The Barashnom purification and segregation.

Although what is described below, in Fargard IX, might (nowadays) just look like a strange, old-fashioned "ritual", this Fargard is in fact describing the usual and (at that time and under those circumstances) practical way of disinfecting those who have become contaminated by coming into close contact with the dead, or through any other serious defilement : the "Bareshnum." When present-day detergent, flowing water and several baths with shower are not available, digging several pits in the ground, filled with water, and clay (today still a favourite for luxurious ladies' clay "beauty"-facemasks) are a realistic alternative, coupled to a six day period of segregation, to make certain all ill-effects of the contamination have worn off.

FARGARD IX

I Zarathustra petitioned to Ahura Mazda : "O You Creator of the World ! You Who are the One and only God ! To whom shall they apply here below, who want to purify their bodies ?"

II And Ahura Mazda  answered : "To a wise man, O Zarathustra ! who knows how to speak : who speaks the Truth ; who has learned the words of  ASHA ; and who knows best the ways of purification  according to the Law of Mazda. 

III Then the man shall sit down, and he shall cleanse his body with thick handfuls of clay ;  fifteen times  he shall take up the clay from the ground, to rub over his body.

IV Then, when his body, with the clay, has dried up,  he shall step over holes filled with water. At the first hole, he shall wash his body once with the water ; at the second hole, he shall wash his body twice with the water ;  at the third hole,  he shall wash his body three times with the water ;

V Then he shall perfume his body with sweet-smelling plants ; then he shall put on his clothing, and he shall go back to his house. 

VI He shall do thus, until six nights have passed. When six nights have gone by, he shall wash his body, he shall wash his clothing, and make it clean.

VII After that, he may again go near the Fire, near the Water, near the Earth ; near the Cow, near the Trees, and near the Faithful, either Man or Woman." 

[And Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda :]

VIII "Who is the person, O Ahura Mazda ! who threatens to take away  fullness and increase from the World ? and to bring in sickness and death ?"

IX Ahura Mazda answered and said : "It is the ignorant, O Zarathustra ! who in this material world  cleans the unclean without knowing the proper ways of purification, according to the Law of Mazda. For then, O Zarathustra !  sweetness and fatness would flow out from that land and from those fields, along with health and with healing, with fullness and increase and plenty, and with the growing of corn and of grass : 

X When ignorance will be replaced by wisdom, then sweetness and fatness will come back again to that land and to those fields, with health and with healing, with fullness, and increase, and growth, and abundance of corn and of grass.