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Zoroaster was a rohet of the Parsis. He derived his holy inspiration after thirty years of divine meditation on a secluded and inaccessible mountain-top of "shidarena" "%pitama &arathustra" proceeded to the city of balkh, at the time the capital of the sassanid dynasty.
Zoroaster was a rohet of the Parsis. He derived his holy inspiration after thirty years of divine meditation on a secluded and inaccessible mountain-top of "shidarena" "%pitama &arathustra" proceeded to the city of balkh, at the time the capital of the sassanid dynasty.
Zoroaster was a rohet of the Parsis. He derived his holy inspiration after thirty years of divine meditation on a secluded and inaccessible mountain-top of "shidarena" "%pitama &arathustra" proceeded to the city of balkh, at the time the capital of the sassanid dynasty.
The Teachings of Zoroaster, by S.A. Kaadia, !"#$%&, at sacred' texts.com . "% THE TEACHINGS OF ZOROASTER, AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE PARSI RELIGION INTRODUCTION (I WI)) no* te++ you *ho are assemb+ed here the *ise sayin,s of -a.da, / the raises of Ahura, 0 and the hymns of the 1ood Sirit, the sub+ime truth *hich I see risin, out of these f+ames. 2ou sha++ therefore 3EA4KEN T5 T3E S56) 57 NAT64E. 8ontem+ate the beams of fire *ith a most ious mind9 Every one, both men and *omen, ou,ht today to choose his :read. 2e offsrin, of reno*ned ancestors, a*a;e to a,ree *ith us.( So reached Zoroaster, the rohet of the Parsis, in one of his ear+iest sermons near+y <,%$$ years a,o. P=,ina " de >% The Teachin,s of Zoroaster? Introduction >@A$BA>$"C fi+e?AAA8?A6sersA6suarioAA:ataA)oca+ATemA)o*AW88KI4<1.htm Imbued from his infancy with deep philosophical p. 16 and religious thoughts for the welfare and well-being of mankind, this ancient prophet of Bactria derived his holy inspiration after thirty years of divine meditation on a secluded and inaccessible mountain-top of "shidarena." !hus fortified in communion with "hura-#a$da, "%pitama &arathustra" proceeded to the city of Balkh, at the time the capital of the 'ing of Iran, 'ava (ishta)pa. * +lothed in pure white flowing vestments, bearing with him the sacred fire, , ""dar Bur$in #ehr," and a staff or sceptre made of a cypress tree, this sage of anti-uity appeared before the court of 'ava (ishta)pa. By persuasion and argument he unfolded his religious mission. and proclaimed the mandate of "hura, in order to elevate the ancient faith of the "ryas to its lofty and intellectual purity of monotheism. %omewhere in the region washed by the eastern shires of the +aspian %ea, on the fertile soil of "tropatene, the primeval "ryas toiled and laboured in peaceful pastoral pursuit. In the early days of &oroaster homage was paid and prayers were offered to the %upreme Being, usually through the recogni$ed symbols of the /eity. !he heavenly firmament, tinted with cerulean hue0one limitless vault of refulgence and indescribable splendour0the resplendent orb of the rising sun, the ethereal gentleness of the p. 11 beaming moon, with her coruscating companions, the planets and the stars, the verdant earth, the swift-flowing river, murmuring in sweet cadence of eternity and bliss, the roaring sea of life and death, and the glorious fire of 2mpyrean,0all these, in the days of the primitive "ryan religion, were believed to be so many manifestations of the "lmighty 3od, and were accordingly symboli$ed. !hings, which were originally manifestations of 3od4s good work, became in course of time personified. assumed shapes of deities in the frail imagination of the devotees. and finally came to be adored in lieu of the 3reat "rchitect of the world. !hus, a religious system, in itself philosophically sublime, degenerated into a system of polytheism, having for its ob5ect adoration of idols and visible forms of good and evil spirits, reflective of human imagination. !his was the great evil, the crime of ignoring the +reator for the created, which our prophet &arathustra laboured to remedy. and to restore the then ancient faith to its pristine purity of "hura worship was his chief ob5ect. !his led to a schism amongst the Indo-2ranians. 6ne branch of the ancient "ryas, powerfully supported by the %tate, 78gina 9 de 9: !he !eachings of &oroaster; Introduction 9<=>6=9>1? file;===+;=sers=suario="pp/ata=@ocal=!emp=@ow=A++'IBC3.htm became Mazdayasnians (Monotheists), and the other of the same stock remained staunch to the worship of material gods, and were known as Davayasnians (Polytheists) !nevitable war of creed and faith resulted p "# in the migration of the weaker and polytheistic branch to the fertile plains of !ndia, where it took root and blossomed into the absolute $rahminism of the modern %indoos &he other remained on the native soil, flourished for centuries, built up an empire, and finally in its turn gave place to the Moslem hordes of 'rabia !t migrated, and by the irony of (ate, sought and obtained shelter with religious toleration among the banished sister branch of the primeval stock &he appearance of )oroaster, to teach his e*cellent religion before +ing ,ushtasp and his wise and learned courtiers, may be well compared to that of -t 'ugustine before +ing .thelbert in the si*th century of the /hristian era !t is a curious historical coincidence that in both oases e*treme piety, religious convictions, elo0uent and persuasive arguments, prevailed .ngland received the blessings of /hristianity through the -a*on +ing .thelbert, and rose in its might to be a great /hristian nation, whose empire in the twentieth century of the /hristian era e*tends over land beyond the seas1 and under whose sceptre are folded together vast millions of most loyal sub2ects of %is $ritannic Ma2esty +ing .dward 3!! -o, 4,566 years ago, did the mighty ,ushtasp of !ran espouse the cause of )oroaster and spread the Mazdayasnian religion to all the corners of his p "7 vast empire %e was the first founder of the doctrine of the -tate religion 8nder the renowned and mighty warriors /yrus and Darius of Persia, the national flag of -tate and )oroastrianism, welded together in unity, proudly floated over untold millions, who claimed protection and paid homage to the Persian /ourt &hus, through generations and generations, flourished )oroastrianism, to be ultimately shattered and almost annihilated by the 'rabs of the +haliph 9mar at the battle of :eh;vand, 'D <=> -ubse0uent events may well be described in the words of &homas Moore? @!s !ranAs pride then gone for ever, Buenched with the flame in MithraAs cavesC :oDshe has sons, that neverEnever Fill stoop to be the MoslemAs slaves, Fhile heaven has light or earth has graves@ !nspired with zealous fervour, con0uered but never van0uished, a few Magian fathers of the .ast boldly sallied PGgina 4 de >5 &he &eachings of )oroaster? !ntroduction >#H6<H>6"= file?HHH/?H8sersH8suarioH'ppDataHIocalH&empHIowHF//+!J4,htm forth in a frail bark to seek their fortunes in other climes 'fter undergoing terrible hardships, they floated, at the mercy of the tempestuous ocean, to the hospitable shores of Festern !ndia -ince then, centuries have passed, and the Parsis have made themselves known in the Fest for their charity and benevolence1 for their staunch loyalty to the /rown1 for their commercial, educational, and political achievements p >6 ! have often wondered what powerful influence, what intrinsic philosophy, what imperceptible charm of thought and theology have been at work to endear )oroastrianism to the heart of the modern ParsisEdevoid as it is of the powerful support of the -tate1 uprooted from its native soil and transplanted for centuries amongst the %indoos !n the following pages ! shall endeavour to show why )oroastrianism has maintained its divine power and prestige amongst them :early 4,566 years ago, at Jae, in Media, there lived a man of the name of Pourushaspa, who led a holy and righteous life with his wife Dogdho !t is related of this holy man, on the authority of the ninth chapter of the KaLna, that, being desirous of perpetuating his posterity, he prepared a religious ceremony as a thanksgiving to the 'lmighty, and solemnly prayed for the favour of a child &his worthy manAs prayers were duly answered, and a son was born to him, who laboured amongst our primitive forefathers for the amelioration of mankind and their deliverance from the everlasting ruin %is mission was prior to the advent of $uddhism, /hristianity, and !slam %e left behind him, written in letters of golden fire, in the %istory of the Forld, his illustrious name, )arathustra, as a permanent landmark and everlasting beacon for the welfare of the p >" body and the guidance of the soul in its passage from the known to the unknown @9 Maker of the material worldM to what greatness, goodness, and fairness, can this davaDdestroying teaching NMonotheismO of )oroaster be comparedC@ &he answer came? @'s high as %eaven is above the earth, which it encompasses, so high above all other utterances the law of Mazdeism stands@ P PGgina = de >5 &he &eachings of )oroaster? !ntroduction >#H6<H>6"= file?HHH/?H8sersH8suarioH'ppDataHIocalH&empHIowHF//+!J4,htm @K98 -%'II &%.J.(9J. %.'J+.: &9 &%. -98I 9( :'&8J.@ ! shall now e*plain the theology and moral philosophy of the religion of )oroaster !t is purely a monotheistic religion, based on the worship and adoration of Ahura-Mazda, the @'llDknowing Iord@ !t teaches? (") 9f the life on the earth? (>) 9f the life hereafter? (4) 9f !mmortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body $riefly, it teaches and develops the noblest instinct of mankindEviz, as )oroaster himself has termed it, @&%. -98I 9( :'&8J.@ !n the wordDpicture of the solemn chants of the ,athas of the )oroastrian religion, a notion of ,od of all the 8niverse is convincingly interwoven p >> %e, to whom no form, shape, or colour is attributed, stands alone, Omni Unique, the :ature of !nfinite of Infinite Perfection !t is not given to mortals of finite mind to define %im, the most 2ust, the most benevolent, the most merciful %e is 9ne, who dwells in boundless space, clothed in the most resplendent and illumined glory of inscrutable :ature !n +hordahD'vesta, the prayerDbook of the Parsis, ,od describes all %is attributes, in the following words? @! am the +eeper1 ! am the /reator and the Maintainer1 ! am the Discerner1 ! am the Most $eneficent -pirit @My name is the $estower of %ealth1 the Priest1 'hura Nthe IordO1 Mazda Nthe 'llDknowingO1 the %oly1 the ,lorious1 the (arseeing1 the Protector1 the FellDwisher1 the /reator1 the Producer of Prosperity1 the +ing who rules at %is Fill1 9ne who does not deceive1 %e who is not deceived1 %e who destroys malice1 %e who con0uers everything1 %e who has shaped everything1 'll Feal1 (ull Feal1 Master of Feal1 %e who can benefit at %is wish1 the $eneficent 9ne1 the .nergetic 9ne1 %oliness1 the ,reat 9ne1 the $est of -overeigns1 the Fise 9ne@ P @%e is the Iight and -ource of Iight1 %e is the Fisdom and !ntellect %e is in possession of all good things, spiritual and worldly, such as p >4 good mind NvohumanoO, immortality NameretadO, health NhaurvatadO, the best truth Nasha vahistaO, devotion and piety NarmaitiO, and abundance of every earthly good Nparagraph continuesO PGgina 5 de >5 &he &eachings of )oroaster? !ntroduction >#H6<H>6"= file?HHH/?H8sersH8suarioH'ppDataHIocalH&empHIowHF//+!J4,htm [Khshathra vairya]. All these gifts He grants to the righteous man who is upright in thoughts, words, and deeds. As the ruler of the whole universe, He not only rewards the good, but He is a punisher of the wicked at the same time." * n the !oroastrian "iturgy #$a%na .&, !arathustra describes 'od as #(& ")he *reator Ahura+,a-da, the .rilliant, ,a/estic, 'reatest, .est, ,ost .eautiful. . . . . . #0& "who created us, who formed us, who keeps us, the Holiest among the heavenly." 1 )he scope of this work does not permit me to discuss comparative theology2 but this will say, that ancient as the !oroastrian religion is, no more comprehensive, lucid, and intelligible definition of the 'reat *reative *ause can be found in any religious books of the modern religions. t is worthy of note that ,ilton, who wrote nearly 3,455 years after !oroaster, had grasped the true spirit of the !oroastrian ideal of 'od. p. 30 "6nspeakable who sit7st above these heavens, )o us invisible or dimly seen n these )hy lowest works, yet these declare )hy goodness beyond thought, and power divine." . . . . . Having established the belief in the 'reat *reative 8ower, !oroaster proceeded to strengthen and fortify his followers by carefully warning them against the influence of the 9vil :pirit. ;ne of the greatest evils in the time of the prophet was the tendency of the populace to adore and worship 'od<s manifestations or created elements. :lowly, superstitious belief, for want of good guidance, created imaginary and fanciful gods, who were materiali-ed in idols, and worshipped at the whim of the believer. n the language of the period, amongst the ancient Aryas, the word Dava signified 'od, from the Aryan root div, to shine, and conse=uently all those personified manifestations of >ature were called Davas. !oroaster =uickly perceived that the ancient monotheistic religion of the Aryas was degenerating into a state of image and idol worship. He had already taught the people ")H9 :;6" ;? >A)6@9." t became necessary that he should stamp out the so+called idol- davas. )henceforth !oroaster, in the Avesta language, used the word Dava in the sense of an evil or wicked spirit. )he old 8Agina B de 34 )he )eachings of !oroasterC ntroduction 3DE5BE35(0 fileCEEE*CE6sersE6suarioEAppFataE"ocalE)empE"owEG**H@I'.htm root div, to shine, has given us such words as Deus in Latin, Dava in Sanskrit, Zeus in Greek, and Tius in German, p. 25 for God. The Avesta language of Zoroaster is the onl ancient language in which !uite a contrar and evil meaning is attached to this word, and, so far as this religion is concerned, the word dava still has an evil meaning. "ad the great #er$es %een successful in his wars with the Greeks, the &a'daasnian faith would have %een esta%lished in the (est, and all the modern languages would pro%a%l have %een now using the word Dava for the )evil, or the *vil +ne. Let me %ut for a moment lift the veil, and show ou the most hallowed and impressive picture of Zoroastrian speculative philosoph. ,n the plenitude of the creation there, one perceives the hand of the -reator in "is &ight &a.est, creating and completing this universe at si$ different periods/first, the heavenl firmament0 second, water0 third, the earth0 fourth, plants0 fifth, lower animals0 and si$th and last, man. &an is created free to act after his own heart and understanding. 1, have made ever land dear to its dwellers, even though it had no charms whatever in it,1 2 said Ahura3&a'da to Zoroaster. Si$teen different regions and countries created % Ahura3 &a'da are carefull descri%ed in the first 4argard of the 5endidad, giving a more or less geographical notion to modern readers of the origin of the population in -entral Asia. p. 26 7ut the most important speculative philosoph, disclosed % this 4argard, is the e$istence of two primeval -auses in the state of 8ature, working in opposition to each other, known in the Avesta language as Spenta Mainyus 9the -reative or Augmenting Spirit:, and Angro Mainyus 9the )estructive or )ecreasing Spirit:. Since the creation, there has %een an incessant state of conflict %etween these rivals0 the records of these encounters, in which man as a free agent plas his part with his soul for a stake, are %ound up in the annals of the world, to %e finall unfolded, read and ad.udged on the great )a of ;udgment. This philosoph of the Good and the *vil Spirit, creative of the material world, is not to %e confused with the idea of dualism. &an learned writers, of *uropean fame, have clearl proved that Zoroaster did not preach dualism. The *vil Spirit is not endowed with an of the attri%utes of the <=gina > de 25 The Teachings of Zoroaster? ,ntroduction 2@AB6A2BCD file?AAA-?AEsersAEsuarioAApp)ataALocalATempALowA(--F,GHG.htm Almight0 neither is he placed in opposition to, or made a rival of, God. , have carefull read the e$haustive comments made % (estern scholars on this su%.ect, some in favour, and the ma.orit of them against the theor of dualism. As a great deal of controvers has %een raised on the doctrine of two rival spirits, , think it necessar to !uote from the Avesta, and also from the later <ahlavi te$t, to prove that dualism is not one of the doctrines preached % Zoroaster. p. 2> 1Ahura3&a'da, through omniscience, knew that Ahriman e$ists. . . . 1The *vil Spirit, on account of %ackward knowledge, was not aware of the e$istence of Ahura3&a'da. . . . 1"e IAhura3&a'daJ sets the vault into which the *vil Spirit fled, in that metal0 he %rings the land of hell %ack for the enlargement of the world, the renovation arises in the universe % his will, and the world is immortal for ever and everlasting. . . . . . . So it is declared that Ahura3&a'da is supreme in omniscience and goodness, and E8G,5ALL*) in splendour. Gevelation is the e$planation of %oth spirits together? one is he who is independent of unlimited time, %ecause Ahura3 &a'da and the region, religion, and time of Ahura3&a'da were and are and ever will %e0 while Ahriman in darkness, with %ackward understanding and desire for destruction, was in the a%ss, and it is he who will not be.1 Amongst others, the cele%rated )r. (est, to whom the <arsis are greatl inde%ted for his researches in the Avesta writings, finall refutes the charge of dualism %rought against Zoroastrianism % some learned divines, who discovered dualism through the spectacles of modern religions. 1The reader will search in vain for an confirmation p. 2@ of the foreign notion that &a'da3worship is decidedl more dualistic than -hristianit is usuall shown to %e % orthodo$ writers, or for an allusion to the descent of the good and evil spirits from a personification of K%oundless timeK as asserted % strangers to the faith.1 2 <=gina @ de 25 The Teachings of Zoroaster? ,ntroduction 2@AB6A2BCD file?AAA-?AEsersAEsuarioAApp)ataALocalATempALowA(--F,GHG.htm Reading carefully Fargard I. of the Vendidad, I cannot help admiring the sublime theory of Nature, so far as it relates to the Destructive Spirit. Now, what are the evils employed by ngro !ainyus" great serpent# winter months free$ing water and earth, and retarding the growth of fruit%bearing trees and other vegetation useful to man&ind# a poisonous wasp# evil thoughts# wild beasts destructive to animal &ind# doubt or unbelief in the 'reator# indolence and poverty# idol and image worship# devastation or plague# sorcery# fevers# falsehood# dar&ness# no(ious smells# and wic&edness. )hese are the few evils employed by ngro !ainyus to retard the progress of, and if possible, destroy man&ind. It is *uite evident, that the sole aim of +oroaster,s teachings is to raise -od,s best and fairest wor&.man.to that level of human perfection by good words, good thoughts, and good deeds, so as to enlist the services of the -ood Spirit. Spenta !ainyus being thus p. /0 invo&ed, a protection from evils can be obtained# and the soul of man at the trumpet%call can be clothed in a fit and proper state of piety to render homage to his 'reator. 1F )23 4IF3 1N )23 3R)2 graphic description of si(teen of the regions and countries created by the lmighty is given in the Vendidad. )hey e(tend from the shores of the 'aspian to the ban&s of the Indus in 2industan. )he favoured man of -od was Yima, &nown in the Shah Nameh as 5amshid. )o him -od,s command, 63nlarge !y world, ma&e !y world fruitful, obey !e as 7rotector, Nourisher, and 1verseer of the 8orld,6 was given. 9ima was presented with a plough and a golden spear, as symbols of sovereignty. 2e set to wor& to carry out this holy mandate, brought large tracts of land into cultivation and filled them with men, cattle, beasts of burden, dogs, birds, and ruddy burning fires. Imagination soars high at this picture of pastoral bliss, of peaceful occupation in cultivating the virgin soil and propagating the species. 3vil was un&nown. )he day of perpetual brightness, the summer of radiant :oy, and all heavenly peace had cast their mantle of transcendent glory over the land of Iran, of which 9ima was -od,s chosen overseer. 4ittle did 9ima &now that there e(isted in p. ;< the state of Nature the 3vil Spirit =ngro !ainyus>, to attempt to mar his handiwor& by snow, frost, and deluge. 7?gina 0 de /@ )he )eachings of +oroasterA Introduction /BC<DC/<EF fileACCC'ACGsersCGsuarioCppDataC4ocalC)empC4owC8''HIR;-.htm "He [Evil Spirit] does not think, nor speak, nor act for the welfare of the creatures of Ahura-Mazda; and his usiness is un!ercifulness and the destruction of this welfare, so that the creatures which Ahura-Mazda shall increase he will destro"; and his e"esi#ht [evil e"e] does not refrain fro! doin# the creatures har!$" %i!a, " his piet" and devotion to the &reator, had enlisted the services of the 'ood Spirit, and throu#h hi! it was !ade !anifest to hi! that on this corporeal world snow, frost, and delu#e would co!e$ He was warned of this disaster in ti!e, and ordered to prepare an enclosure lar#e enou#h to hold cattle, easts of urden, useful ani!als, !en and wo!en, of the lar#est, est, and !ost eautiful kinds, to#ether with irds, red urnin# fires, and seeds of all kinds of trees("all these in pairs"(without an" le!ish or tokens of the Evil Spirit )An#ro Main"us*$ +ious %i!a, like ,oah of old, enefited " this ti!el" counsel, and ulti!atel" succeeded in savin# the chosen creation, which for!ed his ancient do!ain of Air"ana- -a./0$ 1ne cannot help notin# in the 2oroastrian Scriptures a certain si!ilarit" to the later-da" histor" of ,oah and his ark$ Spenta Main"us p$ 34 planted the seed of a #ood fruit-earin# tree, nourished it with water of purit", cultivated it with honest industr" and dili#ence, watched its #rowth in divine conte!plation of its losso!in# forth #ood thou#hts, #ood words, and #ood deeds )humata, hukhta, and havarahta*, when fro! "the re#ion of the ,orth $ $ $ forth rushed An#ro Main"us, the deadl", the 5a.va of the 5a.vas," and with one chill last of snow and frost )"6alsehood" and "7ickedness," vide Avesta* s!ote and retarded the risin# sap of the #rowin# tree$ 8hus, hi#h fro! aove, war was declared etween 'ood and Evil, etween the +ious and the 7icked, etween 9i#ht and 5arkness,(one preservin# and the other s!itin# 'od:s #lorified works$ A #ood portion of the 2oroastrian theolo#" is directed towards protectin# !ankind in his efforts to fi#ht a#ainst An#ro Main"us and his wicked acco!plices$ "8hat one wish which Ahura-Mazda, the 9ord, conte!plates, as re#ards !en, is this, that :%e shall full" understand Me; for ever" one who full" understands Me, co!es after Me and strives for M" satisfaction$:" ; +<#ina 4= de >? 8he 8eachin#s of 2oroaster@ Antroduction >BC=DC>=4E file@CCC&@CFsersCFsuarioCApp5ataC9ocalC8e!pC9owC7&&GAH3'$ht! Zoroaster, in order to stem the tide of destruction, went to the root of the evil and laid the foundation-stone of his great moral philosophy, p. 32 by making certain well-defined hygienic rules and regulations to preserve the pastoral community from being totally destroyed by pestilence, which we know as a visitation of God. In this brief sketch I shall enumerate a few of them for the appreciation and due consideration of my readers. utrefaction or decomposition, occasioned by the dead bodies, from which thousands of untold evils may arise, was the first sub!ect dealt with in the sacred books of the "vesta. It is written, that directly death occurs, the evil element of putrefaction, known in the "vesta language as #$rukhs %a&us,# takes possession of the dead body. In the figurative language of the period, #$rukhs %a&us# 'putrefaction( is personified into a pernicious fly, full of filth and disease, and capable of spreading great harm among the living creation. )he duration of the period at which it takes possession of the dead body greatly depends on the nature and the cause of death. *odern medical science has nearly elucidated this mystery of cadaverous rigidity and the e+act time of the putrefaction of the body. )hese have been graphically described in ,argard -II. of the -endidad. .areful instructions are given as to the part of the house, and the manner, in which the dead body should be kept, pending its ultimate disposal/ the place of its final rest, where it may p. 33 dissolve into its natural elements/ the subse0uent purification of the place where the body may have lain in the house/ the people who carry the corpse/ the clothes that may have come in contact with it/ and the purification of the flowing water in which the corpse may have been found. #urity is the best thing for men after birth,# says the "vesta. )hose who are desirous of further investigating the sub!ect will be handsomely repaid their trouble in perusing ,argards -., -I., -II., -III., and I1. of the -endidad, wherein they will find scientific instructions as to the germ theory and the preservation of the public health. )hough enunciated thousands of years ago, they are now carefully and minutely followed by western nations in the twentieth century. %e+t in order comes the command to cultivate the soil, to produce corn, provender, and fruit-bearing trees, to irrigate dry land and drain the marshes, and to populate the whole 2gina 33 de 24 )he )eachings of Zoroaster5 Introduction 267897283: file5777.57;sers7;suario7"pp$ata7<ocal7)emp7<ow7=..>I?3G.htm with men, cattle, and useful beasts of burden. Zoroastrian philosophy shudders with horror at the contemplation of the motherly earth being defiled by the burial therein of dead bodies, and consequently means are devised of disposing of corpses on high mountain tops by birds of prey or by the process of nature. The modern Parsis, in accordance with the ancient regulations, have devised Towers of Silence. The Parsis of Bombay are p. 3 grateful to their ancient prophet, who taught them the great hygienic principle of sanitation. !uring recent years it has saved them, a handful as they are, from the bubonic plague. This great "!ru#hs $a%us" carried away thousands of natives, hour by hour and day by day, and yet signally failed in his wholesale attac# on the Parsis. The reason is obvious. The armour of health, forged by Zoroaster during his pious contemplation of thirty years& duration on the mount "'shidarena," and so fittingly worn by the Parsis of the present day, is invulnerable to the attac# of (ngro )ainyus and such of his satellites as "!ru#hs $a%us." Strict ordinances are made for the care and welfare of women during certain periods, including those of gestation and child*birth, so that no in+ury may happen in the latter instance to the parent and the offspring and to those who have to assist at this great function of $ature. Besides these, there are numerous directions as to observing cleanliness in ordinary daily life, all tending to the care and purification of the body and prevention of infectious diseases by contact. "This is purity, , Zarathustra, the )a-dayasnian law. ".e who #eeps himself pure by good thoughts, words, and wor#s. p. 3/ "(s to the right purity of one0s own body, that is the purification of every one in this corporeal world for his own state, "1hen he #eeps himself pure by good thoughts, words, and wor#s." 2 .aving made men invulnerable to diseases, Zoroaster proceeded to loo# after their morals. .is moral philosophy deals with two attributes inherent in man the 3ood )ind and the 4vil )ind. These two are allegorically termed "5ohumana" 6the 3ood )ind7 and "(#amana" 6the 4vil )ind7. P8gina 9: de :/ The Teachings of Zoroaster; <ntroduction :=>?@>:?9 file;>>>A;>'sers>'suario>(pp!ata>Bocal>Temp>Bow>1AAC<D33.htm Thoughts, words, and deeds are liable to the influence of either "Vohumana" (the Good Mind) or "Akamana" (the Evil Mind) !oroaster has summed u" the whole of his moral "hiloso"h# in three e$"ressive words%"&umata" (good thoughts), "&ukhta" (good words), and "&varshta" (good deeds) The wa# to heaven is laid through these three m#stic avenues, and the seeker of them is borne through with the self'consciousness of having s"ent his allotted s"an of life to the use and furtherance of God(s good creation, and to &is eternal glor# "Turn #ourself, not awa# from three best things%Good Thought, Good )ord, and Good *eed" +# "Good Thoughts," a !oroastrian is able to concentrate his mind in divine contem"lation of " ,- the .reator, and live in "eace, unit#, and harmon# with his fellow'brethren /or the love of his fellowmen, he is en0oined to "rotect them in danger1 to hel" them in need and want1 to raise their understanding in education1 to enable them to enter into hol# bonds of matrimon#1 and to the best of his resources to enhance the "ros"erit# and welfare of the communit# of his brotherhood in "articular, and of all mankind in general +# "Good )ords," he is en0oined not to break his contract with others, to observe honest# and integrit# in all commercial transactions, faithfull# to "a# back an# borrowed mone# at the risk of being called a thief, to "revent hurting the feelings of others, and to engender feelings of love and charit# in the Ma2da#asnian fraternit# +# "Good *eeds," he is directed to relieve the "oor, deserving and undeserving, to irrigate and cultivate the soil, to "rovide food and fresh water in "laces where needed, to encourage matrimon#, and to devote the sur"lus of his wealth in charit# to the well'being and "ros"erit# of his co' religionists and others The 3arsis of 4ndia are too well known for their disinterested charities amongst the "eo"le of all denominations to need an# eulogistic remarks from me 4t is a matter of great "ride to me, as a 3arsi, and a sub0ect of dee" thankfulness to God, as one of &is beings, that in this matter m# co'religionists in the East have trul# " ,5 and faithfull#, and with the utmost tolerance, distributed their wealth in wise and useful charities, to lessen the sorrows and untold miseries, and brighten the homes of our less fortunate brethren 36gina 7, de 89 The Teachings of !oroaster: 4ntroduction 8;<=-<8=7> file:<<<.:<?sers<?suario<A""*ata<@ocal<Tem"<@ow<)..A4B,Ghtm "I praise the well-thought sentiment, the well-spoken speech, the well-performed action. "I praise the good Mazdayasnian law, the free from doubt, removing strife." * ne can picture to himself the properly ordained household of a !oroastrian, who has carefully imbibed the abstract principles of ""umata," ""ukhta," and ""varshta," and put them to practical purposes in an ordinary workaday life. Marriage is particularly recommended as a great factor towards leading a religious and virtuous life, in addition to the social comforts of physical, mental, and moral recreations. #he household of a man $f well-regulated mind is his peaceful domain, wherein he is the lord with his worthy consort, both entwined together and actuated by that religious affinity which the !oroastrian religion, by wise and philosophical precepts, never fails to infuse. %s the land improves by fertilization, so should mankind by union, says the !oroastrian philosophy. ne of the five things most pleasing to &od, mentioned in 'argard III. of the (endidad, is that a holy p. )* man should build himself a habitation, provide himself with a wife, children, fire, and a herd of cattle. #he husband is re+uired to obey the laws of health and be brave, to protect and preserve his family from any outside violence, to be industrious, to provide them with necessaries of life, to be tolerant, truthful, and chaste, and to complete the domestic happiness of his family circle. ,hastity and implicit obedience from a wife to her husband are considered to be the greatest virtues in a woman, the breach whereof will be punished as a sin. In every way, the wife is e+ual to her husband in social status, en-oying perfect liberty of action. #hese wise domestic regulations are so faithfully followed by the modern .arsis that misbehaviour or misconduct of a woman is altogether conspicuous by its absence. /ivorce for misconduct is almost an unknown thing, and the writer cannot but congratulate his community on the fact of total absence of women of loose morals. It is one of the ordinances of the faith that a father must look after the spiritual and temporal education of his children, and bring them up well fortified physically and morally to fight the battle of life with perseverance, diligence, honesty, and integrity, thus enhancing the reputation of his family and the honour of his community. p. )0 .1gina 23 de 45 #he #eachings of !oroaster6 Introduction 4*78$74823 file6777,679sers79suario7%pp/ata7:ocal7#emp7:ow7;,,<I=)&.htm "May the desirable obedience come hither, for joy to the men and women of Zarathustra." * Tolerance is another great feature of the Parsi faith. Though taught to revere his own religion and despise and destroy idols and images, he is also impressed with the idea of observing great tolerance and discretion in passing judgment on the religious belief of others. Zoroaster himself set the eample of this ecellent precept, whilst praising the soul !""ravashi"#. "The "ravashis of the pure men in all regions praise we." $ %t is evident that he prayed for all wise and holy men and women who believed in &od. That the same spirit eists to the present day, is proved by the munificent gifts of the Parsis for charitable purposes to people, irrespective of creed or caste, having for their sole object the relief of man'ind. (trict as the law of chastity is, a great spirit of tolerance is shown in the )vesta writing in reference to an unmarried woman, who happens to fall a victim to the charms of an insidious man. True, it is a punishable sin, yet the )lmighty, in *is mercy, has ta'en due notice of such a misfortune happening in a household. %n the poetic language of the )vesta, it is laid down that a virgin, who whilst under the protection of her parents, either betrothed or not p. +, betrothed, is in a way to become a mother, should not for the very shame of the act attempt to destroy herself. (he must not add to the sin already committed, a further and more heinous crime of self-destruction. "urther, she is forbidden, under the penalty of a grave sin, from see'ing to destroy the fruit of her body, either with the assistance of her partner in the guilt or that of her parents in order to hide her shame from the world. (he must not see', at the instigation of her betrayer from the path of chastity, the assistance of "an old woman" versed in herbology. The putative father must protect the unfortunate partner of his guilt and the child. *ere is a tragic drama of the twentieth century, so of ten enacted in our criminal courts, written and commented upon by Zoroaster in his gospel, in the primitive pastoral age, at the beginning of the history of the world. .hat thoughts, what deep moral philosophy, what superhuman 'nowledge, must have been invo'ed by the great %ranian sage to soften the hardships of life, by introducing a ray of heavenly mercy, of which Tom *ood sang centuries after/ P0gina 12 de 32 The Teachings of Zoroaster/ %ntroduction 345,653,1+ file/5557/58sers58suario5)pp9ata5:ocal5Temp5:ow5.77;%<=&.htm "Take her up tenderly Lift her with care; Fashiond so slenderly, Young and so fair. p. 41 "Touch her not scornfully; Think of her ournfully, !ently and huanly; "#T #F T$% &T'("& #F $%)* 'll that reains of her "ow is pure woanly." The whole creation is placed under the guardianship of !od as the head, and si+ 'eshaspends ,archangels-. 'eshaspends are ystical guardian spirits, who work night and day incessantly for the welfare and protection of the creation coitted to their charge .y the 'lighty. !od is the protector of an. ,1- /ahan is gi0en the custody of all useful doestic anials and .irds. ,1- 'rdi.ihist has the control of fire and life2gi0ing heat. ,3- &hahre0ar is the president of all kinds of etals and inerals. ,4- 'spandarat is the custodian of the earth, with in4unctions to keep it fruitful, clean, and culti0ated. ,5- 6hordat has to see to the purity of water and water2 courses. ,7- 'erdad tends to trees and 0egetation. 8ith the assistance of Ya9ats ,angels- night and day they police this earth and guard their respecti0e charges against the encroachent of the %0il &pirit ,'ngro :ainyus-. ;oroaster, ha0ing dealt with the welfare of ankind, has not forgotten lower anials in his p. 41 oral philosophy. &pecial regulations are laid down for their kind and considerate treatent. $e has recogni9ed the necessity of slaughtering anials for huan food, prescri.ed which kinds of anials and .irds are fit for that purpose, and shown the ost huane and e+peditious ethods of killing the ethods which, curiously enough, are now recoended and adopted in this country .y pu.lic authorities. <nnecessary slaughter is for.idden, and shooting for ere pleasure is a.solutely discountenanced. =>gina 17 de 15 The Teachings of ;oroaster? (ntroduction 1@AB7A1B14 file?AAAC?A<sersA<suarioA'ppDataALocalATepALowA8CC6()3!.ht One instance, woven in traditional Oriental imagery, will suffice to convey the sentiments of the Parsis on this subject. The Over-Lord of the herd of the domestic cattle (Geush-rvan! raises his "laintive call of heart-rending "athos to the #lmighty $reator, and humbly beseeches %is intercession to alleviate the "ain and sufferings his fellow- &ind have to undergo at the hand of men. The "oor "etitioner becomes aware of the fact, that in accordance with the "re-arranged "lan, his herd was created for the su""ort and advancement of the cor"oreal world' that it is e("ected of them to furnish flesh food and mil&, and to be useful to the cultivator of the soil. )n return men are enjoined, under "enalty of severe "unishment, to be &ind and attentive to their many wants, and merciful in their necessary slaughter. The bovine leader is further informed that *oroaster, by sweetness of s"eech, will ". +, assuage their sufferings and engender a benevolent s"irit of humanity amongst their cruel tormentors. The dumb "etitioner, whose vision of "rotection being limited to the sole as"iration of obtaining the su""ort of a "owerfully armed warrior, is not able to understand that in many instances "ersuasive and convincing words are far more "otent than a shar"-edged sword of the best tem"ered steel and more effective in their "ur"ose than the brute force of a salient blow. #s to &indness to dumb animals, the following "assage from Patet -rani . (/hordah-#vesta! will show what the *oroastrians thin&0 1Of all &inds of sins which ) have committed with reference to %eaven against the #meshas"end 2ahman 3the "rotector of cattle4 with reference to the world against the cattle and the various &inds of cattle, if ) have beaten it, tortured it, slain it wrongfully, if ) have not given it fodder and water at the right time, if ) have castrated it, not "rotected it from the robber, the wolf, and the waylayer, if ) have not "rotected it from e(treme heat and cold, if ) have &illed cattle of useful strength, wor&ing cattle, war-horses, rams, goats, coc&s, and hens, so that ali&e these good things and their "rotector 2ahman have been injured by me and not contented with me, ) re"ent.1 ". ++ This merciful and ancient teaching does not call for the intervention of any "ublic society to "revent cruelty to animals, so far as the Parsis are concerned. ) humbly venture to suggest, that it is not the im"osition of fine or im"risonment by the $ivil Law of the country that deters the evil-doer. 5hat is wanted, is a sound doctrine of moral P6gina 78 de 9: The Teachings of *oroaster0 )ntroduction 9;<=><9=7+ file0<<<$0<sers<suario<#""?ata<Local<Tem"<Low<5$$/)@,G.htm philosophy, as expounded by Zoroaster, preached and brought home to these people by a carefully organised system. Man has conscience and a soul to be saved; and, however hardened his nature may have become, it is within the bounds of possibility to awaken him to his wickedness and cowardice to dumb animals, who patiently and courageously work for him, and are the means of procuring him ease and comfort in his worldly existence. Unlike other religions, it condemns fasting or total abstaining from food as a wicked and a foolish act, which injures and enervates the body. !o one who does not eat, has strength to do works of holiness, strength to do works of husbandry. "y eating, every material creature lives; by not eating, it dies away. # $ith us the keeping of fast is this, that we keep fast from committing sin with our eyes, and tongue, and ears, and hands, and feet. . . . %ince & have spoken in this manner, and have p. '( brought forward the fasting of the seven members of the body, that which, in other religions, is fasting owing to not eating, is, in our religion, fasting owing to not committing sin )excess*. # +eaders, such are a few salient principles of the Zoroastrian theology of the ,ife on the -arth, which & now close by .uoting from the /endidad0 &!1+-2%-, ,&/- 34- $45,- 3&M- 56 347 ,&6-, 2% ,5!8 2% 345U $&,3 ,&/-. 9 56 34- ,&6- 4-+-263-+ 7et know, vain sceptics: know, th; 2lmighty Mind, $ho breathed on man a portion of 4is fire "ade his free soul, by earth nor time confined, 3o heaven, to immortality aspire. %lowly and solemnly, now & approach this subject of great theological mystery, of the migration from the known to the unknown universe. . . . 3he worldly existence is, in the end, death, and disappearance, and of the spiritual existence, in the end, that of a soul of the righteous is undecaying, immortal, and undisturbed, full of glory and full of enjoyment, for ever and everlasting, with the angels and archangels and the guardian spirits of the righteous. p. '< =>gina ?@ de A( 3he 3eachings of Zoroaster0 &ntroduction A@BC<BAC?' file0BBB10BUsersBUsuarioB2ppDataB,ocalB3empB,owB$11E&+F8.htm The hour of departure rings out in solemn silence, when the severance of terrestrial friendship and unity which existed in him as a man must take placeone to ascend, and the remnant to dissolve into its elements. The scriptures of Zoroaster most vividly describe this solemn event, and give evidence right through of the great belief in immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body. At the glorious sunset of the pious life, the soul remains three days near his lifelong friend the body, and perceives and "sees as much oyfulness as the whole living world possesses." !or him, the fourth day dawns in gloria in excelsis. !rom the midst of his worldly nearest and dearest relatives, friends, and neighbours, the soul, having been bidden pious adieux in holy blessings, ascends in the company of his guardian angel, "hros, to render his account at the gate of "#hinvat $ridge." %n his upward ethereal ourney, floating in the region of the sweet&scented balm of the south soft wind, he meets his own astral self, transformed into a handsome figure of gracefulness and seraphic beauty. This figure reveals itself to him as his 'ood Thoughts, 'ood (ords, and 'ood )eeds. *leased with his welcome, and having rendered his account to +,-. )A/A., the recorder at the gate of -eaven, he passes the barrier to eternal bliss and happiness, and awaits his body on the great day p. 01 of resurrection. 2n the contrary, there is a drastic picture drawn of the soul of a wicked man. %t must suffer till the last day of the 'reat 'athering, when everybody will be udged, the battle will end, the ,vil "pirit will no more have power to play man as a pawn, and there will be everlasting peacepeace and happiness. The subect is a vast one, and the space limited for this purpose does not permit me, as % should like, to deal with it in extenso. % hope the extracts given on this subect will interest the readers. A sinful soul need never despair of mercy and forgiveness of 'od. (icked as he may have been, a due notice of any good deed done by him will be taken into consideration by the 'reat +erciful. 2ne of the numerous 3uestions asked by Zoroaster of Ahura&+a4da, was in reference to a man whose body was feeling the torments of hell, with the exception of his right foot. %t was participating in the heavenly bliss and comfort. The man was a wicked king in the world below, who ruled his country with oppression, lawlessness, and violence. -e was incapable of practising any known virtue. 2ne day, when he was out hunting for his pleasure, he saw a goat, tethered to a stake, vainly trying to reach a morsel of hay. The sight of a poor hungry beast straining at the rope kindled a spark of mercy in his otherwise obdurate heart. Thus moved by a *5gina 67 de 89 The Teachings of Zoroaster: %ntroduction 8;<=><8=60 file:<<<#:<?sers<?suario<App)ata<@ocal<Temp<@ow<(##A%.B'.htm p. 48 sudden impulse, he, with his right foot, kicked the morsel of hay within reach of the famished beast. The incident was duly recorded in the Book of Fate, and the foot received its reward. This legend, savouring of antiquity, and backed up by ancient authorities, reveals to a oroastrian the sublime doctrine of reward and punishment. !fter a youth has attained the age of fifteen and sought the oroastrian "aw, he is en#oined to be liberal in thoughts and deeds, pious, and religious in ceremonial rites, #ust and wise as a ruler, truthful and honest in his dealings, careful in keeping the elements pure and undefiled, active in destroying evil, attentive to the care and want of the domestic animals, industrious in cultivating and irrigating land, persevering in education of himself and others, temperate in all desires, and useful to mankind in promoting harmony, concord, and unity amongst his kinsfolk, friends, and others. $e must carefully weigh the merits and demerits of every step he has to take on the path of life. %f by want of knowledge or ignorance, he does anything which turns out to be a sinful act, he must, at the earliest possible opportunity, rectify and remedy the same. From his early youth he is taught the belief that all his good and evil deeds will be duly recorded& that with the flight of time they will grow, multiply, and accumulate. 'n the day of the ascension of his soul, the recording angel (ehr )avar will ask him to render an p. 4* account of his short span of corporeal life, before bidding him enter that place of supreme bliss, known to the modern +arsis as ,-arothman Behest., .eaders of this brief sketch might say that this is a philosophy couleur de rose. /ay, ask yourselves the question, 0hat has been achieved by the teachings of oroaster1 2ou will find that they have brought peace and happiness to +arsi households& they have made them loyal and peace3abiding sub#ects of the British 4rown, and a benevolent community to the people of the world& they have lessened pauperism, crime, infamy, and immorality& they have made them a race worthy of its proud traditions, which command the respect, confidence, and admiration of those with whom they come in contact. %t is very rare to find a +arsi of a criminal instinct. 4rime mania, if it can be designated as such, has no suitable soil prepared for it to flourish in, in a +arsi community. %t must wither in its very inception, for the antidote prepared by oroaster, and faithfully handed down from generation to generation to his disciples and followers, has raised an effective rampart against the approach of this foul and degrading instinct. +5gina 67 de 68 The Teachings of oroaster9 %ntroduction 68:7;:67<4 file9:::49:=sers:=suario:!pp)ata:"ocal:Temp:"ow:044>%.?-.htm At the moment of writing this, a subject of vast importance to my fellow-creatures in this country passes in review before me. In the course of my professional duties I have been, on numerous p. 50 occasions, an unwilling spectator of many tragic dramas which are daily enacted in our criminal Courts. ithin a few yards of gaiety and pleasure, prosperity and brilliancy, one can easily step into a veritable slum life of this great metropolis, A poor, half-starved, pale, and delicate-loo!ing waif, bootless and hatless, with scarcely a semblance of garments, spies your intrusion into his domain. It is sad to contemplate his fate, his end, and his ultimate destination. "his fruit, of ill-conditioned parents, grows up to loo! upon society as his natural foes to be preyed upon. #ardened and rendered callous by the rigour of the criminal law, the nation has in him an utterly worthless and a dangerous man. $ne as!s, #as he heard a word of moral truth% #as he been taught the moral philosophy% #as he ac&uired the conception of 'od and (ature% "houghtless, friendless, homeless, and 'odless, he roams, a prey to the )vil *ind +A!amana,. In the ne-t scene of life we find him the willing slave of the devil +Angro *ainyus,. $ne step further and a sentence from the blac!-capped judge, is his reward. a short delay, and then comes the end. ho can tell the terrible anguish, the torturing thoughts, and the painful agonies of unrestrained remorse of this wretched being, who is awa!ened and enlightened at the eleventh hour by the ministration of some holy man of 'od% /ad to say, it is too late for this earth. /tanding on p. 50 the threshold of eternity for one brief moment, listening to the soothing words of his own burial service, he mutely prays what% 1or 'od2s forgiveness for those who could have done better for him and his wretched !ind. 3et me ring down the curtain in mercy to one more miserable soul that has gone aloft to render his account. It is not the fault of one class of men or the other. it is not the fault of the clergy that 'od2s superior and gifted animal has been allowed to become a prey of the )vil /pirit and then hounded out of e-istence by our law4 it is the fault of our system, want of unity, of proper charitable organisation, and of discriminate support by the well-to-do and prosperous class. ere 5oroaster to visit this country, I venture to say, that his first step in practical moral philosophy would be to organi6e a national institution, where these poor waifs and strays could be bent from their infancy to the righteous path of '$$7 "#$8'#"/, '$$7 $97/, and '$$7 7))7/. :;gina <0 de <5 "he "eachings of 5oroaster4 Introduction <=>0?><00@ file4>>>C4>8sers>8suario>App7ata>3ocal>"emp>3ow>CCAI9B'.htm Then the nation will be rewarded by the sight of the sons of the soil, marching in distant climes for the glory and honour of the British flag, as soldiers of God and the King, and pioneers of the ever-extending British Empire, as did their heroic brethren in Persia of old under the victorious flag of illustrious Go! " p! #$ %E&'%%E(T)*+ ) cannot do better than refer to the following passage in ,Bundahis,, on this sub-ect! .arathustra as/ed 0hura-1a2da, ,3hence does a body form again which the wind has carried and the water conveyed4 and how does the resurrection occur5, 0hura-1a2da answered thus6 ,when through 1e the s/y arose from the substance of the ruby, without columns, on the spiritual support of far-compassed light4 when through 1e the earth arose, which bore the material life, and there is no maintainer of the worldly creation but it4 when by 1e the sun and moon and stars are conducted in the firmament of luminous bodies4 when by 1e corn was created so that, scattered about in the earth, it grew again and returned with increase4 when by 1e colour of various /inds was created in plants4 when by 1e fire " was created in plants and other things without combustion4 when by 1e a son was created and fashioned in the womb of a mother, and the structure severally of the s/in, nails, blood, feet, eyes, ears, and other things was produced4 when by 1e legs 7 were created for the water, so that it flows away, and the cloud was created which carries the water of the world and rains there where it has a p! #8 purpose4 when by 1e the air was created which conveys in one9s eyesight, through the strength of the wind, the lowermost upwards, according to its will, and one is not able to grasp it with the hand outstretched4 each one of them, when created by 1e, was herein more difficult than causing the resurrection, for it is an assistance to 1e in the resurrection that they exist, but when they were formed it was not forming the future out of the past!, 0ccording to the ancient ,Bundahis,, " at the time of the resurrection, the soul will demand its original body out of the custody of the three /nown elements the Earth, the 3ater, and the :ire! 0ll the dead will rise with consciousness of their good and evil deeds! 0t the Great 0ssembly, in the presence of the righteous, they will penitently deplore their misdeeds! Then will there be the P;gina $$ de $# The Teachings of .oroaster6 )ntroduction $<=>?=$>@A file6===(6='sers='suario=0ppBata=Cocal=Temp=Cow=3((K)%8G!htm separation of the righteous from the wicked for three nights and days the wicked, "Full in the sight of Paradise, Beholding Heaven and feeling Hell." The reign of terror, at the end of the stipulated time, vanishes into olivion, and its chief factor !hriman goes to meet his doom of total e"tinction, p. #$ whilst !hura%&a'da the (mnipotent )ictor remains the *+,!T !-- ./ !--. !fter this great penance, *od in His mercy prepares a ath of purification, through which all pass, and arise in sanctified purity. Hallowed and conscious of all ties of relationship and friendship which e"isted in their terrestrial life, they glide, in company with the hierarchy of Heaven, into the domain of .mmortality for ever and everlasting. The memory of the dead is handed down, from generation to generation, in religious ceremonies, which are periodically performed y the priests. (ne incident . must mention efore closing this sulime theme. (n an occasion somewhat similar to the 0hristian "!ll 1ouls" 2ay, the souls of the 3oroastrians visit this sulunary earth once a year. Those, who have participated in the ceremonies on these occasions, can ut feel that heavenly inspiration which ecomes one4s nature y faith and strict pious devotion. 2uring the period of this pious visit, every Parsi household is thoroughly cleansed of the minutest impurity. .n the est room of the house, a place is set apart, full of choice sweet% scented and fragrant flowers, and fruits5a perfect picture of peaceful liss5with fire of sandal%wood urning, and the priests and memers of the household, in the midst of a glorious illumination, chanting hymns of glory to *od and His creation, -et there e p. ## no dissent from a picture so noly grand and a ceremony so sulime, as it is ut an innocent homage to *od4s infinite lessings, and to us a source of comfort to hold communion with and feel in spirit the presence of those whom we have loved, respected, and adored5fathers and mothers, wives, rothers and sisters, relations and friends5who have done their duty and have gone efore us, in accordance with the law, and with whom we hope to mingle5the ody, dust to dust, the soul, in eternal liss of "*arodemana." 6 1. !. 7!P!2.!. P8gina 9: de 9# The Teachings of 3oroaster; .ntroduction 9<=>?=9>@$ file;===0;=Asers=Asuario=!pp2ata=-ocal=Temp=-ow=B007.+:*.htm INNER TEMPLE, LONDON, January 1905. Footnotes 15:* All-Knowing. 15: The Lo!. 1":* King #$%h&'%(. 1": )*+,ol o- Li-e. .1:* /ee &'n%l'&ion o- /'g'! 0. o- &he 0en!i!'!. ..:* O+$1! 2'%&. T. ,* D'+e%&e&e. .3:* D. 4'$g. .3: /o -$&he in-o+'&ion on &hi% %$,5e6& %ee e7&'6&% 2'8n' 9LI0. .5:* /'g'! I. o- &he 0en!i!'!. .::* D. E. ;. ;e%&<% =In&o!$6&ion &o &he )'6e! >oo?% o- &he E'%&,= 0ol. 1:. 31:* Din@-A M'AnBg-A Khi'!. 35:* /'g'! 9. o- &he 0en!i!'!. 3C:* 2'8n' 9I0. 39:* 2'8n' LIII. 39: /'D'!in-2'%h&. E3:* A ('*e o- e(en&'n6e -o %in. EE:* /'g'! III. o- &he 0en!i!'! FD'+e%&e&eG. E5:* )'! D' L999III. E5: /'g'! 90III. F>lee6?<% T'n%l'&ionG. 51:* )ee Notes. 5.:* Me'n% li-e o Di&'li&*. 5.: Hon!$i&, 6'n'l o w'&e w'*%. 53:* =Oigin'l He'&ion= F' ,oo?G. 53: =L'll' Roo?h= FTho+'% MooeG. 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