Excerpts From Zoroastrian texts on the manner of disposing of the
dead
"However distant may be the home of a deceased person, whether
rich or poor, high or low in rank, he has always a walking funeral --
his body is carried to the Tower of Silence on an iron bier by
official corpse-bearers and is followed in procession by the mourners,
relatives and friends, dressed in white flowing full-dress robes,
walking behind in pairs and each couple joined hand in hand by holding
a white handkerchief between them in token of sympathetic grief."
The construction of a Tower is accompanied by religious ceremonies
which are performed at different times during the progress of the
structure and are therefore divided into three classes:--
1. The ceremony of digging the ground.
2. The "tana" ceremony, or the ceremony of laying the
foundation.
3. The consecration ceremony, after which the Tower is laid open
for public use.
1. In the center of the spot chosen for a Tower, a priest encloses
a certain place with a "pavi" [21] and
thereon performs the "Baj" ceremonies in honor of Srosh, the
guardian angel guiding the souls of the deceased, of Ahura Mazda, of
Spenta Armaiti, -- the Archangel presiding over land, a portion of
which is now being enclosed for the construction of the Tower, -- of
"Ardafrawash," i.e., all the departed souls, and of
Haft Amahraspands, i.e., the seven archangels. Having performed
the prayers and ceremonies the priest digs with his own hand a part of
the ground required for the Tower.
2. A few days after, when the whole of the necessary spot of ground
is excavated by the laborers, two priests perform in the morning the
"Tana" ceremony for laying the foundation of the Tower. The
ceremony is so called from the fact of "Tana" or a very fine
thread being used to mark out the circumference of the Tower for the
laying of the foundation. One hundred and one [22]
threads are woven into one strong thread or string. The thread so
prepared should be as long as would suffice to go round the
circumference three times. [23] Some time before
its use this thread is made "pāv," [24],
i.e., washed, purified, and dried.
To hold this thread, the priests have to fix in the excavated
ground three hundred and one nails of different sizes. After saying
the "Srosh-Baj" prayer up to "Ashahź," they
proceed to fix the three hundred and one nails, reciting the "Yatha
Ahu Vairyo" while fixing each nail. These nails are placed in
different directions and lines pointing the position of the
underground drains and wells of the Tower referred to in the
construction of the Tower. The thread is then passed round these nails
and is not allowed to touch the ground. All this is intended to mark
out the ground for the Tower and for the different parts of its
structure.
3. The consecration ceremony lasts for four days. The Tower is
surrounded by a "Pāvi," and in the central well of the
Tower, called the "Bhandār," two priests perform the Yasna
ceremonies during the day in the "Hawan Gah," and the
Vendidad ceremonies at night in the "Ushahin Gah" for three
consecutive days. These ceremonies are in honor of the angel Srosh,
who is guiding the soul of the deceased person for three days and
nights after death. On the morning of the fourth day or the opening
day of the Tower, a Yasna ceremony is performed in honor of Ahura
Mazda.
Then the "Baj" and "Afrinagan" ceremonies are
performed in honor of Ahura Mazda, of "Ardafrawash," i.e.,
the departed souls, of Spandarmad, i.e., the Yazad presiding over
mother-earth, a portion of which is now occupied for laying the dead
upon, and of Srosh. In the Afrinagan ceremony, known as the Jashan [25]
ceremony, which is performed in the presence of a large number of the
community assembled to witness it, the name of the donor at whose
expense the Tower is built is mentioned and the blessings of God
invoked upon him. If the Tower is constructed by the donor in honor
of, or to commemorate the memory of, a deceased relative, the name of
that relative is publicly mentioned. When the ceremony is over, the
Parsis assembled go into the Tower to see it and throw into the
central well, gold, silver or copper coins as their mite in the
expenses of the construction of the Tower. Some throw even their rings
and ornaments. These go to make up the sum necessary for building the
Tower, if it is built at the expense of the anjoman or the whole
community. If it is built at the expense of a generous donor, the
amount thus collected goes to the head priest of the district in whose
ecclesiastical jurisdiction the Tower lies.
We have described at great length the funeral ceremonies of the
Parsis up to the time of the disposal of the body in the Tower. We
have also described at length the construction of the Tower and the
ceremonies accompanying it. It appears that at the bottom of a good
many of them lies a great solicitude, on the part of the great
law-giver who framed the rules and dictated the ceremonies, to attend
to the sanitary good of the survivors. At first sight, the details may
appeal irksome, but from the standpoint of sanitation and health, most
of them, though enjoined about 3,000 years ago, appear essential and
indispensable. Every precaution is enjoined, so that, in disposing of
the dead body, no contamination or injury may result to the living.
After a certain time after death, no man, except the official
corpse-bearers, is allowed to touch the dead body or to come into any
contact with it. If somebody accidentally or unavoidably does touch
the body he is enjoined to keep himself aloof from others and not to
touch them before he bathes and undergoes a prescribed ceremonial of
different washings.
Not only should a man not come into contact with the dead body, but
even utensils and other articles of furniture should be kept away from
the corpse. If wearing clothes have been defiled by the sweat, vomit,
etc., of the dead, they should be altogether rejected and destroyed.
(Vend. 7.13.) If not defiled, they may be purified by the "gomez"
[26] and water. If the clothes are made of leather
they must be washed thrice with "gomez," rubbed with dry
earth thrice, washed with water thrice, and exposed for three months
in the air before being used again. If they are made of woven cloth,
which is more porous than leather and therefore likely to carry more
germs of disease and infection, the above process of cleaning and
washing must be repeated six times, and they must be exposed to the
air for a period of six months. (Vend. 7.14-15.) Even the clothes thus
purified cannot be used again for religious purposes or for ordinary
domestic purposes, but they can be used for other petty purposes.
(Vend. 7.18-19.) Utensils for domestic purposes, if they have come into contact with
a dead body, require to be washed several times according to the
specific gravity of the metal of which they are made. If the utensil
is made of gold it requires one washing with "gomez" and
water and a rubbing with dry earth. An utensil of silver, which is
more porous than gold and therefore likely to carry more contagion,
requires two similar cleanings and washings. An iron one requires
three, a zinc one four, and a stone six washings. An utensil of
porcelain, wood or clay is to be condemned altogether.(Vendidad
7.73-75.) In the same way, if accidentally a dead body happens to come
into contact with stores of grain (Vendidad 7.32-35) or of drinking
water (Vendidad 6.26-41), it is enjoined to reject and condemn a
certain quantity in the approximate vicinity of the body.
Thus at the bottom of all religious injunctions and restrictions in
connection with the funeral ceremonies and the disposal of the dead
body, lies the sanitary principle of segregation, prevention of
contamination and infection, sad the idea of observing simplicity and
equality.
We will now speak of some of the observances attended to in the
house even after the removal of the corpse. They also point to the
same end.
After the removal of the body to the Tower all the members of the
family are required to bathe. Fire is generally kept burning for three
days at the spot where the body was placed before removal. Fragrant
sandal and incense are burnt over it. We have spoken above about the
good attributed to the fire in destroying the germs of the disease
lurking at the spot where the decomposing body was placed.
Again, the spot where the body was placed before removal is
generally set apart and not used for some time. Nobody is allowed to
go on the spot for a period of ten days if the season at the time be
winter, and for a period of thirty days, if the season be summer, when
the decomposition and contamination are generally more rapid.
Near the spot where the body was placed, a lamp is kept burning for
a period of nine days or thirty days, according as it is winter or
summer. In a small pot full of water fresh flowers are kept and
changed every morning and evening. On the expiry of the above period
the chamber is washed throughout.
For three days after death the family abstains from meat, and takes
food chiefly consisting of vegetable and fish, which is called "parhīzī"
(abstinence). Not only do the family, but even nearest and dearest
friends abstain from meat diet. The abstinence is observed as a sign
of mourning. Up to recently in Bombay, and even now in some of the
mofussil towns, no food is cooked in the house where death has taken
place. The nearest relations of the family prepare the food for the
bereaved family and send it over to the place.
II
We will now speak of the funeral ceremonies performed for the good
of the soul after the disposal of the body.
According to Parsi scriptures, the soul of a dead person remains
within the precincts of this world for three days. In this state it
sees before itself a picture of its past deeds. If it is the soul of a
pious person, it sees a beautiful picture of its deeds in the past
life and feels happy and joyful. If it is the soul of a wicked person,
it sees a horrible picture of its past deeds and shudders and feels
unhappy at the sight and feels at a loss where to go.
"Zarathushtra asked Ahura Mazda, 'O Ahura Mazda, Beneficent
Spirit, Holy Creator of the material world! when a pious man dies
where dwells his soul for that night? ..... Where for the second
night? ..... Where for the third night?'" (Yasht Fragment 22.
Hadokht Nask 1, 2 and 5). "Then Ahura Mazda replied, 'It
remains at the place of his body, singing the Ushtavaiti Gatha (song
of congratulation), asking for blessedness thus: Blessedness to him
to whom Ahura Mazda of His own will grants blessedness.'" (Hadokht
Nask, 2, 4 and 6.)
If it is the soul of a wicked man it remains within the precincts
of this world for three nights, remembering all the wickedness of its
past life and feeling at a loss where to go.
"Oh Ahura Mazda! To what land shall I turn? Where shall I
go?" (Had. Nask, 20).
The soul of a man thus remains within the precincts of this world
for three days. The number three is a sacred number, because it
reminds one of the three principal precepts of the Mazdayasnian
religion upon which the whole of its moral structure rests. Humata,
Hukhta, and Hvarshta, i.e., good thoughts, good words, and good deeds,
form as it were a pivot upon which the moral philosophy of the
Zoroastrian religion turns. Think of nothing but the truth, speak
nothing but the truth, and do nothing but what is right, and you are
saved. Your good thoughts, good words, and good deeds will be your
saviors in the next world. Therefore, it is, that, three days after
death, the soul of a man directs itself towards the paradise with
three steps of Humata, Hukhta, and Hvarshta. On the other hand, the
soul of a wicked man directs itself to hell with three steps of
Dushmata, Duzhukhta, and Duzhvarshta, i.e., evil thoughts, evil words,
and evil actions.
"The first step which the soul of the pious man advanced, be
placed in Humata (good thoughts). The second step which the soul of
the pious man advanced, he placed in Hukhta (good words). The third
step which the soul of the pious man advanced, he placed in Hvarshta
(good deeds)." (Had. Nask, 15)
Now for the three days and nights that a soul is believed to remain
within the precincts of this world, it is under the special protection
of Srosh Yazad. The angel Srosh is a guardian deity over the souls of
men. He is a guardian angel whom the Almighty has appointed to guide
the souls of men while living and even when dead
"O beautiful, holy Srosh! protect us here in these two lives,
in these two worlds, in this world which is material, in that which
is spiritual." (Yasna
57.25.)
As Srosh is the protector of the soul in this world, all the
prayers of a Zoroastrian begin with a Srosh Baj, which is a prayer for
the Khshnuman of Srosh. It is for this reason that Srosh Yasht (Yasna
57) is generally recited by a Parsi at night before going to bed,
praying that his soul be under the protection of the angel when he is
asleep.
As the soul is under the protection of Srosh for three days after
death, when it is still within the precincts of this world, the
religious ceremonies for the soul of the dead during the first three
days are performed in honor of or for the Khshnuman of Srosh. This
angel is specially implored by the relations of the deceased to
protect his soul. We will now describe these ceremonies in honor of
Srosh, performed for the first three days.
At the commencement of every Gah two or more priests and the
relatives of the dead say the Sraosh Baj and the prayer of the
particular Gah, and in the end the Patet or the repentance prayer
which is also with the Khshnuman of Srosh, asking the forgiveness of
God upon the shortcomings of the deceased. At night, at the
commencement of the Aiwisruthrem Gah, two priests perform the
Afrinagan ceremony in honor of Srosh.They sit on a carpet face to face with
a vase of fire and a metallic tray between them. The senior priest who
has the tray before him is called "Zaoti" or performer of
ceremonies. The other who has a vase of fire before him is called the
Atravakhshi, or the fire-priest. The metallic tray contains a pot of
pure water and a few flowers, eight of which are arranged in a
particular order. Two of them point to the fire and the remaining six
are arranged in two rows of three each, pointing to one another and in
a line at right angles to the line in which the first two are
arranged.
The Zaota begins the Afrinagan with what is called a "Dibache,"
i.e., introduction, which is a prayer in the Pazand language, wherein
he invokes the protection of the angel Srosh upon the soul of the
deceased, whom he names in the prayer. When the "Dibache" is
recited both the priests recite together the seventh Kardah or section
of the Srosh Yasht (Yasna 57.15-18), which sings the praise of the
angel for the protection it affords.
Besides these prayers and ceremonies, which are performed for three
days and nights at the house of the deceased, the Yasna prayers, and
sometimes the Vendidad with the Khshnuman of Srosh, are recited at the
adjoining Fire-temples for three successive mornings and nights. These
Yasna prayers and the Baj ceremonies with the Khshnuman of Srosh, can
be performed only at the Fire temples. In the Uzerin Gah of the third
day, a ceremony is performed which is called the "uthamnu".
The friends and relatives of the deceased and a few priests meet
together in an assembly. The particular prayers of the Gah, the Sraosh
Hadokht (Yasht 11) and the Patet are recited.A Pazand prayer with
the Khshnuman of Srosh is recited, wherein the name of the deceased is
announced and the protection of Srosh is implored for him. This
ceremony and this assembly are very important, because at the end of
the ceremony the relations and friends of the deceased generally
announce liberal donations to charity funds in the "naiyat"
or memory of the deceased and to commemorate his name.
The Parsis have another custom of commemorating the name of a
deceased person if he be a great public benefactor. At the conclusion
of the above "Uthamnu" ceremony on the third day, the head
priest generally, or in his absence an "akābar" i.e., a
leader of the community, proposes before the assembled Anjoman, i.e.,
the public assembly, that the name of the deceased public benefactor,
whose benefaction or good deeds he enumerates, be commemorated by the
community consenting to remember the name of the deceased in all the
public religious ceremonies. This proposal is sometimes seconded by
somebody,. or very often it is just placed before the assembly without
any formal seconding. When nobody opposes that proposal, silence is
taken as consent and thenceforth the name of the deceased is recited
and his soul is remembered in all public religious ceremonies. If the
deceased public benefactor has done benevolent acts for the good of
the whole Parsi community, in whatever part of the world they be, his
name is recited and remembered by the whole community. If the deceased
has done good and benevolent acts for the good of the community of his
own particular town or district, the Anjoman of that town or district
alone begins to invoke his name in the religious ceremonies. For
example, the name of Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy, the first Parsi Baronet,
who rose from very poor circumstances to be a merchant prince of
India, and who give large sums of money in charity, not only for his
own coreligionists but for all sections of the mixed community of
India, is remembered in the religious ceremonies by the whole Parsi
community in India.
This custom [27] is a very old one. It had its
origin in the old Avesta times. The written later on in the Pazand language, contains a few
names of such illustrious departed worthies. The formulae used for
this purpose have varied at different times. The formula used in the
Frawardin Yasht is in this form:
"We invoke the Fravashi of the holy Yima of Vivanghana."
The formula used in the Pazand Afrin-i
Rapithwin is in a form like this:
"May the holy spirit of the Emperor Kay-Vishtasp be one with us
in ceremony."
The formula used now in the Pazand Dibache of the Afrinagan is in a
form like this:
"May behdin [28] Jamshed Behdin Rustam [29]
of pious soul be remembered here."
The honor of thus remembering the name of a deceased person in
public religious ceremonies was considered the greatest honor that a
grateful community could bestow upon a person after his death for the
good he had conferred upon his fellow-brothers.
If the deceased is of the age of fifteen and has left no son, it is
necessary that a son should be given to him in adoption. The adopted
son generally belongs to a nearly related family. The name of the son
thus adopted is declared publicly before the assembly.
The dawn after the third night after death is considered a great
and solemn occasion. As we said above, the soul of a man remains
within the precincts of this world for three days. On the dawn after
the third night it goes to the other world. The soul passes over a
bridge called Chinwad. [30]
"(The soul) goes to the holy Chinwad Bridge created by Mazda,
which is an old path of times immemorial, and which is for the
wicked as well as for the holy. There they ask the soul (to account)
for its deeds done in this material world." (Vend.
19.29.)
The bridge is guarded by the angel Mithra.
"(When) the third night ends and the dawn shines the well-armed
Mithra appears at the sufficiently happy mountain." (Vend.
19.28.)
This angel who is known in the later books as Mihr Dāvar, i.e.,
Mihr the Judge, is assisted by Rashn, the angel of Justice, and Ashtad,
the angel of Truth. They judge the actions of the man done in the past
life. If his good deeds overweigh even by a small particle his
misdeeds, his soul is allowed to pass over the bridge to paradise. If
his good deeds are equal to his misdeeds, the soul goes to a place
called hamistagan. [31] (Vend. 19.36.) If his
misdeeds outweigh his good deeds, even by a particle, he is cast down
into hell.
Thus, the dawn after the third night after death is the occasion
when the soul of the man is judged by Mihr Dāvar, the Judge, assisted
by Rashn Rast, the angel of Justice, and Ashtad, the angel of Truth.
Therefore, it is considered a very important and solemn occasion for
the performance of religions ceremonies for the good of the soul of
the deceased. The ceremonies performed in the Uzerin Gah on the
previous day are repeated, and the Afrinagan and Baj prayers and
ceremonies are performed in addition. This being the time of the
judgment of the man's deeds, his relations and friends pray for God's
mercy on the soul of the deceased. Man is liable to err, and therefore
they implore the blessing and mercy of the Almighty on this particular
occasion, when his deeds are judged by the angel Mihr assisted by
Rashn and Ashtad.
The Baj ceremonies on this occasion are recited in honor of the
angels who have an important share in connection with this occasion.
The first Baj is in honor of the angels Rashn and Ashtad together, who
help the angel Mihr. The second is in honor of Ram-Khvastra, who is the angel presiding on
the rarefied atmosphere or ether. This is because when a man dies the
soul of a good pious man passes away to the higher regions in the form
of, or with the help of, this Rām-Khvāstra. The third Baj is in
honor of Ardafrawash, i.e., in honor of the spirits of all the
departed souls whose rank, the particular deceased for whom the
ceremony is performed, has joined. The fourth Baj is in honor of Srosh
who has guided and guarded the soul of the deceased in its sojourn to
the other world after death. When the Baj of Ardafrawash is recited, a
suit of white clothes, together with the sacred bread and other
sacrificial articles, is placed before the priest. This suit of
clothes is called "Shiāv". It is the Vastra in the word
Vastravata of the Frawardin Yasht.
("Who will praise us ... with clothes in hand?" Frav.
Yasht 13.50.)
This suit of clothes is generally given to the priest or to the
poor.
The other principal occasions on which the Afrinagan and Baj
ceremonies are enjoined to be performed in honor of the dead, are
the"Chehārum," "Dehum," "Siroz," "Salroz,"
i.e., the fourth day, the tenth day, the thirtieth day and a
year after death.
According to the Zoroastrian belief, the relation between a pious
deceased and his surviving relations does not altogether cease after
death. His holy spirit continues to take some interest in his living
dear ones. If the surviving relatives cherish his memory, remember him
with gratefulness, try to please him with pious thoughts, pious words
and pious deeds, it is likely that these invisible departed spirits
will take an interest in their welfare, and assist them with an
invisible helping hand. The most essential requisite by which a
surviving relative can please the holy spirits of his departed dear
ones is this that he should be pious in thoughts, words and deeds, and
that he should perform meritorious charitable deeds. We read in Yasna
(Ha 16.7):
"We praise the brilliant deeds of piety in which the souls of
the deceased delight."
For this reason, it is not unusual among the Parsis, that on the
above-mentioned occasions, of the third, fourth, tenth, and thirtieth
day, and on the anniversaries after death, they give food and clothing
to the poor of their community, and sometimes give various sums in
charity. These occasions are further the occasions on which the
surviving relatives remember the deceased with feelings of gratitude,
respect and love, and pray to God that his soul may rest in peace and
tranquillity.
It appears from all this description, that the funeral ceremonies
of the Parsis produce in the minds of the survivors a great solicitude
for the health of the living, respect for the dead, feelings of
gratitude and love towards the deceased, and ideas of morality and
virtue inculcated by the thoughts that death levels everybody, and
that one should always be prepared for death which may overtake him at
any moment.
Suggested Further Reading
NOTES
1.Prof. D armesteter says on this point "Toutes
les cérémonies de cet ordre peuvent se résumer en deux mots, ceux-la
mźme qui résument aujourd'hui toutes les mesures prophylactiques en
cas d'épidémie: 1o interrompre les communications des
vivants avec le centre d'infection réel ou supposé; 2o détruire
ce centre mźme (Le Zend Avesta II, p.147.)
2. 'Patet' is Av. paitita from paiti
and i to go; lit. going back; hence, repentance.
3. As Dr. West says it is like the Pater Noster
of some Christians. It may be thus translated "Piety is the
best good and happiness. Happiness to him who is pious for the best
piety."
4. A plant called Haoma-i Saphid, i.e., white Haoma,
is held to be the emblem of the immortality of the soul. This plant
reminds one of the "Tree of Life" of the Christian
Scriptures (Genesis II, 9) in the Garden of Eden, and of the Sidra or
Lotus of the Mahomedan Scriptures in heaven near the seat of the
Almighty (The Quran LIII, 14-29, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. IX,
page 252). As the "Tree of Life" is guarded by the Cherubim
and the Sidra by 70,000 angels, so is the plant Haoma-i Saphid guarded
by 99,999 Fravashis or the guardian spirits.
5. Now a days these ceremonies before death are not
performed by all.
6. The ceremony of performing the "Kusti"
consists of three processes: (a) To wash with water the uncovered
portions of the body such as face and hands, ant the feet if
uncovered; (b) To ungird the "Kusti" or the sacred thread
from the waist after the recital of a prayer called "Kem na
Mazda" (Yasna Ha. 46.7, Ha 44.16, Vendidad 8.31, and Yasna
49.10); and then (c) to put it on again with the recital of "Ahura
Mazda Khodai" and "Jasa me avanghe Mazda (Yasht 1.27)
Mazdayasno ahmi" (Yasna Ha 12.8) prayers. It is essential to
perform the Kusti before saying a prayer before meals, and after
answering the calls of nature.
7. To hold a "paywand" means to be in close
contact or touch. This is done by holding a piece of cloth or cotton
tape by two persons to show that they are associated or joined in
doing a thing.
8. "Padān" is Av. "paitidāna."
It is a piece of white cotton cloth which the Parsi priests put on
suspending from the bridge of the nose, when they go before the sacred
fire or when they say their prayers before the fire or other sacred
things. This is intended to prevent the small particles of saliva of
the mouth defiling the sacred things before them.
9. In all the ceremonies of the Parsis, the North side
is, as a rule, generally avoided. The children in the initiating
navjote ceremony (i.e., the ceremony for the investiture of
the sacred shirt and thread), the marrying couple at the time of the
Ashirvād or marriage-blessing ceremony, and the priests in all their
religious ceremonies never sit with their faces turned towards the
Worth. The old Iranians had a natural hatred for the North side from
which proceeded all kinds of dangers and evil, whether climatic,
physical or mental.
"This Druj-Nasu runs from the northern directions in the form
of a fly." (Vend. 7.2.)
"To him blows the wind from the northerly direction from the
more northern sides, stinking, more stinking than other winds." (Hadokht
Nask III, 25.)
The winds from the Northern cold regions brought sickness and
death. Again the marauders from Mazendaran and other adjoining regions
in the North brought destruction and death in many Iranian families.
These people of the North were depraved in many moral qualities. On
the other hand, the South was considered a very auspicious side. The
winds from the South were healthy and invigorating. Coming from the
Southern seas they brought rain and plenty.
"As the wind blowing hard from the South purifies the
atmosphere all round." (Vend. 3.42.)
The wind blowing towards the soul of a virtuous man, when it passes
on the dawn of the third night after death to heaven, is said to come
from the South and is sweet-scented and fragrant.
"To him the wind blows from the southerly direction, from the
more southern sides, sweet-scented, more sweet-scented than other
winds." (Yasht Frag. 22, Hadokht Nask II,7.)
10. It appears from the Avesta, that in ancient
Persia every house was provided with a separate apartment for placing
the dead body before its removal to the Tower of Silence. Again every
street had a house for the common use of all the poor residents of the
street. The inmates of the houses in the street which had no special
convenient apartments for placing the dead bodies, carried them to
this house set apart for the common use of all the residents of the
street.
"Then Ahura Mazda said, in every house, in every street, they
should make three 'Katas' (separate parts) for the dead." (Vend.
5.10.)
It is said, that even now, such separate houses are provided in
Persia in the Parsi quarters, where every family removed the dead
relation before carrying him to the Tower of Silence. The place is
known as Margzād. It is said that even in India, in the mofussil
towns of Gujarat, such separate houses were provided in the Parsi
streets. These houses were known as Nasā-Khānās, i.e., houses for
the corpse. Every Parsi town has even now a Nasā-Khānā, but it is
generally now used as a depot for keeping the biers for carrying the
dead upon, the slabs of stone on which the body is placed before its
removal, and as the residence of the corpse-bearers.
11. It is enjoined that the place to be chosen for
such apartments or houses of the dead, should be free from dampness
and should be the least frequented by men and animals and be far away
from where the religious ceremonies are performed.
"Then Ahura Mazda said that (they must choose) in this house
of a Mazdayasna, the most clean and the most dry place which is the
least frequented by cattle and beasts of burden, by the fire of Ahura-Mazda
by the Barsom spread through piety and by the holy man." (Vend.
8.5.)
12. Compare the four-eyed dog of the Avesta with the
"four-eyed" dogs of the Rig Veda 10th Mandala which guarded
the way to Yama's abode. "Fear not to pass the guards-
The four-eyed brindled dogs that watch for the departed."
Mon. William's Indian Wisdom, (1876), page 22.
13. "Gahs" are the five different periods
of the day. The first Gah, Hawan, begins with the dawn of the day and
ends at twelve at midday. The second, Rapithwin, runs from twelve in
the noon to three P.M. The third, Uzerin from three P.M. to nightfall.
The fourth, Aiwisruthrem, from nightfall to midnight. The fifth,
Ushahin, from midnight to the dawn of the next day.
14. It appears from the customs of several ancient
nations that the "dog" played a prominent part in the
funeral ceremonies of many ancient nations.
(a) As said above, as in the Avesta so in the Vedas, we have a
mention of two four-eyed dogs guarding the way to the abode of Yama,
the ruler of the spirits of the dead. (b) Among the ancient Romans the
Lares of the departed virtuous were represented in pictures with a dog
tied to their legs. This was intended to show that as the dogs watched
faithfully at the door of their masters, so the Lares watched the
interests of the family to which they belonged. (c) The people of the
West Indies have a notion among them of the dogs accompanying the
departed dead. Compare the following lines of Pope:--
"Even the poor Indian whose untutored mind
Sees God in clouds or hears him in the wind
* * * * * *
thinks, admitted to you equal sky
His faithful dog shall bear him company."
As to the purpose, why the "sagdid" is performed, several
reasons are assigned: (a) Some say that the spotted dog was a species
of dog that possessed the characteristic of staring steadily at a
body, if life was altogether extinct, and of not looking to him at
all, if life was not altogether extinct. Thus the old Persians
ascertained by the "sagdid", if the life was really extinct.
(b) Others, as Dr. Haug says, attributed the "sagdid" to
some magnetic influence in the eyes of the dog. (c) Others again
connected the "Sag-did" of a dog, which, of all animals, is
the most faithful to his master, with the idea of loyalty and
gratitude that must exist between the living and deceased departed
ones. (d) Others considered a dog to be symbolical of the destruction
of moral passions. Death put an end to all moral passions so the
presence of a dog near the dead body emphasized that idea. Cf. Dante's
Divine Comedy (Hell. C.I. 94-102. Dr. Plumpter.)
"For that fell beast whose Spite thou wailest o'er,
Lets no man onward pass along her way.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Many the creatures are that with her wed,
And will be more until the Greyhound come,
Who with sharp agony shall smite her dead."
Here the Greyhound is considered as the deliverer of Italy. He is
the symbol of the destroyer of the passions of sensual enjoyment,
pride and avarice which are represented by the leopard, the lion and
the wolf.
15. All these are species of fragrant plants.
16. The word daeva is used in the Avesta
for all evil influences whether physical, mental or moral.
17. Generally there are two classes of the
corpse-bearers: (a) the Nasāsālārs who enter into the Tower with
the corpse. They also go into the house to place the corpse on the
bier: (b) the Khandhias who are mere carriers; their business is to
carry the corpse from the house to the Tower in the inside of which it
is carried by the Nasāsālārs.
18. To take the Baj is to recite the Srosh-Baj
prayer up to the word "Ashahź" in the Kem-na-Mazda prayer
which forms a part of the Srosh-Baj. When the particular work
in connection with the dead body is finished the Baj is also
then finished, i.e., the remaining portion of the Srosh-Baj is
recited. This Baj is taken by the priests on certain occasions
at the time of bathing and in the barashnom ceremony.
19. According to Dr. Eugene Wilhelm, many other
ancient nations, besides the Persians, used cow's urine as a
disinfectant. Vide "On the use\ of Beef's Urine
according to the precepts of the Avesta and on similar customs with
other nations" by Dr. Eugene Wilhelm. According to Dr. Haug, the
peasants of several parts of Europe even now use it (Haug's Essays,
2nd ed, p. 286).
20. "Pāvi" is a portion separated for
different bodies.
21. "Pāvi" (from "pāv," i.e.,
scared) is a kind of trench a few inches deep in the ground. It is
intended to separate a portion of a place from the adjoining ground in
order to perform a sacred ceremony therein. No outsider is allowed to
enter within this enclosed place while the ceremony is being
performed. The Yasna, Baj, and Vendidad ceremonies are performed only
within such enclosed spaces. In Fire Temples the sacred fire burns on
a censer within such an enclosed space.
22. One hundred and one is a sacred number, because,
according to the Avesta, the Almighty God has one hundred
and one names which signify all his virtues. These one hundred and one
names are recited in several ceremonies, e.g., in preparing the
sacred "Zaothra" or consecrated water for the Haoma
ceremony.
23. The number three is a sacred number, being
symbolic of Humata, Hukhta, and Hvarshta, i.e., good
thoughts, good words, and good deeds, the three precepts on which the
moral structure of the Zoroastrian religion rests.
24. To make a thing "pāv" is to wash it
properly with pure water. The purification is sometimes accompanied
with the recital of this formula, "Pleased be Ahura Mazda. Piety
is the best good and happiness. Happiness to him who is pious for the
best Piety."
25. Jashan is the contraction of Yajashna.
26. The "nirang," or the urine of the cow,
which is believed to possess disinfecting properties.
27. I am told that a similar custom prevails at the
University of Oxford, where during the bidding prayer they make
"a long statement recalling the gifts of benefactors to the
University in time, past. It is really a thanksgiving to Almighty God
for the gifts of the worthies of old who gave lands and money to endow
the Colleges and the University. The list of benefactors is read out
in full on the high festivals In the University Church only."
28. "Behdin," i.e., of good
religion is a term applied to the name of a Zoroastrian layman. if the
deceased' belongs to the priestly class, and has gone through the
initiating ceremony of Nawar, he is spoken of as "Ervad"
(which is another form of Herbed, which itself is the later 'aethra
paiti' of the Avesta). If the deceased belongs to the priestly
class, but has not gone through the initiating ceremony or the Nawar,
he is spoken of as "Osta," which is the contraction of 'hāvishta'
in the Avesta. If the deceased is a female of the priestly class she
is spoken of as "Osti". If he is a head priest he is spoken
of as Dastur, which is a contraction of Pahlavi 'dastwar.'
29.The second name is the name of the father. If the
deceased was adopted, his adoptive father's name is mentioned
instead of his own father. In the case of females the name of her
father is mentioned with hers if she is unmarried, and that of the
husband if she is married. In case of a second marriage, the name of
the first husband is mentioned with hers.
30. The Chinwad Bridge reminds one of the "Sirat"
of the Arabs, of "Wogho" of the Chinese, the "Giöell"
and "Bifröst" of the Scandinavians. For a similar belief of
the Ancient Egyptians, vide my paper, "The Belief about
the future of the Soul among the Ancient Egyptians and Iranians"
(Journal B.B.R.A.S. XX, pp. 156-199. My "Asiatic Papers,"
pp. 137-146).
31. The Hameshta-gehān of the Parsis reminds one of
the purgatory of the Christians and the "Aeraf" of the
Mahomedans.
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