What is the proper way to attend the Pāy-dast?

What is the proper way to attend the Pāy-dast? (Ervad Dr. Ramiyar Parvez Karanjia)

1. After a Zoroastrian passes away, the first major after-death-ritual is the Pāydast, which includes the Geh-sārnā and the walking to the Dokhma following the dead body. When the Geh-sārnā finishes and the Sezdo (paying respects by bowing down) is done, the corpse is prepared to be taken to the Dakhma. Its face is covered with the white shroud in which the body is covered, and it is taken out of the Bangli.

2. At this point of time, non-Zoroastrians sitting in the pavilion come and stand outside the Bangli, at least three paces away from the portico, waiting for the corpse-bearers to bring the corpse out. Then they pay their last homage from a distance to the body which is completely covered, including the face, in white cloth.

3. The Zoroastrian mourners, after doing the Sezdo collect outside the Bangli and stand in pairs holding paiwand (ritual connection) behind the two priests who have performed the Geh-sārnā ritual. The priests are connected with a pichori and the mourners are connected with a white handkerchief. Then the priests followed by mourners walk behind the corpse, which is carried by 4 or 6 nase-sālārs (corpse bearers). Those who do not wish to follow the corpse upto the Dakhma do the Kasti and leave.

4. Either before starting to walk, or while walking, the priests and the mourners have to recite the Baj of Sarosh upto the point astavaitish ashahe. This baj is completed from the point nemaschā yā, after the corpse is laid down in the Dakhma.

5. When the procession reaches the assembly area outside the Dakhma, it is kept on one of the rectangular stone platforms there. The nase-sālārs uncover the face of the deceased. The attendants, still maintaining the paiwand, come close to the corpse and perform the final sējdō, keeping a distance of about two to three steps. At this point, the final Sagdīd takes place. Then, the nase-sālārs cover the face, lift the bier and carry it into the dakhma.

6. The mourners who are waiting, after getting a signal from the nase-sālārs at the Dakhma, leave the paiwand of the handkerchief and complete the bāj of Sarosh. They then recite the Namaskār of mountains and Namaskār of Dokhmas.

7. The Bāj of Sarosh gives ritual protection from the Nasu to those following the corpse. Nowadays, though priests take the Bāj meticulously, most Zoroastrians who go for the Pāy-dast and follow the corpse, do not take the bāj, mostly out of ignorance. Most people, though, recite the full bāj after the procession is over, since they are given books at this point of time.

8. After this, a few drops of Taro, is given, which is applied by the mourners to the face and hands, and allowed to dry for a few seconds. Then they wash their hands and face, do the full Kasti, pay homage to the Dadgah fire at the Sagdi and return from the doonger-wadi.

9. The BĀJ OF SAROSH, to be taken by the mourner when they participate in the Pāy-dast procession is as follows. It has to be taken at the beginning when the procession is about to start. It could also be recited while walking in the procession towards the Dakhma:

Khshnaothra Ahurahe Mazdao Ashem vohu 1.Yatha ahu vairyo 5. Ashem vohu 3. Fravarāne Mazdayasno Zarathushtrish vidaevo Ahura-tkaesho (Recite the appropriate short Geh) Sraoshahe ashyehe, takhmahe, tanu mānthrahe, darshi-draosh, āhuiryehe, kshnaothra yasnāicha, vahmāicha, khshnaothrāicha, frasastayaecha, yathā ahu vairyo zaotā frā me mrute, athā ratush ashāt chit hacha frā ashava vidhvāo mraotu.  Ahunem vairim tanum pāiti, Ahunem vairim tanum pāiti, Ahunem vairim tanum pāiti.  Yathā ahu vairyo 1. Recite Kem-nā Mazdā  till Astavaitish ashahe.

After the nase-sālārs give the signal by clapping, indicating that the body is laid down in the Dakhma, the Bāj of Sarosh is to be concluded as follows:

Nemaschā yā ārmaitish izāchā (3 times) Yathā ahu vairyo 2. Yasnemcha vahmemcha aojascha zavarecha āfrinami Sraoshahe ashyehe, takhmahe tanu mānthrahe, darshi-draosh ahuiryehe.  Ashem vohu 1.

Hazanghrem  baeshazanam baevare baeshazanām, Hazanghrem  baeshazanam baevare baeshazanām, Hazanghrem  baeshazanam baevare baeshazanām.  Ashem vohu 1.

Jasa me avanghe Mazda!  Jasa me avanghe Mazda!  Jasa me avanghe Mazda!  Amahe hutāshtahe  huraodhahe, verethraghnahe ahura-dhātahe, vanaintyāoscha uparatāto, thwāshahe khvadhātahe, zravānahe akaranahe, zravānahe daregho-khadhātahe.  Ashem  vohu  1. After this, Taro is applied to the face and hands, and allowed to dry. Then the hands and face are to be washed and the full Kasti has to be done, followed by paying homage to the Dadgah fire at the Sagdi.

Jam-e-Jamshed of 10 to 24 -11-19

Farohar - The spirit of the matter (the winged figure)

Farohar - The spirit of the matter

Adi F. Doctor on Farohar, the religious symbol of the Zoroastrians

FROM the astodan (receptacle for bones) of King Darius the Great at Naqsh-e-Rustam in Iran nearly 2,500 years ago and the door- post of palaces of other Achaemenian kings, to the portals and acades of present-day fire temples of the Parsis and the fair neck of a modern Parsi girl, not to mention stickers on cars, the one common symbol that adorns them is the winged human figure.

Different interpretations of this figure have been given by historians and scholars, ranging from Ahura Mazda (supreme creator), Farohar and the Kyanian Glory. Even today, Parsis of India call it Farohar, the most sublime guardian spirit of every human soul.

But that is not correct; for if we cannot visualise the soul how can its guardian spirit be imagined?

Besides, the original detailed version of this winged figure is to be found on the astodan of King Darius I, which shows the exalted king who was a `Dahyupata' (righteous ruler-cf.sansk. `dharmaraja' ), praying before the fire altar. A winged human figure is seen in the air between the King and the fire.

The mystery of this figure was solved by the hermeneutist par excellence of Zoroastrian scriptures, the late Dr Framroze S. Chiniwala in the early thirties of this century. In the detailed `ta'vil' or exegesis of this bas relief at Naqsh-e-Rustam, he has explained that the winged figure is the expanded astral or subtle form (Kherpa) of the King, embodying his exalted thoughts almost all the ancient Iranian monarchs and paladins were highly advanced souls. While an ordinary individual's Kherpa remains by and large closed or at the most, slightly open, that of an `Abed' or an `Ashavan' (holy sage), is permanently spread out. This expanded Kherpa of a saint is what the symbol depicts.

At times even today, two types of winged human figures are portrayed - one has a wing-span with five rows of feathers, while the other has four rows. The opened-out wing indicates the journey of the saint or king through the earth. The five rows indicate the five major religions of the world (Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity and Islam), through which individuals have to pass before achieving salvation.

The four-rows wing belongs to a man with `Khshathra' (righteous authority). It shows the exalted status of his personal magnetism and aura, which has four essences; Ushtan (life-force) , Mithra (thought-force) , Daena (conscience) and Anasar (four basic elements that constitute his atoms). The two ends of the fillet, emerging out of the central disc that surrounds the figure's waist, indicate the result of the King's actions on earth and whether he will have to reincarnate because of some outstanding Karmic debt or proceed further in the higher realms.

The bottom tail-like appendage, which is three rows of feathers, indicates Manshni (thoughts), Gavashni (words) and Kunashni (deeds), which should be harmonious. The winged figure is depicted holding a small ring in his left hand, as well as a bigger ring/disc round its waist. The ring is the `Zarvan-e-Daregho Khadat', the 81,000-year- time cycle between two deluges on earth, in which the Dahyupat is living. In this part of the cycle, he has no control, for it represents his immutable destiny.

The smaller ring in the hand, however, indicates his Thwashe Khadat, the present life cycle over which he has control. He can alter his fate to some extent by his effort and industry. Once he succeeds in doing that, this central disc will snap and he will be free from the shackles of the long cycles of work and death.

The Achaemenians used their rock-hewn cuneiform inscriptions and bas reliefs as a method to record permanently their history and philosophy. The significant point is that wherever the King or the holy person is depicted in a posture of prayer, he is shown facing a fire altar and the winged human figure.

The later Parthian and Sassanian coins invariably show a fire alter on the obverse and the winged figure on the reverse of the coin. All of which clearly indicates the connection of the winged human figure with worship and meditation
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However, for the present day Parsis, the winged figure seems to act like a lucky mascot.

Adi Doctor.