As one of the world’s oldest religions, Zoroastrianism is a treasure trove of wisdom – offering guidance on leading a righteous, purposeful life. Rooted in the teachings of our glorious prophet Zarathustra, it emphasizes Humata, Hukhta, Huvarshta – Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds – as the foundation of a just and meaningful existence, culminating into a simple yet profound life philosophy.

Er. Zarrir Bhandara share timeless nuggets of wisdom from our Zoroastrian religion, exploring its spiritual insights, ethical teachings, and relevance in today’s world. Whether drawn from the Gathas, sacred traditions, or the lived experiences of the Zoroastrian community, each piece of wisdom serves as a guiding light in the journey of life, continuing to inspire and illuminate.

Becoming Dadar Ahura Mazda’s Instrument…

Ask Ahura Mazda to flow through you! Ask: “Mazda Ahura, express Yourself through me, I am open to the flow of your spirit. Fill me up with your energy, so much so that, there is no room left for anything that is less than good.”

This way you become a magnet of goodness, only the good things come to you and also only the good goes out of you. Thus, you become Dadar Ahura Mazda’s instrument.

The Power Of Our Manthravani…

Our Mathravani has the potential to create maximum impact by connecting us with the Ultimate powerhouse of good energy. This power of the sound of Mathravani reverberates with the universe created by Dadar Ahura Mazda.

The significance of our prayers is in the sound as it creates sound frequencies that are immortal, and nothing, and absolutely nothing can obstruct or destroy it. It can penetrate through mountains and it reaches the spirit world. When you pray or even play prayer audios in your homes, it brings about good vibrations into your homes.

‘Vidaevo Ahuro Takesho’…
We often find ourselves repeating these two words in nearly all our prayers. ‘Vidaevo Ahuro Takesho’ are powerful words which mean the removal of all negativity and filling ourselves with positivity.

Three Kinds Of Divine Connections…
Essentially, there are three types of connections. The first is the Direct or a Parallel Connection with God, either when we pray and/or perform rituals on our own or Parallel – when we get higher prayers done through a priest.

The second one is a Series Connection, which is when we get together and connect our individual selves making it a cosmos of collectivity. And the third one is a Compound Connection, which is a combination of parallel and series connections, that is coming together and praying together in Humbandagi and at or a Gahambar or a Jashan, where our collective consciousness communes, connects/merges with the infinite energy – the super consciousness – God. Thus, creating oneness of spirituality in humanity.

Questions From Our Readers:

Q: Is it alright to recite our Manthravani if we are not wearing our sudreh-Kusti? Do our Manthravani have greater impact when recited wearing the sudreh-Kusti?

Er. Zarrir: The Sudreh Kusti is our golden weapon (Zarehnumatem Surem) – it should be worn at all times as it nullifies and protects us from unseen calamities or problems coming to us. Though it is definitely preferred that we pray our Manthravani wearing the Sudreh-Kusti, as this sacred attire enhances the power of Mathravani manifolds, one can recite the ‘Yatha Ahu Vairyo’, ‘Ashem Vohu’ and ‘Yenghe hātām’ plus the Kusti prayers, even if these are not worn.

Q: It is said that we should not pray at night from midnight to 4:00 a.m. because it is during this time that the evil forces are at their strongest. So, my question is, in that case, shouldn’t we all pray that much more during this time to vanquish the evil, with our powerful prayers?
Er. Zarrir: That is indeed true! The potency and power of our prayers are not the reserve of a particular time of day or night. However, this period from 12:00 am to 4:00 am, which is also known as ‘Gashak’, is a belief of comparatively recent times and is deemed inauspicious.

(Er. Zarrir Bhandara is the Head Priest of the Zoroastrian Association of California Atash Kadeh and is a beacon of compassion with encyclopaedic knowledge on our Zoroastrian religion and scriptures. Readers are encouraged to mail in their queries to Er. Zarrir Bhandara at: zbhandara@gmail.com )