The ‘Kissah–e–Sanjan’ or the ‘Story of Sanjan’ was originally written in Persian at the close of the sixteenth century (1599) by Mobed Bahman Kaikobad, the grandson of Dastur Hormazdyar Sanjana, and the granduncle of Darab Hormuzdyar, the compiler of the well- known collection of Revayets compiled in the seventeenth century in India. Its importance arises from the fact that it is the only literary record of the advent and settlement of the Parsis in Western India.

Composed almost six hundred years after the Parsis settled in Sanjan (eight hundred years if we consider the traditional date of arrival) the historical accuracy of this work is a matter of debate amongst historians and scholars. The Parsi community, however, is beholden to the author (Mobed Bahman Kaikobad) for having committed to writing the tradition that he found current in his time about the early history of the Parsis in India.

R. P. Karkaria, in his introduction to the English translation of the Kissah–e–Sanjan by the English Orientalist Edward B. Eastwick writes, “If there was no written history, there certainly was historical tradition about those early days handed down by word of mouth throughout all those centuries. And it is from this old tradition that was current in his own times that Bahman compiled this story.”

Mobed Bahman Kaikobad writes in Kissah-e-Sanjan that he had heard the wondrous tale of the arrival of the Parsis in India from “a wise Dastur, ever famed for goodness and who had so read the Zand Avesta that he could repel the followers of Ahriman.” (Translation by Edward B. Eastwick.)

It is unfortunate that the tale narrated by Mobed Bahman is short. The author himself says that what he had heard from the wise Dastur was voluminous. He states: “Should I speak, the relation would be impossible: Should I write it, no paper would contain it, yet will I endeavour to repeat somewhat thereof. If the words of it be a hundred, I will utter at least one.” One wishes, while reading Mobed Bahman’s narrative, that he had recorded much more of that truly wondrous tale.

The Sanskrit Shloka

The famous Sixteen Sanskrit Shloka are inseparably associated with the arrival of the Parsis in India, and though they are not directly given in the Kissah-e-Sanjan, their substance is plainly alluded to. Together with the Kissah-e-Sanjan, the Sixteen Shloka form the oldest document extant relating to the advent of the Parsis in India from Iran.

The famous Sixteen Shloka are traditionally ascribed to Dastur Neryosang Dhaval who according to tradition, led the Parsis from Khorasan in Iran, to India and consecrated the first Atash Bahram in Sanjan in Samvat 777 (720 A.D.) However, many scholars ascribe these Shloka to Neryosang Dhaval who was a well-known Sanskrit scholar of the twelfth century.

Prof. Dr. Mary Boyce in her scholarly work, ‘Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices (1979)’ assigns the era of Dastur Neryosang Dhaval to around the late eleventh to early twelfth century A.D., while Dastur Dr. Maneckji N. Dhalla assigns him to the thirteenth century A.D. Boyce remarks that “his work shows him to have had an admirable extensive knowledge of both Sanskrit and Middle Persian (Pahlavi)” and that it “marked one of the peaks of Parsi scholarship.”

The Shloka are also ascribed to one Akko Adhyaru or Mobed Aga. It is not the object of this article to argue the authorship of these Shloka. What is important is to understand what these Sholka enumerate in terms of the religious beliefs, customs and practices of the early Parsi immigrants in India.

In the first fifteen shloka, the Dastur explains the principles and practices of the Zoroastrian religion to the Raja of Sanjan. Each of the first fifteen Shloka ends with the affirmation, “those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.” The last shloka narrates the reply of the Raja.

For this article I have relied on the translation of the Sixteen Sanskrit Shloka by the noted Sanskrit scholar, Shapurji Kavasji Hodivala.

Record of principles and practices of Parsis in India

Shloka I: Who thrice a day think highly of (i.e., praise) the sun and the five elements (namely)

fire, wind, earth, the primordial sky and water, by Nyaishna prayers, who believe in the existence of the three worlds, and who adore the very merciful Ahura Mazda, the Lord of the Angels, and the Almighty; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The first Shloka affirms the community’s belief in Ahura Mazda and reverence for all the good creations of the Creator!)

Shloka II: The best of men who always observe the seven kinds of silence mentioned in the scriptures, (namely), at the time of bathing, praying, reading holy scriptures, making offerings to fire, partaking meals, secreting faeces, and passing water (urine); who in this world perform ceremonies with incense of several kinds, good flowers and plenty of best fruits; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The second Shloka speaks about practices that the community seems to have now forgotten. Today we tend to sing while in the shower, answer phones between prayers and have breakfast, lunch or dinner conversations. We should at least avoid conversations between prayers.)

Shloka Ill: Who always put on the body a clean sacred garment (Sudra) which has the virtues of a coat-of-mail, who put on the waist a woollen kusti which is fastened (on the Sudra), which is tied into knots at equal distances; and who cover their head with turban underneath which is put a cap made of two pieces of cloth; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The third Shloka, speaks about the community’s religious vestments and particularly about wearing a cap over which a turban could be worn.)

Shloka IV: Whose females cause melodious songs to be sung and music (to be played) at auspicious marriage ceremonies, which are performed on the lucky days mentioned (to them); whose females apply sandal, fragrance, etc., to their bodies; who being pure in their dealings perform ceremonies of various qualities; and who act up to (are attached to) the delightful scriptures; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The fourth Shloka speaks about the virtues of Parsi women.)

Shloka V: In whose house there is the giving away (in charity) of food, etc., which is sweet and full of pleasant taste; who do such charitable acts as the building of lakes, wells, reservoirs and bridges on rivers; who always give presents of money, clothes, etc., to deserving petitioners; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The fifth Shloka refers to the community’s well-known practise of charity and doing good unto others.)

Shloka VI: Among whom joy (becomes victorious) over sorrow, happiness over affliction, knowledge over silence, righteousness, pure birth over malady, creation full of light over destruction full of darkness; in whose speech and thought (the motto is) “as the man, so the reward (in the next world)”; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The sixth Shloka refers to the community’s positive attitude and looking at all things negative as an affliction of evil.)

Shloka VII: Who, applying the bull-urine, consecrated by prayers, to the head, face (etc.), perform ablution, external and internal, (mentioned in the scriptures), and become pure with water brought by women; who afterwards tie the badge (kusti) round the waist: among whom there is to be no sleep without the badge; who engage themselves in delightful prayers, with mind made fresh by the muttered hymns; the principle in whose conduct is, invariably, standing undaunted; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant  and very strong.

(The seventh Shloka refers to daily ablutions and religious practices of the community.)

Shloka VIII: Who perform the Hom ( prayer) five times every day, reciting sacred incantations and putting (on the fire) aloe and sandalwood, which is dried for six months, and wood fragrance and camphor; among whom the Hom does never take place with the fire extinguished by putting (thereon) wood made wet by clouds spread by the sun; who being attached to their wives by the law of truth are not wrongfully devoted; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The eight Shloka lays emphasis on the community’s special reverence for fire and the care that is taken in terms of offering fire-wood.)

Shloka IX: Pure hearted men, whose females in menstrual period become pure on the seventh night; (and when) delivered of a child become pure in body after a month from the day of delivery; (whose females) are noble on account of their graceful conduct, shine with golden ornaments, are powerful and strong and have always laughing faces; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The ninth Shloka refers to menstrual and post-natal segregation and subsequent purification customs observed by Parsi females.)

Shloka X: Who do not attach themselves to concubines; who perform sacred ceremonies in honour of their Fravashi; who protect the fire; who do not use flesh except in (Jashan) sacrifices; whose females whilst in menstruation do not sleep on the earth; (among whom) marriage is purity of devotion; whose married females are not (looked upon as) pure if devoid of husband; who daily rejoice in (abiding by) such observations; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The tenth Shloka emphasises moral virtues and not keeping paramours. There is also reference to abstaining from flesh that is not ritually sacrified.)

Shloka XI: Whose wives do not get engaged in the work of cooking, etc., (but) remain quiet and take complete rest for forty days (i.e., after delivery); (whose wives) after ablution are engaged in silent prayers and in (singing) the praises of the sun; who always think highly of (i.e., praise) the wind, fire, earth, water, the moon and the sun and other Yazad; in whose caste men of different religions are always forbidden (to be taken); those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The eleventh Shloka once again refers to religious customs of purity observed by Parsi women. More importantly, this Shloka alludes to the community not accepting persons of other caste into their own. It is often argued whether our ancestors promised the local chieftain in India that the Parsis shall not convert. While there is no evidence of any promise made, the eleventh Shloka does emphasise “in whose caste men of different religions are always forbidden to be taken.”)

Shloka XII: Who thus by the mind think (highly) of water, sky, moon, fire, wind, earth and sun, and of Hormazd the all Bountiful, Immutable and Immortal; who always recite the Nyaishna prayer which is the giver of victory, righteousness and desire; and who maintain silence while eating and washing the body; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The twelfth Shloka once again refers to daily religious practices and customs of the community.)

Shloka XIII: Who, in accordance with the direction of elderly persons, always put on the kushti  made of wool, which is productive of great merit, which resembles the performing of ablution in the Ganges, which is made of thickly set strings, which is of golden colour, and which is delightful and long and which is like a yoke; who put on, on the region of the waist, this coat-of-mail (Sudra) which is (preserved) whole, in accordance with the teachings of the scriptures; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The thirteenth Shloka re-emphasises the importance of wearing sudreh-kusti.)

Shloka XIV: Who if they accidentally (happen to) kill even a beast, perform holy penance of (attended with) the Bareshnum (ablution) with the cow urine and the five products of the cow, and thus become completely pure after many days; who always follow the good sayings of (their) ancestors for the washing off of sin; who daily rejoice in abiding by such observations; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The fourteenth Shloka refers to the community’s distaste for violence and needless killing and the practices of ablution and spiritual cleansing.)

Shloka XV: Of whom it is said that they attain lofty heaven if they act according to the religious observances which are laid down by ancient preceptors, which are composed in graceful language, and which point out the path of salvation; and (also) if they act up to the revealed commandments; who delight in purity and who are such glorious men; those are we Parsis, noble-born, bold, valiant and very strong.

(The fifteenth Shloka emphasises that living a righteous life and following the precepts of the faith is the path to salvation.)

Shloka XVI: 0 ye all Parsis, may the countenance of the all-powerful Hormazd be for the prosperity of (your) sons and grandsons. May this beneficent fire ever be for the destruction of your sins. May the favourable sun and the five (elements) the givers of great blessings, be worthy of the Nyaishna prayers. May you be victorious over the demons. And may you always achieve great respect.

(The sixteenth and final Shloka is actually a blessing given by the local ruler in India, after hearing the earlier fifteen Shloka. The Hindu Raja must have resonated well with the religious customs and traditions of the Parsis as elaborated in the Shloka and found no hesitance in giving refuge to the Parsis who had come from Iran to seek refuge in India.)