Rampant conversion

Staunchly orthodox Parsis wish us to believe that the Zoroastrian religion does not enjoin conversion. The facts are different. Iranian history shows that conversion was widespread. During the regime of Darius, the Zoroastrian religion had spread from Sind to Athens. The subjects had to follow the religion of the monarch. Darius II, Xerxis I and Ataxerxis II followed the Zoroastrian faith. Persians offered sacrifices and Persian priests prepared an intoxicating drink, haoma, from a plant for use in rituals.

The Zoroastrian faith had such a tremendous influence on the Parthian kings (247 BCE-226 CE) that they adopted the language, customs and culture of their conquered subjects. Zoroastrianism flourished during the Parthian period.

Conversion by force was rampant during the Sasanian period. High priest Katir or Kartar was, during the regime of Sasanian kings, the chief organizer of Zoroastrian orthodoxy from the time of Shapur I. He left for posterity a remarkable inscription in which he boasts of the attacks conducted on various religions in the empire — including Judaism, Christianity, Mazdakism, Manicheism, Hinduism and Buddhism — spearheading conversion by force. Katir’s inscriptions are carved in royal fashion on the rock-face of Naqsh-i-Rustam, on the smooth stone walls of the Kabayi Zardushta in Naqsh-i-Rustam and the longest one is on the mountainside at Sar-Mashdad (south of Kazerum, close to modern Pars). I have sourced all this from the book The Zoroastrian Faith: Tradition & Modern Research by S. A. Nigosian.

In Madigan-i-Hazar, Dadistan, edited by Jivanji Modi, it is stated that during the Sasanian period if a slave of a Zoroastrian master embraced the Zoroastrian faith, he was released from slavery.

Mihra Nasih, the premier of Yazdegard II, issued a proclamation that the Armenian Christians should follow the religion of their monarch.

I very much doubt whether Khojeste Mistree, during his expensive conducted tours of Iran for Zoroastrians, takes the tourists to Naqsh-i-Rustam to show them the inscriptions carved on stone by the head priest Katir during the early Sasanian period.

Despite such evidence of forcible conversions, the ultra-orthodox preach that the Zoroastrian faith does not enjoin conversion! They are living in a fool’s paradise.

Iranian history is also replete with instances of interfaith marriages. Many Kyanian kings and their cohorts, including Rustam of Zabulistan, married Turani spouses. A few Achemenid kings also married non-Zoroastrian spouses. The Sasanians had many foreign women among their queens and concubines, including Jews, Christians and Pagan Turks and a Hindu Princess. (Zoroastrian Theology by Maneckji Nusservanji Dhalla).

When will the ultra-orthodox Parsis open their closed eyes and ears?

All this happened in their madare vatan (motherland), Iran, where the Zoroastrian faith has its roots.

It is a great pity that on account of orthodoxy our population is dwindling at an alarming rate. If our Zoroastrian faith flourishes it will be in foreign lands where Parsis have adopted a more rational approach.

JIMMY H. HAVEWALA

Vadodara