Power of Vanant Yasht

Like the 101 names of Ahura Mazda, which are purpose-specific, all our prayers are equally purpose-specific. The Vanant Yasht is specifically prayed to propitiate star Vanant which is a presiding deity for smashing various types of evils. Vanant Yasht is prayed to overcome the menace of noxious creatures, black art/black magic, diseases and ailments of the body and mind, and as a bulwark against the evil designs of devils and arch-devils.

Over 70 years back, Dastur Rustomji Sanjana (Pasatia) of Bulsar was traveling by a bullock-cart, along with his sons Faramroze and Sohrabji, to perform the last rites of a Parsi in a remote village. That was at the dead of night. The bullocks wouldn’t go forward, and kept going in circles. The late Rustomji sensed the presence of some evil spirit. He got down from the cart, performed ablution and recited the Vanant Yasht and its Nirang, and thereafter, boarded the cart. After that, the foursome headed in the right direction.

About a decade later, Rustomji and his two sons were heading for another village, to perform the last rites. Again, the bullocks wouldn’t go forward (not the same bullocks and not the same cart-man). The four of them could smell the presence of a big cat. Full of guts that Rustomji was, he got down, performed ablution and recited the Vanant Yasht and the Nirang. The big cat disappeared from the scene and the cart took to the dirt-road, leading to the right village.

Pre-1950, my mother saw a centipede enter the quilt spread out on the four-poster bed. Despite the aid of several servants and the fumigation by neem leaves, the centipede could not be traced. The search went on for over an hour. The last resort left for my father was to recite the Vanant Yasht and the Nirang. The centipede came close to his feet, curled up, when it was killed.

In 1960, there lived one Dastur Dorabji Magol, in Udwada. I happened to be on a short visit to his house, along with Faramroze Sanjana and his family. A madari (street-performer) came to perform, fairly close to our Iranshah. Dorabji requested the madari to go a little distance away and perform his tricks. The madari was defiant. The late Dorabji challenged him to perform. He went into his room, performed ablution and prayed Vanant Yasht and the Nirang. The madari just could not blow his pepuri (pipe). He went away frustrated, swearing at Dorabji.

It is up to us to believe in our prayers. Our prayers are omnipotent.

BEHRAM T. DASTUR