[ilmeKhshnoom] IS THE ZARATHUSTRIAN RELIGION UNIVERSAL?

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Dara Wadia" 
Date: 10 Feb 2016 03:25
Subject: FW: [ilmeKhshnoom] IS THE ZARATHUSTRIAN RELIGION UNIVERSAL?

This is rather long but it is a MUST READ in view of the current controversy created by lawyer Darius Khambata at the Udvada Iranshah Utsav backed by Khurshed Dastoor of the Udvada anjuman.

It is suggested that you forward this piece to all your Zarathustri relations and friends particularly in Mumbai and other parts of India to spread the TRUTH.

Best regards,

   Dara.

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Subject: [ilmeKhshnoom] IS THE ZARATHUSTRIAN RELIGION UNIVERSAL?

 

(In the light of the current controversy created by the lawyer Darius Khambata at the Udvada Iranshah Utsav, the erudite writings of late Roni Khan may be appropriate for the enlightenment of our members.  Perhaps you may deem it fit to forward a copy to Mr. Khambata for his enlightenment too!   - D.F.Wadia)

IS THE ZOROASTRIAN RELIGION UNIVERSAL?

(Based on a thesis by Late Roni Khan)

 

By: D.F.Wadia.

 

             [ Late Roni Khan, an eminent scholar of our Mazdayasni Zarathustri religion, wrote a very thought provoking thesis which was published in the year 2001 entitled: 'Is The Zarathustrian Religion Universal?' by Marzban J. Giara.

 

            When Roni Khan writes, he writes with authority based on a well researched and in depth study of the subject matter. Moreover, there is absolute sincerity, intellectual integrity and frankness in all that he emphasizes. He has brought  enlightenment to lay Zarathushtris who are eager to know the truth. His insightful study of our religious scriptures, which transcends the confines of a scholarly inquiry, sheds a new and meaningful light on our beliefs as to our race and faith. Being a Mazdayasni Zarathustri is more than professing our religion; it also means belonging to our illustrious group of people which has distinguished itself as the faithful carrier of a unique culture.

 

            His timely foresight is a clarion call for our awakening. There is a propaganda let loose particularly in the West and to a certain extent in India too, where our race and religion are simultaneously diluted. "What both, Alexander and the Arabs, tried but failed to do, we may yet accomplish by our own hands  - God forbid!" he warns. He elaborates, "We are talking survival. A few more calculated shoves by the heterodox hands and we'll go over the brink!"

 

            He has dedicated the thesis to 'the scared memory of countless generations of our righteous fore-bearers whose faith and fortitude through thick and thin has made it possible for us to exist as  a living race and with a living religion.'

 

            There is a saying in English: 'Speak the truth. And speak it forever. Cost it what it will. He who hides the wrong he did; does the wrong thing still!' This upholding of moral conduct is well reflected in Asho Zarathushtra's precept: 'Who lets Untruth exist without protest; himself becomes supporter of Untruth.' (Gatha YasnaXLVI: 6).]

 

            The first and foremost fallacy propagated by the heterodox group in the Western world and India too, is that our pristine Mazdayasni Zarathustri religion, complete with all its unique religious practices, is universally applicable to all; and any one is free to join it. This is an absolute unscrupulous misguidance and must be vehemently opposed. It seems the heterodox group in our community has exploited the expression: 'freedom of choice' to implant the seed of such an erroneous presumption in the minds of lay Zarathushtris.

 

            The concept of freedom of choice expounded in Yasna 30-2 relates to the choice between the two paths: 'Mazdayasna' and 'Daevayasna' i.e. the good and evil ways of life. It refers only to moral choice between the good and the evil and is neither a permit to relinquish our religion nor a licence to invite others to join it.

 

            From Hadokht Nask (3-20 etseq.) it appears that towards the end of the Se-shab (the inter-life period of 57 years) each soul liable to take birth again chooses the religion for its next birth (Yasna 49-11). Hence, once a particular religion is chosen by an incarnating soul, it would be spiritually very wrong on its part to become a convert to some other religion during the course of its life on this earth.

 What is, therefore, divinely ordained cannot be set aside by the so called 'freedom of choice' concept unscrupulously professed by the heterodox group.

            All religions have unfolded in a steady sequence on the world stage as a part of the divine plan of Ahura Mazda (Gatha Yasna 45-9). Accordingly, all religions have inexorably come into existence as divine instruments in order to execute God's master plan for spiritual evolution of various groups of humanity. No single religion has ever been followed by all mankind and there is no religion which is 'universal' in its scope and suitability.

 

            The ultimate goal of mankind is to reach the union with the Divine. Different religions prescribe different disciplines to reach this goal depending upon the spiritual composition of different forms of humanity. In which group a soul will be born is determined in advance and the corresponding divine fields are established in it. Every religion is sent by God to humans with its respective divine fields which MUST be adhered to. It is ordained and we humans have no authority to alienate it or convert one born in a particular religion to other.

 

            If we go deeper in the spiritual aspect, we may find that souls vary in character from one another and accordingly the type of spiritual guidance required for their salvation varies. A soul belonging to a particular group would have a particular spiritual requirement which only a particular religion having the necessary forms of discipline can satisfy. This is the very reason why the religion a soul needs to belong to is determined before it incarnates. Any later disturbance in this ordained arrangement by human choice is obviously prohibited by the divine law to prevent hindrance in the spiritual advancement of the soul.  

 

            To preserve the classification of creatures living on this earth, intercourse between different species is not encouraged in nature. This concept is well documented particularly in medical science. Our biological genes are irrevocably linked to the parentage of our birth. It is the same with our 'spiritual' genes which are irrevocably linked with the religion of our birth. Skipping across from the ordained religion on to other is a betrayal of the sacred allegiance owed to one's own religion and disrupts nature's orderly process for the organized spiritual evolution of souls towards frashokereti (Union with the Divine).     

 

            It is unfortunate that the heterodox group has failed to comprehend that any religion has to be, and indeed is, more than just a philosophy dealing with the abstract metaphysical concept of HAKIKAT ( i.e. moral precepts, philosophies, concept of God and His creations etc. Our GATHAS form the essential part of this concept of Hakikat). A functional religion intended for practical implementation is always a complete spiritual system with ALL the four integrated and inseparable components of 1) HAKIKAT 2) MAAREFA (i.e. the channels, agencies, mediums for communion with the higher spiritual realms. Examples: The consecrated holy Fire, the talismanic spiritual instruments of Sudreh and Kashti, the maanthric prayers etc.) 3) TARIKATS (i.e. disciplines of rituals – e.g. performance of the Kashti ritual, conducting various rites and ceremonies, ablutions of Bareshnoom, Padyaab and Nahan etc.)  and 4) SHARIAT (i.e. rules of behavior and injunctions e.g. do's and don'ts which we are enjoined to obey like Sudhreh and Kashti to be worn next to our body at all times, disposal of the dead by Dokhmenashini wherever the dokhma facility is available, marrying only within the community, not polluting the elements of nature - earth, water and air etc.)

 

            It may be emphasized that although the moral precepts and philosophy of Zarathushtra contained in the GATHAS are vital components of our religion, they are not the sum total of our religion. We have to realize that 'religion' is something more than a mere course in moral science. It is a complete spiritual system for furthering our evolution. Accordingly, the above mentioned four components of our religion are interrelated, interacting and indispensable. They collectively range from the abstract to the concrete, from the conceptual to the tangible, from the philosophical to the practical and from the general to the specific. A fully functional religion is always an integral whole comprising of all these four elements together. 

     

            Other fallacy is the presumption that the GATHAS are the be all and end all of our religion. The heterodox group propagates that the GATHAS alone are the sole authentic texts and they comprise the whole of our pristine religion. This is often accompanied by the pompous pretension that the philosophic profundities and metaphysical mysteries contained therein can be penetrated merely with intellectual ability, rational thought and academic expertise. Roni in his book aptly points out: "When arrogance subdues devotion, when ego obstructs humility, when absolute perfection of VOHU MANAH  (the divine mind) is claimed by ordinary mortals, when degrees and diplomas replace self-realization, when doubt suffocates faith, when ignorance passes for wisdom, when licence is confused with freedom, when self-interest subverts obedience, when defiance destroys discipline, when progress excludes the wisdom of the ages, when the eternal is confused with the ephemeral, when prejudiced perceptions are promoted through artful twisting and misinterpretation of the scriptures, and when individuals scramble to justify their acts of heterodoxy and try to coerce the religion into being redefined for their own purposes; all these are lethal combinations with the potential to sink the ship of our pristine religion altogether."

 

            In the heterodox hands even the pristine philosophy of righteous living enshrined in the three spiritually uplifting words: Humata (good thoughts), Hukhta (good words) and Hvarshta (good deeds) is not spared the ignominy of becoming a pawn in their false propagation of the alleged universal nature of our religion and instigating conversion. It is one thing to say that righteous living determines whether one is a good Zarathushtri but it is quite a different thing to suggest that merely leading a righteous life would qualify one to be called a Mazdayasni Zarathushtri. Good thoughts, good words and good deeds are not something unique and special to Parsees only. They form the basis of moral teachings of ALL religions. Even an atheist who neither follows any religion nor believes in God would say that these are good for mankind and a guide to righteous life. 

 

            There is a vast difference between the intellectual rational mind and the spiritually illumined mind. (Soochaa mananghaa – Gatha Yasna 30-2). The ultimate truth of God and His creations can be comprehended only in the temple of purified souls and not in the temple of worldly academia.

 

               (For better manifestation of the concepts expounded in this article readers are directed to write to  Mr.Marazban J. Giara, Dhunmai Building, 667, Lady Jehangir Road, Dadar, MUMBAI 400014 for a copy of Late Roni  K. Khan's book:  IS THE ZARATHUSHTRIAN RELIGION  UNIVERSAL? )     

    

  

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Posted by: Dara Wadia

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Fwd: TheParseeVoice Fwd: Utsav

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Parsee Voice
Date: Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 4:23 PM
Subject: TheParseeVoice Fwd: Utsav
To: the-parsee-voice@googlegroups.com

Given below is a letter received from Ms. R. F. Doctor, sister of our editor late Adi Doctor, on Udvada Iranshah Utsav.

_________________________________________________________________

This is with reference to the communication from the Udvada Samast Anjuman, not addressed to anyone in particular, and supposedly written by 'the Secretary' (unnamed) on behalf of the Udvada 'Samast' Anjuman.

In 2004, when The Parsee Voice  had criticised the FDU and the Udvada  Athornan Anjuman, a curt reply was sent that the members were fully capable of taking care of Iranshah and would not allow 'outsiders' to interfere! How one wishes they had kept their word! Far from being the custodians, protecting the sanctity and purity of Iranshah, they have actually supported the Utsav and worse still, proudly claim to have been a part of it! No wonder 'outsiders' have had to raise their voice! As expected, the letter/article targets all those who have criticised the Utsav and takes great pains to protect 'our Dasturji(!)' and all along we thought the members of the Anjuman were meant to protect Shreeji Iranshah! If Khurshed Dastoor had behaved in a responsible manner befitting the lofty position of the High Priest of Udvada, no one would have dared to point a finger at him. He invited Mr. Khambata, supported and publicly agreed with his views, and yet very surprisingly, also signed the letter to the community, along with the other High Priests, condemning the mischievous statements! Is it a case of running with the hare and hunting with the hound? What exactly is his stand? Will the real Khurshed Dastoor please stand up?

'Sleepless in Udvada' was a well written article. Sadly, the reply was in bad taste. It not only reflected a petty mind but also ended up committing the Ad Hominem fallacy-that if you cannot rebut /refute an argument or a statement, then attack the character of the person! Incidentally, some permanent residents also claim to have experienced a 'dull, inexplicable sadness', when standing in front of Iranshah soon after the Utsav.

The response from the BPP Board was weak and half hearted (though credit must be given to the Chairman for voicing his concern), stating that BPP deals with administrative matters and religious matters are best left to the High Priests. But following the letter to the community from the High Priests, the BPP could have issued a communique from their side. The BPP is the apex body of the community, and the members look up to it. Despite the good work done in the last 100 days, if the Board remains silent on important issues, the members of the community feel let down. The previous Board had fiercely fought the Renegade Priests case and taken it right up to the Supreme Court. Was it supposed to be an administrative issue?

All that the 'Traditionalists who are not fanatics' are saying is –CHANGE THE VENUE. Udvada gaam has been explored inside out; a lot of spiritual pollution would have affected the 'Paav Mahel' of Paak  Iranshah and that is sure to have its repercussion on the entire community. By changing the venue, the community would get a chance to visit a new place, the unpleasant divide between US and THEM, which is getting murkier day by day, would end, the blessings of Iranshah would be on the entire community and there would be peace and harmony once again. It would be a win-win situation. The ball is now in the court of Udvada Samast Anjuman.

The Faithful Followers of Iranshah are waiting………....

Ms R. F. Doctor

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TheParseeVoice: Article detailing the community's stand on conversion and inter-marriages

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Parsee Voice
Date: Mon, Feb 8, 2016 at 9:33 PM
Subject: TheParseeVoice: Article detailing the community's stand on conversion and inter-marriages
To: the-parsee-voice@googlegroups.com

Dear Readers,

Whether the Zoroastrian religion permits conversion and intermarriage or not, has been the subject matter of great speculation since the 19th century. Views and counter views were exchanged and still continue to be. Important in all this is the mindset of the Parsee community on this issue since those days, which found expression through resolutions passed by Samast Anjuman meetings.

In the attached article, I have attempted to put together the scenarios that existed in the earlier centuries and shown how strongly the community opposed any such attempts to foist conversion and intermarriage on them. 

The religious explanations on this subject will be covered in a subsequent write-up.

Regards

H. M. Mistry

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Mixed marriages and Conversion – A historical perspective from the 19^th and 20^th centuries – H. M. Mistry

In the last hundred years or so, the subject of Juddin Navjotes and Marriages has been discussed repeatedly in the Parsee community. Many Parsees have voiced concern over the wrong projection that children of Parsee fathers and Juddin mothers can have their Navjotes performed as this is done by misrepresenting the Davar -Beaman judgement.  Since this topic keeps rearing its head in the community despite such discussions having been held over the decades, there is a need for putting down in one place, the background of modern Parsee history in this respect as also the religious canon.

The advocacy of conversion did not and does not arise from an alleged anxiety for the survival of the community. It is merely an attempt to justify the marriages of Parsee men and women outside the community. There are three props on which the Juddin champions base their arguments viz.:

1) That our scriptures advocate conversion of an alien to the Zoroastrian Religion;

2) That Justice Davar's and Justice Beaman's Judgements lay down some legal definition of a Parsee, which is binding on the Parsees and constitutes the law of the land; and

3) That if we do not accept as Parsee Zoroastrians the children of Parsee fathers and non-Parsee mothers and of Parsee mothers and non-Parsee fathers, our population will be reduced to zero.

Each of these props is hollow and even decayed from its interior. The scriptures are turned and twisted beyond any reasonable limit.

Since about 1300 years of our stay in India, there were no Juddin marriages to show.  We may safely say that upto 1600 A.D., the recorded history of Parsees does not reflect any Juddin marriage problem. In 1599, Mobed Bahman Kekobad recorded Parsee history in his famous Kisseh Sanjan.  No mention can be found of mixed marriages in his entire writings. Nor can any such mention be traced in the famous ‘Parsi Prakash’ volumes that constitute the Parsi Panchayat records. Similarly, the history of the Parsi Panchayat, as recorded by Sir Jivanji Mody, does not reflect any incidence of mixed marriage.

In 1818, records have it that some Parsee males clandestinely got performed the Navjotes of their children born of their non-Parsee mistresses.  In those days, the Parsi Panchayat was not a Board of Trustees but comprised of grand, wealthy Akabars or Sethias, who genuinely felt and worked for the welfare of the Parsee community and Zarthoshti Deen.  In 1818, for the very first time, these Akabars passed certain resolutions against such clandestine Juddin Navjotes. At that time, these gentlemen wielded great influence over the community members.

In 1830, a Samast Parsee Anjuman meeting was held at the Dadyseth Agiary in Fort, when 9 resolutions were passed. One among the many stern (original in Gujarati) resolutions passed read, “Very recently, we find that some offspring of Parsee men keeping non-Parsee mistresses, have been taken into the Parsee fold, which act has disgraced our religion! It is, therefore, that we have organised this protest meeting whose proceedings will be on record with the Parsee Panchayat and copies thereof are being sent to the Akabars of other towns, requesting them to ensure that children of such mistresses are not taken into the Zoroastrian faith by performing such clandestine Navjotes. On growing up, such children should not be allowed to marry in the Parsee community and their bodies should not be consigned to our consecrated Dakhmas.” The resolutions were signed by more than 50 famous personalities of the community including Nowrojee J Wadia, Bomanji H Wadia, Framji Cowasjee Banaji, Modi Sohrabji Vatcha Gandhi, Sir Jamsetjee Jeejeebhoy, etc.

In the years 1835 to 1850 many such resolutions were passed, yet such clandestine Juddin Navjotes occurred. Framji Cowasjee had observed that the more lenient the stand taken for Parsee males keeping mistresses and getting their offspring initiated and even married into the community, the more licentious would Parsees turn out to be. Thus, in 1836, Parsi Panchayat passed a resolution that such Mobeds performing mixed marriages would be excommunicated! Those were the days when such Akabars wielded extensive power to deprive such deviants from being recognised as a Parsee or availing of any right to enter any consecrated fire temple and even of availing any benefit from any Parsee institution.

Two points here are pertinent to note:

(1)   Although such unauthorised Navjotes were extremely rare in the 19^th century, Parsees were so perturbed by their performance, that they called Samast Anjuman Meetings to condemn them!

(2)   Today, it is being argued that the father’s sins should not be visited upon the child and, therefore, the child’s Navjote should be performed.  The Parsees of the last century did not have such false, maudlin sentiments.  Since no one can do much about Parsee men cohabiting with non-Parsee women, Parsees of yore had at least that good sense to ostracise Mobeds who betrayed their religious tenets, and they deprecated such “Navjotes”.   

On 26.06.1882, Roj Khorshed Mah Dae, i.e. on our Prophet’s diso, our community bore sad witness to the infamous Mazgaon Juddin Navjotes, where the Navjotes of certain adults (even 35 to 40 years of age) were performed publicly by one Dastur Jamasp Minocheher JamaspAsa.

The landmark Davar - Beaman Judgement (Sir Dinsha M. Petit & others, Plaintiffs V/s Sir Jamsetji J. Jijibhai & others, Defendants):

In 1903, Mr, Ratan D. Tata married a French lady whose name was conveniently changed to Soonai. Kaikhusroo Jamaspasa (not the High Priest with the same name today) performed the Navjote of the said Soonai in the morning and conducted the marriage ashirvad ceremony the same evening!  This was indeed an unprecedented act of profanity that raised an uproar in the entire Parsee community, which publicly refused to accept Soonai as a Parsee, enjoying normal Parsee rights such as entry into consecrated fire temples, etc.

A public meeting of Parsees was called and a committee of 196 members was appointed to look into the burning question of conversion. This committee appointed a sub-committee of 35, wherefrom a further sub-committee of 11 scholars was finalised. These 11 gave their report that the Zoroastrian religion enjoined and encouraged conversion. This report was forwarded to the sub-committee of 35 and then to the committee of 196.

This matter ultimately landed in another public meeting on 16.4.1905 called by Jehangirji Vimadalal at Albless Baug, where many important resolutions were passed against Juddin navjotes and marriages. That meeting saw the community rejecting the 11 scholars report.  Whatever the scriptures might be saying, we do not want to mix ourselves with other communities because we want to survive as a race of Zoroastrians with all its inherent genetic characteristics and with all its spiritual and religious institutions and practices. That was the sound thinking which prompted the meeting to pass 3 resolutions. The first resolution torpedoed the report of the learned 11. The second resolution resolved to boycott those Mobeds and Priests who performed any Juddin navjote (whether of a child by Parsee father or Parsee mother) and the third resolution declared in clear terms that there was no custom of admitting the children of Parsee father and non-Parsee mother into the religion and no such child would be admitted or accepted as a Parsee.

In the capacity of plaintiffs, Mr. Ratan D. Tata and the members of Petit family filed a case which was heard for 3 years. On behalf of the defendants, Sir Jamsetji Jeejeebhoy and other Akabars of the Parsi Panchayat, Jehangirji Vimadalal fought a fierce battle in court in the Division Bench of Justices Sir Dinsha Davar and Beaman.

The two main questions in the case were:

(1)   Whether the defendants were validly appointed trustees of the properties and funds of the Parsi Punchayet, and whether, in the event of death or resignation of one or more of them they had the right of filling up the vacancy or vacancies as they occured.

(2)   Whether a person born in another faith and subsequently converted to Zoroastrianism and admitted into that religion was entitled to the benefit of the religious institutions and funds mentioned in the plaint and now in the possession and under the management of the defendants.

The judgement in both these two issues was emphatically negative. The Justices held that:

1) The defendants were not validly appointed trustees of the funds and Parsi Punchayat Trustees should be elected and an electoral college be formed for the purpose.

2) There were very clear authorities for holding that a well-established and ancient usage prevailing amongst a community must over-ride such of the tenets of the religion as are shown to have fallen into desuetude and conflict with ancient usage prevailing in the community. The result was that they dismissed the suit so far as it sought relief on all points relating to the conversion of Juddins and their right to participate in the Charitable Funds and Institutions in the possession and under management of the defendants.

The judgement does not lay down any law further than this. There are, of course, references to the children of Parsee fathers by non-Parsee mothers in the judgement; but as pointed out to our community hundreds of times, these references constituted Obiter Dictum and did not lay down any law. Obiter dictum is Latin for a word said "by the way", that is, a remark in a judgment that is "said in passing". It is a judge's expression of opinion uttered in court or in a written judgement, but not essential to the decision and therefore not legally binding as a precedent.

Thus, it is as clear that the judgements of Davar J. and Beaman J. did not lay down any legal definition of a Parsee nor did they set out the alleged binding law that a child of a Parsee father and non-Parsee mother is a Parsee and should be accepted as a Parsee! Brazenly misusing and misquoting this vital judgement, Parsee deviants (even today) have been propagating the falsehood that this judgement allows the Navjote of offspring of Parsee fathers and non-Parsee mothers to be performed.

Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya wrote to Jehangirji Vimadalal: “I honour your community for its desire to keep up its purity of blood and its tenacious strength and character which have enabled it to live and flourish so long with distinction.”

In 1914, a third Jamaspasa came in the limelight when he went to Rangoon (Burma) to perform the Navjote of a child born of a non-Parsee father and a Parsee lady.  This matter later developed into the infamous Saklat V/s Bella Case. The orthodox lobby lost the case right upto the High Court level. Once again Jehangirji Vimadalal stepped in and won the case at the Privy Council level through his astute cross examination of witnesses and proper presentation of facts. Thus, here too, the Privy Council overruled the erroneous Bombay High court judgement. 

Even after the court case, the community went on resisting any attempt to bring in the Juddin question. The most noteworthy step in this direction was the a meeting of all the Parsee priests held in 1914, which resolved that no Navjote of a child of a Parsee father and non-Parsee mother would be performed by any Priest.

The years 1918, 1919, 1929 and 1930 witnessed many Samast Anjuman Sabhas and the passing of resolutions to the effect that such deviants would just not be taken back into the Parsee fold.

The next important event was the publication of ‘Zoroastrian Theology’ by Dr. Maneckji Dhalla and ‘Zoroastrianism Ancient and Modern’ by Ervad Phiroze Masani. Dr. Dhalla’s book was to become the Bible of the advocates of the Juddin lobby. However, the same Justice Dinsha Davar of the Davar-Beaman duo, encouraged Ervad Masani to write his scholarly book as a thumping rejoinder to Dr. Dhalla. With his scholastic, deep study of our religious texts, Phiroze Masani, Advocate High Court, Bombay, successfully refuted each and every argument of Dr. Dhalla on conversion and ornamented his book by giving  a list of 45 glaring inconsistencies of Dr. Dhalla spread in his book!

The next historical important step was the drafting of the definition of a PARSEE in the Parsi Marriage and Divorce Act, 1936.  The Juddin champions were to thrust a definition accepting children of a Parsee father and non-Parsee mother. However, due to the efforts of Mr. Manekji Davar, Mr. Faredoon Dadachandji, Mr. Mancherji Khareghat and Mr. Homi Seervai, the attempts of the Juddin advocates failed miserably and the definition that ultimately found its way into the Act is “A Parsi means a Parsi Zoroastrian”.

Then came the chapter of Vansda Navjotes in 1942. A few Parsees in Vansda State had kept Adivasi mistresses and their progeny had multiplied.  One Mr. Faramji Bode and Mr. Burjorji Bharucha arranged to have ‘Navjotes’ of such progeny who were ‘children’ between the age of 7 and 70! There was an uproar in the community.  Jam-e-Jamshed took the lead.  The files of Jame for the year 1942-43-44 provide an excellent account of how sharply the Parsee community reacted to this nefarious Bode-Bharucha act. These files also show that the community did not make any difference between children of Parsee father by an alien wife and Parsee mother by alien husband.  In fact, the Vansda progeny were all offspring of Parsee fathers.

In 1945, some of the Vansda navjotees filed a suit in the Bombay High Court against the trustees of an Agiary, claiming that they were Parsees and were entitled to enter the Agiary.  They brought Dr. Dhalla, the Juddin champion as their expert and ‘powerful’ witness. However, in the cross-examination by counsel, Mr. Manekshah, Dr. Dhalla admitted that he himself would never perform such a Navjote because a large part of the Parsee community was against it!  Vansda Navjotee plaintiffs were promptly advised by their counsel, Mr. Setalvad to withdraw the case.

When this case was pending, the Parsi Panchayat had received a requisition signed by 24,000 Parsees voicing strong protest against the Vansda navjotes.

Again, on 16.3.1945, a Samast Anjuman Meeting was held openly condemning these Navjotes. All along, the stand of the community was: no mixing of blood whatsoever, no distinction between children of Parsee father by non-Parsee mother and of a Parsee mother by non-Parsee father.

The next step was an alleged declaration by 14 Dastoors in 1949, where one of the paragraphs stated that they had to accept the definition of a Parsee as laid down by the law.  This was yet another attempt to thrust Justice Davar’s obiter as law, intending to get the community to accept the children of Parsee fathers by non-Parsee mothers into the fold. Once again, the community reacted very sharply.  The two Head priests of Navsari and Udvada not only did not join this declaration of 14 Dastoors, but opposed it vehemently.  One of them, Dastoorji Mirza presided over a public meeting held on 9.10.1949 for recording the strong protest of the community. Here again the community confirmed that Justice Davar’s judgement did not lay that law and that no mixing of blood and genes should be allowed whether by a Parsee father or mother.

In 1963, one more such confirmation was asserted by the Parsee community.  A movement was launched by some Parsees to induce Parsi Panchayat to call a Samast Anjuman meeting to pay tributes to the late Burjorji Bharucha (of Vansda fame).  Such meetings are called only for those Parsees who had rendered exceptional service to the community.  A requisition was sent to the trustees of the Parsee Panchayat to call such a meeting for Mr. Bharucha. 

However, the Parsees had not forgotten the Vansda Navjotes done under his leadership. The late Mr. Jehangirji Chiniwalla and his PARSEE AVAZ launched a counter movement. Soon a counter requisition bearing thousands of signatures was sent to the Parsee Panchayat reminding them that calling such a meeting would tantamount to a ratification of the great misdeeds done by Bode-Bharucha and company. The trustees honoured the counter requisition.  No meeting was called for Mr. Bharucha. Once again, the community expressed its views in another public meeting held on 1.4.1970 under the leadership of Mr. Maneck Mistry.

It is, thus, clear that the community is against any kind of mixing of the Parsee blood and genes by any kind of Juddin marriage or Juddin navjote and it does not accept any distinction between the children of a Parsee father and non-Parsee mother and of a Parsee mother and non-Parsee father. There is no law that makes such a distinction. The community has adopted this consistent stand since Parsees came to India and has expressed the stand most emphatically and effectively whenever the occasion has arisen.

Our survival is in danger not because we do not accept Juddin marriage or Juddin "navjote"; it is in danger because a few of us desire to thrust such acceptance on the whole community.  The surest way of erasing a race from the surface of the earth is the import-export of blood and genes.

The above facts and figures have been taken from the writings and lectures of religious scholars - Vada Dasturji Kaikhushroo N. Dastoor Meherjirana and late Adi F. Doctor.

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TheParseeVoice Open response to communication of Udvada Samast Anjuman

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Parsee Voice
Date: Sun, Feb 7, 2016 at 9:22 PM
Subject: TheParseeVoice Open response to communication of Udvada Samast Anjuman
To: editorjamejamshed@gmail.com

The Committee Members

Udvada Samast Anjuman

 

We are greatly pained to read your sanctimonious and patronising response which appeared in Jame Jamshed of 31^st January. You have completely sidetracked the main issue of concern to the traditional members of the community, that of safeguarding the sanctity of Iranshah, which was badly jeopardised during the recent so-called 'Utsav'.

 

While you pompously proclaim that the Udvada Samast Anjuman is the caretaker of Iranshah, the recent actions of some of the Anjuman leadership in holding the Iranshah Udvada Utsav at great spiritual cost to Holy Iranshah, is a clear pointer in the opposite direction. The speech of Darius Khambata, which found a willing supporter in Udvada's High Priest, Dastur Khurshed Dastoor, proved to be the proverbial last straw which broke the camel's back! All this happened with full support of your leader and you have the audacity to claim that the general community of Parsi/Irani Zarthoshtis, the beneficiaries of Iranshah, have no say in the matter!!

 

You contend that Darius Khambata expressed his personal opinion, and that your Anjuman and Dastur Khurshed are not in agreement. If you were not in agreement, why was he invited in the first place to speak at the Utsav? His views on this topic are well known, he having already voiced them at the last World Zoroastrian Congress. What are his scholastic credentials on religion that made you invite him as a speaker instead of other real scholars of the religion?  Further, the Utsav organisers also went a step further and felicitated him. When some of the attendees protested, your Dastur Khurshed silenced them. And then you expect the community to believe that Dastur Khurshed does not support these views of Mr. Khambata?? All we can say is: Tell it to the marines!

 

You further state that neither your Anjuman nor your Dasturjis have ever encouraged conversion or mixed marriages in any form whatsoever. In this regard, we invite your attention to the interview given by Dastur Khurshed to Nergish Sunavala of Times of India on December 27, 2015 after this unfortunate speech of Khambata and also the interview given by Dastur Khurshed to Bachi Karkaria of Times of India on December 20, 2015. Please also read the interview given by Dastur Khurshed on May 28, 2010 in Ontario, published in the 2010, Fall September issue of FEZANA Journal. Even a person with limited IQ will understand the religious leanings of Dastur Khurshed! It was only when the community expressed its indignation and he was cornered, that Dastur Khurshed lent his signature to the joint letter / statement issued by all the other High Priests in which they spoke out against conversions and intermarriage. It seems hypocritical to us that on one hand Dastur Khurshed sides with the reformist lobby, and then portrays himself to be a traditionalist when there is a furore.

 

As regards the absence of the other High Priests from the Utsav, we have it from reliable sources that some of the High Priests did not even get an invitation from you. While we are aware that Dasturji Meherjirana is in poor health, that still does not preclude you from inviting him, especially since your Dastur Khurshed was graciously invited to, and attended the celebrations of the Navsari Atashbehram. That is the correct protocol which should have been followed, especially when it is well established that the Meherjirana Gaadi is the oldest and senior-most position in the community for the last 450 years. Further, we are aware that Dastur Peshotan Mirza, the other High Priest of Udvada, was present in the morning on one of the Utsav days in Udvada, but yet he chose not to attend a single function. That speaks a lot for the so-called unanimity of your decision on the contents of this communication.

 

Insiders have informed us that about 2500 tickets had been sold for the Utsav. So your stated claim of 4000 attendees is grossly exaggerated!

 

You also claim that Udvada Samast Anjuman does not interfere with any other Anjumans / Associations. Then how come Dastur Khurshed dabbles in matters which are under the jurisdiction of Dasturji K. M. JamaspAsa in Mumbai? His involvement in the Lalbaug Wadia Agiary issue, his being Chairman of the Athornan Mandal in Mumbai and his involvement with the construction of an 'Agiary' in Navi Mumbai are clear cases of this infringement of jurisdiction.

 

Instead of being issue-based, you have stooped to the level of launching personal attacks against those who have had the guts to speak out against your wrong-doings, including hitting below the belt on personal issues. By speaking out against the Utsav, Er. Yezdi Unvala has done a service to the community and so have Er. Marzban Hathiram and BPP Chairman and WAPIZ trustee, Yazdi Desai. Does it behove your Anjuman to indulge in such despicable tactics? You also need to realise that those living in glass houses should not throw stones!

 

You seem to be quick to jump to the rescue of the FDU, which has been around since over a decade. Pray tell us what great achievements it has accomplished in this time? We have been hearing about the proposed wall to prevent the sea from eroding the beach and properties since the last decade. The security of the residents is a huge concern, with a spate of robberies occurring in the recent past and with no police presence worth mentioning. The roads were also done up just before the Utsav, most probably to impress the VIP entourage. The residents have already approached the administration with concerns about likely flooding at their doorsteps during the next monsoon due to the raising of the levels of the main road in comparison to the side roads. All that we see on the ground is the isolated, so-called Zoroastrian Information Centre, which hardly attracts any footfalls! If you recall, this is the same FDU against which 'The Parsee Voice' was regularly cautioning you since a decade, but you took no heed.

 

As regards the 200 acres of land in Udvada which was proposed to be developed in the near vicinity of Iranshah, we are reliably informed that a deal has been struck with the developer and the Anjuman. Why is there a deafening silence from the powers-that-be in Udvada, and no attempt has yet been made to apprise the community about the current status? 

 

We also take umbrage on your mention of pressure groups with 'holier than thou' mind-sets seeking to misguide the community since they are well known to have a personal animus against Dastur Khurshed. It may be worth highlighting that we have only spoken about the issues-at-hand and have not indulged in 'Ad Hominem'. You may well be surprised to note that quite a few individuals from the so-called 'pressure groups' pray regularly to Dadar Ahura Mazda that the veil of spiritual darkness that clouds the thinking and actions of quite a few unfortunate brethren of our noble community, be torn apart at the earliest. We wish peace and all-round progress for our small community which can best be assured by safeguarding the age old customs, traditions and canon laws of the religion.

 

Irrespective of whether you choose to respond to us or not, please understand that the community at large has seen through the veneer of traditionalism that the Utsav organisers, especially Dastur Khurshed claim to have. His actions, conduct and demeanour are not befitting the high position he holds. We are also surprised that the response which the committee has sent has been drafted without taking the Anjuman into confidence, without holding any meeting, and with the surprising state of the Secretary being in and out of hospital for the last month and the Assistant Secretary having resigned under controversial circumstances more than a month ago. What a show of unanimity! Your marking your communication to known heterodox publications like Parsiana, FEZANA Journal and Hamazor also raises quite a few questions.

 

Instead of digging in your heels and being stubborn, please appreciate that our only purpose is to safeguard the sanctity of Holy Iranshah and preserve His environs. The Utsav has only negatives on this score and no one can deny that. As concerned members of the Parsi community, we urge you to stop future Utsavs from being held in Udvada and safeguard Iranshah's sanctity. If the Udvada Samast Anjuman chooses to bury its head in the sand like an ostrich and does nothing at this juncture to prevent further harm, it goes without saying that the community as a whole will have to face negative spiritual consequences.

 

We hope that wiser counsel will prevail.

 

Hanoz M. Mistry

Ms. Rita F. Doctor

Ervad Bahadur Sanjana

Ervad Behram Dhabhar

Kaizad F. Kerawalla

Khushnood Viccaji

Jimmy Tavadia

Yazdi P. Munsif

Ervad Aspi K. Rao

Ms. Kashmira A. Rao

Mehernosh Zaveri

 

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Fwd: TheParseeVoice Fwd: Petition against Utsav in Udvada

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Parsee Voice
Date: Sun, Feb 7, 2016 at 8:56 PM
Subject: TheParseeVoice Fwd: Petition against Utsav in Udvada
To: the-parsee-voice@googlegroups.com

Dear Readers,

​You are most probably aware of the recent furore raised by community members against the unfortunate goings-on during the Iranshah Udvada Utsav. All the Vada Dasturjis too​ have protested against what happened there. Their letter was published in Jame Jamshed Weekly. 

WAPIZ has also raised its voice against whatever wrong happened at the Utsav (see attached press cutting). The only motivating force behind these protests is preservation of the sanctity of Holy Iranshah Padshah. The Utsav organisers have yet to see light!

Consequently, it was decided to petition the Prime Minister of India to instruct that henceforth, the Utsav be held at a location other than Udvada. 

I thank all those who have supported the move of the traditional section of the society.

 For those who have missed

​my earlier

 mail

​s

, kindly act immediately by voting in favour of the petition to the Prime Minister of India. 

​​

We oppose

​all ​

those actions which defile and denigrate the sanctity of our Holy Iranshah. He is our biggest benefactor for the last

​over ​

1300 years and it is our bounden duty to protect HIM from harm.

We support the Government's efforts to improve infrastructure in Udvada. We are also not against attempts to showcase the community's track record of progress and harmony in India in the last millennium. However, holding of this Utsav in Udvada is damaging the sanctity of Holy Iranshah! Hence the request to the Prime Minister to instruct the organisers to hold future Utsavs at a location OTHER THAN UDVADA and thus prevent further spiritual damage to our holy entity, Iranshah!

​

An online version of the petition can be accessed via the following link:

​

Prime Minister of India, Vada Dasturjis of the Parsee Community: 

Petition against holding Parsee Zoroastrian Utsav in Udvada

​

For t

hose interested in 

​signing 

a hard copy, 

​the same is attached herewith. Please print and get as many signatures as you can. The signed sheets may please be returned/mailed to the following address:

Ervad Bahadur Sanjana

R/13, Navroz Baug

Lalbaug, Mumbai 400 012

Maharashtra, INDIA

​Regards

H M Mistry​

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Fwd: The FDU & Udvada Samast Anjuman still miss the prime point of the Udvada Utsav Protests: Udvada Is Not A Tourist Site But A Sacred Religious Venue

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: TZML Admins
Date: Mon, Feb 1, 2016 at 9:43 AM
Subject: The FDU & Udvada Samast Anjuman still miss the prime point of the Udvada Utsav Protests: Udvada Is Not A Tourist Site But A Sacred Religious Venue
To: TZML <TraditionalZarathushtris@yahoogroups.com>

Sarosh roj, Sherevar Mah, YZ 1385

31 January 2016

UDVADA IS NOT A TOURIST SITE BUT A SACRED RELIGIOUS VENUE FOR PARSIS

THE FDU STILL MISSES THE PRIME POINT OF THE UDVADA UTSAV PROTESTS

Dear Zarathushti humdins,

 

cc: Vada Dasturjis
cc: Ervad Sahebs including Ervad Principal Dr. Ramiyar Karanjia and Ervad Dr. Rooyinton Peer
cc: Traditional networks like TZML, TMYZ, TParsees, TMZANZ, TMZA of California, PIPZ
cc: WZO (India)
cc: The Udvada Samast Anjuman
cc: Parsi Press
cc: Prominent Parsis like Mr. Filly Marawalla, Mrs Pervin J. Misty, Mr Marzban Giara, Mr. Rustom Chothia, Mr and Mrs Tahmtan and Godafrid Aresh etc.

The Udvada Samast Anjuman released a statement to the Parsi press, printed in the Jame Jamshed Weekly of 31 January 2016.  On the overall, the tone of the letter is haughty and very different from the courteous releases from the Anjuman in the past.

The statement obscures the main reason why traditional Parsis all over India have objected to the Utsav to be held in Udvada.  Many other anomalies appear in their statement too. They are covered here.

Udvada is not a tourist destination for Parsis or Non-Parsis
The statement mentions that positives like proper roads in Udvada have been developed, regular electricity is now available, high rise building would not be constructed in the vicinity of Iranshah, etc. etc. But both the Anjuman and FDU officials Dasturji Khurshed and Dinshaw Tamboly have to be asked:
1.    Are these benefits promised years ago anyway going to accrue only if an Utsav is held at the holy city of Iranshah?

2.    Why has Udvada to be turned into a tourist site so that non-Parsis will mark it on their diaries and come to see the gaam?

3.    The Gujarat government has allocated the development of Udvada to the Minister of Tourism Mr. Saurabhbhai Patel, and not to a more appropriate ministry.  We wonder why was Tourism considered in the first place. A tourist site is primarily for tourists, and Udvada is not a tourist site. Period.

When a religious site starts attracting tourists, it brings along with it a lot of negatives. This is very clearly spelled out by Vada Dasturji Meherji Rana K N Dastoor way back in 2002. He succinctly warns:  "It will affect the holy and spiritual atmosphere for the pilgrims and disturb their devotional frame required to be maintained there. More than that the project will greatly disturb the life of the Mobeds (priests) on whom lies the arduous and strenuous responsibility of tending, preserving and protecting the Holy Atash Padshah in accordance with the tenets, traditions and commands of the Parsi Dharma. The atmosphere of tourism, hotels and festivity will bring in serious ills and abuses of urban life, which will render it impossible for the Mobeds to observe their own personal 'tarikats' (the sacred rules of Ashoi-purity) as also the 'tarikat's for Iranshah."

The Reformist views of Darius Khambata being given a welcome platform. No apology from FDU.
What is the use of the Anjuman mentioning that the reformist Darius Khambata's views were his own. Several questions arise on this faux paus which occurred at the Utsav:

a.       Why was reformist Khambata selected as a speaker in the first place knowing well that similar attempts were made by him at the World Zoroastrian Conference in Mumbai some years ago?

b.      Why did Dasturji Khurshed not immediately stop Khambata from speaking further when the audience clearly expressed their dissatisfaction at such heterodox words. Isn't Dasturji the Dastur of traditional Parsis or did he consider Khambata's nonsense views more important than rules of the religion.

c.       Since Dasturji Khurshed and Dinshaw Tamboly were the key people in FDU which had a key stake in the Utsav, why did not one or both issue an apology that they were sorry about such views expressed by Khambata. The Vada Dasturjis themselves have written in a joint statement after the Ustav that "it has greatly saddened us and several members of the community at the events that have transpired. Some of the points made at the Utsav were both detrimental towards preserving the basic tenets of our religion and hurtful to a large cross-section of our community"

d.      Why is the Udvada Samast Anjuman taking the blame of Darius Khambata's faux pas, when in fact it is the FDU organisers Dasturji Khurshed and Dinshaw Tamboly who should be apologising  to the community for hurting its feelings and religious sentiments in a bad way.


Iranshah belongs to the whole community, not to the Udvada Anjuman only
The Samast Anjuman complains that outsiders need not meddle in Udvada affairs. They are wrong on two counts:
        I  First, when has Iranshah and its spiritual welfare become the sole prerogative of the Anjuman itself. They are just custodians of the Living Thriving Divine Entity called Iranshah, Who belongs to the whole Parsi community, in or outside Udvada.
      II   Secondly, the Samast Anjuman must also ensure that Dasturji Khurshed must not participate in any happenings outside Udvada, even if invited. One such example is during the recent BPP elections of October 2015.

Community consensus not adequately taken. Concerns expressed not taken on board.
Where was the community participation and opinion making sought before making decisions like inviting Darius Khambatta. Protests were made way back in a FPZAI meet, held on the 3rd and 4th of September 2005  (see The Parsee Voice, Sept 2005 issue).  Views of concerned Parsis appearing in Parsi Pukar, Jame Jamshed Weekly, Parsee Voice and the traditional networks about not projecting Udvada as a tourist centre were not taken on board.


Udvada Anjuman rejects mail posted to it
We also know for sure that two weeks ago the Udvada Samast Anjuman rejected concerns expressed by certain traditional people on the happenings at the Utsav. We have seen proof of the mail rejected twice. How did they make such a decision on the worthiness of the mail before opening it. Are they operating in a democratic manner or an autocratic manner.  Isn't the Anjuman supposed to keep an Inwards File and store all correspondence it receives from community members, even though the letter may be highly critical of its functioning.


Serious Negativities of the Utsav
There are other serious negatives too, for which both the FDU and the Udvada Samast Anjuman are answerable to the Parsi community:

a.  Why did Daver's dance troupe, which consist of indecently attired ladies allowed in the program. That shows disrespect to a Holy Place like Udvada.

b.  Why was only one media house Parsi Times chosen as the favoured media for FDU.

c.   Why was Parsi Times chosen at all?  Have people not read the heterodox articles preaching conversion appearing regularly in their recent issues. Such views are in total violation of what the religion, the Vada Dasturjis and the Anjuman stand for.

That is all for the moment. We will write again later.

Meanwhile we request all concerned Parsi networks and Parsi media houses to continue highlighting to the general public anything and everything which concerns the spiritual welfare of the community.

Do write to us if you have anything to share and your concerns about the way in which the Utsav was held and the venue of Udvada chosen.

Sincerely,
TZML Admins

 

Move to shift the over 700 years Adaran Padshah saheb of Bharuch

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: The Parsee Voice
Date: Fri, Jan 29, 2016 at 9:48 PM
Subject: TheParseeVoice Fwd: [ilmeKhshnoom] Fwd: Dear Friends,
To: the-parsee-voice@googlegroups.com

Friends,

There is currently a move to shift the over 700 years Adaran Padshah saheb of Bharuch to a new 'Agiary' being set up in Navi Mumbai. While the intentions are laudable, it is an

​​

exercise in futility because the shifting of an enthroned Adaran saheb cannot be done without causing great damage to His spiritual composition.

Given below is an extract from an issue of Dini Avaz penned by late Adi Doctor.

 

It is most unfortunate that today's Parsees treat the "Padshah Sahebs" as so much piece of furniture and fixture. 

Why an 'Atash' of the Adaran fire is called 'Padshah', what vital role and function it performs in Nature, what connections it has with the various Fire Energies in Nature, what power and authority it wields, etc., are here delineated very briefly but cogently.

It will at once show why the Fire of an 'Atash-e-Adaran' or, for that matter, that of an 'Atash-e-Behram' is so sacrosanct and why, therefore, it should be treated, particularly by those in charge of the 'Agiaries' and Atash Behrams' and by those who come to pray before it with the utmost dignity and respect.

Disturbing the 'circuits' of such a consecrated Fire tantamounts to dethroning the 'Padshah' and the consequent disastrous effects which the entire Parsee community has to undergo!

What are the elements of the Atash Padshah?

After the elaborate and complex process of its collection, purification, consecration and coronation, and during its tenure in the consecrated 'Agiary' building; the 'Adaran' Fire acquires 'Khshathra' = Power and Authority from Nature.

'Atar-e-Adaran' means the 'Atar' or Fire pertaining to 'Adar Yazat', who is the prime Force operating on "Atar-e-Mino Karko" — the supreme Fire Energy of Nature governing the ultra-physical planes. This Fire Energy of Mino Karko' is an integral and vital component of the primeval Fire Energy called "Athro Puthra Ahura Mazda". Lord Ahura Mazda has used the Fire Energy of 'Mino Karko' as the base for the creation of the entire world of matter. Thus, our worldly 'Atar-e-Adaran' is the physical manifestation and co-worker of the 'Atar' of 'Adar Yazad', viz. 'Mino Karko'.

It is common knowledge that the fires used for the purpose of the 'Adaran' Fire belong to the four earthly professions of an 'Athornan', 'Ratheshtar', 'Vastrayosh' and 'Hutokhsh'.

When these fires, over each of which certain rituals are performed, are blended, concentrated and consecrated for enthronement, the new resultant Fire is in communion with the "Ushtan" or 'life-breaths' of the four Fire Energies of the invisible but perishable ultra-physical realms viz. "Atar-e-Mino Karko", "Atar-e-Vazisht", "Atar-e-Urvazisht" and "Atar-e- Spenisht".

The new 'Atash-e-Adaran' also establishes a direct link with the "Mithra" or 'thought-forces' and "Khoreh" or the aura and spiritual lustre of the four aforementioned natural Fire Energies of the ultra-physical world.

All these connections, collectively form a circuit, a "Ring Pass-Not" around the 'Adaran' Fire, which is being enthroned. After the coronation, the first chief natural circuit or 'Karsh' (also 'Kash') will be established in the ash surrounding the visible Fire in the container or 'Khuaan' containing it.

The moment this 'Karsh' is formed, the 'Adaran' Fire is automatically bestowed by Nature with 'Dahyupati' = Sovereignty.

It now wields the Righteous Power and Authority or "Hu-Khshatra", and is known as a "Padshah". The "Dahyupati" and "Padshahi" is owing to the 'Yazatic' currents which now constantly flow in the ash on the container in which the visible fire is kept.

Besides being a "Dahyupat" wielding "Khshathra", the Atash-e-Adaran is also a 'Rathaeshtar', i.e. a spiritual warrior, heavenly soldier instituted on Earth who has to fight ceaselessly, the constant attacks of Satan and the other Dark Forces of-Nature.

Moreover, this earthly embodiment of the natural Fire Energies of the ultra-physical realms acts as a "Zaothra" or "Alaat", i.e. a spiritual battery perpetually receiving the divine blessings and benevolent radiations and currents and transmitting them to all living beings within a certain radius. The 'Atash-e-Adaran' thus serves as a functionary agent bringing into connection and attuning with each all the Fire Energies operating in ultra-physical space.

Finally, this holy, concentrated Fire Energy on earth is a single, separate, living entity, possessing "Ahu", "Daena" and "Baod".

Because in the consecrated 'Atash Padshah', the 'Ushtan' - breath, of the Yazatas is connected, it naturally possesses the extremely high philanthropic disposition and magnanimous nature of "Ahu". It also has, by the operation of Natural Laws, "Daena" = the Right Conscience in which resides 'Sarosh Yazata' and Baodangh'  the Divine Intelligence.

This living, throbbing, pulsating Being or Entity has a "head", "conscience", "limbs", "Khoreh" and "Aipee".

The "head" of the "Padshah" is the visible outward fire in which all the currents of the Fire Energies of the invisible perishable realms flow.

The "conscience" of the "Padshah" is the "Atash Dadgaah".

The "limbs" are the 6 "Karshes" or circuits of the 'Padshah', present in the "Agiary".

The "Khoreh" or aura is the personal magnetism and the radiating glow emanating from the 'Aipee' or the atmosphere surrounding the Padshah, wherein are found the thermo electro-magnetic currents of the 'Yazats'.

The 'Atash-e-Adaran', therefore, doesn't just mean the visible outward fire alone.

The 6 circuits prevailing within the four walls of the 'Adaran' building, the sanctified atmosphere permeating the building, the 'Aipee'', the Atash Dadgaah' together constitute the full-fledged Atash-e-Adaran'. The entire Adaran building becomes a consecrated talismanic fortress wherein the holy deified fire is enthroned.

Of the 6 'Karshes' (circuits), the most important is the very first one, referred to earlier, which is formed in the top layer of the ash containing the visible fire. The strength of this Karsh depends on the 2nd circuit which gyrates around the 'Khuaan' or the 'Afargaanyu' of the Padshah, which in its turn, gets its strength from the 4 other 'Karshes' prevailing in the Agiary.

Why we should never shift the Atash Padshah

It is, therefore, of prime importance that under no circumstances should these 6 circuits, which interact with one another and constantly exchange fire and subtle energy and currents, be disturbed.

Disturb and break the flow of even one circuit and you upset the vital exchange of energy, resulting in a chain reaction which attenuates the spiritual splendour and atmosphere prevailing there, and finally culminates in bringing tremendous pressure and load on the 'Atash Padshah', thereby depriving Him of His Spiritual Power and Authority.

He then doesn't have the strength required of a Spiritual Warrior ('Rathaeshtar') and He is subjected to the incessant attacks from 'Gana-Min', the Evil Force operating in Nature. Instead of the 'Hu-Khshathra' = Benevolent Power prevailing there, the "Duz-Khshathra" or wicked Rule of Ahriman is clamped thereon.

It is for these vital reasons that in the past, our worthy ancestors considered it not only blasphemous but unthinkable to show even the slightest discourtesy, directly or indirectly, to the 'Atash Padshah'.

What happens when we shift the Atash Padshah

The moment the 'Atash Padshah' is lifted and moved out of the 'Khuaan', the most vital first circuit operating in the top ash base, snaps.

Soon, another circuit, or 'Karsh' of 'Spenta Armaiti' –  the circuit flowing round the floor on which the pedestal and the 'Khuaan' stand – also snaps.

In paragraph 1 of 'Paragard' (Chapter) 3 of the "Vendidad", in answer to a question by 'Asho' Zarathushtra, Dadar Ahura Mazda says that, "that hallowed ground is pleased and happy on which stands a consecrated "Atash Kadeh".

In the ground, on which the Padshah' is enthroned, there prevails a kind of a "Bazm", a "Rendezvous of Yazatic and other Divine Forces". When, therefore, the "Atash Padshah" is lifted from that ground, the "Bazm" gets disintegrated and the sanctified ground is displeased.

The "Padshah" that has been dethroned and shifted then loses His "Dahyupati", His Power to communicate with the other ethereal planes, His Power to fight the evil and His Power to bring back the blessings of the Divine Forces.

His "body" has been virtually cut off. He loses His separate Spiritual Entity. The visible fire then becomes a mere 'Kebla'. This fire will now be constantly exposed to the attacks of evil forces working in Nature.

Exceptional circumstances when shifting the Padshah may be unavoidable

The only highly exceptional and extreme circumstances in which the 'Padshah' may be unavoidably moved are, when say,

a non-Zoroastrian rushes into the sanctum-sanctorum or

if the priest tending the Fire suddenly has a stroke and passes away inside the 'Gumbaz' or

if the building adjoining the 'Agiary' is on fire, etc.

But, at no time should the Padshah be treated as so much piece of furniture or fixture. 

--

Regards

H. M. Mistry

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