third portions are said to be half of the original. If one, while seated, is unable to perform full cleansing, he should always undertake half-cleansing. During the day, half the prescribed cleansing is sufficient at night, or even a quarter, as the situation demands. A healthy person is expected to follow these prescriptions precisely. However, if one is ill, he should purify himself as much as he is able. The human body is filled with impurities—fat, semen, blood, marrow, saliva, feces, urine, earwax, and excrement. Phlegm, nasal mucus, and sweat complete the list, making twelve bodily impurities in total. One should strive for cleanliness until these are removed. Those not properly instructed should not exceed the prescribed number of purification acts. Cleanliness itself is of two kinds: external and internal. External purity is achieved by washing with earth and water, while internal purity arises from mental clarity. The ritual begins with rinsing the mouth three times with water, followed by wiping it twice. After wiping, one touches the mouth three times with the base of the thumb. Then, with the thumb and forefinger, the nose is touched in order. The eyes and ears are touched repeatedly with the thumb and ring finger. The navel is touched with the little finger and thumb, and the heart with the palm. Next, with all fingers, the head is touched, and the arms with the fingertips. As this is done, one should recite the Ṛg, Yajur, and Sāma Vedas three times in order, offering reverence. Then, recite the Atharva and Āṅgiras hymns, followed by two wipes for comfort, and then, in sequence, the Itihāsas, Purāṇas, and the limbs of the Veda. One should touch the sky at the mouth, air at the nose, the sun at the eyes, and the directions at the ears. The life-knot is touched at the navel, and Brahman at the heart. Rudra is touched at the crown of the head, the sages at the topknot, and the arms are touched for Yama, Indra, Varuṇa, Kubera, Earth, and Fire. After sprinkling water, Viṣṇu is touched at the feet, Indra and Viṣṇu at both hands, and Agni, Vāyu, Sūrya, Candra, and the mountains at the finger joints. The Gaṅgā and other rivers are present in the lines at the center of the hand. When dawn arrives, purification should be performed properly. Then, one should bathe, beginning with cleaning the teeth. If the mouth is unclean, a person is always considered impure. Therefore, one should clean the teeth with all effort. Various woods are recommended: kadamba, bilva, khadira, karavīra, vaṭa, and arjuna. Other suitable trees include yūthī, bṛhatī, jātī, karañja, arka, atimuktaka, jambū, madhūka, pāmargha, śirīṣa, udumbara, and asana. Milky and thorny trees are praised, and those with pungent, bitter, or astringent qualities bestow wealth, health, and comfort. After eating, one should wash and, in a clean place, discard the tooth-stick and rinse. On certain lunar days—the new moon, sixth, ninth, and first days—as well as on Sunday, one should avoid using a tooth-stick. If a tooth-stick is unavailable or forbidden on a particular day, it should not be used. With twelve mouthfuls, the mouth should be cleansed. Morning bathing is praised as highly beneficial, bringing both visible and invisible results. All who are pure in themselves, who bathe in the morning, and who engage in recitation and sacred acts are worthy, for the body is extremely impure, filled with nine openings. This impurity flows both day and night. Morning bathing purifies, brings clarity of mind, and increases beauty and good fortune. It removes sorrow and suffering. One should bathe as if in the sacred Gaṅgā, especially on days when the moon is in the hand, on the tenth day, under the Jyeshtha star, and when the moon is bright. On the day that removes ten sins, without having given away the impurity of gifts, one should avoid contrary conduct, violence, and association with another’s spouse. Harshness, falsehood, slander, irrelevant speech, coveting another’s wealth, and entertaining evil thoughts should also be avoided. For the destruction of these ten sins, bathing in the Gaṅgā is performed. In brief, morning bathing is prescribed for both forest-dwellers and householders. Ascetics are to bathe three times daily, while celibates bathe once. After sipping water and invoking the sacred place, one should bathe, remembering the imperishable Hari. Know that there are three crores of demons called Mandehas, evil-minded beings who wish to devour the rising Sun. He who does not perform worship at sunrise harms the Sun. These demons are burned by water purified by mantra, which takes the form of fire. The junction of day and night is called sandhya, lasting for two nadis, until the Sun becomes visible. At the end of the sandhya ritual, one should perform the homa oneself, for the fruit of a homa performed by oneself is not produced by another. However, if a priest, son, teacher, brother, sister’s son, or the head of the family performs the offering, it is as if one has done it oneself. Brahma is the Garhapatya fire, Dakshina is the three-eyed one, Vishnu is the Ahavaniya fire, and Kumara is said to be Truth. Having performed the homa at the proper time, one should then recite the solar mantras, with a concentrated mind, including the Savitri and the Pranava as prescribed. One who is always engaged in the Pranava, the seven Vyahritis, and the three-footed Savitri, will never have any fear anywhere. A man who recites the Gayatri every day, rising at an auspicious hour, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf is not wetted by water. She, the Gayatri, is described as white in color, clothed in silk, holding a rosary, the auspicious goddess seated upon a lotus. Having invoked the radiance with a libation of Yajus, as prescribed, one recalls that this Yajus was once seen by the gods who desired to behold the vision. Even that which abides within the solar orb, or is established in the world of Brahma—having invoked it there and recited, one should then dismiss it with reverence. Thus, the sacred morning rites and the path of purity are revealed, guiding the devotee towards clarity, auspiciousness, and spiritual elevation.