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Thou, the Creator, has never left mankind
without religion. Thy sages and seers have, through their wisdom and
holiness, evolved religions. Then hast thou sent from time to time thy
prophets as founders of their respective religions. Thou, Ahura Mazda,
didst single out Zarathushtra from among mankind to be thy first
messenger, in point of time at the grey dawn of history to found his
religion upon the earth. Ever blessed be he that he came from thee to show
us the path of life.
Zarathushtra loved mankind more than he loved
himself. He made the happiness of others dearer to him than his own.
Encumbered with cares and anxieties, forsaken and deserted and persecuted,
he did not give himself to fits of despondency, nor did he let melancholy
seize him, nor did he let his loneliness weigh down his spirit, but with
indomitable courage in face of misfortunes, he fought and promulgated thy
faith all his life and ultimately met with cruel death for us at the hands
of those that were seemingly blind and hearing deaf.
Let me overcome life’s buffetings as my
beloved prophet did. Let me not sink into despair. Let me don the armor of
righteousness and fight wickedness that it may never hare dominion over
me. I will serve Zarathushtra in righteousness all the days of my life. So
will I live my life according to the teachings and guidance of
Zarathushtra that when in old age, I look back upon the years that are
spent, I may not be disappointed with my life. I will fill my mind with
his wisdom and my heart with his love.
I will be generous and genial to all about me
as Zarathushtra was in his life. I will give as much of myself to him as I
could give to none. I will let his thought completely possess me. I will
make his religion part of my very being. I will consecrate myself to his
life. I will endeavor, Ahura Mazda, to become more and more like
Zarathushtra every day.
Shams-ul-Ulema Dastur Dr Maneckji Nusserwanji
Dhalla
27 September 1875 - 25 May 1956
From Homage unto Ahura Mazda, reprinted by Dastur Dr. Dhalla Memorial
Institute, 1970
[i]
Appeared in the 3000 year anniversary of Zoroastrianism (UNESCO
declaration) special issue of HAMZOR (publication of the World
Zoroastrian Organization) issue 3, 2003, pps. 32-33. |
