PURIFICATION, with the ancient Hebrews (Leviticus xi.-xv.), with the Hindus, and with the Muhammadans, has been a religious rite. Hindus and Muhammadans follow the Jews in their attention to outward purity. With Muham madans, before praying, it is necessary that he be undefiled. There are degrees of defilement, the least of which requires that the hands, arms, and feet be washed before praying, and for this purpose mosques are always provided with cisterns or tanks of water ; in the desert, sand is used. After greater impurities, it is necessary that the whole body be washed, hence the longer th ey remain undefiled the purer their life. Wazzu expresses the ablution, and Hedas the state of defilement, during the continuance of which they cannot pray. The Mulana Abu Ashah was said to use the water of purification twice iu a month ; tbat is, his life was so pure, that for a whole fortnight he was not so much defiled as to make necessary a total ablution. Vir prcipue emissione seminis fceda tur at mulier menstruorum. Amongst the Brah mans, sipping water is a part of the ceremony of purification. In the Mitakshara, on the subject of personal purification, the direction is, Let the twice-born man (after evacuations) always per form the upasparsa ; ' i.e., says the commentator, let him sip water.' According to Professor 1Vilson, the sense of the passage in Book vii. 4 is, that Nala sat down to evening prayer (as Menu directs, " he who repeats it sitting at evening twilight," etc.), after performing his purifications and sipping water, but without having washed his feet ; such ablution being necessary, not because they bad been soiled, but because such an act is also part of the rite of purification.'
A Hindu becomes unclean by various acts and circumstances, during which he is interdicted almost every religious ceremony, and forbidden to shave or cut his nails. In the act of purifi cation the person shaves his head, bathes, and puts on clean apparel.
The customs of thgews, as described in Mark vii. 3, 4, well illustrate tbe practice of the modern Hindus : Except they wa.sh their hands oft, eat not. . . . And many other things there be, . . as the washing of cups and pots,--brazen vessels, and of tables.' A Hindu becomes unclean after the death of persons related to him by blood. If a child die before it has teeth, the family batht-immediately, and become clean ; or if a child die before its ears are bored, the family remain unclean one night. If a woman miscarry, the family become impure ten days. After a birth, all the members of the family in a direct line become unclean. A woman in her periods is unclean for three days ; but on the fifth day, after bathing, she may again per form religious ceremonies. Every person is con sidered as in some measure unclean while in a state of sickness, and from some religious services a sick person is wholly excluded. A Brahman becomes unclean by the touch of a Sudra, a dog, a Muhammadan, a barbarian, etc. ; and all castes, by touching a woman in her courses, a dead body, ordure, urine, the food of castes, etc.—Ward's Hindoos, p. 147 ; J07(7'11. Ind. Arch. v. No. 11; Williams' Story of Nala.