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1. A householder must not use[1] Palâsa-wood for cleaning his teeth.
2. Nor (must he use the twigs of) the Sleshmântaka
[20, 'I. e. in an apartment on the roof or in any other such place.' (Nand.)
LXI. Âpast. I, 11, 32, 9; Gaut. IX, 44.
[1. 1 Literally 'eat,' adyât. In 16 and 17 the synonymous verbs bhaksh and as are used. Nevertheless it can hardly be doubted that both of the two modes of cleaning the teeth, which appear to have been customary, are indicated in this chapter: the one consisting in brushing them with little sticks or twigs provided with a brush (see 16), the other in chewing twigs. Unfortunately the reading of Nand.'s gloss on the term sakûrka in 16 is uncertain.
2. Regarding the Vibhîtaka tree, see Dr. Bühler's Kashmir Report p. 8.]
(or Selu) plant, nor of the soap plant, nor of the Vibhîtaka (or Kalidruma) tree, nor of the Dhava plant, nor of the Dhâmani tree (for that purpose).
3. Nor (the twigs of) the Bandhûka (or Bandhugîvaka) plant, nor of the Nirgundî shrub, nor of the
Sigru, Tilva, and Tinduka trees.
4. Nor (the twigs of) the Kovidâra (Yugapattraka) Samî, Pîlu (Gudaphala), Pippala (holy fig-tree), Inguda, or Guggula trees;
5. Nor (the twigs of) the Pâribhâdraka (Sakrapâdapa), or tamarind, or Mokaka, or Semul trees, nor those of the hemp plant;
6. Nor sweet plants (such as liquorice sticks):
7. Nor sour plants (such as Âmlikâs);
9. Nor twigs that have withered on the stem;
9. Nor perforated (or otherwise faulty) wood;
10. Nor stinking wood;
11. Nor smooth wood;
12. He must not (use the sticks) facing the south or west.
13. He must use them facing the north or east;
14. He may use (the twigs of) the banyan or Asana trees, or of the Arka plant, or of the Khadira, or Karañga, or Badara (jujube), or Sal, or Nimb trees, or of the Arimeda, shrub, or of the Apâmârga or Malatî plants, or of the Kakubha or Bèl trees;
15. Or of the Kashâya tree, or of the Tikta or Katuka plants.
16. Before sunrise let him silently clean his teeth with a stick, which must be as thick as the top of the little finger, provided with one end that may be chewed (or 'with a brush'), and twelve Angulas long.
17. Having washed[1] and used the stick for cleaning the teeth, he must take care to leave it in a clean place; he must never make use of it on the day of new moon (or on the day of full moon).