Nemaz-O-Asho Farohar (Muktad No Namaskar)

[otw_shortcode_info_box border_style=”bordered” css_class=”boxed”]Daisy P. Navdar is a teacher by profession and a firm believer in the efficacy of our Manthravani. She is focused on ensuring that the deep significance of our prayers is realized by our youth. She credits her learnings and insights, shared in her articles, to all Zoroastrian priests and scholars whose efforts have contributed towards providing light and wisdom for all Zarthostis.[/otw_shortcode_info_box]

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This short prayer is an obeisance to the Fravashis of our dearly departed and it has to be recited near the Muktad:

 Muktad No Namaskar:

As hama gunah patet pashemanum;
Ashaunam vanguhish surao spentao Fravashayo yazamaide!
Ashaone Ashem Vohu (Recite thrice)
Ahmai Raescha, Hazanghrem, Jasa me avanghe Mazda, Kerfeh Mozd. 

Just as our Christian brethren observe ‘All Souls Day’ and our Hindu brethren do the ‘Shraadh’, so do we observe the ‘Muktad’. The Muktad is a deeply spiritual period of the year for all us Zathostis. During this time, we send out prayers for our dearly departed and seek their blessings for the coming New Year. Agiaries filled with gleaming vases, roses, daffodils, lilies and gulcharies perfume the air, mingling with the divine sandalwood fires and permeating the atmosphere with a deep reverence.

Our most gracious mobeds come to the fore this time of the year and provide us their invaluable service right from the crack of dawn. All this would be incomplete without their invaluable knowledge of our Manthras and scriptures. Indeed, they are the conduit through whom we can reach the divine souls of our near and dear ones.

The Agiaries are a flurry of activity with many youth of the community giving voluntary service during this period. There is an army of dedicated workers who work in the background, they clean the vases, rinse the flowers and fruits, make the malido, spruce up the fire temple, arrange the sadri and ensure that there is a never ending supply of thelis to take away the chasni! We are indeed indebted to our chasniwallas!

Whilst seeking the grace and offering prayers, we also see a sense of connect. A community feeling that brings us all together in the wee hours of the morning. I humbly urge the youth of our community to go and offer their voluntary service to any Agiary which is close to them. We must also, most definitely make it a point to visit the Fire Temple on all days of the Muktad.

It is my deep prayer that all beings on this earth be granted Vohu Mano – the Good Mind – and I seek the blessings of our departed souls to grant us this boon.