“Double standards”

I refer to Kersee Kabraji’s letter "Double standards” (Readers’ Forum, Parsiana, October 7, 2008) and congratulate him on his erudition and deep knowledge of our pristine Mazdayasni Zarathushti religion by quoting chapter and verse from the Rivayets, Vendidad, etc in favor of conversion of non-Mazdayasni Zara­thushtis into our fold. His knowledge of gynecology and the human reproductive system should also be commended. It is quite enlightening to learn that a "seed” is formed in a woman’s womb only after a male sperm meets with a female ovum. All womenfolk should indeed be grateful to him for holding a brief for them.

However, Kabraji’s knowledge and understanding of our religion seems to be confined to only a book written by Dr M. N. Dhalla and his mindset is geared to certain facts and opinions expressed therein. He has not bothered to read anything further or to think for himself.

There is a saying in Gujarati: "Waanché pun nahi karé vichaar, té shu sahjeh gaghlo saar (If after reading you do not think about what you have read, how can you grasp and understand the real substance)?” In other words, what is necessary is not to accept what you have read as gospel truth but to study further, examine the aspect from other angles as well by reading more on the subject and adequately researching the matter. And, thereafter, the most important thing is to think for oneself.

Sorry to say, Kabraji’s knowledge and understanding of our religious scriptures is too shallow. He has nothing better to offer than to allege that according to our Rivayets gravediggers, corpse-burners and slave boys/girls can be converted to our Mazdayasni Zarathushti fold. Even accepting this as true, after all, what are the Rivayets? They are mere opinions about certain matters given by persons of far later times as they humanly thought fit. They do not bear any religious or spiritual sanctity and are not what is laid down in the scriptures.

What is "ordained” comes only from Almighty God in the form of fate — what is destined to happen as determined in advance, or what has to be adhered to as per His will. Perhaps Kabraji should check the meaning in a proper dictionary before he uses such a word as "ordained.” Only the will of God as laid down by the prophets of the respective religions from time to time in the scriptures is ordained. A matter like conversion is entirely outside the scope of religious scriptures.

Kabraji is talking about practices of the Sassanians allowing Christian slaves to embrace our faith. As a matter of fact, as a result of such unreligious practices and disregard for our deen, the downfall of our religion started. After the demise of King Naushirvan in the year 579 AD it declined rapidly. The rot of disobedience to the divine laws set forth in our deen had set into the Sassanian royal families with infighting, fratricide and parricide. The beginning of the end of the empire commenced during the reign of Naushirvan’s son Hormuzd II who was soon overthrown by his son Khushro Pervez II, who married several foreign wives and fathered over 18 sons. Just compare Sassanian times with those of the Kayanian dynasty during which the advent of Asho Spitman Zarathushtra occurred in the reign of King Vishtasp (about 7500 BC).

Kabraji has quoted Faragard IV 40 (137) and 41 (142) of the Vendidad. They do not relate to or even remotely suggest conversion. He should rather refer to Faragard 18, para 62 of the Vendidad which I have quoted in my letter: "Then Ahura Mazda replied: ‘O holy Zara­thushtra! Those Mazdayasnis who are mixing their seeds with non-Mazdayasnis are committing sin.’”

Religion is more than a course in moral science. It is a complete spiritual system comprising all the four integrated and inseparable elements — the Gathas (moral precepts), tarikats (disciplines), mantras (prayers in a particular language) and kriyas (ceremonies) for furthering our evolution and progress of our souls in the spiritual world.

Every religion is sent by God to mankind with its respective divine fields which must be adhered to. It is ordained and we humans have no authority to alienate the religion of our birth or convert one born in a particular religion to another. According to the Bundahishn, our souls themselves have volunteered to take incarnation on this earth, undergo suffering, meet with the good and evil and gain experience for their progress in the spiritual world. For this purpose it is predetermined in which religion a soul will be born and which body it will inhabit.

Just as a soul cannot change the body in which it has taken inhabitation, it cannot change the religion with the particular imbedded divine fields it has chosen. One birth in a particular religion is not enough to gain the comprehensive experience. Births from time to time in different religions are, therefore, ordained until perfection is attained.

Ervad KERSI KAPADIA

Singapore