Feb 1965

( False medium for old wisdom FEB. ^MAR6H —tr.i < t fe, «. £.(U. K.J 1.1 E. E. fi. ? <» ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Eyes tested by qualified eye­ specialist on attendance (COURTESY and FAIR-DEAL) ? ? <• ? ? I »> ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? I ? 'V ? ? ? ? «Duality of God-head in the Gatha ( A DISCOURSE ) By Jotindra Mohan Chatterjee M.A. { parity between Ahura and Angra Mainyu is started between The Head-line might suggest that I am going to say something about the supposed rivalry between Ahura Mazda and Antgra Manyu. Far from that. The idea of Mazda ri an apathetk principle, goes on its own way, unmindful of the praise or the blame, and the pleasure and the pain, of the votary. A stern God would give every man his desert, awarding condign punish ­ ment to the sinful. A kind God would try to win him over by love. Hinduism discusses both the problems at some length. In it, the Impersonal mood is known as the Brahma-aspect of God, and the Personal mood as the Iswara aspect. Similarly the stern atti ­ tude is called the Aishwarya aspect, and the kind attitude as the Madhurya aspect. Hinduism solves the problem by admitting both the aspects to be true. Sankara is the champion of the Brahma Aspect, and Ramanuja of Iswara Aspect. But Ramanuja does not say that Sanka­ ra ’s viewpoint is wrong, he only says that it does not suffice. Similarly the cham­ pions of Madhurya aspect, do not say that God does not punish the wrong ­ doer, they only add that He sometimes forgives, and that He is full of love, and when He punishes. He does so like a parent, only for the benefit of the trans ­ gressor. There is an elaborate discussion in Hindu philosophy on both these points viz. (1) the relation between Brahma and Ishwara, as well as (2) the inevitability of KARMA-FALA (i.e. Justice) and the scope for mercy (i.e. Love) .To some people the two alterna ­ tives in both the cases are very much contrary, and cannot be reconciled at all. But the large majority of the scholars accept the reconciliation. According to them there is (Inter-penetration) between and Ishwara, so both separate and one simultaneously. If I state that I find traces of the Brahma cult in the Gatha, I would draw on my head, a chorus of condemnation and curse. Orthodox pundits would rush out to prevent the sacrilege, and inter ­ cept my wanton mis-interpretation of the Gatha. There is some justification are for such action. The Brahma-cult, with . • ail its merits is inimical to what we This is not possible in case of physical popularly understand by Religion. Apa­ thetic Brahma is heedless of the prayers and petitions of the devotee. He is quite colourless, and may not be said to feel kindly towards anybody. The agonies of his innumerable creatures do not move him an inch from his settled course. Thus hymns and chants fall flat on His deaf ears, and prayers, adora ­ tion, sacrifice and worship all count for nothing and they might be altogether jettisoned, as mere waste of energy. Thus Brahma-Vada cuts at the root of what is known as Religion. This is why Chai- tanya said, that Sankara ’s interpretation of the Vedanta Sutras, is likely to cause confusion. The Padma Purana goes a step further and says that Sankara ’s Mutual Adhayasa Brahma that they things, for material objects are exclusive of each other. But it is the privilege of spirits to be able to hiter-pdnetrate. Two minds imay be so attuned to each other, that one feels the agony of the other, in the same way and to the same extent. Love melts away the barrier between minds and makes them one-in-two. In the matter of punishment (Karma-fala) also, love takes away the poignancy of the infliction. Oppression that proceeds from the beloved, is no longer oppression. As the great Jalal expresses it ;— Nalam O tarsam Ki U bawar Kunad O aj Karam an jor-ra Kamtar Kunad Masnavi 1-1075 “I complain of violence, and am yet afraid lest he will believe me, and out of 8 goodness reduce it ”. I am not here so much concerned with their reconcilia ­ tion. My purpose is only to point out that both the sets of ideas, are current in Hindu religious literature, as also are those of (1) the idea of Brahimia and the idea of Iswara and (2) the idea of Justice (Aiswarya) and the idea of Love (Madhurya), Let us see what Gath a has to say in the matter.philosophy is Buddhism (i.e. atheism) in disguise. It is therefore easy to under ­ stand the opposition to the supposed presence of Brahma-cult in the Gatha. It should however be noted, that mere the wit of Sankara. For the “Substance ” of Spinoza, {of which Mind and Matter are two modes of expression) and the “Pure Being” of Hegel, (which evolves the universe by the three processes of Thesis, Anti-Thesis, and Synthesis) are only variations of the Brahma-idea. mention of Brahma-cult is one thing, conception of Brahma, as the ulti ­ r and its approbation is another. What harm there is to the Parsi Religion, if inescapable. Whatever may be said Brahma is mentioned in the Gathaj but about the ‘What ’ {nature) of the Abso- is not extolled? Ramanuja also is a great opponent of the Ideal Monism of Sankara, and an ardent champion of the Bhakti (devotion) cult, but he does not say, that Impersonal (Nirguna) Brahma does not occur in the Upanishads. He only says that it does not suffice to explain the origin of the universe, or the religious urge in man. -------------- mate source of the Universe, seems lute, the “That ” .(existence) of the Abso ­ lute is admitted by almost all the Schools of Philosophy. Of course there is a Philosophy of Materialdsm, and one of Pluralism, and th^t of Scepticism. But the upholders of these systems hardly believe in their own assertions, not to speak of carrying conviction, to UPC vxrv* L. What harm there others. It seems improbable that a is in thinking that the attitude of the profound .thinker like Bhagavan Zara- Gaitha in this matter, is more or less dmstra was entirely jgnwaiit of this fundamental coneeptiain) 'and that in propounding his philosophy of religion — the most rational of aB he left the Idea of the Brahma entirely out of consMeration. It would not therefore be phiosopihieal very strange, if there is a reference to Brahma in the Gatha. was similar. Let us therefore have no preju ­ dice, that the mere mention of the Brahma, would contaminate the Gatha. I would go a step further and say that the evaluation 'Of Brahmia-cult, if any is implied in the text of the Gatha, would raise the level of its l discussion. For let us look the o1lh«r way see what its absence would mean. That the conception of the Brahma dhe Absolute ^ar^thushtra fa fthe (most {resolute tmono- thefat! in the whole galaxy of the Prophets. And monotheism, in the ulti ­ mate analysis, is based on Monism. I would even say that such reference would be very appropriate. Bhagavan of European metaphysics) is one of the fundamental conceptions of philosophy cannot be denied. In spite of all his defects, Sankara ’s is a name that may not be trifled with in the region of philo- For if there is not one Entity at its root, be said that the the Universe ceases to be a Universe and becomes a multi-vose. In a multiverse sophy. It may not modern age of Science has out-'grown 9there can be no system (no general law tation, suggests that none of them may that governs all the units), no sense of have been correct. comparatice value, and therefore no meaning in life. I am therefore inclined to hold that Bhagavan . Zarathushtra accepted the idea of (he Brafaina, 'but Idid mot loonfine himseilf )to it. He jbrought out all its implications ^and /oomtrived la Bhakti cult out of lit. Even in Sanskrit, the word Brahma has a numiber of meanings, as Amara Kosa enumerates :— Vedas tatwam tape Brahma Brahma Viprah Projapatih Brahma has all these meanings (2) Reality (1) Veda (2) Reality (3) Discipline (4) Brahmin and (5) Prajapati. In the well-known word “Brahma Chari ”, Brahma means ‘displine ’. But that does not warnant one to claim, that it should always mean ‘discipline ’. The first point to consider, is whether in this As the Religion of the Veda may appear to be, at first sight, a polytheistic cult, it might do away with the category of Brahma. But a monotheistic Religion of the Gath a can hardly do without it. Of course one may not invent Brahma passage, Brahma can also be interpreted in the Gatha, if it is not there, hut at the as the Ultimate Reality. And the next same time one should not shut his eyes point is to consider which m.eaning is at it, if it is there. the most appropriate. A very glaring instance where Brahma does not mean Ultimate Reality ”, is in the Gita “Mama Yonir Mahat Brahma ” means I think Brahma is definitely mentioned in the the Gatha in the line 1 2 3 4 5 Hada Westa Bahmeng Saraosha Radhangho 2 3 15 Know Brahma by constantly adoring (recollec- 4 ting) with reverence. “Know Brahma ” is stated here in the categorical voice of the Upanishada. Brahma Himself, and not His Will. (‘ Brahma ’ becomes ‘ Bahma ’ in Zend by dropping the ‘ r ’ as ‘ Prati ’ becomes ‘ Paiti ’). (14-3) where ‘Brahma ’ means ‘Nature ’ (a meaning missed by Amara Kosa) but it Yas- 46-7 dees not counter-act, that in most of the passages of the Gita-, Brahma means the Ultimate Reality (“The Absolute ” of European Philosophy.) Thus whatever may be the meaning of Brahma, in other passages of the Gatha, let us hold, that in this passage at least, Brahma means the Ultimate Reality, Such meaning is possible and there is no reason why it should be rejected, only to I am aware that the word Bahma has suit the susceptibilities of the empiricist been variously interpreted us ‘praise ’ translators. In the excess of the zeal to ‘glory ’ ‘worship ’or. ‘Will ’. That does not maintain the purity of the Bhakti Yoga operate as an estoppel — on the other (which requires two persons, God and hand, want of unanimity in the interpre- His devotee) let us not try to erase all >¦ 10 44 4I traces of monistic Bralhma, out of the Gatha. Such ah attitude is based on a mis-eonception, and results in detracting the glory of Bhagavan Zarathushtra. For it is tantamount to saying that the Foremost Prophet of mankind was entirely ignorant of such fundamental philosophical idea as that of the Abso ­ lute. Yet let us not be guided by mere sentiment. Let us take an oibjective vieiw of the matter, and look for the back­ ground, and historical development, of the Gathic ideas. Gatha was ushered in at a time, when the Vedic religion was fairly advanced. As a matter of fact, the object of Bhaga­ van Zarathushtra, seems to have been the reformation of Vedic religion. Thus he starts by saying “Ayao noit eres visyata Daeva chino ” (Yas 30-5) “Of them two, the Deva-worshippers do not see aright ” Deva-worship was current at the time, and there was intimate inter ­ course between the Vedic people and the Gathic. That is how Yajurveda borrows the Gatjhic metres Asuri Gayatri, Ush- nik, and Pankti,* and the Atharva Veda borrows the word ‘Anghra Manyu’ out of the Gatha,, and converts it into Ugra Manyu. (Atharva Veda 1-10-1). This is the back ground of the Gatha. Now the idea of the Brahma was fully developed in the Rigveda. It speaks of Him, as one breathing ‘without air’ (Rig Veda 19-129- 2), for even the existence of a second substance as air is inconsistent with the extreme monism of the Brahma. It is unlikely that Bhagavan Zarathushtra was completely in the dark about this, a very cardinal idea, of the Veda. lib is more reasonable to suppose, that the doctrine had reached his ears. A Refor ­ mer does not reject the old cult in toto. He retains the good points, and discards the baneful ones. Bhagavan Zarathush ­ tra did not reject the ideas of Rita (Rectitude) or Amritata fImmortality), or the Fire cult, merely because they were current in the Rig Veda, and the likewise did not also reject the idea of Ultimate Monism. This finds expression in'his words :— “ Yehya ma aithis chit dwayetha (Yes 32-16 and 48-9) - that there may before me, the end of all duality. This is also how the idea Zravan Akarena crops up in the Avesta. I am well aware of the large volume of oppo ­ sition that there is against this concept, and that this dogma is by many persons considered to be nothing but crass heterodoxy. I can well understand their motive. A misunderstood monism, is destructive of all devotion and of all morality. For Brahma knows not the dis­ tinction between love and hatred, or between right and wrong, while devotipn to God, and pursuit of rectitude is the very essence of Mazda Yasna, Thus Brahma Vada and Mazda - Yasna seemed to be quite incompatible. But the whole opposition is based on a mis ­ conception about the relation between Brahma and God. Rightly understood Brahma Vada would seem to be the very 'llfoundation of Mazda Yasna. This phasise the devotional and moral aspects cannot be dismissed with impunity, of Religion. That is a fundamental neces- Thus those people who raised a hue and sity. For without the background of cry against Zravan Akarensa, ended, by Morality, there can be no genuine search making Ahriman a rival of Mazda. For for God, and without the reverence for there is no denying the fact that there God, there can be no question of attune- ~is Evil in the world, and one who does ment with Him. Disregard of this funda- noC know how to eliminate Evil in the mental principle had brought things to super-cosmic Entity of Brahma, would such a pass that “the worst moral ever be inclined to consider the existence culprits came to be regarded as the of Evil as a blemish in God, and hold it favourites of Gods ”. It is for rectify ing to be due to a rival Force. To eliminate such state of things, that Bhagavan the Evil, (to kill the Vritra — as both the Zarathushtra preached his religion {Yas Veda and the Avesta describes it), the 32-4). That is why he kept the idea of a pass that help of Brahma is called for. This is the Brahma in the background, lest it very much evident in the celebrated creates a confusion about the great passage of the Avesta (Vendidad 19-9) importance of Rectitude. But he did not where Bhagavan Zarathushtra points out the way as to how to neutralise the powers of Angra Manyu. He reminds Angra Manyu, that Spenta Manyu also is again now seen in Theosophist Parsis. (with all his hosts), inheres in Zravan, By “keeping in the background ”. give the go-bye to this fundamental concept. This is how it Tears its head again and again as Zravan Akarana, as we mean that Bhagavan Zarathushtra did not prescribe this lesson for the primary -i it as an advance course, for the Upper classes. This is the a implication of the very significant line and ‘to persist’. Thus and thus Angra Manyu may not consi ­ der himself to be all in all. The verb “Dathad” in the text, has been translated classes, but reserved as ‘Created’ and that produced the con­ fusion. Root “dha” here is not transitive verb ; means ‘to hold on’ “dafthad Sponta nwiyus”, tnwns 5penta Manyu persists, and persists in Zravan. Thus the status of Zravan, as the source of these two prime-ordial opposite Forces, seems irrefutable. In any case, ‘Zravan ’ is there in the Avesta, and it seems to be a repetition of the idea of ‘Brahma ’ of the Gatha. No doubt Brah­ ma has been kept in the back ground in the Gatha, and intentionally so, for Bhagavan Zarathushtra wanted to it is intransitive, em- At hoi Vahmeng demane garo nidama Yas 45-8 And we would entertain that Brahmia in the House of Songs ’ (i.e. the Highest Heaven). Realisation of Brahma (Coale­ scence of the Individual Sold with the World Soul) is a thing that is to be reserved for attainment in the highest heaven. Our immediate concern is with die Personal God or Mazda, to see Him and touch Him, and talk with Him. Darasto is ca Mazda hem parastois ca Yasna 33-6 & 46-8 & 32-2 12 f ** ¦ e t" i[The Gita however places Brahma- realisation and God-realisation on a par, but says that Brahma-realisation is more difficult to attain, Gita 12-5] The word Brahma occurs in the follo- We live in an age of sophistry and are subsequent or a consequent stage, the inclined to think that all talk about Gatha also does the same thing. But this seeing God and speaking with Him is is not to be- understood as disowning unreal. It is merely figurative. But the Brahma. the experience of earnest devotees (mystics) is different. Even the other day. Swami Vivekananda approached Rann Krisha Paramhansa and asked hilm whether he had seen God, and he got the reply that Paramhansa deva sees him more vividly than he seen Vive- wing passages of the Gatha (Yasna), (1) kananda. We may have more faith in our 34-2 ^2) 45-6 (3) 45-8 (4) 46-10 (5) 46-17 devermess, land Ireject (these Witnessses as (6) 48-1 (7) 50-7 18) 50-10 (9) 51-2 and dduded. But in that case we ought to (lO) 53-2. give up all discussion about religion, and be satisfied with the Positivism of Compte. To a true devotee, a God who cannot be perceived is as good as non­ existent. In any case Bhagavan Zara­ thushtra believed that Mazda could be seen, and he hungers for it. The prospect ’ of Breuna does not incline him to super­ sede Mazda. Whether coalescence with Brahma of the Gatha is the equivalent Brahma is desirable, or a necessity, may be taken up for consideration later on. The first thing to do is to get a vision Qj^iy jhis-wise the advent of Zravan Out of these 10, only in three passages viz. (1) 34-2 (2) 46-10 and (3) 50-10, Brahma means glorification. In the remaining seven passages Brahma may very well be interpreted as the Absolute. (Transcendent God). I am therefore inclined to think that of the Brahma of the Upanishad i.e. the AlbsOlute of the Western Philosophy. of Mazda. The Bhagavata Purana, the most esteemed manual of the Hindu devotee, says (3-25-19) that the ibest way of attaining Brahma, is devotion to to God. j says the same thing viz. that Brahma- Iran through all vidssitudes, and^ it realisation is in the gift of Mazda (1) Vehmeng Vakshat Ahura (Yas 48-1) May Ahura give us Vahma (2) Vahmai daidi savanho Akarana may be accounted for. Let me now take up the question of Sufism. Sufism is the very spirit of Iran. Bhagavan Zarathushtra also It is this undying spirit that sustained asserts itself with renewed vigour after her very downfall. Every bit of literature in Iran, worth the name, is replete with Sufistic idea. Some people have tried to trace its origin, to the ’ influence of Greek Philosophy, others to that of Indian Philosophy, and some others to (Yas 51-2) Inspire reverence, for (the attainment of ) Brahma. Just as Bhagavat Purana, reserves the Koran. They are all mistaken. Sufism is question of Brahma realisation, for a a genuine product of Iran — the rare 13firuit of the noble tree of Gatha. Far IdeahMonism of Zravan Akarana, was from being a product of Islam, Sufistm coursing into his Iranian blood. was considered to 'be antagonistic to Islam, and its first exponent in post- Islamic Iran, Mansur (al hallaj), a very great son of Iran, was killed on the scaffold. It is the insistent and persistent attempts of the Iranian saints, that gradually reconciled Islam to Sufism. But for the life-long devoted service of Iranian saints, like Bostami, Tabrez and Ghazzali, Sufism would not have found a place in annals Of Islam. The final reconciliation was made by Jalaluddin Rumi, one of the greatest sons of Iran, whose Masnavi is considered to be the Bible of Sufism. 4 But a word of caution is here nece­ ssary — a very important caution, disregard of which operates to make Monism seem unacceptable to Zoroas- trians. The Foremost Prophet of man­ kind did not fail to perceive that extreme monism is destructive of all religious sentiments, and therefore he took care to remind us that this At-one-ment with Brahma, is to be attained, not by con ­ templation, but by love. There is a world of difference, between the two points of view — one is the Pure Monism of Sankara and the other is the Modified Monisim of Ramanuja. Ramanuja’s mission was to revive religious fervour, as against the dull dreary quietism of Sankara, and Ramanuja championed Taft nur-i-subeh o ma aj nur-i-tu At-onement through love. This is what Dar sabuhi ba mai-i-Mansur-i-tu Bhagavan Zarathushtra had taught ages (Masnavi 1-1809) ahead. He puts the question as to what “The light of dawn has shone forth, and from Thy light, we are engaged in the morning-drink, with the wine of Thy Mansur”. And Mansur’s great speU, ‘An Al Haque’ “I am the Reality” and simple Brahma-Vada. And this Brahma-Vada is a theme of the Avesta. For even those uitra-dualsts, who deny who wants to know Brahma through any trace of Brahma in the Gatha cannot good mind, deny that Zravan Akarana is there in the Avesta, and Zravan Akarana is only another name for Brahma. And if Man­ sur ’s glimpse of Brahma may be traced down by Panini 7-1-39] to the Avesta, there is no reason why we should seek it in Greece or India. Mansur persisted in repeating “An al Haq ” up to his last breath, because this Jalaluddin openly admits his debt to Mansur ; would be the duties of that person who wants to attain Brahtaia, and he then replies that it should be through love. Yehya Bahma Vohu frashi Mananha Ahya Khratu fra ma sastu Vahista Yas 45-6 Tell me all about the duties of him is pure [It may be noted that the ‘e’ in Bahme is not the sign of the locative case. It is the ‘e’ of the first case-ending, as laid 4 The reply is :— Ta ve vohu mananha Ashai ca Sabais Civisi Yas 51-15 V' 14“Attain that, through conscience, for Self-same, and yet there is a difference Rectitude, and by Love ” in their function. Bhagavan Zarathush ­ tra also offers the same solution, and I It is to be noted that prescription of surprised fif Vedanta |book Love as ithe luwdiod imarics/the trai^^ _______ ___ “ from Impersonal (to flPeirsoli^ Zarathushtra, Brahma is Mazda, and the cue from the Gatha. For Bhagavan Brahma to Mazda^ For love implies res­ ponse (fnom ithe ’Reloved) and (tlherefore Personality. There can be no love where there is no possibility of response from the beloved (irrespective of whether it is favourable or not, in the beginning). In the matter of love, an impersonal entity^ on whom OUT yearning cannot make the least impression, is as good as dead, and love is bound to wither away sooner or later. Thus by his acceptance of love as the method of worship, Bhagavan Zara ­ thushtra shows his preference for perso- emancipation, but laA^o ^as Jtihe conditloo Mazda is Brahma. (1) “Jyais perethus Behmanhya Yusma- kahya”. Yas, 40-7 “ May I attain communion with You who art Brahma ” (2) “ Kshnum Mazdao Bahmai ” Yas 53-2 '* The ecstacy of Mazda, the Brahma ”. Then again, Bhagavaai Zaaathnslitea paiopoaes iLove, foot lonly |flK method of nai God. But this does not mean that of /the temaneipotted Isoul. he ignores the other aspect in toto. Both die aspects are tnecessairy,. God ito 'uphold {Reotitude, Islnd {Impeitso- nal IGod to (expikilhi Jtbe iorigiui lof BvSL But how can these two opposite i Katham Mazda Jaren Carani haca Kxmat Yas 44-17 When, Mazda, would I whirl and re-whirl along with you ? This is la complete repudiation of the features. Personality and Impersonality, view of Sankara, who does not tolerate be reconciled in the same. Being ? The the existence of two, in the emancipated sohitkw* tfaiggested Uy /Vedamta lis imutiial state. Adhyasa on* inter-peuietirafionu Bridima Interpenetrates Iswara, and Iswara inter­ penetrates Brahma. This Brahma is Iswara and Iswara is Brahma — they are one-in-two and two-in-one. A similar instance we find in the ONE. A similar instance we find in the psychological fact of INTROSPEC­ TION, WHERE THE MIND IS BOTH THE SUBJECT AND ALSO THE OBJECT of the same action. The self which Sts (witnessed, is Ino (other than the Self which witnesses it. They are the mate knowledge of the Vedic atmos- (Pessoaial The the existence of two, in the emancipated and The song of Love tuned by Bhagavan Zarathushtra, is echoed in the much- maligned Khetu-avadata of the Avesta. If worship through Madhur-Rasa does not affect) the purity of Chaitanya, if the simile of the bridegroom does not soil the purity of the New Testament, there can be nothing obscene in the K'hetwa avadiat of the Avesta. (Yasna 12-28) For all these reasons viz. (1) an inti- 1516). But He is also the Source of forgive ­ ness, or ir.erej di'ka — (Yas 51-4). The Rahim. Ab - e halam O stas-e Khasan al pisar Ham je hak bini Ghu bi-gushai nazar ¦’¦S. It is thus evicent that the Gatha is CGinscious also of this variety of Duality viz. that which is constituted by the highest attributes of Justice and Love. It is however the all-aibsorbing Love , phere (2) the development of the idea in attributes of God-Head viz. His Justice the ’Zravan A’karana of the Avesta and and Love are kept prominent before the (3) the recurrence of Sufisim in Iran, it eyes. The Gatha also recognises the is reasonable to infer that " the ’ word distinction. Mazda also, like Indra, is Brahma in the Gatha, means the same the killer of Vritra-Verethrenja (Yas 44- thing'as Brahma in the Upanishad viz. the Absolute Ultimate Reality, and any Other-explanation of the word is merely Sinner is net excluded from His love beatitng about the bush. ‘ < (Yas 43-4) Islam too evinces the idea in It is thus evident that the Gatha is its ccnception of Al Kahar and Al quite cbii'^idus of this vari^ ’ of Duali ­ ty of Godhead viz. that Whith is reflec ­ ted in its Personar arid Impersonal aspects: I would now only touch on the Other variety of “ Dualism viX.The Assar- ya Bibhava (Prowess Aspect) and the SON, WHEN YOU OPEN YOUR Madhurya Bibhava (Love AspeptJ of the EYES, YOU WILL SEE THAT FROM Lord, One is the stern upholder of THE SAME GOD, PROCEED BOTH Justice, and the other is the kind of (1) THE WATER OF CLEMENCY and fountain of forgiveness and Love. Both (2) THE FIRE OF ANGER. th^* parents haiVe iiiifinitive love for the '(^jjd.' but the Father has an eye for discipline and has got to be stern, while the Mother brings about a change of hCarf by her tears. child is uppermost in the mind of both ’ • - - -- - of them but Wir'methods of correction for' God — the Surus — that is pre- dilTer. The contrast is developed in the Hindu Puranas, particularly in the Vais- hiava Literature, but the idea is met with nal Brahma, and evolve out of it perso- in an ascent state in the Veda. No nal M.azd'a, and it taught her tn look dojubt Indra is the Chief God in the upon Mazda, as the Friend, the Brother Yedas, (Just as Vishnu is the Chief God and the Father. (Yas 45-11). in the Puranas) but Vishpu is not un­ known to the Vedas, There are several hymns addressed to Vishnu. The main characteristic of Indra is that He assails Vritra, i.e. He flgbts the Evil. The main characteristic of Vishnu is that He is the fountain of honey (Rig 1-154-5) i.e. the "Kbfan. This is what led Abu Said The 'Spring of love. Thus the two principal celebrated Doctor of Sufisim to state that 46 The good of the eminent by the Religion of Iran. That enabled her to negotiate with Imperso- It enaibled her to win over Islam with the Philosophy of Sufism. Sufism is the Elixir that changes the Caterpillar into the Butterfly. There is no trace of Sufism in the 4"38? < At infinity, it describes a Ckck (named Kula Kundalini by the Hindus) and tums badc to Mazda. Then it is call^ Sufism is to be found in the 8/7th Chap­ ter (i.e. the unwritten chapter) of the Koran (Nicholson studies, in Islamic Mysticism p. 59) Sufism is the spirit of the Gatha, and with this alchemy, the Iranians transmuted Islam. In this Conquest of Islam, Mansur gave the start But he did this very abruptly toy crying “An al Haq ” before a crowd, and he had to pay for this indis ­ cretion by his life. He was put to the scaffold. Jalal says the same thing, but he does so very adroitly, by imputing the status to Hazrat Muhamlmad, (so that notne could contradict it, without ques ­ tioning the dignity of Hazrat Muham­ mad) He says that “which way Muham­ mad looked, he saw the face of Allah”. and unless we find Chun Muhammad pak and jin nar O dud Har Kuja ru Kunad Ojah Alla bud Masnvi 1-1392 And Jalal is regarded as the Second prophat of Islam. Mansur did not do any thing else. He saw God in everybody, including him­ self. He did what Hazrat Muhammad himself did. But this is giving up com ­ pletely the Semitic theory of creation viz. creation out of nothing, and revert ­ ing to the Gathic idea of creation, which is that of Transformation, viz., that God created the world out of his own Being. For the two Manyus (Forces) which form the warp and the web of the Uni­ verse, are the Manyus of Mazda-emana- tion of His Energy. Yas 19-9). As a matter of fact there is only one Manyu. in it, more and more. Spenta Mainyu (Centripetal Force). When it conies out of Mazda, it is Angra Mainyu, and when it goes back to Mazda, it is Spenta Mainyu. In man, (as in every thing created), there is the play of the two Maiinyus, and when Spenta Manyu preponderates, he reaches atone ­ ment with Mazda. But the Manyu (whether in its forward, or its backward course) is the Energy of Mazda. Every thing in the universe, is a chip of the old block, and in seeing the Universe, we see the manifestation of God. The water in the pitcher represents the water of the sea, and we can see His face in the Friend, in the Brother, in the Father (Yas 45-11). God has got to be seen in his manifestations, and unless we find God the Universe, we would find him nowhere. The Transcendental God — the Brahma— eludes our grasp. The Imma­ nent God—Mazda— may be seen every­ where. He it is that is playing part of the Father, the Husband, the Worker, the Merchant, the Saint, and the Multitude of Saints (Yas 53-4). There is nothing in the Universe, that is not His manifesta ­ tion — both Light and Darkness come from Him (Yas 44-5) No doubt there is a vast difference in the degree of his manifestation. His manifestation - is higher in the man, than in the beast, higher in the beast than it is in the wood. In other words, it is the presence of a greater proportion of Spenta Manyu in the object, that serves to manifest Mazda , as we ascend As it issues out of Mazda, it is called higher and higher in the Scale of Angra Mainyu or Centufugal Force — Existence. \1Ahya Manyeus tw.em ahi ta spenta Yas 47-3 •*Whatever is Spenta (good) in the Spirit, that Thou art". highest Manifestation — the Behest. This becomes possible for us when Spenta Manyu (the Benign Energy) develops into Bahist^ Mana (Purest Mind), within ourselves. oeeult in /the (religion proadied by hhn. Mazdia tis /the tipholder of; justice und love, (and /He can he laititained jtfaDQUgh Rectitude (Asha) and Devotion (Sarosh). The End of our life is to reach His The more one is attuned to Him through Rectitude and Love, the -more Godly (Twavan) (Yas 31-16) does he become, and the better qualified for the sight of Mazda. This is what makes Jalaluddin Rumi turn towards the cult of Zarathu ­ shtra, as the last resort, even at the risk of being considered a Hindu. At ashaune vashistem mano Yas 30-4 It is then that we feel the presence of Mazda, and walk in His company. Kathem Mazda Jarem Carani haca Kshmat In this matter of attaining the Highlit Hindu (believer in Life} it is Bhagavan Zaraitliiiisifajtra who amongst the Turks gives us the greatest aid. For of aU the Ptaophefs he had /the Iddairest /idea, as to what God j mealiis, and what |are His relaittoiis Mth /men. There is hazy, nioith]ii^ (mysterious, or nothing Parsi goem hein tazi bi - hil Hindu - e an Turk bash, ai ab O gil Ma&navi 3-2839 e Let us speak Persian. Yes, abandon Yas 44-17 Aibic. Oh man of water and clay, be a the Absolute) . Hon Mazda Hon Mazda Hon Mazda (“ Hon ” is the Iranian replica of “ OM ”) Hon (Ahunad » Hun ¦ Aum » Om (H = A; N - M). 18DINI SAAL Zoroastrian Religious Year Behram D. Pithavala s this day and joyfully takes part in the The Sun returned to the first degree of Arles, in the month ofFravardin, Shah Jamshed performed Jashan ceremony on that day and called it Navroze. Whosoever performs Jashan on celebration thereof, will pass his life in happiness till the next day of Navroze. Wise men have confirmed this experience. —Omar Khayyam ( 1025-1123 A.D.) in his Navrozenameh. Clarion call of Teer Yazad — Teer Yasht, para 36. “Kadha Airyao dainghavo hooyairyao bawaonti ?” When will the Aryan countries become followers of a true calendar (“Hooyaairyao ”) ? Dini-Fasli Sai is the only year which a true Zoroastrian should follow. This calendar coincides with nature and the Laiw of Asha Vahista, symbolised by KHURSHED YAZAD (Sun). According to the teachings of Zoroastrianism, all prayers and ceremonies should be in consonance with not only the months and days of the year, but even with the t Gahs (five daily periods of Naimaz.) According to Shayast-La-Shayast cere ­ monies not performed on the proper day and time do not result in giving proper spiritual effect. All truth-seeking Zoroastrians know that the year generally followed by us has lagged behind nearly six (months, with the result that the prayers and cere ­ monies to be performed in the Summer are now being performed in Winter and vice versa. True Zoroastrian New Year which should begin with Spring now falls in monsoon. Sohiab. Both the current Parsi Calendars are incorrect, and the true amd correct calendar can only be the one, that reckons the year as beginning from the day of the Vernal Equinox. In Dadestan-i-Dinik it is stated that the Holy Fravashis of the departed souls return to this mortal world “during the ten Farvardegan days, on their anniver ­ saries, on Roz Farvardin Mah Adar, and whenever they are invoked during the year ”. It is, no doubt true that the Fravashis can be invoked at any time. But a strong argument can be advanced that if our ancient religious texts indi- 19cate a particular period of the year as Word of God (Ahunavar) (at the time of the proper time for the visit of the Fra- vashis, who come to bestow their choicest blessings on their devotees, it is our ( correct period and to observe it at the question of our true New Year day. true and correct time. “ “ “ “^“er of mere annual cele- brations and festivities. The present wrong calendars have upset all our important religious feasts and it is our old — should study for himself 0/herself bounden (duty to iset things right once this important problem and make sincere, earnest and persevering efforts toward a true solution of this vexed question ? We see the right, we know the right but Ido the wrong, iso isays Mr. Hdmi ID. Batnafi. Creation .—Zand-Akasih(i) *. J Since some decades past a controversy duty to ascertain this true and been raging in our community on Every right thinking person of our comtounity —roan, woman, young and for all in the light of the extant books our religious customs and usages and dictates /of common ismse. Our Calendar was based on )thie 'Sun’s passage iziodSacal isli^. We humbly give below some cogent reasons to prove that, as in Iran in ancient times, our religious year must be made to Istairit (from ithe day of ithe entry of the 'Sun into Aries, which happens on the 21st of March every year. We do not want to impose upon you. We only want It was a custom of the Iranians to keep the days of Gatha near the Vernal to consider this matter in a spirit of Equinox. —Afoul Hasan Kushyar (about dispassionate inquiry, leaving aside aO 1058 A.D.). prejudices land (preconceptions. ponejudices land ipreoonceptioiis. The quotation given at the top of this discussion is pregnant with meaning. It showis that in Iran a reHigioiis year Gathas were always kept in the season of Spring. Gahambars were festivals connected with seasons. —Majority opi- idon (of (flie Bairibay Pmsi Pundiayet (MSnuy ISaal), as .distinct tnm a civa Paiiicliang CommiMBe. » had its inception at the very dawn of it creation itself. Its importance can be gauged from the fact that a whole chapter {No. XXV) is devoted to this subject in Bunddahishn under the heading “Religious Year ” (Saial-i"Di|iii). The expression “Dini Saal” not oofined by us. According tio my own views is not against the principles of our religion to add a day (as Kabiseh) — Sheth Mancberji Khareghat, President Bdmibay Parsi Punchayet Panchang Committee. 4 ‘Tz Ahunavar HVOnuy iSaaA jfcaz buit”, i.e., the Spiritual year arose from the Evotution of Calendar in iran The phenomenon of day and night 20was the only means of measuring time in bygone ages. Thereafter the people conceived the idea of measuring time by reference to the cyclic waxing and waning of the Moon ; the period of one such cycle they called “month ” from the Moon (“Mah” or “Mahya”). Later on, they observed that , the Sun does not rise in due East throughout the year ; they found that for about six months the Sun appears to move North ­ wards, then it seems to stand still (Solstice) and then it starts moving Southwards for another six months till it reaches the other Solstice. This period of six months they termed “Ayana”, and the period of two such Ayanas they termed “Yairya”, for which the English cogniate word is “year ”, German ‘jahr ’ (pron. Yaar). The Hindu Aryans commenced the year on the day the Sun started moving Northwards (i.e. from about 22nd Dece­ mber), since they believed that the gods resided in that direction. On the other hand, the Iranians believed that the abode of God (Dadar-i-Gehan) was in the South, and hence they started their year from the day the Sun moved Southwards (on or about 22nd June); their two main feasts then being the New Year day and the Mid-year day which coincides with the Sun’s move ­ ment Northwards and was called by them “Maidhyaiirya’^. Later on, the attention of the Iranians was drawn towards another phenome ­ non of nature which occurred perenni ­ ally : they saw a symbolical relationship I * to their own lives in the awakening of nature in the Spring. They argued that as a plant life apparently dies and passes into the darkness of Winter to be reborn in the Spring, so also man’s spirit and soul may be reborn again after death. They, therefore, began their year from the day the Spring started, which they observed was also the day of solar entry into Tropical Aries, the first sign of the zodiac. They symbolically enacted a perpetual cycle of life, death and newer life again by observing this new type of year. This year they styled “Saredha ”, because the two original six-month periods were now absorbed in this new scheme (Sa+Ardha). This is not a mere conjecture. Dinkard clearly affirms that the Religious Year is based on the signs and constellations (2) and, further, the first tfwo constellations, viz., Aswini i‘'Aspina ”) and Bharani (“Yevina” — Yoni) are specifically remembered in Haptan Yasht (3), the reason being that the Sun transits these Nakshatras during most of the first month of the religious year. Dvnii-Saal basis of the Gregorian Calendar Some allege that we are attempting to foist the Christian calendar on our community, but the very basis of the said calendar is Iraniam. The first day of the Gregorian calendar falls on the second da,y of the Maidyairya Gaham- bar (31st December/January 4), and its midpoint during the feast of Maidyo- shem (June 29/July 3). In short, the Christian year is encompassed by two impoTtant old Aryan feasts. 21of ttiie (Zoaxiastriaii Reigioiis Year The fact that the Zoroastrian Religi ­ ous Year was Solar Tropicsd is proved by following facts (i) it kept pace with the four seasons of ancient Iran, Starting with Spring on the J st of Fnavardin. 49 or 50 North La-t. This conclusively proves that the Iranians once lived in the Northern parts of Europe or. Asia, perhaps in the North of the Caspian Sea. The relationship of these crudaft days with two Ghambars and Navroze . As we have just seen, in ancient Iran the longest day was the first day of Maidhyoshem Gahambar (Mid-Summer The length of a tropical year is 365 Seasonal Feast). We know that this feast days, five hours, 48 minutes, 45 seconds occurred exactly 100 days after ithe New and about 42 thirds (=365.2421955 Year day. According to the Table of Sun­ days) which is the same as that given in Bundahishn. - (ii) its length is given as “365 days, five hours and a fraction ”. e rise and Sunset given by Raphael in his Yearly Ephemerides it is found that at 50 N. the longest day falls on June 29. In other words, the ancient Iranians observed this feast on a day correspon ­ ding to June 29. Logically, therefore, it follows that their New Year day must have been exactly 100 days before that date, viz. om March 21. Thus : After the Deluge (9,564 B.C.) referred to in the Vendidad, (Chapter II), the Iranians left their original homeland in the Arctic Region and came down Southwards and settled near about 50 degrees North Latitude. This appears from the length of the longest and shortest days in ancient Iran given in Bundahishn. The longest Summer day which fell Khurdad on Roz Khurshid, Mah Teer, was 16 hours long and was double the shortest Winter day. The Shortest Winter day occurred on Roz Behram, Mah Dae. ." At about 50 deg. North Latitude the Maidhyairya Gabambar. 76 days after longest day, June 29, is 16 hours 20 mts. long and that the shortest day is Janu­ ary 4 and its length is 8 hours 14 mts., i.€., almost half. r This does not happen at any other we take January 4 as the date corres- place considerably North or South of ponding to Roz Behram, Mah Dae, Fravardin (balance) 29 June 29 Ardibehesht Teer 30 May 31 30 April 30 11 March (balance ) 10 100 100 Similarly, in ancient Iran the shortest day fell on the fifth and last day of this was the New Year day. Referring to Sunrise and Sunset, we find that at the said place the shortest day of the year falls on Jamuialry 4. Therefore, if 22Navroze muist fall 16 days after January 4, i.e., on March 21. Thus : 10 January (balance) 27 30 30 February 5 March Dae (balance) Bahman Spendarmad Gathas Fravardin 28 22 Hamaspathamaeda. My humble sugges ­ tion is that it is made up of three distinct words; “Hamas” (Sk. Samas) meaning joining, juncture ; paths ; and“Maeda” midst of, i.e., during; and the meaning of the whole expression is thus “During the (meeting bff Ithe 'two Paths.’ “Patha” mean^ imeaning in the 76 76 Farvardt^iain days {Muktald)—When ? Fravardin Ya&ht declares in unequi ­ vocal terms that the holy Fravashis of the departed souls remain with us, yearn for our invocation and offerings to them and seek an opportunity to bless us in return, during the period of Hamaspa- thamaeda or the sixth and last Gaham- bar. According to Pajak Nask, these ten days come at the end of Winter, inclu ­ sive of the five days of Gatha. Dinkard testifies that Winter has its start in Iran on the day of solar entry into Capricorn (about 24th December —Roz Adar, Mah Dae), and ends on the day of solar egress from Pisces (March 20th). From a passage in N'ikadum Nask it becomes clear that the Gatha days always followed after the month of Spendar- mad. It was the considered opinion of a majority of the members of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet Panchang Committee that it was a custom amongst Iranians to keep the Gatha days (and hence the ten days of Farvardegan also) near the season of Spring as quoted above. The sixth IGahambar, (Feast (of Vemal {Equinox Nobody has yet satisfactorily ascef- atined the meaning of this Gahambar, We know that on the day of Vernal Equinox, the Sun arrives at the meeting place of the Ecliptic and the Celestial Equator, which are the two paths referred to above. Thus the last Gaham- bar must occur near the Vernal Equi- nox, which now happens on or about March 21. Equal Aength of (day laind Inight chiriing (hist 'Gahanfbar Bundahishn declares in categorical terms that during Hamaspathamaeda Gahambar “which occurs during the additional days of Gathas at the end of Spendarmad, the day and night again become equal ” (7). As we have seen afbove, this Gahaimbar must occur near the Vernal Equinox. As per religious year, therefore, this feast lasts from March 16 to 20. At its midpoint, on March 18, the day and night are almost equal throughout the world. It is note ­ worthy that at the Latitude of modem Iran j(40 North) the (days tis 'exactly 12 hours long on this date. This conclusive ­ ly proves that the last Gahambar (and hence the New Year day) must fall in about (the middle tof 'March , when Ithe Sun lis at ‘the Vernal Equinox land Hhe day land inight fare lequal, las (required by Bundalhishn. 23In «ZegBd.**n^^ I 29 IThe Dawn of Khshnoom Zoroastrian Occult Knowledge by P. N. Tavaria 4 i home and city by rail and detrains at Ajmer, which was a terminus station in those days. There is great commotion in the house at Surat, and telegrams fly to many relatives. Miracles shown by The youth who thus quit his home in dis- By P.. N. Tavaria. Ustad-Saheb Behramshah Naoroji Shroff drawn io Peshawar by the power of holy Nirang Formulae. the holy Zaroastrian Sage encamped gust was no other than our reversed Ustad- Saheb the late Seth Behramshah Naoroji Shroff. BEHRAMSHAH PROCEEDS TOWARDS PESHAWAR ON THE NORTHERN FRONTIER. After detraining at Ajmer Behramshah goes out for a stroll in the city. There he With the introduction of the Philological study in Bombay in the last century, the knowledge of Avesta-Pahlavi literatures which was in olden days mostly confined to the devout Dasturs — and hence unsullied — was acquired by a good number of Parsis in Bombay, and the translations of the en­ tire Avesta Scriptures were placed before the community by the indefatigable labours happens to meet one of his maternal uncles of the late learned Ervad Kavasji Kanga. residing there. Like other relatives this But the dark side of the picture was due to uncle also had received a telegram. So the the essentially limited scope of philology, latter knows that Behramshah being displeas- Consequently many adverse criticisms aris- gjj hag igff his home. He very much en- ing out of ignorance and misconceptions treats Behramshah to return to his mother ’s were levelled against Avestan Scriptures and place. But his entreaties are pf no avail. So Sacred religious rites and ceremonies. The the uncle suggests that he be informed from result of all this strange paradox was that time to time of the places Behramshah may instead of profiting by the philological stu- gQ to, so that he may remit him Rs. 25/- per dy, the community suffered irreparable harm month for his travelling expenses. Behram- in the shape of disintegration of faith and shah approves of this suggestion and agrees disregard of religious observances. to it. Sb the uncle allows him tp proceed, and telegraphs to Surat about his meeting When such was the sorry state of affairs, Behramshah. The latter then continues his a new light of the Esoteric Commentary journey onwards the North on camel or on Knowledge of the Zoroastrian religion began horseback, and reaches Peshawar, to shed its lustre in India fpr the first time in the beginning of the present century. There one day after attending to a nature ’s STRANGE BEGINNING is standing beneath a tree performing his Kushti prayer, when a stranger appear- Somewhere in 1875-76 a youth of about 17 ing to be a Pathan approaches him, and or 18 in a Parsi home in Surat happens to pointing to a camp having tents at a little have serious differences with his home peo- distance tells him “Our ‘Rad Saheb' desires pie. His maternal place becomes abhorrent to meet you". Behramshah has by now come to him, so, after making spme secret arrange- to learn the meaning of 'Rad’, as the ‘chief ’ ments about his clothes etc., he leaves his during his tour of Northern India. 31THE ‘RAD SAHEB’ READS BEHRAM- SHAH’S THOUGHTS OE APPREHENSION The approach of this stranger creates fears in Behramshah ’s mind, because he has heard that among such a tribe there is a practice that if a ring or an earring is to be robbed it must be done after cutting off the finger or the ear, when alone. According to them, it would be ‘Halal ’, i.e. legitimate ! Behram ­ shah had on his person some gold ornaments including a gold watch and chain belonging to his father. Such fears assail his mind when there approaches from that camp ano ­ ther person, who is aged, and who says to Behramshah, “Our Rad-Saheb bids me to in­ form you to entertain no fears about your life and property and requests you to come ”. With some hesitation still lingering in his mind Behramshah goes with the two men. He is taken into a big tent. There he sees something like a ‘Darbar ’ i.e. a royal court, in the centre of which is seated on a high and well adorned dais the chief who had an imposing personality. Besides the chief there are some in lower seats and others standing with great respect and reverence. Behramshah is given a warm welcome by the ‘Rad-Saheb’ and offered a seat and a plate of dry fruits. apprehensions and suspicions about the fruits offered, and hence partakes of only a few of them. Then the Rad-Saheb inquires of him about the Kushti or the holy thread ­ girdle, saying “Standing under that tree what were you tying round your waist ”?. Behramshah gives a fitting reply to the query. The talk between them is in Hindustani. Behramshah still has After this short talk, Behramshah, asks for leave to go and a man is sent to escort him to his hotel, with a bag of dry fruits as a present. At parting, Behramshah is press ­ ed very ardently by the Rad-Saheb to come again the next day, to which Behramshah agrees. BEHRAMSHAH HAS A DREAM The next day after taking his mid-day meal in the hotel Behramshah is resting on his “If bed. He begins to wonder why these Pathan-looking strangers should seek his company so eagerly? While he is lost in such thoughts sleep overtakes him. He ‘sees a vision in which he finds himself in an or ­ chard full of flowers and fruits, but there is to be seen no gardener or a custodian. I pluck some of these fruits, who will notice it? ”, asks he to himself. As soon as this thought passes through his mind a man wearing a white beard is seen approaching him; then a brook cpmes to sight and then a parapet by its side. The gardener sits on that parapet, then carries one of his legs on the side of the brook behind, and then the other, and suddenly drops into the brook with a loud noise. With that sound, Behram ­ shah wakes up only to find that it was all a dream. So he diverts his mind from all this and tries to forget it altogether. By now his former unwillingness to gp to the Rad- saheb ’s camp melts away, and he himself gets ready to proceed there. At this time, however, comes the attendant from the Rad- saheb and they both set out for the camp. > RAD-SAHEB RETELLS THE DREAM OF BEHRAMSHAH After giving a kind reception to Behram ­ shah and seeing him in his seat, the Rad- Saheb smilingly speaks to him—“Say Sir, how you lagged in your honesty and drown ­ ed that poor gardener! ” At that time Beh­ ramshah has forgotten about the dream he had in the afternoon at the hotel and is not able to follow what the RadSaheb intended to convey. All the other members of the congregation assembled there laugh heartily at his perplexity. This annoys Behramshah; frowningly he asks the Rad-Saheb, “Have you called me here to jest and mock at me?” The Rad-Saheb appeases him. But simulta ­ neously, Behramshah now becomes conscious that the remarks of the Rad-Saheb referred to the dream he had in the hotel, what I saw in the dream. come to know about it? ” The Rad-Saheb re ­ plies, “Never mind how I have known it, V- ‘That was Hpw did you 32but is the tale true or not? ”, and Behramshah take it with him to the Rad-Saheb anc^ac- confirms it EVERYBODY SHOWS BEHRAMSHAH HIS SUDREH AND KUSHTI The miraculous power shown by the Rad- saheb deeply impresses Behramshah. There ­ after some questions are asked concerning Behramshah ’s religion. toor (high - priest) of your religion?" And and pulse and curd". Bcnramsn^ reconecrs so on, which questions Behramshah answers *hat day to be his mother s birthday accord- irom what Uttle knowledge he possessed. i'-S to the Parsi calendy, and so accepts the During this meeting the Rod-soheb reveals veracity of the Rad-sahebs statement. On that he and all the others in the camp are also Zoroastrian. All of them lift up their robes and show their Sudreh and Kushti. . Behramshah seeing all this now begins to and gives up his own previous objection trust there fully omd all szispicions about them melt away. After this Behramshah daily visits the camp, till one day, the Rad- saheb informs him about their decamping. Behramshah is induced to go with them to Iran and he accepts the invitation. Now Behramshah goes to Seth Jassawalla ’s fam­ ous banking firm at Peshawar, with which firm he knew his father had some business connections. He tells them that he wishes to give them power to collect the sum of Rs. 25/- monthly which he will receive by post from his uncle at Ajmer. When Behramshah in­ forms Seth Jassawalla about the Rad-Saheb and his own intention of going with the latter to Iran. Seth Jassawalla seriously warns him that such Pathans of the Frontier are very unreliable and deceitful. But Beh­ ramshah tells him that he had given a pro ­ mise to go, and shows his resolute intention to carry it out. Jassawalla then plans a stratagem. He telegraphs to Surat calling for a wire to the effect that Behramshah ’s mother is very seriously ill, and is yearning to meet her son. Jassawalla had in his mind that Behramshah should take such a tele ­ gram to the Rad-Saheb and thus be free from the promise he had given. RAD-SAHEB REVEALS FABRICATION OF TELEGRAM SHOWS “Who is the Das- quaint him with its contents. But the Rad- saheb sees through the plan. He says, “I will just let you know ”. So saying, he shuts his eyes and directs his spiritual sight to the house where Behramshah used to dwell at Surat and then informs Behramshah, “Today happens to be your mother ’s birthday and she is just having a very good meal of rice and pulse and curd ”. Behramshah recollects this Behramshah returns to Jassawalla and tells him about what the Rad-saheb had re ­ vealed. Seth Jassawalla is wonder-struck, against Behramshah going to Iran with the Rad-saheb, and in fact agrees to it. At last the tents are impitched and the small cara ­ van commences its return journey to Mount Demavand with Behramshah as one of them. The caravan are all on horse-back and wind through a narrow track amidst the tall grass. But when Behramshah looks back the track vanishes. All that is visible is the tall, high grass everywhere. In fact the sight of the tall grass was a mere illusion created for diverting away from the notice of others their movements. In this way they are journeying through Chitral (north-west of Kashmir), and at last after several days they all halt near a barren mountain. Here the horseman at the front dismounts and re ­ cites something prayerfully. Immediately after this a square black stone comes to sight. This stone is pulled out and there ­ after many more stones are also removed; and then comes to their view what is like a tunnel. After entering the tunnel, they keep climbing up the mountain for a great length of time in complete darkness. At last the great vault of the sky comes to view and they reach a lovely place, fresh and delight ­ ful. Behramshah finds human habitations in this place. The above story is recounted mostly from When the telegram is received, Behram- what was directly heard in Gujarati from shah is informed of the same and is asked to the Master himself. The mountain referred 33to above is called Mount Daemavand or De- fall of the Zoroastrian empire, some holy mavand Koh. It is referred to in the 8th Master-Souls of the time went into seclusion paragraph of the Pazand prayer, “Afreen-i- taking with them the Holy Scriptures and haft Ameshaspandan ”, as; whatever was required for the strict'obser ­ vance of the Zoroastrian law of Asha, purity. “HAMA-ZOAR DAEMAVAND KOH KE They and their followers or descendants still DRAVAND BIVABASP ANDAR OYE lead lives entirely in tune with Nature and With the sublime teachings of the Zoroas- BASTA ESTED.” trian religion. ANDAR OYE (Literal translation) — Be in accord with Daemavand Koh (mt.) in which is enchained the demon bivarasp, the demon (with power) Of ten thousand horses. ” With regard to ‘bwarasp ’ it may be ex­ plained that the word ‘asp^ meaning horse represents power- Here it stands for the evil powers of the Dravand, demon. 10 in ten thousand denotes perfection either in good or evil; thousand horses indicate the thousand powers, i.e. innumerable evil po­ wers Of the demon. Hence the sentence means ‘Be in accord with the holy saints-in- seclusion in Mt. Daemavand who by their incantations keep under aontro^ 'the deuiZ perfect in countless evil powers’. . Mount Demavand is on the north-east of Tehran, the capital of Iran. By the side of a pleasant valley in the Mt. Demavand area known as Alburz (Avesta-Har-Berez) our Master said that there live in seclusion the holy Zoroastrian sleet of Saheb-Dilan number ­ ing about 2,000. The head of this sect is call­ ed the “Sraoshavarez”. Since this Saheb- Dilan sect and their chief, the holy Sraosha- varez Saheb, are most intimately connected with, and have played the highest role in the marvellous training and spiritual enlighten ­ ment of our Master, it is but meet to give some idea about them'here below before pro ­ ceeding with the story of our Master. THE HOLY “SAHEB-DILAN” {Master-Hearts). While speaking about the above mentioned “Saheb-Dilan ” sect (Master-Hearts) our Mas ­ ter informed that fprtynine years prior to the As regards the superiority of the Saheb- Dilan over the followers of the other two Paths called the paths of revelation there is found a reference to them in the book (in Gujarati) entitled “Jam-i-Kaikhushru or Mit- kashafat-i-Kaiwani”, meaning the Revelation of Kaiwani, originally containing about 325 couplets in Persian describing the heavenly experiences of the Dastur Saint Azar Kaiwan who had become very famous in India by his great spiritual miracles during the reign of the Mughal Emperor, Akbar the Great. These couplets were translated from Persian in Gujarati in the year Y.Z. 1217, that is, one-hundred and ten years ago by Syed Mir Ashraf Ali Munshi. In his preface, the learn ­ ed Moslem translator mentions (in 1946 re ­ print, p. 5) three types of Paths of Revelation called Mukashafat or Mushahajdat, pnd states that the saints of the Saheb-Dil sect acquire more light of Revelation than those who fol ­ low the other two Paths. The passage re ­ garding these three types of Paths runs as under; « •e ji re- “The' followers of the first Path are called doctors of “Hlahiat” or ‘‘Muta- alihin”, who by the purity Of their body and the power of austerity fol ­ low the Path' of Revelation, and gard all jJrophets and “Jisms ”, (earth ­ ly)' bodies as the Light of God. (The second are the doctors of “Ishrakin” who also, by the purity of their body and the power df austerity, follow the Path of Light and acquire the know ­ ledge of God, and regard all prophets as truly sent by God, but do not pay obedience to any of them, and do not recognize any distinction in diff­ 34erent: rdigiohs; and in this Ishrakin system the oecult (Baatein path) is easily attained. And the great, lear­ ned Azar Kaiwan arid all his disci­ ples also followed this system. i The third “Sufian” — that is Dur- vesh Sahebdel keep faith in the pro ­ phet of their age and according to his systems offer prayers of what is manifest and by the purity of their body and the power of austerity so advance on the Path of the Know ­ ledge of Revelation that they gain more light than the doctors of Muta- alihin and Ishrakin ”. To Our Master had the extremely rare good fortune of having been impelled to go to Peshawar and admitted, though for a tem ­ porary period of some three and a half yeais only, into the circle of such spiritually ad­ vanced Saheb-Dilan referred to above, these holy Sires our Master has most reve ­ rently dedicated his first publication — veritable gem, the booklet entitled “Ih Khshnoom Series No. 1” containing a “Bird ’s eyeview of “Ilm-i-Khshnoom ”. - a Ilm-i- ¦ This book ­ let in spite of its extreme brevity covers all the salient points about the entire Zoroas ­ trian religion in all its aspects including its practices and rituals. The dedication runs as under : “In the dear homeland of Iran, be­ fore the advent of those dark days, when set the Sun of the Zoroastrian religion and cultural books were des ­ troyed, the great Zoroastrian empire became but a memory of the past and the illustrious Zoroastrian nation was reduced to a handful commu ­ nity. Before the advent of this dark age some far-sighted sages became ‘'Gofe-nosheen ”-, i.e. went into seclu ­ sion in mountain with the seeds of the Zoroastrian religion. At the sacred feet of these great devotees, the holy Saheb-Dil Durveshes, the At Master-Hearts who have renounced the world, this brochure is held with the prayer that our little Zo ­ roastrian community may have for ever the protection of the Dadgar Dadar Hormazd, the Creator, and the benign shelter of the Hierarchy of Amshaspands and Yazads and the Asho Farohars (the holy guardian spirits) and the divine guidance of the Holy Ramz-go, Spitaman Zara ­ thustra, Prophet of Prophets and the blessings of the great Cofenasheen blessings of the great Cofenasheen Sires of Ashoi (purity) and Right ­ eousness of Body, Mind and Soul. Atha Jamyat Yatha Afreenami ” (SO BE IT). (Note). In the passage quoted above the term “Durveshes” is used for the “Gofenasheen ” Masters. It means these pious and holy men who are free from all worldly attach ­ ments and vices. Our Master was the first to explain its Avestan derivation — “Dur”, far away from aind “Vesh”, from “Tbish’’, harm, that is, abstaining from causing harm or injury to the world — whether it be in the form of thought, speech or action. So according to the religion of Zoroaster a “Dur • vesh ” means only a true highly developed man or woman who totally keeps away from doing any harm to the good creation. Our Master informed that prior to or shortly after the fall of the Zoroastrian em­ pire twelve different sects were known to have been formed who followed the Zoroas ­ trian Faith to a greater or lesser extent and among these, the Saheb-Dilan followed the Zoroastrian religion in its pristine purity. The Chaechast Sires who' comprise the most advanced souls and who are on a plane higher even than the Saheb Dilan, stand quite apart. Our Master used to say that this Chaechast sect went into seclusion some two-hundred years before the fall of the Zoroastrian empire. 3521 NASKS CONCEALED TALISMANI- CALLY IN UNDERGROUND IRAN “Our Master informed that everything con ­ nected with Mazdayasni Zarthoshti religion including certain rich specimens of Zoroas ­ trian culture and art from the time of the world Deluge down to the fall of the Zoroas ­ trian rule has been preserved in a secret talismanic place in underground Iran called Tangistan. Similarly the holy sages of Chaechast pos ­ sess the 21 Nasks composed by holy Zarath ­ ushtra, also the 21 Nasks of Manthra-Spenta caused to be composed by his closest pupils under his own supervision, then again the 21 Nasks of ‘Mat-Azainti ’ (Gathas and their commentary), besides the commentary of 21 Nasks in pure Pahlavi of those ages & c., — the whole comprising the essence and kernel of the Zoroastrian Faith exists concealed in underground Iran. ” (“Parsi Avaz Weekly ” p. 5, D/3-3-63). CONCEPT OF‘SRAOSHAVAREZ’ The holy Sraoshavarez is the chief of the Saheb-Diian. It was Marzban Saheb, the Sfaoshavarez of the time, who had imparted all the knowledge to our Master. Sraosha ­ varez literally means: “Wprker for Sarosh Yazad; or one attuned with Sarosh; or the listener of the Celestial Music of Sarosh Yazad; (Sraosha = Sarosh Yazad; and Varez = worker^’). He is the highest of the eight grades of priests, the designations of which occur in the Uzirin Gah prayer, and in Vandidad; 5, 57-58 & c. When a priest attains the seventh grade of Zaota he becomes a Yaozdathregar i.e. one who has the power of imparting puri­ ty to other co-reliogionists. Towering above them all stands the Sratoshavarez, the most holy. His rank is far superior to and higher than ePen that of the Dasturan-Dastur — the high priest of Dasturs. The Sraoshava- rez is the Zarathushtrotemo or the represen­ tative (of his age) of the holy prophet, and the heir to his seat. The high priests of all grades even among the Saheb-Diian Who are spiritually very highly advanced, are strict­ ly enjoined by Nature and by the holy Faith to lead a married life. Thus they are dis­ tinct from the Magavs and the Sraoshava­ rez, who is also a Magav inasmuch as the latter are not destined by Nature to lead a married family life. The Magav class have no need to marry because the soul of a Magav is a complete unit, and an entire en­ tity in the sense that its holy feminine coun ­ terpart and its holy masculine counterpart have mingled or blended into one by “Khaet- vadatha” (Ysn. 12, 9) into one perfect whole Magav soul after both the counterpart have become sin-free. ¦K ? J WAS BEHRAMSHAH WAS DRAWN TO PESHAWAR BY THE POWER OF THE HOLY NIRANG FORMULAE At the Our Ustad Saheb has explained how by some mysterious working he had the rare good fortune of coming in contact with this pious group of the Saheb-Diian in the dis ­ tant Mt. Demavand in Iran far, far away from his home at Surat in Western India. His leaving his mother ’s home and being un­ knowingly drawn to the out-skirts of Pesha ­ war were but a result of the mysterious working of some “Nirang” (powerful sacred incantations) recited by his venerable Mas ­ ter, Sraoshavarez Marzban Saheb. bottom of all this was his Bagobakht, his destined fortune. His entry into Mt. Dema­ vand was in connection with the repaying by the holy Marzban Saheb of a past obliga ­ tion. Our Master (Ustad Saheb) used to say that some 5,000 years ago in one of their past lives, when Sraoshavarez Marzban was the general in an Iranian battle, and he — Beh­ ramshah — was an ordinary soldier, the General Marzban fell wounded by the sword of the enemy when Behramshah carried him away in his arms to a safe place, and saved his life. Our Master further said that when j 36r f 4 he had gone to Mount Demavand it was the last visit of the holy Sraoshavarez on earth. So before leaving this world he wanted to repay this obligation under which he was put by Behramshah and hence, he by the sacred power of his “Nirang ” formulae mana­ ged to create a feeling of strong dislike in the mind of Behramshah for his mother ’s home and mysteriously lured him to the frontiers of Peshawar, where Rasheed Saheb, who was his deputy (“Nayab”) had encamped ready to contact him (Behramshah). Hence the in­ vitation to his tent to Behramshah by Rasheed Saheb was according to the Holy Marzban Saheb’s plan. That all these events were not simply accidental, Behramshah came to learn only at a later stage, for while they were taking place, Behramshah was totally unaware of the fact that some spiri ­ tual force arising out of some holy “Nirang ” was working over him and guiding his steps. About the camp at Peshawar, our Master said that a caravan of the Saheb-Dilan goes to Peshawar once in every three to five years for some barter business. They give articles like wool, musk, amber etc. in exchange for cloth and other things. LIFE IN MT. DEMAVAND While speaking of life at Mount Dema­ vand, the Master said that the common men .99 were engaged in agriculture, and led a true Zoroastrian life, and observed all, “Tarikat' or canons of purity as enjoined by the Holy Prophet. Before and after partaking of food or drink or performing the daily ablutions or attending to Nature ’s calls &c. they were scrupulously strict in their observance of the “Baj” rites to keep their “Khoreh” (subtle human magnetism; Aura) pure, and ‘Drujih'-^roof i.e. free from all evil in­ visible magnetic effects. Our Master told us that he himself had stayed for three years on Mt. Demavand. After that period he was sent to visit places like Pamar & c. in Airyana Vaeja on the top of the earthly globe, which took six months. And thereafter he was sent back to India. Behramshah was very unwilling to leave Mt. Demavand. But he was told by the venerable Sraoshavarez Saheb to return to his native place Surat, and lead a married family life there and fulfil his ‘Kisas*, in accordance with the “Laws of Retributive Compensation and Universal Adjustment with every visible and invisible object and force in the Universe ” referred to in the Mas ­ ter ’s brochure, “Ilm-i-Khshnum Series No. 1” (p. 25). So with a very heavy heart Behram ­ shah returned to India. k i '^¦ ? 31WASIL’S 6-LINE METHOD OF WRITING AVESTA ILETTERS The Persian script has passed through three stages of fixation of the form of letters, and their dimensions : first, the earlier method of forming letters with a liberal use of decorative strokes, and made-at-will flourishes of the pen, second, the regimentation of the letters within the limits of four lines, which was a /pioneer ’s work that gave us the nastaaliq form of writing, and third, the adaptation of the letters to the require ­ ments of the technique of casting the printing-type. The Avesta script Jias seen only two extreme forms : first, that in which, like the ancient Persian method, the hand of the writer asserted itself largely through the execution of decora ­ tive strokes, by the flourishes of the pen made at random, as well as by twisting and wringing letters almost out of recog ­ nition, and the other in which the Avesta letters are pruned and cut to measure to suit the technical needs of the foundry- man. Though it was a big and sudden jump from one stage to the other, the essential features of every letter were carefully preserved. The old letters of the Avesta language may be likened to the Oriental soldiery of the ancient days, dressed in flowing garments, and the letters reproduced from the printing-type may be likened to the modern soldier, draped in close ­ fitting uniform — the man retaining his soldier-like appearance in both cases. The pioneers of the nastaaliq form of calligraphy followed a few self-styled rules in fixing the shape and the form, as wdl as the proportionate dimensions of the different parts of every letter. These rules were logically based on con ­ siderations of the beauty of form, the uninterrupted movement of the writer ’s kil'k, uniformity of style, and the measures against the need for re-touch ­ ing the letters, once they were written. It will have infotmative value to mention here the unique method adopted by the pioneers of the nastai^q form of calligraphy to measure of every part of a letter in order to ensure the same pro ­ portion whenever that particular letter was written with a kilk (the reed-pen). The end of the kilk is scraped with knife to a certain degree of thinness. Then the tip is tapered to a fine point. Then, a little below the pointed end, to get the required width of the “point ” of the kilk, the edge of the knife is pressed against the end of the kilk to obtain an oblique and broad end of the kilk. This oblique and broad end is called the “kat”. The “kat” was fixed as the unit of measure for the various parts of every letter of Persian. Thus, we say, that the length of the long stroke of the Persian letter “sheen ” should be eleven “kafs”, and so on. Since, for writing bigger letters, bigger “'kat” “kats” will never vary. In my Avesta Primer, the first of its kind in the whole of Asia, I have pre ­ sented the Avesta letters neither clothed in their unwieldly, flowing garments of i * I •i ( a is needed, the number of I I 4 y 38CHART A showing the relative position of each letter* / ' < \ I I I ft 3^strokes and flourishes of the pen, nor dressed in the close-fitting uniform of the modern soldier. It is only when a letter is denuded of all its flowing raiment of unnecessary strokes and flou ­ rishes, or is relieved of its close-fitting uniform, that it will appear in its normal, original wealth of grace and beauty. What the pioneers in the field of the nastaaliq form of calligraphy achieved with their four-line method of writing Persian (and, later, Urdu), I have achie­ ved with my six-line rule of the Avesta Calligraphy. This six-line rule will, I hope, be accepted by both the student in the class-room, and the professional caliigraphist in his working place. Wasil ’s 6-Line Method carries with it a number of advantages. When a number of persons are trained in the art of Avesta calligraphy, the printing of Avesta books through .the litho process of printing will be made possible, and, as a result, the cost of printing will be cut down to one-fifth of what the printer charges today by printing Avesta books on a treadle-machine. Since the printing ­ type will be no longer needed, the addi­ tional financial strain on the printing press will be eased. The fact that almost all the news-magazines and books of Urdu are printed on a litho-press should emphasise the iimportance of printing Avesta books through the litho process. * f i WARDENS and Warden’s (Mysore) Pvt. Ltd. have given you best Sandalwood for 40 years Associates of Warden’s (Mysore) Pvt. Ltd. Presented; Exhibition of Oil Paintings of Life and Teachings of Prophet Zoroaster. It was opened at the Jehangir Art Gallery by the Late Sir Cowasji Jehangir Bart. It attracted attention and drew large crowds. I NQW They are giving you Pctsiawc i ¦ I I n 1 40 f