Sacred Texts Hinduism Index Previous Next
1. He must not eat during an eclipse of the moon or of the sun.
[45. 'For the rules regarding the reception of a guest, see Âsv. I, 2 4, and the other Grihya-sûtras; M. III, 119 seq., and the other Dharmasâstras.
LXVIII. 12. M. IV, 55.--14. M. IV, 45; Y. I, 131; Âpast. II, 8, 19, 18.--19. M. IV, 74.--20. M. IV, 65.--21. M. IV, 63; Gaut. IX, 56.--23. M. IV, 74.--26. M. III, 106; Âpast. II, 4, 8, 4.--27. M. IV, 62; Âpast. II, 8, 18, 1; II, 8, 20, 10; Gaut. IX, 58.--29, M. IV, 75.--34. M. IV, 76.--37. M. IV, 37; Y. {footnote p. 218} I, 135.--38. M. IV, 82.--40. Âpast. I, 11, 31, 1.--42, 43. M. II, 54; Y. I, 31; Gaut. IX, 59.--46. Sânkh. IV, 11, 10; M. IV, 43; Y. I, 131; Gaut. IX, 32.--47. M. IV, 63; Y. I. 138; Âpast. II, 1, 1, 3; Gaut. IX, 9.--48. M. IV, 62.--49. M. IV, 65; Gaut. XVII, 13. 'The injunctions regarding meals having been given in the previous chapter, he now proceeds to propound some prohibitions concerning the same subject.' (Nand.)]
2. He shall eat, after having previously bathed, when the eclipse is over.
3. If (the sun or moon) have set before the eclipse was over, he must bathe, and on the next day he may eat again, after having seen (the sun or moon rise),
4. A cow or a Brâhmana having met with a calamity, he must not eat on that day.
5. If the king has met with an accident, (he must not eat on that day).
6. An Agnihotrin, who is absent on a journey, must eat at that time of the day when the Agnihotra is supposed to be over.
7. He may also eat at that time of the day when the Vaisvadeva is supposed to be over.
8. On the days of new and full moon (he may eat at that time) when he supposes the sacrifice customary on those days to have been performed.
[2, 3. Nand. states that in both of these Sûtras it has to be understood, that the bath occasioned by the eclipse must be followed by the ordinary bath, which precedes every meal.
6. An Agnihotrin is one who daily performs the Agnihotra. Regarding the Agnihotra and the times for its performance, see LIX, 2.
7. The term Vaisvadeva includes not only the oblation to the Visvedevâs (LXVII, 3), but also the Bali-offerings and the entertainment of a guest, &c., as prescribed in LXVII, 4 seq. (Nand.)
8. According to Nand., the use of the particle ka implies, that this rule applies equally to the first days of the moon's increase and wane.]
9. He must not eat during an indigestion;
10. Nor at midnight; 11. Nor at noon;
12. Nor in the twilight;
13. Nor dressed in wet clothes;
14. Nor without his upper garment;
15. Nor naked;
16. Nor in water (nor in a boat)
17. Nor lying stretched out on the back;
18. Nor sitting on a broken stool;
19. Nor reclining on a couch;
20. Nor from a broken dish;
21. Nor having placed the food on his lap;
22. Nor (having placed the food) upon the ground;
23. Nor from the palm of his hand.
24. That food which has been seasoned with salt (after having been cooked) he must not eat.
25. He must not abuse children (eating in the same row with him).
26. (He must) not (eat) dainties alone.
27. (He must) not (eat) substances from which the fat has been extracted.
28, Nor (must he eat) roasted grain in the daytime.
29. At night (he must not eat) anything mixed with sesamum-seeds.
[9. According to Nand., the use of the particle ka implies a prohibition to eat again, after having partaken of a Srâddha meal.
15. See note on LXIV, 5.
24. Nand., quoting a passage of Vasishtha (XIV, 28), states the use of the particle ka to imply, that food twice cooked and food cooked in a frying-pan should also be avoided.
27. This rule refers to skimmed milk and to a dough made of ground sesamum, from which the oil has been extracted. (Nand.)]
30. Nor (must he eat at night) sour milk or ground barley.
31. Nor (must he eat) the leaves of the mountain ebony, or of the banyan, or of the holy fig-tree, or of the hemp plant.
32. (He must) not (eat) without having first given to eat (to the gods and to the Brâhmanas); Nor without having made a burnt-offering first
34. Nor without having sprinkled his feet;
35. Nor without having sprinkled his hands and his face;
36. While having the remains of food en his mouth or hands, he must not take clarified butter.
37. Nor must he look at the moon, or at the sun, or at the stars (while unclean).
38. Nor must he touch his head (while unclean).
39. Nor must he recite the Veda (while unclean).
40. He must eat facing the east;
41. Or facing the south;
42. And after having honoured his food[1];
43. And cheerfully, adorned with a garland of flowers, and anointed with unguents.
[42. 'Nand. describes the ceremony of 'honouring one's food' as follows: 'He must first sprinkle the food, while reciting the Gâyatrî and the Vyâhritis (see LV, 10). Then he must sprinkle water all around it, with the Mantra, "Forsooth, I sprinkle righteousness around thee" After that he must sip water with the Mantra, "Thou art an imperishable basis" (Taitt. Ârany. X, 32, rendered according to Sâyana's Commentary), and offer up five oblations to Prâna, &c. (see Dr. Bühler's note on Âpast. II, 1, 1, 2). Finally he must eat in silence, without blaming the food, and taking care to leave some remnant of it in the dish, and sip water again, with the Mantra, "Thou art an imperishable covering"' (Taitt. Ârany. X, 35, according to Sâyana).]
44. He must not eat up his food completely;
45. Unless it consist of sour milk, or honey, or (clarified) butter, or milk, or ground barley, or meat, or sweetmeats.
46. He must not eat together with his wife, nor in the open air, nor standing, nor in the presence of many (hungry spectators), nor must many eat in the presence of one (hungry spectator).
47. Let him never eat in an empty house, in a house where the sacred fires are preserved, or in a temple dedicated to the gods. Neither must he drink water out of his joined hands, or satiate himself to repletion.
48, Let him not take a third meal (over and above the two regular meals in the mornings and evenings), nor let him ever take unwholesome food. He must eat neither too early, nor too late, and he must take no food in the evening, after having fully satiated himself in the morning.
49. He must not eat bad food (whether injurious to health or otherwise reprehensible), nor from a bad dish (which is similar to the dishes used by barbarians, or which has been defiled by a wicked man eating from it), nor lying on the ground, nor with his feet raised upon a bench, nor sitting on his hams with a cloth tied round his legs and knees.
[46. Nand. thinks that this rule refers to those wives only who belong to a lower caste than their husbands.
48. 'Too early' means before sunrise; 'too late' means immediately before sunset. (Nand.)]