Hindu Law and Custom (Recht und Sitte) c11.57

c11.57

Not only what is eaten but also how, when and where the food is eaten, is of importance in this respect. Thus one cannot eat standing, lying, naked or in wet clothes, nor out of a broken or impure vessel, nor out of the hand; one cannot eat in the open air, in a temple or in an empty house at midday or midnight or at dawn, nor at the time of the solar or the lunar eclipse or when any misfortune has occurred to the king, to a Brahman or to a cow; nor can one eat during a period of indigestion or to surfeit or more than twice a day or too late or too early. Before eating, gods and Brahmans must be fed, sacrifice must be offered in the fire, etc.; at the time of eating one must look towards the north or the south and be anointed and garlanded and after the meal the mouth and the hands must be washed (Vi. 68 etc.).