Vayu Purana

यश्चाधर्मे स्थितो मोहादायान्तोऽप्यशुचिर्भवेत्। उपविश्य शुचौ देशे प्रणतः प्रागुदङ्मुखः ।। १७.

Whoever, out of confusion, remains in a state of impurity, should sit in a clean place, bowing, facing east or north.

पादौ प्रक्षाल्य हस्तौ तु अन्तर्जानुरुप स्पृशेत्। प्रसन्नास्त्रिः पिबेच्चापः प्रयतः सुसमाहितः ।। १७.

After washing the feet and hands, one should touch the knees with the hands, and, with a clear mind, sip water three times, being attentive and composed.

द्विरेव मार्जनं कुर्यात्सकृदभ्युक्षणं ततः। खानि मूर्द्धानमात्मानं हस्तौ पादौ तथैव च ।। १७.

One should wash twice, then sprinkle water once; then cleanse the orifices, head, body, hands, and feet likewise.

अभ्युक्षणं तथा तस्य यद्यमीमांसितं भवेत्। एवमाचमनं तस्य वेदा यज्ञास्तपांसि च ।। १७.

If he has a doubt about the sprinkling, he should do it again; thus, his sipping of water, study of the Vedas, sacrifices, and austerities become effective.

दानानि ब्रह्मचर्यञ्च भवन्ति सफलास्तथा। क्रियां यः कुरुते मोहादनाचम्यैव नास्तिकः ।। १७.

Charity and celibacy likewise become fruitful; but if someone, out of confusion or disbelief, performs a rite without sipping water, it is in vain.

भवन्ति च वृथा तस्य क्रिया ह्येता न संशयः। वाग्भावशुद्धनिर्णिक्तमदुष्टं वाप्यनिन्दितम् ।। १७.

His acts become fruitless—of this there is no doubt; only those performed with purity of speech and mind, without fault or reproach, are effective.

मेध्यान्येतानि ज्ञेयानि दुष्टमेभ्यो विपर्ययः। न वक्तव्यः सदा विप्रः क्षुधितो नास्ति किञ्चन ।। १७.

These acts should be known as pure; the opposite of these is impure. A Brahmin should never say, 'I am hungry, I have nothing.'

तस्मै सत्कृत्य यो दद्यादयूपो यज्ञ उच्यते। अप्लुष्टान्नं श्रृतान्नन्तु कृशवृत्तिमयाचकम् ।। १७.

To him, if someone gives respectfully, that is called a sacrifice; but food not sprinkled with water, or food begged by one of poor conduct, is not so.

एकान्तशीलं ह्रीमन्तं सदा श्राद्धेषु भोजयेत् । यो ददात्यान्तिमभ्येश्च स ब्रह्मघ्नो दुरात्मवान् ।। १७.

One should always feed at śrāddha a person of steady character and modesty; but whoever gives to the unworthy at the end is a slayer of Brahmins, of evil nature.

अपि जातिशतं गत्वा न स मुच्येत किल्बिषात्। विषमं भोजयेद्विप्रानेकपंक्त्या च यो नरः ।। १७.

Even after passing through a hundred births, a man does not become free from sin who feeds Brahmins in an improper line or with a mixed group.

नियुक्तो वाऽनियुक्तो वा पंक्त्‌या हरति दुष्कृतम्। पापेन गृह्यते क्षिप्रमिष्टापूर्त्तं च नश्यति ।। १७.

Whether appointed or not appointed, one who arranges the line for food incurs sin; he is quickly seized by evil, and his accumulated merit from sacrifices and charity is destroyed.

यतिस्तु सर्व्वविप्राणां सर्व्वेषामग्र्य उत्सवे। इतिहासपञ्चमान् वेदान् यः पठेत्तु द्विजोत्तमः ।। १७.

But among all Brahmins, the foremost at a festival is he who recites the Vedas along with the Itihasas and the fifth Veda, O best of twice-born.

अनन्तरं यथायोग्यं नियोक्तव्यो विजानता। त्रिवेदोऽनन्तरस्तस्य द्विवेदस्तदनन्तरः ।। १७.

Immediately after him, as appropriate, the knowledgeable should appoint the one who knows three Vedas; after him, the one who knows two Vedas.

एकवेदस्तथा पश्चान्न्यायाध्यायी ततः परम्। पावनायैव पंक्त्या वै तान् प्रवक्ष्ये निबोधत ।। १७.

Next, one who knows one Veda, then one who studies logic, and after that others in order; I will now explain to you those who purify the line.

य एते पूर्व्वनिर्द्दिष्टाः सर्व्वे ते ह्यनुपूर्व्वशः। षडङ्गी विनयी योगी सर्व्वतन्त्रस्तथैव च ।। १७.

All those previously mentioned, in their proper order—the one versed in the six limbs, the disciplined, the yogi, and likewise the one skilled in all rituals—

यायावरश्च पञ्चैते विज्ञेयाः पङ्क्तिपावनाः । अष्टादशानां विद्यानामेकस्मिन् पारगोऽपि यः ।। १७.

And the wandering mendicant—these five are to be known as purifiers of the line; and anyone who has mastered even one of the eighteen branches of knowledge.

यथावद्वर्त्तमानश्च सर्वे ते पङ्क्तिपावनाः। त्रिणाचिकेतास्त्रैविद्यो यश्च धर्म्मान् पठेद्द्विजः ।। १७.

All those who conduct themselves properly are purifiers of the line; the one who knows the three Naciketas fires, the one who knows the three Vedas, and the twice-born who recites the Dharmas.

बार्हस्पत्ये तथा शास्त्रे पारं यश्च द्विजो गतः। सर्व ते पावना विप्राः पङ्क्तीनां समुदाहृताः ।। १७.

And the Brahmin who has mastered the Barhaspatya Shastra—indeed, all these Brahmins are declared to be purifiers of the line.

आमन्त्रितस्तु यः श्राद्धे योषितं सेवते द्विजः। पितरस्तस्य तं मासं तस्य रेतसि शेरते ।। १७.

If a twice-born, invited to a śrāddha, has intercourse with a woman, his ancestors remain in his semen for that month.

श्राद्धं दत्त्वा च भुक्त्वा च मैथुनं यो निषेवते। पितरस्तस्य तं मासं रेतःस्था नात्र संशयः ।। १७.

He who, after giving and eating at a śrāddha, engages in sexual union—his ancestors remain in his semen for that month; of this there is no doubt.

तस्मादतिथये देयं भोजयेद्ब्रह्मचारिणम्। ध्याननिष्ठाय दातव्यं सानुक्रोशाय धार्मिकम् ।। १७.

Therefore, one should give to a guest, feed a celibate student, and give to one devoted to meditation, to one compassionate and righteous.

यतिं वा वालखिल्यान् वा भोजयेच्छ्राद्धकर्म्मणि। वानप्रस्थोपकुर्व्वाणः पूजामात्रेण तोषितः ।। १७.

One may feed an ascetic or the Vālakhilyas at a śrāddha; the forest-dweller, if present, is satisfied with mere honor.

गृहस्थं भोजयेद्यस्तु विश्वेदेवास्तु पूजिताः। वानप्रस्थेन ऋषयो वालखिल्यैः पुरन्दरः ।। १७.

He who feeds a householder causes the Viśvedevas to be worshipped; by the forest-dweller, the sages are satisfied, and by the Vālakhilyas, Indra.

यतीनां पूजने चापि साक्षाद्ब्रह्मा तु पूजितः। आश्रमाः पावनाः पञ्च उपधाभिरनाश्रमाः ।। १७.

And in the worship of ascetics, Brahma himself is worshipped; the five āśramas are purifying, but those outside the āśramas, with false marks, are not.

चत्वार आश्रमाः पूज्याः श्राद्धे दैवे तथैव च। चतुराश्रमबाह्येभ्यः श्राद्धं नैव प्रदापयेत् ।। १७.

The four āśramas are to be honored at śrāddhas and also at divine rites; one should not have śrāddha performed by those outside the four āśramas.

स तिष्ठेद्वा बुभुक्षुस्तु चतुराश्रमबाह्यतः। अयति र्मोक्षवादी च उभौ तौ पङ्क्तिदूषकौ ।। १७.

If someone, though hungry, remains outside the four āśramas, or is an undisciplined or false renouncer, both are defilers of the line.

वृथामुण्डाश्च जटिलाः सर्वे कार्प्पटिकास्तथा। निर्घृणान् भिन्नवृत्तांश्च सर्वभक्षान् विवर्जयेत् ।। १७.

One should avoid all those who are shaven-headed in vain, those with matted hair, all who wear rags, the cruel, those of deviant conduct, and those who eat anything.

कारुकादीननाचारान् सर्ववेदबहिष्कृतान्। गायनान् देववृत्तांश्च हव्यकव्येषु वर्जयेत् ।। १७.

One should avoid, in offerings to gods and ancestors, those who are singers, dancers, actors, those excluded from all the Vedas, and those who recite divine stories.

द्विजेष्वपि कृतं नित्यं श्राद्धकर्म्मणि वर्जयेत् ।। १७.

Even if they are twice-born, those who perform such acts should always be excluded from the śrāddha rite.