History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v3.c40.10.4

v3.c40.10.4

The person taking his food should sit on a low wooden stool having four feet or on a seat made of wool or of the skin of a goat (which latter is said to be the best by Āp. Dh. S. II. 8. 19. 1). One should not sit on a seat of cowdung cakes (dried), or of clay, or of the leaves of aśvattha or palāśa or arka plant or a seat made by joining two planks together or on a shattered one or partly burnt one or on one made fast with iron (nails). Vide Smṛtyarthasāra p. 69. The vessel or plate from which one is to eat is to be placed on the maṇḍala drawn on the ground. The vessel from which to eat may be of gold, silver, copper, lotus or palāśa leaves (vide Veda-Vyāsa III. 67-68, Paiṭhīnasi quoted in Āhnika-prakāśa p. 467). A copper vessel is forbidden to householders who should use bell-metal (*kāṁsya*) vessel. Āp. Dh. S. (II. 8. 19. 3) says that a copper plate with gold in the centre¹⁸¹⁹ is recommended. But a bronze plate for eating from, *tāmbūla* and a luxurious bath with oil &c., were not allowed to an ascetic, a brahmacārin and a widow.¹⁸²⁰ Hārīta (quoted by Sm. C. I. p. 222) stated that one was not to eat in an iron or earthern vessel, but Āp. Dh. S. (I. 5. 17.