Dear Zarathusties,

As in the past, the families in New Orleans (USA) will get together during the five gatha days of Muktad. As you know, this year the five gatha days fall on August 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, and 18th. We assemble at a zarathusti home around 7:00 p.m. (C.D.T.) and then start our Hum – bundagi prayers at 7:15 p.m. (C.D.T.) sharp. These prayers are the ones which are recited in agiaries (especially the Rustam Faramna Agiary in Dadar) and Atash-Behrams in Mumbai and elsewhere. Each family brings flowers in a vase and we set up the table in remembrance of the departed souls.

We urge other Zarthustries who cannot make it to our Hum-bundagi in New Orleans, being in other cities, or states, or even outside the country, to join us in the prayers at the said time on those five days. I will first read the translation of the Muktad prayers in English and then following that, everybody will join me in the prayers. I have included the translation and the prayers so we all can pray together.

Thank you very much and may Ahura Mazda bless us all!

– Rohinton K. Tarapore (New Orleans, USA)
(email: rktarapore@cox.net)
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HUM BANDAGI – Prayer in memory of the departed souls

Introduction:
When the universe was first started by Ahu, His wish which is Ahunavar (Yatha Ahu Vairyo) was sent. Then came Fravashi. This Fravashi can be imagined as the mother of entire creation. A small portion with varied level of Ashoi does exist in everything in Universe from the Human being to the smallest of small particle. This provides a Spiritual Guiding force. The following prayer is to remember the Fravashi during the days of Farvadegan, when all Fravashis come to this Gaiti (Earth).

Translation:

For all my mistakes, I repent and promise to retreat from them. I praise and worship the Fravashi that are Asho (Righteous), good, brave, and those that help in our advancement.

I get attuned, remember, pray and sing in praise of the excellent, heroic and bounteous Fravashis of all Righteous beings who bring happiness and prosperity to us. We praise the Fravashis of the High Priests belonging to our homes, cities, states and countries.

Among all these Fravashis of the ancient epoch we worship here, the first and foremost is that of Dadar Ahura Mazda, which is the most exalted, the most excellent, and the best, the firmest and the wisest, the most gracious and the highest in righteousness.

We remember the bounteous Holy Fravashis of the Amesha Spentas, who are the rulers, energetic eyed, the exalted and the mighty, who render help and assistance, act in accord with the Law of Ahura Mazda and who are the eternal Holy-ones.

Here do we extol the life-force, the conscience, the intellect, the souls and the Fravashis of the righteous men and the righteous women of the ancient Mazdayasni faith before Zarathustra, and of the righteous men and the righteous women who were the first listeners to the religious scriptures of Zarathushtra and who embraced his religion called Mazdayasni Zarathustrish. All these people strove hard for righteousness. We adore the soul of the bounteous Mother-Earth.

Amongst those who strove hard for Righteousness, we respectfully remember the Fravarshi of the Righteous Gaya Maretan or Gayomard; we revere here both the Holiness and the Fravashi of Holy Spitama Zarathushtra; we venerate the Fravashi of the Kyanian King Gustasp, the Righteous; we venerate the Fravashi of the Righteous Istra-vaastre, the eldest son of Zarathushtra.

Here do we praise the Life-force, the conscience, the intellect, the souls and the Fravashis of the Righteous men and the Righteous women among the Nabanazdishtans (i.e. people born in Zarathusti religion, descendents of those who embraced Zarathusti religion) who strove hard for Righteousness. Along with all these holy Fravarshis, do we revere those of the righteous departed souls, those of the righteous who are living, those of the heroes to be born and the heralds-of-renovation, the Saoshyants yet to come – to fight the evil and re-establish the Law of Asha (Righteousness) in the world.

Here do we praise the souls of the departed ones who fought for Ashoi and whose Fravashis are holy. Of all the departed souls of Nabanzdishtans, the Ervads, the disciples and men and women who have gone beyond from this fold, we here invoke the Fravarshis of the Righteous men and of the Righteous women.

Of all the Ervards (or Gurus), we revere the Fravashis of the Righteous Ervards. Of all the disciples, we revere the Fravashis of the holy disciples. Of all men, we revere the Fravarshis of the Righteous men. Of all women, we revere the Fravashis of the Righteous women.

We praise the Fravashis of all holy innocent children of tender age; we praise the Fravashis of the holy inhabitants of this country; we praise the Fravashis of the holy inhabitants of other countries.

Of men, we praise the Fravashis of the Righteous men; of women, we praise the Fravashis of the Righteous women. All the excellent, heroic and bounteous Fravashis of the Righteous do we revere, those right from Gaya Maretan, the first man upto Saoshyant, our last victorios savior to come.

We remember and praise the Fravashis of all the Righteous souls; We remember and praise the excellent heroic and bounteous Fravashis of the Holy-ones. All of them bring happiness and prosperity to us. We also remember and praise all the Yazads.

HUM BANDAGI

Kshnothr Ahura Mazdao. Ashem Vahu(1).

Ashao-naam vanghu-ish soora-oh spenta-oh fravashyo satomi, jabyemi, oofyemi; Yazamaide namaan-yao vis-yao jantu-mao dakhyu-mao zarathustro-te-mao.

Vispa-naamch aaongh-haam paorya-naam fravashi-naam eedh yazamaide fravashim avaam yam Ahure Mazdao, majish-taamche, vahish-taamche sresh taamche, khraoj-dish-taamche khrathwish-taamche hu-kere-pata-maamche, ashaat apno-te-maamche.

Ashaou-naam vanghu-ish soo-rao spen-tao fravashyo yazamaide; Yyao amesha-naam spenta-naam, shaetnaam, vere-ji-doethra-naam, berej-taam, ayevyam-naam, takhma-naam, aahurye-naam, yo-ee aethyajang-ho ashavno.

Paoerya-naam tekesha-naam, paoerya-naam sasno-gusham eedh asho-naam, ashoni-naam-che ahuum-che, daenaam-che, baodhus-che, oorvaanem-che, fravashim-che yazamaide, yoi-e ashaai vao-nerray, gay-ush hudhaaang-ho oorvanem yazamaide.

Yoi-e ashaai vao-nerray. Gayehe marethno ashono fravashim yazamaide. Zarathutra-hey spitaam-hey eedh ashono ashim-che fravashim-che yazamaide. Kavo-ish vistasp-hey ashono fravashim yazamaide. Istra-vaastre-hey Zarathushtro-ish ashono fravashim yazamaide.

Nabaanuz-distanaam eedh ashonaam ashoninaam-che ahum-che, daenaam-che, baodhus-che, oorvaanem-che, fravshim-che yazamaide, yoi-e ashaai vao-nerray; mut vispaabio asho-nibyo, frava-shibyo, yaa-o eeriri-thushaam ashonaam, yaa-osche zavan-taam ashonaam, yaa-oscha naraam azaat-naam frasho-chereth-raam soshyan-taam.

Eedh irristenaam oorvaano yazamaide yaa-o ashao-naam fravashio. Vispa-naam ahmai-namaa-neh nabaanuz-distanaam, per irriste-naam, aethra-paiti-naam, aethrya-naam, neraam, naaeri-naam eedh asho-naam ashoni-naam fravashiyo yazamaide.

Vispa-naam eathra-paiti-naam ashonaam frava-shio yazamaide. Vispa-naam aethraya-naam ashao-naam fravashio yazamaide. Vispa-naam neraam ashao-naam fravashio yazamaide. Vispa-naam naairi-naam ashoni-naam fravashio yazamaide.

Vispa-naam apere-naayuk-naam dahmo-keret-naam ashao-naam fravashio yazamaide. Aa-dakhyu-naamche ashao-naam fravashio yazamaide. Ooj-dakhyu-naamche ashao-naam fravashio yazamaide.

Naraam-che ashao-naam fravashio yazamaide. Naaeri-naam-che ashoni-naam fravashio yazamaide. Vispaao ashao-naam vangh-ish soora-oh spenta-oh fravashyo yazamaide. Yaa-oh huch geyaat merethenut aa sosh-yun-taat vere-thrung-ut.

Vispaa-oh fravashyo ashao-naam yazamaide. Ashao-naam vanghu-ish soora-oh spenta-oh fravashyo yazamaide. Vis-peh ashav-no yazat yazamaide.

Ashem Vohu(1).