A Manual of Khshnoom

The Zoroastrian Occult Knowledge

by Phiroz Nasarvanji Tavaria | 1971 | 160,667 words

An introduction to the mysteries of Khshnoom, an ancient occult movement. Khshnoom stands for 'Divine' or 'Spiritual' knowledge and originated from Zarathushtra. This book contains knowledge not to be found in Zoroastrian religious works. The second part contains documentaion of the life of Prophet Zarathushtra....

Supplement No. 11

Geush Tashan and Geush Urva

Geush Tashan (Ysn. 29,2) and his co-worker Geush Urva (ibid. 1) are the two beneficent sub-angelic potentialities. They represent two divisions of one and the same exalted soul of the Naba-nazdishta class, who rank next to Yazad, angel. While Geush Tashan is stationed on Upairi Dakhyu (vide map of Nisti), Geush Urva has his seat on Geti, the earthy globe. Both these Geush help in forming Anasar, the four elements for the physical body of the soul.

They function over the entire expanses between Geti, the earthy globe and the regions beyond, up to the lowest end of Adairi Dakhyu, that is, regions including the earthy globe (with its infernal regions), the transitional region (Zamrir) just above it, then Pairi Dakhyu still above and the transitional region above Pairi Dakhyu. These regions carry on their appointed functions through the instrumentality of the two Geush by whom those regions are encompassed.

 

Geush Urva is Blissfuul Potentiality not 'soul of the Ox'

The technical significance of Geush Urva (Ysn. 29,1) is not correctly understood in philolagy. Thus Prof. Zaehner in his book "Dawn... ." (p. 76) states:

"With the soul of the ox and its plaint to the wise Lord we are already familiar ............The ox has a soul which cries aloud to God for justice."

Geush Urva does not signify "soul of the ox". It designates the beneficent sub-angelic potentiality, being the invisible animated phantom arisen from the White (pure) side of the totality of souls an earth appointed for their protection. This is proved from Bundehesh; 4,3 in which it is stated that Ohrmazd showed the Farohar of Zarthosht and said that he would create HIM in the world who would preach abstinence from wickedness. Thereupon the spirit of Goshorun (Geush Urva) was gladdened and said "I will rear (protect) the creation" ('dam bara parvaram'). Thus it will be understood that Geush Urva is the beneficent potentiality and not the "soul of the ox".

 

Geush Urva and Geush Tashan Counterparts of each other

Geush Urva is the counterpart of Geush Tashan (Ysn. 29,2), the latter stationed on Upairi Dakhyu (Yt. 10,144), the fourth wide expanse of the Space either from the top or bottom. These two Geush have been remembered in Farvardin Yasht; 109 as (the 'birds') Amraosh and Chamraosh respectively, and their Fravashis have been extolled. These are the two 'birds' referred to in Dinkard; VII, 1,26 (Sanjana edition Vol. XIII) in which Geush Tashan is allegorically regarded as the male bird, and Geush Urva the female. Both these Geush are of 'Naba-nazdishtanam' class of souls, i.e., they belong to 'Nabh' (lit. centre) - the centre of Garonman, the 'abode of divine Music', which is the sixth heaven of Jupiter. They are practically like Yazads, angels. These two potentialities, and the third 'Geush-aevo-datayao' (Yt. 7,0) are metaphorically styled Geush, cow or bull, because the cow-species and these potentialities possess the beneficent propensity, viz. of 'live and help live' principle in Nature, as opposed to 'kill or harm to live' principle of "khrafstra', the carnivorous and noxious animals and hyper-selfish persons.

 

Geush-Aevo-Datayao, Antagonist of Keresani and Azhidahaka

Just as Geush Urva is the beneficent sub-angelic potentiality, being the animated phantom arisen from the souls on the earth, so Geush-aevo-datayao is the animated phantom arisen from the collective white (pure) side of the huge mass of souls exiled from the 8th heaven of the zodiac, and transferred to Zareh-Vourukasha (Vd. 21,4), the inner top expanse of the Space, from which begins the mortal section of the Universe (expounded under the head 'Combined idea of Dakhyus and their inner homologues, the Zarehs'). The antagonist of Geush-aevo-datayao is 'Keresani' (Ysn. 9,24) lit. 'oppressor' (Har.) or 'tormentor' (SP.} referred to as 'Azhidahaka. (ibid. 8) the Satan's deputy in the Space, the animated phantom representing the collective Dark side of the above huge mass of souls. The two chase each other, the former (Geush-aevodatayao) to persuade, the latter (Azhi-dahaka) to devour, its antagonist. Geush Tashan and Geush Urva strive to unite together, but are foiled by the Azhi-dahaka who is between the two (Azhi, serpent; dah, ten numerologically meaning perfection in good or evil - here evil; and aka, evil). So Azhi-dahaka literally means the serpent perfect in Evil, i.e., the Satan.

 

Gava, Gavam, Geush Used Metaphorically

It may be pointed out that the term Gao, literally meaning 'cow' in its different forms like Gava, Gavam, Geush is commonly used in Avesta metaphorically - the quadruped substituted for its noble characteristic. Thus these terms do not mean the four-footed bull or ox or kine. For instance, in Meher Yasht; 15 where 'Gavashayana, Gava-shitimcha' occur, Gava does not mean 'kine' as rendered in philology (by Prof. Darmesteter in S.B.E. Vol. XXIII) but (it means) the holy souls (Gava) who possess the beneficent characteristics in common with the kine. The passage means that the seven Keshvars are the headquarters ('shayana') and residingplaces ('shiti') of the holy souls (Gava) who have become sanctified on this earth and have advanced to the paradisiacal super-ethereal section of the Space on their repatriation journey towards the immortal worlds. In other words, the seven Keshvars mentioned in the above paragraph are not the pens for the 'kine'. Similarly in Aban Yasht; 21 etc. 'Hazangrem gavam', lit. 'a thousand oxen' or bulls indicate high development of the characteristic of blissfulness raised to the 1000th power, i.e., the beneficent characteristics of 1000 oxen put together. In the above and other identical passages, horse indicates the (spiritual) power, bull stands for blissfulness and lamb for harmlessness or innocence. Just as in modem times academical learning is expressed by University degrees M.A., M.D., etc., so in Avesta the high spiritual development of the sublime powers is expressed in terms of those animals. Even the poet Firdousi has used the term 'Gavan' in his Shah Nameh for 'warrior-saints' who were fighting against the fiendish monsters (in the following couplet given under the head "Dar Faraham Avardane Shah-Nameh", where 'Gavan' is used for the holy warrior-saints);

 

"Bepurseed Shan Az Nazade Kayan, Vazan Namdarane Farrokh Gavan"

(underlined by P.N.T.)
(- Kutar brothers' edition Vol. I, p. 11).

In connection with the rendering of the above terms Gava, Gavam, Geush in philology, it will not be out of place to quote from (pp. 181/82) of the book "Zoroastrianism Ancient & Modem" by P. S. Masani:

"Entirely wrong and inconsistent meanings attached to some words and texts by the translators in order anyhow to preach the idea of slaughter of animals:

i) The Avesta word "Geush" which is the genitive singular form of "Gao" which signifies bull or cow or cattlecreation has been translated to mean "flesh" or "beef" in order to bring in the idea of slaughter of cows.

ii) The same translator Spiegel renders the word "Geush" in the same sentence "Thranfedhram geushcha vastra hecha" occurring in Farvardin Yasht; 100 and Jamayad Yasht; 86, differently as "cow" and "beef" respectively, whereas other translators Harlez, Darmesteter, and Kanga render it as "Cattle."

iii) In Gatha 32.12, in the prohibition of "Geush Morenden" or cattle-killing the word Geush has been unanimously rendered as "Cattle". Hence the meaning of "beef" or "mutton" attached to the word "Geush" seems to be only to suit their own ideas of animal-slaughter for food.

iv) In the ceremonial formula "Haomayo Gava Baresmana" the word "Gava" which signifies "Jivam" or milk-libation has been in the same way wrongly rendered as "beef". Along with pure spring water the milk of a goat or a cow is an indispensable requirement in all Zoroastrian rituals on account of the five Fradho or electro-magnetic forces e.g., Adhu-fradho, Vanthvo-fradho, Gaetho-fradho, Khshaeto-fradho, Danghu-fradho, - enumerated in the Aban Yasht. Hence it is simply ridiculous on the part of the translator to associate dirty blood-dripping beef along with the sacred things like Haoma and Baresma. Zoroaster himself introduced this Haoma-Gava-Baresman method of ceremonial according to the AbanYasht, and one cannot for a moment believe, if one has the slightest idea of Holiness of Zoroaster that Zoroaster could have touched a piece of beef in order to invoke the angel Aban. Such a barbarous idea of "beef" as the meaning of Gava in the ceremonial formula could only have been invented by the beef eating translators of the Avesta, who are absolutely ignorant of the strict magnetic-purity observed in all the grand rituals taught by Zoroaster."

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