Original article in Gujarati in Dini Avaz Volume 13 No 2 March - April 1988
Ignorance of our Deen and its Repercussions By Late Jehangirji Sohrabji Chiniwala
Reformists advocating mixed marriage and Navjote of offspring from mixed marriage and in favour of crematorium display scant respect for the tenets and Farmans of our Zarathusti Deen and their ignorance is apparently visible.
The present academic studies does not give full justice in understanding our religion as it is unable to grasp the microscopic fundamentals teachings of our deen which are subtler than a width of thinnest hair.
The key of ilmeKhshnoom is required for deciphering our Zarathusti deen. Ustad saheb Behramshah Nowroji Shroff who brought the fountain of ImeKhshnoom for the Parsi community had said in Gujarati that " More nachi nachi ne potana pag taraf joi ne chevateh rade" translates that a peacock keeps on dancing admiring its feet and ultimately cries in the end. Similarly the reformists who take pleasure in denigrating our long held traditions of our deen are on path of imminent destruction.
Whatever is the destiny of our Parsi community will happen in future evidently and there is no stopping to it, but our Parsi Community who remains true to its religion and Zarathosti deen itself will remain protected by unseen hand. Whenever a Community, a Country and its population is collectively destined to make progress than several means appear at their disposal for achieving its goal. Similarly when a Community, Country and its population are destined to digress than such means or Marefat appears as an obstacle to them. These are the laws governing nature and are immutable. The planetary movement depends upon the Manashni and karma of humans and the planets thereby move in a manner which affects humans accordingly. This is the nature's "Law of Justice and limit".
Ustad saheb had disclosed that Karma or Keshash are of two kinds 1) Individual Keshash 2) Collective Keshash of a community and he had right from beginning impressed upon the minds of its pupils that karma or keshahsh is a closed chapter and he cannot disclose what kind of retribution befalls upon a person for the nature of his past deeds. But he had disclosed that in Patet Pashemani prayers there are four kinds of Sins mentioned and they are as under:- 1) Margarzan Gunah 2) Farodmanad Gunah 3) Maninad gunah 4) Ajeh Gunah. As per philological translation Margarjan Gunah means type of Sins committed requiring Capital punishment, but as per ilmekhshnoom it means Sins which requires a soul to reincarnate again on this earth.
Some of our scholars who have done their studies as per western studies refuse to accept this vital basic truth of Reincarnation and believe that there is no Reincarnation in our Zarathusti deen. But this is considered as blasphemous and an insult to our religion and its true teachings. As per our religion if a Zarathusti follows and treads upon golden path of Tarikaats than there is no Reincarnation further for us as all our Keshash is finished in one Reincarnation.
There is reference in our scriptures which say that Chinvaat Pool becomes broad or narrow depending upon the karma of that soul who passes it. Narrowing of bridge will not allow the soul to cross it and thus he falls back or reincarnates back on this earth. Where as if a soul easily passes a broad bridge for him no reincarnation is required. A soul who has to reincarnate is due to his Margarzan Sins which literally means to fall prey to death (Marg + ar-zan).
As per Ustad saheb we today's Parsee Zarathostis comes in the category of the "Masdiyasni Zarathosti Dravand" which means that although we are followers of Masdiyasni Zarathosti deen but we are Dravands who do not understand path of Ashoi as shown in our religion, or even if one understands it at all, still are unable to put tarikaats of Ashoi in practice due to us entangled in our own web of Keshash which we have ourselves created.
Ustad Saheb has further said that a Mazdiyasni Zarathosti can lead his life in three ways and the least way or the third way of leading it is by practicing Ashoi and side by side paying its dues of our Margarzan life honestly. For him there is no reincarnation. This is the mercy shown by the almighty to us. There are other lower stages of leading our life and they are called as "Khuri" and "Daeye" and there is no reincarnation if we follow it. The other Gunah called as Farodmanand , Manideh and Azeh Gunah can be taken care of in present life incarnation or it can extend up to next incarnation which is the last incarnation for us.
Translated by Firdosh K. Sukhia