"Every Mandaean must own a simple white ceremonial garment, called a rasta. It must be worn during most baptismal rites, religious ceremonies, and during periods of uncleanliness. It signifies the purity of the world of light. The rasta is worn equally by the laypersons and the priests. If a Mandaean dies in clothes other than a rasta, it is believed that they will not reenter the "World of Light"," unless the rite "Ahaba d Mania" ('Giving of Garments') be performed "for those who have died not wearing the ritual garment."
The rasta is expected to be transmuted after death into a "garment of glory" for the soul ("the Perfecter of Souls ... will come out toward you and clothe your soul in a garment of radiance") – this is equivalent to the perispirit.
A Mandaic hymn states : "I became a garment to the worlds of Light ... As for the chosen righteous, who put me on (as a garment), their eyes were filled with Light."