Recently a young reader of Parsi Times asked me some interesting questions: “How come we observe a Hindu ‘Ram’ Roj in our Zoroastrian calendar? Why don’t we name our children as Ram? Why do we abstain from consuming gosh (meat) on Gosh Roj?”

Mino Ram

The twenty-first day in the Zoroastrian calendar is not dedicated to Shri Ram of the Ramayana but to Mino Ram (Avesta Raman) – the giver of Joy. Ram is the later Pazand name of the original Avesta name, Raman. Mino refers to the spiritual or non-worldly (‘Geti’ – this material world; and ‘Minoani’ – the world beyond meaning spiritual or divine that we invoke in the Hormazd Khodai prayer while performing the Kusti ritual). In the hierarchy of Zoroastrian Divinities, there are 7 Amesha Spenta and 23 Yazata, as observed in the Zoroastrian calendar. A few of these Yazata are addressed with the prefix Mino (such as Mino Ashishvangh and Mino Ram).

The Yazata that we invoke as Mino represent spiritual qualities, and spiritual or non-material purposes that they work for. For eg., Mino Ram is giver of joy and to feel joyful is spiritual quality or experience and not material. Mino is also the later version of Maniyu or mentality (Man means mind). For eg., there is Spenta Mainyu (illumined, creative, positive and bright Mentality) and Anghra Mainyu (ignorant, destructive, negative and dark Mentality).

Invoking Ram

Mino Ram is the joyful state of the Universal Mind which we invoke to bring joy to our own mind. In the Zoroastrian tradition, Mino Ram presides over joy, peace and domestic harmony. This is why Mino Ram is invoked on the occasion of marriage, by performing the Varadh-pattar Baj. Zoroastrian couples get this ceremony performed to seek the blessings of Mino Ram for matrimonial bliss, peaceful companionship and domestic harmony.

Mino Ram is also believed to be the guardian of the space between the material and spiritual world, and hence Mino Ram is invoked on the fourth day after a person’s death (a baj is recited in honour of Mino Ram just before the Chahrom or dawn of the fourth day after death) for ensuring safe passage of the deceased’s soul from this material world to the spiritual world. However, Mino Ram’s name (ramano khvastrahe) is not invoked during the funeral ceremony in the Jasa me avanghe mazda prayer, since death is not a joyful event. Interestingly Mino Ram also presides over the dimension of time.

Naming Children

While Zoroastrians name their children after Amshaspand (e.g. Hormazd or Bahman) and Yazata (e.g. Avan, Khurshed, Meher, Sarosh, Rashne, Behram, Astad, Mahrespand), naming a child Ram is not common. However, Zoroastrians do name their children as Ramin (joy giving) or Ramiyar (joyful friend). Even today in Iran, there is a place called Ramsar (joyful place) along the Caspian coast.

Why Abstain From Meat?

‘Mino Ram’ along with ‘Mohor’ and ‘Gosh’ Yazata are the three Hamkar or co-workers of Vohu Mana or Bahman Ameshaspand, the guardian of bovine animals. Therefore, devout Zoroastrians abstain from eating meat during these four days of the month.

Mohor or Mah Yazata is Avesta Maongh presiding over the moon. The moon is known to affect our mind and mood. Invoking Mah Yazata by reciting the Mah Bakhtar Nyaesh is considered highly beneficial for peace of mind and mental stability. In the Mah Bakhtar Nyaesh, the moon is described as having ‘gav chitra’ or seed of the earth and earth in Yasna 29 is symbolically represented in the form of a cow.

Gosh is not a reference to meat. Gosh is Avesta Geush who presides over earth and cattle. Yasna 29 refers to Geush Uruan or the ‘soul/spirit of earth’ (in the form of a cow) complaining to Ahura Mazda and seeking deliverance from torment. Therefore, devout Zoroastrians abstain from consuming meat of Gosh Roj since Gosh Yazata, as stated earlier, is a hamkar or co-worker of Bahman Amesha Spenta, the protector of bovine and Geush Uruan, or the ‘soul/spirit of earth’, has been theologically visualised in the form of a cow.

What we can aspire to imbibe or emulate by invoking these Divinities, is to lead a joyful life with illumined, creative, positive and bright mentality.