We often talk about our Holy Avesta Scriptures. However, what exactly are these scriptures? How many are extant and how many have been lost over the vicissitudes of time? Twenty-one volumes of Avesta: It is believed that there were originally twenty-one Nasks or volumes of the Avesta from the time of Asho Zarathushtra, which […]
The holy month of Adar commemorates fire, the source of energy and dispeller of darkness. The Supreme Divinity or the Source of all Creation is unseen to the human eye and unconceivable to the ordinary human mind. However, fire is the closest that the human eye and mind can get to visualize or experience Divinity; […]
Kersi Randeria Shares… Since the last two years, I have been sincerely trying to make things work smoothly and peacefully at the BPP, to put aside all the old differences, personal attacks and senseless infighting. My efforts started with putting on the BPP agenda, a request for developing an internal ‘Code of Conduct’ for the […]
n the pantheon of Zoroastrian divinities, Bahman Amshaspand ranks next to Ahura Mazda. Bahman is an Amshaspand or Amesha Spenta (variously translated as Bountiful Immortal or Arch Angel) and is doctrinally seen as the guardian of one of Ahura Mazda’s good creations, namely animals – particularly Goshpand like cow, goat, sheep, etc. It is for […]
– A Day To Rededicate Ourselves To Zarathushtra’s Message Of Spreading Happiness – Roj Khorshed of Mah Dae is observed as Zarthosht no Deeso – the day on which our beloved Prophet, Zarathushtra, passed away from this material world to the spiritual world. Zarathushtra’s era is shrouded in mystery. While Greek sources place his birth […]
The Government of India seems adamant about putting charitable as also religious trusts and institutions through the exercise of revalidating their tax exemption and tax deduction registrations. The only relief provided is by way of extending the effective date from 1st June 2020 to 1st October 2020. Press Note of Ministry of Finance On 9th […]
We are in the midst of a pandemic, with cities, nay entire countries, shutting down. While some live in areas that have been affected by the novel coronavirus and declared ‘Red Zone’, others live in fear of what could happen next. For most, the uncertainty surrounding this pandemic is the hardest to handle… What if […]
COVID-19 has resulted in a lot of stress and anxiety. There is fear and worry about one’s own health and that of our loved ones. Many experience changes in sleep patterns, eating disorders and lack of concentration. Every individual reacts differently. While some find solace in reading and writing or simply working from home, others […]
The novel coronavirus is neither ‘Divinity’s Wrath’ nor ‘Nature’s Vengeance’. From a Zoroastrian perspective, this virus is the opposite of all that is good, God-given, life-giving and health-promoting. However, there are all kinds of posts on social media about the coronavirus being ‘Divine Anger’ on mankind and COVID-19 being ‘Mother Nature’s Vengeance’ on human beings! […]
People often ask what the pair of winged bulls with a human head outside several fire temples signify and what is its origin? Sumerian Roots: To begin with, this figurine is called ‘Lamassu’, and it is not of Persian or Iranian origin. The Persians adopted it from an earlier but neighboring civilization. The earliest depiction […]
In certain religious traditions, God is perceived as a fearsome divinity (the adjective – ‘God-fearing’ is quite common in the English lexicon) or as the Lord or as Malik (Master). However, in our Zoroastrian tradition Ahura Mazda is neither to be feared nor a master to be pleased. The relationship that a Zoroastrian has with […]