Perceptions

In Yasna 34:4, Zarathushtra says, 'Thine Inner Fire Ahura, to see 'We yearn, - He blazes mightily through truth; 'He has thy strength, our hope and Goal is He, 'He lights the faithful clearly through life; 'But O Mazda, in the hearts of the unfaithful; 'He sees the evil at aglance.' The physical fire is merely an out- ward symbol of this Inner fire. God is formless in Essence, and so is fire. When a Zarathushti worships fire, he is worshipping this Inner Fire contained within the symbolic outer physical fire. In Zoroastrian temples sacred fire is kept constantly burning. The highest of these is the Atash-Behfam, where the fire is tended by an ordained priest, who has undergone certain disciplines and has at- tained such competence in his work, as to be able to perform all the higher religious cere- monies. He alone can enter the inner sanc- tum sanctorum in which the fire is installed. The sources from which the fire is col- lected, range in variety from fire produced by lightning, fire from a cremation pyre, fire from a priest's hearth, to other fires obtained from ovens and furnaces. The holiest Shrine of the Fire of Iran, is situated at Udvada, about 100 miles from Bombay. It was established in A.D. 721 and has been blazing ever since. At that time Dastur Nariosang Dhaval, invoked and created lightning for the consecration of the fire. The external physical fire in the temple is fed with sandalwood. The vegetable king- dom is considered a fit offering for the Con- secrated Fire. Similarly the body is the temple of the sitting friend, and it should also be fed with pure sathwic food, and not animal matter. If it is imperative that the Consecrated Fire is to be fed with sathwic offerings, then it stands to reason that it is equally important for the body to consume only pure sathwic food. Animal food is tinged with rajps, and it arouses passionate rajasic qualities in the mind, which are not very conducive to spiritual progress or ac- quiring peace. The sacred fire is to be utilised for puri- fying the body, mind and soul, through vari- ous rituals and practices, so that the Son of God, ATAR, may be installed on His throne, the pure heart.

(Eruch B. Fanibunda) "Vision of the Divine "