The Ideal Blessing: Aahmai rash-chaa

Yasna. 68.10-11

Ye vo aapo van-guish yazaite          

                                        This wave of divine waters do I invoke for that victorious soul

Ahura-naish ahura-he    

                                        who follows the glorious path recommended by our Creator

Vahishta-byo Zao-thraa-byo              

        That greatest treasure of the divine waters of Wealth (Knowledge and Truth)

Sraeshtabyo Zao-thraa-byo            

         The  divine waters  that are the most inspirational

Dahmo Pairi Angar-ash-ta-byo Zao-thraa-byo    

         The divine waters that flow onto him and his home in Radiance and Luster 

Ahmai Ra-escha, Khware-naish-chaa        

           Onto us, Thy warm Light of Wisdom and the radiance of Pure and Positive Intentions

Ahmai Tan-vo (तन्वो ) Drava-tatem           

                                              Onto us, Mental and Physical well being

Ahmai Tan-vo Vazd-vare            

                                         Onto us, physical Endurance to face life’s storms

Ahmai tan-vo Vere-threm                       

             Onto us, Victory over physical imperfections and  negative tendencies

Ahmai Ish-teem, Pour-ush Khwaterem,              

                                       Onto us the desired satisfaction of inspired achievement

 Ahmai asnam-cheet frazanteem 

                                Onto us, always improving, progeny endowed with insight

Ahmai Dreg-am Drego-jitim                     

                                 Onto us, victory against deceivers and the forces of Darkness

Ahmai Vah-ish-tem                                           Onto us, the very Best

Ahoom (अहूम )                         Invoking the name of the Lord

Ashao-nem Rao-changem Vispo Khwaterem       

                for Alignment with TRUTH and Justice, through Light (Knowledge), enveloped in the warmth of Reason

Atha Jam-yaat yatha afriname                          May it always be so

.This term “Drigu, from which the word Druj, or the Vedic Druh/Drugh/Dhroga originates; occurs throughout the Gathas and Rigveda in the sense of “demonic deceiver”; who are devious,  pathologically evil minded,

devoid of conscience; who revel in death and destruction.

Ahoom is the Invocation in Avesta, equivalent to the vedic Aum (ॐ ), with an H ( ह) superimposed on the A 

 

                       

How Parsis arrived in Bharat (India) & their fellow travellers

The Zarathushti Escape to safety in Bharat (India).

Few are aware that the 100,000 Zarathushti souls remaining are the descendants of one of the greatest and longest lasting empires known to mankind; an empire that extended from what is today western Pakistan to Eastern Turkey and included all CIS nations.
Once, a nation of teeming millions who referred to their land as "IRAN" (IR= heavenly land; and AN= breath) which literally means, in Avestic, the land whose air itself would make one spiritually pure. A nation aligned to a philosophy of Truth, Justice and Equality of all mankind. 
A nation that prized the characteristics of courtesy, humility, courage, gentleness, purity, compassion, protection of the weak, liberality, selflessness, and receptiveness to knowledge; and addressed such individuals as "Arya". This term of Avestic-Vedic origin; is derived from Ar= active-energetic and Yan/Yana = divinity.
This was the empire that produced Kurush the Great (known as Cyrus the Great by the Greeks) the emperor who codified the Zarathushti philosophy of equality of all mankind;

The unfortunate and violent demise of the Persian empire, in 642 AD, at the hands of an intolerant, conformist and blind submission demanding ideology, signaled an end to the era of free thought, expression  and an all-inclusiveness of unity amidst diversity, a characteristic Aryan way of life.

The military defeat of this empire called IRAN  the empire that had outlasted the Greek empire and at times, won over the Roman empire,  signaled a new degenerate type of warfare, where honor was substituted for deceit and magnanimity was substituted for cruelty.   No more were civilians off limits during the wars between kings; but were targeted with vigor and venom by an enemy intent on obliterating all evidence of their very existence. This Jihad, or elimination of anyone who does not submit continues today.


Jamsheed Choksy,  in his book: Conflict and Cooperation-Columbia University Press, 1997; demolishes the politically appropriate LIE promoted by IRI (Islamic Republic of Iran) and the motley crew of their cohorts, that islam was accepted wholeheartedly and peacefully. He documents that population records indicate that after the Arab victory over the Persian empire  in the 7th  century, conversion to islam took place over the course of several centuries.

Richard Bulliet of Columbia University confirms that at the time the Abbasids (750 A.D), roughly a century after the fall of the Sasanian empire, only 8 percent of Iran‟s city dwellers were Moslem.  
Conversions through persecution, confiscation of property, kidnapping of females, enslaving family members and periodic massacres inverted the above figures with 80% of the iranian population by the end of the 10th  century, claiming to be moslem, and Zoroastrians relegated to rural areas.   

When, around 1850, Maneckji Limji Hataria was sent to access the terrible conditions of Zarathushtis in Iran, less than 7,000 could be enumerated.

 Details of this planned genocide stretching centuries (Early Islamic History-Prelude to the Arab Invasion of Iran-Shahr

 ) can be read at:
http://www.heritageinstitute.com/zoroastrianism/history/islamichistory1.htm

So effective was this genocide (See: http://www.historyofjihad.org/persia.html) that there is no recorded date of when a band of Parsis decided to flee to safety in India. It is simply assumed from secondary data that this escape by the skin of their teeth was sometime between the 8th and 9th century.
One should keep in mind that the fallen Persian empire extended from what is today Iraq to Afghanistan and included all of the CIS countries. The first Parsi group came from Sanjan, near modern Merv (Turkmenistan) and the rest followed from various corners of the empire.

The  KISSE-I-SANJAN compiled several centuries after the arrival of the Parsis, from the oral heritage of various groups of Zarathushtis who arrived and received shelter in Gujarat, India is the only surviving record of this.

Originally assumed to be the story of just the group that came from Sanjan in the neighbourhood of Merv (central Asia), recent research (KISSE-I-SANJAN  by Byramsha D. Nasikwala ; published by B.N. BHATHENA, 100, Nagdevi Street, Bombay, 3) indicates that the discrepancy in the dates and lack of supporting local documents indicate:
A) Multiple emigrations from multiple sites in the erstwhile Zarathushti Persian empire.
B) Shelter being given by Koli-Konkan based coastal kingdoms which historically did not document their activities. Interestingly the Konkani language (western coast of India, from Gujarat to Karnataka) was always oral and has only fairly recently been put to paper with a Marathi and/or Carnatic script. 


Note the term  भारत:"Bharat" (for India) of Vedic origin (Bha + Rath), which is Avestic for Ba + Rath or the Chariot of Divinity.
Cognate terms alluding to divinity are Ba-ga (in Goa) and Bagh-dad, (in Iraq).
The term "Rath" meaning chariot, is also cognate in the name  Zarathushtra.

The cosmopolitan nature of the Persian empire is supported by the documented arrival of Hindus and other minorities in the same time frame from Persian controlled lands (the Black Sea to Afghanistan).

 In the extracts quoted in the above book there is ample evidence to show that when, in 700 AD the refugee bands of Parsi immigrants landed in Kathiawad-Saurashtra in Gujarat, there was a substantial Persian presence in place including Parsi independent principalities and Colonies even after the fall of the Sassanian Empire.

“There was a good number of Zoroastrians inhabitants’ upto A. C. 1185 in Sindh in the City of Uchh situated on the River Indus, one of whom had been to Seistan and brought with him a copy of the Avesta-Pahlavi Vendidad which was copied about 1248 in Broach. We do not know what became of these Zoroastrian citizens of Uchh after 1185. But we learn from history that the city of Uchh and the surrounding country were invaded several times from A.C. 1205-1257 and that the people were plundered and tyrannized over. In A.C. 1223, the Zoroastrians of Uchh, leaving that city had come down to Gujarat. Thus the old Zoroastrian population of Sindh and Punjab came to an end."


"Hajaj, the Governor of Irak, sent his Commander Mohammad Imam-ud-Din Kasim in 712 to Sindh, in which the City of Uchh is situated, and conquered it. From this time, also Sindh was under the rule of the Mahomedan Caliphs. Nevertheless as we learn from the above account the Zoroastrians continued to live there."
 "Thus, we see, that there are evidences, historical and documentary, showing that the Zoroastrians, even after being deprived of their Empire, could and actually did live under the rule of Mahomedans for centuries in Irak, Fars, Adarbaijan, Tabristan, Kohat, Sogd, and Khwarezam; upto the beginning of the 16th century of the Christian era in Khorasan and Eastern Persia; and upto the 13th century in Sindh.


As per The Oriental Geography of Ebn Haukal, an Arabian Traveller of the Tenth Century; (and translated by Sir Ousley Kt. L.L.D., pp.146-147). 
The Country of Sind and part of Hind. "Some parts (of Hind and Sind) belong to Guebres (Persian 'Gebran'), and a greater portion of this country to (Persian "Kaferan') Kafars (Infidels) and Idolaters (Persian "Bot-Parastan"). 
The above extract clearly shows that some parts of Hind and Sind belonged to Guebres (Zoroastrians) in the Tenth century. It is therefore quite indisputable that in 1000 A. D., the Iranians had their independent States and Colonies in Hind and Sind, and that a good number of Zoroastrians lived in 1000 A. D. in some parts of Hind and Sind. 


 "In Ousley's Oriental Geography of Ebn Haukal (A. D. 902-906) it is stated that some part of Hind and Sind belonged to the Guebres. Elliot says "the word 'Guebre' meant a Non-Mussalman generally and a Zoroastrian particularly. "Another known writer Masudi (A. D. 916) states that in his time there were many Fire-Temples in Sind and India." (Misar-bin-Mohalhil, Elliot's History of India,, 1-97, Bom. Gaz., IX, part 11, 185).


Mr. Shapurji K. Hodiwala in his famous book "The Parsis of Ancient India"(page 33) writes:-
"We shall see hereafter that according to the Arab traveller Misar bin Mukhalihal there were Fire Temples in Cheul in A. D. 950 which date is given as A. D. 942 in Bom. Gaz. Part I, pp. 216-217."


"According to Cunningham's Ancient Geography, page 319, there was a Pahlav (Pahelvi-Parsi) King by name Krashna ruling over Elapur and Somnath in 720 A. D." ("Iranshah" Addenda pages 684 (a) to (c) by Mr. S. K. Hodiwala).

We observe from the above passage that even after the landing of the Parsis in 697 A. D., a Parsi King by name Krashna was ruling over Elapur and Somnath in 720 A. D." 

For reciters of the Farvardin Yasht, this name is a known Zarathushti personage who is invoked.

The above extract confirms quite clearly that there were settlements of the Zoroastrians in Hind and Sind. The existence of many Fire temples in India and Sind in 916 A. D. also proves that there were settlements of the Parsis in India, as the Parsi immigrants in this country could not be expected to build a large number of Fire-Temples in India and Sind between the dates of their landing (i.e., 697 A. D. and 916 A. D.) From the Parsi chronological records we find that till the year 916 A. D. we had established only one Fire-Temple named "Iranshah" (in 721 A. D.) while the other fire temples seem to have been built by them after the year 1765 A. D. I think we have been able to prove this much from the above extracts that there was a Zoroastrian population in Hind and Sind and that they had a large number of fire temples in this country prior to the landing date detailed in the Kisse-Sanjan.


  Mr. G.K. Nariman, a great Sanskrit and Avesta Scholar, in his 'Notes' on the "Parsis of Ancient India" at page xv writes "Since then I have looked into the cognate Bhavishya Purana and although portions of the present texts of Bhavishya Purana are palpable interpolations, the light it throws on the tribe or tribes, whose customs so forcibly remind us of our own, represents practices of a tolerable antiquity. It admits of little doubt that there were settlements in India of the Parsis before the conquest of Persia by Islam".


It may be noted that Bhavishya Puranas were not completed before the middle of the 7th Century and none of the Puranas before 400 A. D. and M r. G.K. Nariman has therefore very ably pointed out that even from the Hindu Shastras that there were Settlements of the Parsis in India before the Iranians were defeated by the Arabs. It is therefore quite evident that the Parsi emigrants from Iran when they landed in Gujarat and Kathiawad must have received  help and support from their co-religionists who had settled in several parts of Hind and Sindh during the Sassanian rule.


 It is therefore quite possible that following the advent of Islam in India, the large Parsi population of Sindh and Punjab, must have been decimated by attrition and the remaining who could save themselves, gradually shifted themselves to the relative safety of Gujarat and a good number of the present-day Parsis must certainly be the descendants of the old block settled in Sindh, Punjab, Kathiawad and other places in India such as the Konkan coast. This would also explain the resurgent population, in spite of documented extermination campaigns by the Drujic (pathologically evil, devoid of conscience entities akin to mayhem promoting diseases) forces of intolerance.


It may be interesting to note that the epitaph “Bava” applied to Parsis in India has roots in Punjab and not in Gujarat. The surname “Gagrat” has no meaning unless we take it to mean a person coming from Gagret district in Himachal Pradesh, Dhalla and Madon from Punjab, Mogul from Central Asia, and the surname “Mangusi” after which the Delhi Dharamshalla is named is the “Mangeshi”, in coastal Goa. 

The Persian work Dabistan-e Mazahib authored by Mohsin Fani in the middle of 17th century, refers to the presence of the people of Zarathushti and Jewish faiths in Kashmir in olden days. Not surprisingly we find there is a village in Kashmir by the name of "Bomai" celebrated for its natural flames emitting from the ground. 


 One only needs to drive along the coast from Gujarat to Goa, to come across towns named Vashi (near Mumbai), Raya, Perne, Bagaa in Goa), Mahad, Daji, Nipani etc. Avestic words/terms mentioned in our Gathas. 
Of-course everyone is aware that a vegetarian parsi is one who eats fish; something that only Saraswat Brahmans do,(see note below) indicating close relationship at some historical point in the Kashmir-Punjab area. 


 Punjabis  celebrate their new year in Spring, like us; and more uniquely celebrate marriage after midnight. Old Parsis are aware that till a few years back, orthodox Zarathushtis would have their marriage repeated in “Ushanin Geh”-----after midnight; and as per scriptures, the 1^st Geh.


The Navroz is similarly an important celebration for Kashmiri Pandits . In Kashmir, Shias are surprisingly also known to be observing this feast.  The haft seen tradition is called "thal bharo" or 'filling the platter' with handful of rice, pen, ink-pot, flowers, milk, sugar, and the new Saptrishi calendar.  The practice of a member of the family taking the platter in his hands early in the morning and showing it to every member of the house is precisely what the Zoroastrians in Tajikistan and Iran have been doing.  


Emigration to India was not restricted only to Zarathushtis as the following indicate a cosmopolitan escape from the onslaught of the Druj.

1.     Bhargav Brahmins: Settled around Bharuch  (former Bhrugu-Kutch) and Surat. Descendants of Bhrigu Rishi Identified in the Vedas as a champion of the Ahuras/Asuras), came from Punjab. Genetically related to Uzbeks, and Ukrainians, they probably sailed down through the Indus river at some unknown date.

2. Saraswat Brahmins: Settled around coastal Konkan Ratnagiri and Karnataka. Came from Kashmir-Punjab (from the banks of the Saraswati river). Avoid meat but eat fish.

3.  Konkanasth Brahmins/Chitpavans: landed shipwrecked, off the Konkan coast in 700AD, around Chiplun (Konkan Maharashtra) in almost identical circumstances as the Parsis. Due to inability to converse with locals, recited Sanskrit Shlokas instead. Were accepted as long lost cousins by local brahmans. Like Parsis, had no titular religious head till centuries later. Rising to fame on basis of their legendary honesty, becoming accountants to the Maratha empire and kept a lighted fire in their house continuously. They worship the deity Parshu-ram , the son of Jamad-agni. Recently through genetic study they have located their origin to the shores of the Black Sea.

4.    Bhojak Brahmins: or Shrimali or Maga Brahmins: Settled around Kathiawar or Kutch (in Gujarat state). Descendants of Iranian Magi priests. They came from the land of Sakas or "Shakadvipa." History somewhat similar to Chitpavans.

5.  The Udaipur Royal clan:

"According to one account a large body of Persians landed in Western Indian early in 7th Century, and from one of their leaders whom Wilford believed to have been a son of Khosru Paarviz the family of Udaipur is said to have sprung" (see Bombay Gazetteer, XIII P.248).

History therefore records a significant number of exiles landed on the shores of Saurashtra around 700 AD, from Persia, in approximately the same time frame when we arrived in Diu. This indicates a significant Hindu (or Vedic influenced) population in Persia prior to the Islamic onslaught  Their presence, along with that of Zorastrians have been recorded by Moslem invaders themselves as Gabars and Kafirs.

Nature of Evil (DRUJ) & methodology of its defeat

Evil is defined as that which corrodes ethical values, that which facilitates sacrifice of Truth(Justice) & Reason at the alter of monetary profit, Ideology or Ego. 
Thus Evil is regarded like a disease. Unless active measures are taken to remove it, the man so afflicted starts up on a downward spiral corroding his/her spirituality.


Just as on the physical plane, medicines are used to address diseases, according to Zarathushti philosophy, the spiritual corrosion caused by Evil can only be removed by acts of selflessness.
This  radical solution of washing away previous errors through active practice (not hollow homilies) while anchored in Reality is a unique Zarathushti philosophical contribution & what sets it apart from other philosophies & ideologies.


Evil & admonitions against it in the scriptures should not be confused with rivalry between religious philosophies, after all the Aryas (on both sides of the Ahura-Deva debate) identified themselves as Noble (ethically inclined) people led by Light (of knowledge, or reason).


Historical Background: In the time leading up to Zarathushtras’ reform, the ancient concept of a single exclusive Creator (Ahu-ra) was usurped by a host of Ahuras (Asuras on the Vedic side) with both positive & negative traits. These included Shiva, Ganesh, Varun & others.

The Vedics (under sage Brihas-pati) set up, over time, a theological alternative of a competing class of "Gods", addressed as Day-vas, the shining, visible, Mortal ones.

The genesis story in the Vedas alludes to the “birth” of the Devas, following a need to have a “God” with form, as opposed to an invisible formless & distant God.

Fashioned along the lines of the ancient Kav-ya ( philosopher-king), Dae-vas were originally mortal & were called “Mashya” (mortal) in the Gathas, Avesta & the Vedas. 

The Devas included Indra (mainly), Agni,Vishnu, Brahma, Surya,  and others

Thus Kings of the land, based on their material wealth & power appointed themselves God. We see this similarity in the Pharoes of Egypt.

Society ended up getting classified as Ahuras (those who follow Ahura) & Devas (those who follow Devas). For the Ahu/Asu-ras; the term Dae-vas (followers of Light) became Dev-as (unethical gamblers, prone to cheating), from “Dev” meaning dice players. For the Devas, the Ahu-ras (followers of the Wise Creator); became A-sura; meaning impure (un-truthful).

   
Although routinely derided as “cheats”; the Dev-as (from Dev= gamblers, dice rollers; & As= who are) are simply considered as people (of the same clan) who have chosen the unethical path & as such theological rivals  who could be reasoned –debated with.

 [ In Yasna 53.1 of the Gathas, Zarathushtra himself states that his message has been accepted by “all those who had opposed him”; including the Dev-as].

As such whereas the Devas were philosophical enemies, who were debated with; the clear & present danger was  identified as a grouping of pathologically evil deceivers called 

 "Druj" 

 

Nature of Evil:
This main enemy Druj; is also identified in the Vedas as Druh/Drugh/Dhroga , a word/term derived from the root “Dru” meaning one who deceives,  lacks conscience & whose creed is violence; in effect that ideology  which one should keep away from, just like a disease.
Reference to them occurs throughout the Gathas & Rigveda in the sense of “demonic deceiver”; those who are Deceptive, devious, pathologically evil minded, the ones who are devoid of conscience; who revel (celebrate) death & destruction.


Typical of the dual imagery in the Avesta, the Druj/Druh were both a physical enemy (tribe) as well as a term of reference indicating poverty of the soul.


As such this term "Druj/Druh" does not refer to a rival religious philosophy but a totalitarian political ideology (akin to say communism under Stalin or the hordes of cultural revolutionists under Mao) which controls its followers through indoctrination, supplemented by violence & terror. 


Recruiting deviously from the "frustrated" , their ideology appeals to people of poor mental capacity who prefer directions rather than thinking for themselves. The modus is to instill illogical expectations & channeling the resulting frustration from lack of success; to foment intolerance of anyone or anything that does not strictly conform or submit to their dictates. Hate is the motive force here, carefully nurtured & violently enforced through planned persecution. The Druj do not feel pity or remorse & has no compunction about carrying out violence on its own members. In fact it derives joy from the suffering of others.


The psychological fallout of this is that, over time, its followers loose their moral/ethical compass (Sr-oash; the divine inspirer & path lighter) & like Zombies are on a perpetual hunt for scapegoats to vent their frustrations on. They end up with a persecution complex where imaginary insults or attacks are used to validate their evil & violent acts.
By extension the Druj cannot be bargained or reasoned with ethically. 

Yasna 46.11

Blinded by egotistical Pride; fueled by frustration & hatred, made deaf to ethics, by teachings based on falsehood (without foundation in Truth or Reality);
the deceptive leaders of the countries & their ideological  proponents who forward their divisive theology;
desire, by compulsion, to yoke mankind to an unending cycle of evil deeds that destroy lives, & damage souls.
Having suffocated the voice of their inner selves & divorced from Love, Compassion & wise Reasoned Choices;
When they do stand at thy Bridge of Judgment, O wise Creator; they realize that they have condemned themselves to a Lifetime of living in a hell of their own Creation.

This uncompromising opposition to a totalitarian ideology requiring conformance & subservience should not be confused with debating the relative merits of competing religious philosophies.

From the Vandidad portion of the Kem-na Maz-da Prayer:

“ Apa-nasyat Dru-ksh, nasyat dru-ksh, dvarat dru-ksh vinasyat, apaakhedhre apa-nasyehe, maa merin-chainish gaethaao, astavaitish ashaahe.”

May the deceiver, the agent, the formentor of destruction, perish, freeing Truth seekers free from its deprivations?


Note that the term "naso" or rotten (like decaying flesh) is appended to Druj, clearly indicating that the Druj through its own actions extinguished the flame of conscience. The lack conscience (remorse) extrapolates into behavior like mindless zombies; carrying out the command of their controllers without question; spreading mayhem throughout humanity.


Advisory:

Ys31.18: 

Do not ever, lend your ears to the creed & canon of the deliberately evil (Dreghva) ones, lest disaster & death overtake your house, village, province, or country. Resist him with weapons wielded by the strength of the soul. 

Yasna 53.7:

Whenever the theology of the follower of Un-truth prevails,

Should you, for earthly gain, renounce this brotherhood -the path of Truth, Knowledge & Justice?

Then the grief of Loss & words of woe shall be your logical destination.

Yasna 53.6: 

Even in our daily existence, Truth holds well, as that ultimate Reality;

O Men & Women, the attractive lures of following the path of Untruth, which  you consider monetarily advantageous,

Drags you away from the virtuous & towards those bearing woe, who despise the truth, who lack inner Light ,

You end up with a deformed & destructive world view; perverting your own spiritual progress

Methodology of the evil minded

Ys32.10: 

Such persons assuredly distorts the scriptures (the philosophy of truth)

When they denounce as most sinful,

Seeing the Earth & Sun (acknowledging REALITY ) with our independent eyes,

Manipulating & Coercing even pious minds towards the mirage of Untruth,

Poisoning our spiritual nourishment,

By hurling weapons of destruction (violence) on the righteous.

Ys53.9:

With evil believers, hatred leads to the condemnation of the Good & the Pure,

They are slaves of desire*, despisers of truth, they fight with bitterness those who are righteous,

Who is the righteous lord; who shall confront them with soul force & freedom.

That strength & reward, O Mazda, is the Kshthra (Power) that you bestow on the righteousness.

 * The word Kah-maa, in the Avesta &; Gathas, meaning “gross desire, illogical, irresponsible expectations of entitlement” is critical to understanding a degraded & deformed human mentality.

As it is frustrated desires that are the root cause of negative, destructive emotions (Aesh-maa : EGO, Malice, Anger, Vindictiveness, Envy, Greed & Sloth); characteristics that catalyze a downward spiral of human development. 

 Ys51.10:

That man indeed who seeks to corrupt, away from the law of Mazda (Rule of Life, based on Wisdom),

Himself is the offspring of Untruth, & of those of poor understanding capacity (easily manipulated)

For my own people, I will invoke A-sha (Truth) to enlighten us, to carry out acts of righteousness, while firmly grounded in Reality.

Ys49.11:

But amongst evil rulers, evil doers & evil speakers,

Amongst evil egos, evil thinkers & followers of untruth,

Souls do come back, by reason of their dim insight

Truly, they are dwellers in a world of their own fantasy (the abode of untruth).

Historically this Druj or Drujic behaviour is personified by Vrita.

Vrita  has been personified as a demon (a dragon-snake) with three mouths and three heads. A demonic chameleon, who deviously hides his true evil self & strikes his victims surreptitiously. Vrita was said to have blocked the rays of sunlight (knowledge) & the flow of rivers (prosperity) into the Aryan lands. The story of the battle between Sage Thraétona and the snake Vrita (later Azi Dahaka) is very ancient and aside from our Behram (Vah-ram) Yasht is also mentioned in great detail in the Vedas His epithet Vr-tra-han, (Verethre-ghna in the Avesta) meaning slayer of Vrita, is found in every single Mandala of the Rig Veda

Asha Vahishta, the second immortal manifestation of Ahura Mazda, is dedicated to defeating the Druj/Droha, (the great Lie, Deceiver) who is represented by Vrita/Azi_Dhahaka, the 3 headed snake who camouflages his true evil intent to deceive & destroy mankind.

In the Yatha Ahu Vai-ryo prayer itself we see this term as

Dru-gu-byo : driving the druj/droha/dregs (demonic deceivers) away.

In this verse it refers to Drigu as the resultant  poverty (perversity) of an un-enlightened soul, whose negative behavioral -attitudinal characteristics need to  be removed through enlightened (truth & light) future choices.

This idea of “removal of the poverty (perversity) of the soul” is further elaborated  in:

Ys28.6:  (Dasturji Minocher-Homji[

 Grant, Peace, Bliss & Joy, with inner strength,

-to overcome malice & hatred, the filthy slime of the soul, harbored  by those gone astray.

Ys46.7: Kem-na Mazda: (Inspired by Dasturji Minocher-Homji):

Kem-naa Maaz-daa, Ma-vai-te paa-yoom da-dat

Hyat maa Dreg-vaao* di-darsha-taa ae-nang-hee

An-yem thwah-mat aathras-chaa , mananghas-chaa

Ya-yaao shyaoth-naish ashem thraosh-taa, Ahoo-raa

Taam moi daas-tvaam, Daena-yaai fraa-vaao-chaa

 What Divine Presence, within, O Great, Wise Ruler (Mazda), 
Would grant soul protection, To one gone astray, like me,
When temptation, threatens my fall, To do injury to my soul,
What power, except thy guiding light within & the will power & initiative, to do what’s right. 
Whose joint action,** promotes  life that is Righteous, Just & Fair, O divine Creator (Ahura).
Reveal, to me, clearly, this productive pathway to wisdom, for the awakening of the dormant powers of my soul.

** Good productive plans (Thoughts), leading to Good productive discussions (Words) & Resulting in Good Actions (Deeds) that have positive results for all.

Methodology of Overcoming evil:

Ys44.16:(Sequence 4 + 7)

Tat, Thwaa Perey-saa Eresh Moee Vao-chaa Ahura

 Ke-vere-threm jaa,  thwaa  poi Senghaa yoee hentee

Chithraa moi daam ahum-bish, ratoom chizdi

At hoi vo-hoo sraa-osho jantu manang-haa

Mazda ah-mai, yaah-mai vashi kah-maai chit.

This, do I inquire for doubtless comprehension, enlighten me O Creator of all

What Powerful, (Vere-threm) force, would overcome & offer protection from this snake (Vrita, representing the forces of darkness & subterfuge,) whose coils have formed a barrier, blocking out Light (knowledge) & Waters (prosperity) from the fraternity of those of us aligned to the Truth.

Only the all pervasive (Vish) concentrated Light of knowledge & Wisdom, revealed with the help of thy divinity ,

Thy beloved, divinely inspired savior, guide of mankind, one who infuses in us a sense of Direction when tossed about in doubt.

That is our fervent desire, O Great Wise Ruler

Tat: This/ that

Thwaa: Thou

Perey-saa: inquire

Eresh: correctly

Moee: me

Vao-chaa: of comprehension (chaa = of)

Ahura: Creator (self Created)

Kay: who

Vere-threm: Conquerors/Overcomers of Vrita

Jaa: colleagues (in the fight against Vrita)

thwaa : (through) Thy

poi: protecting

Sen-gha: society, fraternity

Yoee: that

Hentee: exist (are)

Chithraa : Clearly, with clarity (chit = light; traa = concentrated)

 moi : Me

daam: wise

ahum-bish: soul healing

ratoom: teacher, lord

chizdi: reveal

At : that

hoi : unto him

vo-hoo: divine, beloved

sraa-osho : saviour Divine Revealation/Inspiration, the raiser of Conscious through intelligent inquiry. The divinely inspired guide of mankind , one who infuses in us a sense of Direction when tossed about in doubt.

 jantu: Mankind

manang-haa: mentality(capable of deduction)

Mazda : Great wise Dispenser/Ruler

ah-mai, onto us

yaah-mai whomsoever

Vashi: blessed state

kah-maai: desired

chit: pure.

Yasna 46.8: A prayer for overcoming life’s Chalenges (Agni pariskshas):

Yey  Va  Moee  yaao  Gae-thaa-o  dajde  a-ae-n-ghe

Whoever, with malicious orientation, plans evil actions, to harm me in this world

Noit  aah-yaa  maa  aathr-ish shyothanaish  fro-syaat

Let not the bellowing  flame of  their wrathful actions, affect me.

Paityo-get   taa   aah-mai  jaso-it  Dvae-shangha

Let it, instead ,  invigorate me & recoil on this coven of the malicious, the hateful. 

Tanvem  aa yaa  im  Hu-jyotish  paayat 

Always heeding the Call for Protection from  the enlightened faithful

Noit  du-jyotish  kachit  Mazda dvae-shangha

But, Never affording protection or perception of enlightened thinking to the antagonistic evil grouping.

Word Break-up:

Yey (whoever)

 Va (carry)

 Moee (me)

 yaao (that)

 Gae-thaa-o (universe that flows/living world)

 dajde (oriented)

 a-ae-n-ghe (malicious intent)

Noit (not)

aah-yaa (their)

 maa (bellow)

aathr-ish (flame-- of wrath)

shyothanaish (actions)

fro-syaat (touch/affect, burn)

Paityo-get (invigorate, instead)

 taa (it)

aah-mai (us/them)

 jaso-it (recoil/exhaust)

 Dvae-shangha (coven of the hateful un-enlightened)

Tanvem (my body/myself)

 aa(far)

 yaa (which)

 im (this)

 Hu-jyotish (Hu= call, Jyotish=enlightened, pure soul)

paayat (protect)

Noit (not/never)

 du-jyotish (dark, deceitful soul)

 kachit (in a Perceptive way)

 Mazda (enlightened judgment)

 dvae-shangha (evil grouping)

Ys68.15: Hazangrem: By Dasturji Minocher-Homji

(to be recited 3 times)

Hazangrem Bae-shazanam, Beavare baesha-zanam (3 times)

All my Blessings for that Worthy & Truthful person between this earth & heaven.

The Blessings of one thousand, nay ten thousand Healings of the Soul.

Nirang for Healing of the Soul:

Fradathai Ahurahe Mazdao        

            Renovate my disposition (attitude) O wise Almighty Creator,

Rae-vato khvare-nanghuhato      

            Shine thy Light,  as huge as a mountain, Stimulate my senses with Thy luster

Fradathai Ameshanam Spentanam,          

fradathai tishtryehe  staro raevato khvare-nanghuhato 

Grant Steady growth through alliance with Thy Divine Immortal attributes, expanding my perceptive powers O Tishtriya (Sirius-the Sun of insight) , thou splendorous mountain of insightful Light (knowledge) 

fradathai nar-sh ashaono 

                  Renovate the spiritual growth of the mortal aligned to Ethics & Reality.

fradathai vi-spanam                             

Spentahe Mainyeush damanam ashaonam        

Imbibing focused ethical discrimination into All pure souls who reside in a home whose foundation is Truth-Justice & Knowledge (Asha). 

Vispa Humata:

All good thoughts, constructive words & selfless deeds, grounded in morality and ethics, make us grow spiritually, & lead us all to prosperity & on to that heavenly  state of Perfection (Self Realization-Ha-urva-tat).

All evil thoughts ,  negative words &  selfish deeds are expressions of my folly, done through lack of intelligence & lead to self destruction (plight).