None shall ever drink water and/or milk (including all kinds of edible oils) unfiltered nor shall use water containing many insects for purposes of bath, etc.
None shall ever drink water and/or milk (including all kinds of edible oils) unfiltered nor shall use water containing many insects for purposes of bath, etc.
Agalitam Na Patavyam Paniyam Cha Payastatha |
One shall never drink (Patavyam) water (Paniyam) or milk (Payastatha) unfiltered (Agalitam). Shatanand writes that filtration must take place using a piece of cloth - Galitam Vastraputam. Something used other than a cloth is considered unfiltered and so should be taken note of.
The Smrutis explain, ‘Water from a leather pail and water unfiltered are like meat. (Charmavari Bhavenmaisam Maisam Toyamgalitam). Also, Gavya (milk, yoghurt, lassi, butter and Ghee) kept in a metallic pot (Tamba) is like liquor.’ Therefore Shatanand says that to drink unfiltered water results in the sin of eating meat.
Shatanand here clarifies the point of Gavya kept in Tamba Patra. He explains that Gavya other than Ghee is like liquor. Also milk and other such substances, kept in a Tamba for purposes of Deva Pooja, Yagna, milking, serving or for use by an ascetic is acceptable. Similarly milk kept in a Tamba pot, whose skin has not been removed is acceptable also.
Shatanand explains that unfiltered milk should never be drunk. Sometimes such milk may contain tiny hairs from the body of the cow. For such instance of drinking milk containing hairs, Prayaschit is written by Pracheta: ‘Those who inadvertently partake of a nail, hair, mud, metal or clay etc. even once, should fast for an entire day to cleanse themselves of such sin.’ Also Ghee (or butter) bought should always be cleansed by filtering. Often such things purchased may contain hair, insects etc. and so careful use of these is required.
Harit Muni in Mitakshara explains, ‘Those who eat insects, worms, dirt or water containing these should live off Gomutra (cow urine) and Gochaarna (cow excrement) for three days as Prayaschit, to nullify such sin.’ Smurtis further explain that filtered water will stay pure for six hours and after such time has elapsed it should be re-filtered. Also, it is written that one who drinks without filtering, just once accumulates the sin accumulated by a fisherman in six months.
Snaanadi Naiva Kartavyam Sukshmajantumayambhasa ||
One should never bathe in water that contains small organisms. Such water should never be used to wash hands or feet, wash clothes or cutlery. Those who ignore this commandment are the cause of death to many such organisms and so break the great Dharma of Ahimsa. Those who act contrary to the Lord's words are born again and again upon the earth as insects and the like.