Frashogard

Roj Khorshed Mah Meher, 1378 Yz.

In our previous post we understood the meaning of ‘putting’ or ‘releasing’ the Baj of Sarosh at the point where the body is placed in the Dokhma and the helper gives the signal of ‘Bawaji, Baj mukjo.’

Once the signal is given, one can finish the Baj of Sarosh and then recite the Namaskar of the Dokhma and Namaskar of the Mountain (since Dungerwadi is on a hilltop) as given in the book.

After reciting the Namaskar, one should go up to the place where the person hands out the Taro, or bull’s urine. A small volume, about 5ml should be held in the cup of the palm and then applied to all the exposed parts of the body – the face, the arms, and the feet (if not covered with socks). Wait for about a minute to let the Taro dry off on the body. Thereafter, without washing the hands or praying anything, the Kusti should be untied, the Hormazd Khodae should be recited and the Kusti should be retied while reciting 2 Yatha, 1 Ashem. No further prayers should be said.

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Roj Mahrespand Mah Sherevar, 1378 Yz.

A lady has asked the following queries after reading yesterday’s post on the Paidust.

1. Can pregnant women attend any of the other ceremonies performed for the deceased (at Dungerwadi or at the Agiary) – like Sarosh nu Patru or Uthamna or the later ceremonies like Dasma, Masiso, Chamsi, Varsi, Muktad prayers, etc?

2. Ahunavaiti Gatha is also prayed during the Gatha days by many – may it be at home or in the Agiary – what happens to pregnant women then? What is to be done/observed at that time?

3. Can the Ahunavaiti Gatha or any of the other Gathas for that matter be prayed on any other day of the year also?

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Roj Jamyad Mah Sherevar, 1378 Yz.

In our earlier two posts we have covered the aspects of attending a Paidust up to the stage where the two priests begin the recitation of the Ahunavaiti Gatha which is known as the Geh Sarna ritual.

The person attending the Paidust has already ‘taken’ his Baj of Sarosh and is therefore in the ‘no-talk’ phase. This is a good time to closely listen to the priests and manner in which they recite this particular prayer. There is a steady speed in their praying, where the breath is taken at the beginning of each stanza of the Ahunavaiti Gatha and the breath is not broken till the end of the stanza. The recitation is peculiar because there is a cutting motion to the prayer with each word being recited with some sharpness. Even the recitation of the Yatha Ahu Vairyo prayers which occur at the end of each Chapter of the Gatha (there being 7 Chapters in the Ahunavaiti Gatha) is done in a peculiar cutting motion.

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