Faith in prayers

The Zoroastrian religion gives us freedom to decide what choice we are to make, to determine whether our lives’ onward journey is towards light and happiness, or towards darkness and misery.
The trilogy of humata, hukhata and huvarashta (good thoughts, good words and good deeds), the essence and substance of the Zoroastrian religion, is the guiding spirit to the path of righteousness. By cultivating good thoughts, speaking kindly and truthfully, and serving without expectation of rewards, we can make our lives worth living.
In the very first verse of the Ushtavaiti Gatha, the Lord has clearly stated, "Happiness be the lot of him who works for the happiness of others.” Our benevolent ancestors, true to the teachings of Lord Zoroaster, strove to bring happiness in the lives of others and thereby received Ahura Mazda’s choicest blessings.
All community members, traditionalists and reformists have at least one thing in common, and that is faith in prayers, rituals and ceremonies, especially for the dead. It is difficult to understand how denial of prayers helps to promote religion.
If those who oppose cremation are justified, then those who oppose dakhmenashini have valid reasons. The majority of the community members still adhere to the old system, especially to get the benefit of the beautiful ambience of the Tower of Silence. The serene, peaceful atmosphere, charged with holy prayers, rituals and ceremonies, creates a befitting atmosphere for the last farewell.
Our visionary ancestors, out of love and compassion for their community, gifted us this priceless estate for the specific purpose of performance of last rites. In the hour of our bereavement, the heaven-like atmosphere of the place consoles our grieving hearts. By denying access to our own community members we are inviting serious trouble for the community. With the declining population in the community, there will be a decline in the number of deaths. How are we to justify possession of such vast estates when we drive away our own community members, making the place redundant?
Prayers for the dead do not ensure the soul temporal power, nor will they guide him to reach heaven or to achieve nirvana. What the priest prays for is that he may be able to relieve the pain of those who are suffering. The pain might be physical, mental or spiritual. When the prayer springs from the heart, not only the reciter, but all others who attend the prayer experience undisturbed peace and tranquility.
One can truly pray when he has the conviction that God is within him. Prayer performed with humility and devotion, not only purifies our hearts of passions but we experience ineffable inner peace and joy. When the heart is filled with His peace, all vices like anger, greed and hatred cease, giving way to subtle virtues of love and compassion, tolerance and forgiveness.
Happiness is the byproduct of our way of living. All of us carry the spark of divinity within ourselves. With the spirit of the good mind and the law of righteousness, we should think about every choice wisely and trust others who make their choice. We should act diligently with love and faith thus fulfilling our purpose of making the world a better place to live in. Only then can we be true Zoroastrians. PIROJA JOKHI
piroja.jokhi@yahoo.com