Frashogard

Roj Khordad, Mah Ardibehest, 1377 Yz.

We live in very troubled times today, where each person seems to be trapped in his or her personal hell. Our miseries seem never ending as one after another calamity, both natural and man-made strikes us. At such times, some of us feel angry with or betrayed by God. Does He not see the pain we are going through? Why does He allow so much evil to flourish on this earth? Why is it that the just suffer whilst the wicked make merry? Many Parsis seem to have given up faith in their Creator and often flock to alien places of worship, or turn to fake babas and charlatans in the hope of some short term benefits. But the real answer to our sorrows can be found in our scriptures themselves.

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Roj Bahman, Mah Ardibehest, 1377 Yz.

Lighting a Divo in the Agiary is often the best alternative for those Parsis who cannot maintain an Akhand Divo at home for various reasons. However, there are some indicators to keep in mind while lighting a Divo in the Agiary.

Firstly, never enter the Agiary without performing the complete Kusti ritual. This includes washing the exposed parts of the face, hands and soles of the feet, drying them and then performing the Kusti. Please ensure that you maintain the dignity and spiritual exaltedness of the Holy Fire by not barging into the Kebla area without performing the Kusti, even though you might have just had a bath and done the Kusti at home before coming to the Fire Temple.

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Roj Hormuz Mah Ardibehest, 1377 Yz.

We have seen in the earlier post that there is a very critical spiritual reason which totally prohibits any kind of organ transplants or body donation. A reader has posed a similar question with regard to blood donation or blood transfusion, which is very common today.

The major difference between organ transplants and blood donation is the fact that blood is a renewable resource in our body which is produced and destroyed on a daily basis.

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There is an intensive and ongoing campaign, using high profile stars like Aishwarya Rai, asking people to donate their eyes (cornea) after death. Various associations even send volunteers from house to house asking people to sign up forms which declare their intention to donate their eyes post death. Due to the high incidence of lifestyle diseases there is a long waiting list for people who need various organ transplants, like liver, kidney or even hearts. Also, due to the unavailability of cadavers (whole human bodies) for teaching medical students the art of surgery as well as for research, many institutions are requesting people to donate their entire bodies after death for medical research.

Many Parsis believe that there is nothing wrong in donating various body parts such as the eyes (cornea), kidneys or liver either during life or after death.

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Today, 8th September 2007, Roj Behram Mah Fravardin is the Baj (death anniversary) according to the Shahenshahi calendar, of the pious Dastur Jamshed Ervad Sohrab Kukadaru (or Kukana, by some accounts).

Dasturji Kukadaru was born on 27th May, 1831 (Roj Jamyad, Mah Ava, 1200 Yz.) and passed away on 4th October, 1900 (Roj Behram, Mah Fravardin, 1270 YZ.)

Dasturji Kukadaru was one of the last great Zarathushtrian priests who had the spiritual power known as ‘Amal’ or spiritual potency which enabled him to bend the laws of nature to produce what we today call ‘miracles’.

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Today, Friday, 7th September is Roj Fravardin, Mah Fravardin – the Zarathushtrian All Souls Day. It is the designated day in the Zarathushtrian calendar to remember the ‘Fravashis’ (Avesta word for the Divine, Immortal Element in every human, also known as ‘Farohar’ in Pahlavi) of all our departed relatives and friends.

The remembrance of the dear departed can take various forms.

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Nearly all of us have, at some point in our lives, lit a Divo, either at home or on our visit to the Fire Temple. Many Parsis have a fascination for doing a Divo, either on a specific day or Roj, or at a particular place or Agiary. In our blind following of this important tradition, we often make serious mistakes which go against the basic laws of the Zarathushtrian faith.

It is necessary to say a few words about doing the Divo in the correct manner.

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Now let us look at the correct procedure to do the Divo at home. Once you have decided on the glass, the medium and the Kakro, make three sets of the same. That is, have three identical glasses, three ankras – one to go with each of the three glasses and a good number of Kakras to last a while. Keep a separate steel ‘dabba’ or a glass bottle in which you will store the Ghee or oil. Also keep a separate cleaning brush and soap/liquid to clean these vessels. All these implements should be stored in such a manner that no person in an ‘unclean’ state or a non-Parsi can come into contact with them. A high shelf in the kitchen cabinet can be reserved only for this purpose and instructions given to maintain its exclusivity. Similarly, the place where you will keep the Divo (generally a glass shelf with photographs of the departed relatives and/or the Prophet) should be such that accidental touching by unauthorised persons is avoided.

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