Khorshed Yasht – I (The Yasht Series)

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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.

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I invite you to join me as I journey through the wonderful teachings shared in a Khordeh Avesta, which was printed in 1902 – more than a 100 years ago! Authored by Dinbai Sohrabji Engineer, the teachings, stories and notes in this book speak about the various powers of our prayers, while sharing anecdotes of people who have used these prayers and the tremendous achievements that each has accomplished.

“I wish I could show you, when you are lonely or in darkness, the astonishing light of your own being.”

– Hafiz

We are all born with the brilliance gifted to us by our Pak Dadar Ahura Mazda. This brilliance in enhanced by clean living, by hope and joy, by good thoughts, good words and good deeds. In this process of living, Ahura Mazda has granted us so many blessings and powers with which we can overcome the dark forces of the evil one.

Our ability to conquer our own fears and challenges lies largely in our ability to seek and find a divine connect, be it through prayer or just through the power of our own thoughts. Dinbai’s book makes an amazing case for chanting our manthras daily. It is remarkable how she has, with such alacrity, managed to convey to us the real effect brought about by these prayers. She has enlivened each Yazad and the corresponding powers for our enlightenment.

Today, we discuss Khorshed Yazad. Khorshed or Khurshed is considered to be the body of Pak Dadar Ahura Mazda. It is the brilliance of the sun that shines down on us so freely, every day. The dimensions of Khurshed Yazad are mind boggling – they are 400 farshang broad and 400 farshang tall and each farshang is about 12,000 yards!

Khurshed Yazad is extremely hot; he rides a chariot of horses and they fly swiftly under his reigns. Isn’t it strange that the light of the sun also travels in light years and reaches us on earth, within seconds? This Yazad opens the doors to happiness for all human beings and he also helps them to do good deeds.

An interesting observation here, is that vitamin D, which is considered to be the happiness vitamin, is only derived from exposure to the rays of the sun. People who suffer from depression often also suffer from a deficiency of vitamin D. Khurshed Yazad is beneficial for the ravans who have recited his Yasht during their lifetimes. He grants them a wonderful bright space in heaven, especially for those who have recited the Khorshed Yasht / Nyaish in all the three wakes of the day viz. Havan, Rapithwan and Uzhiran.

The last remains of our dearly departed are also laid to rest under the brilliant gaze of Khurshed Yazad – we call it Khurshed Nigarashni. Its heat and brightness helps kill the germs and other noxious emissions from the corpse. It is a vital part of the Dokhmenashini system which we follow even today, an ancient technology which is environment friendly and least harmful to the natural elements around us.

The noor or brilliance of Khurshed helps us mere mortals find the grace and strength of Pak Dadar Ahura Mazda. As his presence climbs in the sky and the day advances, this Yazad becomes even more powerful. Using the cover of darkness, the evil Ahriman cloaks our world with dirt, evil and pain, but all these are vanquished with one brilliant stroke of light from Khurshed Yazad.

Happiness and light are an innate part of our nature, we are born with these. Then, why do we bring ourselves to the point where we become so consumed with our own fears and doubts, that we forget our core nature? Let us use the powers of the Khorshed Yasht / Nyaish to bring us back into our natural state of true happiness, yes true happiness – a gift from Pak Dadar Ahura Mazda!