Mahabharata — Anushasana Parva, Shloka 15
अत्रेः तपोबलप्रकाशः तथा च्यवनस्य सोमाधिकारः
Atri’s Illumination by Tapas; Cyavana and Soma-Entitlement
मृतकस्य तृतीयाहे ब्राह्मणो योऊन्नमश्रुते । स त्रिवेलं समुन्मज्ज्य द्वादशाहेन शुध्यति
mṛtakasya tṛtīyāhe brāhmaṇo yo 'nnam aśnute | sa triveḷaṃ samunmajjya dvādaśāhena śudhyati ||
Бхишма сказал: «Если брахман вкушает пищу на третий день после чьей-либо смерти, то очищается лишь по прошествии двенадцати дней, совершив предписанные омовения в три установленных времени».
भीष्य उवाच
Educational Q&A
The verse teaches that during the post-death impurity period, one must observe restraint and ritual discipline; violating prescribed conduct (such as eating at a prohibited time) entails a defined period and method of purification—here, twelve days with thrice-daily ritual bathing.
In Anuśāsana Parva, Bhīṣma instructs on dharma and proper conduct. Here he states a specific rule about a Brāhmaṇa’s purification if he eats on the third day after someone’s death, indicating the expiatory timeline and the practice of tri-vela bathing.