THE FIVE GATHA ARE THEMSELVES YAZATA’S.

GATHA PRAYERS ARE THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE YAZATIC LIGHT INTO SPOKEN WORDS.

by K. Navroz Dastoor

Seventeen out of seventy two ‘Ha’s (Chapters) of Yazashney (our marathon Scripture) are the “five Gatha”.

A holy Scripture is not ordinary literature. It is a Manthric composition. The term ‘Man­tra’ or ‘Manthra’ has several definitions and descriptions. One is : the transformation of the Yazatic Light into words, which can be vocalised by the humans. Let me elabo­rate.

‘Yazata’s are the divine Rays of Light radiating down from the main sphere of Light, Ahura.

Light is a vibration. Physical Light of our earthly experience consists of unseen vibra­tions of energy, and behaves like a wave motion as well as energy particles. It has a finite speed – 1,86,000 miles per second; huge, yet finite i.e. having a limit. Further every particle of our light has a finite amount of energy.

But Nature has many lights. There is a full range of light from the physical to Yazatic. They can have varying speeds and varying energies reaching Infinity.

Yazatic Light emanates from Ahura. It pours, down the creation. ‘Yazat’s can be understood as the carriers of Ahura’s Light. In the divine Science of Zarthoshti Daena, ‘Yazat’s are classified in groups, like Seven ‘Ameshaspend’s, 33 ‘Yazat’s, ‘Mino, ‘Farrokh’, ‘Dae’, GATHA. They are the basis of our calendar. Days and months are named after them. The last five days of the year are named as the five Gatha. The five Gatha are thus the Rays, the Channels of Yazatic Light.

In the previous issues of this humble Parsi Pukar, several references, evidencing that the Gatha are the Yazatic channels, were set out. It was also pointed out that these five channels were actually the subchannels of one parent channel of the ZARATHUSHTRA GATHA. This channel emanated the five, namely Ahoonvad, Ushtuvad, Spentomad, Vohukhshathra, Vahishtoisht. The Light of these five divine channels entered the consciousness of Paigamber Asho Zarathushtra, who was the human formulation of the main Yazatic channel of Zarathushtra Gatha. Thus the Prophet Zarathushtra was the human manifestation of the Yazatic Light of the Z-Gatha, and that is why Paigamber Zarathushtra is referred to as Yazata in Avesta. The late K. R. Camaji has, in his Gujerati book on the Life of Zarathushtra, given 24 Avestic references revealing this truth, directly and indirectly.

The mystical distinction between Z-Gatha and Paigamber Asho Z, has been revealed in the passage: “Hakhshya Azem-chit ……….. Zarathushtrish” in Yazashney Ha 8-7, repeated in Ha 71-7 and ‘Hoshbaam’ prayer, para 7; as also through the preamble to the Gatha : “Yaanim Mano ……… Geurvaain”.

(Please do see pages 7 and 8 of Parsi Pukar of February 1997 (Vol. 2/8) for these two references).

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Having seen that the Gatha are the channels of Yazatic Light, we ask: what are, then, these five Gatha, which are woven as 17 ‘Ha’s in the 72, constituting the Yazashney Scripture, and which we particularly recite on the five Gatha days?

As already indicated above, the Gatha as Avesta text or writing, is the transformation of the Yazatic Light Channels into words, which a human can utter. (This applies to all our holy Manthra Scriptures as also those of all other Religions.)

How do we speak? Our vocal chord and our tongue vibrate. Before this, when the thought to speak arises in our mind, the brain cells also vibrate. Speech is therefore a matter of vibrations.

But remember, the whole creation is a matter of infinite kinds of vibrations. The creation began with the first vibration which is named as “Staota Yasna”. It then multiplied to infinite number of vibrations and thereby the whole creation, with its divine, non-physical and physical worlds, came into existence. Staota Yasna is therefore the prime foundation of the creation. The Laws by which the Staota Yasna generates the creation are thus the fundamental, primary Laws. These Laws not only formulate the creation, but also lead it back to Ahura.

The divine Agencies, which operate the Laws of Staota Yasna are the Yazats, Ahura’s Light-Rays. They themselves are a special class of vibrations.

VIBRATION TO VIBRATION

The humans, during their short journey on this earth, are required to attune themselves with the ‘Yazata’s and their vibrationary chan­nels. This takes them nearer to their aim of alchemising the evil (Druj) within them to the Good (Gava) and going nearer to God. The attunement with the ‘Yazata’s can be attained through the Manthra Compositions. These are composed in words, which, when recited, set your tongue, vocal chord, your brain cells and the whole of your personality (physical, non-physical and divine), to certain vibrations. These vibrations then join and attune your whole being, your whole personality, with a particular Yazata. The vibrations generated within you are brought in unision with the vibrations of the Yazata. The very recitation of the Manthra has this effect. In other words, as you recite the Manthras, the speech vibrations and all your other consequential vibrations go in consonance with the Yazatic vibrations and attune you with a particular Yazat. All our ‘Niyaish’s and ‘Yashta’s are founded and composed on this truth.

This means, the Manthra Prayers are composed according to certain Laws of the divine Science of vibrations. Those laws are also called “Staota Yasna”.

Thus, Staota Yasna means the vibrationary Laws of (i) Creation and Evolution and (ii) Manthra Compositions.

Going back to the Gatha prayers, they are so worded as to attune you with the Yazatic channels of the five Gatha. That is why it is said that the Gatha prayers are the transfor­mation of the Yazatic Light of the Gatha­Yazats into words which can be vocalised by the human tongue.

YAZASHNEY HA 55

All the above truths are contained in Yazashney Ha 55. (This Ha does not form part of the five Gatha.) It sets out (i) the Yazatic stature of the Gatha channels, (ii) their function in the evolutionary journey of the humans towards Ahuramazda, (iii) the nature of the Manthra compositions which are recited as the five Gatha – 17 ‘Ha’s of Yazashney – in our prayers as also in Kriyakaam, i.e. ritual kinetics, (iv) the structuring of the Manthra compositions of the Gatha on the foundation of the Laws of Staota Yasna and (v) the effect of reciting the Manthra prayers within man and out in Nature. A wonderful treat indeed!

The very first sentence of Ha 55 is a mighty prayer. It says, all that we have viz. this physical body, non-physical body and the divine body (all consisting of Gaetha, Tanu, Azda; Ushtaan, Keherp, Tevishi; Baod, Urvan, Fravashi), we dedicate, as gifts from us, to the Gatha, which lead us to our minoi progress (“Spentabyo”), and which hold the divine Authority and Power from Ahuramazada (“Ratukhshathraabyo”), and which emanate Asha i.e. Ahura’s Truth, Beauty, Law and Order (“Ashaonibyo”).

Here, the nine components of the human personality are directly referred to; and it is prayed that may we dedicate all that to the Gatha.

Further on, the 1st para of Ha 55 pro­claims the divine attributes of the Yazatic channels of the Gatha and the part they play in taking the humans and the whole creation back to Ahura.

(Parsi Pukar – NOVEMBER 1997 Vol. 3; No.5