How to put a loban?

Roj Khordad Mah Tir, 1381 Yz.

In my interaction with devotees at our Daremeher and outside I have noticed that there is a great deal of ignorance about the correct procedures to be followed when visiting our spiritual institutions. One such case in point is the procedure to be followed by a devotee after the prayers for a deceased member of the family have been done.

When a family member passes away, the relatives of the deceased generally have prayers said with some intensity during the first year. In general, prayers are said on the Roj of death (called Rojgar), the FravardinRoj (All Souls Day) and the Parab (same Roj and Mah) of every month. In addition, prayers are done on the Siroza days and the Gahambar days. In all these cases, three specific prayers are done on the carpet – the Stum, Afringan and Farokshi; whereas the Baj is performed in the Urvisgah or Pavi area of the Daremeher. Generally a pair of priests sit down and one recites the Stum and Farokshi whereas the other will perform the Afringan. Once these prayers are over, the priests invite the relatives of the deceased to the carpet with the words: ‘Loban muko ji.’

In households where regular prayers are done over many years, the family members (including youngsters) would have got used to the procedure, but today I see even many elder Parsis getting flustered about what to do, with each pushing to other to ‘go first’ so that they may copy the motions done by the first member. So what is the correct protocol and method to be followed when the priests invite the devotee to the carpet?

The first important step (and where over 95% of Parsis err) is to NOT remove the footwear before arriving at the carpet. The devotee should walk right next to the carpet with his/her footwear on. Then removing one foot from the shoe, he should place the foot on the carpet and then remove the other shoe and get the other leg on the carpet. At no point of time should the naked feet touch the bare ground. When the foot comes into direct contact with the bare earth, the magnetic forces present in the earth ground the personal magnetism (aura) of the person which has been maintained by the performance of the Kusti. This is the reason why we say that the Kusti is ‘broken’ if the naked foot touches the bare earth. To avoid this, it is better to wear thick cotton socks while attending the ceremonies. If this is inconvenient for ladies, then care should be taken to ensure that the foot is placed directly on the carpet from the shoe, without touching the ground.

Once again it needs to be emphasized that roaming barefoot is a sin in our religion – not only in the Daremeher but also at home. A true Parsi is one whose head is always covered with a cap of two folds, the feet are covered with correct footwear and the body is enclosed in the protective folds of the Sudreh and Kusti.

Once you are on the carpet, kneel down and face the fire. Pass a look at the two or three metal plates in which the fruits, flowers, milk and water of the ceremony have been placed. Now taking the Chamach (ladle) or chipia (tongs) in the right hand, scoop a small amount of Loban from its tray and gently offer it on to the fire. In your mind’s eye picturize the departed person for whom the ceremony is being performed, along with other deceased relatives. Then putting the ladle or tongs down, recite the following prayer in Pazend:

Eshaan Behesht-Behereh baad, anoshah shaan ba oy ravaan rasaad, ba oy Behesht roshan ba aasaayaad! Pedaraan va maadaraan va beraadaraan va khaaharaan va khudaan va khishaan ham dinaan-i-man, ke bed, and, va ke vadordeh and, hamaa shaan Behesht-Behereh baad! O shaan geti behereh baad! O shaan kaar va kerfe geti behereh baad! Hamaa as manashne va gavashne va kunashne pa aane raast fraarun pa raahe vehaan pasand-i-yazdaan baad! Aedun baad! Aedun tarz baad! Ashem Vohu 1.

Now pass the following thoughts, which summarize the words of the above prayer:

May they (for whom this ceremony is being performed) attain their share of Heaven, may they become immortal and achieve salvation, may they enjoy the comforts of the Heaven of Endless Light! Fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, relatives and all my fellow Zoroastrians, who will be born hereafter, or who are existing, or who have passed away, may they all achieve their share of Heaven! And may they achieve their share of this earth too! And may they achieve their share of good deeds and efforts. Through their thoughts, words and deeds, may they all arrive at the path of truth and righteousness and thereby achieve the favour of the Yazads! May it be so! May it even more be so!

This beautiful passage is taken from the Pazend prayer called ‘Namaz-i-Dadar Hormazd’. The fact that this passage is the most apt prayer while placing Loban for the deceased was first pointed out by the ace disciple of Ustad Saheb – Ervad Phiroze S. Masani, in his brilliant Pazend series (available here on the Ilm-e-Khshnoom SkyDrive ). Thereafter, many other Khordeh Avesta prayer books have heeded his words and put this paragraph at the end of the books (without giving Ervad Phiroze Masani the credit). The thoughts contained in this short prayer are not only apt for the occasion but also explain to the us the real purpose of the soul.

The prayer hopes that the soul (Ruvan) attains the state of Anushehi – a state of blissful activeness, where it can hear the celestial song of Ahura Mazda and take giant steps in its onward progress. After many years of this state, the soul will finally achieve the Highest Existence (called Vahishtem Ahum in the short Vispa Humata prayer we recite every day). The prayer then hopes for this exalted stage not only for the Ruvan of the deceased or the whom the ceremony has been performed, but for all relatives – including those who will be born in the future, those who are existing now and those who have passed away.

Not content with the family, the devotee wishes the Highest Existence for all Zoroastrians, wherever they may be. The devotee fervently hopes that the Ruvan (and its physical, human body) will leave all paths (which lead nowhere) and come onto the straight path of truth and righteousness, which is the only path which will lead it to salvation. Once the Ruvan (and its physical human body) adopt the path of Truth, they will find the favour of the celestial beings – the Yazatas who will themselves guide the Ruvans on to their journey and ultimate destination.

This brilliant prayer will not only give succor and hope to the departed soul, it also imparts important lesson to the living who recite it. The prayer explains to them the temporary nature of physical life and reminds them that their day too will come. On that long and arduous journey (which we are covering in our series the Wondrous Circle of Life), no physical belongings, money, wealth and assets will help them. Only their ‘kaar o kerfeh’ – their righteous efforts and their pious deeds will be their constant companion till the destination is reached.

I am uploading an Acrobat file which contains this beautiful prayer, along with its free rendering in Gujarati and English. The file is formatted in such a way that the Gujarati and English both will fit onto one A4 page. The printout can be taken in which ever language you are more comfortable with and then the quarters folded such that the prayer appears on one side and the translation on the other. This can then be laminated to form a small pocket sized card, which can be used when attending the ceremonies at any Daremeher. Maybe a reader of Frashogard can have some of these printed and laminated and then distributed in the Daremehers.

The ill effects of Cremating a Zarathushti corpse

As per the Zarathushti science of Ilm-e-khshnoom we understand that there are 4 types of Magnetism and 5 types of electro-magnetic energies called Fraado in natural sources of water. When a corpse is cremated, these 2 energies combine with the "Baad" or the air element whereby Microscopic Organisms multiply to a large extent defiling the environment. The last thoughts of a person before death forms a shell known as the "Pinjaar". The combination of these 3 natural elements helps the Pinjaar to become hardened thus becoming impossible to break.

When the corpse is placed on a fire or in an electric crematorium there is tremendous amount of friction generated between the "Baad" element and 8 types of Khaster (energies) present in the fire. This generates a large amount of heat and due to multiplication of the "Sukhshma hariri" (microscopic organisms) the Pinjaar becomes hardened furthur thus impossible to break. On account of the retarding forces of this Pinjaar, the Ruvan which is seated in its Keherp is unable to move onto the Markaz near the Upairi Dakhyu where it is  destined to go but remains on the lower planes. On account of this Pinjaar containing the Baad and Khaak elements (air and earth) this Ruvan having a solidified Pinjaar cannot move upwards.

A normal Baste-kustian Ravan lands up on the lowest level of Chinvat which is Gangdez on the Bamdad of its Chahrum day. That is the minimum a sinful soul can reach, more pious souls can even go furthur.This Markaz or station is between Upairi and Adairi Dakhyus and these Dakhyus are fiery in nature.

An unfortunate  bastekustian Ruvan which is retarded because of its Pinjaar unable to break cannot travel to these fiery Dakhyus but remains on the lower dense Zamrirs between Pairi and Adairi Dakhyus. Now because of its position on the lower Dakhyus it falls prey to the intense attraction towards Geti. Due to this attraction it is pulled furthur down towards thel lower planes where it loses its way and gets trapped in the company of "Selfi" Sprites. All this is due to its Pinjaar not breaking. The wailing of such a Ruvan is so intense that a normal human will be unable to bear its lamentation. It keeps suffering in this fashion for a long period of time since it falls a prey to the Selfi - Sprites.

No right thinking Zarathushti would like its near and dear departed soul to face so much torture. Therefore no right thinking Zarathushti would ever cremate the mortal remains of its near and dear ones.

Ref : Dokhme-Nashini ni Bulandi - Ek Udto Khyal - by - Doctor Jehangir Meherwanji Pavri - Pg. 68.

Can Parsis donate organs after death?

There is an intensive and ongoing campaign, using high profile stars like Aishwarya Rai, asking people to donate their eyes (cornea) after death. Various associations even send volunteers from house to house asking people to sign up forms which declare their intention to donate their eyes post death. Due to the high incidence of lifestyle diseases there is a long waiting list for people who need various organ transplants, like liver, kidney or even hearts. Also, due to the unavailability of cadavers (whole human bodies) for teaching medical students the art of surgery as well as for research, many institutions are requesting people to donate their entire bodies after death for medical research.

Many Parsis believe that there is nothing wrong in donating various body parts such as the eyes (cornea), kidneys or liver either during life or after death.

They consider such a donation as a great act of charity gaining much merit for them. Several Parsis use the argument that our religion always believes in charity and even the act of putting the body in the Dokhma for the vultures is an act of charity. As such, what is the difference between feeding the body to the vulture and giving the organs to some needy person?

In addition to the levels of religious ignorance being extremely high in our community, there is also an amazing lethargy to find out anything about the religion. Parsis will think of something and then arrive at a decision based on their imperfect (or sometimes complete absence) of understanding of our religion. We are also easily swayed by advertising campaigns or the words of other people who may be high up on the ‘social’ ladder. Yet they will not ask their own High Priests or learned scholars about these facts.

So does the Zarathushtrian religion allow donation of body parts? The answer is an ABSOLUTE NO. Why? Please read further.

Firstly, one can give away something only if it belongs to oneself. The 70-80 year old life of a human is not to be viewed in isolation. It is a minuscule part of a very long journey undertaken by the Ruvan (more correctly Urvan), ‘soul’ to reach a state of perfection and unite with its maker Ahura Mazda.

As part of this journey, the Ruvan is given various helpers and aids to enable it to complete its mission in the fastest possible time. The main aid is the Fravashi or Guiding Force which stays with it at all times and tries to guide the Ruvan on to the right path. The other important aid is the Baodangh or Divine Wisdom which keeps on growing as the Ruvan progresses.

As part of its mission, the Ruvan passes through our Earth for a limited time. For this mission, the Ruvan is given a ultra-physical core (known as Keherp) as well as a physical body (known as Tanu). These two aids comprise the physical body as we see it. After a specific time, and as part of the Ruvan’s ongoing progress, the physical body loses its ability to regenerate itself. This is known as death (rather the correct term is passing away, since it shows the continuality of the process).

As the Ruvan moves out from its physical shell to begin its further onward journey, it is necessary that the aids given to it in this lifetime (namely the physical body and the ultra physical body) should be returned to their maker. How is this done? The prayers of the Geh Sarna ritual do the work of cutting the link between the Ruvan and the physical body. The first three day’s Sarosh ceremonies succeed in securing the safety of the Ruvan from the evil spirits which may attempt to kidnap it in a vulnerable state. The placing of the physical body in the Dokhma and its eating by the vultures and subsequent excretion through the vulture’s digestive system breaks up the physical body to its basic parts (Anasers). The ceremony of Daham Yazad on the dawn of the fourth day and the Sun’s rays then lift these basic parts and pass them on to Ahura Mazda ( not directly but this is a highly simplified version). The specific Talesam of the Dokhma, which was created by the performance of the Tana ceremony during its construction secures the release of the ultra-physical parts. Finally, the Pad Ruz ceremony (called Uthamna) on the dawn of the fourth day lifts the Ruvan and sends it on its onward journey to Chinvat and beyond.

You will now realize the folly of giving away any organ or donating the body by a Parsi. Such an act would cause IRREPARABLE harm to the Ruvan of the deceased. It will halt the onward progress of the Ruvan in a very retrograde manner, and put a spoke in the wheels of the ongoing march to Frashokereiti. It is beyond the power of any words to describe the spiritual harm this act can cause. Kindly avoid taking this step out of misplaced sense of charity. Like I said, one can only give away that which belongs to us. Clearly from the above, it is seen that nothing in our body belongs to us. So we cannot “donate” anything. It would be more akin to stealing.

Secondly, we need to understand that our misplaced act of “charity” may actually be putting a spoke in Nature’s work. Parsis believe in the concept of action-reaction. The present state of a person is totally due to his/her past deeds. While a blind person certainly does require our help and understanding, we cannot play the part of God and try and restore his vision. That prerogative belongs only to God. We can definitely help him in other ways, such as improving his economic standing or getting a good job for him.

Thirdly, the parts given to us by God are for our own use. Could you understand the implications of a person misusing the eyesight given by your “gift” of a cornea? Would not some part of the evil committed by using that organ also flow back to its original owner? We cannot totally absolve our self of that responsibility. And even though the donation may happen after our death, the ill effects would have to be borne by the Ruvan, thereby halting its own progress.

Finally, some Parsis believe that the existing conditions at Dungerwadi and the absence of vultures has resulted in the failure of the Dokhmenashini system. They therefore feel that is is better to go for some other method of disposal such as donating the body to medical research. While it is absolutely true that the absence of vultures has somewhat damaged the system of Dokhmenashini, from the above discussion we can now realise that the Dokhmas are not only for the disposal of the dead body. They are also the engines which will fuel the onward journey of the soul. Even though the vultures may not be present, the primary agent – the Sun is still available in abundance. also the Talesam of the Dokhmas (although damaged by the criminal acts of photography and entry of un-authorised persons into the Dokhma) is still working and is the only thing which will enable the Ruvan to rise on the dawn of the fourth day after death and begin its flight to Chinvat. Hence the irregular working of the system today is not an excuse to take the law into our own hands. We are aware that a large part of the money we pay as taxes is wasted by corrupt officials and bureaucracy – does that mean that we have a right to stop paying taxes? No. And the same argument works for the Dokhmas. The system is bleeding, but we have to carry on with it till the arrival of the Saviour.

In conclusion, therefore, please do not let public campaigns and good looking stars sway our minds. Following the tenets of our religion is more important than any other thing. A hasty step or indiscretion can result in a nightmare for us after death.

Blood transfusion and donation

We have seen in the earlier post that there is a very critical spiritual reason which totally prohibits any kind of organ transplants or body donation. A reader has posed a similar question with regard to blood donation or blood transfusion, which is very common today.

The major difference between organ transplants and blood donation is the fact that blood is a renewable resource in our body which is produced and destroyed on a daily basis.

Hence accepting blood transfusion or donating blood can be considered keeping mind the following specific safeguards.

1. In case of an elective surgery, or when the date on which the blood will be required is known, all hospitals provide for the facility of “Autologous donation”. In this method, the patient himself donates his blood at regular intervals, which is stored and then used on the day of the operation. Doctors prefer this method because there is no chance of rejection of the blood nor is there any chance of any infection. Parsis should definitely use this method. Let your Doctor know that you are aware of this process, and they will allow it, subject to other medical requirements being met.

2. In case the patient cannot adopt this method, then close family members should donate their blood and they should INSIST with the doctor/hospital/blood bank that only this blood should be used. A little gentle persuasion can help.

3. In case even if this option is not available, then only as a last resort, blood from unknown donors should be taken.

It might be of interest to readers to know that in the past, it was the practice in America and other countries to separate blood donations on the basis of race, ethnicity, or religion, or to exclude certain groups from the donor pool on those bases. Unfortunately this practice has now been discontinued on the fake “equality” and “non-discrimination” grounds. (see Wikipedia: “Blood donation”.)

4. Finally, it must be remembered that transfusion of blood also transmits some elements of the other person into us, which may remain in the body till the donee blood is regenerated by our body system.

5. After accepting blood transfusion, or after a visit or stay at a hospital, it is MANDATORY to take a SADU NAHN before entering an Agiary or Atash Behram or taking part in any religious ceremony (even a Jashan at home).

Those Parsis who wish to donate blood must bear in mind the following:

1. It is preferable to donate blood only if it is to be used immediately. Should the blood be stored, and unfortunately the person were to pass away before the blood were used, some spiritual load would come to bear on the Ruvan since blood is classified as “leelo Nasu” that is, “wet spiritual pollution”, which must be reduced in the Dokhma within the first three days of death.

2. Persons undergoing this procedure must necessarily have a bath or preferably a Sadu Nahn after the procedure and before entering an Agiary or Atash Behram, or taking part in a religious ceremony.

3. Do not let a misplaced sense of “charity” cloud judgement, which can result in spiritual regression. It must be noted that, puncturing of the physical body (or even operations) does some amount of damage to the ultra-physical bodies (Keherp, Ushtan & Tevishi).

It goes without saying that Mobed Sahebs who tend the Sacred Fire in Agiaries and Atash Behrams, or who perform Pav Mahel ceremonies need to maintain very strict laws of purity. Such persons should totally avoid donating blood and in case of accepting blood transfusion, should take the Bareshnum Nahn again.

Blood and organ donation

My article in response to Dasturji Khurshed’s appeal to community members in favour of Organ Donation received enthusiastic responses from both sides of the debate. However, there has been no response so far from Dasturji himself. In the meanwhile, many have written to me asking various points of clarification. Some important points have also been made by a few writers who have disagreed with my views. These queries and points require to be answered, hence this post.

Some writers have asked for references from the Gathas. It is my humble request to these well-meaning but hasty students to kindly study the Gathas – in the original Avesta language first. Those who may not have the time or the intellectual rigour to do so, can scan through the translations of the Gathas and please let me know the references in the Holy Gathas to wearing Sudreh-Kusti, to performance of the Navjote ceremony, or even to the most often used triad of Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta. There is not a single reference in the Gathas to any of these fundamental pillars of the Zoroastrian Faith. Does it mean that we should stop wearing the Sudreh-Kusti, performing the Navjote and give up on Good thoughts, words and deeds?

Zoroastrians should note and remember that over 90% of our scriptures are lost to the ravages of time and the many plunders of invaders. What we have is very little. The Gathas themselves are not a separate entity but are 17 Chapters amongst the 72 Chapters of the Yasna – which is the fundamental ceremonial scripture. Even though they are worshipped and held in the greatest esteem, the Gathas cannot be viewed in isolation and be considered the be-all and end-all of Zoroastrian Doctrine and Theology. They have to be viewed in a holistic manner, along with the rest of the Avesta scripture which is left with us.

Some writers have commented that since organ donations were not possible in the days of the Prophet Zarathushtra, how could any prohibition be placed on such a procedure. The answer is that it is not necessary for everything to be written in the scriptures. The action has to be viewed in the spirit of the entire scriptures and conclusions drawn from therein. The Zoroastrian religion believes strongly in purity. The concept of Nasu or spiritual contagion, is so strongly emphasised in the Avesta, especially the Vandidad, that the very thought of transplanting an organ is unthinkable. Nasu is created not only when a person dies, but also when he indulges in any un-Zoroastrian activity. This is the reason our religion has a large collection of Bajs and Nirangs which are to be recited even while performing normal bodily functions like going to the toilet, having a bath or cutting nails and hair.

Moreover, a close reading of our ancient history shows that the Zoroastrian Priesthood and the Magi were at the forefront of medicine in those days. The Shah Nameh records the first ‘Caesarean’ birth of Rostam many thousands of years before Caesar, through wine-induced anaesthesia. The numerous wars between Iran and its enemies resulted not only in large scale casualties but also many injuries, which were healed by the Magi-physicians who accompanied the army. Yet it is surprising that in all this, not a single mention is made of an organ transplant or a limb transplant.

Several writers have commented on my point about human suffering. Some have asked for scriptural references for the doctrine of reincarnation. To be very sure, there is no re-incarnation for the Zoroastrian who lives his life as per the rules of Asha and the commandments of Prophet Zarathushtra. The problem arises when man does not follow the rule of Asha and twists scripture to do as he pleases. Definitely for such persons, who are called dregvants in the Avesta, re-incarnation is unavoidable. Yasna (and Gatha) Has 34.15, 34.1, 34.8, 32.5, 34.12 and 49.11 all point to this truth. Perhaps the most potent reference for reincarnation comes in the Dhup Nirang which is recited on the dawn of the fourth day after death, where the Priest clearly instructs the Ruvan that if he has not followed the dictates of the Zoroastrian religion, it will have to ‘come back’ (bi-ayand). However, if its conduct has been good, it will not come back (‘agar na-ayand‘) and happily and swiftly pass into the realms of the Just Meher Yazad.

Some writers have asked as to how Ahura Mazda can punish us when He is called Har-Hamid (All Good Natured). But they conveniently leave out the other names of Ahura Mazda pointing to His role as the Last Judge (Davar), Most Just (Adaro), The Taker of Account (Hamarna) and Un-Forgetful (A-Faremosh). The Lord is Just, and the Lord is Merciful – Ahura Mazda remembers everything and will hold us to account for all that we have done. But He is also our Merciful Redeemer (Bokhtar), in that he will make the burden of our past sins bearable to us. This is the real meaning behind the Gatha line ‘akem akai, vanghuhim ashim vanghove’ – evil to the evil doer, good unto the righteous.

Mr Noshir Dadrewala wrote that just as the body is given to us by God, even the wealth is given to us by God. Hence if the body cannot be donated, how can we do charity with our wealth, which is one of the most prominent features of the Parsi community. What Mr Dadrewala does not clarify is that while the principle of charity is enjoined so strongly in our scriptures as well as the Pahlavi Handarz literature, nowhere, absolutely nowhere, is the principle of charity extended to the human body. Even the final giving away of the body to vultures and Dokhmenashini is not described as an act of charity, but rather it is described as a method of ensuring that none of the elements get polluted.

It is also worthwhile to remember that the wealth of an individual depends much on his own industriousness, coupled of course with the blessings of God. Moreover, the act of charity does not break the rule of akem akai in the same way as engrafting the organ of one into another. In fact, the both are poles apart and cannot be compared at all.

Mr Dadrewala has also mentioned the principle of Ushta Ahmai yahmai Ushta kahmaichit – that is, happiness to him who makes others happy. What Mr Dadrewala does not mention, is that the word Asha is a prerequisite for Ushta – it is only through righteousness that Ushta can occur. Also Mr Dadrewala equates Ushta, which refers to spiritual bliss bordering on ecstasy, to normal human happiness, which is very wrong. Material happiness can never be equated with Ushta. A corrupt industrialist bribes a government servant to get a contract. Both are happy, but is this Ushta? A philanderer cheats his wife and spends the night with a lady of pleasure. Both experience pleasure, but is this Ushta? A rogue priest performs a sham marriage between a Parsi and a non-Parsi. All three are happy, but is this Ushta?

True Ushta can only occur when an act of kindness is done as per the Laws of Asha, righteousness, truth and non-deception. Organ donation can never be as per the Law of Asha, since it goes against the Law of Akem akai. Hence any ‘happiness’ that is realized is purely of a artificial, temporary and material type.

Some writers have viewed the prohibition on organ donation as a general prohibition on any medical procedure to save life. This is incorrect. The Zoroastrian religion actively promotes better health. The Ardibehesht Yasht describes the five types of healers – one who heals by purification, one by law and justice, one through the knife (surgery), one through herbal remedies and finally he who heals through the Sacred Manthras. Among the 101 name of God, the name Bishtarna (remover of maladies) and Tarobish(vanquisher of disease) are well known. In our long-standing oral traditions, the practice of Priests reciting the Ardibehesht Yasht and its Nirang, accompanied by the popular handkerchief ritual to remove fevers and other maladies is also well known.

Therefore, any suggestion that the Zoroastrian Religion enjoins suffering or is against the use of medicine is wrong. Modern practices like blood transfusion can be easily explained and allowed since blood is a renewable source with a very limited time life of around 40 days. (Red blood cells last around 42 days, platelets last only around 5 days, plasma can be frozen for up to a year.) Therefore the process of giving or taking blood transfusions does not carry any religious prohibition. Some amount of spiritual damage does happen however, if a Zoroastrian has taken or given blood transfusion and passes away within the next few days. This should not dissuade one from either taking or giving transfusions. It is of course distinctly clear that practicing Priests who are giving Boi in Atash Behrams or performing Pav Mahel ceremonies would temporarily lose their high status if they went through this procedure. They would have to undergo the purification Bareshnum Nahn and perform Khub to re-enter their specialised service. Even Behdins should have a Sadu Nahn after such a procedure.

Similarly, the modern medical practice of joint replacements, stents, dental and corneal implants, orthopaedic supports can all be easily explained and allowed. The important point to remember is that in case of a joint replacement, the original body part should not be allowed to be thrown away as medical waste but should instead be taken by the relatives of patients and placed in an isolated dry, sunny spot, away from city limits, thereby following the requirement of Khurshed Nigareshni. In my interaction with doctors I was surprised to find out that members of certain Muslim sects also request doctors to handover the original bone parts that are replaced by metal implants.

In conclusion, the debate on Organ Donation needs to be conducted in an un-emotional manner, taking the scriptures and our long-standing traditions as our guide. There are deeper spiritual reasons prohibiting this practice which can place severe roadblocks in the Ruvan’s journey after the physical death. The Zoroastrian religion and its fundamental precepts cannot be changed on the whims or emotions of any individual or on the advances of science and technology.

Some writers have made personal remarks and comments against me and my family in this debate. May Ahura Mazda and His Prophet Zarathushtra shower Their Choicest Blessings on their Ruvans, so that their faith in our religion is re-kindled and they arrive on the Right Path of Asha once again.

Finally, I would like to quote a beautiful passage from Pope Benedict’s speech at his Installation Mass. Speaking about his role and the Papacy, the Holy Father said: “the real program of governance is not to do my own will, not to pursue my own ideas, but to listen, together with the whole Church, to the word and the will of the Lord, to be guided by Him, so that He himself will lead the Church at this hour of our history.”

Similarly, the role of our Vada Dasturjis is not merely to conduct weddings and Navjotes and to be chairmen of community Trusts. They need to lead the community at this time of crisis. They need to articulate what the religion and our scriptures say, not voice their personal opinions. They need to be those we can look up to at a time when the very existence of the community is in question. They need to be shining paragons of virtue, un-sullied by materialism. They need to be strong as light-houses, unfazed by the waves of modernism, the storms of scientific thought and the tempests of so-called humanism. Only then can they be deemed worthy enough to be called ‘Dastur’ – one who will lead the Faithful to Ushta and Frashogard.

May they all rise to this challenge in the coming New Year.

Wishing all readers of Frashogard a happy, prosperous and spiritually uplifting 2017. May the Advent of Shah Behram Varzavand materialize sooner than we expect!

How to correctly dispose off religious items.

A question commonly arises in most Parsi homes – how to deal with old items of a religious nature which are no longer in a usable condition. These include old, torn Sudreh; worn out or broken Kustis; tattered Khordeh Avesta or prayer books or other religious literature; photographs or illustrations of the Prophet or other religious symbols usually (and unfortunately) printed on invitation or greeting cards; old metal Karasyas or vases consecrated for the Muktad ceremonies of relatives whose prayers have now been stopped. Another important, but totally ignored item includes the fruit peels or remains of consecrated fruit or eatables received as Chasni from various prayers and generally consigned to the dustbin.

What is the guiding principle which should be kept in mind while dealing with these items? Firstly, although they are ordinary items made out of commonly available and used commodities, due to their particular religious function and use, these objects have exalted themselves in some way, thereby differentiating themselves from the common. For example, a Sudreh is made out of cotton mulmul, which in itself is not sacred. However when this piece of cotton is ritually sewed, by a qualified and practicing Parsi, following certain rules and Tarikats, it gets vested with certain spiritual characteristics. For example, the triangular seam on the right hand side of the Sudreh (for males, for females it should be on the left hand side) and the parallel seam on the left hand side (on the right hand side for the female Sudreh), along with the Gireban near the heart and the Girdo on the back change the structure of a simple cotton cloth and enhance it with certain properties which enable the catching and receiving of specific spiritual vibrations.

The second principle to be remembered is that these uncommon articles (because of their religious function) cannot and should not be disposed off in the way common items are. The act of disposing them along with other pollutants commonly thrown out in any house causes grave spiritual disorder. The aim in disposing these items should be to somehow preserve and protect their exalted nature, despite their utility having being outlived. This is why when we refer to disposing these items in Gujarati we do not use the common word (‘feki levu’) but rather use the term ‘vadhavi levo’, lit. ‘increase it’. The meaning of this term is that the item should be cleared in such a way that it goes back to nature in an unpolluted and unharmed manner, and hence ‘increases’ its intrinsic worth. Dear readers, just this difference in terminology will show that there is great depth and complexity in our religion, and there is a reason for each and every phrase, act and ritual. We just need to be spiritually aware and question why.

Bearing in mind these points we can now describe how each religious item should be properly returned to nature.

In the years gone by, when things were simple and uncomplicated, and man had not yet completely destroyed the pristine environment around him as we have today, the easiest way of disposing these religious items was to simply give them to the waters of the sea or a large lake or river. The natural inhabitants of the water, along with the cleansing properties of water itself, would adequately take care of the small offerings of the community. The act of disposing such articles also caused the spiritual progress of the aquatic life. This is why, even today, the elders of the family still advise us to ‘dariye vadhavi levo’, i.e. offer the items to the sea. But that method has a very big problem today. Over the years, our tremendous progress in science and technology has given us the arrogance of trying to lord it over other creations. Thus a majority of the refuse, sewage and human excreta is now pumped into the sea. This has caused the pollution of the sea (specially near the coastlines of major cities) to a horrendous extent and completely erased the cleansing properties of water. In such a condition, it is improper to offer the religious items to the sea near the shore. Even in the high seas, the pollution caused by the illegal cleaning of tanks of super ships and tankers and major oil spills and other varied pollutants have caused some irreversible changes in the character and nature of the oceans. So even that method is now unavailable. In short, the cleansing power of the seas and water is now unavailable to us to dispose religious items and therefore this method should be avoided at all costs. It may also be remembered that local laws in most cities now consider it an illegal act to throw anything in the water. (Which is hilarious after all the damage that has been done and continues to be done.)

Let us start with the Sudreh first. For residents of Mumbai, there is a very easy and charitable method. The Sudreh should be washed and cleaned completely (even if torn). After drying, the Sudreh should be kept aside in a separate bag. When a sufficient quantity has been collected, the same should be taken to the Dungerwadi and handed to the Nasseh-salaars or the manager there. There is a great shortage of old and torn Sudreh which are used for ritually cleaning the dead body and also to cover up any part of the body where the skin may have erupted or where blood is flowing out. There is no better use for old and torn Sudreh than this purpose. Till a few years ago, every household would keep aside old and torn Sudreh and when an unfortunate event occurred, the bag containing the old Sudreh would be taken along on the journey to Dungerwadi. For some reason, this practice has almost completely stopped and very often relatives have to run around for old Sudreh when asked for by the Nasseh-salaars. Thus for Parsis of Mumbai or other towns where Dokhmenashini is practised, this is an ideal way to use the old Sudreh. It is important to reiterate that the Sudreh, before being packed away for disposal in this manner MUST be washed and cleaned properly and only then stowed away for later use. Never give a dirty, worn or unclean Sudreh for this purpose. Even if the Sudreh is partly torn, it can be gently rinsed in soapy water by hand and then dried for use.

In places where the Towers of Silence are not present, the following alternative methods are suggested. After washing and drying the Sudreh, the seams of the same should be carefully torn away, i.e. the Gireban, the Girdo, the sleeves and the Tiris should be cut off and kept aside. The plain cloth that remains can be used either to clean the place where the family Divo or photographs are generally placed. The cloth can also be used to wrap up the Khordeh Avesta or any old religious book. Preferably this cloth should not be used for household cleaning. What should be done with the cut off seams? A method used earlier was to tie these bits around a stone and then drop it in the water where it would sink to the bottom and slowly disintegrate. Since this method is now not advisable, it is better to burn these bits and seams in the Dadgah fire lit at home for doing the Loban ceremony every day. After the Loban has been passed around the house, the seams can be put on the smouldering coals and allowed to slowly burn away.

Similarly, old and broken or worn out Kustis should be disposed in the same way on the house Dadgah. However, the separate Kustis and the cut off seams of the Sudreh kept by women to wear during their periods should not be burnt on the house Dadgah. These should be collected and then buried in the ground in an area where there is no danger of the hole being opened up by dogs or other animals. Another method used till about a few years ago in Parsi populated villages was to tie the broken bits of the Kusti on tree branches, where they would slowly disintegrate with the effect of the sun and rains. 

Old prayer books or other religious literature should be collected and kept separately. When a sufficient quantity has been collected, they should be opened out and placed in a wide metal bin and then lit up using a match stick. A stick can be used to push around the heap till the fire has reduced all the pages to ashes. After cooling, the ashes should be mixed with the ash kept in the tray of the house Afarganyu. A similar method can be employed to destroy old photographs, religious symbols or pictures. When an excess amount of ash is collected the same should be packed in a paper bag (never plastic or any other non-bio-degradable substance) and taken to the local Agiary and the priest should be requested to dispose of the ash along with the ash which is removed from the Afarganyas used in the Agiary.

A question arises as to how the Ash which is formed in the Afarganyu of the Atash Padshah Himself is disposed? In Behram Baug we follow the old method sanctioned by our forefathers and specially recommended by our Ustad Saheb. We have had a dry well dug about 8×8 feet and about 15 feet deep. The bottom is not cemented but is just the earth. A boundary has been built around as in a normal well and the top is covered with a metal mesh, which allows the sunlight to fall inside. The ash collected from the Padshah Saheb as well as other excessive ash is placed in this well on a regular basis. The sunlight and rain slowly compact this ash into the ground over the years. Ustad Saheb had told his close followers that this same method was followed by our forefathers in ancient Iran. Some doubting Thomases laughed at his words. A few years later the noted archaeologist and numismatist Dr. Jamshed Unwalla made a tour of several ruins of ancient Atash Behrams and Agiaries in Iran. When he came back he recounted that most of these ruins had deep wells near them which were filled with ash, thereby proving what Ustad Saheb had said many years ago.

It may interest my readers to know that the Modi Atash Behram in Surat has three such wells. As per the information given by an old Boywalla Saheb I was in contact with, over its life of nearly 200 years (the Atash Behram was consecrated in 1823) two wells have been completely filled up and now sealed while the third is being used. This was the foresight our ancestors had! In the case of another Atash Behram, the ash would be taken in a Parsi bullock cart to the nearby seashore at a time when the coast would be deserted and the ash merged with the sea waters. However, that process has now been stopped and the well procedure is now being followed at this and other Atash Behrams.

With respect to metal Karasyas and vases which were consecrated in the name of deceased relatives and which are now not being used in the Muktad ceremonies, there are two options. The first option is to donate them to some Agiary or other religious institution where they can be used. The second option is to have them melted, sell the metal at scrap price and use the proceeds for some ceremonies in the name of the deceased or towards religious charity. However, karasyas and vases should never be sold whole, because it is now common knowledge that unscrupulous metal dealers scrub these old vessels, have them polished or plated and sell them off as new. The vessel should be either broken down in front of your eyes or it should be sold after completely mangling or twisting it such that it cannot be mended and sold off as new.

Flowers used in ceremonies, garlands hung on the photo frames of departed ones and other such religious vibration filled items such as rice used in welcoming guests into the house should never be thrown in the garbage. In Agiaries, these can easily be thrown in the garden to become compost. In houses, they should not be mixed with other compostable items but should be allowed to dry for three days (to remove the traces of the vibrations) and then composted in the society garden or household flower pots.

An often ignored item full of religious vibrations which is invariably thrown in the garbage bin is the peels of fruits received from the Agiary after ceremonies or Jashans, and left over dry Daran or other eatables. These should not be thrown or mixed with normal garbage. There are different methods to deal with them. The first is to pack up the peels and other remainders and feed them to either goats or cattle available in many Agiaries and Atash Behrams or those found standing near Hindu temples. The second option is to dry the peels over a few days in the sunlight in a secluded area and then compost them in the manner described earlier. The third option is to desecrate the peels and then dispose them. How is this to be done?

It is unfortunate that many Parsis have totally forgotten the concept of ‘Chokhu’ and ‘Ajithu’, i.e. pure and impure. In earlier days, the elders always instructed youngsters to eat consecrated items like fruit and sweets in a ‘chokha’ way – i.e. the fruit would be cut into small pieces and then the piece would be kept in the mouth without the fingers touching the inside of the mouth. A banana or an apple would never be held whole and then progressively eaten one bite after another, since the part going into the mouth would come out covered with saliva and hence was immediately ‘ajithu’. Today we have forgotten these important practices and it pains me when I go out to do Jashans and people merrily walk around with fruits in their hand or use one spoon to take Malido from the box and then put the spoon back in the same box after haven taken it in their mouth! Even a common sense of hygiene would teach that this is incorrect and potentially unsafe. It is important to note that any consecrated fruit LOSES its religious potency if eaten in an impure manner. An interesting observation was made on my trip to Iran where the custom is to cut the fruit into small pieces first and then put it in the Jashan or other prayers. In this method, the problem of peels is avoided and it is easier to eat the fruit in a pure manner.

Thus an easy way in which to dispose of fruit peels would be to lightly bite into them and hence make them impure. Then the peel can be disposed in the normal way. However, this method is not desirable and should be used only as a last resort. It is better to use the two other methods explained earlier.

This discussion shows that there is great depth of knowledge and an intricate science on which our religious laws of purity are based. Religion is not merely good thoughts, words and deeds [read www.frashogard.com/does-the-zarathushtrian-religion-teach-only-good-thoughts-good-words-good-deeds]. Rather religion comprises not only ethical and moral teachings but also a scientific code of practice which was carefully preserved over the centuries and handed down generation to generation. In our haste to become modern and adopt western civilization, we are slowly but surely forgetting these religious precepts, with a result that the next generation has no idea of what a true Zoroastrian way of life is. This is the main reason why Parsis are so eager to remove their Sudreh and Kusti in the name of fashion – even in religious functions like weddings and Navjotes. What our ancestors died for and suffered tremendous persecution is now an irritant and uncomfortable accessory! May we regain our senses and bring ourselves back to the true Zoroastrian way of life.

Our greatest inheritance

Roj Khorshed Mah Khordad, 1386 Yz.

It’s a tough world and many of us face a tough life. At such times, the feeble mind tries to fall back on some interesting ‘what if’ scenarios. What if I had this or that, what if I had married some person or the other, what if I had done this in my childhood days, what if a magical genie suddenly appeared and gave me three wishes…

Going through the Whatsapp status messages on the mobile, my eye caught an interesting one today. ‘I need a ‘varsa’’,  a friend exclaimed. For those whose Gujarati is not up to the mark, varsa means inheritance. Who out of us has not thought about that what if scenario – the wondrous gift of a fabulous inheritance from some far off relative which would supposedly ease all our troubles…What a comforting and enchanting thought! Why not!

As I smiled inwardly and marveled at the imaginative audacity of my friend, years of reading suddenly put the mind into that most sobering ‘Khshnoom’ gear. What’s wrong with you, the mind exclaimed! Don’t you already have the greatest inheritance in the world?

Let me explain…

Many hundreds of years ago, as a past life ended, our Ruvan – the soul, began its journey towards the regions of Chinvat (explained in great detail in the series The Wondrous Circle of Life). It reached there and began to understand the enormity of the work that lay ahead of it, the intense education it had to receive, the many lessons it had to learn and the slow but steady undoing of the misdeeds of the physical body down on earth.

After many years of this relentless toil, interspersed with that oh so short visit to the earth during the 18 days of the Muktad each year, the Ruvan attained the state of Anushehi – a Spiritual Awakening and Mindfulness where it could truly comprehend the true working of the cosmos and experience the beauty and righteousness of Ahura Mazda’s creation. In this heightened state of Spiritual Awareness, the Ruvan proceeded to the higher regions of Chinvat where the Divine Trinity of Judges – Rashne, Meher and Sarosh awaited it.

Now as the state of Anushehi reached its full potency, the Ruvan truly understood the enormity of the physical body’s thoughts, words and deeds on earth and its ramifications. It realized that while much of the wrong had been undone by its toil at Chinvat, there still existed certain obligations and interactions which could only be fulfilled by going back to earth. And so, in its heightened state the Ruvan passed its own Judgement – that there would be no crossing the Chinvat to the other side this time – it would have to return to earth and try once more to cross out all the obligations that had been created with others there. That one more time, it would have a chance to finally conquer the physical senses and finish the cleansing of its adamant part.

As the Ruvan passed this judgement, its accompanying companions – the Baodangh (Divine Wisdom), the Fravashi (the part of Ahura Mazda in each of us), and the Anasers (the spiritual DNA collected from the physical body over many years by Dahm Yazad and transported to Chinvat by Khurshed Yazad) all separated from each other – causing the real death. Each of these constituents proceeded to their specific place in Chinvat and began their individual communion with Ahura Mazda.

After a period of time, the Department of Divine Logistics made sure that the right circumstances and conditions were in place for the Ruvan to descend on Earth. Gently, the Ruvan was awakened from its Divine Communion and informed about its downward journey to earth. Divinely Inspired and Spiritually Awakened due to its period of communion, the Ruvan promised to undertake the journey to earth and make no mistakes this time.

As it prepared for its descent, only one thing remained…the farewell. There is the presence of Ahura Mazda and His Amesha Spentas and the Yazatas, a grand function was held. A most precious gift was given to the Ruvan, a Spiritual Vestment, a sacred garment, Divinely Engineered, full of the sparkling light of the Celestial Stars of the firmament. Along with that garment was a special girdle, golden yellow and luminous. These sacred garments, which we know in the physical  form on the earth as the Sudreh and Kusti  were presented to the Ruvan in that special farewell ceremony, the physical form of which we call the Navjote on earth.

As the Ruvan was presented with these vestments, it cried out in Divine Ecstasy – Mazdayasno Ahmi, Mazdayasno Zarathushtrish! I am a follower of the Good Mazdayasni Zarathushtrian Daena. Thus armed, and full of the optimism of the new acolyte, the Ruvan began its descent to the earth, entering the womb on the 28th, 29th or 30th day of the 3rd month of pregnancy and giving the well-known kick to its mother to announce its arrival. Finally, at the end of the ninth month, the complete baby left the comfort of the mother’s womb and emerged out, back into the big bad world to begin a new life as a follower of Zarathushtra.

Readers of Frashogard, this is the greatest inheritance we have! To be born of Zarathushtrian parents, to be invested with the physical Sudreh and Kusti – a repeat of the sacred ceremony held in the celestial regions, to be armed with that spiritual armour to face the tough life that lies ahead…what more could we want? Truly that is the biggest ‘varso’ we have.

The Navjote is not an initiation ceremony – it is rather the confirmation and reminder to the now aware child – that it is responsible for its thoughts, words and deeds from now on. That he or she is a soldier of Ahura Mazda in the constant fight against the evil that resides both within and outside us and that Prophet Zarathushtra has presented us with this unique opportunity to make this life a true success, not in material terms, but in terms of achieving our spiritual salvation, Frashogard.

As each of us advance in life and celebrate our respective birthdays, it is an apt time to remember our true mission on this earth, to recall the promise we gave to ourselves, to our Prophet and to our Lord Ahura Mazda – that this time we shall not fail. It is up to us – whether we use our Divine Inheritance to further move towards our salvation or we squander it in the pursuit of all that glitters but is, in reality, fool’s gold.

May each one of us become worthy to be truly called a Parsi!