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| The Journal for the Study and Research into the Mandaean Culture, Religion, and Language |
| "And when you say ‘The Stole’, the trees that dwell at the Wellspring flourish in the fresh foliage and its [their] shade rests on the soul." (62) |
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| Volume 3 Special Issue Online edition |
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| Researched by AJAE Copyright 2001 |
| In the name of the Great Life! On the day they invested Manda d-Hiia With the stole, ŠamaŠie! Three hundred and sixty wellsprings of radiance sprung forth And the radiance if the wellsprings was visible at the jordans And the [radiance of the?] jordans and the radiance of the wellsprings is bright And illumineth all the worlds of light (63) |
| Nasifa |
| Figure 18 Look carefully for the nasifa |
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| The nasifa is very useful to the priests and the longer side serves a valuable service. At the beginning of the rahmi the right side in order to avoid pollution by touching the ground, is gather into a small loop at the waist and this loop is then tucked into the himiana. (67) |
| After the pandama has been brought up across the face the nasifa's left side is twisted twice around the neck thus keeping the pandama in place from slippage. The end of the nasifa is secured by threading it in and out three times. The long right side is thrown up and over the right shoulder, forming a loop that reaches to the waist. The end is then taken up across the back to the left shoulder and around again to meet the mini loop. Theses two are tied in a double knot. (68) |
| The nasifa is very useful when the priest goes to the river. First he dips the margna, which is in a horizontal position, twice into the river water. (69) |
| The nasifa is a long narrow strip of cloth or muslin. It can also be called a gabu'a. It is worn like a Christian stole, but in such a way that the left side is considerably shorter than the right. (64) With the priest, it should be about a dhra wide, but for the layman it can be much narrower. (65) |
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| When, during the rahmi (preliminary, consecrating prayers) the nasifa is placed above the head, and held together under the chin, it is called a kinzala. Afterwards it is replaced in the original position. (66) |
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| He then pushes it through the loop previously made in the nasifa. The end of the margna is struck into the riverbed and held fast. Now the priest can release the margna, which is being supported by the loop, and now he can wash both hands in the river without fear of the margna slipping into the water. (70) |
| Figure 19 Note the position of the nasifa |
| Figure 20 Note the pandama |
| Figure 21 |
| This picture shows the dipping of the margna into the river |
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| In this piocture you can see the margna placed under the loop and pushed into the river bottom. |
| The nasifa is also used in the final kusta. This kusta (handclasp) comes after the drinking of the mumbuha (water). The priest slips the cloth of the nasifa over his hand before he takes the hand of the person being baptized. (71) |
| After the final kušta, the priest changes the staff from the left to right side and holds the staff with both hands using the nasifa (72) In the marriage ceremony the bridegroom takes hold of the end of the nasifa of the priest. (73) |
| There is one final use for the nasifa. When a person, either layman or priest, is dying a nasifa is prepared. This nasifa is longer than usual with a silver thread sewn into the left side and a gold thread sewn into the right side. A piece of silver and gold may be substituted for the threads. (74) |
Note the bridegroom holding the Nasifa during a marraige ceremony |
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| Figure 22 |
| Figure 23 Giving of the kusta |
| Figure 24 |