Individual battlefield

"Dharmakshethra was used for the battlefield, though its real name is Kurukshetra, for, it was the field where dharma won over adharma, where right prevailed over wrong. Indeed the body of man is the genuine Dharmakshethra, the battlefield where right fights with wrong for victory.”

It applies beautifully to us Parsis who are on a crossroad, fighting for dharma over adharma! This is just what each of us needs to introspect.

Change is an integral part of progress, but not at the cost of one’s religion, culture and beliefs. I fail to realize why we Parsis disagree. If you are professing the Parsi dharma then there is no disagreement. But disagreement does exist because a western group wishes to totally change the Mazdayasni dharma that we have been following.

We must, like the Bhagvad Gita says, fight this battle individually within our own battlefields and then just do what the conscience asks you to! Only then will the right fight the wrong for victory!

To folks like us our religion has laid down certain norms of right and wrong, and we wish to adhere to them within its framework. So come what may, we are totally against conversion of anyone wanting to follow our religion. The criterion for being a Zoroastrian is children of Parsi parents, or with either one parent a Parsi. We may stretch this so far and no further. After all mutthi bhar aavéla (we had come just a handful) and maybe if it’s in our naseeb mutthi­bhar thi paachha increase thasu (increase if it is so destined). The sooner the Parsi realizes this the better as this is an unhealthy debate which may push moderates into taking strident stands! Once again as the Bhagvad Gita says "only when the wrongs outdo the right, then a messiah comes to save his fold.” Maybe it really is the time now!

RODA D. HAKIM

Baroda