Salgrehs of 300+ and 200+ years old agaiaries
and some insights into Behram Yasht (which is a very helpful prayer)
Baname Khuda!
Dear Zarathushti humdins,
On this hamkar day (07-10-2009) of Behram roj of Ardibehest mah in YZ 1379, we have three more salgrehs.
Behram roj is a favourite roz of Parsees and also of Irani Zarathushtris.
Click here to read the article from Tehemton B. Adenwalla Salgrehs of 300+ & 200+ years old Agiyaries
RULES OF DAILY PRAYERS.
WHAT TO PRAY AND HOW?
Take a bath immediately before praying. Cover your head while praying. Kushti is the prelude. Often there is a chasm between ideals and practice; the ideal line is required to be shortened at times. There are therefore ideally compulsory prayers and practically compulsory prayers.
During the day time i.e. in Havan, Rapithvan and Uijiran Gahs, the ideal compulsory prayers are Sarosh Baj, Gah, all the five Niyaish’s viz. Khorshed, Maher, Mahbokhtar, Ava and Atash; Doa Nam Setayashne; three Yashta’s viz. Ahuramazda, Ardibeheshta, and Sarosh Yashta Hadokht; Doa Nam Setayashne (again), “Char dishaa no Namaskar”, 101 Names of Dadar Ahuramazda.
If this ideal line is not practicable, you can omit the three Yashta’s. If that also is not practicable, recite only two Niyaish’s – Khorshed and Maher – after Sarosh Baj and Gah; and end at Doa Nam Setayashne and 101 Names. But this is the Minimum. No further shortening is permissible.
A word about “Vispa Humata”. This is to be recited immediately after Meher Niyaish in Gah Havan, and “biji Havan” (i.e. from Ahura mazda Roj in Ava month to Ardibeheshta Roj of the coming Fravardin month). Vispa Humata is not to be chanted in Rapithvan and Ujiran Gah’s.
Ideally, any Yashta other than the above three (viz. Ahuramazda, Ardibehesht and Sarosh Hadokht) should be recited after all the five Niyaish’s and those three Yashtas. However, as a matter of compromise, you can recite any Yashta after the five Niyaish’s or even after Khorshed Meher.
A word about Doa Nam Setayashne. This is to be prayed after you finish your set of Niyaish’s, and before beginning your Yashta’s. After finishing your set of Yashta’s, Doa Nam Setayashne is to be repeated.
Khorshed, Maher and Ava Niyaish’s cannot be recited in Aivisruthrem and Ushahin Gah’s; but Mahbokhtar and Atash Niyaish’s can be prayed in any of the 5 Gahs.
In Agiari or Atash Baheram, whatever Niyaish’s – Khorshed, Maher, Mahbokhtar and Avan, you desire to recite, please do it outside the Atash Padshah’s inner room. In the inner room pray only Atash Niyaish. You can pray any Yashta (except Khorshed and Avan Yashta) in the inner room facing the Padshah Saheb.
The ideal night-time Prayers are: in Aivisruthrem: Kushti, Sarosh Baj, Gah, Sarosh Yashta Vadi, Atash Niyaish and Mahbokhtar Niyaish; and Doa Nam Setayashne at the end. As a poor compromise you can omit one or both the Niyaish’s. But Sarosh Yashta Vadi is a must.
In Ushahin, same as Aivisruthrem except that instead of Sarosh Yashta Vadi, pray Hadokhta. Avoid praying between midnight and 3 a.m.
A bath is compulsory immediately before Prayers, whether at home or in a Fire-temple. If that is not possible before going to the Fire temple, an advanced and knowledgeable prescriber has suggested this: sprinkle water with your right hand fingers all over your clothes, wash your face and hands with water and do three Kushti’s one after the other. Then start with Sarosh Baj and go ahead.
When you pray, don’t utter anything except the prescribed Manthra.
Remember, Manthra Prayer is not just a reading exercise; it is a religious exertion. It has its Rules to be carried out. They are founded on the spiritual science called “Staota Yasna”. They have a rationale and a reason but they go beyond our intellectual level. The human reason itself declares the existence of ultra-reason. Modern science does not hesitate to declare that common sense is not the criterion for truth.
The Rules of Manthra Prayer do not appear to depend on its meaning. The Sarosh Yashta Vadi can be recited only in Aivisruthrem, although its translation no where indicates why it is so. In Gah prayers we find the names of Ahuramazda, Asho Zarathushtra, Yazats, Gathas, Mobeds, Ashavans. Why then this restriction? The short answer is that the Manthra are intended to have a positive vibrationary effect in consonance with the actual vibrations going on in Nature at that time or moment.
Remember! where there is a will, there is a way. Exert a little with faith and devotion and Nature will help you nine-fold. Try to break the spell of your usual excuse: “I have no time”. Find time and you will find that time itself will stand before you. Manthra is a living miracle. Experience it.
– Cherag
(Parsi Pukar – SEPTEMBER 1996 Vol. 2; No.3)
Courtesy : Firdosh K Sukhia
effect-of-wearing-cap-on-zarathustri-urvaanEffect of Wearing Cap on Zarathustri Urvaan
by Ervad (Dr.) Hoshang J. Bhadha
A Zarathustri is enjoined to cover his head at all times. It is one of the basic disciplines for a Zarathustri. If you have ever look at the pictures of Zarathustris from the past, you will recognize them simply because they were wearing cap or turban covering their head. If you read the description of Parsees from the past and those who first landed in Sanjan, it is emphatically described that whether a child, female or male they all had their head covered. It is unfortunate that our own community people laugh on us for wearing cap, which is the foundation of all our religion practices. Needless to say, today a Zarathustri wearing cap will get strange glances; he/she will evoke giggles and some people even consider them as one belonging to the Stone Age. However, such reactions are seldom seen when a Zarathustri will observe a Muslim or Jew demonstrating their practice of covering head during and out of their prayer area. It is a common site to see a Zarathustri coming out from the Agiary with one hand over his head, not as a respect but to prepare himself/ herself to remove the cap/scarf before he/she reaches the main gate. Some people feel embarrass to wear in public whereas some remove it to protect their hairstyle. My dear Zarathustris, wearing cap is not imposed upon us but it is a remedy to protect oneself from destructive thought process that will ultimately influence our Urvaan’s progression.
More to be read at …. effect-of-wearing-cap-on-zarathustri-urvaan
SHARED WITH PRIDE BY:
MEHER AMALSAD, WESTMINSTER, CALIFORNIA, USA
COURTESY: JEHANGIR BISNEY, INDIA
UNESCO honour for two Indian festivals
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation has added Navruz, the Parsi new year, and Ramman, a religious festival and ritual theatre of Uttarakhand to its illustrious list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Sources said UNESCO picked the two from a list of 20 items submitted by the government.
The list now has 180 representations from across the world. Three other recognised events from India are: Ramlila, the traditional performance associated with Dussehra, Koodtiyattam from Kerala and the traditional Vedic chanting.
Here is an important article attached (in english) and is taken from PARSI AVAZ Vol. 1; No. 1 and Vol. 1; No.2.
what-is-meant-by-tarikat-as-a-way-oflife
UNESCO recognizes Jamshedi Navroze as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
Courtesy : Behram Pastakia
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One of the glamorous teams of Mumbai’s maidan cricket, Parsi Cyclists plan to celebrate their centenary in unique way on October 10.
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There will be a ‘jashan’ a prayer early in the morning at their tent at Azad maidan followed by breakfast, then a 10-over match between the past and present teams and lunch. In the evening the members of different eras will get together at Wodehouse Gymkhana.
CONTROLLING THE “WOLF” WITHIN AND ATTUNEMENT WITH YAZATIC CHANNELS
‘MYSTICAL LEVELS OF MEANINGS IN THE MANTRA – THE TAAVIL
Prayer, in any form, is a communication between we, the humans, at one end, and God, the creator, our father, at the other.
We, the humans, have a ray of God’s divine Light within us. That is our divine Self, the Ruvan (the soul). We also have a body in which the Ruvan is imprisoned.
Continue reading at ..Divine Science of Manthra Prayers
Courtesy : Firdosh K Sukhia