RIDICULE BY K.N. DASTOOR
Ervad K.N. Dastoor, now
a leading Ilm-e Khshnum teacher, is an old critic and ridiculer of mine in his
esoteric style. Parsiana, Jam-e
Jamshed,Deenparast and other Bombay Parsi papers are a witness since 1992.
He has used the same style of refuting and ridiculing with words of
<<humbug, nonsense, not genuine, scholastic theatricals, … ignorance,
immature and childish> and beating about the bush of <<Saoshyants,
Prophets, Avatars, Ashavan, Saints, Rishis, Fakirs, Sufis, …Yezdezard ,
Vilayat Khan, Newtonina-Darwinian Godlessness>> in his two plus pages.
Then he throws his trump card!
<<There is ample
evidence in the writings of Jafarey which clearly indicates that he is twisting
and torturing the meanings of Avesta words to support his pet doctrines. A
hundred examples can be given for this. Due to lack of space, I give only one.
The words "Daenai" in "Kemna Mazda" prayer (last line of
Gatha Ha 46-7} is translated not, as the word clearly indicates, "for the
Daena", i.e. Din, but as "this doctrine." (Spenta 1993-94). He
means the Jafarey doctrine and not Asho Zarathushtra's Daena. His explanation of
the passage says that Fire is warm and mind is cool. (Athraschâ Mananhaschâ").
It is really hot and cold at the same time.>>
Here is what I gave:
KĘM-NÂ MAZDÂ
Kęm-nâ
Mazdâ mavaitę pâyűm dadâo
hyat mâ dregvâo dîdareshatâ aenanghę
anyęm thwahmât âthras-châ mananghas-châ
yayâo shyaothanâish ashem thraoshtâ Ahurâ
tâm moi dâństvâm daenyâi fravaochâ.
Who
will, O Wise One, give me protection,
when the wrongful threatens to offend me,
other than Your Fire and Mind?
It is through the working of these two
that, O God, righteousness thrives.
Do enlighten my inner-self with this doctrine.
(Gathas:
Song 11.7)
When a person is faced with a any adversity, he or she, often in desperation, turns to God or a favorite divinity for help. This is quite natural. But a desperate move makes one lose one's balance of mind and allow the adversity to have its own way.
Asho
Zarathushtra gives a mâńthra, a
thought-provoking advice: Turn to God but remember that God has already granted
us two acquisitions--Divine Fire which gives light, warmth, and strength to our
spirit, and Good Mind which makes us think clearly. One lights the way and the other leads us to safety.
The two make us feel cool, calm, conscious, considerate, and confident.
The Mâńthran gives a further
lasting touch to his advice: One
should not turn to Fire and Faculty only at difficult times but at all times.
Let us understand this point--rather a doctrine--that it is these two
favors, two enlightenments, that help us in performing good acts that serve God
and the creation.
Kem-na Mazda
teaches us to believe in God, have faith, keep cool, stay warm, think bright,
feel light, and steer clear. "God helps those who help themselves."
In
addition to his twist to ridicule << Fire is warm and mind is cool. (Athraschâ
Mananhaschâ"). It is
really hot and cold at the same time.>>, he shows his knowledge of Avesta! My translation reads: Do
enlighten my inner-self with this doctrine." I have rendered "Daęnâ"
as "inner-self" and not "doctrine." The footnote to my The
Gathas, Our Guide, Ushta Publications, Cypress, 1989 explains: "Daęnâ, derived from di,
“to see, conceive, perceive,” is a person’s inner- perception, the
conscience. It also stands for one’s chosen religion. Zarathushtra named the
religion he founded as Daęnâ Vanguhi, the Good Conscience."
"Daęnâ
Vanguhi: meaning “the Good
Conscience,” is the name given to the religion Asho Zarathushthra founded. It
is the inner-perception of a wise, discerning person which should guide him well
on the path of righteousness. And since a true perception must be universal in
validity, Daęnâ, particularly in
plural, means “religion.” The
compound term has been rendered as the religion of “Good Conscience,” or
simply the “Good Religion.” I have followed the late Dr. Irach J.S.
Taraporewala who renders it "inner-self" in his translation of the
Gathas (see pages 594 and 596).
<<(Athraschâ
Mananhaschâ")>> given by Ervad Dastoor simply means "Fire and
Mind" in the Avesta.
It
is "dâństvâm," literally
"Teachings" that I have rendered as "doctrine."
If
this is one of <<A hundred examples>> he can pull out of his hat,
then one can well imagine what he would do about the rest. It reminds me of a
Persian proverb: Badîn aghl-o dânesh bebâyast gerîst -- One should shed
tears over such wisdom and knowledge!"
He
has more to say: <<Look at the audacity of authentically prescribing
"the bonny boy" Zoroaster's exact birth year -- 3761 years ago (as in
1993). (Reads like a Times of India birth column). This, when the scholars have
found the subject extremely perplexing! Duperon gives …. 589-512 BC;
….Boyce: 1700 to 1500 BC ….! And here is a wise man who is so sure!>>
Again
one should shed tears over his knowledge and depth of information. The Iranian
Zoroastrians, in Iran and abroad, have formally recognized the
"Zarathushtrian Religious Era" in their Fasli Calendar. It is based on
archeological, philological and astronomical evidences. This year is 3738 and
the birth date of Zarathushtra falling on Khordad Ruz (6th Farvardin)
counts 3768 years ago.
Ervad
Dastoor is quite right to tell his admirers and followers <<ATTENTION!
CLOSE YOUR EYES>> when he begins his "Protest" letter of
<<February 01, 2000>>! He and his likes are always for mute and
blind following.
P.S. Ervad Dastoor's cordial attitude at the FEZANA Special Event was exceptional.
* * * * * *
LINKS:
TO Return to the Relevant Original
Allegation, CLICK
Ervad K.N. Dastoor
TABLE OF CONTENTS and Their Links
Introduction & the Gist of "The Plain Reality Behind The Intricate Falsity"
Analysis of the 26-page "Global Protest"