Jamsheed Kanga’s enlightening article "The duty of every Zoroastrian” (Parsiana, March 21, 2006) has very aptly quoted from the enlightened scholars of the 19th century. For the benefit of your readers, I wish to submit the following extracts (supporting Kanga’s stand) from the ancient days till about the 18th century.
The first two are from Zoroastrian Theology by Dr Maneckji N. Dhalla, the late High Priest of the Parsis of Northwestern India (pg 74 and 75).
Both the extracts belong to the Avestan period i.e. around 800 BC:
"These Zoroastrian missionaries traveled to distant lands for the purpose of promulgating the religion, and their homeward return from their sacred missions is celebrated by the faithful (ys. 42.6).”
"The Fravardin Yasht commemorates the Fravashi of Saena, an illustrious convert to Zoroastrianism. We learn from the Pahlavi works that this apostle of the faith left behind him 100 disciples who preached the Mazdayasnian faith in the land of Seistan. Armenia came under the Zoroastrian influence at a very early date, and a corrupt form of Zoroastrianism prevailed in the country for several centuries. Cappadocia, Lydia and Lycia was the scene of active Zoroastrian propaganda…
"The proselytizing work on the part of Zoroastrian ministers of the faith was carried on with a considerable amount of success.”
Let us see the extracts from the Pahlavi period, i.e. 3rd century to 9th century — (pg 198 of the same book):
"Zarathushtra first preached his new religion to the people of Iran where he was born; but Ormazd has commanded that the excellent religion should be spread among all races of mankind throughout the world (Dinkard, vol 10, bk 5.14, pg 12).”
"It is said that that the act of highest merit that a non-believer can perform in his life is to renounce his religion and embrace the Mazdayasnian faith (Sacred Books of the East, vol 18, appendix, pg 415).”
"The great Sasanian monarch, Shapoor II, zealously worked for the restoration and promulgation of the faith among the un-believers with the aid of his illustrious Dastur Adarbad (Dinkard, vol 9, pg 579).”
"The Dinkard sanctions even the use of force for the conversion of the aliens (Sacred Books of the East, vol 37, bk 8.26, pp 88, 89).”
"A Pahlavi treatise devoted mostly to the Zoroastrian rituals attests the practice of admitting outsiders into the Zoroastrian fold (Nirangistan ed. Sanjana folio 16a,17a).”
"Another Pahlavi tractate treating of the social and legal practices of the Sasanians lays down that if a Christian slave embraces the faith of his Zoroastrian master, he should be given freedom.”
Coming closer, we have the Rivayats or the codes of usages and rituals in Persian, compiled between 1478 to 1766 AD. These are in question and answer form and provide a wealth of information on liturgical and social matters. Let us see what they have to say:
"237. On peaceful and forcible conversion
Kaus Mahyar:
Q: Can a grave-digger, a corpse-burner and a darvand (one of foreign faith) become behdins (i.e. be converted to the Mazdayasnian religion)?
A: If they observe the rules of the religion steadfastly and (keep) connection with the religion, and if no harm comes to the behdins (thereby), it is proper and allowable.
Nariman Hoshang:
If slave-boys and girls have faith in the good religion, then it is proper that kusti should be (given to them to be) tied, and when they become intelligent, attentive to religion and steadfast, they should give them barashnom and it is also proper and allowable to eat anything out of their hands.”
Thus your readers will find that as far as the religious scriptures are concerned, not only is there nothing ‘against’ conversion, but in fact there is a lot ‘for’ conversion!
KERSEE KABRAJI
Poona
I am a devout Zoroastrian living in Canada. In Jamsheed Kanga’s article on conversion ("The duty of every Zoroastrian,” Parsiana, March 21, 2006) I was astounded to read that eminent scholars like Dr K. R. Cama whom I respect highly, as well as eminent scholars and High Priests like Dasturs Jamaspi Jamas Asa and Peshotan Sanjana have very clearly and elaborately stated that conversion is not prohibited. Even a committee of experts had reached this conclusion way back in 1910 or so.
I am truly puzzled because like all devout Zoroastrians, I had accepted the dogma that conversion is forbidden and acted on this belief. Now I am in a quandary as many others must also be. After my daughter Dolly married a nice Jewish Canadian boy, despite my objections, I have almost broken off relations with her, and have opposed her navjote of my grandson as I believed it to be conversion, though she also practices our faith and prays regularly. I felt I had lost her. Though I love her, I love my religion more. Now my conscience is troubling me and I wonder if I have done the right thing. I know of many such cases in the West and I am sure there must be hundreds in India also. What should I do? Should I not encourage my grandson’s navjote and add to our dwindling community?
What really puzzles me is the total silence on the part of all those who have proclaimed that conversion is against the tenets of our religion. No rejoinder or denunciation has come in any Parsi paper, even the ultra orthodox ones like The Parsee Voice or the WAPIZ Page in an evening paper. I earnestly seek the guidance of our high priests as I feel it is their bounden duty to guide us in such matters. I would sincerely request them to answer the following queries:
How can the same scriptures state that conversion is enjoined, and also prohibit it? Who is saying the truth? Can our high priests set aside a doctrinal injunction because they do not like it? If what the earlier scholars and high priests said is untrue, are they prepared to challenge this and proclaim the truth with evidence from our scriptures? In my own case can I allow my grandson’s navjote and even encourage my son-in-law to be a Zoroastrian?
Many of my Parsi friends in North America face the same problem and would welcome your guidance. This matter is important to hundreds of devout persons who have put their faith in the high priests and have broken up their families because of this! The high priests owe a clarification to all, or I would respectfully submit, they have no right to be considered as high priests of our community! A joint statement signed by all the high priests who had issued the proclamation in 2004 would restore our faith.
I do not think the opinion of other persons like Khojeste Mistree is valid. Mistree contradicting Cama would be akin to a science teacher from a village school in Bihar challenging Einstein’s Theory of relativity! I would urge others also to write to our high priests and seek their clear opinion, otherwise their credibility will be at stake! I am a retired professor from a Canadian university and I believe that truth however unpalatable must be revealed!
RUSTOM PATEL
Canada