How to attend a Paidust – some queries answered
How to Attend a Paidust, Journal Articles, Primary, Zarathushtrian facts Add commentsRoj 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?
My answers are as under:
1. Pregnant women can attend ALL ceremonies being performed by the deceased as mentioned in the query EXCEPT for the Paidust, for the simple reason that the Ahunavaiti Gatha is recited ONLY during the Geh Sarna ceremony.
A further query can be raised by some critical minded persons that if the effect of the Ahunavaiti Gatha is such as described in the earlier post, should pregnant women also not attend the Yazashne, Vandidad and Nirangdin ceremonies where also the Ahunavaiti Gatha forms part of the prayers?
The answer is definitely pregnant women can attend these ceremonies, even though Ahunavaiti Gatha is recited as some part of the ritual. The reason is this: The Avesta prayers are arranged according to the laws of Staota Yasna (the Divine Science of Vibrations, which arise through the recitation of Avesta prayers). Thus what comes before as well as after a particular prayer is also very important as it has an effect on the overall Staota produced during the ceremony. Thus in the Geh Sarna ceremony, the Ahunavaiti Gatha comprises almost 99% of the total prayer and hence the Staota of this prayer is very strong. On the other hand in case of ceremonies like the Yazashne or Vandidad, the Ahunavaiti Gatha does not form even 5% of the overall prayer and is sandwiched between other prayers of equal or greater Staota. Hence the precautions to be taken by pregnant women during the Geh Sarna do not apply to the other ceremonies mentioned.
2. Ahunavaiti Gatha is definitely prayed by many Parsis during the Gatha days. However, pregnant women should NOT pray this Gatha. They can resume the following year.
3. Any of the Gathas can be prayed even on the non-Gatha days. However, there is a long standing tradition that the Ahunavaiti Gatha is NOT prayed on a regular basis. In addition it is advisable for a Parsi to recite the Vahishoisti Gatha everyday.
Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram
Reverend Ervad Hathiramsaheb,
Please enlighten me whether Sarosh no Kardo can be recited if the body is kept in the cold storage awaiting arrival of relatives from abroad to witness Paidast to be performed on the next day (uthamna day)? Thanks.
Hi Hootokshi,
First of all, the very concept of putting a body in a morgue and awaiting relatives to arrive from abroad is WRONG. As per our religious traditions, the body MUST be consigned to the Dokhma, preferably in THE SAME GAH OF DEATH. The process of Geh Sarna and Dokhmenashini reduce the attack of Druj Nasu on the soul of the deceased.
The Trustees of the BPP have been told time and again that the morgue or freezer is a wrong and totally un-Zoroastrian thing by the High Priests but they refuse to remove this infernal thing. So much for so called religious teachers who are now Trustees of the BPP!
To answer your query, it is TOTALLY RIGHT to have a Sarosh no Kardo done even though the body is in the freezer. Even if a body is being brought from abroad, the Sarosh no Kardo should begin in Mumbai from the day of death.
Best regards,
Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram
Reverend Saheb Hathiram
Thank you very much for enlightening me. However I am slightly confused and will be greatful if you will clarify this misunderstanding. If Sarosh No Kardo can be performed before Paidust why is it that our mobeds are not doing the same when the body is kept at the bangli due to unopportune time for its disposal? If Sarosh no Kardo cannot be performed because of the presence of the body in the bangli, can it be performed in an Agyari on the first day?
With Regards,
Hootokshi Thanawalla
Dear Hootokshi,
The Kardo cannot be done in the same place where the body has been put. So technically the Kardo can be done in the Agiary. But it is best to have prayers said on the same spot where the Sachkar has taken place. If the Bhoi nu Bhantar is properly said in front of the body there is really no need for the additional Kardo.
If you wish, the prayers of the Kardo can be recited in another place.
Best regards,
Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram
Reverend Marazbansaheb
I am highly obliged to receive your reply clarifying the position.
Best regard
Hootokshi