The Development of the Concept of Purification in Hinduism

In the Vedic period, the act of purification was treated as a rite performed through the ritual ceremonies. Gradually, with the emergence and development of introversion attitude in Hindu culture, the concept of purity in Hindu thought entered the realm of mind and found a new dimension as a moral virtue. As seen in the Upanishads, within this new phase, the necessity of performing rituals for purification stood as a second-rated priority, while the concepts of inner purity and self-refinement occupied the first place among Hindu concerns. With the emergence of negative attitude towards human body as observed in later Upanishads, the concept of purification, which had now taken also a sanitary dimension, became less and less important. Nevertheless, in The Laws of Manu, one can observe anew emphasis on the ritualistic and bodily aspects of purification. Therefore, the concept of purity in Hinduism eventually became regarded as an existential state of being, related to both body and spirit.