USHAO
Volume III No.
11
January- February 2003: Mah Behman Fasal Sal 1371
L
ord of all creation, we
stand in awe before You, impelled by visions of the harmony of humankind. We are
children of traditions – inheritors of shared wisdom and tragic
misunderstandings, of proud hopes and humble successes. Now is the time
for us to meet – in memory and truth, in courage and trust, in love and
promise. In that which we share, let us see the common prayer of humanity;
in that, which we differ, let us wonder at the freedom of humankind; in our
unity and our differences, let us know the uniqueness that is God. May our
courage match our convictions, and our integrity match our hopes. May our faith
in You bring us closer to each other. May our meeting with past and
present bring blessings for the future: Amen! [Source: Transcendence – Westminster
Interfaith.]
From Life of Jamshed
Nusserwanjee
I
n June 1928, Jamshed
performed the opening ceremony of the Cosmopolitan Housing Society Ltd. In his
speech on the occasion, he let out many of his heart’s desires and aspirations.
He reiterated his great anxiety and desire for remodeling the whole of Lyari
Quarter where the poor lived and for which he said he had plans and schemes
ready. To him every laborer, every man in the street had a right to be
well clothed, well fed, well educated and well housed and for all these, housing
to him was the most essential for it meant a congenial atmosphere for the proper
growth of body, mind and soul. Laying stress upon the sense of civic duty, and
letting himself into a rapturous joy, at the thought of God, he said: “I
dream of the day when we all shall sit here on the pleasant little hill and
think of unity with all and God, without any personal bias. This means a
growth of tolerance and tolerance is a straight path to God.” God was
the inspirer of his heart, the lifter of his soul, the kindler of his mind, the
searchlight that always flashed continuously and mysteriously, showing him the
way for the speedy progress of life’s plans. [Source: Jamshed Memorial
Volume]
IN THIS ISSUE
02 THE MYSTERY RELIGION: Dastur Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla
03 HEROINES OF ANCIENT IRAN: Story of Shirin: The Marchioness of Winchester
06 SAOSHYANT [Part Two]: Ali A. Jafarey
10 25th DECEMBER –BIRTHDAY OF MEHER YAZAD: Dorab J. Patel
12 BE SURE YOU HAVE PRIORITIES
RIGHT: Marie Snider
THE MYSTERY RELIGION
Dastur Dr. Maneckji
Nusserwanji Dhalla
T
here are three passages in
the extant Avesta, which reveal to us the existence of what is known in the
History of Religions as the Mystery Religion. Haurvatat, later Khurdad, is
the sixth Amesha Spenta and is emblematic of Perfection. The Yasht
dedicate to him in the Later Avesta opens with the statement that Ahura Mazda
created him for the help, joy, comfort and pleasure of the religious ones.
The greater part of the Yasht, however, is dedicated to the recital of
Manthras or holy spells, which enable one to smite the legion of
demons. Ahura Mazda is then depicted, to enjoin Zarathushtra not to teach
these Manthras to any one, except by the father to his son, or by the
brother to his brother or by an Athravan to his pupil. A similar
injunction is found in the Yasht 14.46 (Bahram Yasht) dedicated to
Verethraghna. Yet further in the Sad Dar (99.34), a later
Pazend-Persian work, it is said that this knowledge is to be imparted to a
priest and his intelligent descendents and to none other.
Examples of similar instructions to guard such
knowledge of the recital of a holy spell to be handed down from generation to
generation and to be transmitted from father to son, or from teacher to pupil
are found in the sacred books of other religions. For example Brihad-Aranyaka
Upanishad 6.3.12 tells us that one should not give such knowledge to one who
is not a son or to one who is not a pupil. The Chandogya Upanishad
3,11,5,6 says that a father should teach this to his eldest son or to a worthy
pupil, but to none else. Even if one may offer him this earth that is filled
with treasure, he should say, “This (knowledge) truly is more than that (earthly
treasure)”. The Mundaka 3.2.10.11, Svetasvatara 6.22
and Maitri Upansihad 6.29 add that this profound mystery should not be
given or even mentioned to one who is not a son or a pupil or a tranquil
person.
In ancient Egypt the king was the head of the
guild of diviners and magicians. When Cambyses was in Egypt he is reported
to have sought initiations to the Mysteries of the Goddess Neit. The
initiates were asked to guard the secrecy of the mysterious wisdom. In
Babylonia, the books on the art of divination were highly treasured and
scrupulously guarded. Those that were not instructed were debarred from
reading the secrets of divination. St. Paul speaks of the hidden wisdom
intended only for the initiated.
The Mysteries were rites performed in secret and
concealed from the view of the public. The priests who were solemnly
initiated for the service could perform these rites. When the cult of Mithra
entered Rome, the Mithraic rites were performed in the caves and grottoes and
the fire was kept burning perpetually in the deep recesses of the subterranean
crypts.
The Divine Knowledge was thus a sacred
possession. It was to be closely guarded and kept secret. The initiates
everywhere, were strictly forbidden to divulge the secret of the
Mystery-Religion. The neophyte, everywhere, was subjected to rigorous
tests to prove the power of physical endurance. Before initiation he had
to purify himself by repeated lustrations and bodily tortures. He had to
perform magical rites and pass through degrees of initiations before he was
finally admitted as a participant in the Mysteries.
A passage in the Yasht dedicated to Mithra (Yasht
10.12) reminds us the custom of flagellation. Ahura Mazda is depicted as
saying unto Zarathshtra they alone are well-versed in the sacrificial ritual all
wash their bodies three days and three nights and undergo thirty stripes and
under other circumstances wash their bodies two days and two nights and undergo
twenty stripes before they drink the libations prepared in honor of
Mithra.
We find from the history of the Mystery Religions that have prevailed in the past in different parts of the world that the initiates were supposed to wield great occult power. They claimed exclusive right to approach the celestial beings and hold communion with them. It was through their medium only that one could obtain divine favors in this world and deliverance from suffering in the next world.
[Source: The
Centenary Volume of B.V. S. Parsi High School,
Karachi]
HEROINES OF ANCIENT IRAN
The Marchioness of Winchester
Story of
Shirin
S
hirin was a Princess, whose
name is handed down to lasting fame in all later Persian romantic
literature. According to Firdausi, she was of Persian descent and came
from Khuzistan. She became the consort of the famous Sassanian monarch,
Khusrau Parwiz, and the poets never tire of recounting the King’s devotion to
her. Khusrau Parwiz first fell in love with the beautiful Shirin during
the lifetime of his father, King Hurmuzd. As narrated in the previous
story, when Hurmuzd was deposed, Bahram Chubina raised a rebellion, and Khusrau
had perforce to devote himself to the war against the would be contestant for
the crown. After a severe struggle, Bahram was compelled to seek refuge
with the Khan of Chin. Meanwhile, Shirin wept in solitude that Prince
Khusrau, in order to support his royal father’s interests should thus neglect
her. Khusrau returned victorious and shortly afterwards succeeded to the
throne.
One day, while hunting with several other Princes
and Knights, Khusrau chanced to draw nigh to the palace where Shirin
dwelt. Hearing news of this, she donned a beautiful gown of red brocade of
Rum and bedecking her-self with rich jewels, placed a royal crown upon her
head. She then made her way to the terrace, and, when Khusrau Parwiz
appeared in sight, addressed him in the following sorrowful
words:
O Shah! Great Lion!
O framed to be leader of the host!
O blessed hero lion conqueror!
Where is that love of thine? Where are the tears
Of blood once staunched by looking on Shirin?
Where are all those days which once we turned to nights,
Tears in our hearts and in eyes, smiles on our lips?
Where are our loves, our troth, our bonds, our
oaths?
Khusrau, hearing her,
became stricken with remorse at having so neglected his beloved. In the
care of his most trusted chieftain, he sent Shirin to his golden bower, and, as
soon as the chase was over, returned to the palace to marry her. The
nobles heard these tidings and advised Khusrau against taking her as his Queen;
but the Shah defended the lady, assuring his loyal retainers that she had ever
been true to him. The nobles were therefore satisfied, and gave their
assent. It happened that King Khurau had still another wife, a daughter of
the Kisra of Rum, named Maryam. She was a wise and beautiful Princess, and
Khusrau Parwiz was very fond of her, and had made her the chief Queen in the
royal bower. After her death, however, which occurred shortly after
the King’s marriage to Shirin, the latter succeeded her in the golden chambers,
and took her place as the chief Queen.
It may here be observed that Firdausi entirely
omits the tragic episode of Shirin and her sculptor-lover Farhad. This
doubtlessly true story is, however, given by Nizami in his romantic poem of
Khusrau and Shirin, and may here be appropriately recounted, in order to
complete the story of one of the most fascinating personalities of Ancient
Iran. The following is the tale told by Nizami.
Kuhsurau Parwiz became jealous of Farhad, the
renowned sculptor, who carved in stone imperishable records of the King’s fame,
but who had fallen in love with Shirin. To encourage the work of the artist’s
chisel, Khusrau promised him the favors of the fair Shirin. Unceasingly
the sculptor toiled, and wrought miracles in the living rock, which are still to
be seen. But when the achievement was almost accomplished, the monarch
sought for some means to postpone the fulfillment of his promise. He
therefore called his courtiers to him, and asked their advice as to how he might
rid himself of this rival. The courtiers suggested that he should appoint Farhad
some task that would occupy him throughout the whole of his life. Now,
Shirin had asked of Khusrau a “river of milk”. Khusrau, recalling this, summoned
Farhad in his presence, and bade him hew a passage through the great mountain
Bahistun, so as to join the river on the opposite sides. Farhad, the true
love, replied that he would accomplish this upon one condition: namely, that the
fair Shirin be given to him as the reward for his labor. As Khusrau Parwiz
was certain that the work would never be finished since it would surely require
superhuman power, he consented. The sculptor then began his work, thinking but
of Shirin all the while. He toiled without pause on the mountain, described by
Nizami thus:
The mist of night around her summit coils,
But still Farhad, the lover-artist, toils,
And still---the flashes of his axe between—
He sighs to ev’ry wind, Alas! Shirin!
Alas! Shirin!---my task is well nigh done.
The goal in view for which I strive alone,
Love grants me power that Nature might deny;
And whatsoe’er my doom, the world shall tell,
Thy lover gave to immortality
Her name he loved—so fatally---so well!
The poor sculptor continued
his work, ever hopeful of winning Shirin, and completed it within a short
time. In the front of the arch he constructed the statue of Shirin
surrounded by attendants like a queen, and in the middle he carved in high
relief the statue of Khusrau Parwiz seated upon his favorite horse, Shabdiz, and panoplied in armor. Under this arch, which is called
Taq-i-Bustan1 the rivers were made to flow either side, as Khusrau
had commended, and the chance traveler can still gaze in wonderment upon the
triumphs wrought by the sculptor-lover’s chisel.
The romantic artist’s end was tragic. When
Farhad’s wonderful work was complete, Khusrau was much distressed. He was
advised by his courtiers to bring about the death of Farhad. Accordingly,
one day, while the sculptor was at work high upon the rocky precipice, he sent
an old woman to tell him that Shirin was dead. In a croaking voice she
called aloft to him that he had now best prepare a tomb for her. The true
lover, when he heard this news, raised a cry to Heaven: “Alas, Shirin!” flung
from him chisel and mallet, and sprang from the towering cliff, to perish at its
base. When Shirin learned of the fate of her artist-lover, she wept tears of
bitter sorrow.
We shall turn once more to Firdausi’s narrative of
Khusrau and Shirin. Maryam had left a son, named Shirwi, also known as
Kubad. Now, Khusrau Parwiz knew that Shirwi was not worthy of the crown or
throne, so he put him to prison, in comfortable quarters. He was, however,
later released by some of his chiefs, and rose in arms against his father, with
the help of his grandfather, the Kisra of Rum, and succeeded in overpowering and
taking him prisoner. Shirin was devoted to Khusrau and shared his grief in
captivity. Finally enemies of Khusrau Parwiz demanded his life, whereupon
his treacherous son Shirwi, a timid man, hired an assassin to kill him.
When this was brought to pass, Shirwi actually wept and mourned his father.
Such, according to the Shanama, was the end of Khusrau, the
mighty monarch of Iran
After the death of King Khusrau, Shirwi came to
the throne, and when two months has passed, he sent for Shirin. She
returned the answer that she would come into his presence if the wise men of his
court were assembled for the occasion. Shirwi accordingly summoned all the
soothsayers, and Shirin thereupon entered the new royal presence, unveiled her
face and spoke thus:
There is my face,
Such as it is. If there be falsehood show it.
My hair was all my hidden excellence,
For none on earth e’er used to look thereon.
What I display is all my sorcery,
Nor necromancy, fraud, and evil bent.
Shirwi was quiet dazzled at the sight of her
lovely face, and promptly asked her to be his Queen. Shirin replied that
she would consent, provided he would assign to her all her treasure.
Shirwi acceded to her request, and Shirin forthwith distributed her wealth to
the poor, at the same time freeing all her slaves. She then told Shirwi
that she had one more request to make: this was to have the charnel house of
Khusrau Parwiz opened that she might look upon her dear lord’s face again.
Shirwi instantly granted this wish. Whereupon Shirin went, weeping and
wailing in anguish, to the tomb, took poison on the spot. and dropped dead by
the side of her deceased husband.
Concerning Khusrau’s own genuine love for Shirin
there can be no real historic ground for doubt. Fiction is borne by fact.
In support of this statement may be cited that a later Persian writer definitely
records that, at Kasr-i-Shirin, “Palace of Shirin”, in the regions of
Khanikin2 there was to be seen on the palace portal an inscription,
which was prepared by King Khusrau Parwiz. The rhyming couplet ran as follows:
huzhira, ba-gaihan anushah bi-zi
jihan ra
ba-didar toshah bari
TO THE FAIR
PRINCESS
Ah, Beauteous One! Upon this earth, happy for aye do live!
Since to the world by thy
mere glance such joyance thou dost give.
Shirin is the only woman of the heroic past whose statue is still preserved in Persia, if we are to believe an anonymous Persian poet of more than a thousand years ago, who identified the figures in the sculptured arch of Taq-i-Bustan as Khusrau, Shirin and the high priest Magi. But some modern scholars are inclined to interpret these bas-reliefs differently. In any event, Shirin stands out for all time as one of the most romantic characters in the Shanama of Firdausi and later Persian poetry.
1.Situated in western Persia, near
Kirmansha of today. 2. Situated in western
Persia.
SAOSHYANT
Ali A. Jafarey
Part
Two
Saoshyant in the Later
Avesta
Although the present order of the extant
Avesta is not based on chronology to help a full view of the evolution of the
idea, we better follow it for data reasons. It will give us a fair vision to
make a good conclusion.
1.Haoma, the “Ritualistic
Drink” animatedly tells Zarathushtra: “Pray to me
O Spitama, prepare me for the drink. Praise me so that the other
benefactors also praise me [Yasna 9.2]. The scene: Zarathushtra has already
delivered the Divine Doctrine and his Sublime Songs on a fine morning. He has
his full knowledge of the old cult and has condemned its superfluous
rituals. Yet strangely enough, he has no knowledge of the age-old and
well-known Haoma ritual. That is why Haoma” has appeared in form
of a highly handsome youth, and explains to him the progeny potency of the
drink and wants him to reintroduce the ritual and pave the way for its
continuation in the future.
2. This is a part of the details of the Initiation Ceremony (Navjote or Sudre-poshi). It may be noted that this is the only piece in the Gtahic dialect [Yasna 12:1-14:2] that mentions benefactors in the later Avesta collection. It is therefore, within the Gathic period, the Initiate declares: “I uphold good thoughts, good words and good deeds. I choose progressive serenity and believe in freedom of movements. I condemn disorder and renounce false gods and their devotees, and sorcerers. In fact I renounce every mental malady and physical ailment just as Asho Zarathushtra did.” And then says: “With varana --- choice belief in waters, plants, bountiful world; with choice belief in Zarathushtra, King Vishtaspa, Ferashoshtra and Jamaspa had, and the choice belief in any of the truth-practicing righteous benefactors; it is of the same belief and doctrine that that I am a worshipper of Wise One. I with my appreciation and choice belief choose for myself to be a worshipper of the Wise One and Zoroastrian. [Yasna 12.7]
Note: The Gathic varana means the belief one “chooses’ and forms after a through study and consideration. It is the “Choice Belief”. The word does not occur in the Later Avestan dialect with the exception as a compound, anyo-varena (belonging to other belief), mentioned twice in the Vendidad [12:21:19;2]
3. Here a person,
evidently the one who is initiated, acknowledges, “the priest with the
greatest knowledge of the Good Religion as the Ratu (the right guide),
teachers amongst them as Ratus, and those immortal progressive
benefactors, who are the wisest, most right-speaking and most helping,
most stimulating and the most courageous as the Ratus of the Good
Religion amongst the priests, warriors, and progressive settlers [Yasna 13:3
(continuation of the Initiation Ceremony)]. Profound knowledge is the
criterion for a leading position.
4. Here are veneration
and praise for your immortal progressives! Here are prosperity,
popularity, righteousness, victory and soul-fullness for our
benefactors [Yasna 14.1]
5. This chapter is a
commentary on Ashem Vohu. It says that the best righteousness is
for the righteous persons including the benefactors. [Yasna 20.3]
6. “Hereby we announce
our veneration, glorification, pleasure and for the Fravashi of Zarathushtra Spitama and
the Fravashi of all rightful who have passed away, those who are living and
the persons not yet born, the benefactors”. [Yasna24.5].
7.”We venerate the
Fravashis of all righteous, from Gaya Maretan (earlier leader) to the
victorious benefactor (the last leader). [Yasna 26.10]
8 A long list of persons
from Ahura Mazda and Yazatas to the Fravashis of men and women, including the
Fravashis of the praying person and “the victorious benefactors” are
venerated [Yasna 59.28]
9. “How should we drive
druj (wrong) from ourselves? We should, as benefactors,
drive wrong from ourselves. Just as the powerful drives away the powerless”
[Yasna 61.5]
10. While wishing to
inform all about the Zoroastrian religion, the praying persons say: “So that
we attain the wish of the word, so that the benefactors of countries
bear the useful word. May we be the benefactors, may we be the
victorious, may we be the friends of Ahura Mazda –the righteous and the most
helpful companions, who are the righteous persons practicing good thoughts,
good words and good deeds.” [Yasna 70.]
11. “I wish to venerate
the person who performs the rituals, the person who maintains well-thought
thoughts, well-spoken words and well-done deeds, who holds progressive
serenity and the thought-provoking (message) of the benefactors through
the actions with which the living words are promoted by righteousness
[Visperad 2.5]
12. “We declare each one
of you Mazda-worshippers as Ratu and we appoint the immortal progressive
benefactors who are the wisest, most right-speaking, most helpful, most
stimulating and the most courageous as Ratus [Visperad 3.5]
13. “Here are venerations
and praise for your immortal progressives! Here are prosperity, popularity,
righteousness, victory and soul-fullness of our benefactors. [Visperd
5.1 same as Yasna 14.11]
14. While offering Haoma
juice and other libations to various entities, “the innate minds of the
righteous and innate minds of the benefactors are mentioned. [Vispered
11.3]
15. Haoma and other
libations are offered “for the promotion of this house, for the gain of this
house, for the progress of this house, for freedom form malice for this house,
for cattle and righteous persons who have been born and who will be born,
those who belong to this, we who belong to this (house), and the
benefactors of the countries” [Vispered 11.13]
16. “We venerate the
companions of all yazatas, companions of the thought-provoking Message, the
companions of anti-false-gods law, companions of long-traditions, companions
of immortal progressives, companion of us benefactors….” [Yasht 11.17
Soursh Yasht Hadokht]
17. “The Fravashis of the
Pioneers in the Doctrine and not-born renovating benefactors are the
most powerful.”[Yasht 13.17 Farvardin]
18. Speaking of a
post-gathic battle between the defending Zarathushtrians and the aggressor
Dacnus, “it was your [Fravashi] that helped the Karshnazas, the brave
Khshtawis, the brave benefactors, and the brave victorious into most
beneficent heroes.” (In defeating Dacnus) [Yasht 13.38 Farvardin]
19. “We revere the
Religion of the benefactors.” [Yasht 13.74
Farvardin]
20. “We venerate the
Fravashi of righteous Ukhsyat-ereta, the Fravashi of the righteous
Ukhshyatnemah, and the Fravashi of the righteous Astvat-ereta, who would be
called victorious benefactor. He would be called benefactor
because he would benefit the entire physical existence. He would be called
Astvat-ereta because he would render body and life imperishable
[Yasht13.128-129 Farvadin Yasht]
21. “We venerate the
Fravashi of the virgin Eredat-Fedhri, who is known as Varspa-Taurvairi. She is
Varspa-Taurvairi because she will give birth to him who would break down the
malice of the false gods and men in order to withstand the evil done by the
Jahi (an embodiment of a female prostitute) [Yasht 13.142 Farvardin]
22. “We venerate Ashi
Vanguhi who augments the benefactors with fresh intellect.” [Yasht 17.2
Ard Yasht]
23.”Ahura Mazda created
the creatures, so that they make life fresh, never growing old, never dying,
never decaying, never rotting, ever living, ever growing, master of wish, when
the dead will arise, when life will become immortal. Wrong will go to where it
cannot harm the righteous. The destroyer would perish. The imposter would be
driven away.” [Yasht 19.11-12 Zamyad]
24. “The Kyanian Glory
belongs to the mental and physical yazatas and to the born and unborn
renovating benefactors.” [Yasht 19.22 Zamyad]
25. “The Kyanian Glory
will belong to the victorious benefactor as well as to his companions
so that he makes life fresh, which never grows old, never dies, never decays,
never rots. It is ever-living, ever-growing, master of its will… a world
created by Ahura Mazda and filled with goodness, filled with beauty, filled
with freshness, filled with light.”[Yasht 19.89
Zamyad]
26. “At that time when
Astvat-ereta, messenger of Ahura Mazda and son Varspa-Taurvairi would rise
from Lake Kacnsvi.” [Yasht 19.92 Zamyad].
27. “And his friends of
Estvat-ereta will come forward, the friends who are victorious, good-thinking,
good-speaking, good-doing of good conscience and whose tongues have never
uttered false word.” [Yasht 19.95 Zamyad]
28. “From whom come the
knowledge of righteousness and increase in righteousness of the Holy Principle
and without whom no benefactor can know
righteousness.”[Vyt.30]
29. “May the victorious
benefactors show (the sentence is not clear in the meaning).
[Vyt.15]
30. In his encounter with
Anghra Mainyu, Zarathushtra tells him: “O
evil-doer, Anghtra Mainyu! I will smite the creation of Daeva. I will smite
the Nasu, a creation of Daeva. I will smite the Pairika Knacathaiti, till the
victorious benefactor comes to life out of Lake Kacnsvi, from the
region of the dawn”.[Vendidad 19.5].
31. “A Airyama Ishya
(Yasna 54.1) [is] the greatest of all words –the most triumphant, the word the
benefactor will pronounce.” [Westergard’s Fragments
4.1]
32. “Let our reverential
offerings be clearly manifested amongst us, the manifestations which are
offering for the immortal progressives and the benefactors.”
[Purshihniha 35]
The overall picture of the benefactor one
gets out of twenty eight times is that Zarathushtra is the first
and foremost among the benefactors. A benefactor is the wisest, most
truthful, most helping, most courageous, victorious, and above all a
renovator. He fights evil, and expels wrong. The faithful pray to become
a benefactor. The Zarathushtrian Religion had its benefactors in
the past. It has them in the present and will have them in future.
The above is in line with the Gathic conception
of persons who lead in renovating the world, and help in keeping abreast of
time. But we have three more points to add;
The entire story of the three Saviors as given in
the Pahlavi scriptures is woven around the passages quoted from Farvardin and
Zamyad Yashts. Astvat-ereta is also mentioned in the Vendidad. All
the three scriptures are compositions accumulated with later additions.
[To be continued]
25th DECEMBER – BIRTHDAY OF MEHER YAZAD
Dorab J.
Patel
O
n 25th December
the Christian world and some others celebrated Christmas, the annual holiday
commemorating birth of Jesus Christ. The word Christmas entered the English
language sometime around 1050 AD as the old English phrase Chirstes
maesse, meaning “festival of Christ” or Christ’s Mass. Christmas is based on
the story of Jesus’ birth as described in the Gospels according to Matthew
(1:18-2:12). Roman Catholics first celebrated Christmas (Feast of Nativity) as
early as 336 AD.
Although the Gospels describe Jesus’ birth in detail, they never mention the dates. Many attempts have been made to pinpoint the date of Jesus’ birth, using all possible means. Search is pursued with the help of the celestial event that accompanied his birth. The celestial event is that commonly known bright star that appeared at that time, which the three Magi followed to reach baby Jesus. Historically and astronomically three celestial events are taken into consideration:
1. A comet that appeared in
March 5 BC and lasted 70 days. 2.Conjunction of Jupiter and Venus in June 2 BC,
and 3.Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn in the summer of 7 BC. which lasted for
several months.
Basing research on this last event, which took
place during the reign of King Herod, so far historians have been able to point
29th July as Jesus, birthday. Whatever the findings one thing
is sure that Christ was not born on 25th December. Then why celebrate
his birthday on that day?
Before human beings learned to control and use
fire, Sun was the only source of energy available to them. Like water it
was extremely important for human survival. So much so that ancient people
everywhere considered the sun to be a god and worshipped. So did the
ancient Aryans.
The Aryans, before they separated into Indian and
Iranians groups were called Indo-Iranians. They worshipped many gods and
one of them was the sun god Mithra. After separation of the two groups Mithra
rose to great eminence and became premier divinity of the Iranians. They
called it Meher. The sun bestows light and life to the totality of cosmos, with
his unblinking, all-seeing eye, he is the stem guarantor of justice, with the
almost universal connection of light with enlightenment or illumination the sun
is the source of wisdom. Zarathushtra preached about
one god Ahura Mazda. But after passing away of the Prophet his followers
and subsequent priests brought back the pre-Zoroastrian gods in the
religion. They brought back the old gods as Yazatas [angels]. Mehre
Yazata [Mithra] became the most prominent angel in the Younger
Avesta. Of the twenty-three Yashts [hymns in praise of Yazatas], which
were composed between 300 and 1000 years after the passing away of Zarathushtra.
The Yasht in honor of Meher is the longest and eight times longer than the Yasht
dedicated to Ahura Mazda.
Besides other attributes, according to Avesta;
Meher Yazad is the genus of light that radiates from the sun. He is the
warden of truth and guardian of contracts. He is a war divinity. He
administers justice at the heavenly court and presides over judgment of the soul
at death –Meher Davar He is the Yazad of battles and victory. He is
heroic and most beneficent, as well as courageous and weal
giving.
During the Achaemenian times, because of their
vast empire Mithraism was surcharged with Semitic accretion and spread far and
wide. In the Roman mysteries Mithra was united with the sun and called
sol invictus or the invincible sun. The war like trait of Mithra
appealed strongly to the martial instincts of the Romans, and worship of Mithra
took very strong roots in Rome.
From very early times [Sumerians before 2000 BC]
had observed the movement of sun very carefully and had noticed that length of
day [time taken from sunrise to sunset] varied and that in winter there were
days much shorter than nights. They took this as a sign of the sun
retreating from the night. But there was a day when it stopped retreating
[Winter solstice] and from the next day the day started becoming longer.
This was the day the sun was starting on its march of victory. This was
the day to celebrate. In all cases of sun worship this was the day of
rebirth of the sun, Sun’s Birthday. The Romans were celebrating this day, the
celebration for sol invictus on 25th December. This was
triumph of light over darkness.
Herod who was recognized by the Romans as King of
the Jews, in 40 BC, and was ruling when Jesus was born, his birthday was
officially celebrated on 25th December. In the early days of
Christianity, when Christians were being persecuted, they chose this day as
feast of Nativity of Christ, so that they could celebrate mass under the
camouflage of the official festivity. Scholars believe that Christmas
originated in the 4th century as a Christian substitute for
celebration of the day after winter solstice.
So why not celebrate the Birthday of Meher Yazad
along with Christmas.
“It is with words as with sunbeams, the more they are condensed, the deeper they burn.”
[Robert
Southy]
BE SURE YOU HAVE PRIORITIES RIGHT
Marie
Snider
O
nce upon a time, there was
a prominent king. This king was the richest man in the world; consequently
he had every thing he wanted. According to the story, when the king was a
baby, a procession of ants was seen carrying grains of wheat up side of his
cradle and placing them between his lips as he slept. When wise men were
asked to explain this omen, they said the child would grow up to amass great
power and great wealth. Their prediction came true. He was a good
ruler, but power and wealth came first. The king once rescued a friend of
Dionysus, the god of wine, and Dionysus wanted to reward him. The god
granted the king one wish for anything he wanted.
The king knew immediately what he wanted and he
wished that everything he touched would turn gold. Dionysus warned him about the
dangers of such a wish, but King Midas insisted. Midas was thrilled at first as
one artifact after another turned to gold. But then, he walked in
his splendid garden among his prize roses and they turned to gold. And he
became hungry and thirsty, his food and drink turned to gold. Seeking
comfort, he embraced his small daughter and she turned to gold.
Heartbroken, he saw the error of his ways.
This is Midas Myth. But the myth is somewhat
based on fact. There actually was a King Midas in the ancient kingdom of Phrygia
in about 700 BC. He was a rich, powerful king who committed suicide at a
young age. This tragic story makes me think of a chapter in the book, “The
Seven Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen Covey. In the chapter,
“Begin with the End in Mind,” Covey said, “People often find themselves
achieving victories that are empty, successes that have come at the expense of
things they suddenly realize more valuable to them. King Midas thought he wanted
gold – lots of gold. But when he achieved his goal, he was crushed.
He had traded the most important things --- his roses, his beloved daughter and
his own life – for dead, worthless gold.
Like King Midas, many people from all walks of
life struggle to achieve a higher income, more power, more recognition and to
become successful as they define it --- only to find later that they have traded
the most important things in life for something dead and worthless.
Unfortunately, life is very short and you don’t get second chances. That’s why
it is especially important to get your priorities right early on. So how
about you? Do you know what are the most important things in your life? Do
they get as much care, emphasis and time, as you would like to give
them?
Why not answer these questions today? Keep
in mind this wisdom from 19th century German writer Goethe:
“Things which matter most never be at the mercy of things which matter
least.” Visualize what you most want in life and always keep that picture in
the front of your mind. Put first things first and act in accordance with
your priorities. Then, one decision at a time, you can create true
successes and avoid the Midas tragedy. [Source: “Active Life”. The author is an
award-winning healthcare writer ands a syndicated
columnist.]
Please send your articles or queries to: Virasp Mehta
4235 Saint James Place, Wichita KS 67226, U.S.A.
e-mail viraspm@yahoo.com
Published for Informal Religious Meetings Trust Fund, Karachi