Frashogard

Roj Fravardin, Mah Dae 1377 Yz.

Continuing our series of beautiful sayings from the Pahlavi word “Datistan i Menog i Khrad”, here is another priceless gem:

The Wise One asked the Spirit of Wisdom: “is Wisdom better, or skill or goodness?”

The Spirit of Wisdom replied: “That Wisdom, with which there is no goodness, should not be regarded as wisdom.

And skill, with which there is no wisdom, should not be regarded as skill.”

A man may have multiple degrees or doctorates, but still be ignorant - because he does not really know how to apply his acquired knowledge for the common good. As he acquires more such education he becomes even more insecure, and attempts to hoard it. For example, a man may stumble upon a cure for a dreaded disease. As per the Zarathushtrian religion, he should share that knowledge for the greater good. But conventional wisdom will lead him to try and “patent” his cure, and monetise it. Which choice is better? The Spirit of Wisdom’s answer clears our doubts.

Similarly a person may have some very unique skills - say an ability to be very proficient in writing computer programming code. But without the wisdom to really channel his skills in the right direction, he may use this skill to hack into protected sites like Banks and Financial institutions and attempt to steal passwords and identities to use for fraudulent transactions. Thus even though he may be skilful, without wisdom to know what is right and wrong as per the Divine Order, his skill leads him towards the Evil Path which may make him successful in the short term but will eventually lead him to ruin.

The Spirit of Wisdom, that is, Ahura Mazda Himself shows us the right path and reminds us that even with wisdom and skill it is still possible to go onto the wrong path. As the Avesta declares:

“Aevo pantao yo Ashahe, vispe anyaesham apantam.”

“there is only one Right Path - the Path of Truth and Righteousness, all other paths are non-paths”

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Fravardin, Mah Adar, 1377 Yz.

Very often we hear anybody and everybody repeating this line: ‘Our religion is very simple - Good Thoughts, good words and good deeds’. But how many Parsis have stopped to wonder on what these words really mean? Is religion only about this? Does the Zarathushtrian religion have a monopoly on good thoughts, words and deeds? Do other religions not teach the same thing said in maybe a different manner? Then why do we harp on these words?

Read the rest of this entry »

Roj Avan, Mah Adar, 1377 Yz.

Recently, it has come to my notice that certain “enlightened” and “concerned” members of our community who live abroad have suggested that the “pollution” created by the Sacred Fires burning in our various Agiaries and Atash Behrams increases the “carbon footprint”. These have asked whether we can explore the use of “alternative means” (whatever that might mean).

This is an amazing debate - amazing because the parties involved have no idea of what they are speaking about, either doctrinally or scientifically! Going by their logic, Hindus should stop cremating their dead bodies, Muslims and Christians should stop burying their dead, Muslims should stop slaughtering sheep and the list could go on and on.

Read the rest of this entry »

Roj Amardad, Mah Adar 1377 Yz.

Continuing our series of beautiful sayings from the Pahlavi word “Datistan i Menog i Khrad”, here is another priceless gem:

The Wise One asked the Spirit of Wisdom: “is charity better or truthfulness? Or thanksgiving or wisdom? Or perfect mindedness or contentment?”

Read the rest of this entry »

Roj Khordad Mah Adar, 1377 Yz.

In a unique offering to its readers, the Frashogard blog has been authorised by Encyclopaedia Britannica to offer its readers unlimited access to its premium content. The premium content of Britannica Online is generally a paid for service. However, Britannica has started offering free access to those Blogs who choose to apply for the same and fall under certain criteria. Frashogard applied and was approved to offer the content. Readers of this Blog will now be able to access many of the premium articles of Britannica Online by clicking certain widgets which we will be uploading to the site shortly. I look forward to many more readers joining our Blog and taking advantage of this unprecedented offer.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Sherevar, Mah Avan, 1377 Yz.

The joyous and auspicious occasion of Nowruz will be celebrated all over the world tomorrow. It marks the beginning of the Fasli year 1377 and takes us one step closer to the time of the advent of the Promised Saviour, Shah Behram Varzavand.

The first seven days of the new year are specially dedicated to the 7 Amesha Spentas who, along with the Ashaunam Fravashinam, during these days, give a spiritual bath to the world and cleanse it of all the accumulated evil of the previous year. These days also mark the end of the Farvardegan period and is the time when the Urvan of the dear departed, who had descended on the Aiwithrishwa region of the Earth along with and under the protection and direction of the Ashaunam Fravashinam, begin their slow climb up to their respective spiritual planes where they will resume the work of cleansing their individual Kerdars.

As the Sun enters the sign of Aries and begins its annual journey, we can only wish that the coming year brings peace and joy to all Zarathushtrians around the globe and makes them more aware of their glorious religion and rich spiritual heritage.

Ervad Marzban J. Hathiram

Roj Khorshed, Mah Meher, 1377 Yz.

I had written about the Pahlavi work Datistan-i-Menog-i-Khrad or “Opinions of the Spirit of Wisdom” in my last post. This is a catechism (question and answer session) written by an unknown author, who identifies himself only as ‘danag’, meaning ‘wise one or sage’, possibly a scholar-Dastur somewhere around the 5 th century AD. Unfortunately, we do not have the complete book with us. The existing manuscripts end abruptly after the 62nd question. The format of this book generally follows the pattern:

Read the rest of this entry »

Roj Ava, Mah Meher, 1377 Yz.

Among the various Avesta scriptures that survived the repeated rounds of destruction, first at the hands of Alexander, then the Arabs and Mongols and the ever flowing abrasions of time; most were classified and arranged into the Yasna, Vispered, Vandidad, Yashts, other Khordeh Avesta prayers etc. However, amongst the survivors were also pieces of Avesta that were once part of some larger prayer lost in entirety. Some fragments were found as remains of manuscripts thrown in to the fire by zealots trying to wipe out Zarathushtrian scriptures which were then carefully preserved by the persecuted families. Several of these fragments were collected and annotated by the laborious efforts of the early European savants like Westergaard and Darmesteter who published them in the 19th century.

Read the rest of this entry »

Roj Adar, Mah Meher, 1377 Yz.

Many Parsis are in the dark about the exact extent and depth of the Avesta scriptures we had. Perhaps many are unaware that today we have not more than about 7% of the entire original Avesta scripture. The rest has been lost in a series of tragedies. Perhaps, looking at the way we fight over the mere 7%, it is better we don’t have the rest! One wonders what the situation might have been then?

The original Avesta scriptures were divided into 21 mega volumes called Nasks .

Read the rest of this entry »

Roj Tir, Mah Ardibehest, 1377 Yz.

Tomorrow, 2nd October 2007 is Fasli Roj Meher, Mah Meher - the great festival of Meherangan. The Meherangan falls exactly in the middle of the year - with Jamshedi Navroze preceding it and the Farvardegan days following it. In ancient Iran, the festival of Meherangan was observed with great pomp and gaiety, with the Iranian Emperor giving audience to the common people as well as attending several magnificent Zarathushtrian rituals conducted by the state sponsored Zarathushtrian Religious Authority which ensured the continued peace and prosperity within the Zarathushtrian Empire.

A very detailed analysis of the Meherangan and what is really means can be found in this article published in Frashogard: http://www.frashogard.com/index.php/winter-2005-vol-1-no-2/

Some key thoughts behind the Meherangan can be summarized as under:

Read the rest of this entry »