Came across this sublime extract titled “Zoroastrian Ceremonials, purely scientific principles embodied in them, functionary agents employed therein on pages 384-386 of Mr. P.N. Tavaria’s “A Manual of Khshnoom”. Reproduced as follows:

APPENDIX 3

ZOROASTRIAN CEREMONIALS, PURELY SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES EMBODIED IN THEM, FUNCTIONARY AGENTS EMPLOYED THEREIN (pg. 384-386 of Mr. P. N. Tavaria’s “A Manual of Khshnoom”) (bold and italics added)

(Translated from Ilm-i-Khshnoom Series No. 1, Chapter VII – in Gujrati – published by our Master)

“The holy Prophet has taught not only the great laws for the Unfoldment of the Soul during existence in this world only, but he has also devised machinery for advancing the soul towards Unfoldment even after the soul leaves the physical body. Our Holy Prophet has viewed every subject in its harmonious whole, and so in order that the Soul may Unfold in its harmonious whole in whole respects, he has introduced the lofty machinery of “Zoroastrian Ceremonials” for continuously helping it even after death in Unfolding itself to its original immortal state. Nirangdin, Yazashne, Pasta, Vandidad, Baj, Afringan, Dakhme-Nashini, Gehsarna, Sachkar, Sarosh Ceremonies and all other Zoroastrian ceremonials have been formulated by the Holy Prophet on grand scientific principles only. It is not possible to delineate in this much abridged outline all the ceremonials; but we shall only cite here the principal fundamental functionary agents employed in these ceremonials:

1. “Staota” – the great law of colours produced from sound-vibrations.
2. “Mithra” – thoughts, and forms created by thought vibrations
3. “Khastar” – thermo-magneto-electro vibrationary forces emanating from every functionary agent; which forces are given out in each of the ceremonials, such as Atash, the burning fire in the censer, the electro-magnetic ring made of the combined are of eight different metals accompanied with the consecrated Druji-free hair (possessing electromagnetic power) removed from the tuft of the all-white sacred bull’s tail, Tashta (copper dish), copper cups, Havanim(metallic mortar), Eviaonghan, the sacred thread-girdle,Barsam (twigs), Mahruye, the crescent-headed stand, Hom-Sali, Hom-twig, Jivam, fresh milk of cow, Darun, the sacred small wheat bread-disc, Frado, the electro-magnetic currents from spring or well water, Aesam-boe, the sandalwood and incense, flowers and fruits of certain species possessing superior aura, the burning fire etc., etc., which are all purified – each in its particular way whereby the Khastar from each of them becomes efficient;

4.“Atash-e-Vohufrayan”, the elevated fire-energy functioning in a Yaozdathregar priest, who in order to purify and render efficient his personal magnetism has performed the lofty ceremony of Barashnoom, and after going through various other ceremonial exercises has passed the seven priestly grades of Fraberetar, Aberetar, Asnatar, Rathwishkar, Havanan, Atre-vakhsh and Zaota, and has become a competent Yaozdathregar, i.e. a priest in whom is developed the power of imparting purity to others – the Atash-e-Vohufrayan fire-energy functioning in the priest of such a status;

5. “Khoreh” the personal magnetic force emanating from a Yaozdathregar(possessing above-said powers), which becomes highly rarefied by the piety of thought-word-action practiced by him;

6. “Frado” the five types of hydro-electric forces, namely, Adu-Frado, Vanthwo-Frado, Gaetho-Frado, Shaeto-Frado, Danghu-Frado functioning in the well-water and running streams;

7. “Barehof Fire”, the thermal motion created by the constant burning of sandalwood and incense during the ceremony onAtash-e-Dadgah (fire) kept present in every ceremony; which thermal motion attracts to itself the accumulation of all the Khastarscreated by the ceremony and supplies force for its proceeding to the worlds above.

8. “Atash Behram” a functionary agent of a very sublime status, consecrated by passing through holy ceremonies 16 types of material fires, correlated to 16 types of fire-energies functioning in the ultra-physical worlds above. This functionary agent Atash-Behramdraws to itself the force of the Khastars produced from ceremonies performed at Atash-Dadgah and Atash-Adaran; (subordinate fire temples) and acts as the powerful transmitter of those Khastar forces to the invisible regions above;

9. “The Celestial Note of Sarosh”, the ceaseless natural Staota(vibrationary) current connecting this earth with the invisible regions above, the vibrations of which “Note” incessantly flow on the earth, whose divine superintendent is Sarosh Yazad; and without which Note of Sarosh the faithful devotee of Zarthoshti Daena is like fish out of water; which Note protects the soul of such devotee after death, and it is with the help of the currents of this Celestial Note of Sarosh that the accumulation of Staota vibrations produced from sacred ceremonies can reach the relative ultra-physical plane above through the force of the transmitter Atash-Behram existing on this earth.

On these nine and other fundamental principles is based the entire edifice of our Zoroastrian sacred Ceremonials, each of which creates, according to its grade, the respective scientific effect in accordance with the multiple laws of Nature, and helps the soul in its spiritual advancement through Sarosh Yazad at any of the regions of Ganjisi, Kangdesi orVarjami (belonging to the Chinvat Bridge), where the soul may be stationed after death.”

Courtesy : _, K F Keravala