Roj Spendarmad Mah Khordad, 1379 Yz.
One evening, somewhere around the end of 1906, on a red-letter day of the Parsi calendar (a Hamkara, when Parsis are supposed to visit the Agiary), Behramshah’s wife told him that though she tried she could not somehow make it to the Agiary that day and since it was a Hamkara, she thought that at least somebody should offer sandalwood to the Padshah on their behalf. But nobody known could be seen that day and as the evening advanced, she requested Behramshah himself to visit the Baug-e-Parsa Adaran nearby and handover the sandalwood and some Chamach money to anyone going inside. It had become time for Behramshah’s normal evening walk too and he agreed and started getting ready to go outside. As he bent down to tie the laces of his shoes, Behramshah suddenly remembered the wise words of the Sraoshavarez Marzbanji Saheb: ‘Behramshah, when you are around 47 years old, and the following planet will enter some house of your horoscope, there will be a sudden and inexplicable series of events which will force you to announce to the outside world where you have been and what you have been taught. It will be the time to teach Parsis the true Zoroastrian knowledge of Khshnoom.’
Behramshah realized that indeed, he had passed the age and in his mind he wondered what would happen next. Having got ready, Behramshah took the sandalwood and the Chamach money from his wife and began walking towards the Baug-e-Parsa Adaran, a short distance away from his house in Machlipeeth, Surat. As he neared the entrance of the Adaran, Behramshah saw a Mobed standing there, so he performed his Kusti and then handed over the sandalwood and the Chamach money to the Mobed Saheb. As he turned around to continue his walk, he saw a group of youngsters and middle aged men sitting in the verandah next to the Adaran, discussing something. Always curious to know more, Behramshah went near the verandah and heard an elderly man talking about Atash to the assembled group. Behramshah stood there silently, listening to the man. The person delivering the talk was Manchersha Master and the group was the Bazm, in its monthly meeting. Manchersha saw the very tall and dignified personage of Ustad Saheb and politely requested him to take a seat and listen to the discussions. Behramshah sat down and listened and soon thereafter, Manchersha Master finished speaking on the topic of the day – Atash Vohufrian.
As the talk ended and the boys were ready to disperse, Ustad Saheb suddenly got up and with great respect asked: ‘You have discussed about Atash Vohufrian, but what do you know about Atare Dara, Atare Khoreh, Atash Nairyosangh, Atare Frah and other such Atash energies?’ The way Behramshah asked this question immediately raised the interest of Manchersha Master. He replied to Behramshah: ‘Sir, we are not even aware of the names of the Atash you have mentioned. Perhaps if you know something about them you could explain it to us, since we are eager to know all about our religion.’ The way Manchersha Master posed the request to Behramshah was so dignified, genuine and full of sweetness that Behramshah was immediately inspired to speak. Behramshah began speaking about the various Atash energies in a slow manner, but used such difficult and esoteric language that very little of what he said was understood by the boys as well as by Manchersha.
Even though he had not understood a word of what Ustad Saheb had spoken, Manchersha, with his deep knowledge as well as uncanny ability to spot a genuine person, realized that he was standing in front of a man far advanced than he was. He gently told Behramshah: ‘Sir, whatever you have spoken was very difficult for us to comprehend. May I request you to speak a little slowly and in simpler language so that we may absorb some of the knowledge you have given.’ Ustad Saheb agreed and promptly repeated everything he had just said, as if a recorder was replaying an earlier cassette. But this time, Manchersha Master could make out a little of what Ustad Saheb was trying to say. Manchersha once again requested Behramshah to repeat and rephrase what he had said a third time. Behramshah once again repeated his talk, almost word to word. After this, Manchersha gave a summary of what Ustad Saheb had spoken and asked him: ‘Have I summarized correctly?’ Ustad Saheb replied: ‘You are very close to the original.’ In this manner, the knowledge of Khshnoom was first given to the outside world by Ustad Saheb.
Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram
OCT