USHAO
E-Mail Edition
JOURNAL OF INFORMAL RELIGIOUS MEETINGS
December 2003-January
2004, Mah Dai, Fasal Sal 1372
Homage to
Ahura
Tat vê –nê hazaoshâońhô O ye all, working with one will,
vispâońhô daidyâi savô, Let Truth, Good Thought and Right-mindedness,
Ashem Vohû Manańhâ Through which you progress to perfection,
Ukhdâ yâis áramaitis Bring to you the wished-for happiness!
Yazemâońhô nemańhâ` O Mazda, awaiting this Bliss from Thee,
Mazdâo rafedrem chagedô. Our reverent homage we offer unto Thee!
[Gatha Vohu-Khshathra 20,
Ys.51.20: Translation of D.J.
Irani]
“I have one ineradicable
belief, viz., that all Founders of Great Religions speak with a fullness of
Divine Wisdom, of which we ordinary mortals have but the very faintest
conception. To understand the Words of such Mighty Beings we have to
follow Their Teachings.” [I.J.S.
Taraporewala}
IN THIS ISSUE
N.D.Khandavala
Dastur Khurshed S.
Dabu
Dr. Iraj J.S. Taraporewala
Ervad Dr. Jehan Bagli
THE POWER OF
PRAYER: by N.D.
Khandalavala
‘Prayer is the Soul’s sincere desire
Uttered or unexpressed,
The motion of a hidden fire
That trembles in the
breast.”
W
HAT is the Soul to
the materialist but a metaphysical fiction? He views man merely as the
product of material evolution. To him the human mind is nothing more
than the product of chemical action in certain parts of the body.
Self-consciousness and the higher aspects of the mind, being---according to
him---only attributes of the body, which come into existence at birth and
disappears at the death of the body. All progress is supposed to be
confined to the short space of corporeal life. It is not however,
explained, what it is that progresses even during this short life on
Earth. No principle of life is allowed to have existence previous to
birth, and none is said to survive after death. Why then should man aspire
to be better? If he by practicing hypocrisy could obtain good things of
this life, what need of him to follow the stern and inconvenient dictates of
conscience? Every action is said to produce reaction, and every cause an
effect, but all this is limited to the material Universe only. The
materialist is unwilling or afraid to carry his law into the invisible
world. Hence he represents man as the product of blind laws that seem to
have no aim, nor object in bringing him into existence.
Is it not more logical, and more scientific to
hold in common with the belief and experience of untold generations of men, that
there is in man a principle which governs or tries to govern him all through
life, which has an existence of its own, and which survives after death?
We recognize within us a higher and a lower Self, and in proportion as we act
according to the dictates of the Higher Self, we are able to purify our minds,
elevate our whole nature, and put our selves in consonance with the harmony that
prevails through the Universe. Our lower Self which is but a reflection of
the higher Ego, very often ignores the existence and suggestions of the higher
or Spiritual Self, and its senseless cravings and desires, produce so many of
the miseries of this life.
As man’s life forms a part of the scheme of the
Universe, and as man is a self-conscious being who knows and feels, that in
spite of doubts, misgivings and difficulties his true course lies in upward
progress, there must be some means wherewith he could put himself in unison with
the guiding principle of nature.
Our higher Self is the means whereby we can
attract to our selves the light of Divine Universal Spirit that is diffused
everywhere, and dwells as much within man, as in the rest of the Creation.
The rays of the Sun fall indiscriminately upon the Earth, and do not select any
particular thing or form of life to impart warmth thereto. If a plant is
hidden beneath a thick shed, the Sun’s rays cannot be expected to penetrate
through, and aid the growth of the plant. Some one must either remove the
shed, or place the plant under the life-giving rays. It is the same with
man. We cannot hope to find out the true path of our upward progress until
we seek by self-effort the light that shines within us.
The existence of Beings higher than man, and of a
Mighty Being who is the Lord of the Universe, is a basic element of every
religious faith. When we speak of the Laws of Nature we must not forget
that an all-powerful Divine will expresses itself through them and orders all
things wisely. The world ‘Religion’ covers man’s search for God, and God’s
answer to the searching. God’s answer is his Self-revelation to the
searching Spirit, which is man. As the atmosphere surrounds us and
interpenetrates us, but we remain unconscious of its presence, although our very
life depends upon it, so the Universal Spirit surrounds and interpenetrates the
particularized spirit in man but the latter knows not Him on whom his life
depends. ‘To know God’ is then the essence of religion. That ‘God is
immanent in everything’ is the statement of the truth in nature, which makes
such knowledge possible.
Speaking of God Goethe, the great German
philosopher and poet writes: --“People treat Him as if the immeasurable,
absolutely unimaginable, Highest Being were not much more than their equal and
were they penetrated by His greatness they would not dare to name
Him.”
“Him who dare name
And who proclaim:
Who that can feel,
His heart can steel
To say---I believe Him not?”
The Spirit, Intuition and Higher Intelligence,
form the true Ego of man, which is generally called the Soul, a somewhat vague
expression. The Ego descending into the lower mental plane takes the lower
mental body by which he thinks all his concrete thoughts, while by the
Higher mental body of the Ego he thinks abstract thoughts. Still
further below, the Ego draws round himself a veil of astral matter which forms
his astral body, and which is the instrument of his passions and desires, and in
conjunction with the lower mental body it becomes the instrument of all such
thoughts as are tinged by selfishness, and personal feeling. Only after
having assumed these intermediate vehicles can the Ego come into touch with a
physical body and be born into our material world. He lives through his
earthly life gaining certain qualities as the result of his experiences.
Man is essentially a reasoning being. His
thoughts are expressed in different languages, which may be spoken at different
times and places. Language is merely a vehicle for the expression of
thought, and to say that fragments of old religious writings written in an old
language that has been dead for thousands of years, are the only prayers which a
Zoroastrian should utter, and that he should not pray in the language he daily
speaks is a dogmatism of a very curious kind. The Median priests of
old erroneously assumed that there is a Mighty Principle of Evil called
Ahriman who wickedly thwarts all the creation of the Good God Ahura Mazda
and that there is a numerous brood of malicious Daevas who assist in his
work of destruction. The priests therefore put together sentences and
paragraphs from the relics of the Avestan writings, and proclaimed them as
supposed as magical spells to drive away the noxious Daevas. This
faith in the mere recitation of so called Manthras that has descended
from ancient times. While fully respecting such an old faith, it must be noted
that every Zoroastrian devotee after uttering the Avesta stanzas which he does
not understand, naturally gives expression at the end, to his inmost hopes and
aspirations in the language which he daily uses, and calls for Divine help.
There is a vast difference between the mechanical
recitation of words, which convey no sense to the mind and the fervent prayer,
which a worshipper pours forth in the language, which he understands, and which
touches his heart and impresses his brain. Whatever the language used, the
thoughts therein must be coherent, noble and impressive, and every word thereof
must be clear to the mind. In true prayer one must first regard most
earnestly his own heart, expel all thoughts and feelings of hatred, selfishness
and hypocrisy, and with a pure feeling and a calm mind, make one’s self
receptive to higher influences. To utter in prayer words of wrath and
hatred against any one, or against imaginary demons is a great error, and would
produce an unpleasant reaction against the devotee himself. The lower
nature in all respects must be calmed down so as to allow our higher nature to
manifest itself; so that the lower mind and desires may be purified and the
consciousness of the individual may expand and comprehend things more clearly.
As the hare pursued by the hound involuntarily
utters a cry for assistance, so in the numerous difficulties, vexations, and
struggle of life, there arises from the heart a silent cry--- Where shall I
appeal for help? There is a considerable number of Angelic Beings called
Yazatas mentioned in the Avesta each one of them is invoked to
help under different circumstances. There are Spiritual Intelligences of
various grades who are always ready and willing to help humanity in the
discharge of their normal functions, if human beings would lead a righteous life
and use their will-power to do good. However, difficult it may be for us
steeped as we are unconsciously in material blindness--- to understand Spiritual
forces and functions, true prayer offered even in blind ignorance, but in
perfect good faith, is not wasted, but produces some effect. The Divine
consciousness is wide enough to comprehend all appeals and it never fails to
give response to every earnest effort. The Divine Power works through
numerous channels and in many ways. Man has to make sincere effort to rise
superior to his mental instincts, and increase his spiritual
perception.
There is no time to wait. Ask not for set
and formal methods, cultivate best you can a habit of uttering simple prayer in
your own language day by day and if possible at a fixed time. Always seek
for truth. Do not deceive yourself or the others. Confess your errors, and
avoid all hypocrisy. The Spiritual realm never tolerates moral turpitude.
That realm is within you and above you. We have to fight against the smallness
and meanness of our ‘Small self’ to get in touch with the Spiritual
atmosphere.
The Zoroastrian religion lays the greatest stress
on Asha (purity) and Asha Vahista the great Ameshaspand is really
speaking Divine compassion. It is not an attribute but the Law of laws
eternal. Harmony is the very essence of Divinity, the light of ever
lasting right and fitness of all things. It is the Law of Love
Eternal. We have to come into accord with the shore-less Universal
essence, before our intelligent prayers can produce beneficial
results. Discord, sin and cruelty, throw the Ashavahistic
essence into confusion.
Atar the Universal Divine Fire is said to
give knowledge so also Vohu Mano, the Universal Mind, but the soul of man
must by self-effort rise to get within the influence of these great
Powers. Atheism and disbelief in God is born of intellectual self-conceit
and ignorant pride, which wants to indulge in unrestrained liberty of
enjoyment. The pure in heart easily know God. Laying aside
useless questionings about the Existence of God and the Spiritual Powers, a
reverent and obedient attitude towards the Great Unseen must be cultivated and
there will flash a light in the heart that will still all doubts and show the
path to upward progress.
Offer your sympathy, love and good--will in
your prayer to those whom you know to be in pain and suffering and your good
thoughts will easily glide towards the objects of your kindness and soothe
them. Think more of the benefit of others than of your own, and your
prayer will gradually become a power and an instrument to waft happiness towards
those in need of it.
The present world is one of the terrible hurry and
pressure. We live in an age in which there is intense self-seeking, and
avaricious thoughts of gain disturb our meditation and prayer. The selfish
thoughts of a vast number of other men also impinge against us. There is
also great nervous strain, and everything as it were seems to tend to destroy
the peace that is necessary to practice meditation. The greater the
difficulty, the more powerful must be the effort to make within us a circle of a
calm and quietness.
The power of prayer is a blissful reality.
It should not be disregarded. Children and youth must be taught in such a
manner that they may learn to love prayer. The wording of the prayer in
the current language must appeal to their minds and gladden their hearts, and
lead them to God. Like all other knowledge, religious knowledge is
progressive, but the accumulated knowledge of thousands of years has not been
assimilated with the Avestan Religion, which became stereotyped in Sassanian
times. The Religion based on good thoughts, good words and good deeds
would have become a Universal religion conquering many nations. The Median
priests who captured it in its infancy mixed up their ancient customs and crude
religious ideas with it and made it a faith of mindless forms, acts and
ceremonies, and strangled its true spirit. Our constant prayer along with
other prayers should therefore be:
“Lord help us to relive the true Religion from
its encrustations, and make it a living power, simple and forceful and readily
understood, appealing to and conquering the hearts of the young and the old.”
When we with a pure heart, and a fervid resolve
strive to put ourselves into communion with the Almighty, by means of a prayer,
we feel as if we were entering into a glorious and a fuller life. ■
[Source:
“RAHNUMA”]
PATDAN (Restraint in
Speech): by Dastur Khurshed S. Dabu
W
HILE performing
religious ceremonies, Zoroastrian priests attach a piece of cloth to their face
hanging from nostrils downwards. This is called Patdan--- “holding back”.
The ostensible purpose is to prevent the foul breath (or drops of saliva) from
reaching the oblations and the fire placed before them, while offering certain
prayers. It is an essential part of a priest’s garb, while he enters in
the inner sanctum for altar-service. Even laymen, hold a handkerchief near
their mouth (as a substitute for Patdan) with the same object. It
is thus a hygienic device.
There is however, another object, so far as the
priests are concerned. In the picture of ancient Magi, we find a flap
attached to their hood, which completely covers their mouth. It denotes
the “vow of controlled speech” so that they do not waste the words that may
prove superfluous. Jain Munis, are under a similar vow of “silence” so as
to guard against misuse of speech. Speech is a power to be used with
care, so that it may be sweet, true and useful. This then is one of their
ways of Parhezgari, abstemious life, with self-control over all senses
and organs. ■
[Source: “Handbook of Information on
Zoroastrianism” by the author]
MANICHAEISM: by Dr. Irach J.S.
Taraporewala
“Wisdom and deeds have
always come from time to time been brought to mankind by the messengers of
God. So in one age they have been brought by the messenger called Buddha
to India, in another by Zarathushtra to Persia, in
another by Jesus to the West. Thereupon this revelation has come down and this
prophecy has appeared in the form of myself, Mani, the envoy of true God in the
Land of Babylon”.
T
HE SASSANIAN DYNASTY
ruled over Iran for more than four centuries (226-642 A.D.) to all outward
appearance with great splendor and glory. Yet when Sassanian Empire came
to grips with the desert Arabs, inspired with the new Gospel of Islam, the whole
of this vast and splendid fabric crumbled to pieces within a short time.
There was something essentially wrong in the body-politic of Iran from the very
commencement of Sassanian rule. Hidden underneath the outward splendor and
the vast military achievements of the Sassanians there lurked the germs of
decay. All through the four centuries of the Sassanian rule Zoroastrianism
continued to be official state religion, but historians have also spoken of
several heretic sects. Apparently these were suppressed, but we lack here
the material necessary for forming a judgment because the triumph of the
orthodox doctrine doomed to oblivion most of the views that deviated from
it. In spite of this outward triumph of Zoroastrian orthodoxy, the fact
remains that quite a number of heresies were formulated from time to time and
two of them actually found a very considerable response among the masses.
One, such heresy was promulgated by Mani at the very beginning of the Sassanian
era and another was the heresy preached by Mazdak almost at the end of the rule
of the Sassanians. It may be suggested that the simple fact of the
existence of such heretical movements as Manichaeism and Mazdakism is an
indication of the presence of those germs of decay, which foreshadowed the final
downfall of the national faith in Persia.
The Sassanian Dynasty was established in the year
226 A.D. by Ardashir Papakan of the house of Sassan, Ardashir headed the
national revolt against the fratricidal struggles and the irreligious misrule of
the Arsacid (Parthian) rulers of Iran. The Arsacid rulers were Zoroastrians in
name, but they thought more of their own power and position than of their
country or their religion. Politically the nation had suffered in the eyes
of all the world, for the national capital had been taken and sacked by the
Romans no less three times within the course of one hundred years. Added
to this shame were the irreligious and unorthodox ways of the Arsacid rulers,
which gave mortal offence to Ardashir and his zealous followers.. Ardashir
headed the national movement against the Arsacids, who the people believed, had
led the country to the brink of utter ruin. The province of Pars (Persis)
over which Ardashir had been ruling was the center and the rallying point of
whatever was left alive of the ancient Zoroastrian Faith. Ardashir and his
followers believed that it was only by the restoration of the ancient religion
that a stable rule could be established and the people made content. Fired
by this enthusiasm Ardashir led the double movement of the restoration of the
ancient Faith of Zoroaster. And for the establishment of the pure Aryan form of
government in the land. Ardashir himself was a priest, and his priesthood
had been inherited from a long line of ancestors. The whole nation rose to
his call, and Ardashir was wholly successful in both his objects. And when
he died in 242 A.D. he left his newly founded empire to his son Shapur I.
And with he left the following testament for his son to
follow:
“When monarchs honor“
“The Faith then it and royalty are brothers,
“For they are mingled so that thou wouldst say :--
“ ‘They wear one cloak’. The Faith endureth not
“Without the throne nor can kingship stand
“Without the faith; two pieces of brocade
“Are they all intertwined set up
“Before the wise….
“Each needeth other, and we see the pair
“United in beneficence.”
*
Believing in this Ardashir had established a
full-fledged theocracy in Iran. Himself a priest, he followed strictly all
the complicated ceremonial prescribed by his Faith, and like an enthusiastic and
sincere believer he built up his empire upon the solid foundations of
religion.. This is clearly depicted on his coins, as also on all the coins
minted throughout the Sassanian period. On the reverse of each coin we see a
fire-altar flanked on either side by a human figure fully armed. One of
these represented royalty, the secular power; and the other represented the
Dasturan-Dastur (the High Priest of the Empire), representing the
spiritual might. These two sides of the coin were like two
brothers.
In this theocratic state established by Ardashir I
there lurked already concealed the germs of decay. Such a theocratic
constitution would naturally give special weight to the priesthood of one
particular religion, and give special importance to one particular set of
beliefs and dogmas. The Achaemenians had ruled over an empire much more
extensive than that of the Sassanians, but their religious policy had been
throughout one of tolerance toward all the various faiths of their
subjects. The Sassanians, on the other hand, sought to achieve solidarity
and unity through uniformity of belief (at least for the majority of their
subjects) and in definitely assigning a higher position in the state to one
particular Faith and to one set of religious practices and dogmas. This
favored position granted to Zoroastrianism naturally led the Zoroastrian clergy
to think themselves as a sect of chosen people of God and slowly but surely
worked into them a spirit of intolerance for all other
beliefs.
It is indeed quite significant that the very first
announcement of the new eclectic Faith of Mani should have been made on the very
day Shapur I, the son and successor of the founder of the Sassanian house was
crowned at Ctesiphon (20th March, 242 A.D.)
In Mani’s own life time and in the country of its
origin this new faith was combated and execrated as violently by orthodox
Zoroastrianism as it was by orthodox Christianity when it spread westward into
the imperial domains of Rome. Until the beginning of the 20th
century of Christ all the information we possessed about Mani and his teaching
was from these two sources and we had nothing more. The Zoroastrian priesthood
called him the fiend incarnate and the crippled devil (for he was lame), and the
Christian writers were equally abusive.
In 1902-1903 the first expedition to the Turfan
region in Central Asia was sent from Berlin, and it was led by Grunwedel and
Huth. This was followed by the second one in 1904 led by Le Cog, and a
third one led by Le Cog and Grunwedel. This last one carried on the work
from 1905 to 1907 and it resulted in bringing “a veritable tresure trove” of
Manichaen Fragments to Berlin. These documents from Turfan include
fragments from the original works of the Manichaean Faith, and considerable
portions of a once extensive Manichaean literature. These are in a dialect
of Pahlavi, in Soghdian, in old Turkish and in Chinese. All these have
been deciphered and skillfully edited and translated, and they have shed
considerable light on Mani’s life and teachings. From these we can
conclude that, Manichaesim was not only an offshoot of Zoroastrianism in a way,
and the parent of various heretical movements in Christianity, but was also a
factor for centuries in the religious life of Central and Eastern Asia,
Mani was a Persian by birth and was probably also
brought up as a Zoroastrian. His father was a well-to-do man of
considerable learning and with distinctly eclectic tendencies in matters of
religion. Mani was born about 216 A.D. At the age of about twenty he had a
spiritual vision and inspired by divine revelation he came forward as a new
prophet. His endeavor was to make a synthesis of elements from
various existing religions to form eclectic in character, and inspired by the
fervor of his own idealistic enthusiasm, one that should not be confined by
national borders but be universally adopted. In other words, Mani’s
aspiration was to bring the world, Orient and Occident, into closer union
through a combined faith, based upon the creeds known in his day.
Mani’s teaching is designedly a synthesis.
He has specially acknowledged his indebtedness to Zoroaster, Buddha and Jesus,
whom he regarded as pioneer revealers of truth which he came to fulfill.
From Zoroastrianism he took the doctrine of the fundamental struggle between
Spirit and Matter as the basis for the solution of the problem of good and
evil. In the teachings of the Buddha he found the essential lessons for
the conduct of life, which should be accepted by all men everywhere. And
in Jesus he recognized the verified ideal of Life. He supplemented his
teachings by incorporating the doctrines of Hinduism, and the old Babylonians
beliefs, which had survived to his days. And in his teachings we may also
trace a strong admixture of Gnostic and Neo-platonic doctrines. This
eclectic character of Mani’s teaching made it easier to be adopted by any person
professing any faith, for they would pass themselves off as a sect of their
original creed. Mani’s teaching was received kindly at first, and even
King Shapur I became his friend and protector.
But this new teaching did not quite suit the
orthodox and narrow-minded Zoroastrian priesthood. Opposition to Mani’s
views grew stronger daily and at last Shapur I had to advise Mani to leave the
country and to go into exile. Mani thereupon left Iran and for many years
wandered about all over Central Asia, penetrating as far as China. It was
during these years of wandering that he gave final shape to his teachings, which
were then committed to writing. His creed spread rapidly throughout Central Asia
and he had a considerable number of followers among the Chinese. His faith
continued in the East till about the 17th century of
Christ.
Mani remained in exile till the death of Shapur I
in 272 A.D. He came back to Iran and was well received by Shapur’s
successor Hormazd I. But when Hormazd I died after a very short reign
(272-273 A. D.) his successor, Behram I showed his strong dislike for Mani by
putting him to a horrible death. His followers were cruelly persecuted and
the Faith of Mani was banned throughout the whole Iranian Empire. So
his followers migrated westward and southward. Passing through Egypt the
religion spread all along the northern coast of Africa and from there it
penetrated to Sicily and to Spain and thus spread all over Europe. For
several centuries it continued active all over Europe disguised as various
heretical sects of Christianity. One very notable Manichaean was St.
Augustine, who was brought up in this Faith in his youth before he took up his
active work for the Church of Christ. In Bulgaria Manichaeism appears as
the sect of the Bogomil (beloved of God), in Italy it appeared as the Cathari,
another heretical sect. The last record of this religion is found among
the Albigensis in southern France, who were ruthlessly massacred by the orthodox
Catholics there.
In the East the stronghold of the Manichaeans was
the kingdom of the Uigurs and there they flourished in peace until Uigurs
themselves lost their kingdom. In China they seem to have faded out
gradually.
The main teaching of Mani concerned the struggle
between Good and Evil. This is due, according to him the existence of the
Twin Principles from the beginning and the struggle is to go on to all
eternity. Mani taught that Light was Spirit and hence good and that
Darkness was Matter and consequently evil. Mani recognized three principal
Ages. The first Age was before this visible universe came into being, when
the Two Principles were entirely separated. In the second Age our present age,
Darkness burst through the dividing partition into the region of Light, and this
resulted in universal conflict. The third Age, which will see the final
consummation, will bring the final triumph of Truth and Light and the complete
separation, as in the first Age, of the Realm of Light and the Realm of
Darkness. His cosmology is complex and highly imaginative. When the
powers of Darkness first broke through into the realm of Light, all our worldly
ills began. To repel this incursion of Darkness the Supreme Godhead evoked
three great powers. The third of these great Powers seems to possess the
traits of Mithra. He regarded the separation of sexes as being especially
the work of Evil One. His fiendish aim was by this means to incarcerate
the light perpetually in the bonds of a carnal body. And so he emphasized
the need for complete chastity and celibacy. Only through a life of
renunciation, ascetic in its rigor, can one attain perfection. Mani taught
that there is a spark of Light in every human being, and therein lay the hope of
our ultimate salvation.
Mani arranged his followers into various graded
Orders. Women were admitted freely into these. These orders were
modeled upon the orders found in Buddhism. Mani strove to arrange his
followers in such a manner that they would be the representative of an un-walled
monasticism. He also gave out commandments for his followers. These were
very familiar to those found in the Old Testament, in the Sermon on the Mount
and in Buddhism. The main commandments to be observed were love for the
Supreme Godhead, reverence for the Divine element in every human being, and
recognition of the Divine inspiration of the Great Teachers of Humanity.
Added to these Mani insisted on purity of thought, word and deed. Mani
categorically opposed all warfare. A firm believer in perfectibility of
man, he taught that by following the precepts all will steadily advance towards
perfection and that all the imprisoned luminary particles, separated ultimately
from dark matter, will at last be restored in the Realm of
Light.
Manichaeism is now dead, but it was a veritable
religion and exercised an influence for more than a thousand years, upon the
lives of countless numbers of devoted followers, inspired by the ideals and high
principles of its founder, whom they accounted as divine” ■
[Source: “The Religion of Zarathushtra” by the
author]
*The Shahnameh has given this beautiful Persian verses. The English rendering is by
the brothers Warner (London 1912)
SIGNIFICANCE OF SOME ZARATHUSHTRIAN RITUALS
R
ITUAL is a term
applied to any form of repetitive performances enacted to express human
sentiments. Historically they are a form of activity, that has served both
primitive tribal races as well as the highly evolved civilized society,
to transmit the religious theme of a community. It is important to stress at the outset that these ritual practices by
themselves are not beliefs or dogmas of the religion they reflect. They
do however; serve as a powerful tool --an aid to a religious life. Their
performances in a prescribed manner symbolically convey the underlying
principles of the concepts to the laity. They serve as a primary force
permitting laity participation, and thus provide continuity to an organized
religion.
These devotional acts, administered by the priesthood, are a medium of communication with the divinity, and as such follow a precise order. While the tribal religions conducted these activities to propitiate their tribal gods; in civilized societies, ritual dedication presents an environment of unison with the spiritual. Understanding of the rituals plays a major catalytic role towards the comprehension of the prophetic message.
The closest semblance of the ritual act that one
finds in the Gathas is in Ys. 53.5,6 -Vahishtoishti Gatha- where the
prophet resonates his message to the men and women of the world while giving
away his daughter Pouruchista in wedlock to Jamaspa Hvogva
YOUNGER AVESTA: As the
early Aryan society evolves into the Avestan society, settles down to the
pastoral lifestyle and began reaping the fruits through their moral evolution,
gradually they evolved modalities to thank the creator for the
bounties. History reveals that with the passage of time some of the
pre-Zarathushtrian Indo-Iranian divinities such as Haoma, Mithra and
Verethraghana reappeared in the Zarathushtrian sacraments. The
first evidence of congregational ritual comes to us from Yasna Haptanghâiti.
In the Pahlavi era we reach a point when the Avestan language has
ceased to exist as the mode of communication. In the time of
Shahpur II (309-379 C.E.), the study of the scriptures was spearheaded by the
great Dastur Adurbad Mahraspand. This resulted in the many extant compositions
that we have today, because of the change of the languages with time, many of
the prayers are a mix of Pazand and Avestan
compositions.
RITUALS: Zarathushtrian rituals invariably depict an expression of the doctrinal information embedded in the scriptures. For example the flower exchange ceremony that you have so frequently observed, during the afringan ceremony, has deep theological implications.
The flowers arranged in two rows imply the concept
of cosmic duality of the two existence: Mainyava (ph. menog) -the
celestial or spiritual- and the Gaithaya (ph. getig) -the physical
or terrestrial - world. As the junior priest – raspi - rises
announcing, the words ‘unto Ahura Mazda brilliant and benevolent’
ahuremazdaao raevato khvarenanghato each priest takes a flower
from the base of the arrangement. Symbolically the two priests now represent
the presence of the two cosmic realities. Both the priests
recite a short prayer of blessings for long and peaceful life in both worlds.
The prayer is terminated with the words ‘may it be so as I bless’. athe
zamyad atha afriniami.
This point brings us to, the most climactic moment in the prayer of afringan. At this stage the atrvakhsh---the junior clergy connects himself, through ladle--chamach, to fire vase that is the incarnation of the supreme divinity, and with the words of athe zamyat…. the two priests exchange the flowers. This gesture implies an interchange and interaction between the two spheres of existence.
The
Humatanam prayer, that immediately follows is
recited twice. During that recital, the principal priest picks up the row
of three flowers first in the descending order from the right, and second time
in the ascending order from the left row, and each time, hands them to
the raspi. Remember; the raspi who is still in contact with the
spiritual entity through the fire vase with one hand, and the two priests hold
paiwand meaning hold hands as the flowers are given through the
humatanam recital. This is the point that is
believed to complete the circuit of communion between the physical
and the spiritual. The descending and the ascending
order of picking the flowers, is believed to portray, the two way
transport from the spiritual to the material world, and back of
these righteous souls, that conceived good thoughts, words and performed
those good deeds that are glorified here. The Humatanam prayer
implies, “good thoughts, good words, and good deeds here and elsewhere, that are
being performed and that has been performed, we contemplate and glorify as we
stand for all good.”
These three lines almost universally cover the
benevolent thoughts, words and actions not just in this world for those who are
here, but also in the spiritual domain for those who have been here, and
announce the allegiance to the all good nature pronouncing a fundamental
Zarathushtrian tenet It is almost as if the two performers who
depict the two existence - the zaotar for the spiritual and raspi
for the material -they literally unite the two existence in communion through
the divine fire –the incarnation of Mazda.
That is the moment that epitomizes
the fulfillment of the communion and the realization of the
harmony between the physical experience and the spiritual reality. It
is the cosmic experience of haurvatat –perfection of
oneness- that each human being must strive to achieve between the physical and
the spiritual self. These are the intonations that emanate the
divine brilliance to the participating congregation, pooling them
into the sphere of reality of existential spirituality .
2. PURIFICATORY
In general, all Zarathushtrian rituals by
definition are solemn and sublime acts invoking the supreme wisdom
–Ahura Mazda – in communion. Theologically Ahura Mazda is the intangible force
(SLS ch.15.1,2) that is absolute in purity, absolute in truth, absolute in
goodness and benevolence. In contrast human beings are, the creatures of the
creator, they are the less that comes from the more, the infinitesimal
spark of that infinite Enlightenment.
Consequently it is incumbent upon mankind to make every effort to attain the
highest possible state of purity of mind and body for that sacred encounter of a
communion. Purity in Zarathushtrian theology represents all that is good,
focused on the basic principle of Asha. For this reason I would
like to stress that purificatory rituals have evolved with an objective to allow
the participants to attain a level of religiosity ritual-purity
needed to maintain the sacredness for the participation in a ritual.
Attainment of ritual purity is a reality, it is not an abstraction or an imaginary ideal, and it is not something that is attainable by the select few. Each one of us has the divine immanence, which when acknowledged and awakened brings to life, the spirit of ritual purity within the realm of physical consciousness.
Broadly Zarathushtrian rituals can be classed into
two major groups: (a) participatory and (b) non-participatory as
defined by direct involvement or otherwise of laity in these performances.
Participatory rituals may be further divided into (i) Socio-religious such as wedding and funerary and (ii) Confirmatory such as navjote, navar and murtab ceremonies. All the participatory rituals are traditionally preceded by purificatory rites to prepare the individual to attain the appropriate level of ritualistic purity.
In order to link the concept of ritualistic purity
with the strand of Gathic theology we must recall, that the aim of the
good religion daena vanghui is to appreciate
and hold sacred, the elements of nature-- water, earth, plant,
and animal kingdom. To use them with moderation and reverence.
Never to abuse them with excess, or defile them by pollution or
diminish them with greed. Today the wide spread defilement of the
earthly environment and the indiscriminate loss of human life in the name of
religion, and freedom on this planet are perhaps the strongest attestations to
the existence of pollution and impurity, that defiles the immanent divinity of
life in the world.
Zarathushtrian theology charges humanity (Ys.
29.10), which occupies a pivotal position in the creative progression, with the
responsibility, to be the steward of the creation. To choose with rectitude to
bring the getig world in closer proximity of purity to the spiritual
domain. (Ys.29.10, 30.9, 34.14, 48.5, 53.2). Historically however, social
environment and human nature strongly dominated the ritual practices. With
time, the purity rules became a dominant force in itself, rather than the
doctrinal principles they symbolized, and as mentioned by professor Boyce,
“The orthodox laity....look to their priests to observe purity with even
greater rigor, to be ‘cleanest of the clean’ in order that their prayers
may be more effective”.
The notion, that laity can gain spiritual advantage through the prayers of the priest, rather than understanding the principals for themselves became pervasive among the community. Physical purity thus became controlling force, over comprehension of the doctrine embodied in fulfillment of ritual purity. Theologically ritual purity is a norm of good life. Any substance leaving the human body is dead matter, it is polluting and ritually impure. This came to be regulated by rules of spirituality and thus evolved the simplest form of purificatory ritual of padyab after the use of washroom, to revive ones individual ritual purity. The term padyab is derived from the Avestan root paiti-ap meaning sprinkling water. This involves rinsing the exposed parts of the body with water followed by the recital of the kusti prayers. And the ritual ablution is therefore known as padyab-kusti.
Nahn ritual is the second in the
order of complexity that is administered to the individuals undergoing wedding
and navjote ceremony. During the Islamic era Zarathustrians in Iran
adopted the Arabic term ghosel meaning bath for this ritual. After
migration to India the term nahn was adopted by the
Zarathushtrians, a term derived from the Sanskrit root snan meaning
ablution or bathing. The ritual is traditionally initiated with the
recital of the grace for meals prayer which is known among Parsi priests as
jamvani baj. This also constitutes the opening verse of Ys.5 as well as
of Ys.37 of Haptanghâiti. A yasna, whose origin has been traced by
very close to the time of the prophet.
The rationale for this recital is due to the fact that, the ritual traditionally involves chewing of urvaram (Dadestan-e-Dinik. Ch.48.16) pomegranate leaf and sipping of nirang -the consecrated bull’s urine- both these agents are believed to serve symbolically to administer spiritual component of the religious-ritual purity. Traditionally this is then followed up by cleansing with gaomez (unconsecrated bull’s urine), bhasm (consecrated ash), and finally with water all of which imparts the physical component of the ritual purity for the ceremony to follow. The nahn ritual later came to be known as sade-nahn or simple nahn and has undergone marked changes with time.
The most complex of all the traditional
purificatory ritual is that of barasnom-e no swa or the ablution
of nine nights. The term bareshnu is derived from Avestan
root berez meaning top or head indicating – according to
Vd. 8.40 -- washing from head down. This ritual differs from all the
others of its class by an elaborate design of a preliminary ritual at the
barasnom-gah (a place specifically prepared for
barasnom) followed by a retreat for nine nights. During this
period, the purificatory process is believed to continue through rigorous
observance of religious discipline. This ritual in the ancient times
originated with the objective of cleansing and purifying a person
that has been in contact with dead putrefying matter (Vd. 8.35-36; 9.1-2;
19.20-21). As pointed out by Prof. Darmesteter in “le zend avesta”
(vol. ii, p. 146-7) “le principe qui domine les ceremonies du premier ordre
est la crainte de la contagion ou comme dit l’avesta, de la druj nasu, la
druj charogne”. “The principle which governs the
ceremonies of the first order; is the fear of contagion, or as
Avesta says, of the druj of nasu, druj of carrion”. He
further points out, that in Zarathushtrian faith the axiom is not
“cleanliness is next to godliness” rather it is, “Cleanliness is a
form of Godliness”.
With the passage of time the lofty concept of
preservation of the of environmental purity was overshadowed by the
broader scope of performance of the ritual for its own sake. Soon
barasnom was administered to priests and laity alike to confer
ritualistic purity. It was deemed important for the
yaozdathregar, the clergy who administered this ritual;
to undergo the same periodically as a means revival of their own
ritualistic purity. As pointed out both by Prof. Boyce and Ervad Jivanji
Modi that the ritual was even administered to an individual in proxy, by a
priest undergoing the ritual, for the person to attain religious-ritual
purity.
An extreme view of this is recorded in a later
Zarathushtrian work quoted by Prof. Boyce says, “if a man has not been thus
purified during his lifetime, the divine beings cannot bring themselves to
approach his departed spirit, and he must wait to go to the judgment seat
until his son or heir undergoes the cleansing for him or pays a priest to do
so”.
It is thus clear that the basic objective of the ritual, was vastly obliterated with time. By 14th century the digression was so profound, that Zarathushtrians in Iran founded an additional ritual calling it riman barasnum-i no sab to fulfill the ancient purpose of maintaining environmental purity. By 18th century this elaborate ritual of barasnum became a mandatory prerequisite for those who were initiated as Zarathushtrian clergies. The detailed mechanics of the procedure can be found in Vd.ch. 8.35-72, 9.1-57, and 19.20-25. In early times the site of barashnum-gah had to be sufficiently isolated from animal and human use as well as removed from the consecrated elements. These measures were taken to minimize (a) any physical contamination to the living, and (b) to preserve the spiritual sanctity of the places of worship. The fundamental principle observed in the design of the barashnum-gah is the symbolic containment of infection that is being removed.
THE DESIGN
Nine pits were dug in the ground at specified
distances (Vd. 9.6-9). The priest then cordons these pits by furrows
known in Avestan as karshas to limit the contact with the
contagion. Three furrows are drawn with a sharp object, to enclose the
first three pits, followed by three more to enclose the first six pits and the
next three to surround the nine pits. In addition three more furrows are marked
out to enclose the pits 7, 8, and 9 (Vd.9.11). The entire enclosure is
then surrounded within a large furrow. The candidate passing over these
pits symbolically washes the contagion in there, with pajow
or gaomez followed by water.
The candidate enters the place from north-- a
direction of traditional notoriety for genesis of evil -–reciting the end of the
portion of kem-na-mazda viz., nemuscha..... the Gathic words of
veneration to aramaiti (Ys 49.10). He then
proceeds to the first pit, and undergoes the ablutionary ritual with
gaomez from head to toe, recites kem-na-mazda prayer again this
time up to Vandidadic words apa khedre apaneseyeh---gaetha
astvaiti ashe (Vd.8.21) which expresses the dissipation of pollution to the
north and retain purity in the creation, and proceeds to the next pit. This
cleansing process (Vd.9.15-26) is repeated with gaomez over the first six
pits, believed symbolically, to purify the person spiritually, as he
moves away from north and towards the south. At this point the
candidate pauses between the sixth and seventh position and is asked to
rub on the body earth or sand, to dry the body, and then proceed to the 9th pit,
where ablution is administered with water (Vd.9.31) and finally the individual
is exposed to the smoke of fragrant myrtle wood such as sandal wood, benzoin,
aloe, and pomegranate. This follows the seclusion of nine nights during
which a strict discipline of religiosity is maintained, with prayer
recital, (Vd.9.33-36). The ritual terminates with a final bath
on10th day and recital of
prayers.
A major change introduced since the
Zarathushtrian migration to India was in the orientation of
the barasnum-gah. Instead of setting up the path from north
to south as in the early Iran the -gah was set up from west to
east --moving the individual towards the direction of the rising
sun. The ancient custom of digging the pits was also modified to just
setting up nine flat stones or nine groups of stones, perhaps with a view
to separate the pollution from the earth rather than burying it in.
Traditionally the barashnum-gah was
located in an isolated area. However, since the time of Arab conquests, to
maintain the sanctity and privacy of the ritual, special circular enclosures
were built to perform this ritual. Prof. Boyce in her Katrak lectures
refers to mahalle-ye dasturan in Yazd, where no-swa was
administered to all the Zarathoshties of the region. The tradition of
circular place was maintained after migration to India until the 19th century
when a rectangular place was considered acceptable.
Non-participatory rituals are: (i) The
consecrations of a place or implements to be used for worship, (ii) The
inner liturgies performed in memory of the departed souls, and (iii) The higher
liturgies. These ceremonies of higher liturgy include the Yasna or
Yazashne, Visparad, Vandidad and Baj rituals. The higher liturgical
ceremonies are generally regarded as pav-mahal
ceremonies. the term pav refers to cleanliness and
mahal meaning house or a place, and as such these are performed in
a specially prepared sacred spaces or enclosures known as pavis to
preserve the sacredness of the space within which the ritual is performed.
All the higher liturgical rituals are preceded by
a ritual performance of paragna ceremony. This ceremony by
definition means “that which precedes”. The word is derived from a
mix of Avestan and Sanskrit root para (before) and
Skt. yagna (Av. yasna, worship). By now it must be clear, that
these complex accumulation of ritual practices demands an equally complex cadre
of the order of priesthood. As mentioned before, in early days of Zarathshtrian
faith we know of no organized priesthood. The word Zaotar is mentioned
once in the Gathas (Ys.33.6) is derived from the Skt. Hotar meaning to
invoke.
However long after the time of the prophet we note
the appearance of an organized priestly class in Sasanian era which is
described in detail in Vsp. 3.1, Nirangistan book II, ch.27, and also referred
in Vd. 5.57. Here we see zaotar depicted as the leading priest
-leading invoker - with the assistance of the other six who has various
functions. These are atravakhsh to tend the fire, fraberetar and
asnatar, looking after and cleansing the implements, havanan and
raethwishkara the pounder and mixer of haoma and sraoshavarez one
who oversees the entire operation. This pantheon originated in the Sasanian era
which was replete with priesthood. Today these rituals are performed by two
priest ; the zaotar as the leading priest and rathvi/raspi
who performs most of the other functions.
The mode of attaining religious-ritual purity has
undergone significant modification with time. A historical incident worthy of
mention in this connection is that described in Epistle of Manuschihr. Around
late 9th century C.E. Zadspram the younger brother of Manuschihr was
appointed high priest of Sirkan, southwest of Kerman. He decreed to
shorten the traditional procedure by discarding the washing with gaomez.
To this Manuschihr reacted, saying, (Ep. I. Ch.4.12) “to change then their
practice ...would be entirely an outcry....and a like violation of the unanimity
of the spirit who are the heads and guardians of the religion”. Despite that the
only aspect of ritual, that has remained constant over time, is the change
itself.
Similarly, the use of the various agents such as
the consecrated bull’s urine -Nirang, the unconsecrated one-
Gaomez, and the ashes of the consecrated fire- Bhasam, has all but
dissipated with time, partly due to limited accessibility.
Prof. Boyce in “ Persian Stronghold of Zoroastrianism” (p. 93) speaking of the last consecration of nirang in Yazd says, ‘‘the last time this elaborate service of consecration had been performed in ghambar-khane in Yazd was in 1961.. and there was no hope of consecrating any more with due observance since there were no longer priests able to perform this ceremony”. In contrast, according to Dastur Firoze Kotwal the ritual was performed several times a year in India following the detailed description of the service in Persian Rivayat (Dhabher p. 347-357).
It
may be generally concluded, that both in Iran and in India the use of nirang
and gaomez has been greatly reduced in the later half of the 20th
century, and has been replaced by fruit juice.
In conclusion, it is important to emphasize that
although the basic concepts that the rituals symbolize, through their practice,
are preserved in general, the actual techniques have been significantly modified
with time. These modifications have largely resulted due to the changes in the
social, political and environmental circumstances since the Parthian and the
Sasanian era.
The law of nature dictates that anything that
does not change with time stagnates, and degenerates. The only code immune
to this, are the Gathic teachings of Zarathushtra as revealed by Ahura
Mazda, for they are the laws of nature, - they are the laws of truth.
Zarathushtrian rituals are but a means to an end. They
are, and must remain one of the means for the transmission of the canonical
message of the prophet. For that reason, if not for any other, the rituals must
be preserved for an expressive perpetuation of the faith. ■
[A talk presented at
the NAMC Seminar in Mississauga, April 19 2003]
Published for Informal Religious Meetings Trust Fund, Karachi
By
Virasp Mehta
4235 Saint James Place, Wichita KS 6722
E-Mail:
viraspm@yahoo.com