TARIKAT OF ASHOI OR ASHAHE KHAO - Spiritual Intelligence Part 2

Ashahe Khao -Laws of Ashoi which is indispensable for us Zoroastrians and is the only path prescribed by our prophet and is clearly mentioned in our scriptures.

"Aevo pantaao yo Ashahay; veespay anyaeshaanm apantaanm"

There is only one path, that of Righteousness (Ashoi); all others are non-paths.

The true essence of what is Ashoi ni Tarikaat is explained by Ervad Phiroz Masani as below.

Page 436 - Zoroastrianism Ancient and Modern - by Ervad Phiroz Shapurji Masani

"One man's meat is another man's poison" and this adage is quite applicable to the profession of one's religion. Every one ,male or female must know with faith and devotion what is taught in one's own religion, and it is incumbent on every one to follow in practice the tenets of the religion in which one is born. A Zoroastrian ought to observe all the tenets of Ashoi taught in the Zoroastrian religion. All the great Relgions of the world have their own gradations serving as steps for the evolution of various souls of indefinite orders. The Religions have as their basis the "KHAO" or fountain-source ,and all other religions are based on only three "KHAO",except the Zoroastrian religion which has four "KHAO" as its foundation-stone.The three KHAO common to all other religions are termed in avesta are as under :-
1) Asmo -Khao , 2) Ashno-Khao , 3) Erezoish -Khao

Besides these three "Khao" of supreme intensity, the Zoroastrian religion being the final universal law of unfoldment necessitates a fourth Khao termed as "Ashahe Khao" in avesta.Thus in Zoroastrian religion there are four Khao as under :-
1) Asmo -Khao , 2) Ashno-Khao , 3) Erezoish-Khao , 4) Ashahe-Khao

All these Khao require volume full of explanation ,and knowledge of Khao is very essential for a student of comparative religions. The first three Khaos are again different in degrees of depth according to Jzirum (meaning germ,seed or simply planet) to which the particular religion belongs.The five great religions of the world are inseparably connected with the five Jirum or Luminiaries.The Zoroastrian law pertains to Burjis or Jupiter, the Hinduism and Buddhism with all sects belong to Tarad or Mercury, the Islam belongs to Hashem or Mars,the Mosesism belongs to Nahid or Venus ,and the Christianity belongs to Kaevan or Saturn .

Thus with the exception of the 2 Jirum Shams or the Sun and Dae or the Moon which play an important part in the religions of all the other Jirum, the five Jirum are respectively connected with five great religions of the world. The Zorastrian religion which pertains to the Burjis Jirum with fire energy of Atare Froba par excellence requires a strict adherence to Ashae Khao from its followers. It is law of nature that moral responsibility increases with moral greatness ,and the born follower of Zoroastrianism having to undergo the final round of incarnation here on earth is obliged to lead the earth life in strict accordance with all the scrupulous details of Ashae Khao or seventy two principles of Ashoi.

Hence the avesta student of philology (western studies included) being ignorant of the fundamental basis of
Khao of all religions, and having never dreamt of the extra Ashahe Khao of the Zorastrian law ,laughs out the main springs of the Khoreh preservation such as Gaomaeza ( Ab-i-Zar ) ,Nirang ,and other injunction of "NISH NASH - I - DRUJ (instruments of warding away Druj).Please note that Abe i Zar,and Nirang are required for Bareshnoom which is the basic foundation on which all our rituals are based upon.

In Zarthusti Din three things have been heavily emphasized for us to follow 1) Ashoi 2) Khoreh 3) Keshash Regarding Keshash i have written about it in my article on Sandalwood. I would like to elaborate further that one has to practice Ashoi Tarikaats .

The inner meaning of righteous ness is Asha or divine order , or Ashoi - Druj Parheji ni Tarikat meaning to keep parheji from Druj i.e. to seclude ourself from Druj by following certain Tarikats like :-

1) Hajate Jawani Baj- Baj to be recited after Toilet which is nowadays forgotten even if we do Kushti padyav after toilet that is OK as comparing todays fast pace of life

2) Baj to be recited before and after shaving ,or impairing nails, or haircut etc etc.,to use Lemon juice as a substitute if fresh Ab e Zar is not available. If we do not maintain these tarikaat then we are producing Daruji E Hikhra,and all types of Darujis gets accumulated and has got affinity to go to North or Apakkhtar.

3) Try to do as many Kushti as possible ,after every change of Geh.

4) Avasta Mathravani is required as nourishment for our soul,just as food is required to keep our body healthy.

5) Last but not the least, Daruji e Buji ni Tarikat (seclusion of ladies in those days),
which is a very important Tarikat forgotten .(which is second to Daruji e Nasu or putridity emanating from a dead body for which Vedaevodat or Vendidad is written)

For keeping under control our bad thoughts ,and for breaking its unending source ,one should maintain Truthfulness which is also called as Meher Patet .By admitting our mistakes ,and resolving never to commit that mistake again is a step in right direction. The surrounding atmosphere is contaminated by Druji E Buji and to maintain purity of our khoreh is very difficult. In spite of surrounding circumstances which do not encourage us , if we try to keep our mind Azad or free from Evil thoughts and perform above mentioned Tarikaats without any show, than our khoreh can up to a certain extent be purified. By controlling Batein Mithra or inner secretive Bad thoughts in beginning itself, by keeping our mind occupied ,for as saying goes "empty mind is devil's workshop" ,2/3 rd of our Khoreh can be kept clean ,rest 1/3rd Khoreh can be purified by Druj Parhej Tarikats as mentioned above, and by Mathravani or Avastkhani. -Parsee Avaz 04-12-1960 Page 3

A Human being body is composed of four Anasar or 4 elements 1) Atash - Fire 2) Baad - Air 3) Aab -Water 4) Khakh - Earth . Atash Anasar has got Atash and other 3 elements , similarly Baad Anasar has got Baad and other 3 elements,
similarly Aab Anasar has got Aab and other 3 elements, similarly Khakh Anasar has got Khakh and other 3 elements.A Human body is composed of such mixed elements or Anasar. Mixed Atash Anasar has got Atashe Minokarko in it, mixture of Baad- Air Anasar has got Atashe Vajisht ,mixture of Aab (water) Anasar has got Atashe Urvajisht ,mixture of Khakh (earthy) anasar has got within itself Atashe Spenishta. Atashe Vohufriyan is made up of these 4 Atash namely Atashe Minokarko,Vajisht,Urvajisht,& Spenishta .

Each and every human being has got within himself Atashe Vohufriyan and the sense of being in this corporeal world is due to this Atashe Vohufriyan only.The meaning of Atashe Vohufriyan is to move forward (friyan) towards vohuman or Higher mind of Dadar Ahura Mazda.As per Varna ,and Jzirum out of these 4 Atash one of them is active and other 3 Atash are passive .As per Bastekushtian Zarhushtris Atashe Minokarko is active and other 3 Atash i.e. Vajisht, Urvajisht,
Spenisht is passive. Similarly a Christian has got Atashe Spenishta active and so on .A logical question can occur in our minds that Atash are four and varna is five than how can each Varna be allotted each Atash. Possible answer can be (which i am not sure) is that Spenishta Atash can be divided into higher and lower grade and commonly divided with Jews and christian Varna ,as there is a very fine difference between these two religions.

In 24 hours a normal Human being in normal condition breaths 21,800 breath.A person by controlling his breath or by taking less Breath than what he normally takes,one can extend his own lifespan.This spiritual exercise which is followed by Hindus is called as Pranayam and is very good for them only where as per Illme Khshnoom and as explained by Ustad Saheb Behramshah N shroff Pranayam or Nafse Kasis is not to be practiced by a BasteKustian because by practising Pranayam we are unable to assimilate the particles of Urvan which are scattered in Animal Kingdom, Vegetable Kingdom, and Mineral Kingdom. If we draw less amount of particles than what we Bastekushtian are normally supposed to attract towards us ,than we are producing new Keshash for us .The process of assimilating our particles is done by simple process of breathing and eating our food which we receive as per our Keshash only, that is why there is a saying which has got lot of illmiyat in it and which goes like this "Daneh Daneh pe Likha hua hai Khane wala ka Naam".The movement of all our anatomical organs like lungs is controlled by natural process of breathing, and by Pranayam one can remain healthy and extend his lifespan ,but as a Zoroastrian ,his spiritual progress comes to halt by reducing the intake of particles which he should assimilate by normal breathing ,and thereby adding to his incarnations on this earth.

The faithful followers of all great five religions of the world are connected to Breath ,Dum, Ushtan life force of their own prophets or Shoshyants ,and if we practice Tarikaats which are in other Religions, than we are connecting our self to the breath force of prophet of that particular religion ,thereby our spiritual progress is retarded ,or stopped completely, if we are not attuned to path shown by our own prophet in Religion in which we are born (Swa Dharma).

Practice of Pranayam can cause great harm to souls of Burjisi or Bastekustian Zarthoshtis ,because the purpose and immediate goal in life of Burjish Ruvan is to cut itself free of life and birth cycle, where as practice of Pranayam prolongs life and further incarnations therby we are creating new Keshash for us ,thus being
diametrically opposite of and contrary to goal of spiritual progress of Zarthoshti soul along the Path of Ashoi.

Further Prana Yoga does great damage to the Aipi and Khoreh of a Bustekushtiyan Zarthoshti which he is supposed to develop by ashoi and Druj Parhej tarikaat.An Abed or Master has got highly purified Khoreh,where as we Bastekushtian firstly has to remove bad Vibrations from our Aipi and than later try to purify it to exalted stage.The practice of Pranayam actually prevents the aipi from developing into the higher and purer state of Khoreh (aura or halo of saints).

Melancholia -stunned mental condition ,unbalance of mind is caused by such Prana Yoga practices if performed by a Bustekushtian Zarthusti .

As per Zarthoshti Religion IF we follow all tenets of our Paigambar saheb practice Ashoi Tarikaat , and Druj Parhej than there is no Tanasaak or Rebirth, Reincarnation for a Zarthushti bastekushtian ,where as for other four Dins Rebirth is evident, with a few exceptions. If we practice Pranayam than one gets trapped in further Reincarnations, and which is diametrically opposite where as a Bastekushtian Zarthoshti can by his sheer determination and conviction end the process of continuous cycles of rebirth in one lifespan only.

Then why is it alright for a Hindu to practice Pranayam ,because of divine law of Moh-Affekt i.e. law of adaptability or appropriateness, and simply because they have more reincarnations which are to follow further,and what is appropriate for oneself, may not be suitable for constitution of another Soul.One man's meat is another man's poison.Every Urvan is composed of 1) Aspandi ( spiritual degree of purity or wattage or horsepower Asp). 2) Gati (Vibrationary ocillatory motion or speed).3) Stoat (Vibrationary colour and shape form). 4)Surshok(spiritual essence).There is a distrurbance in the above four items if a soul practices Tarikaats pertaining to any other Jzirum or Din different from its own.

Ustad saheb has said that as per Illme Najum or Astrology for predicting Longitivity there are 108 methods shown in Najum and not just one that we know of (science of Breath). It has been divided in 12 Martaba or 12 stages and each stage is further divided into 12 divisions or parts.This science he has not disclosed to any body and he has taken along with him.

The above mentioned notes have been taken from the Book of Original Lectures by Ustad saheb Behramshah N Shroff of 1) Tavil of Sudreh Kushti and Light and Sound Page 8, and 2) Book on Jzhirum Page 36, both published by Meher Master Moos.

Regards,

FIRDOSH

Grief as a Blessing --- Part II

Let us for better understanding perform a simple experiment. Suppose if we throw a stone in a pond of calm waters and for our convenience let us imagine that there are five ripples in the water each ripple moving away from one other in outward direction away from where the stone was thrown. Let us for our convenience record this whole episode on a video camera. These five ripples are analogous to five great religions which is mentioned in Avesta as "Panja Takesh" All the religions are emanating from centre which is called as the core of all religions that is Mazdayasni Zarathusti Daen which is the mother of all religions, though the five concentric circles do not touch or come in way of each other they all do seem to emanate from the centre, and eventually merge into it. If we play this video in opposite direction than these 5 concentric circles instead of moving out do converge and merge in the centre.

That is why Yasna Ha 12 which is a powerful prescription for destroying Daev is known as Naesme Daev . Naesme means to destroy. Yacna Ha 12 (or Jasme Avangeh Mazda of Kushti prayers)narrates as below:-

Reference (Yacna Ha 12):- Manual of Khshnoom - By P. Tavadia, & Vatlavana sawal mate vadviwad by Dr. saheb Faramroz Chiniwalla.

Astuye Daenam Vanguheem Mazdayasneem Fraspayokhedram Nidasnaithishem Khaetvadatham Ashaoneem ya haetenamcha Bushyaitenamcha Majistacha, Vahistacha, Sreshtacha, ya Ahureesh Zarthustris ahurai mazdai Vispavohu Chinhami aesha asti.

Astuye Daenam Vanguheem Mazdayasneem - I remain commited and worship ( stooti- astuye) my
Mazdayasni Daen which is selfless (Vanguheem)

Fraspayokhedram - That deen or faith which is the terminator of the internal conflict between good and the
evil which exist in me simultaneously and is always at loggerheads with each other.

Nidasnaithishem - That faith or deen that is the liberator from the instrument which is my physical body
which is nothing but a prison for my soul.

Khaetvadatham - That faith of reintegration of sanctified spiritual Masculinity and spiritual feminity into one
asexual Holy whole soul called as Maghavan

Ashaoneem - That faith or deen which is a living, throbing, vibrating Yazatic keherp of ashoi who
operates like a yazat.

Ya Haetenamcha - That faith or deen which will deliver us to Hasti or everlasting happiness and the existing
other deens which will work together in Hamoi and that will make this possible.

Bushyaitenamcha - That faith or deen that will bring Farshogard nearer which will be acheived by other new
deens which will appear in its ordained time and place.

Majistacha - That faith or deen which is Majestic wholly encompassing other deens like an umbrella.

Vahistacha - That faith or deen which is most ideal.

Sreshtacha - That faith or deen that is shraest or that which brings us nearer to beauty that is the keherp of
Dadar Ahura Mazda

ya Ahureesh Zarthustris- That faith which is of Ahuramazda and applicable to Asho Zarathustra and to keherp
of "Zarathustra Gatha" who is the head of other four gathas or deen. Hence Asho
Zarathustra is called as Vakhureh vakhshuran the prophet of all prophets. Hence like
five deens there are five respective gathas which is the keherp of "Zarathustra Gatha"
Hence Ahura's deen is called as that of Zarathustris belonging to Asho Zarathustra.

Ahurai Mazdai - which is for Ahura Mazda and the distant event of Farsho kereti.

Vispavohu - that which will fulfil the divine wish

Chinhami - i accept that deen

aesha asti - such is that , - (meaning Daenyaoo Mazdayasnoish Astoyetish- the stooti of Mazdayasna Deen).

What is mentioned in Gathas, and for e.g. Holy Geeta are universal truths which holds good for all humanity, yet what makes one religion different from from other is the emphasis personified with which each religion chooses to treat and develop a selected spiritual aspect which than asumes pride of place in that religion and
becomes the central message. In this sense, the Zarathusti religion has pioneered and developed the theme of ethics to such a degree that it has earned recognition as the Religion of Righteousnes or Asha or Ashoi. Ashoi Tarikaats are stressed vehemently as cleanliness is next to godliness and cleanliness spiritual and physical are subservient to each other.

"Aevo pathao yo Ashyaeh; veespay anyaeshaanm apantaanm"

There is only one path, that of Righteousness (Asha); all others are non-paths

Mark the words all the other paths are not meant for us. What may be good for other religion may not be suitable for us. For Hindus it may be ideal spiritual excercise to practice pranayama but it can be detrimental to us. For Muslims fasting or Roja is a spiriual excercise for them, where as we eat drink and be merry in all our ferstivals, there is no fasting for us. Rituals and disposal of dead are main differences we have to remain faithful to our own religion because that is what has been practised as mentioned in Sarosh yasht Hadokht Kardo 5th "Keherpem Daregyao Upyanyao Yazmaideh". I attune myself to keherp of long standing customs who is one of the friends of Sarosh yazad. These long standing customs like Dokhmenashini has been given by our prophet and which are like currencies that holds good true for all times. Only a prophet can decide the best suitable practice for us, lest one man's meat is other man's poison.

Let us not forget that every thing we deal is only one thing and interconnected to one intelligence only and nothing else, and whatever comes our way we have to accept it and not flee away from destiny, as every blessing ignored becomes a curse for us. When we desire to fulfil our destiny whole universe joins us in fullfiling our dreams. For acheiving success we have to listen to our heart and do what we are good at. We have to take right decision by listening to voice of our conscience whose seat is in the heart. This can be cultivated by practising Ashoi Tarikaats, and by paying heed to the prick of our conscience.

Regards,

Firdosh K. Sukhia