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Reader’s Query: Sir, why are four kinds of Fire required to consecrate Pak Atash Padshah in an Adarian and 16 kinds of Fire to consecrate an Atash Behram?

Er. Ramiyar: In the fire of Ādarān status, four types of fires are used – they cover all the four groups of society – priests, administrators, farmers and Artisans. In the fire of Atash Behram status, fire from sixteen different types are used, most of them from different professions. Humans use fire for their own personal use, for which fire has to undergo several indignities like being blown upon, being defiled and having to come into contact with several impurities. As a token of our gratitude to the different types of fires, which they have to undergo for our sake, they are purified, consecrated, united and exalted as the sacred Atash Behram fire.

 

Reader’s Query: What are the four sources of Fire required to consecrate Pak Atash Padshah Saheb in an Adarian?

Er. Ramiyar: The four sources of fire used to consecrate Pak Atash Padshah Saheb in an Aadaryaan are: fire from the house of an Athornan or ‘Priest’; fire from the house of a Ratheshtar or ‘ruler/warrior’; fire from the house of a Vastryosh or ‘farmers’; fire from the house of a Hutaos or ‘artisans’.

 

Reader’s Query: Sir, What are the sixteen sources of Fire required to consecrate Pak Atash Padshah Saheb in an Atash Behram?

Er. Ramiyar: These 16 sources of Fire required to consecrate Pak Atash Padshah Saheb in an Atash Behram are: Burning corpse, Dyer, Public bath, Potter, Brick maker, Bronze maker, Goldsmith, Mint, Blacksmith, Weapon maker, Baker’s oven, Brewer, Army camp, Shepherd, House of a Zoroastrian and Lightening.

 

Reader’s Query: Is it essential to collect the Fires from the stipulated sources in a particular order?

Er. Ramiyar: No. There is no particular order to collect the different types of fires.

 

Reader’s Query: What does the procedure of purifying and consecrating our Holy Fires entail in terms of rituals, prayers, implements and time?

Er. Ramiyar: For consecrating the fire of an Adarian, one or two pairs of priests and the period of about a week is required. For consecrating the Atash Behram fire, at least eight to ten pairs of priests are required, and the time required is a minimum period of about a year.

The consecration process requires several performances of the Yasna and Vendidad rituals with varied invocations.

As to the utensils, most of them are the standard utensils that we use like the Afarganyu, tongs, ladle etc. The only special implement is a ladle with holes. For the process of purification of the fires, several pits have to be dug up in the ground.

 

Reader’s Query: Is it possible that vibrations, even at a distance, might disturb the sanctity of Pak Atash Padshah? If the sanctity is disturbed in any way, is it possible to consecrate the Holy Fire again or should all the procedures begin anew?

Er. Ramiyar: A reasonable distance and rules of ritual purity are to be maintained at the time of performance of all our rituals. Sound vibrations from a distance do not disturb the performance of rituals.