So what about blood transfusion and donating blood?

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Roj Hormuz Mah Ardibehest, 1377 Yz.

We have seen in the earlier post that there is a very critical spiritual reason which totally prohibits any kind of organ transplants or body donation. A reader has posed a similar question with regard to blood donation or blood transfusion, which is very common today.

The major difference between organ transplants and blood donation is the fact that blood is a renewable resource in our body which is produced and destroyed on a daily basis.

Hence accepting blood transfusion or donating blood can be considered keeping mind the following specific safeguards.

1. In case of an elective surgery, or when the date on which the blood will be required is known, all hospitals provide for the facility of “Autologous donation”. In this method, the patient himself donates his blood at regular intervals, which is stored and then used on the day of the operation. Doctors prefer this method because there is no chance of rejection of the blood nor is there any chance of any infection. Parsis should definitely use this method. Let your Doctor know that you are aware of this process, and they will allow it, subject to other medical requirements being met.

2. In case the patient cannot adopt this method, then close family members should donate their blood and they should INSIST with the doctor/hospital/blood bank that only this blood should be used. A little gentle persuasion can help.

3. In case even if this option is not available, then only as a last resort, blood from unknown donors should be taken.

It might be of interest to readers to know that in the past, it was the practice in America and other countries to separate blood donations on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion, or to exclude certain groups from the donor pool on those bases. Unfortunately this practice has now been discontinued on the fake “equality” and “non-discrimination” grounds. (see Wikipedia: “Blood donation”.)

4. Finally, it must be remembered that transfusion of blood also transmits some elements of the other person into us, which may remain in the body till the donee blood is regenerated by our body system.

5. After accepting blood transfusion, or after a visit or stay at a hospital, it is MANDATORY to take a SADU NAHN before entering an Agiary or Atash Behram or taking part in any religious ceremony (even a Jashan at home).

Those Parsis who wish to donate blood must bear in mind the following:

1. It is preferable to donate blood only if it is to be used immediately. Should the blood be stored, and unfortunately the person were to pass away before the blood were used, some spiritual load would come to bear on the Ruvan since blood is classified as “leelo Nasu” that is, “wet spiritual pollution”, which must be reduced in the Dokhma within the first three days of death.

2. Persons undergoing this procedure must necessarily have a bath or preferably a Sadu Nahn after the procedure and before entering an Agiary or Atash Behram, or taking part in a religious ceremony.

3. Do not let a misplaced sense of “charity” cloud judgement, which can result in spiritual regression. It must be noted that, puncturing of the physical body (or even operations) does some amount of damage to the ultra-physical bodies (Keherp, Ushtan & Tevishi).

It goes without saying that Mobed Sahebs who tend the Sacred Fire in Agiaries and Atash Behrams, or who perform Pav Mahel ceremonies need to maintain very strict laws of purity. Such persons should totally avoid donating blood and in case of accepting blood transfusion, should take the Bareshnum Nahn again.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

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Comments

  1. Sarosh Yazdani  October 14, 2014

    Dear Marzban have 2 queries? .want your suggestion.
    1. Can one zoroastrian donate his blood to another zoroastrian is that permissible or does he have to be a family member . As in the post of organ donation a question was put by one person named rohinton abt donating organ to another zoroastrian and your reply was no . what about blood ?

    2. In case of adoption can a zoroastrian adopt another persons child whose parents have died in a accident . the childs parents were both zoroastrians and can such a child navjote ceremony be performed if i want it too be. Is this permissible as per our tenets of our religion?
    Also if the navjote can be performed than can i do it as per shenshai sect because the childs parents were iranis . so which is recommended. . Need your opinion on these points . Thanking you ,,, tandorosti.