Er. Zarrir Bhandara shares 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. In our exclusive column, ‘Pearls Of Wisdom’, Er. Zarrir Bhandara answers your queries, shedding light on the enduring relevance of Zoroastrian wisdom for us all.

Questions From Our Readers:

Q: How much of a role does destiny play in Zoroastrian belief, or is everything shaped only by our own thoughts, words, and deeds? (Bezaan Mogal, Pune)

Er. Zarrir: Bezaan, this is the crux of Zarathushtra’s message. Unlike some faiths that emphasize fatalism, Zoroastrianism is a religion that emphasizes free will. We are not puppets on strings. Ahura Mazda gave us the greatest gift: the Vohu Manah (the Good Mind) to discern between right and wrong. While we are born into certain circumstances (which some may call destiny or the result of past karma), how we navigate them is entirely up to us.

Remember Destiny sets the chessboard and Free Will decides the moves. You are considered a Hamkar (Co-worker) of God. Ahura Mazda provides the moral framework (Asha), but you hold the hammer and chisel. Your destiny is not a fixed line, it is a dynamic structure that you build every moment.

Your adherence to Asha and the disciplined practice of our faith are the tools that shape your future. This includes Daily Spiritual Discipline (Reciting your daily Manthras prayers); Constant Protection (Regularly wearing the Sudreh and Kusti); and Spiritual Recharge (Visiting our Agiaries and Atash Behrams to replenish your spiritual energy).

The truth remains – you are the sole architect of your soul’s journey, and the maker of your own destiny.

Q: What does our religion say about negative spirits like ghosts or hauntings, or possessions? Do we believe in them, and how are we meant to understand such experiences? (Meherrnaaz Patel, Canada)

Er. Zarrir: Meherrnaaz, while we do not focus on ‘ghosts’ or ‘possessions’ in the same way other traditions might, our religion is fundamentally dualistic in the ethical sense. We acknowledge the eternal conflict between Spenta Mainyu (The Creative, Benevolent Spirit) and Angra Mainyu (The Destructive, Evil Spirit).

We certainly believe in the presence of negative, corrupting energies, which we call Druj (Falsehood, Chaos, Decay). These are not necessarily individual spirits, but rather dense, spiritual pollution. Places where violence, intense filth, or sustained negativity have occurred can harbor this Druj.

Our Zoroastrian Approach is Spiritual Self-Defense. The best defense is to align oneself fully with Asha (Truth or Righteous Order). Fear itself is a tool of Angra Mainyu, so we must combat it with courage and purity. Do Not Fear as fear feeds the very negativity (Ahrimanic essence) we seek to dispel. Trust in the protection of Ahura Mazda. The remedy lies in Purity (Asha) – Spiritual and physical cleanliness is our strongest shield. The presence of Light is vital, so keep a small fire, candle, or divo burning, for where light exists, darkness (Druj) cannot endure.

The Power of Mathravani (Avestan Recitation): Our prayers are potent spiritual weapons. To actively ward off and dispel negativity, the following Mathravani are particularly powerful. The following prayers are recommended:

Vanant Yasht: Invokes the Star Vanant, a sentinel against the forces of Druj.

Khordad Yasht: Dedicated to the Yazata of Perfection and Wholeness, fortifying the soul’s integrity.

Hom Yasht: Dedicated to Haoma, which confers spiritual strength and victory over evil.

Q: As someone who has grown older and witnessed countless changes within our community, I often find myself reflecting on whether we are truly upholding the essence of Zarathushtra’s teachings, or if, over time, we have allowed our practice to become centred more around ritual than meaning. While rituals undoubtedly hold an important and sacred place in our faith, it sometimes feels as though their form has taken precedence over the deeper spirit and purpose of our religion. (Fredoon Namdarian, UK)

Er. Zarrir: Fredoon, you voice a profound concern that many reflective Zoroastrians share. It is right to examine whether we are truly upholding the spirit of the Daena, our religion. To address this, we must clearly define the relationship between our Philosophy and our Rituals. Think of our faith not just as one entity, but as two necessary components working in tandem:

The Philosophy is the water – it is the life force, the meaning, the ethics. This is the substance of our faith – the moral code, the ethics, the core teaching of Asha, it is the life-giving universal principle.

The Ritual is the cup – it holds the water and preserves it so it can be passed to the next generation. This is the form of our faith: the prayers, the ceremonies, the physical disciplines like the Kusti. It is the structure designed to hold and protect the water.

If we only have the Cup (rituals) without the Water (meaning), we are drinking from an empty vessel, and the practice becomes hollow. Conversely, if we only have the Water without the Cup, the essence is spilled and lost over time. Thus, we have a duty to return to the essence – living a righteous life, while simultaneously using the rituals as the discipline and structure to keep that essence pure and whole for the next generation. We need both – the essence and the rituals to sustain our faith.

(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 editor@parsi-times.com )