Vayu Purana

आग्निष्टोमं तु पयसा प्राप्नुयाद्वै तथाश्रुतम्। सर्पिषा तु शुभं चक्षुः षोडशाहफलं लभेत्। मधुना त्वतिरात्रस्य फलं च समवाप्नुयात् ।। १७.

By offering milk, one attains the fruit of an Agniṣṭoma sacrifice, as is heard; by clarified butter, one obtains auspicious sight, the fruit of a sixteen-day rite; by honey, one attains the fruit of an Atirātra sacrifice.

तत्प्राप्नुयाच्छ्रद्दधानो नरो वै सर्वैः कामैर्भोजयेद्यस्तु विप्रान्। सर्वार्थदः सर्वविप्रातिथौ यः फलं भुङ्क्ते सर्वमेधस्य नित्यम् ।। १७.

He who, with faith, feeds brāhmaṇas with all desired things attains all rewards; he who enjoys the fruit of honoring all brāhmaṇa guests always partakes of the fruit of all sacrifices.

यस्तु श्राद्धेऽतिथिं प्राप्य दैवे वाप्यवमन्यते। तं वै देवा विश्वयन्ति होता यद्वत् परां वसुम् ।। १७.

But he who, upon receiving a guest at a śrāddha or in a divine rite, disregards him—the gods abandon him, just as the officiating priest abandons a worthless offering.

देवाश्च पितरश्चैव वह्निश्चैव हि तान् द्विजान् । आविश्य भुञ्जते तद्वै लोकानुग्रहकारणात् ।। १७.

The gods, the ancestors, and Fire indeed enter those twice-born ones and partake, for the sake of granting favor to the world.

अपूजिता दहन्त्येते दद्युः कामांश्च पूजिताः। सर्वस्वेनापि तस्माद्वै पूजयेदतिथीन् सदा ।। १७.

If not honored, these burn; if honored, they grant desires. Therefore, one should always honor guests, even with all one's possessions.

वानप्रस्थो गृहस्थश्च गृहमभ्यागतोऽथवा। बालाः खिन्ना यतिश्चैव जानीयादतिथीन् सदा ।। १७.

A forest-dweller, a householder, one who has come to the house, children, the weary, and an ascetic—these should always be recognized as guests.

अभ्यागतो याचकः स्यादतिथिः स्यादयाचकः। अतिथेरतिथिः श्रेष्ठः सोऽतिथिर्योग उच्यते ।। १७.

One who comes as a supplicant is a guest, and one who does not beg is also a guest; among guests, the uninvited guest is the highest, and he is called a true guest.

न घोरो नापि सङ्कीर्णो नाविद्यो न विशेषवित्। न च सन्तो न समृद्धो न सेवी नाचरोऽतिथिः ।। १७.

A guest is not fierce, nor mixed, nor ignorant, nor one who knows distinctions; neither are they virtuous, nor prosperous, nor a servant, nor one who follows conduct.

पिपासिताय श्रान्ताय भ्रान्तायातिबुभुक्षते। तस्मै सत्कृत्य दातव्यं यज्ञस्य फलमिच्छता ।। १७.

To one who is thirsty, weary, lost, or greatly hungry, one desiring the fruit of sacrifice should respectfully give.

आरुह्य भृगुतुङ्गोषु गत्वा पुण्यां सरस्वतीम्। आपगां तु नदी पुण्यां गङ्गा देवी महानदी ।। १७.

Having ascended the Bhrigu heights, having gone to the sacred Sarasvati, and to the holy river, the Ganga, the divine great river—

हिमवत्प्रभवा नद्यो याश्चान्या ऋषिपूजिताः । सरस्तीर्थाभिसंवेद्या नदी नववहास्तथा ।। १७.

The rivers that arise from the Himalayas, and others honored by sages, the lakes and sacred fords, and likewise the nine-flowing rivers—

गत्वैतान् मुच्यते पापैः स्वर्गे नित्यं महीयते। दशरात्रमशौचन्तु प्रोक्तं वै मृतसूतके ।। १७.

Having gone to these, one is freed from sins and is always honored in heaven; ten nights of impurity are prescribed for death and birth.

ब्राह्मणस्य विशेषेण क्षत्रिये द्वादश स्मृतम्। अर्द्धं मासन्तु वैश्यस्य मासाच्छूद्रस्तु शुध्यति ।। १७.

Especially for a Brahmin, twelve nights are prescribed for a Kshatriya; for a Vaishya, half a month, and a Shudra is purified after a month.

उदक्या सर्ववर्णानां त्रिरात्रेण तु शुद्धयति। उदक्यां सूतिकाञ्चैव श्वानमन्त्यावसायिनम् ।। १७.

For all castes, impurity due to a woman who fetches water is removed in three nights; for a woman in childbirth, and for one who handles corpses or dogs.

नग्नादीन् मृतहारांश्च स्पृष्ट्वाऽशौचं विधीयते। स्नात्वा सचैलो मृद्भिस्तु द्वादशभिस्तु शुध्यति ।। १७.

Touching the naked, those who carry the dead, impurity is prescribed; after bathing with clothes and with twelve applications of clay, one is purified.

एतदेव भवेच्छौचं मैथुने नवभिस्तथा। मृदा प्रक्षाल्य हस्तौ तु कुर्याच्छौचविधिन्नरः ।। १७.

This same purification applies after sexual union, with nine applications; after washing the hands with clay, a man should perform the rite of purification.

प्रक्षाल्य चाद्भिर्हस्तौ च स्नात्वा चैव मृदा पुनः। मृदं गुह्ये ततो द्विस्तु पुनरेव मृदं बुधः ।। १७.

After washing the hands with water, and bathing again with clay, and applying clay to the private parts twice, the wise should again use clay.

एवं शौच विधिर्दृष्टः सर्ववर्णेषु नित्यदा। परिदद्यान्मृदस्तिस्रो हस्तपादावसेचनम् ।। १७.

Thus, the rule of purification is always observed among all castes; one should apply clay three times for washing hands and feet.

आरण्यं शौचमेतत्तु ग्राम्यं वक्ष्याम्यतः परम्। मृदस्तिस्रः पादयोस्तु हस्तयोस्तिस्र एव च ।। १७.

This is the rule of purification in the forest; I will now speak of the village practice: three applications of clay to the feet, and likewise three to the hands.

मृदः पञ्चदशामेध्ये हस्तादीनां विभागशः। अनिर्णिक्ते मृदं दद्यान्मृदन्ते त्वद्भिरेव तु ।। १७.

Fifteen applications of clay are prescribed for the hands and other limbs in the case of defilement; if the place is not determined, one should use clay, and at the end, water.

कण्ठं शिरो वा प्रावृत्य रथ्या पादगतस्तु वा। अकृत्वा पादयोः शौचमाचान्तोऽप्यशुचिर्भवेत् ।। १७.

If, covering the neck or head, or walking in the street with soiled feet, one does not cleanse the feet, even if one has rinsed the mouth, one remains impure.

प्रक्षाल्य पात्रं निःक्षिप्य आचम्याभ्युक्षणं पुनः। द्रव्यस्यान्यस्य तु तथा कुर्यादभ्युक्षणं पुनः ।। १७.

After rinsing the vessel and setting it aside, one should sip water and perform sprinkling again; likewise, for any other substance, one should perform sprinkling again.

पुष्पादीनां तृणानाञ्च प्रोक्षणं हविषान्तथा। पराहृतानां द्रव्याणां निधायाभ्युक्षणं तथा ।। १७.

Sprinkling should be done for flowers and grasses, as well as for offerings; for substances brought from elsewhere, after placing them down, one should likewise perform sprinkling.

प्रोक्षितन्तु हरेत् किञ्चि च्छ्राद्धे दैव तथा पुनः। उत्तरेण हरेद्वेद्यां दक्षिणेन विसर्जयेत् ।। १७.

Whatever has been sprinkled should be taken up during a śrāddha or for the gods, and again; on the altar, it should be taken up from the north, and discarded to the south.

विच्छिन्नं स्याद्विपर्यासे दैवे पित्र्ये तथैव च। दक्षिणेन तु हस्तेन दक्षिणां वेदिमालिखेत् ।। १७.

If there is interruption or reversal, whether in rites for the gods or ancestors, one should trace the southern altar with the right hand.

कराभ्यामेव देवानां पितॄणां विकरं शुभम्। क्षुभितस्वप्नयोश्चैव तथा मूत्रपुरीषयोः ।। १७.

With both hands, one should perform the auspicious act for the gods and ancestors, as well as in cases of disturbed sleep, and after urination or defecation.

निष्ठीविते यथा व्यक्ते भुक्त्वा विपरिधाय च। उच्छिष्टस्य च संस्पर्शे तथा पादावसेचने ।। १७.

After spitting clearly, after eating and putting on upper garments, upon touching leftovers, and after washing the feet, one should act accordingly.

उत्सृष्टस्य सुमम्भाषे ह्यशुचिं प्रयतस्य च। सन्देहेषु च सर्वेषु शिखां मुक्त्वा तथैव च ।। १७.

After discarding water, after speaking harshly, when impure, or when in doubt, and whenever the topknot is untied, one should act in the same way.

विना यज्ञोपवीतेन मोहात्तु यद्युपस्पृषेत्। औष्ठस्य दन्तसंस्पर्शे दर्शने चान्त्यवासिनाम् ।। १७.

If, out of confusion, one sips water without the sacred thread, or upon touching the lips or teeth, or seeing those who dwell at the end of the village, one should act accordingly.