“Who am I?” is the question man has asked from the
beginning of his earthly existence. Only by knowing and practicing his
religion he will get any answer.
We live in an age of science and technology
and the emphasis is more on the side of man’s physical welfare than his
spiritual. For this reason man does not give much thought to the question
of his origin, why he is in the world, how best he can live his life and
so on. In general he is content to follow the cultural and social pattern
of the country in which he resides or the community to which he belongs.
Various branches of physical and natural sciences have developed on
scientific bases and laboratory proofs. So modern man naturally wants to
teat religion and God on the same lines.
In Gāthās, the Songs of Zarathushtra, one word
repeatedly occurs. The word is Armaiti. Ar means ‘yes and maiti
means mindedness. The word therefore literally means ‘Yes-mindedness’ or
the belief in the words of the Prophets. In every walk of life man is
prepared to listen to the experts but on the most vital question “Who am
I?” man ignores the Prophet. If he has doubts he calls himself
“agnostic”; if he cannot accept the idea of God he calls himself “atheist”
All that is needed is a provisional faith and desire to study and put into
practice what the Prophet teaches before rejecting religion and God as
wishful thinking
We know that man is superior to animals
because of his higher consciousness. An animal is unable to think and
reason as man can. At a higher level the purpose of all religions is to
teach man to develop what is called supra-mental consciousness. This is
not something imaginary. Prophets, Saints and Seers have repeatedly given
us the proofs of this type of consciousness and hence they have
Vahistem Mano or the Best Mind or the most Illumined Mind. It is this
Vahistem Mano that enables the Prophets to talk about soul, life
after death and several other abstract subjects which are outside the
scope of normal human intelligence.
Relevance of Zoroastrianism in all ages has
been to lift mankind to a higher level. The man is not just gross
physical body but he is a soul. This world is merely the scene of his
spiritual evolution. The purpose of life is that man shall know his
divine origin, his almost incredible potentialities as a child of God and
co-worker with Him. But doubting man pauses, ponders, and hesitates. If
only he will let the flame within him spark upwards his doubts will
disappear.
Problems of the world cannot be solved by
political, economical and social measures on their own. Something more is
needed. Man must understand his spiritual nature and become Asho or
divinized. But for that he needs Grace of God. Hence the need for a
faith, to live by!
Let me conclude with an appropriate Universal
Prayer.
“Let us become the soldiers of God, whatever
faith we may follow,
Let us struggle for Truth,
Let us not live for ourselves but for others,
Let us speak truly, think truly and act truly,
Let us be honest as God is infinite honesty,
Let us return love for hatred and win others over to God,
Let the world know that above everything, the most dear
to our heart is God --- The Supreme Reality.”
[i]
This article appeared in USHAO, Volume VI, No. 4 of June-July 2005
and was posted on vohuman.org on June 22, 2005 courtesy of the author
and the editor of USHAO Mr. Virasp Mehta of Wichita, Kansas.
