2nd Baj of Vada Dasturji Meherji Kekobad Meherjirana

Posted on Monday, January 23, 2012 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Dae-pa-Adar Mah Sherevar, 1381 Yz.

Today is the second death anniversary of Vada Dasturji Meherji Dastur Kekobad Meherjirana, the 16th Meherjirana.

To mark this solemn day, appropriate ceremonies were performed at his house in Navsari, at the Navsari Bhagarsath Atash Behram, at the Ustad Saheb Behramshah N. Shroff Daremeher at Mumbai and at the Mahella Patel Agiary in Mumbai.

It is now two years since the death of Dasturji, but I still remember vividly his silent personality and the superhuman efforts he made in indexing the various Khshnoom literature, thereby making it easy for students like me to locate any article on any topic. To mark this day, I have upploaded on to the Ilm-e-Khshnoom Skydrive, his monumental index of the Parsi Avaz newspaper which was published from 1947 to 1974. This clearly made index has hundreds of entries on various subjects which appeared in this paper and provides a valuable resource for any researcher.

I am also uploading here, some rare photographs of Dasturji Meherji through various phases of his life. These photographs, many extremely rare and valuable, have been handed over to me by Dasturji’s wife Meherbanu. I have finished scanning these and will shortly dedicate a separate website for these photographs and other documents relating to his life.

Here is a photograph of Dasturji Meherji on the day of his Navar. He stands besides a chair, which marks the Dasturi of his illustrious forefathers. On the chair is a photograph of the first Dasturji Meherjirana.

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Here is another photograph showing a very young Dasturji Meherji.

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Here is a photograph of the Vadi Daremeher, the second oldest Daremeher in India, after the Iranshah. This is the sacred place where over 10,000 boys of the Bhagarsath and other Anjumans passed through their Navar and Maratab ceremonies. Only those children who passed through these hallowed portals had their names entered in the Great Register of the Bhagarsath Anjuman and only they were authorised to perform ceremonies within the jurisdiction of the Bhagarsath Anjuman.

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An extremely rare photograph of the original Sanad, or grant of land signed by the Emperor Akbar, given to the first Dasturji Meherjirana in appreciation of the valuable services which the great Dastur provided in the court of Akbar.

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This exceedingly rare photograph shows an assembly being addressed by Vada Dasturji Kekobad (the 15th Meherjirana). I am putting this online to show the spiritual calibre and nature of the priests on the dias. Where have they all gone?

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Another very rare and possibly one of the first photographs shows a huge gathering of Mobed Sahebs at the Vadi Daremeher felicitating some important members of the community. Observe the faces and dress of these Mobeds.

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This photograph shows the old ancestral house of Dasturji Meherji’s biological parents – Osti Dhunmai and Ervad Peshotan Meherjirana in Navsari.

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This rare certificate was handed by King Edward to Vada Dasturji Dorabji Mahiarji (the 14th Meherjirana) as a mark of respect to the leader of the Parsi community.

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Vada Dasturji Meherji was extremely fond of Indian classical music as well as ghazals. Here is a photograph of Dasturji with the noted Parsi ghazal singer Pinaaz Masani.

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A photograph of Dasturji Meherji’s wedding ceremony, being conducted by Dasturji Kekhushru Kutar and Dasturji Kaikhushru Jamasp Asa.

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Another photograph of Dasturji at a wedding with other Dasturjis of that time. A very young Dasturji Firoze Kotwal is seen second from right.

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Two photographs showing Dasturji interacting with JRD Tata on his visit to the Tata ancestral house in Navsari’s Dasturwad.

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May Vada Dasturji Meherji Dastur Kekobad’s Ruvan progress through the regions of Chinvat and attain Anushehi at the earliest. May his Farohar guide our feeble efforts at Frashogard.com to carry forward his legacy of chronicling the vast Khshnoom literature.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Dasturji Meherjirana | 5 Comments

The Wondrous Circle of Life – part 7

Posted on Tuesday, December 27, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Khorshed Mah Amardad, 1381 Yz.

In order to understand the longest night of the Ruvan, we need to revise the Zoroastrian concept of goodness and sin. We have explained earlier that every thought, word and deed that a person originates, leaves an imprint at three different places: the first imprint in is the Aipi or personal aura of the individual; the second imprint is left on the ground where the thought, word or deed originated; the third imprint gathers far above the earth, in the lower expanses of the Pairi Dakhyu. If it was a good thought, word or deed, the imprint gathers in the southern side of the Pairi Dakhyu. If the thought, word or deed was of a sinful nature, the imprint gathers in the northern side of the Pairi Dakhyu.

Over the years that the individual passes on the earth, the imprints of his thoughts, words and deeds gather these forms on all these three places – the Aipi, the earth, and either the northern or southern side of the Pairi Dakhyu. The imprints left on the Aipi are regularly cleansed by the performance of the Kusti ritual. The imprints on the earth are borne by mother earth to a certain extent and then a reaction is given off by the earth in what we call ‘natural calamities’, which are not at all natural, but the earth lightening her load of the accumulated sins over the years. But the imprints in the Pairi Dakhyu – both good and bad – what happens to them?

As soon as the physical death of the person occurs, the Divine Administration swings into action. The forms of the imprints of the individual’s thoughts, words and deeds become activated and alert. They now become aware that soon the Ruvan of the person will be passing through their area, as it flies towards Chinvat. They therefore get ready for their role in nature. They have to catch the Ruvan as it flies past them towards Chinvat, attach themselves on to its Keherp vessel and accompany it on the flight to Chinvat. Once the Ruvan descends safely on to the lower planes of the Gangdez region of Chinvat, it is the duty of the accumulated imprints of the individual’s thoughts, words and deeds to present before the Ruvan a summary report of the manner in which the physical body has spent the last 70-80 years of its life on earth.

The description of this event is given in graphic detail in the Arda Viraf Nameh. We shall confine ourselves to the description of the event for a person whose bad thoughts, words and deeds overweigh their good. As the Keherp vessel lands on the lower planes of the Gangdez region, the Ruvan gets off and begins to wonder where it has arrived. The Fravashi and Baodangh accompany it, they know what is destined to happen, but they do not say anything. Now the Divine Administration puts up a most fearful show.

As the Ruvan roams around the area, it picks up a slight but distinctly noxious smell. A most disagreeable odour begins to permeate the area, and the wind seems to be coming from the north. In its mind, the Ruvan thinks: ‘this most disagreeable stench seems to be coming from the north, the area of the evil ones. Never in my life have I experienced such a bad odour.’ Soon it sees a form approaching it from the north. As it comes near the Ruvan realises that it is the most frightening visage it has ever seen. It is a very old hag, whose skin is full of eruptions from which flow most vile liquids; its hair is totally dis-shelved and of a haggard nature; her face is one which strikes the most loathsome fear and disgust in anyone unfortunate enough to see her. It is her disagreeable body odour which was causing the horrible stench. As she comes closer she lets out most frightening screeches and she seems intent on running down the poor Ruvan.

Shrinking away in terror, the Ruvan cries out: ‘who are you, what business you have here? Never in my entire existence have I seen someone so ugly, noxious, a total creation of the wicked Ahriman! Get away from me, you vixen, harridan!’

The old shrew laughs out loudly, spewing her venomous saliva all around. She replies: ‘Hag? Vixen? Harridan? Ha, ha, ha! You fool, I am the culmination of the thoughts, words and deeds which were originated by your physical master on the earth, when you were fast asleep!’ As the Ruvan moves back in terror, the wrench approaches him, recounting each and every sin the person committed on the earth. ‘Lies, adultery, homosexuality, sins relating to menstruation, harming righteous persons, eating food without taking Baj, moving about without the Sudreh-Kusti, moving about barefooted, bare-headed, cheating others using false weights or measures, instigating others, bad mouthing righteous ones, hoarding money, not giving charity, not disposing off cut hair and nails properly, not taking care of the house fire, causing cruelty to animals for your own vicarious pleasure… (here the hag recounts each of the many sins committed by the individual in his lifetime) these are all the sins your physical form committed on earth!

‘Each of these sins, by itself is hideous. But your physical master, by committing each of these sins, made their hideous nature even more shocking and dreadful. Even though these sins have been existing since eons, your physical master, by committing more of them, have enlarged their forms even more. As each of these sins were committed, my body has become more and more ugly, my visage has got uglier and more obnoxious. Each of these sins, my dear Ruvan, had their own ugly and shocking form for thousands of years. Yet each of these sins knew, in the deepest recesses of their wicked hearts, that one day, in some distant future, we will all be destroyed and our wicked nature will ultimately convert to good. But due to the thoughts, words and deeds of your physical master, the evils grew manifold, and now, each of these sins has got more worried, that their destruction will be even worse and longer, since your master has increased their intensity. Because of their individual worries, even I am worried sick, when will my destruction come? When will my redemption happen?’

The hag goes on: ‘before you came here, I was living in the northern extremities of the universe. But due to the thoughts, words and deeds of your master, I have had to now move to the northern most extremity of the north, right next to the residence of the accursed Ahriman. In order to survive in that most nefarious place, I have to daily worship Ahriman, thereby getting even more ugly and wicked day by day. See what you have done to me! How can I go away from you? I have been waiting for this day when I can meet you, talk to you and now cling on to you, so that my destruction and redemption can take place! Behold – this is your Kerdar!’

Saying these words, the hag form slowly steps forward and hugs the Ruvan and in a second, dissolves itself in such a manner, that it totally creeps into every pore of the Ruvan’s etheric body. The accumulated forms of the evil thoughts, words and deeds of the individual are now incorporated into the Ruvan’s Aipi. It is as though an unbearable weight has been placed on the head of a loader, and he is now forced to move around with the load on his lead. He can neither put it down, nor can he shift the load, nor will anyone help him. He is doomed to carry it for a long, long time.

Readers of Frashogard, this is the most frightening event in the life of the Ruvan, and its most painful day. The cries of terror and its wails of pain are so horrible that the entire cosmos shakes in their wake. The lamentation of the soul is of a nature we cannot imagine. Just writing about this is making my hair stand up. We cannot even begin to imagine the pain and terror of the Ruvan, as it realises how we have spent our life on earth. But nature is not so heartless. Remember, God is just, God is merciful. Soon a wondrous event happens.

We had seen earlier that as soon as the physical death of the person occurs, the Divine Administration swings into action. On the one hand, the Divine Administration alerted and activated the imprints of the individual in the lower planes of the Pairi Dakhyu. But on the other hand, as the first four days ceremonies of the individual are performed, the Ruvans of all the deceased relatives of that individual who has passed away are also alerted by the Divine Administration. Seven generations of our relatives: parents, grandparents, great grandparents and hundreds more who we had never seen in our physical life – the Ruvans of all these relatives, wherever they may be in the Chinvat region or beyond – get a Divine Message – ‘the Ruvan of the Zoroastrian Mr. X is getting ready to leave the earth and arrive on Chinvat, where it will soon meet its Kerdar.’

At the appointed time, as the Ruvan is having its most dreadful meeting with the hag, the Ruvans of all its deceased relatives gather around (unseen by the Ruvan, which is far more occupied by the terrifying events unfolding in front of it) the ground where the Ruvan has landed. Yes, even the Ruvans of those we had fought with on earth, or those who we had cheated, or those who had cheated us. Because the fights of the earth remain on earth. On Chinvat, there are no fights, there is only endless love, true brotherhood and co-operation! After the Kerdar has crept into the Aipi of the Ruvan, and the load seems unbearable to it, the Ruvans of the relatives of the deceased manifest themselves and huddle around the weeping Ruvan. They console it, offer a shoulder to cry on (but not to lift the load, that is solely the Ruvan’s job) and give gentle lessons and pointers on how to spend the long time ahead. In this moment of grief and terror, the Divine Administration gives such succour and help to the Ruvan. Slowly but surely, it understands its function and resolves to lighten the load placed on it.

The relatives of the Ruvan explain that the lower plains of the Gangdez region have millions of cities. Each of these cities have great spiritual universities. Here gather the Ruvans of all those Zoroastrian souls who have passed away. Depending on their load and their conduct in life, a specific city and a distinct university is designated for the Ruvan, where it will learn the lessons of Spiritual Truth, and as it passes the different and difficult classes in each university, the load on its shoulders will lessen. As it lessens the load caused by a particular sin (for which a specific city and university is designated) it will move on to another city and another university. Through each such successive educational streams, the Ruvan will gather its strength and lessen it load.

In this manner, the Ruvan is consoled by the Ruvans of its deceased relatives and together, they accompany the Ruvan to its designated city and university. Just as parents accompany the child on the first day at school and leave him there – sometimes the parents cry, and most times the children cry, much in the same manner, the relatives leave the Ruvan at its designated class and then depart from there – to their own individual universities where their own education and redemption is continuing. The Ruvan now attends its classes and begins the slow but steady journey and experience towards redemption.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Circle of Life, Religion | 21 Comments

How to put Loban

Posted on Tuesday, November 22, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Khordad Mah Tir, 1381 Yz.

In my interaction with devotees at our Daremeher and outside I have noticed that there is a great deal of ignorance about the correct procedures to be followed when visiting our spiritual institutions. One such case in point is the procedure to be followed by a devotee after the prayers for a deceased member of the family have been done.

When a family member passes away, the relatives of the deceased generally have prayers said with some intensity during the first year. In general, prayers are said on the Roj of death (called Rojgar), the Fravardin Roj (All Souls Day) and the Parab (same Roj and Mah) of every month. In addition, prayers are done on the Siroza days and the Gahambar days. In all these cases, three specific prayers are done on the carpet – the Stum, Afringan and Farokshi; whereas the Baj is performed in the Urvisgah or Pavi area of the Daremeher. Generally a pair of priests sit down and one recites the Stum and Farokshi whereas the other will perform the Afringan. Once these prayers are over, the priests invite the relatives of the deceased to the carpet with the words: ‘Loban muko ji.’

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In households where regular prayers are done over many years, the family members (including youngsters) would have got used to the procedure, but today I see even many elder Parsis getting flustered about what to do, with each pushing to other to ‘go first’ so that they may copy the motions done by the first member. So what is the correct protocol and method to be followed when the priests invite the devotee to the carpet?

The first important step (and where over 95% of Parsis err) is to NOT remove the footwear before arriving at the carpet. The devotee should walk right next to the carpet with his/her footwear on. Then removing one foot from the shoe, he should place the foot on the carpet and then remove the other shoe and get the other leg on the carpet. At no point of time should the naked feet touch the bare ground. When the foot comes into direct contact with the bare earth, the magnetic forces present in the earth ground the personal magnetism (aura) of the person which has been maintained by the performance of the Kusti. This is the reason why we say that the Kusti is ‘broken’ if the naked foot touches the bare earth. To avoid this, it is better to wear thick cotton socks while attending the ceremonies. If this is inconvenient for ladies, then care should be taken to ensure that the foot is placed directly on the carpet from the shoe, without touching the ground.

Once again it needs to be emphasized that roaming barefoot is a sin in our religion – not only in the Daremeher but also at home. A true Parsi is one whose head is always covered with a cap of two folds, the feet are covered with correct footwear and the body is enclosed in the protective folds of the Sudreh and Kusti.

Once you are on the carpet, kneel down and face the fire. Pass a look at the two or three metal plates in which the fruits, flowers, milk and water of the ceremony have been placed. Now taking the Chamach (ladle) or chipia (tongs) in the right hand, scoop a small amount of Loban from its tray and gently offer it on to the fire. In your mind’s eye picturize the departed person for whom the ceremony is being performed, along with other deceased relatives. Then putting the ladle or tongs down, recite the following prayer in Pazend:

Eshaan Behesht-Behereh baad, anoshah shaan ba oy ravaan rasaad, ba oy Behesht roshan ba aasaayaad! Pedaraan va maadaraan va beraadaraan va khaaharaan va khudaan va khishaan ham dinaan-i-man, ke bed, and, va ke vadordeh and, hamaa shaan Behesht-Behereh baad! O shaan geti behereh baad! O shaan kaar va kerfe geti behereh baad! Hamaa as manashne va gavashne va kunashne pa aane raast fraarun pa raahe vehaan pasand-i-yazdaan baad! Aedun baad! Aedun tarz baad! Ashem Vohu 1.

Now pass the following thoughts, which summarize the words of the above prayer:

May they (for whom this ceremony is being performed) attain their share of Heaven, may they become immortal and achieve salvation, may they enjoy the comforts of the Heaven of Endless Light! Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relatives and all my fellow Zoroastrians, who will be born hereafter, or who are existing, or who have passed away, may they all achieve their share of Heaven! And may they achieve their share of this earth too! And may they achieve their share of good deeds and efforts. Through their thoughts, words and deeds, may they all arrive at the path of truth and righteousness and thereby achieve the favour of the Yazads! May it be so! May it even more be so!

This beautiful passage is taken from the Pazend prayer called ‘Namaz-i-Dadar Hormazd’. The fact that this passage is the most apt prayer while placing Loban for the deceased was first pointed out by the ace disciple of Ustad Saheb – Ervad Phiroze S. Masani, in his brilliant Pazend series (available here on the Ilm-e-Khshnoom SkyDrive ). Thereafter, many other Khordeh Avesta prayer books have heeded his words and put this paragraph at the end of the books (without giving Ervad Phiroze Masani the credit). The thoughts contained in this short prayer are not only apt for the occasion but also explain to the us the real purpose of the soul.

The prayer hopes that the soul (Ruvan) attains the state of Anushehi – a state of blissful activeness, where it can hear the celestial song of Ahura Mazda and take giant steps in its onward progress. After many years of this state, the soul will finally achieve the Highest Existence (called Vahishtem Ahum in the short Vispa Humata prayer we recite every day). The prayer then hopes for this exalted stage not only for the Ruvan of the deceased or the whom the ceremony has been performed, but for all relatives – including those who will be born in the future, those who are existing now and those who have passed away.

Not content with the family, the devotee wishes the Highest Existence for all Zoroastrians, wherever they may be. The devotee fervently hopes that the Ruvan (and its physical, human body) will leave all paths (which lead nowhere) and come onto the straight path of truth and righteousness, which is the only path which will lead it to salvation. Once the Ruvan (and its physical human body) adopt the path of Truth, they will find the favour of the celestial beings – the Yazatas who will themselves guide the Ruvans on to their journey and ultimate destination.

This brilliant prayer will not only give succor and hope to the departed soul, it also imparts important lesson to the living who recite it. The prayer explains to them the temporary nature of physical life and reminds them that their day too will come. On that long and arduous journey (which we are covering in our series the Wondrous Circle of Life), no physical belongings, money, wealth and assets will help them. Only their ‘kaar o kerfeh’ – their righteous efforts and their pious deeds will be their constant companion till the destination is reached.

I am uploading an Acrobat file which contains this beautiful prayer, along with its free rendering in Gujarati and English. The file is formatted in such a way that the Gujarati and English both will fit onto one A4 page. The printout can be taken in which ever language you are more comfortable with and then the quarters folded such that the prayer appears on one side and the translation on the other. This can then be laminated to form a small pocket sized card, which can be used when attending the ceremonies at any Daremeher. Maybe a reader of Frashogard can have some of these printed and laminated and then distributed in the Daremehers.

I am thankful to Frashogard reader and our Behram Baug resident Mr. Adil Motafaram for originating this idea.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in How to put Loban, Religion | 22 Comments

Remembering Shah Behram Varzavand

Posted on Monday, November 7, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Ram Mah Khordad, 1381 Yz.

Today, Fasli Mah Ava Roj Govad, is a day of great spiritual connotation for Parsis, because it is the birthday of the promised saviour, Shah Behram Varzavand. How do we know this? This fact is mentioned in the Zand-i-Vohuman Yasht, more popularly known as Bahman Yasht. As you may be aware, our existing Avesta scriptures have Yashts for many of the Yazatas and Amesha Spentas. However, due to the destruction of the scriptures over the centuries, we have lost some of the Yashts, for example, Bahman Yasht, Sherevar, Spendarmad, Amardad Yashts are all missing. However, some scattered fragments of these Avesta prayers as well as their Pazend parts are available. We are lucky to have the Pazend part of the Bahman Yasht, which is recited by many Parsis with great devotion, especially during the Bahman month.

The contents of the Bahman Yasht are in the form of a conversation between Ahura Mazda and Prophet Zarathushtra, as they discuss the future of the earth and the Zarathushtrian religion. In this Yasht, a detailed description of the events which will happen after the death of Zarathushtra up to the end of a specific time period are given. In this discussion, there are ample sign and descriptions of the various saviours who will come down on the earth to bring back the Zarathushtrian religion to its lost glory. Among those whose names are given is that of Shah Behram Varzavand.

In paragraphs 90 and 91 of the Yasht it is written (free translation): ‘A prince will be born, of the name Behram Varzavand (or victorious Varzavand), some will also call him Shahpur. There will be a sign in the sky – a star falls on that day, Mah Ava and Roj Govad’.

Of course this basic information was further expanded upon by our Master, Ustad Saheb Behramshah Nowroji Shroff when he first brought the message of the Abed Sahebs of Demavand to the Parsis that they should get ready to welcome the saviour in their midst.

I will not go into the detailed explanation of the birth of Shah Behram Varzavand, the year of birth and his expected date of appearance in the physical world in this blog. Today I only want my readers to be aware that today is a special day and there are many events happening in the unseen world which will affect our lives in a dramatic way in the next few years.

For now, it is our duty today to take the name of Shah Behram Varzavand in our Tandorasti prayer, and also to pray the Chithrem Buyat prayer where also his name and advent is mentioned. The Chithrem Buyat prayer should be made a part of our daily routine as far as possible.

May the advent of the Promised Saviour Shah Behram Varzavand occur at its destined time and may He resurrect our religion to its former glory!

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Religion, Shah Behram Varzavand, Zarathushtrian facts | 21 Comments

The wondrous powers of water

Posted on Wednesday, October 26, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Adar Mah Khordad, 1381 Yz.

Fasli Ava Parab

Of all the many creations God put on this earth, water occupies a preeminent place. Man can live without many things, but cannot survive without water. In a sense, the history of man and his civilization is also a history of water. Space probes sent by man to other planets primarily look first for water. Modern science explains water as a combination of two atoms of hydrogen and one of oxygen. But science is unable to explain the mystery as to why the joining of these two atoms creates a substance which is responsible for our very existence. Where do the miraculous powers of water: to cleanse, to quench our thirst, to enable plants and food to grow, to sustain our life and civilization, come from?

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The mystic science of Ilm-e-Khshnoom, presented to us by our Master, Ustad Saheb Behramshah N. Shroff, revealed for the first time the answers to the questions put above. The Zoroastrian mystic science explains that water is merely the physical manifestation of a Divine Entity working in the Cosmos. This is the reason why water is invariably linked to the Yazatic Being Ava Aredvi Sura. It is therefore easy to understand that the many powers of water described above flow from the specific spiritual work entrusted to Ava Aredvi Sura. What are these powers and how do they manifest themselves? Where in the Avesta are these powers mentioned?

Ustad Saheb revealed to us for the first time, the existence of these miraculous powers contained within the physical water. These spiritual energies are called ‘Frado’ (pronounced Fraado). Their names appear in the Ava Nyaesh and Yasht prayers as:

1. Adu Frado
2. Vanthwo Frado
3. Gaetho Frado
4. Khshaeto Frado
5. Danghu Frado

In addition, Ustad Saheb explained that the five Frado work under the supervision and spiritual guidance of their superior energy, called Zantu Frado. Some very old Khordeh Avesta books mention this name, although most Khordeh Avesta books do not have this name.

In the Ava Nyaesh, the Frado are called ‘Ashaonim’ – working for the righteous cause of creation and are suffixed with ‘yazamaide’ – worthy of being attuned with. Thus every time a devotee prays the Ava Nyaesh, he expresses a desire to attune with these Divine Forces and to understand their mystic functions. But besides giving the names, the Ava Nyaesh and Yasht prayers are silent as to the meaning, function and work of these entities. For that, we have to turn to the knowledge revealed by Ustad Saheb.

Ustad Saheb explained that every source of clean, free flowing and naturally occurring water has these six Frado energies. Depending on the use to which that water is put to, one or the other Frado energies become active and help the physical molecules of water perform the desired function. Let us briefly explain the function and work of each of these Frado.

Adu Frado: the primary function of this Frado is the dissolving power of water. It is observed that water slowly but surely dissolves or wears down whatever is put in it, or even the container it is stored in. Although not all objects are soluble, even then, water, over a period of time imbibes the properties of the object it is placed in. In early times, water was carried through pipes made of lead or iron. The dissolution of these elements in the water over a period of time gave rise to genito-urinary tract disorders in many persons.

The ancient Zoroastrian practice of washing hands before eating and then drying them also activates this Frado. The contact of the food with the washed hands (which is why food should be always eaten with the hand) and its subsequent passage in the throat activates the Frado which helps in the digestion process. However, the process of eating also activates the formation of saliva in the mouth (my mouth is watering). Saliva, although essential for digestion, gives rise to a spiritual pollutant called Hariri. This Hariri must be properly controlled. The sacred Manthras of the Jamvani Baj ensure that the Hariri arising out of the saliva are properly controlled and used only for the digestion process and do not give rise to spiritual pollution. Readers of Frashogard! This is the level of intricacy in our religion!

One of the wondrous functions of Adu Frado is used by very advanced sages and Abeds who are able to see and hear things and conversations happening thousands of miles away from where they may be sitting. These very advanced adepts take the help of Adu Frado present in the moisture of the atmosphere to be able to see and hear things at great distances.

Vanthwo Frado: the second divine energy working in water is called Vanthwo Frado. This Frado is concentrated mainly in the eyes of men and other creatures. (To be remembered that the eye is over 90% aqueous). The Frado coming out of the eyes of humans and animals has the power to attract others towards themselves. This Frado is the reason for the saying ‘love at first sight’. Those who have a cosmic connection and obligation spread over thousands of years need but one glance, one momentary meeting of the eyes to rekindle that intense longing and yearning for each other. This is the way the Master attracts his true student, and this is how the wandering student finally finds his Master and falls at his feet.

Those of you who have read the series on the life of the Master, would recall that when Behramshah first met the Abed Sahebs at Peshawar, Behramshah was unable to withstand the attraction coming out of the eyes of the Abeds. It was the Vanthwo Frado emanating from the eyes of the two Abeds specifically sent out to contact the lad Behramshah and get him to the tent of Rashidji Saheb.

It is the power of Vanthwo Frado which enables a sage meditating in the deep jungles in the presence of so many carnivores to remain safe. It is this Frado which emanates so strongly from the eyes of the spiritually advanced that can cause a prostitute to forget her trade and fall at their feet and redeem herself. Blessed are those whose eyes meet the Frado coming out from the eyes of such advanced Masters!

The quantum of Vanthwo Frado is very much greater in women that in men. This is the reason why in ancient Iran, women of noble houses always covered their eyes with a very light veil, to safeguard their Frado energy. This good practice later degenerated into the veil we see associated with other religions today.

A very important function of Vanthwo Frado is in full play during the last ten days of the year, when the Ruvans of our dear departed come down to our earth. The Vanthwo Frado present in the pure, sanctified water poured in the Muktad karasyas and vases helps the Ruvans during their stay on this earth. Those Agiaries where this sacred function of washing the Muktad Karasyas with well water and then pouring chokhu pani into the vases in a particular manner has been substituted by plastic pipes and electric pumps do not know the grave disturbance they are causing in nature.

Gaetho Frado: This sacred divine energy gives water its most important function – of being able to quench our thirst. No other drink can give us the satisfaction that a simple glass of water can give. Why is this so? The Gaetho Frado in the water we drink not only satiates our physical thirst but also provides much needed sustenance to the Gaetha body within our physical body. It is only when the Gaetha body is satiated that our longing and thirst is quenched. No other liquid can perform this function.

Khshaeto Frado: This divine energy gives water its incredible ability to cleanse and break down any dirt or pollution. This energy performs a breaking function. It is this property which enables water to be used as a cooking medium. The Khshaeto Frado present in water is the reason why pulses soaked in water cook faster. It is also observed that water from some wells cooks food faster whereas water from other wells takes longer to cook. This is due to the varying proportion of Khshaeto Frado present in different places. This breaking function also serves the most important role of causing the seed to break and give rise to the sapling which finally becomes the plant or vegetable. Thus watering of plants and crops is essential.

Another uniquely Zoroastrian practice is of washing the exposed parts of the body after coming out of the toilet. This action is not just for personal hygiene. Rather the washing of the exposed parts activates the Khshaeto Frado. This Frado then breaks the Gashak or spiritual pollution attached to our body when we entered the toilet. This action, accompanied by the prayers of the Hajat ni Baj (Baj for going to the toilet) and the subsequent Kusti succeeds in removing all traces of Druj and pollution.

One of the most fascinating roles of Khshaeto Frado occurs during pregnancy. As we know, the foetus is housed in a sack of liquid called the Amniotic fluid, which is again mostly water. When the times comes for the foetus to start its journey down the uterus and enter in to this bad world, the Khshaeto Frado in the Amniotic fluid becomes activated and starts its process of breaking up. This breakage of the sack (the waters have broken) is the starting point for the baby to begin its new life.

Readers of Frashogard, these are some of the few functions of these divine energies present in water. How ignorant we are of all these wondrous things in our religion! And we would have remained ignorant had our revered Master Ustad Saheb Behramshah not revealed these details to us! On this Fasli Ava Parab, we respectfully bow our heads in appreciation of his services to our religion. Our minds wander to the secluded Abed Sahebs of Demavand who gave Behramshah this knowledge to spread to the Parsi community. Friends, as you know, water spreads everywhere and in its spread it cleanses. That is why in the Pazend Ashirwad prayers, when the bride and groom are joined in holy matrimony, the Priest blesses them with the benediction: ‘padiyavi Aredvi Sura!’ – ‘may you both be as cleansed and pure as Ava Aredvi Sura!’

Those who are born on Ava Roj have the divine function in this life to cleanse themselves of their past sins. Nature has given them this life for the sole purpose of climbing to a higher level of purity and spirituality. I am blessed to have been born on this very day – Fasli Ava Roj and Ava Mah. The writing of this blog is part of my own process of cleansing the accumulated sins of my past lives and moving on to something higher. With the good wishes of you, my readers, and with the blessings of my most beloved Ustad Saheb and the beatific oversight of the Abed Sahebs of Demavand, I feel confident that I will perhaps pass the many hurdles and heartbreaks which lie ahead and emerge victorious. Padiyavi Aredvi Sura!

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Religion, Zarathushtrian facts | 13 Comments

The Wondrous Circle of Life – part 6

Posted on Tuesday, September 27, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Avan Mah Ardibehesht, 1381 Yz.

Having understood the cosmography of Nisti, we can now continue with the Ruvan’s journey.

As the period of dawn starts and the priests begin the performance of the Daham Yazad ceremony, the Baodangh and Fravashi awaken the Ruvan. They all climb together in to the special vehicle fashioned out of the remnants of the Keherp body, which is now shaped like the outstretched wings of a bird, with a capsule in the middle, where the Ruvan, Baodangh and Fravashi sit. With the aid of the four boosters: the Sachkar, the Sagdid, the Geh Sarna and the four days’ ceremonies in honour of Sarosh, the Ruvan and its Guide and Protectors – the Fravashi and Baodangh, sitting in the Keherp body, begin the fantastic flight which will take them to their ultimate destination – the Gates of Chinvat.

As they rise above the confines of the earth, they gather speed and using the power of the four boosters, pull away, far from our visible solar system and in to the other dimensions of the Nisti cosmos. Their destination is Chinvat, which lies between the Upairi and Adairi Dakhyus. Our earth itself is between the Pairi and Aipi Dakhyus. Between earth and Chinvat lie several Zamrir planes, including those areas where the frightful Sefli Arvahi reside. These highway-robber-like sprites lie waiting, for that hapless Ruvan, whose physical mind had made use of them or communicated with them when alive.

In case they recognise such a Ruvan, they immediately stop the flight of the Ruvan, which they can, because of the obligation due to them, caused by the physical mind interacting with them during its lifetime. Such unfortunate Ruvan cannot continue on their flight towards Chinvat, and are waylaid in these terrible regions for many hundreds of years, before the Arvahi take recompense of their obligations and then release them. This is the terrible fate of those Parsi souls who communicate with spirits, using devices like Ouija boards, séances or other tactics, practice black magic or other satanic rites, or converse with “relatives” who are nothing but these evil spirits, mimicking the departed relative.

If the physical mind of the Ruvan has not indulged in these acts, the flight of the Ruvan through these regions is without incident. But before it can reach the doorstep of Chinvat, there is another obstacle to cross. At a certain point in the journey, the Ruvan vehicle comes across a river. Depending on circumstances on earth, this river can be peaceful, quiet flowing and somewhat pleasant, which the Ruvan can cross without much difficulty; or it is extremely wide, raging and impossible to cross. The Ruvan vehicle may not be able to cross the river in such circumstances. What determines the state of this ultra-physical river? The river’s flow and nature is determined by the behaviour of its relatives on earth. If relatives indulge in excessive lamentation, wailing and tears, the river becomes impossible for the Ruvan to cross.

It may come as a surprise to readers, but excessive lamentation in a serious sin in our religion. The Patet prayer lists excessive lamentation as “Shinmoi”. The loss of a loved one, especially in tragic circumstances or at a young age, can of course cause great grief. But our religion teaches us to accept the will of Ahura Mazda. Shedding tears and the outpouring of grief is definitely a cathartic process, which is important for the living to come to terms with their loss. However, excessive lamentation, wailing or worse, making such a show in front of others not only adds up to a sin in the books of the person doing so, but it also terribly harms the progress of the Ruvan towards Chinvat.

It is therefore always desirable to limit such grief as far as possible. We should be aware of the journey of the Ruvan ahead and the great duties which lie ahead for it. At such times, we must put our own grief to one side and desire the onward progress of the loved one who has now left us. At all times, silently praying the Ashem Vohu and concentrating our thoughts on the flight of the Ruvan will lessen our grief and stop us from committing the sin of Shinmoi. This is the least we can do for the successful flight of the Ruvan to Chinvat.

Thus the flight of the Ruvan carries it across our earth and solar system, crossing the lower Dakhyu and the Zamrir planes of the Sefli and Ulvi Arvahi, successfully swimming across the River of Tears. Soon it crosses the region of the Adairi Dakhyu and its lowermost (7th) Zamrir. From there it flies to the region between the 6th and 5th Zamrir, finally arriving at the very doorstep of the Chinvat region, in the specific area of lower Gangdez. I request readers to go through the map of Chinvat given in the earlier post to properly understand this great journey.

As its great flight ends, the Keherp vessel carrying the Ruvan, along with the Fravashi and the Baodangh lands gently in the lower Gangdez region. The longest flight of the Ruvan has ended. But the longest night of the Ruvan is now about to commence. Our next post will not be a pleasant one.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Circle of Life | 2 Comments

Mixing money with sandalwood

Posted on Wednesday, September 14, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Asman Mah Fravardin, 1381 Yz.

Devotees carrying sticks of sandalwood as offering to the Padshah Saheb is a common sight in our Agiaries and Atash Behrams. Behdins having prayers for their dear departed also carry sticks of sandalwood to handover to the priest before he begins the ceremony. This is a good practice, much recommended. Offering good quality sandalwood is the prime method of approaching the Padshah Saheb.

sandalwood

But a disturbing trend is seen in all our Agiaries over the last few years – the practice of wrapping currency notes along with the sandalwood sticks and then putting the same in the metal tray at the doorstep of the Kebla. The same practice is also seen when devotees handover sandalwood for their family prayers, along with currency notes wrapped around the sticks towards the Ashodad for the priests performing the ceremony.

notes

To make it very clear – this practice is totally wrong and doctrinally invalid. One can never mix sandalwood with currency notes. Why?

Firstly, from the view point of hygiene, this is a disgusting practice. A recent newspaper report revealed that tests conducted by a reputed private health laboratory found traces of coliform, E coli and Staphylococcus aureus on currency notes. Traces of pseudomonas, another family of bacteria, too were found. The laboratory studied the microbes which stayed on a currency note from a random sample of notes collected from shoppers. Notes of all denominations from Rs. 2 to Rs. 1000 were tested. E coli, coliform and pseudomonas were swarming on Rs.10 and Rs.100 notes (which are the most common and most heavily transferred denomination of notes). The Rs.50 and Rs.10 notes also had Staphylococcus aureus.

bacteria

The head of the laboratory which conducted this study pointed out that finding pseudomonas on the notes was alarming since it can cause severe infection if it enters an open wound. He also cautioned against that most unfortunate practice of wetting the fingers using the tongue while counting notes, since it greatly aids in spreading the infection. Another doctor remarked that people must wash their hands thoroughly after counting notes to avoid infection. It is also observed that many banks have now equipped their cashiers with hand sanitizer bottles.

This detailed study should immediately alert Parsis that mixing notes and sandalwood is very wrong. We take great pains to ensure that sandalwood is dry, has not been touched by any person in an impure state or is not mixed with noxious items. Then why do we insist of wrapping notes around the pure sandalwood? The notes would have passed through several hands, which may have been contaminated through various deeds. Worse, the imprint of someone’s saliva, while counting the note might still be remaining (in a minute quantity) on the note. How can we wrap such a dirty, impure and contaminated object along with the sandalwood? Does it not totally destroy the purity and negate the value of the offering to our Holy Padshah Saheb?

There is also a great and deeply spiritual reason to stop this practice. Our religion has explained the concept of Aipi, or personal aura, which is carried by every person. The Aipi is like a blank canvas on which imprints of our daily thoughts, words and deeds are pasted every second. The Aipi needs to be cleansed of these undesirable imprints on a regular basis, through the performance of the Kusti ritual. This is the main reason why there is a Baj prayer to be recited along with the Kusti ritual before and after each toilet visit. Ustad Saheb cautioned that Parsis, before starting their personal prayer routines should always perform the Kusti ritual, so as to cleanse their personal Aipi of such negative imprints. Once in that state of heightened purity, a person should avoid any contact with any object which can reduce the level of high purity obtained by performing the Kusti. This is the reason why we do not touch old clothes, the bed, unwashed vessels etc. after performing the Kusti or starting prayers.

When we enter the Daremeher and perform the Kusti, our Aipi is relatively much cleaner than it was when we were outside. It is therefore desirable not to touch anything which can reduce that level of purity. When we touch our wallet and take out the currency notes, we are totally destroying the purity which had been built up by the Kusti ritual. Wrapping the notes, which are abounding not only in physical impurities but which may also have the Aipi imprints of undesirable persons left on them along with the sandalwood is akin to spiritual suicide.

Notes and coins should NEVER be placed in the Chamach or the tray in which the sandalwood is placed. The Head Priests of Agiaries and Atash Behrams should ensure that there is a separate box in which currency notes and coins can be deposited by the Devotees. Similarly, Devotees wishing to offer Ashodad to Priests doing their family prayers should not mix the money with the sandalwood, but can always handover the cash after the prayers are completed. Better still, the Ashodad can be placed in a small 3×2 envelope and then presented to the Mobed Saheb. It is a much more dignified way of offerring Ashodad. The current practice debases the sacred role of the Priest and brings him down to the level of a car parking valet, being handed over a tip. Such crude practices should be avoided.

A better option would be to make it a practice of having a separate bundle of new currency notes at home in a separate, clean place. These notes should be used only in the Agiary. This would lessen the impurity to some extent, although even such notes should not be mixed with the sandalwood.

Dear readers, the bedrock of our religion is purity – physical, mental, spiritual and emotional. But the basic physical purity is the foundation on which everything else can be built. In our modern times, we Parsis seem to have lost our sense of chokhai which was so prevalent in our grandparents and which was drilled into by our elders. The present generation does not have the benefit of that advice and hence we fall prey to such simple, but grave spiritual errors.

It is hoped that readers of Frashogard will think twice before mixing a pure, holy offering to the Padshah Saheb with the bacteria laden and spiritually inappropriate currency note.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Religion, Zarathushtrian facts | 53 Comments

Becoming a better Parsi in 1381 Yz.

Posted on Monday, August 29, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Khorshed Mah Fravardin, 1381 Yz.

I wish all readers of Frashogard a happy, prosperous and spiritually enriching new year!

Our special sacred guests have departed after their 18 day stay, the tables have been cleared and stowed away, the hall cleaned and empty once again. After the intense activities of the Muktad days, it feels very quiet in the Agiary. On one hand is the relief that the heavy days are over, that we were able to serve our sacred visitors with the utmost piety and purity; on the other the silence and their absence makes the Agiary somewhat lonesome.

The beginning of the year also marks the completion of four years of the Frashogard blog. As we step into 1381 Yz, and our own fifth year, what thoughts occupy the minds of readers as well as the author of Frashogard? In these four years, we have read over 120 posts and many more comments. The question which has been troubling my mind for the last few days is: is this enough? The objective of the Frashogard blog was to make Parsis aware of the wealth of information available regarding our religion and its practices. While that objective may have been somewhat achieved, the real question is: has it made the readers of Frashogard better Parsis?

One thing is clear: reading posts at Frashogard, or another site, is not going to bring about anybody’s salvation. Writing posts on Frashogard is not going to bring about my own salvation either. The process of salvation lies entirely in doing, not thinking about doing, or reading about doing. Unless there is kinetics, salvation will remain a distant dream. But for many of us, the jump between thinking about doing something, and actually doing it, seems insurmountable.

Thus for the new year, it is my desire that readers of Frashogard read less, and do more. Each of us must strive to do more, strive to become better persons than we are, which will in turn make us better Parsis. This is of course a long-term and very complex development. The easiest way to make complex things simple is to break them up into small parts. Here are my thoughts on how we can all become better, by thinking less about doing, and doing more.

1. The desire to grow: the question we must all ask ourselves every day before we go to sleep is this: ‘did I grow in any manner today?’ If there is no clear cut answer to that query, then we must consider that day a waste.

2. The desire to learn: the desire to grow will come only when there is an intense desire to learn something new. Learning is not to be confused with the mere collection of facts and trivia. Life is not a general knowledge competition – it is a journey towards salvation. Thus true learning is that knowledge which uplifts us from the humdrum of life, which inspires us to stretch our boundaries, to do something which we may have not dreamt of doing before. It is not necessary to read heavy tomes to acquire real knowledge. It can be a one line inspirational quote which can strike at our very heart and make us think in ways we may have never thought before.

3. The right friendships: True learning and true growth can come only when we surround ourselves with persons who are wiser than us, or who can teach us something we never knew. Wisdom is never measured by university degrees, it is rather measured by the contentment a person radiates. A person with complete contentment is the most wise. A very regrettable sight is seen in our Parsi colonies, where groups of persons gather around and discuss the same garbage, day in and day out. Rather than while away time in this manner, could we not put it to better use? Do not consider anyone inferior to you, for he may have much to offer.

Every man I meet is in some way my superior. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

4. Read: We must make a conscious effort to read at least one paragraph relating to our religion every day. The Ilm-e-Khshnoom SkyDrive project was created with this objective in mind. Very often I used to hear the complaint: ‘where are the good books on religion?’ Today, after digitizing over 80% of Khshnoom literature, this question is irrelevant. Nor is language the problem. There are many English books which have been digitized, along with over 300 English articles from issues of Dini Avaz and other magazines. The 101 Questions book by Adi Doctor is an excellent resource to start. One question a day is enough. Read, think and then implement.

5. Pray: There can be no salvation without prayer. Prayer opens a special window between you and God, which non can disturb or intrude on. It is not necessary to spend hours on prayer, neglecting the other responsibilities of life. Rather a time set apart, everyday, which cannot be compromised on, will create a habit that will soon become addictive. Start small – a Kusti with full concentration and devotion, the Sarosh Baj, the 101 Names of God. These beginner steps will soon awaken a deep craving to pray more – you will be guided yourself.

6. Explore: In Mumbai, Parsis have a treasure trove of religious institutions, many of which are deserted. Can we not make it a point to explore each one of them on holidays or whenever it is convenient? With over 50 Agiaries in Mumbai, a new Agiary visited each weekend can easily make a whole year’s worth of sightseeing. Offer a stick of good sandalwood and bow down before the Padshah Sahebs established by donors long forgotten, read the marble inscriptions which describe how the institution was founded and say a simple Ashem Vohu in memory of that departed worthy who was inspired to consecrate the Agiary. Our Parsi calendars come with detailed notes, giving the Roj and Mah of the Salgreh of each Agiary. If convenient, we can visit the Padshah on His birthday and recite an Atash Nyaesh.

7. Simplicity and contentment: We tend to make our lives unnecessarily complex and hectic. We are determined to fill in any empty time slot with some or the other activity. Our children’s vacations are chock-full with camps, tuitions, expeditions and what-not. Our daily routine is so crammed that we have lost the ability to step back and think. I see with great pity and sadness the faces of those who come to the Agiary each morning. Their faces are set tight with tension, their actions are mechanical, their routine is lightning fast. Not too long ago, I too was part of that tribe. But we need to ask the question: what are we doing all this for? Is it just for a few rupees more? Or is it the central point of our existence?

The curse of money is on all of us. It compels us to compromise on all we hold dear. But remember, money can never buy happiness. From what little I have seen, in fact, the more we have it the more miserable it makes us. What use is money when no one looks on us with respect? what use is money when our loved one is taken away from us? what use is money when disease and old age make us incapable of performing even our basic functions with dignity?

‘Money will buy you a fine dog, but only love can make it wag its tail.’ – Richard Friedman

What is missing from our life is love, simplicity and a feeling of contentment. Our religion lays great stress on simplicity and contentment. The core of our dissatisfaction lies in our lack of contentment:

There is no greater sin than desire, no greater curse than discontent, no greater misfortune than wanting something for oneself. Therefore he who knows that enough is enough will always have enough.
If you realize that you have enough, you are truly rich. – Lao Tzu.

8. Honesty and truth: Truth is the cornerstone of our religion. A true Zoroastrian will never lie, period. We must learn to say what we mean, and mean what we say. Lies arise when our heart feels one thing, the mind thinks another and our tongue says something else. Make your heart, mind and tongue work in beautiful unison and you will never lie! Another simple method to avoid untruth is to remain silent. There is great solitude in remaining quiet. There is too much noise in our lives. I see in so many Parsi homes, the radio blaring, the same cursed saas-bahu serials running loudly and persons talking without giving a thought to others staying around them. Parsi houses are filled with laughing Buddhas, floating turtles, evil eyes, bamboo shoots and what not, but where is the quiet murmur of Avesta prayers being recited? How can prosperity, righteousness and peace enter the house where the sacred chants of Avesta are not hummed, where this cacophony of materialism and evil has risen to a deafening crescendo?

9. Begin small: Readers of Frashogard, bring a definitive change in your lives. Start small. Recite one Ashem Vohu as soon as you get up. It does not matter if your head is covered or not. Pray five Yatha Ahu Vairyo and three Ashem before each meal, without making a show or attracting attention. Avoid moving barefooted at any time. Try and do a Kusti at each change of the Gah. Look at the Parsi calendar each day and realise what Roj it is. These are small exercises which don’t take any time, which no one can stop you from doing, but which will bring an immense change within you. Start small, it is the small steps which will lead us to salvation.

10. Learn to give away: Dr. Saheb Framroze Chiniwalla gives a beautiful lesson to all of us in his Khordeh Avesta. Writing on the practice of Tarikats, Doctor Saheb warns us that the true follower of Tarikats is not he who follows every rule and ridicules those who don’t follow any. Rather the learned Doctor says, the true Parsi is one who is ready to give up, without any hesitation or grudging, the fruits of all his Tarikats to one who may not be following any rules. Salvation is not born out of selfishness. Salvation can only come through true selflessness. When we become ready to offer all that we have to God, for Him to give to someone who may have nothing, then we can safely say that we are on the road to salvation.

Dear readers of Frashogard, not only our community, but also our country is passing through tumultuous times. The events of the last few days have shown the deep sense of frustration which lies in Indians who have endured the menace of corruption for too long. There are some in our community who have given calls for a Parsi Lokpal. But that is not the answer to our troubles. A Lokpal is already residing within us – our Fravashi, or Guiding Spirit, which causes our conscience to bite every time we think of evil. Every Parsi needs to develop this personal Lokpal. Every Parsi needs to be morally and spiritually accountable to himself for any wrongdoing. Every Parsi should be on guard so as to not fall into the trap of jumping the queue to get things done. If everyone behaves in this manner, where is the need for a community or even a national Lokpal?

Our ignorance and imperfectness is the cause of our misery. The beacon of Khshnoom, shown by our beloved Master, Ustad Saheb Behramshah Nowroji Shroff, is the guiding light which can remove this darkness of ignorance and put us out of our misery. It is the sacred objective of Frashogard to be a feeble mirror on which the beatific light of Khshnoom can reflect. May this reflection illumine our hearts and minds and inspire us to work for the salvation of others, which will then lead to our own ultimate salvation.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Religion, Wish list for 1380 Yz, Zarathushtrian facts | 10 Comments

Remembering Dr. Framroze S. Chiniwalla – part 3

Posted on Monday, August 1, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Rashne Mah Spendarmad, 1380 Yz.

Doctor Saheb wrote a very Persianized style of Gujarati, which is not easy for everyone to read. But after some time, his language grows on you, to such an extent that it can slowly invade your own style. In his numerous books, Doctor Saheb comes across as a gentle, kind, teacher, but when provoked could scar anyone who dared to cross the path of the Good Religion. His compassionate words can often move one to tears, and his fiery nature can leave one gasping for breath. I give here a few instances of Doctor Saheb’s style.

Introducing his first book – Nikeez volume I, Doctor Saheb writes in the dedication: “This book I have written for the onward progress of the souls of my beloved Ustad Saheb, my dear departed parents, and my dear deceased two wives. For them I have fashioned a small raft out of my faith in the Mazdayasni Zoroastrian religion, which I have set afloat in the Divine Cosmos of Zareh Kyanse with the most humble Zoroastrian thoughts. I have entrusted this small raft to the Captain – who is the fate of this book, in the hope that he will be victorious in taking this book to that shore where the Abed Sahebs reside, so that they may bless the book with their benevolent gaze, and carry it away from the storms of endless debate. Homage to the Abed Sahebs! The protectors of the Zoroastrian religion, the keepers of the Mazdayasni faith, and those who carry this world forward with every breath!”

Writing in the introduction to the Vandidad book, Doctor Saheb reveals his optimistic and touching nature. He writes: “the grand tree of Parsi Zoroastrian truth and righteousness, which was planted in the soil of India 1200 years ago, has now become old and withered, standing in the full heat of time and the effect of planets, without any water or nutrition. Even in this state it recites the blessings: ‘Chithrem buyat ahmi name, pithwen buyat ahmi nmane, tokhma pithwi buyat ahmi nmane!’ (May our original seed, our unique identity and our magnificent progeny be ever protected!) Through these words this tree prays the Tandorasti for the Zoroastrian religion, and while praying it requests God to make her wish come true: that we may all come into that blessed time when we shall bountifully thank the earth of mother India, take her permission, and leave for the shores of our original motherland Iran, which shall enter a new age of truth, righteousness and enlightenment.”

Doctor Saheb was firm with those philologists and grammarians who played with Avesta words and declared this earlier and that later, this corrupt and that interpolated. But Doctor Saheb’s harshest words were reserved for those who faked their love for Khshnoom, or those who stuck to the shell and did not delve into the kernel. In his lifetime, Doctor Framroze often came across shallow so-called Khshnoomists who would ridicule their Parsi brethren who were not aware of Ustad Saheb, or who went to great lengths to show off their little knowledge of Khshnoom. Doctor Saheb warned that any show of Tarikats was the first step to disaster.

Writing in his Khordeh Avesta ba Khshnoom, Doctor Framroze states: “There are deep reasons why making a show of Tarikats will quickly lead to Mithra Druji and deception… Except for the Abed Sahebs and Ustads, no one has the right to point fingers at another’s Tarikats or lack thereof. Rather the true follower of Tarikats is he who is willing to offer all the good he has earned through his following of Tarikats to one who does not follow any Tarikat! Bad mouthing about such people or their organisations is akin to staying in a glass house and throwing stones at another. Ultimately nature will ensure that these fake Tarikat followers end up becoming the debtors of such organisations. The real following of Tarikats is akin to a fully clothed, yet beautiful woman, who arouses wonder and awe at God’s creation, and not a naked, skimpily clad lady, who arouses lust and bad passions. Those who make a show of following Tarikats or outwardly displays of religiousness will ultimately end up consorting with such skimpily clad women of ill repute, for which Tarikats are not responsible!”

It is of course impossible to do an iota of justice to Doctor Saheb’s style through these lame translations. The beauty and grandeur of his writings can only be realized by reading the Gujarati original.

In this manner, Doctor Saheb Framroze led a life bordering on asceticism, full of piety and prayer, discipline and hard work. Blessed with good health, Doctor Framroze was perfectly well till the last few months of his life. At the age of around 81, Doctor Saheb’s cardiac function began to degenerate, causing him some hardship. As his time on this earth neared an end, Doctor Saheb began to fall sick more often. In his last month, Doctor Saheb was confined to bed. As news of his state of health began going around in Khshnoom circles, many friends and well wishers came to meet him, seek his blessings and wish him a speedy recovery. One such well wisher arrived to see Doctor Saheb being taken to the washroom by his helper. As he came back, Doctor Saheb was exhausted by this little walk and sat down on the bed and began to recite the Kusti prayers. Because of his weakness, he could not even keep his feet on the ground. The well wisher exclaimed: ‘Arre Doctor Saheb, you are praying but your feet are not touching the ground!’ Never one to suffer fools easily, Doctor Saheb exclaimed: ‘Should I stop praying then?’

As days passed, Doctor Framroze grew weaker and his entire body was covered with small boils. A close friend visited Doctor Saheb at this time. Pulling up his Sudreh to show the exposed skin to his friend, Doctor Saheb confided: ‘See how the sins of my previous lives manifest themselves here.’

As the Kadmi Muktad days and new year passed, Doctor Saheb’s condition deteriorated further. On the morning of 6th August, 1962, Doctor Saheb called together Jehangirji, Gulcheher and other family members and asked: ‘Is there any message you wish me to carry to our departed relatives?’ Readers of Frashogard will see in the series ‘Wondrous Circle of Life’ that when the Ruvan of the deceased person flies off the earth and reaches the doorstep of Chinvat, 7 generations of deceased relatives of the person stand there to receive the Ruvan. While Jehangirji could say nothing due to emotion, his wife whispered: ‘Doctor Saheb, when you meet my dear Pinky (Piroja, the daughter of Jehangirji and Gulcheher who had passed away at the age of fifteen after a brief illness on 8th February, 1953) please hug her tightly and give her all our love and kisses!’ Oh the mother’s anguish for a lost child!

Later in the day, the boils on his body vanished and his skin became clean and clear again. Doctor Saheb gestured to Jehangirji to get a Divo. Jehangirji understood the end was near. A Divo was lighted from the household Atash, and placed near Doctor Saheb’s head. Some embers from the Atash were got in a small Afarganyu and sandalwood and incense was put. As the fragrant haze began to rise, Doctor Saheb Framroze began the recitation of ‘Ferastuye humatoibyascha…’ the Avesta Patet which forms the beginning of the Khorshed and Meher Nyaeshes. Writing in 1938, on page 199 of his Khordeh Avesta ba Khshnoom, Doctor Saheb had explained that when death is near, the life giving heat of the body begins to fall cold. Realising what is happening, the Tevishi body gets very agitated and tries its best to stop the life giving heat from cooling down. This is the reason why man or animal goes through convulsions or tremors before death. In order to avoid this, it is advisable to pray the Ferastuye, which gives succour and strength to the dying person. Following his own words of advice nearly 23 years after they were written, the good Doctor began to recite the calming words of Ferastuye. As near and dear ones gathered around him, Doctor Saheb took his last few breaths and left the shackles of his physical body at around 7:30pm. Thus ended the eventful life of one of the most striking Parsis of the last 100 years.

As his Paidust left the next day from the Bennet Bungli, a large congregation of community leaders, Dasturs, professionals and lay men gathered to pay their last respects to the man. Before his Uthamna got over on 9th August early morning, multiple pairs of priests in Mumbai, Surat and Udvada had already conducted nine Vandidad and nine Yazashne ceremonies for Doctor Saheb’s Ruvan! And each one of them refused to take any money for the same. It was their way of thanking Doctor Saheb for the immense knowledge of ritual that he had imparted to them, and the great faith which had been aroused in each of these priests by his graphic accounts of the results of ceremonies and his own pious living. Nine Vandidad and Yazashne ceremonies in 3 days! Today we have to beg to get even one complete ceremony performed!

Even years after his death, his unpublished manuscripts kept getting printed in book form as well as in the Parsi Avaz newspaper. There are still over 10 files awaiting publication. Even though Doctor Saheb was no more, his pen seemed to keep on moving.

In 1977, 15 years after his death, Gulcheher Chiniwalla saw Doctor Saheb in a dream. He was in the clothes of an Abed Saheb, giving the Boi to a magnificent Atash Behram. The Abed Sahebs had indicated to Doctor Framroze that his next birth would be in the rarefied regions of Demavand. Perhaps, the dream was a signal that his period of Seshab had ended and Doctor Saheb’s Ruvan had begun its progress to the Varzamkard regions of Chinvat.

How can we commemorate the memory of Doctor Saheb? Over 1000 years ago, the great poet of Iran, Firdausi wrote:

Benaahaae aabaad gardad kharaab
Za baaraano az taabishe aaftaab
Pai afgandam az nazm kaakhe baland
Ke az baad o baaraan na-aayad gazand!

The greatest buildings are reduced to ruins
by the effect of rainwater and the glare of the sun
But such is the grand palace of poetry I have erected
that neither storm nor rainwater can ever harm this edifice!

In the same manner, the grand writings which Doctor Saheb has left behind for us is his greatest monument. We need not try to do anything else.

On the occasion of the Varsi of Doctor Saheb on 6th August 1963, late Dosabhai Desai, the teacher of Navsari, profound Khshnoom scholar and the best Gujarati poet I have experienced, wrote a deeply moving 20-stanza poem in memory of Doctor Saheb. It is beyond my intellectual reach to translate his sublime words. But it is the first and last stanza of Dosabhai’s poem which always moves me the most.

Re tamaara vin badhe laage mane sunkaar che
Bhenkaar che, andhaar che, tutyaa e dil naa taar che!
Naahid! Tu to rank bando! E amirono amir
Naacheezo ne ek bas Tasleem no adhikaar che!

O without you everything feels very silent all around
Dreadfulness and darkness abounds, the very fabric of my heart is broken!
O Naahid! (the pen name of Dosabhai) you are a lowly slave! He was the noblest of nobles!
What right do slaves like you have, but to salute and pay homage to him!

Who are we, and what is our calibre to write about Doctor Saheb and to discuss his works? It is only our good fortune and the good deeds of a previous life that we could pick up his books and read a few pages. The gleaner of the fields of Khshnoom is gone, we lowly worms move endlessly in circles amongst those barren fields! May the Great Farmer have mercy on us! When our time comes, may we be received by the Great Gleaner and his Ustad at the doorsteps of Chinvat, for verily they are to us more than our father and mother!

May the Ruvan of Doctor Saheb Framroze Sorabji Chiniwalla progress further and further and may it guide our feeble efforts!

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Dr. Framroze Chiniwalla, Zarathushtrian Miracles | 2 Comments

Remembering Dr. Saheb Framroze S. Chiniwalla – part 2

Posted on Thursday, July 28, 2011 by Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Gosh Mah Spendarmad, 1380 Yz.

In around 1931, Doctor Saheb received a large sum of money from the proceeds of a life insurance policy. He used this money to publish his first work, the Khshnoom Nikeez-e-Veh Din, a mammoth volume of 1400 pages. Those who were wondering what would happen after Ustad Saheb passed away in 1927 had their reply. This book firmly established the credentials of Doctor Saheb. Then started an unending flow – the second Nikeez – Doctor Saheb’s most difficult work, another 1400 pages, in 1935. The Yazashne book, where certain priests were surprised at the intricate knowledge of ritual possessed by a Behdin, in 1937. Then in 1938, Doctor Saheb published his Khordeh Avesta ba Khshnoom – a word by word translation of the whole Khordeh Avesta, along with detailed notes, whole essays on Tarikats, Atash and many other topics, 1100 pages full. In 1939, Doctor Framroze published his first book on the Gathas, taking up 211 pages to explain the few stanzas of Yasna 28! More Has were published in 1940 and 1941. Then came the mammoth Fravardin Yasht volume in 1941, taking 600 pages to throw new light on a completely mis-understood scripture.

In 1943, Doctor Saheb went to Poona for a short time. This was the time when the conversion controversy was raging within the community. Using his spare time, Doctor Saheb started writing, and finished, a 500 page book on conversion. In the first part he explained the detailed esoteric truth as why there was only one type of conversion in nature – from evil to good, not from one religion to another. In the second part, Doctor Saheb took on the translation of the over 50 paragraphs in the Avesta cited by the liberals as proof of conversion. Taking each paragraph and translating every word, Doctor Saheb, using Avesta grammar, displayed how each paragraph had a deeper meaning which had nothing to do with conversion. This book is undisputed even today.

Readers are requested to visit this page, where most of Doctor Saheb’s books are available in digital format alongwith a brief summary.

Despite all this writing, a intriguing picture emerges about Doctor Saheb from his choice of a pen name. Readers may be aware that Ustad Saheb wrote under the pen name of Khaksar (the embodiment of humility), a title bestowed upon Ustad Saheb by his Master, the Sraoshavarez Marzbanji Saheb. When Doctor Saheb printed his first book – the Nikeez volume I, he disclosed his pen name (Takhallus) as “Khushe Chine Ilm-e-Khshnoom”. The derivation of this term is fascinating because it shows the extent of humility within Doctor Saheb. The Persian term Khushe means ‘one who is so humble that his eyes are always cast down, to the ground.’ The term Chine is derived from root chindan ‘to glean (a field)’. What is gleaning?

Millet Gleaners

Gleaning is a technical term in farming. In the olden days, once a farmer had harvested his crop, there would still be a few earns of corn or wheat left behind in the field. These would lie few and far, making it uneconomical or unviable to go back and harvest. As a matter of human kindness, farmers would allow the poor and destitute persons, who had no land of their own, to roam on their fields and gather the left over crops. This process of collecting the left-over crops is called gleaning.

Thus Doctor Saheb, the most erudite and comprehensive of all Khshnoom writers, blessed with the benign gaze of the Abed Sahebs, chose to describe himself as a poor, humble fellow, eyes always cast on the ground, waiting to collect the left over crops from the field of Khshnoom! Thus Doctor Saheb considered himself as not one of the greats of Khshnoom, but rather held the view that the greats had all passed away, taking the first and excellent harvest of the Divine Knowledge with them. What they had left behind, he, a humble feckless fellow, was patiently gleaning from the field and presenting to the world! Dear readers, this is real humility and in that humility, truly Doctor Saheb Framroze displayed his true greatness.

A strange incident happened after the publication of Doctor Saheb’s first Nikeez which has not been in the public domain till now. A very important disciple of Sai Baba of Shirdi was a saintly person called Shri Upasini Baba Maharaj.

Upasni Baba

This evolved soul had set up an ashram at Sakori village, about 5 km from Shirdi. People of various faiths would come to this ashram for meditation and to listen to the discourses of Upasini Baba. In this ashram, there was a separate hut, built by a Parsi devotee, where Parsis would come to stay and meditate. After the publication of the first Nikeez in 1932, Mr. Ardeshir Toddywalla (the uncle of later Khshnoom speaker and ace astrologer Mr. Savaksha Toddywalla), a religious Parsi who had great faith in Ustad Saheb and Khshnoom, purchased the Nikeez and decided to go and stay at Sakori to read and meditate on it. At the same time, another Parsi, who was an avid Theosophist also landed up at Sakori in the Parsi hut. As is inevitable, when two Parsis meet, there must be some disagreement. The Theosophist laughed out aloud at the Nikeez book and ridiculed it. Ardeshir Toddywalla decided to make him keep quiet. Accompanied by the Theosophist, the two went to Upasini Baba, and presented the book to him, asking for his opinion.

The Baba was an evolved soul, who had understood the concept of Jiram or gradation of souls. To all his disciples he would always prescribe some verse from the scripture of the religion to which the devotee belonged. It is said that his soul was so advanced that he could even point out a mistake in the recitation of the Gathas, if a Parsi were reciting them. He took the book in his hands and turned a few pages. He then closed the book and held it still and shut his eyes. After a few moments, he opened his eyes, gave the book back to Mr. Toddywalla and said humbly: ‘If a person were to fall at the feet of the author of this book, his sins of many previous births would be washed away! Do not attempt to read this book. Take it home, place it in a pure and sacred place, preferably where you do the Divo. Once a day, take it out and bow down to it. That will earn your redemption.’ He then turned to the theosophist Parsi and said: ‘This is not for you’.

Mr. Ardeshir Toddywalla was deeply moved by this encounter. Some time later, he happened to come across Doctor Framroze in the bazaar in Surat. Remembering the words of Upasini Baba, Ardeshir immediately bent down and touched Doctor Saheb’s feet. Doctor Framroze became very upset and scolded him for this public display. Later on, both met privately and it was then that Ardeshir recounted his experience with Upasini Baba to Doctor Saheb. Taking a vow of silence, Doctor Framroze forbade him from ever mentioning this incident in public. This information was given by Doctor Saheb to his brother Jehangirji who disclosed it only many years after Doctor Framroze’s passing away.

In this manner, Doctor Saheb continued his divinely appointed mission, churning out book after book, article after article. Many times, Doctor Framroze was asked: ‘Saheb, who will read all this?’ Doctor Framroze would reply: ‘why should I bother? My task is to write.’ Realizing Doctor Saheb’s mission, his younger brother Jehangirji always ensured that Doctor Framroze was never disturbed or had to bother about mundane things. Jehangirji insisted on Doctor Saheb living with his (Jehangirji’s) wife Gulcheher, and his children Sohrab and Piroja (affectionately called Pinky), at his house at Chowpatty. Doctor Saheb’s needs were frugal – two meals to eat, a bed to sleep in, an endless supply of paper and ink, and a steel cupboard to store it all!

Many Khshnoom lovers would come to meet Doctor Saheb, mainly at his consulting room and some at Jehangirji’s house. He would discuss all kinds of intellectual things with them, giving answers to difficult questions and personal problems. Those few priests who realized his greatness would ask him endless questions on Pav Mahel and ceremonies and be amazed at his answers. Never could they even think of shortening a prayer or having a wink when they should be praying. Doctor Saheb’s descriptions of the effects of prayers was so graphic and intense that its imprint would be left on the Mobed’s mind forever.

We shall learn more about Dr. Saheb Framroze’s style of writing in the next post.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Posted in Dr. Framroze Chiniwalla, Zarathushtrian Miracles | 2 Comments