WHO SPEAKS FOR ASHO ZARATHUSTRA SAHEB TODAY?

Kshnaothra Ahurahe Mazdao

By the grace of Dadar Ahuramazda during the years 1992-1996 the dates in the Fasli and Shahenshai calendars paralleled each other. In this time frame on the 2nd June 1995 Dadar Ahuramazda ordained the commencement of a minor period of Ilma Jamsheed. By this I mean that the process of our religions rejuvenation begun earlier in the 20th Century in India, would gather momentum as a prelude to events of a greater magnitude that will occur in the near future. Simultaneously from this date revolutionary advances in the sciences would transform our world beyond belief.The term Ilma Jamsheed is an enduring reminder to all Zarthushtis of the reign of Shah Jamsheed in whose era our Zarthushti religion and all forms of science reached their absolute pinnacle of spiritual and materialistic achievement.

One interesting aspect of present day scientific advances concerns the internet through which one can communicate and observe upon the conflict and struggle for the control of our hearts and minds by the reformists and orthodox factions within our Zarthushti communities of the world. Each one of these 2 diametrically opposing forces receive the support of many individuals. However unless you actually know them personally the only way to guage their authenticity and integrity is by an evaluation of their associations and the level of support for their religious endeavours. In order to answer this question we therefore need to look at people who can prove their Zarthushti lineage from Iran, observance of our basic customs and traditions by wearing sudreh, kusti, regular attendance before consecrated Atash and belief in dokhmenashini. From this most basic and fundamental list of Zarthushti observances we can immediately eliminate those who wish to reform our religion. Clearly many of them do not possess a spiritual lineage from Irans past Zarthushti history, and since they believe in conversions, the translation of our holy Avesta Manthra by non-Zarthushtis and reject sudreh, kusti and dokhmenashini these type of people have no place in our Zarthushti religion. We are therefore left with Zarthushtis from Iran and India from which to chose WHO SPEAKS FOR ASHO ZARATHUSTRA SAHEB TODAY?

Since the fall of our last Zarthushti Empire of Iran no-one can deny that those who were left behind could not preserve the sanctity, customs and ancient traditions of our Zarthushti religion. Thus the burden of our religions sanctity fell upon the Parsis of India. They responded by establishing numerous Atash Behrams, Adarans and simultaneously maintained a very special Atash which was brought from within Iran. Presently there are some 90-100,000 Parsis in India and perhaps another 50,000 who live primarily in the West. There are however more than twice this number of true Zarthushtis still living inside Iran. Interestingly enough this figure is considered to be very conservative as Iranians often inform me that they believe the true numbers of Irans Zarthushtis can be counted in the millions.

When our beloved Paighambar Saheb Asho Zarathustra Spitama first came to Iran, He brought a minute portion of Dadar Ahuramazdas eternal realm of Fire and Light known to us as Hasti and placed it upon the highest peak of Mount Demavand. Asho Zarathustra Saheb then authorised 3 cadres of spiritually advanced Zarthushtis to cordon off this entire region from our world, such that it remains hidden from us forever. In accordance with the wishes of Dadar Ahuramazda our beloved Asho Zarathustra Saheb from time to time ordains beings from this hidden realm to come and rejuvenate our religion. On even rarer occasions Zarthushtis from our world are taken into this Koh-e-Demavand. After receiving religious tuition they are returned into our community so that they can make a religious contribution. Thus in this manner Asho Zarathustra Saheb preserves the Zarthushti religion on earth. In Stom Karta and Patet Pashemani prayers from our holy Khordeh Avesta, mention is made of our 99th Rainidar Saheb Adarbad Marespand. 3,000 years ago this divine being left Koh-e- Demavand (popularly known as baaten) in order to rejuvenate our religion inside Iran. Then some 1,400 years ago Nairyosang Avval Abed Saheb left baaten and personally chose 1,305 Iranian Zarthushtis from the province of Pars in Iran. Approximately 90 years after the fall of of our last Zarthushti Empire of Iran Nairyosang Saheb led their descendants into India, wherein on the 24th November AD 720 he consecrated our greatest Atash of Pak Iranshah Atash Behram Saheb. The centuries passed by and then in the early part of our 20th Century one Behramshah Shroff was taken into baaten.

Many years later one Minocher Nusserwanji Pundol was also taken into baaten and then returned sometime later back to his home in Bombay. Minocher Saheb was given a very large agenda of religious endeavours to perform, most of which by the grace of Dadar Ahuramazda he accomplished. At the behest of Asho Zarathustra Saheb all those who accepted the religious teachings from baaten as imparted by Minocher Saheb, were allowed to distinguish themselves from all other groups of Zarthushtis by calling themselves The Pundol Group. This aspect is nothing new to us since as originally mentioned above to date our religion has 3 sects of Kadmi, Shahenshai and Fasli. After Minocher Saheb passed away, on the 14th November 1976 his followers consecrated The Pundol Atash Adaran near to Pak Iranshah Atash Behram Saheb in Udvada, Southern Gujarat, India. At that time The Pundol Group comprised of several thousand Zarthushtis. Today however by the grace of Dadar Ahuramazda as ever more members of our community realise the the absolute truths, knowledge and power in the teachings of Asho Zarathustra Saheb, our numbers have increased to the point where they exceed 30,000 +. In time with the blessings of Dadar Ahuramazda we pray that every Zarthushti will see "The Light" and chose as we have to walk in the footsteps of our beloved Asho Zarathustra Saheb. Thus the answer to my question of WHO SPEAKS FOR ASHO ZARTHUSTRA SAHEB TODAY? is: The Pundol Group of orthodox Zarthushtis.

In October 1997 members of our group requested assistance in the teaching of our knowledge to the Zarthushtis of North America. They were instructed to contact me and make arrangements accordingly. In April 1998 I arrived in The USA and began a week long series of religious lectures in Philadelphia, New Jersey and Washington. We also held a very special Jashan ceremony at the commencement of my religious endeavours. The response that I personally received was extremely favourable and so with the blessings of Dadar Ahuramazda I shall return to The North American continent in the future. I am now the primary representative of The Pundol Group outside of India with the genuine support of 30,000 + Zarthushtis. Should you therefore wish to contact me on any aspect of our sublime Zarthushti religion, then please do so through my e-mail address of CRRC1@aol.com

Before concluding this article I should like to draw your attention towards the fact that whilst the internet is a wonderful tool, it is no substitute for a personal communication wherein one can evalute not just the knowledge being imparted, but also the actual nature, integrity and level of religious devotion in those who receive it. There are simply too many controversial subjects inside our religion for anyone to just discuss openly without due consideration for the consequences. I do therefore most genuinely feel that one should first of all ascertain the above mentioned qualities of an individual or group of Zarthushtis before imparting religious knowledge which can all too easily be mis-understood or mis-represented. Consequently for these reasons with regard to those issues which require a greater level of understanding and spirituality, I shall confine my responses upon the internet to a bare minimum. However when I meet that particular individual or group of Zarthushtis, I shall be only too pleased to discuss the issue in greater detail.

KSHNAOTHRA AHURAHE MAZDAO

Cyrus R R Cooper

Ps. All those of you who wish to attend our future religious lectures and seminars in the North American continent, or support our efforts in propagating the true knowledge of our holy Zarthushti religion throughout North America and Canada, should in the first instance kindly contact the undermentioned -

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