Answer

In Jain practice, brushing/cleaning the teeth is generally done before taking pachchakkhān and within the proper time-limit of Navkārshī, because after a pachchakkhān—especially for Ekāshanā—one has accepted a vow restricting food-related and mouth-related activities.

After taking Ekāshanā pachchakkhān, brushing is usually avoided because:

• Brushing involves putting something into the mouth.
• It may involve taste, swallowing, rinsing, or stimulating saliva.
• It can disturb the discipline and purity of the vow.
• It may unintentionally involve use of water, paste, or substances that are not allowed after pachchakkhān.

So the safe and traditional practice is: Brush before pachchakkhān, and preferably within Navkārshī time.

Explanation

Navkārshī is the period after sunrise during which many householders complete necessary morning activities before taking food-related vows or beginning their daily religious discipline. In common Jain conduct, brushing or mouth-cleaning is permitted before one formally takes pachchakkhān, because the vow has not yet begun.

Once a person takes pachchakkhān, they voluntarily bind themselves to a specific discipline. In Ekāshanā, the person takes food only once in the day, according to proper rules. Therefore, after the vow is taken, one avoids unnecessary mouth activity such as brushing.

This is not merely about “toothpaste” or “water.” The deeper point is that after pachchakkhān, one should avoid actions connected with taste, consumption, swallowing, and bodily comfort as much as possible.

How to Brush — General Guidelines

If one is observing Ekāshanā or similar tapas:

• Brush before taking pachchakkhān.
• Do it after sunrise and within the accepted morning time followed in your tradition.
• Use minimum water.
• Avoid swallowing water, paste, foam, or any substance.
• Do not brush after taking Ekāshanā pachchakkhān.
• If possible, use plain water or a simple method according to your family/guru tradition.
• Avoid strong-flavoured toothpaste if your tradition discourages it during tapas.
• Complete brushing, rinsing, bathing, and other daily bodily activities before pachchakkhān if possible.

Where Is It Written?

The exact modern question of “toothbrush and toothpaste” is not usually found word-for-word in ancient Jain scriptures, because these modern items did not exist in the same form.

However, the rule comes from the broader Jain principles of:

• Pachchakkhān maryādā — maintaining the limits of the vow once accepted.
• Āhār-niyam — discipline regarding intake and food-related activity.
• Rasa-tyāg — avoiding taste and sensory indulgence during tapas.
• Apramattatā — carefulness and alertness in religious practice.

In practice, these rules are preserved through Jain ācāryas, sādhus, sādhvīs, and traditional household conduct manuals. For exact sect-specific authority, one should ask one’s own guru, upāśray, or tradition, because Śvetāmbara Mūrtipūjak, Sthānakvāsī, Terāpanthī, and Digambar traditions may explain practical details differently.

Is It Possible During Paryushan?

Yes, the same principle applies during Paryushan, and people are usually even more careful.

During Paryushan, if you are doing Ekāshanā, Biyāshanā, Upvās, Ayambil, or other tapas:

• Brush before pachchakkhān.
• Do not brush after taking the vow.
• If you are doing longer fasting such as Upvās, Chauvihār Upvās, or Attham, follow your guru’s specific instructions.
• If there is a medical issue, consult your Jain guru and doctor respectfully.

Spiritual Understanding

In Jain Dharma, tapas is not only about avoiding food. It is about reducing attachment to the body, taste, comfort, and habit. Brushing after pachchakkhān may seem small, but the spirit of the vow is to remain within self-imposed limits with awareness.

The purpose is not punishment. The purpose is samyam — self-restraint.

Takeaway

For Ekāshanā, the safest Jain practice is:

Brush before pachchakkhān, within the proper morning period such as Navkārshī, and avoid brushing afterward.

During Paryushan also, this discipline should be followed with even greater care, according to your guru-paramparā.