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Is there anything like Spiritual Impurity (hindi: आध्यात्मिक मलिनता, ādhyātmika malinatā ) in Hinduism?

For eaxample: Are there any such acts/deeds (committed voluntarily or involuntarily), besides the famous Shadripu (षड्रिपु), that might be explained in the scriptures, (either from the previous births or the current one), which make a person spiritually weak or stop anyone from having spiritual growth? Can exalted people gauge other's spiritual prowess and cleanse them of any such impurities? What are the views of scriptures on this?

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    Are you talking about ritual impurity? Question not that clear to me.
    – Rickross
    Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 14:36
  • @Rickross see by spiritual impurity I mean that the person is spiritually bad. Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 18:13
  • you should give an example of 'spiritual impurity' .. voting to close for now .. (from review) Commented Apr 5, 2021 at 18:46
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    I have an answer ready now but before I could post it the Q was closed.@DarkKnight
    – Rickross
    Commented Apr 6, 2021 at 6:01
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    @Vivikta thanks for the wonderful edit. It made my question easy to understand Commented Apr 6, 2021 at 12:34

2 Answers 2

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Spiritual impurity like not worshipping God, not being nice to other people, always being angry and etc.


If that is what you are referring to as "spiritual impurity" then yes there is such a concept.

People who are wicked, don't perform their religious duties are considered to be "ever impure".


Perpetual impurity attaches to one who is always sickly, one who does not perform religious rites, one who is ignorant, one who is notoriously henpecked, one who is grossly inclined to vile practices, one who is always dependent upon others, and one who abstains from Vedic study and the vow of celibacy.

Atri Samhita/Smriti


Similar verses from Daksha Smriti's Chapter 6 are given below:


Perpetual impurity is spoken of for all of them, who,- without bathing, offering oblations to the Fire and making gifts, partake of [their] meals'. (8)

Perpetual impurity is for a diseased person, a miser, one laden with debts, one who does not perform religious rites, an illiterate person, and especially for a hen -pecked person. (9)

Daily impurity is for one who is addicted to gambling, etc., and for a dependant. The impurity of a person, who does not perform the S'raddhas, ends with his ashes (i.e., death). (10)

Temporary impurity is not for them, but a lifelong one. Thus impurity according to the differentiation of merits has been spoken of. (11)

So, there are certain persons whose acts are such that scriptures consider them to be "permanently impure" as far as spirituality and religious matters are concerned.

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    Thanks for the answer. Commented Apr 6, 2021 at 13:45
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Considering spirituality to be the continuous flow of consciousness [BG-8.3],

The Brahman is the highest indestructible, adhyātma is explained to be the continuous flow of consciousness...

Yes, there are elemental impurities (3 in number) which constricts the absolute consciousness to the level of individual limited being,

In consequence of its limitation of Śakti, reality which is all consciousness, becomes a mala-covered saṃsārin. Sutra 9, Pratyabhijñāḥṛdyaṃ

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