History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v4.c63.t2.923

v4.c63.t2.923

38. 'Blowing on fire with the mouth' in order to kindle it into flames (l. 30). Gaut. IX. 32, Manu IV. 53 and Brahmapurāṇa 221. 102 forbid the blowing on fire with the mouth (as in doing so it is likely that drops of saliva from the mouth may fall into the fire and pollute it). Haradatta on Āp. Dh. S. I. 5. 15. 20 notices that in the Vājasaneya Śākhā it is said that fire should be kindled into flames by blowing upon it with the breath from the mouth since it sprang from the mouth of the Creator (as stated in the Puruṣasūkta, Ṛg. X. 90. 13). Therefore, acc. to Haradata and the Gobhila-smṛti (I. 135-136)¹⁸⁵⁹ the *śrauta* fire could be kindled by blowing upon it with the mouth, but *smārta* fire or ordinary fire should not be kindled in that way (but only by using a fan or a bamboo cylindrical piece). The Kalivarjya text forbids blowing with the mouth even on śrauta fire.