History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v5.c72.510

v5.c72.510

A great deal is said in the smṛtis and digests about the purification of water. Āp. Dh. S. I. 5. 15. 2 says⁷²⁵ in a general way that a person after sipping water from what is collected on the ground becomes pure But the Baud. Dh. S I. 5. 65, Manu V. 128, Yāj. I. 192, Śaṅkha 16. 12-13, Mārkaṇḍeya-purāṇa 35.19 and others add that water collected on the ground that is of such volume that a cow can slake its thirst therein, that is in its natural state and is not polluted by any thing impure and that has natural colour (is transparent) and taste and odour (either no odour or a fragrant odour) is pure. Śaṅkha says⁷²⁶ the same about water collected on a stony surface and adds that the water of a flowing river is always pure. Devala states⁷²⁷ that water brought in clean vessels is pure but when it is (stale owing to its being stored) for one night (or more) it should be thrown though it was pure (when originally brought). There⁷²⁸ is no taint in water that cannot be agitated by any beings and in the water of springs (that flow from hills). Tanks (that are so deep) that they cannot be agitated, rivers, wells and lakes (that are similar) should not be used by the usual way of descent (the *ghāṭ*) if they come in contact with caṇḍālas and other impure persons or things. In *Narhari v. Bhimrao*, the Bombay High Court had to deal with the question whether a certain tank at Mahad in the Kolaba District could not be resorted to by untouchables for taking water and held that the untouchables were not prevented from using it (vide 39 Bombay L. R. p. 1295).