Chapter III

Misconceptions about Diversities in Avesta Language, and Facts about the Same

When Western philological scholars commenced the study of Avesta, they found in its composition some Avesta metrical, others in prose; some simple, others difficult, some with long accents and syllables, others shorter, some very ancient, others less_ and composed by different writers. They knew not the real cause or causes of these diversities, and since they were linguists, they approached the Avesta from the standpoints of derivatives, grammar and semantics only. Thus the Gathas having long accents and syllables and being metrical, they considered them to be older in origin than other Avesta, and composed by Zarathushtra himself; and branded the non-Gathic prayers as "Later Avesta", written by priests of later periods, and hence unauthentic. They did not know and do not know that Avesta is based on Staota Yasna, the laws of vibrationary colours, sound etc.

 

Zoroastrian Books Comprised 2,000,000 Verses

“We are left without information whether or not Theopompos derived his statements on the lore of the Magi from the intercourse with the Persian priests themselves; but Hermippos, who composed, besides his works on the Zoroastrian doctrine, biographies of law-givers, the seven sages of Greece, etc., is reported by Pliny to have made very laborious investigations in all the Zoroastrian books which were said to comprise TWO MILLIONS OF VERSES, and to have stated the contents of each book separately. He therefore seems to have had some knowledge of the sacred languages and texts of the Magi, for which reason the loss of his work is greatly to be regretted.”

("Essays on the Sacred Language, Writings, and Religion of the Parsis" by Martin Haug, reproduced from p. 289 "Zoroastrianism-Ancient and Modern" by P. S. Masani).

 

Extant Avesta Remnants of Nasks Given by Zarathushtra

The vast compass of the original writings of Zarathushtra himself consists of 21 Nasks or volumes, which are named from the 21 words of the 'Yatha Ahu Vairyo' prayer, and divided into three groups of seven Nasks each, viz., (i) Gathic, (ii) Datic, and (iii) Hada-Manthric.

With regard to the erroneous belief that non-Gathic compositions are unauthentic, it may be stated that though a very considerable bulk of the Avesta are lost to us, we possess in Pahlavi a summary of the 21 Nasks. This summary enables one to know that:

(1) the Vandidad which is much run down by scholars is really speaking the original whole NASK (number 19), Javit-Shidadad composed by Zarathushtra Himself;

(2) the Yashts have their origin in the Nask (number 14) Baghan Yasht written by Zarathushtra himself;

(3) the Yasna and the Vjsparad and specially the Haftanghaiti, all of which are regarded as post-Gathic and as Post-Zoroastrian, i.e. "Later Avesta" are taken from the most important and fundamental Nask (number 21) Stot Yasht which contains besides all these Yasna, Visparad etc; the Gathas and the Gathas are thus related to the Yasna and the Visparad and the Haftanghaiti as stock of the same parent Nask Stot-Yasht. In fact, the summary of the 21 Nasks proves without any doubt that the purely Avesta texts which are now extant are simply remnants of more than one Nask given by Zoroaster himself, and that the whole Avesta literature in our possession bulk for bulk bears a ratio to the original Zoroastrian lore as 1 to 21. (Zoroastrianism Ancient and Modern by Ervad P. S.Masani).

 

Avesta Based on 'staota' Laws Of Vibratonary Colours, Sound,Etc.

Avesta is not a 'dialect' as erroneously believed in philology, but a specially formed language for liturgical and ritualistic purposes of the Zoroastrian Faith. This will be realized from the fact that the very small prayer of Yatha Ahu Vairyo consisting of only 21 words has over 30 different renderings which can never happen in the case of a composition in an ordinary dialect,

whether in prose or in poetry. The term 'Avesta' (from a not; and vid, to know) connotes the knowledge of the Unknown or the Unknowable. Thus Avesta cannot be a spoken language. The original dialect on which Avesta is based was called 'Kyan,' which was current in Iran when Zarathushtra descended on the earth some 9,000 years ago. On this Kyan dialect the prophet applied 'Ilm-e- Staota', the laws of vibrationary colours, sound etc. He based the vocabulary of his Staota Yasna on the lines of the original 'Staota Yasna" functioning in Nature in the pre-cosmogenesis world, and formed 21 Nasks of Fshusho-Manthra, literally blissful mystic spells. It may be stated that the sounds and voices of birds and animals though not intelligible to ordinary human beings, are yet understood by the adepts of Staota Yasna, because they understand the laws of vibrations and sound. The Fshusho-Manthra are very close to the 'Vacha' speech of Yazads (angels). Our Master informed that from each of the words of Fshusho Manthra and Manthra-Spenta, nine meanings could be raised. The Prophet has so formulated the Avesta Manthra that a devotee who practices the Zoroastrian anti-microbe Baaj-rites and other laws of purity with righteousness, can deliver himself quicker from the physical body by the recitation of Avestan prayers.

 

Three Divisions of Staota Yasna

In the above science of Staota Yasna, there are said to be three divisions: Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta. The Humata contained descriptions of the pre-cosmo-genesis world 'Anghush Pouruyo' - Yasna 28.11 and whole Universe. Hukhta contained cosmography or the description of ultra-physical worlds. This description also included the preparation of folk-lore woven in allegory, for which there were certain rules, as there were (rules) for deciphering the allegory, which our Master called the rules of 'Taksiriat' in which certain transposition of letters or words can reveal the true import. These folk-lore were principally intended to expound things existing in the invisible, immortal and ultra physical worlds above, of which people on this material world have no experience.

The noumena of the unseen worlds are allegorically expounded by analogy of things existing in this world. Thus Dakhyus' (Yt. 10.144), which are inconceivably huge, planes in the Space, i.e. in the ultra-physical worlds' above, are referred to as Vourugaoyaoiti (Yt. 10,3), i.e. wide pastures, and their inner homologues are called Zarehs (Ysn. 42,4) literally seas, because in the top three homologues are generated waves, not of water, but of super-ether. In Yasna; 48,6 it is stated "Ahura planted the tree". In order to caution that it is not a 'tree' in its normal sense, it is clarified that it is planted 'in the anterior world', i.e. in the precosmo- genesis world, which indicates that the word 'tree' is used in an allegorical sense. Similarly, there is the instance of 'Khar Ashavan' (Ysn. 42.4) the lustrous Kehrp of the three-stage Ahunavar Plan referred to in Bundehesh; 19 as the 'Three-Legged Ass', in which, by depicting the Khar as 'three legged,' attention is drawn that the word is used in some other sense, which the adepts of Staota Yasna can decipher.

The Hvarshta-Section of Staota Yasna in its 33 chapters (which are mentioned also in the summary of Nasks in Pahlavi) contained all knowledge relating to this earthy globe, its inconceivable longevity, and the way it would be absorbed one day in the ultra-physical worlds above. In the terminal portion of this section were delineated the methods of reducing all knowledge to writing including the variety of forms of alphabets and the distinctive vibrationary colours produced by their pronunciations. These also contained grammar rules. The holy Magavs (or Magi) who were adepts in the science of this Staota Yasna could reduce them to writing either in the form of Zand Avesta or of fables. They (Magavs) could delineate the mysteries of the unseen immortal and evanescent worlds in the form of folklore wrapt in allegory or in the form of simple anecdotes in the style and diction of Staota Yasna; while the framing of the mystic spells of Manthra and of the Yasna rituals was the task of Saoshyants, great saints and Raenidars (the holy resuscitators) of the dwindled Faith whenever necessity arose.

In the Yashts also there are Humata, Hukhta, Hvarshta (Yt. 13,84) of different Ameshaspends and Yazats. The functions of an Ameshaspend or a Yazad in the immortal worlds are called his Humata, those in the ultra-physical worlds, his Hukhta, and those on this material world, his Hvarshta. In the Pazand Patet. Pashemani prayer (Kardeh; 8) are given the respectiye 'Hvarshta' (deeds i.e., creations) of the seven Ameshaspends.

Thus

1.	Hormazd		: man and mankind;
2.	Bahman		: cow-kind and other blissful species;
3.	Ardibehesht		: fire and other kinds of fire energies;
4.	Shehrevar		: metals and their different kinds;
5.	Spandarmad		: earth and its different kinds;
6.	Khordad		: water and its different kinds;
7.	Amardad		: vegetable and vegetable kingdom.

The immortal worlds consist of nine heavens, the 9th being the empyrean and the 8th zodiac; and the seven planetary heavens, i.e., lustrous orbs, only lower in lustre to the 9th and the 8th heavens.

 

Fshusho-Manthra Not a Language

The Gathic, Datic and Hada-Manthric groups of Nasks above mentioned were written in Fshusho-manthra, which were not a language, but a sort of expression called Staota Yasna, vibrationary colours, not subject to grammar rules. The decipherment of this Staota Yasna requires not only intellect but great piety and authority. These 21 Nasks were rendered into Manthra-Spenta of Avesta in the same Gathic, Datic and Hada-Manthric divisions by the Prophet's highly advanced pupils of the Naba-nazdishta class by the commandment of Ahura Mazda through Zarathushtra. Towards the termination of the Jupiterian Age about 2,000 years from today, when the religion was disorganized, certain authorized Raenidars (repairers of the pure Law), "with their fulness of faith of devoted hearts" (Yt. 10,9) selected certain Avesta from the above said Fshusho Manthra and the Manthra Spenta. To these they added the proper interpretations in the form of Zand i.e. commentary in Avesta and rearranged them in the form of Gathic, Datic and Hada-Manthric sections of the 21 Nasks suitable to the changed times. This they effected through the competency derived from their knowledge of Staota Yasna. Thus they fulfilled their great divine mission through the agency of Zarathushtra.

 

Sarv-i-Keshmar

The Hada-Manthric section of Nasks above mentioned was of two categories, namely exoteric and esoteric. The former comprises the practice and performance of the rituals and religious ceremonials, while the latter (esoteric), which came to be known as Sarv-i-Keshmar in later times, include the entire code of the practice of the exercises of Nirang or holy Manthra formulae, incantations, piety, humility, solitude, meditation, austerity, abstinence, stoicism, set body-postures, special modes of inhaling, exhaling, etc.

In ancient times prior to the advent of Zarathushtra there used to be depredations of Satanic forces from the regions above, Peshdadian and Kayanian saintly kings and warrior-saints used to go through the severe exercises of piety, and obtain spiritual powers by supplicating to Ardvi Sura with "a hundred horses, a thousand oxen and ten thousand lambs", explained in Supplement No. 18. Such exercises fall under Sarv-i-Keshmar. In this the horse stands for 'power' of Divine Self-Intelligence just as we refer to an engine of so many horse-power, 100 indicates the degrees of (spiritual) efficiency. An ox represents selfless goodness or blissfulness which the cow-kind possess, lamb indicates harmlessness and innocence through which alone is possible the development of five higher senses, whereby, one draws Divine, Wisdom from Nature. 10,000 indicates numerousness of soul's powers.

Among the various powers gained through piety was one of preparing amulets and periapts, meaning respectively "Taviz" i.e. magic squares, and 'Talisman', i.e. more forcible amulets than Taviz, for protecting a person from becoming an easy prey to extraordinary lust and other vices. Just as such amulets etc. are meant for saving an individual against the onslaughts of Satanic forces, so in ancient times Jamshed, Faredun and other glorified kings had devised certain talismanic spiritual fortifications which rendered immunity for long periods of time from the infestations of Druj,- evil forces of spiritual darkness. Such secret holy centres are called 'Var' which were constructed either subterranean as in the case of king Jamshed's Var (Bd. 32,2) or on the surface of the earth. Still further there have been similar types of devices for keeping certain ultra-physical regions Satan-free. These are called "Daeza". Thus we know of Kangdaeza prepared by holy prince Shiavux.

 

Magi could read Fshusho-Manthra Vibrationary Colours like Alphabet

According to Gatha. (Ysn. 29.7) Ahura Mazda framed Manthra through Asha, holiness. These were imparted to Zarathushtra through revelation. Ahura Mazda gave 'Hudem' to the prophet. As said by learned Kanga, 'Hudem' originally means 'good breath'. Really speaking, Hu = AHU, the Lord God who is Light of lights. So when Hudem is bestowed on Zarathushtra, his very breath is deified, i.e. of AHU only and hence every thought, word and action of Zarathushtra were revealed -

"Yanim mano, Yanim vacho, Yanim shyaothnem"

(Ysn. 28,0).

It follows, therefore, that the Manthra framed by Ahura Mazda were revealed to Zarathushtra. One name of Ahura Mazda is Fshusho Manthra, the blissful spells. On the basis of these Fshusho Manthra Zarathushtra framed his Manthra, which are called by the same name. These were arranged into 21 Nasks or books, divided into three categories--viz., Gathic, Datic and Hada Manthric.

It is said when these Nasks were recited by the prophet's nearest pupils called Zarathushtrotemo, i.e. those who were most like Zarathushtra in the practice of Asha, holiness, they could see a spiritual cinematograph of the worlds above; the pictures they saw were of vibrationary colours and forms. These pictures varied. according to the world concerned. Thus those relating to the immortal luminous worlds were the sublimest; those of the evanescent world of the Space were superior to those of the material world; these pictures depended on the Fshusho Manthra of the Nasks recited.

The pictures of the vibrationary colours were afterwards translated into language, called Manthra Spenta, also meaning blissful spells. Fshusho Manthra, it may be stated, were not a language, though pronounceable. The condition for understanding Fshusho Manthra was not high learning, but extreme holiness. All Zarathushtrotemo were Magavans, or Magi, who were extremely pious souls. (vide Supplement No. 27).

Strange as it may seem, in a book received as a gift by this writer, from San Francisco and entitled Nedoure Priestess of the Magi dealing with consolidated Faiths, the following extract gives evidence of what is said in Dr. Chiniwala's Khshmoom Nikize Veh Din-Book 1, (pp. 40-41) related above.

On pp. 46/47 of the American Book it is said:

"Every thought that man can think, every desire of which man can become conscious, every feeling of which man is subject, produces or creates a vibration distinct from all others. These vibrations, as do ALL vibrations; produce or create a color, known in the occult as an AURA. The initiate Master Teacher, or Magi, can read these colors as easily as he can the alphabet."

(Footnote on p. 46).

In the text it is said:

"The mystic pentacle . . .is one of the four great emblems of the most secret book of divine wisdom among the Magi, or wise men of Egypt. The other three symbols are a cup, the Magi's wand, and a sword. The use of these emblems in determining the starry spaces, in measuring the interstellar depths and distances, in navigating the deep to unknown shores, in evoking and commanding the elements of earth, air, fire, and water, and in discovering the most secret things of the triune worlds of Divinity, Man and Nature - is the reward of the Magi initiate. You have but to choose to obtain the sacred wisdom."

Thus it will be seen that the virbrationary colours can be read by holy Magi and not by the materialistic minded linguists.

It is stated above that pictures of Fshusho-Manthra recitals were done into language. This language though based on grammar is still of Staota Yasna, the law of vibrationary colours, sound, etc., besides being highly enigmatical and allegorical.

Thus the chapter 8th of the Yasna Haftanghaiti is the Zand addendum to the seven original chapters of the Manthra Spenta mentioned above. In Ysn. 42, 1 it is said "Pathamcha vicharanao' meaning different ways or roads or paths. Are the Mint Road and Garden Road meant here? - Patham are the paths of different religions. Avesta, which is the Knowledge of the Unknowable or Unknown, does not treat of East Street or West Street, or rivers and oceans of the earth.

Going back to Manthra Spenta, the Zarathushtrotemo or Magi who reduced the vibrationary pictures to Manthra, Spenta language formed all the Nasks also in Gathic, Datic and Hada_ Manthric divisions. But these Manthra Sperita could only give benefit to and be used by highly pious people. Just as poor stomachs cannot digest a highly rich dish, so the original Manthra Spenta were not suitable for worldly people. .

So a Raenidar is appointed who takes instructions from Zarathushtra and on coming to the earth selects passages under the guidance of Zarathushtrotemo, from original Manthra Spenta, but the most important thing is that he, the Raenidar does not alter the original language of the Manthra Spenta which are turned into language from Fshusho Manthra of the prophet. He adds Zand expository paragraphs, which too require the knowledge of Staota Yasna. The Raeindar also arranges the 21 Nasks prepared by him of selected passages into Gathic, Datic and Hada-Manthric divisions.

Since these selections comprised a smaller bulk than the original huge treasure, the Avesta so formed are called Khordeh Avesta and because they embody the Zand passages they are called Zand Avesta. During the long stretch of nearly 9,000 years since Zarathushtra revealed his immaculate Faith there were occasions of political and other types of upheavals when the religion was disturbed, and repaired by the Raenidar concerned. The Raenidar selects passages from spiritual standpoints and not linguistic.

The last Raenidar Adarbad Marespand selected passages from the originalManthra Spenta suitable to changed times, i.e. to the material age ofMars that set in synchronously with the beginning of the Christian era. Our Zoroastrian civilization flourished for over 12,000 years till B.C. 2,000, decay set in the religion with the change in planetary Time cycle, the cult of idolatry asserted itself during the Mercurial (minor) Time cycle of 260 years, which planet supports idolatry, king Zarathushtra also called Hukhshathra (Oxyartes) was defeated. Thus Iran was in a state of religious hotch-potch.

Reverting to the Manthra Spenta (selected by the Raenidar, holy Adarbad Maraspand) with which Manthra the division of the Avesta into Gathic and the so-called "Later Avesta' is closely connected, the theme of the Gathas concerns mostly the manifestation of the Universe and the luminous worlds of perfected souls, that of the Yasna Haptanghaiti pertains to defective souls exiled to the evanescent worlds for the purification of their Dravao, (evil) and the Nyaeshes and.Yashts are necessary for souls on this earth who are considered 'Kharij' external, for whom the last named liturgy are like the veritable spiritual prescriptions for their spiritual diseases.

So the respective Nasks, their Manthra formations, their vibrations; their invisible colours all differ. Again if the language is of different writers, it is because the Time factor is changed, the Raenidaris changed, the religion is 'disturbed’, and the caliber of the souls that descended on the earth deteriorated. Adarbad Maraspand performed the miracle of remaining un-burnt when molten ore was poured over his chest. He, a soul of such spiritual eminence, and a seer into the future of a thousand or more years resuscitates the dwindled faith by performing the above marvel, and re-arranges the Avesta Manthra prayers suitable for the souls of the lower calibre and based on spiritual view point besides on Staota Yasna, the laws of invisible vibrationary colours and forms, which all is beyond the sphere of philology.

Consequently, philological scholars who are complete strangers to the genuine philosophy of the Zoroastrian religion and the intricacies of the Avesta are not competent to judge Avesta texts and to misconceivedly criticize them to boot, for they do not know “Guzra senghaongho”, ‘secret sayings’ (Ysn. 48.3), and the "Razeng" mysteries of Avetsa (Ysn. 50,6), though they may render parrot wise, horse' for 'Asp' and 'ox' for 'Geush'.

The misconceived criticisms of Western scholars, blindly and fondly imitated by some Parsi scholars have wrought good deal of harm towards loosening the faith and devotion of the Zoroastrian community in general, with the result that sires and grand-sires who recited the holy Nyaeshes and Yashts most devoutly deplore the scant respect paid to those prayers by their Avesta-learned scions.

In fine, Avesta is not a dialect though based on grammar rules, but it is based on Staota Laws, and hence, letters, tchha, dha, bha and la have been expunged on account of the inferior vibrations created in their pronunciation. The pronunciation of the Avesta letter ‘da' (with the right hand flourish) as dha has been wrongly introduced by theWestern scholars.

In his prologue to' Ysn. 35 Dr.Mills observes:

"With the Yasna of the 'Seven Chapters’, which ranks next in antiquity after the Gathas, we already pass into an atmosphere distinct from theirs. The dialect still lingers, but the spirit is changed."

The learned scholar is not aware that the change is due to the change in the worlds above. As stated already the theme of the Gathas concerns mostly the immortal worlds of the perfected souls, while that of the Yasna of the "Seven Chapters" relates to the defective souls of the subtle mortal worlds of the Space, and hence the spirit of the Manthra formations is correspondingly of a lower order.

Thus the Cosmic atmosphere is changed from luminous to semi-luminous at first, i.e. super-ethereal,’ then ethereal, and at last material. So the Manthras also change. But the illustrious Doctor knows only and thinks only of accents and syllables, long or short, the style abstract or concrete, and the Parasmaipada or the Atmanepada.