Simple ways to maintain purity in our daily lives
Purity is a central theme in Zoroastrian doctrine and the Zoroastrian practitioner’s daily life. In the Gathas the following is clearly stated “Purity is the best thing for man from birth” (Ys. 48.5). Furthermore the holy Vendidad as given to Asho Zarathushtra by Ahura Mazda, forming one of the twenty-one nasks, has three chapters (5,6,7) explicitly dedicated to purity laws. The holy Vendidad in its twenty-two chapters gives specific reasons as to how and why purity must be maintained. Also, what happens in nature when Mazdayasnis fail to maintain purity but how this faltering can be rectified. In addition to this, the Pahlavi Rivayets have a number of questions and answers elaborating on minute aspects of ritual purity in one’s daily life as well as priestly practice.
Purity of the heart and mind are very important too! This means having an unbiased, nonjudgmental mindset—having compassion in your heart always. But the catch here is that this is something we must all work to cultivate in ourselves everyday. Purity of the heart and mind in something very subjective and personal there is no way to measure it and quantify it in actuality. It goes in tandem with maintain and establishing physical ritual purity around us.
On a practical note, from the most simplistic kusti-padyab to the washing and rewashing of alats in the liturgies of the Yazashne, Vendidad, and Nirangdin the aim to establish order—Āsha and curb the impacts of evil—Druj. Below listed are some ways by which the average Zoroastrian can maintain the rules of ritual purity in their daily lives.
– [ ] Maintain a state of purity when starting prayers, going to a temple, or attending rituals by: taking a head bath, not touching anything impure such as dirty laundry or someone who hasn’t showered, and especially not the bed.
– [ ] Bathe immediately after cutting hair or nails. But also after filing nails, tweezing, waxing, or shaving.
– [ ] Put laundry in the machine to wash before bathing and remove it after bathing.
– [ ] Never place washed laundry on the bed, as our beds absorb urea, dead skin, and hair. It is also regarded as the residing place of Bushasp the demoness of sloth.
– [ ] Keep one chair, sofa, loveseat, etc. explicitly for prayers where you only sit after having showered. In larger homes abroad one can dedicate an entire room of the house for this purpose.
– [ ] Do not take your towel before the shower. Rather have someone who has showered place it in the bathroom for you or do so the day before, prior to coming into contact with any ritual impurity.
– [ ] For whatever reason if you need to touch something clean when you are in an impure state use metal tongs to pick it up. Since metal is a conductor it will conduct the unwanted energy off its surface.
– [ ] Be mindful that insulators such as wood, plastic, and clay/ceramic are to only be used in either an impure or pure state, not both.
– [ ] A few separate outfits of light colored clothes should be kept aside to only wear to rituals and temple.
– [ ] Likewise women should keep a few set of clothes solely for menses.
– [ ] One should be mindful in their homes to not sit where women sit in menses when in a state of ritual purity. This can be avoided by keeping one chair for women during this time at the dinner table, a separate loveseat/easy chair just for them, etc.
– [ ] Men must not shave after bathing. This is very common in the West and is not in line with Zoroastrian ritual practices. Please wash your face to soften the beard, then shave, then shower.
It should be noted that the laws of ritual purity are aimed at creating an environment conducive to Ahuric energy. Actively working against purity or being unnecessarily careless about it when you know better gives rise to Ahremanic energy in you life and environment. According to Yasna 55 only three parts of our nine part constitution are physical! The other six are metaphysical, even when something about all these rules doesn’t make logical sense it impacts your metaphysical self in someway. Thinking about how you’ll implement this knowledge in your life is your good thought, talking to your family about how you can all work together to maintain it are your good words, and working everyday to maintain this purity in your life are your good deeds.
Yazdān Panāh Bāad!
By Er. Zerkxis Bhandara
Thank you, it was a good read
Very nicely articulated piece by Zerkxis – it’s people like him and a few others that can play a vital role in helping our community to retrace the path as described in the Vendidad.
With respect to the purity laws during menses, the suggestions as mentioned in the article are indeed lukewarm at best, particularly for the Parsi women residing in North America and most other westernized parts of the world, where the living space is by far larger than your typical flat/apartment in India. Yours truly can attest to the fact that a majority of the Parsi residences here in Canada are quite spacious, where extra rooms are reserved either as game rooms, rec rooms, or family rooms.
If we want to stay true to the laws of the Vendidad and when we have the luxury of space, Parsis need to be more spiritual and assign a designated room where women within a household could stay during their period and implement all other needed stipulations. Of course, this kind of lifestyle requires a strong desire on one’s part to follow the path of Asha, an indestructible determination to please Ahura Mazda and a ‘who-cares’ attitude towards what others may think of your beliefs. Sadly, there are not even a handful of Parsi families today who happen to possess these values and courage to display their faith in our Zarathushti religion.
– Ervad Jal Dastur
Very well said Jalbhai!