# Vendidad — Chapter 12

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Avesta.org. The Vendidad, Chapter 12, translation: L.H. Mills / J. Darmesteter (Sacred Books of the East, 1880-1887), Avesta.org. License: Public domain (translation predates 1928).
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> 
> AVESTA: VENDIDAD (English): Fargard 12.
> 
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> AVESTA: VENDIDAD (English): Fargard 12. The Upaman.
> 
> This digital edition prepared by Joseph H. Peterson, 1995; updated Jul 1, 2001.
> 
> Translated by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East,
> American Edition, 1898.)
> 
> This chapter is found only in the Vendidad Sada; it is missing
> in the Zand-Pahlavi Vendidad. This is owing, as it seems, only
> to the accidental loss of some folios in the one manuscript from
> which all the copies as yet known have been derived; and, in fact,
> even in the most ancient manuscripts the following Fargard is
> numbered the thirteenth (Westergaard, Zend-Avesta, preface, p. 5).
> 
> The directions in the preceding chapter are general, and do not
> depend on the relationship of the faithful with the deceased person;
> whereas those in this Fargard are of a special character, and
> apply only to the near relatives of the dead. Their object is
> to determine how long the time of 'staying' (upaman) should
> last for different relatives. What is meant by this word is not
> explained; but, as the word upaman is usually employed to indicate
> the staying of the unclean in the Armesht-gah, apart from the faithful
> and from every clean object, that word upaman seems to show a
> certain period of mourning, marked by abstention from usual
> avocations.
> 
> The length of the upaman varies with the degrees of relationship;.
> and at every degree it is double for relations who have died in
> a state of sin (that is, with a sin not redeemed by the Patet:
> see Vd9.49 note 30). The relative length of the upaman is as follows:--
> 
> For the head of a family (§ 7):6 months (or a year).
> 
> First degree.
> (For father or mother (§1))
> 
> For son or daughter (§ 3)
> 
> For brother or sister (§ 5):
> 30 days (or 60).
> 
> Second degree.
> For grandfather or grandmother (§ 9)
> 
> For grandson or granddaughter (§ 11):
> 25 days (or 50).
> 
> Third degree.
> For uncle or aunt (§ 13):
> 20 days (or 40).
> 
> Fourth degree.
> For male cousin or female cousin (&#167 15):
> 15 days (or 30).
> 
> Fifth degree.
> For the son or daughter of a cousin (§ 17):
> 10 days (or 20).
> 
> Sixth degree.
> For the grandson or the granddaughter of a cousin (§ 19):
> 5 days (or 10).
> 
> FARGARD 12. The Upaman, how long it lasts for different relatives
> 
> 1. If one's father or mother dies, how long shall they stay [in
> mourning], the son for his father, the daughter for her mother?
> How long for the righeous? How long for the sinners1?
> 
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay thirty days for the
> righteous, sixty days for the sinners.'
> 
> Notes:
> 
> 1. How long if the dead person died in a state of holiness (a dahma)?
> How long if in the state of a Peshotanu [mortal sin -JHP]?
> 
> 2. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> 
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters2; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may enter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter3, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 2. This refers probably to the sacrifice that is offered on each
> of the three days that follow the death of a Zoroastrian for the
> salvation of his soul.
> 
> 3. All the other objects over which the Amesha-Spentas preside (such
> as the cow, the metals, &c.)
> 
> 3. If one's son or daughter dies, how long shall they stay, the
> father for his son, the mother for her daughter? How long for
> the righteous? How long for the sinners?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay thirty days for the
> righteous, sixty days for the sinners.'
> 
> 4. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times, you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind up the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may enter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 5. If one's brother or sister dies, how long shall they stay,
> the brother for his brother, the sister for her sister? How long
> for the righteous? How long for the sinners?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay thirty days for the
> righteous, sixty days for the sinners.'
> 
> 6. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again? Ahura Mazda
> answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three times, you shall wash
> your clothes three times, you shall chant the Gathas three times;
> you shall offer up a sacrifice to my Fire, you shall bind up the
> bundles of Baresma, you shall bring libations to the good waters;
> then the house shall be clean, and then the waters may enter,
> then the fire may enter, and then the Amesha-Spentas may enter, O
> Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 7. If the master of the house4 dies, or if the mistress of the
> house dies, how long shall they stay? How long for the righteous?
> How long for the sinners?
> 
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They5 shall stay six months for the
> righteous, a year for the sinners.'
> 
> 4. The chief of the family, the paterfamilias. The Zoroastrian
> family is organised on the patriarchal system.
> 
> 5. All the familia, both relatives and servants.
> 
> 8. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> 
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'you shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times, you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind up the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may enter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 9. If one's grandfather or grandmother dies, how long shall
> they stay, the grandson for his grandfather, the granddaughter
> for her grandmother? How long for the righteous? How long for
> the sinners?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay twenty-five days for
> the righteous, fifty days for the sinners.'
> 
> 10. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times, you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind up the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may enter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 11. If one's grandson or granddaughter dies, how long shall they
> stay, the grandfather for his grandson, the grandmother for her
> granddaughter? How long for the righteous? How long for the
> sinners?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay twenty-five days for
> the righteous, fifty days for the sinners.'
> 
> 12. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times, you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind up the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may enter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 13. If one's uncle or aunt dies, how long shall they stay, the
> nephew for his uncle, the niece for her aunt? How long for the
> righteous? How long for the sinners?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay twenty days for the
> righteous, forty days for the sinners.'
> 
> 14. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times, you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind up the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may enter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 15. If one's male cousin or female cousin dies, how long shall
> they stay? How long for the righteous? How long for the
> sinners?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay fifteen days for the
> righteous, thirty days for the sinners.'
> 
> 16. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times, you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind up the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may enter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 17. If the son or the daughter of a cousin dies, how long shall
> they stay? How long for the righteous: How long for the
> sinners?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay ten days for the
> righteous, twenty days for the sinners.'
> 
> 18. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times, you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind up the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may enter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 19. If the grandson of a cousin or the granddaughter of a cousin
> dies, how long shall they stay? How long for the righteous? How
> long for the sinners?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall stay five days for the
> righteous, ten days for the sinners.'
> 
> 20. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I
> cleanse the house? How shall it be clean again?
> Ahura Mazda answered: 'You shall wash your bodies three
> times, you shall wash your clothes three times, you shall chant
> the Gathas three times; you shall offer up a sacrifice to my
> Fire, you shall bind up the bundles of Baresma, you shall bring
> libations to the good waters; then the house shall be clean, and
> then the waters may enter, then the fire may euter, and then the
> Amesha-Spentas may enter, O Spitama Zarathushtra!'
> 
> 21. If a man dies, of whatever race he is, who does not belong
> to the true faith, or the true law6, what part of the creation of
> the good spirit [Spenta Mainyu -JHP] does he directly defile? What part does he
> indirectly defile?
> 
> 6. An infidel, whether he is a relation or not.
> 
> 227. Ahura Mazda answered: 'No more than a frog does whose venom
> is dried up, and that has been dead more than a year. Whilst
> alive, indeed, O Spitama Zarathushtra! such wicked, two-legged
> ruffian as an ungodly Ashemaogha, directly defiles the creatures
> of the Good Spirit [Spenta Mainyu -JHP], and indirectly defiles them.
> 
> 7. §§ 22-24 = Vd5.36-38, text and notes.
> 
> 23. 'Whilst alive he smites the water; whilst alive he blows out
> the fire; whilst alive he carries off the cow; whilst alive he
> smites the faithful man with a deadly blow, that parts the soul
> from the body; not so will he do when dead.
> 
> 24. 'Whilst alive, indeed, O Spitama Zarathushtra! such wicked,
> two-legged ruffian as an ungodly Ashemaogha, robs the faithful
> man of the full possession of his food, of his clothing, of his
> wood, of his bed, of his vessels; not so will he do when dead.'
> 
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> — *Vendidad — Chapter 12 — L.H. Mills / James Darmesteter (1880-1887) (Public domain (Sacred Books of the East, 1880-1887))*