Feb 1969

Price VOL. V No. 4 . BRU ARY I9M •# n^n' medium for old wisdom e. ^lar.s- Aj Born 20-9-1896 Died 5-2-1969 Shiavax Sorabji Khambatta Solicitor & Notary Public See P. 11few VOL. V No. 4 FEBRUARY 1969 Cont«its : Page EDITORIAL 3 We Parsis —Jehangir M, Ranina, (Advocate ) 5 Shiavax Sorabji Khambatta, Solicitor & Notary Public ... 11 Ten Questions for Appraising my Faith as a mature Religion by Dastur Minocher Homji 12 The Achaemenian Dyimsty 13 16 The Amesha-Spentas and the Yazatas in the Gathas : XXXI by Mahyar Byramji Patel . ............ 22 Managing Editor ; P. B. WARDEN, M S. ( Bom. ), D.P.M. (Bom. ) ADVISORY BOARD I'I e Dasturji Navroz Minocher-Hoinji, M.A., B.Ed. Major Adarbad Irani R.A.M.C., D.O.M.S. (Lond); D.O. (Oxon) Mrs. Gool K, Savakshah Mrs. Shera N. Vazifdar. M.Com. Dr. R. C. Cooper, M.Com., Ph.D. (£con. F.C.A. Mr. Jehangir F. Shroff Prof. Nadir Ardeshir Mody, M.At LL.B. Or, Sohrab H. Batliwala, Ph.D. Mr. Bejon N. Desai, M.A., B.Ed. Mr. Homi Burjor Dhalla, M. A. ( Harvard ) Single Copy: 50 paise. Yearly subscription for 12 issues Rs. 6. Inland. SK 10 for U.K. and 2 dollars for U.S.A. Office Address: C/o Warden's (Mysore) Ehrt Ltd., 378, Grant Road, BOMBAY 7. Published and edited by Editor-Proprietor P. B. Warden from 378, Grant Road, Bombay 7 and printed by him at Godrej Memorial Printing Press, Gamadia Colony. Tardeo, Bombay 7.? EDITORIAL A Dutchman who has written on Zoroastrianism, would certainly be an interesting person to meet. Thinking thus, a steady trickle of Parsis streamed in to hear Mr. D. J. Bemmelen ’s lectures held in Bombay last month. At one of his discourses he stated emphatically that Zara- thushtra ’s message was relevant only in those ancient days and lacked spiritual content. That Zoroastrianism still lives and has profoundly influenced other religions over the centuries, presents a complete refu ­ tation of Mr. Bemmelen ’s theory. The Prophet ’s teachings contain something of perennial value, and enables man to attain the pinnacle of spirituality. He further stated that there was a constant struggle between Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu and referred to gods and goddesses in the teachings of the Prophet. This is preposterous and distorts the pristine monotheistic religion of the Prophet of Iran. These views colour his book “The Religion and Ethics of Zoroastri ­ anism, ” which is yet in manuscript form. In this book he has described from the point of view of Dr. Rudolf Steiner according to which the Prophet was one of the great initiates of mankind. At present Mr. Bemmelen is visiting various places in India — Pondicherry, Calcutta, Patna, Gaya, Varanasi — he will go to them all. There he will converse with heads of different religions, and we hope, will realise and appreciate the depth of these faiths, before pouring his ideas into printer ’s ink. The Editor regrets delay in, producing this issue due to disturbances in the city and shift of the Machinery. 3WE PARS I Need Some Introspection. JEHANGIR M. RANINA, (Advocate). W' Parsi is a peculiar name. It has earned world fame. It is a peculiar race and today it presents a peculiar face. The history of the Parsis in Iran is thousands of years old and full of glory. Even after the Parsis came to India thirteen hundred years ago they made history. They have been pioneers in several walks of life and provided political leaders to the Indian National Congress which ultimate ­ ly won freedom. But no community can live long on past glory. Like all Commu ­ nities the Parsis have their own problems. They are wide and varied and are be ­ coming more and more acute with all- round increasing difficulties the world over. It is heartening to note that ‘Parsiana; though in the infancy of its career, places Parsi problems before the Community with admirable accuracy and impartiality. Inspired by its example I venture to take up some space in one of its numbers. By nature easygoing and pleasurelov ­ ing, we Parsis are carrying on without much concern about our problems which are assuming serious proportion, and are cbmplaisantly oblivious of changing times and approaching difficult circumstances. Coming into close contact with Euro ­ peans we have been more westernised than desirable and the unfortunate part is that in a generality of cases we have imbibed more western vices than virtues. The craze for modern living has given rise to wrong ideas and mistaken views of the values of life. It is time we woke up and took a stock of ourselves. In the life of all individuals and groups a time al ­ ways comes when some kind of intro ­ spection is needed, some bird ’s eyeview of past deeds and accounting of debit and credit sides. This would reveal our true present position and enable us to formu ­ late plans for the future progress and prosperity of our Community. The first very important problem facing our Community is that our number is unfortunately progressively decreasing. The following Census figures will convince us of this. In 1941 the number of Parsis in India was 1,14, 890 in 1951 the number of Parsis in India was 1,11,000 and in 1961 the number of Parsis in India was 1,00,687. The 1961 Report further notes 893 births as against 1078 deaths. This is a serious state of things and Parsis should take whatever steps that are possible to prevent this slow but sure disappearance of the Community in course of time if this decrease is not checked. The main reasons for this state of affairs are migration of Parsis out of India, in ­ termarriages and marriage at an advanced age. During the last several decades a large number of Indians have gone 5and settled in foreign countries like U. K., Another serious situation is that out of U. S. A. and the middle east. Parsis are about a lac of Parsis in India seventy now following their example. This is un- thousand reside in one place, Bombay, fortunate. It is apprehended that in the This is fraught with danger as in times above places Parsis would lose their iden- of calamities like earthquake, epidemic or tity and faith in a generation or two. We war almost the whole community is in can send our religious literature and our danger of being wiped out. We should Priests for occasional visits to deliver make proper plans and arrange for settle ­ lectures, discuss' problems and perform ing Parsis in the mofussil like Gujarat Navjot and marriage ceremonies to places, and other places. A large number of Par- where fairly large number of Parsis settle, sis have lost their liquor trade and a num- We should also encourage contact of those ber of Parsi farmers have lost their lands Parsis with the Parsis in India and find owing to new regulations that the land brides and bridegrooms for such foreign belongs to the tiller. The Community has residents so that our race may be preser- done nothing to succour them and settle ved. Intermarriages present a tough pro- them in other trades or industries. We blem. We have ample opportunities for have got brains, resources and money but our young girls and boys to come in close no organised planning. Our friend Mr. contact with the youth of other commu- Jehangirji F. Shroff has made an excellent nities. All communities dislike intermar- suggestion to start a Zoroastrian Finan- riages and prefer marriage with their own cial Corporation. This can be of immense members. Amongst certain Hindus they help to our Community. Shall we wake are caste. Our Parsi boys take too long to fini ­ sh their final academic or technical educa ­ tion and settle in life, and they start with small beginnings. That is one reason for lesser number of children when Parsis marry at a late age. Formidable as these social and economic problems are it would be to the advantage of the Com ­ munity if parents take care to marry their children in the early twenties. As regards migration it may be mentioned that it would be advantageous if our young men instead of going to U. K. and Canada torch of Zoroastrianism. But with the pas- went to Iran where they would preserve sage of time and coming in contact with their identity and faith more than in people of other religions Parsis imbibed other countries. If young men with high non-Zoroastrian beliefs, superstition and academic or technical qualifications so customs contrary to the principles of the desire they would, I am sure, receive Zoroastrian religion. This was a period necessary suidance from the author. of darkness. But in the nineteenth cen ­ 02/ particular about marrying in their up ? The most important matter is the atti ­ tude of the average Parsi towards his religion. Faith in religion is of the utmost importance. When our forefathers came to India from Iran they hardly brought with them any religious literature. Be it is said to the credit of the Parsis of those days, and especially our Athoman class, that they memorised our prayers and cere ­ monies and handed them down from gene- - ration to generation thus keeping alive the sure, receive guidance from the author. 6I 4 V tury when- some Parsis like the late Mr. K. R. Cama went to England they were surprised to find books written in several European languages about Zoroastrianism. Europeans had formulated a grammar also for the Avestan language. That was the beginning of the school of philo ­ logy which later produced amongst Par ­ sis, scholars of international repute. In 1851 some of the leading Parsis founded the Rahnumae Mazdayasnan Sabha. Its first President was Mr. Naoroji Fardoon- ji, a leading citizen of Bombay, and its first Hon. Secretary was no other man than Mr. (later Dr.) Dadabhoy Naoroji. The main aim of the Sabha was and is to dissuade Parsis from superstitious and un- Zoroastrian beliefs and to present to them the teachings of Prophet Zarathushtra in their original and pure form. This Sabha is still going strong and almost every Wednesday lectures on religious, social and communal subjects are deliver ­ ed by scholars and every Friday classes are being conducted when our Avesta and Gatha prayers are explained. All these activities which are held at the K. R. Cama Oriental Institute, Apollo Street, are free. Parsis would do well to take advantage of these facilities, especial ­ ly parents, so that they can explain to their children the beauties of our ancient reli ­ gion and be able to satisfy their rational inquiries. It is said that our younger generation is becoming increasingly indi ­ fferent to religious matters. Children learn more from example than by pre ­ cept. The home atmosphere which existed fifty years ago is no longer there. Former ­ ly even religious ceremonies were perfor ­ med at home. At some places the Mobed used to come daily to recite prayers. Now-a-days only in a few houses even parents pray daily. Children have greater freedom to mix with other people. They are not made aware of the basic princip ­ les of our religion so that they can argue with others and strengthen their faith in their own religion. Even parents know so little of it. We have small books which parents and the young can read with pro ­ fit but no effort is made to bring them to their notice. Mrs. Perin Lalkaka ’s Pic­ torial Life of Zarathushtra is an excellent introduction to Zoroastrianism. Every Parsi home should have one. Some plan ­ ned effort is needed. The picture of Parsis ’ attitude to reli ­ gion would not be complete without con ­ sidering the state of affairs in our Fire Temples. It is a place of prayer, wor ­ ship and meditation. Are these possible in our Fire Temples ? What do we see ? We have daily experience that Zoroas- trians though devout indulge in prayers in such loud tones as to distrub their neighbours. This is more so on fes ­ tive occasions. How are prayer, concer ­ tration and meditation possible in such a noisy atmosphere ? Look at our ceremo ­ nies performed at Muktad time. At in ­ tervals of six feet groups of Priests sit and about twenty of them would pray at the same time in very loud tones reduc ­ ing the hall not to a quiet prayer room but a fish market. What impression can this create on the mind of our younger gene ­ ration ? Do Parsis think that by going through this unbearable babble they are dicharging a religious duty ? We do not run down the value 7of ceremonies but let them be per ­ formed in a calm atmosphere where we can follow what is prayed and which would inspire the right kind of love and respect for religion. It will be asked how can this be done ? The reply is that reli ­ gion cannot be sacrified at the altar of Besides sanity the greatest need of our community is unity. In India Parsis are spread out in distant places. Recently, many have gone to reside in foreign coun ­ tries. At the First World Zoroastrian Congress which was held at Tehran in 1960 a resolution was passed recommend- economic exigencies. It we know that the ing the formation of a World Zoroastrain present system is not right we can devise Body. And as a prelimin^ step it was a better one so that the ceremonies \------ ----- create the right spiritual atmosphere and trian not end merely by paying the bills of countrywise in each country where a panthakies. Parsis ought to give serious good number of Zoroastrians reside. Iran thought to considerations like these which has already formed an All Iran Zoroas- are vital to our religion. trian Anjuman. In London the Zoro^- trian Association for all Europe IS already Another important exhibition of pau- existence for many years. In Canada city of consistency amongst us is that we Parsis celebrate as many as three New Years in a year. Not only this but we cele- would recommended that first, Central Zoroas- i Organisations should be formed the bills of country wise in each country where serious thought to considerations like these which has already formed an a similar Body has been formed. It is essential that in India Parsis should have permanent All India Central Organisa ­ tion. At the second World Zoroastrian Congress held in Bombay in 1964 this Bogies recommendation was made and it is brate thrice a year the birth and death of our Prophet. This is the result of wrong calculations in the past and it is never a sin to correct past mistakes. are drawn across the horizon by saying heartening that the Parsi Panchayet of that Shehenshahi and Kadimi Fire Tern- gQ^ibay has taken a lead in this matter pies cannot be changed to the right dates. appointed a Main Committee which in future. That this is a myth will become appa ­ rent when it is brought to the notice of Parsis, which perhaps they do not know, that our Iran Shah Fire Tenure which is now L. -------- the highest respect, was consecrated by jn future. The Community will have a Dastur Naryosangh Dhaval according to Q^^tral Body with constitutional autho- Fasali rites and Fasali escalations. Years later in ignorance and owing to incorrect calculations it turned Shaheshahi and at that time nothing came in the way. Now if we (_____ - right calculation no religion can find fault with truth. What the Parsi commu ­ nity badly needs is sanity. has already prepared a draft Constitu ­ tion of the Federation of all the Anju- uui -____ -______ _ India who choose to join. This at Udvada and which we hold in will benefit the Community a great deal rity to speak and make representations on behalf of the whole Parsi Community. This will be a great step forward in the correct the mistake and adopt the right direction. Let it be said again Parsis need Sanity and Unity. 8> « SHI^^ SORABj1[ KIIAMBITTA soLicrroR & notary public The legal and commercial world of Bombay have lost one of their ablest Due to his wide experience and deep understanding of law and letters he was i 1 colleagues and one of their most reliable invited onjte Bowd o^ Krertors^of ^a advisers, respectively. In 192T he enrolled as a solicitor and joined Messrs. Wadia Gandhi & Co. and by sheer per- Corporation, etc. sistently studious habits acquired vast knowledge of law and came into the notice of seniors, who entrusted him with impor- Cancer Society and was readily tant clients —amongst them the House of Tatas. In 1953 he joined Messrs. Mulla & Mulla (and Craigie Blunt and Cairo), wherein he ended his career and life as its partner high up. He was the solicitor to the House of Tatas, Air India, Indian one of its Airlines Corporation, B. O. A. C., The its sympathies to the bereaved members Central Bank of India, First National City family for his suddenly leaving Bank, The Turf Club and several other big concerns. He was Legal Adviser to many big often sweeps away men at the top of their foreign concerns established in Indiajike professionals, executives and May his soul rest in was Iron and Steel Co., Tata Power, The Central Bank of India, Ceat Tyres, Asian He was an Honorary Legal Advisor to helpful to several other public institutions rendering humanistic services. Parsiana deeply regrets his death as esteemed subscribers & extends them by the last short illness of the foul ­ disease of Coronary Thrombosis, which so International Finance Corporation, G. E. C , Dorr Oliver, Otis Allport, Corn pro ­ ducts, Carter Wallace and others. career as leaders of man. peace. ? X I ?—Sir X X 11 ¦ . tMIr* ITen Questions Jor Appraising my Faith as a mature Religion by DASTOOR N. D. MINOCHER-HOMJI “With bended kness and hands out ­ stretched, I yearn for the Priceless Boons from Ahura Mazda ”. It is interesting to note its parallel in t^ Bhagvad Gita, where humility, search for the Higher meaning of life and service of suffering humanity, are the 3 means of 6. Yes, it is integrating. Integrating the individual to the society; but it is not functioning for integration as it should, because Religion is isolated from the daily life of the individual and even that of the society, except perhaps for the Agiary anniversaries for the Jashan ceremonies. Heads of Religion and the Elders respon ­ sible for the welfare of the community, should work out a Project, in which Reli ­ gion is revealed both as a dynamic factor and as an integrating force. Gahambar festivals can be good occasions for the yppng and the old to meet together, so that the community can weld its solidarity. 7. Yes, it is socially effective, only sporadically, and not systematically. If religion is made socially effective, the sense of the Community would be stronger and the incidents of young men and women going out of the Zoroastrian fold, on emotional grounds, would be fewer. Some learned priests, well versed in chology and Psychiatry and Sociology selling the young, both boys and girls, in their period of transition from adolescen- the Higher meaning attaining spiritual height. 9 Yes, it was growing, when the Reli ­ gion flourished under the protecting^wings oMhe Iranian Empire. Due to historical accidence, the Parsees have with^T^ their activities, like the tortoise that with draws its limbs under its for safety and self-preserva^ never be said to be stunted, he Parse^ have proved themselves by virtue of their .^er benevolent living, the/high-quaW pX’ pie. in India. The religion does not believe hl asceticism, but in the living of active may be entrusted with the work of coun- ^ndpriSe ” some Parsees at ce to ^adulthood. The youngsters are left Not “ ^7n'the lite^o/the country, to their destiny, when there is an onrush made a in yvadias, the Petits, the of emotional problems. The youngsters 5;? Tbe must be so educated as to face the emo ­ tional problems with calm and judgment. creative. Being a prim- 8. Yes, it demonstrates humility. No ary religion, it is also Zoroastrian believes that he is the chosen repetitive. Systems of phi o P V religion only derived from the holy Gathas. Being one ion flourished under thejrotecting wings have withdrawn like the tortoise that with- i. But it can said to be stunted: the Parse^ in —- virtues, In the daily rounds of life we see Godrejs and others. 10. 1 one of God and that his embodies the whole truth. Zarathushtra taught, by both precept and example, hu ­ mility, in spite of the great Mission en- was an original thinker and trusted to him. He sings, in Yasna 28.1: 1 crf the oldest religions, if not the oldest, it had nothing to imitate. Zarathushtra 1 so has called his teachings ‘Unheard of before ’. 12'I'HE ACHAEMENIAN DYNASTY ARTAXERXES I (465-424 B.C.) Continuing the policy of Cyrus and Darius, Artaxerxes gave Ezra permission to return to Jerusalem with 1500 Jewish families formerly exiled. He re ­ mained friendly towards the Jewish com ­ munity on condition that its responsible leaders continued to be loyal to the Per- _ ___________ ...u throne. In 445 B.C. the temple and besieged; a successful avails of Jerusalem were rebuilt and the The accession to the throne of the son of Xerxes, a man of weak character, began with the rebellion of his brother, the sat ­ rap of Bactria. This was quickly suppres ­ sed, and was followed by the assassina ­ tion of all the king ’s brothers. Sparta and Athens declared war against gjan Persia. Citium was L—> ..— - j i p i naval action was conducted near Salamis high priest was proclaimed ruler ot Jeru- in Cyprus. The peace concluded after these salem and Judaea. Artaxerxes never led his troops in per ­ son. Towards the end of his life he even to operations compelled the Great King to relinquish his hold on those Greek cities of Ionia which were members of the interest in Greek affairs, although League. Persian soldiers could no longer importance for the pres- cross the Halys. This was a new and se- Empire. Slowly, almost impe ­ rious setback for the Empire, whic^, how- ^^ly, the work of Darius was breaking ever, once again used its gold to provoke Nevertheless, the reign of Artaxerxes a conflict between Sparta and Athens. witnessed an extension of cultural rela- between Persia and Greece which Greek historians and men of science conflict between Sparta and Athens. At Babylon, Artaxerxes followed in the main the policy of his fathers, and al- vjiwn. _ _______ ___ though the priests of Bel-Marduk were in Egypt, Babylonia and Iran, allowed to carry on their cult, the occupa- acquired an increased knowledge of tion of the country by the Iranian ele- the history, religions, and scien^s of the ment was THf* P.rvllftffG Past Tt was the aae in which Heroaotus of the Magi also grew in importance there. witnessed an extension of cultural rela ­ tions between Persia and Greece which explains certain changes in the art of his age. < actively encouraged. The college East. It was the age in wrote his History. 14 COLOUR ADVISORS AND PAINT CONTRACTORS, 25, REDDER ROAD, BOMBAY-26. PHONE- 367996SKs* Su^ 5' *^41'^1 ® ? V)R1441 41S«16 4l^(lR4l4 341^^41 43^1^ 6iai a«ssi wqw'ii ^Mii^ Jl ’ffV'?ll4 ’li4 ” = 4 ®4’. ^ll *44 ^l^ ^5441416^11,^ ^tn^4lVl Sli “>^1«41'4” = ^4M* rt,,n^ ='saiai p;4lA MSI —J J, Ml^ >l'S«lMMld = SrSMlH^iart 8 » ™9i»r «¦ -SlU £11=1 MH ’HIM?! 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Mii!^* Mi^ ^* ? « ?. Hdi MH'dMi ^^^l aHlcMl H M^MkMl4l ^Rl^ll ankMl ^nifel ’HkHl -1^61^1 i HaiS^l ¦’X^n it iix •5^^141 lil4Sl«(l ^4Mlk MC-i^l. tb/ar«! insist that thev are the various At- which is the most important part of the others insist that they are the various At ­ tributes of God. A final explanation is Avesta, comprises seventy-two chap- that they are the Stages and Virtues that ters, called the Has, and of these, the lead us to a condition of God-Realization. Qatha Ahunavaiti is formed of Has 28 to 34, the Gatha Ushtavaiti is formed of Unless the Amesha-Spentas and the to 46, the Gatha Spenta-Armaiti is Yazatas are correctly interpreted, it is very 47 to 50, the Gatha Vohu- difficult, or rather impossible to under ­ stand the real import and message of the Gathas, ’------------- important part of the Yasna. The Gathas are the oldest section of the entire Avesta and embody the original and genuine Khshathra is formed of Ha 51, and final- e real import and message or Vahishtoishti is formed of which form the most ancient and J; thAm the five 17 of Ha 53. Thus, between them, the five Gathas just enumerated comprise the 72 chapters of the Yasna. I 22I are themselves Daevas in this life, and will The Gathas alone are the true, unadul- might, mind and heart. He declares quite terated and inspired utterances of the Ho- emphatically that alL those that worship , ly Prophet Zarathushtra, and they bear the Daevas, (and the Yazatas' are nothing , the same relation to the Yasna that the else but the Daevas under ;a-iiother pame) Gita of Shri Krishna bears to the Maha- are themselves Daevas in this life, and will bharata. The rest of the Avesta is the continue to be so in the life to come. The work^of Jater composers, some of them Mazda-Yasnis are only those that worship -------- ------- They bend their are knees to, open up their hearts to, and sing 4 c very far from the times, teachings and Ahura-Mazda alone. spirit of the Prophet. Gathas ; „ offered to the devotee as the Elixir of the songs of praise to no other than Him Life. This perhaps illustrates the foremost Alone Whom they know and love as and magnificent importance of the Ga- Ahura (the Lord of Spirit) — Mazda (the ritual knowledge, in as much as Holy Zarathushtra was the first and the great- Life. This perhaps illustrates the foremost Alone Whom they know thas, which is the fountainhead of all spi- Lord of Matter), ritual knowledge, in as much as Holy Zarathushtra was the first and the great- presiding Deities over natural ob- est Prophet of all mankind, who brought Amesha-Spentas and the Yazatas to the world a Universal Revelation that P^^sume chieftainship over the different has inspired the minds of all the later ^l^^^^nts in the Universe. Ahura-Mazda Prophets, and greatly influenced their Re- competent to run by Himself the ligious Teachings. When the importance Universe which He Himself has created, of the Gathas is thus made manifest, real- sustains, and is quite capable of des- ization dawns of the paramount necessity ^roying and renovating at His Sweet Will, of correctly interpreting the Amesha- which He does upon His Own well-regula- Spentas and the Yazatas that are embo- Laws, without requiring subsidiary died in them, for they are inseparably A belief in such minor gods is no ­ associated with each other and the Gathas short of rank Polytheism, which is consistently refer to them throughout contrary to the tenets of Holy Za- their contents, but terms Amesha-Spentas rathushtra, the most resolute Monotheist and Yazatas are nowhere to be found in entire lustrous galaxy of the Pro- the Gathas. phets. To accept the Amesha-Spentas and the I inseparably A belief in such minor gods is no- If the Amesha-Spentas and the Yazatas are accepted as Super-natural Beings, and Yazatas as the various Attributes of God are regarded as the Arch-angels and the makes sense when these Attributes Angels, as the Later Avesta, especially ^®ad man upto Him. It is quite reasonable the Yashts do, they at once assume the accept that such virtues do exist in high office of being the intermediaries bet- unless they help man in a defi- ween man and his God. This condition is become quite purposeless, intolerable to the Prophet, who knows no Yhe mere knowledge that such Divine At- other whom he may worship but Ahura- tributes inhere in God serves no helpful Mazda, the Most-Adorable-One alone, purpose. God may possess all the virtues All the others he repudiates with all his man is capable of comprehending, and 23more besides, but unless they affect him of adoration. They are the most longed- directly and help him substantially, these for Virtues for which the human heart Attributes might as well not exist in hungers. Thus, the Amesha-Spentas and Him, for all that man may care. the Yazatas are the different Stages and the Virtues which Zarathushtra taught his It is only when the Amesha-Spentas and followers to long and work for, acquiring the Yazatas are explained as the Stages which, they would achieve perfection in and the Virtues that lead man upto God- Existence, Knowledge and Bliss. Realization and grant him the Final- Fulfilment, that they serve the most use ­ ful and beneficial purpose. Only as Hu­ man Attributes do they become most in ­ telligible and useful. It is only when hu ­ man beings acquire for themselves such Excluding Ahura-Mazda Himself, Who is regarded as the Chief of the Amesha- Spentas, the Amesha-Spentas are six in number. The number of Yazatas is legion, out of which only a few have come to us ' ' . Out of these few ones that have come down to us, only a very few make their apperan in the Gathas. We shall now try to understand them as Zarathushtra implied them to be under ­ stood. Virtue by passing through those Stages through theses, that they become worthy of emulation. The knowledge that man can, by his will and effort achieve these sublime Attribu ­ tes is vastly more important, useful and beneficent than to merely know that they inhere in God. It is an infinitely greater achievement and virtue to be God-like, rather than merely to know what God is ____ like. Holy Zarathushtra does not praise g^^urely upon the solid foundation of the Attributes of Ahura-Mazda, as much jjg alone who is morally awakened The first step on the Moral Ladder is Asha, denoting Righteousness. The whole structure of Zarathushtra ’s teaching rests and his followers those Attributes and Virtues. the Attributes of Ahura-Mazda, as much jjg alone who is morally awakened as he prays to Ahura-Mazda to grant him aw ’are of the importance of Asha. ‘ The morally blind will never be able to perceive it. Man alone is capable of real- [ ising the import of Asha by virtue of his . power of discrimination. Morality is the J special province of man, and it is not within the sense of the brute to understand I and distinguish the right from the wrong. [ 1 he greatest and most, unsurpassable pre- ¦ cepts of Holy Zarathushtra are his dicta I and these three have their very being in . purity of thoughts, words and deeds, Asha. Asha is the fundamental lesson that • man has got to learn. It is when man , starts to lead the life of Righteousness that ' he first awakens to the Higher Life. The The word Amesha means the same as Amrita and Amara, all of which mean the Immortal Ones. They are regarded as the Immortal Laws for the reason that they are Eternal, Inviolable, Unalterable and Indispensable. They constitute the Eternal Verities of Zarathushtra ’s sublime Teach ­ ings. Amesha-Spentas are derived from the negating ‘A’ prefixed to ‘Mesha ’ mean ­ ing death, and ‘Spentas ’ meaning the be ­ nevolent ones. Thus, they mean the death ­ less or the Immortal Holy Ones. Similarly, Yazatas mean those that are most worthy 24Law of Karma operates because of Asha. The entire Universe moves upon its course because of it. Man creates his own destiny by the operation of it He meets his rewards or retributions as the fruits born of Asha. It enables him to move to ­ wards God-realization, and opens the spi ­ ritual life before him. Because of the abso ­ lute necessity of leading a Holy Zarathushtra makes it the first con ­ dition whereby man will advance into the realms of Higher Spirituality. moral life, 4 c When man shall walk upon the path of Asha. Vohu Manah, the Good-and-Lov- ing-Mind shall awaken in him. Vohu Ma ­ nah shall unerringly point out the right couise to him. It is the small voice of con ­ science that will not be stilled. It is the awakening of the mind to a vaster hori ­ zon. When the Vohu Manah shall develop into the Vahishtem Manah, the Universal Mind, man shall have awakened to a life of Universal Sympathy. Then, he shall no longer regard the world from his own personal view-point, but shall regard it with an unselfish and all-embracing love. He shall have ceased to look at the world from his limited vision and learn to look at it with the eyes of God. * ? At this stage, man shall have learned to distinguish the right from the wrong, but it is really not enough to merely know the right path, but the power and the dispas ­ sion must be there in order to pursue the right in spite of the obstructions of the selfish self. Khshathrem is that Divine Power which enables him to pursue that which is right, because it is right, and for no other purpose or end. Quite often, Vohu Manah points out the right way. but the moral courage to adopt that course is sadly lacking. Khshathrem supplies that essential need. It supplies the strength of character that is vital in order to over ­ come the temptations that stand in the path of right duty. It enables man to overcome the fear of uncertainty, and to act with valour, secure in the belief that right triumphs because of its inherent rec ­ titude, and for no other reason. This leads us to the next Amesha-Spen- ta, Armaiti, Devotion. Armaiti supplies us with the Faith in the Higher Powers. Those devotees that are full of Faith in God are secure in His Might. Devotion is most essential through the times of trials and vexations. Without it man would not rise up when he stumbles and falls. The man lacking in Armaiti is an arrogant brute that can only learn through the lesson of the whip. When all appears to be dark all around us, when dispair holds us in its merciless grip, when no other source of relief appears before us, it is Armaiti, absolute Devotion, absolute Faith, which extends its loving hands to ­ wards us, and lifting us up from the mires of dispair, restores us once more to a life of hope and security. When man shall have reached so far into the realms of spiritual life, Ahura- Mazda shall be pleased to confer Haurva- tat, Perfection, upon hhn. It is the ideal as well as the reward. It descends upon the dedicated life. The fruits of Haurvatat are a long and healthy life, coupled with pros ­ perity and spiritual growth. The man of Haurvatat resides in the realms of Bliss, supremely confident in the absolute Justi ­ ce of God, and in the final triumph of 25Good over Evil. Haurvatat kills the beast within man and raises him to angelic sublimity. He who is favoured with Hau ­ rvatat is the one that has known and conquered himself. Ameretat is the final crowning and glory of man. It implies deathlessness and Im­ mortality. It is God-realization in action. It does not merely mean a survival after death, but an active participation in the Master-Plan of God. It is the merger of the individual soul into the Higher Uni ­ versal Self. The merger of the dew-drop into the deathless Ocean of Bliss. In Amere tat, not a vestige of the ego remains, for the lover has come face to face with the Beloved, and the Veil has been lifted. Sraosha is the first in the rank of the Yazatas. It is the voice of Intuition that answers to the call of Obedience. Sraosha .. . only comes to him who has awakened to united. Airyaman is indispensible to keep the life of Vohu Manah. He alone shall be secure the fold of the Cherished Brother- guided by intuition who has developed hood of the Zarathushtrians. the Universally Good and Loving Mind. Only he who loves God shall come face to face with Him, for Sraosha shines through the illuminated Conscience, and points the lover to hold the Beloved in a way to Him. Sraosha is the infallible moni- spiyitual embrace. It is the mystic emotion tor that answers from deep within to the raises the lowly worshipper. It bums inquiry of the spiritually developed Mind, up It is the voice of Sraosha that inspired longing for the Beloved. The spirit of Chi- Holy Zarathushtra to sing the Sacred sti transforms the individual soul into the Gathas. Universal Spirit. Atar, the resplendant spark illumines Daena is the exoteric teaching of the from within. The Atar of Zarathushtra is Gathas that reveals the external applica- not so much the external flame, as it is tion of its Laws. It advocates a belief in the fire burning deep within ourselves. It perfect caste-equality, and the rejection of is as much the source of our lives as it is Polytheism and Iconolatry. It commends the vehicle of illumination. It is the essen- all acts of active virtue whilst condemn- ce within us that prompts us to be pure in ing the wicked and the timid alike. Atar, the resplemdant spark BumSnes our thoughts, words and deeds. It is the outer expression of the inner-most reality planted within us by Ahura-Mazda Him ­ self as a spark of the Universal Flame. Ashi is the Piety that keeps us steadfast in our life of spiritual discipline. A life of spirituality should be a life of constancy, and he that does not sustain his efforts in treading the one and only path of right ­ eousness, does not reach the journey ’s end. Ashi leads us to our destination through the shortest path. He that is full of Ashi is akin to the stranger on the road who traverses by the Light of God. Airyaman is the Spirit of Brotherhood that is manifest between the followers of Zarathushtra. It is the bond that holds them together in deep and abiding sym ­ pathy. It is the strong though invisible circle of mutual love that keeps them •<3h Chisti is the esoteric teaching of the Gathas that raises one to the highest pin ­ nacle of spiritual experience, which ena- ¦1 spiritual embrace. It is the mystic emotion all that is based in man in the fire of 26Gcosh Urvan is the Soul of Creation, symbolised as the Mother Cow. It is the sum total of all the individual souls in their collective form of the ,Universal Soul. When Humanity suffers, it sends up a joint appeal Heavenwards, and prays for a Deliverer. The various prophets have descended to Earth in answer to its call from time to time, throughout the ages, whenever irreligiousness prevailed. As Shri Krishna says in the Bhagavad ­ gita : “0! Arjuna, whenever there is a de ­ cline of Righteousness, and unrighteous ­ ness is in the ascendant, then do I mani ­ fest Myself in earthly form! ” Similarly, Holy Zarathushtra too descended to Earth when Geush Urvan, the Soul of Creation, cried out for a Saviour. In the Gathas neither the Amesha-Spe- ntas nor the Yazatas appear as Super ­ natural Beings, or as Presiding Deities over natural objects. They are only presented as God-like Attributes and Virtues that are meant for human attainment. They are the Ideals to be kept ever before us, and their attainment is the main function of our Existence. Eor it has been said that Man is made in the image of God, and it is Man ’s Final Destiny that he shall at last be God-like when Renovation comes. It is Zarathushtra ’s fervant prayer that man shall reach that goal, not in some dis ­ tant future, but in the here and now. Accordingly, he lifts up his arms in pious supplication, and prays for the Bliss that Ahura-Mazda imparts to the Righteous: YE VAO, ASHA! UFYANI, MANAS- CHA VOHU APAORVIM MAZDA- MCH AHUREM YAEIBYO KHSHATHREMCHA AGHZHAONVANEM VAREDAITI (( Manthra-Spenta are the Holy Inspired Utterances, the Revelation, that the Pro ­ phet Zarathushtra brought to us from Ahura-Mazda. They are the Teachings of the Prophet. They show us the Way that is to be followed. Thus, the Gathas are ARMAITISH, A-MOI RAFEDHRAI the Manthra-Spenta of Holy Zarathush ­ tra, for they are the Sacred Outpourings of the Enlightened One. t These are about the only Yazatas that appear in the Gathas, except for the Sun, the Moon, the Stars, the Waters, the Earth the Sky and the Air, which are all taken in their natural sense only, and are not in ­ terpreted there as any super-natural beings ZAVENG JASATA ! Yasna 28,3. “Unto Thee, O! Asha, shall I weave my songs of praise, and unto Vohu-Manah and Mazda-Ahura, as I never did before. So that by Thy Boundless Grace may im ­ perishable Khshathra and Armaiti rise within us. O! Thou, come to us when we call, and grant us perfect Bliss !” 11