Ablution

Daikoku, Mayu and Kazuma performing an ablution on Yukine.

Purification (禊, Misogi), also known as Ablution is a ritual held to purify a shinki that has been committing sins and betrayed his/her God(s). It is used to expel and cleanse the impurities or blight attached on the shinki's body; however as this ritual is a painful process for the offending shinki (and the God, depending on the severity of the offense), it is sometimes called a "beating" (私刑, rinchi). This ritual is performed by three shinki towards the offender, and can only be done by shinki as they are formerly humans and have a sense of right and wrong, and therefore can judge another shinki's sins.

Performing a Purification

Purification ceremonies are started with three shinki standing in the form of a triangle in front of the offending shinki, as they chant the following lines:

[神の名]に捧げし御霊拭いて賜りし御名を守らん。汚れ払いて俗心は無にアカキ．ナオキ．タダシキ魂。身削ぎ身削ぎてキヨクあれ―― 獄！ (original text in Japanese) [Kami-no-na] ni sasageshi mitama nuguite tamawarishi on'na wo mamoran. Kegare haraite zokushin wa mu ni akaki, naoki, tadashiki tamashii. Misogi misogite kiyoku are--- Goku! (Romaji transcription) "This spirit of the deceased neglected to devote himself to the god, [god's name], and protect the great name bestowed upon him/her. Wipe away his/her impurities, and establish a bright, straight and correct soul without malicious intent. Use this purification ceremony to make this one pure-- Imprison!" (Manga translation by Fallen Syndicate) "We now cleanse this spirit which belongs to [god's name], and preserve the name bestowed upon it. With defilement expelled and avarice removed, it is a sincere, principled, just soul. With flesh pared, may he be cleansed."

As they chant, "Goku!" they used their Boundary lines in front of the offending shinki to form a triangle-shaped prison, entrapping the shinki. This prison will start attacking the impurities attached on the shinki's body, causing tremendous pain to the offender and, to an extent, the God. To remove the impurities the offending shinki must confess all of his/her sins and repent, however should he/she fail or refuse to do so, the impurities will eat away at the soul and its bestowed name, changing the shinki into a phantom.

During this ceremony the shinki performing the ritual must not leave their positions no matter what happen; and the greatest risk is when the offending shinki completely transformed into a phantom, everyone present during the ceremony may be attacked and get eaten. If the shinki performing the ritual has even a slight sympathy towards the offending shinki, it is possible that they will become influenced and cause the ritual to end with disastrous results.

The duration of the purification depends on the severity of the sins done by the offending shinki, and it may take more than an hour. A ritual is deemed successful when both the shinki and his/her master are free from any blight marks.

It is known that not many shinki are willing to perform this ritual, not only because of the risk faced but also due to having to stand in their position for hours.

Purification Performance

In Noragami anime, the purification ritual has been performed twice, and in the manga this ritual has been performed three times:

• Yukine (God: Yato)
  • Sins committed: Stealing, lying, trying to feel Hiyori up, breaking Hiyori's school windows
  • Cause: His immaturity and jealousy towards living people who have the kind of life he could no longer have
  • Impurity level: Severe
  • Purification status: Successful, he remains Yato's shinki

• Miyu (God: Tenjin)
  • Sins committed: Cutting her own wrist
  • Cause: Influenced by the aftereffects of Yukine's behavior and purification
  • Impurity level: Non-severe
  • Purification status: Successful, she is banished by Tenjin

• Aiha (God: Bishamon)
  • Sins committed: Bullying, attacking Hiyori, using weapons
  • Cause: Her wish to be noticed by Bishamon
  • Impurity level: Severe
  • Purification status: Successful, she remains Bishamon's shinki