Heal the world

Apropos the arguments against organ donation — that the scriptures do not support it — I may say that they do support such donations if we follow our Prophet’s broad but clear injunctions in the Gathas. Ahura Mazda’s holy spirit Spenta Mainyu works arduously to bring about happiness and progress in the world. Zarathushtra beseeches Ahura Mazda for a long life (Yasna 43.13) and as such he would welcome any measure that extends life.
Whatever actions conceived and carried out with pious intentions for our benefit or for the benefit of others that result in life enhancing [versus Ahrimanic (devilish) life negating] forces lead to the final Gathic goal of Frashokereti (final renovation of the universe) and to promote such actions is indeed what is expected of us all. So Zarathushtra declared: "May Ahura Mazda grant wishes to him. To the person whosoever has wishes” (Yasna 43.1).
Who then are we to stand in the way, especially as organ donation can help us to do more good in this world as our religion requires us to do. It is only when organ donation is resorted to for unwarranted purposes that it becomes un-Zoroastrian; but that question does not arise at all in this debate and context.
There is no dearth of health, well-being and life promoting dictums in our scriptures which could be interpreted as affirmations for using organ donations for promoting life. I myself have twice had cornea transplants, without which I would have been able to do so little for myself and others. When a very orthodox Parsi gentleman here decided to donate his entire body to science, I decided to follow suit as Zarathushtra would find it most in harmony with his progressive teachings.
Even the very late Pahlavi texts, apparently written long after the Parsis settled in India, dispel any doubt about Ahura Mazda finding it difficult to remake us humans in our original mold at the time of Frashokereti as by then all the body parts would have disintegrated. They assert He will be able to do it just as He was able to produce us out of nothing, nay, it will be easier for Him to do it now because in the beginning of creation He had no "precedent” to follow.
Do we then need to worry if we donate our organs for a good cause that will lead to Frashokereti in some way? Even the Revelation (21.5), which is known to be influenced by Zoroastrian notions, says God’s last word is: "Behold, I make ALL things new.” Zarathushtra wishes to eradicate all evil by any means we can. My children and I were therefore very inspired by Yasna 30.9: "Therefore may we be those who heal the world.” Hail to Zarathushtra! DR KERSEY H. ANTIA
Chicago, USA

I have been reading about organ donation in the newspapers and was wondering whether if instead of organs one wants to donate the entire body to a hospital for experiments/investigations, what the procedure would be. What happens to after death ceremonies like geh sarna, though the uthamna ceremony can be held as usual?
Which hospitals in Bombay can be contacted for full body donation? If anyone can provide us with this information some of my friends as well as many others may come forward to donate their bodies after death. GOOL M. MASTER