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  • What is the reason behind washing clothes and not doing pooja when a girl is menstruating? Will i get a bad karma if i do it? Can i do pooja of dev like ghantakarna mahavir?
  • author Posted by
    Jain Follower

    What is the reason behind washing clothes and not doing pooja when a girl is menstruating? Will i get a bad karma if i do it? Can i do pooja of dev like ghantakarna mahavir?

    7 months ago 263

    In Jain dharma, menstruation is seen as a natural body process, not a sin. The jīva (soul) always remains pure.

    I’ll answer your points one by one:

    ---

    1. Why “wash all clothes” and “don’t do pūjā” during periods?

    These are maryādā / customs, mainly for:

    1. Ritual shuddhi (cleanliness for worship)

    - For dravya‑pūjā, abhiṣek, going in garbhagṛha, etc., very high बाह्य (external) cleanliness is expected. - Because during rajasvalā (periods) there is continuous discharge, our elders kept a rule: - pause touch‑based temple/pūjā work - after bleeding stops, take full bath, wear fresh washed clothes, then again start all pūjā as before. ( jainknowledge.com)

    1. Hygiene and rest

    - Earlier there were no modern facilities; managing blood flow was hard. - So they gave women rest from heavy work and temple duties for a few days.

    1. Not a scriptural “impurity” of the soul

    - Jain āgams do not say that a menstruating woman’s soul becomes impure or low. - It is only a temporary aśaucha for certain rituals, not a judgment on the person. ( jainknowledge.com)

    So, washing clothes and pausing certain pūjās are traditions for cleanliness and discipline, not because the girl is “bad” or “dirty” inside.

    You can read more here

    • What is followed in periods in Jainism
    • Why we avoid mandir/puja during periods

    ---

    2. Will I get bad karma if I do pūjā during periods?

    No, just having periods and doing bhakti does not itself give bad karma.

    In Jainism, karma comes mainly from:

    • हिंसा (violence),
    • कषाय – anger, pride, deceit, greed,
    • अशुद्ध भाव – wrong intention, ego, carelessness.

    If you:

    • sit cleanly,
    • with shradha and vinay,
    • recite Navkār, stavans, do mental pūjā,

    then there is no special pāp only because you are menstruating. ( jainknowledge.com)

    Where it can become a problem is:

    • If your family/sangh has a clear maryādā that “during these 3–4 days don’t touch mūrti / don’t go in garbhagṛha”,
    • and you knowingly break it with ego or anger like “I don’t care, I will show them,”

    then the ego and disobedience‑bhāva can create some dosh. So, from Jain view:

    • No paap just for periods + bhakti.
    • Some paap can come from proud, rebellious, or careless bhāva against accepted maryādā.

    ---

    3. What can I do, and what to avoid, during periods?

    Generally allowed and good to do (both Digambar & Śvetāmbara):

    • Navkār Mantra jāp
    • Mental or seated sāmāyik, pratikraman (as health allows)
    • Listening to pravachan / svādhyāy
    • Meditation, jain tatva chintan
    • Dān, dayā (kindness, helping others) ( jainknowledge.com)

    Usually avoided during days of flow (depending on local custom):

    • Snātra‑pūjā, abhiṣek
    • Touching mūrti, yantra, āgams
    • Entering garbhagṛha or doing dravya‑pūjā very near the idol
    • Preparing and handling pūjā‑dravya in temple

    After bleeding ends, do:

    • Full snān (including head wash as per your usual habit),
    • Wear fresh washed clothes,
    • Then resume all normal pūjā and mandir activities. ( jainknowledge.com)

    ---

    4. Can I do pūjā of dev like Ghantākarṇa Mahāvīr?

    Yes, you can absolutely remember and worship devs like Ghantākarṇa Mahāvīr during periods, with the same basic guideline:

    • At home:
    - You may chant their mantras, stavans, do mental pūjā, and remember their qualities with devotion. - This is bhāva‑pūjā and is fully allowed.
    • In temple:
    - Follow your temple’s maryādā: - Often: no abhiṣek, no touching mūrti/yantra during flow. - But you may sit outside garbhagṛha, do jāp and bhāva‑pūjā quietly.

    The restriction, where it exists, is about physical contact and ritual cleanliness, not about any dev being “angry at you” because of periods.

    ---

    5. About washing clothes specifically

    There is no fixed Jain scriptural rule like “you must wash all clothes in this exact way / on this exact day.” ( jainknowledge.com)

    The simple Jain way is:

    • Maintain daily personal hygiene as your health allows.
    • When periods are over, do:
    - Complete bath, - Freshly washed clothes, - Then start temple-going / dravya‑pūjā again.

    The rest (how many days, which day exactly to bathe, family rules about washing) is family or community custom, not a heavy dharmic sin matter.

    ---

    Summary

    • Menstruation is natural; your soul is always shuddha.
    • The rules about not doing certain pūjās are ritual and cleanliness customs, not statements that you are impure.
    • You do not get bad karma just for doing sincere bhakti during periods. Karma depends on intent and himsā, not on this body process.
    • You can do jāp, stavan, mental pūjā of Ghantākarṇa Mahāvīr and other devs; just follow your local maryādā about touching idols and entering garbhagṛha.
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