Posts

Showing posts from July, 2021

Story of Shri Zarathushtra

Image
Story of Shri Zarathushtra This story is based on the Denkard and the Zadspram , two Zoroastrian texts from the 9th century AD. Long ago, on the wide steppes of Central Asia near the Aral Sea, there was a small village of mud-brick houses. In this village lived the Spitama family. One day on the sixth day of spring, a boy was born into this family. His parents named him Zarathushtra. When Zarathushtra was born, he did not cry, but laughed loudly. The midwives in the room were amazed, for they had never seen any baby laughing at birth. In the village lived an evil sorcerer who did not like baby Zarathushtra. "I have to destroy this child," he thought, "for if he grows up, people will follow him, and I will lose all my power." The mean sorcerer went to Zarathushtra’s father, Pourushaspa, and complained, "Pourushaspa Spitama, I have come to warn you. Your son is a bad omen for our village because he has laughed at birth like a demon. You have to kill him, or the

HOW TAGORE EULOGIZED PROPHET ZARATHUSTRA

Image
HOW TAGORE EULOGIZED PROPHET ZARATHUSTRA By Dr. Homi dhalla  November 13th, 2014 marked the 101st anniversary of the announcement of Rabindranath Tagore's Nobel Prize in Literature. He was Asia's first Nobel Prize winner. His book 'Gitanjali' literally meaning "An offering of Songs" was considered by judges to be "profoundly sensitive, fresh and beautiful".  He originally penned the Jana Gana Mana, a Poem , which was later accepted as India's National Anthem. This legendary man shall always be remembered in history for his multi-dimensional contribution as a writer of stimulating stories, plays and novels, an outstanding educator, a renowned philosopher and a significant music composer, painter and choreographer.  What would be of immense interest (to the Parsi community) is the manner in which Tagore immortalized Prophet Zarathustra after making a study of the "Gathas".  Both Zarathustra and Tagore were mystics of the highest order -t

The Zoroastrian Ethic

Image
The Zoroastrian Ethic Zarathushtra preached the monotheistic religion of the one supreme God, Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord).  His message is a positive, life-affirming one, which demands not so much belief, as reason and action on the part of every individual.  His was not a prescriptive ethic, based on obedience, fear or love, but rather, an ethic of personal responsibility.  Zarathushtra asked his listeners to think with a clear mind, and choose a life of intelligent reflection and active benevolence.  A Zoroastrian is taught to lead an industrious, honest and charitable life. There is no place for asceticism.  The generation of wealth, is part of the ethos, as long as it is achieved honestly, and used for good and charitable purposes.  The quintessence of his teachings are embodied in the triad : Humata (Good Thoughts),  Hukhta (Good Words) and Huvareshta (Good Deeds).  The loftiest ideal for man is to emulate the Amesha Spentas or attributes of Ahura Mazda: Vohu Manah is the Good Mind.

KHORDADSAL - Birth Anniversary of Zarathushtra

Image
KHORDADSAL -  Birth Anniversary of Zarathushtra Today it is KHORDADSAL, the sixth day after Navroze...the Zorashtrian New Year.  It is the day when the Birth Anniversary of Zarathushtra , one of the 10 Adi Gurus is celebrated. Shri Mataji mentioned that He has incarnated not just once but for about 4/5 times in Persia.  His teachings have been incorporated in one of the oldest religions of the world called Zorashtrian Religion.  The Five Gathas or the five Celestial Songs have been attributed to Him and have come down in His own words which make up the eschatological part of the religion, revealing its essence.  He was born in Spitaman Clan thousands of years ago before Christ in Central Asia and it is said that instead of crying like every child at birth, He was born smiling and laughing.  The times preceding His birth were full of violence, unrest, disturbance, strife and unhappiness.  The Spirit of Mother Earth found it intolerable and She apparently cried out in anguish to the Cre

Zarathustra or Zoroaster - The Primordial Master

Image
Zarathustra or Zoroaster - The Primordial Master Zarathustra (or Zoroaster) was the first prophet in his land to preach a monotheistic religion . He revealed that there is only one God, Ahura Mazda (Wise Lord) , who is not humanised but represents the good, is all pervading, abstract and eternal.  His opponent Angra Mainya (the spirit of evil) does his best to avert humans' attention from the good, while his collaborator Spenta Mainyu (the Holy Ghost) can appear sometimes as an incarnation of the unique God and sometimes as a messenger of God's will. Zarathustra was born in Persia (present Iran) in 630 BC. He was a very intelligent and energetic young boy and had the ability to see through the surface of things and penetrate the depth of their cause and meaning.  When he was 30 years old he went to fetch some water from the river. As he went into the water Vohu Mana (the angel of the Good Mind) appeared to him and opened the portal to the Divine Light of Ahura Mazda. This was

The third Primordial Guru - Shri Moses

Image
The third Primordial Guru - Shri Moses The third Primordial Guru was Moses, who incarnated in the 13th century BC. Stories can be found in the  bible in the books: Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy.   In the Exodus account, the birth of Moses occurred at a time when an unnamed Egyptian Pharaoh had commanded that all newly born male Hebrew children be drowned in the river Nile. His mother saved him by setting him adrift on the Nile in a small basket. He was rescued by the Pharaoh's daughter and was brought up in the Egyptian court. As he was growing up, Moses became aware of Hebrew origin. He started to be concerned about their living conditions and one day, while attempting to save a Hebrew from being beaten, killed an Egyptian guard. After that, he fled from Egypt and reached the land of Midian, where he lived with the priest Jethro’s tribe. He married Jethro's daughter Zipporah and lived happily there for many years until one day, while tending Jethro’s flocks,