Adil J. Govadia
It is said that life is a school where civilizations have learnt to evolve and unfold, consciously or unconsciously. And though the lights of heart, mind and bodily perceptions are luminous, their glow relatively is dim as compared to the radiance of the soul which is intensely brilliant due the acquired wisdom over several rebirths. Highly evolved souls like Krishna, Christ and Buddha radiated boundless light; just as Prophet Zarathushtra, whose name, esoterically means, ‘the golden star’ or ‘a golden star having exalted consciousness’! In Gatha 31:3, Prophet Zarathushtra refers to ‘Mainyu Athra’ (spiritual fire) that illuminates the path of ASHA, the founding principle of Zoroastrianism that governs the spiritual and material existence.
Zoroastrians believe that there’s only one endless, immeasurable, unfathomable, single, absolute and infinitely powerful Supreme Being, the ultimate source of all energies that existed even before all creation, known as AHU or Vaahid-e-Haqiiqii (the Only Being). The Universal Plan was created by the power of AHU’s thought which was then executed by Ahura Mazda through the powerful 21-worded Ahu-na-war.
The rest of Creation is manifested by the functioning of the twin laws of Joofat (duality) and Joog (polarity), the twin influencing laws that co-exist and work together in nature and throughout the universe. By the law of Joog (polarity) two opposing forces work against each other to bring about a desired result, like in the case of say, a magnet (opposite poles attract). Whereas, by the law of Joofat (duality), two opposing forces work together harmoniously with each other to bring about the desired results like the protons and electrons in an atom.
The starting point of all creation is the atom, within which there’s predominantly an empty space besides the three basic subatomic particles called the protons, neutrons and electrons. Negatively charged electrons revolve around a positively charged nucleus of protons + neutrons in a definite circular path called orbits or shells within which are the ultra-physical quarks. Today, modern atomic scientists believe that within the quarks exists something very subtle, undetectable, beyond the perception of science. However, according to Zoroastrian occultism these subtle, undetectable elements are the building blocks of all physical matter originating from the four primal elements or Anasaars, namely Aatash (Fire), Baad (Air), Aab (Water) and Khak (Earth).
Gathas 30:1 & 30:3 also speak of following two impersonal, universal and omnipotent primeval spirits or Minos (Shaktis) – the Spenta Mainyu – a positive energy filled with Divine Light; and the Angra Mainyu, a negative energy filled with darkness due to ignorance, also referred-to as Ahreman, Satan and Ahimanyu (Rig Veda) or the serpent of evil. Zoroastrians believe that the Light of Wisdom (Spenta Mainyu), from where originates the principles of Justice and Order, ultimately banishes the darkness of Ignorance (Angra Mainyu), as the Cosmic Fire of conception permeates every element of creation.
While Spenta Mainyu is a centripetal force pulling the creation inwards towards the center (Ahura Mazda), also called “unfoldment of matter into spirit”, Angra Mainyu is an opposing centrifugal force that makes things fly-off from the center, away from Ahura Mazda’s Intelligence & Wisdom, also called “infoldment of spirit into matter” (Ref. ‘Infoldment & Unfoldment of the entire creation’ by Armaity S. Dhalla).
Just as an invisible and unobservable bond between the Sodium ion (positive) and Chloride ion (negative) leads to the formation of a compound called Sodium Chloride (common salt), similarly, the twin opposing forces of protons (positive) and electrons (negative) are the ‘spirits of Spenta and Angra Mainyus’ playing their role in the material world while Ahura Mazda’s invisible bond endures between the two, forming and maintaining the entire creation.
Mystically speaking, light is a permanent feature in the entire universe while darkness is temporary. Therefore, the only way to wear-off the consequences of Angra’s dark forces of Ignorance is by allowing light of the spiritual wisdom of Spenta to stream forth. Also, just as illumination increases or decreases depending upon the distance of light, so is the case with the advancement of the soul – it’s progress or regress would depend upon the distance it creates from the path of ASHA by the free-will choices it makes: “Aeva pantaao yo ashahay; veespay anyaeshaam apantaam,” (Yasna 72:11).
Thus, it is not the religion of a temple, church, mosque or gurudwara but the religion of a self-conscious man that has to evolve and unfold from matter to spirit (Light).
(Concluding part in next issue)
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