. PT: Does the concept of rebirth exist in our Zarathushti religion? Why do some Zoroastrians feel that a departed soul has returned to the family when there is a new birth in the family? Dr. Ramiyar: The idea of re-birth or re-incarnation is the belief that after a person’s death, the soul of that […]
Category: Religion
May The Fire Burn For Ever In My House Ahura Mazda
: Fire in its various manifestation, whether as the fire of the hearth on earth or the fiery substance in the bowls of the earth or as the genial glow of the sun in the azure vault of heaven or the silver sheen of the crescent moon in the sky or the flickering brilliancy of […]
Fire Is The Symbol Of Ahura Mazda
Fire is the purest, grandest, and noblest emblem of Thy divinity, Ahura Mazda. It is the sublimest symbol of the faith of Zarathustra. Fire is the image made by divine hands, incomparably more sublime than any image graven by human hands. It is unsurpassed and unequalled by any in the language of symbology. Fire is […]
Qissa-e-Sanjan: The Tale of Sanjan
Sanjan is a place of religious and historic importance to Parsis. Contrary to popular belief, this was not the place where the Parsis first landed after leaving Iran. However, this is indeed the place where the very first Atash Behram (Iranshah) was consecrated. It is believed that several families, men and women, took off […]
Diwali – A Festival Of Light, Not Noise
Parsis as a community love to celebrate. Not just their own feasts and festivals, even Diwali and Christmas are celebrated with equal gusto. However, often in our enthusiasm, we unknowingly violate certain fundamental precepts of our religion. For example, the misuse of firecrackers during the festival of Diwali. Not only are firecrackers a source of […]
The Passing Away Of Zarathushtra
With the weight of seven and seventy years on his hoary head, Zarathustra was seated in the oratory one summer morn, committing and conversing with his father in heaven, when the fell hand of Brattaresh fell upon his sacred person and he received his martyrdom by the sword of the Turanian. The silence of desolation […]
Zarathustra – The Lord Of Mankind
Thou, Ahura Mazda, hast made Zarathushtra the lord and overseer over mankind. Like unto the radiant and glorious Tishtrya, he is the beacon-light on the horizon of life and lights our path leading to Thee. He is the embodiment of truth, righteousness and goodness of earth. Zarathustra is the polar star of man’s searchings. He […]
Pray The Vispa Humata Daily
PT: What is the meaning of the word ‘Vispa’ and the essence of this prayer? Er. Bajan: The word ‘Vispa’ of the Avestan language means all. The prayer is composed of simple words of the Avestan language which enables us to understand it easily. The simple verbatim English translation is “All good thoughts, All good […]
Temptation Of Zarathushtra
In his empire of evil, Angra Mainyu, the Evil Spirit, laid a wager that who so of the host of hell successfully tempted Zarathustra to his fall, would be raised high in rank in the region of darkness. Buiti, the adept in the art of luring man to apostasy, took it. With a hundred devices […]
The Relevance Of ‘Gehs’ And Their Rituals
PT: Tell us about the origin of ‘Gehs’. Er. Karanjia: The word ‘Gah’ or ‘Geh’ originates from the Pahlavi language, meaning ‘time, period or place’. Time is a very important concept in the Zoroastrian religion. The world was created as a fixed period of time from endless time. To be connected to God it is […]
The Birth Of Zarathushtra
Glorious springtime had come and wide awake was the earth from its wintery sleep. Fields and forces that seemed deadened winter long were now blooming. Green grass carpeted the earth and warbling lands and flocks and herds made merry on the grassy ground. Blades and ears bloomed into corn and golden corn waved in fair […]