Ilm-e-Khshnoom - Traditional Zoroastrianism: Tenets of the Religion

WHAT IS ILM-E-KHSHNOOM AND WHY?
The Inspirational Experiences of Manchershah Kekobad -
One of the First Disciples of Baheramshah Shroff
by N. Khurshedji
The words of Manchershah Kekobad, quoted in the last issue of Parsi Pukar, had several remarkable
features. Firstly, he pointed out that due to the lack of knowledge of our own Religion, the Parsi youth were
becoming Christians. Why this lack of knowledge, we may ask. The answer is obvious: the Western studies
were and are far away from any spiritual, mystical and devotional aspects of our Din. They are confined to dry
philological and quasi-historical guess works, a barren desert without the slightest sprinkle of Ushta. In
Manchershah's times, the Parsi youth turned to Christianity; today they are becoming thoroughly lethargic, if
not atheists.
My readers will be surprised to know that this very Manchershah had once decided to become Christian,
along with his simple minded wife, who had, on the appointed day of conversion, cooked "Sagan nu-Dhan-
Dar"! However Manchershah had changed his mind a day before, and they did eat Dhan-Dar, not as
Christians but Parsis. The reason for this, again, flow from the mystical. He had an extraordinary personal
experience. He was informed from a mystical source that he must wait for his spiritual master, who would be
a Parsi.
In his, words quoted in the last Issue, he states that he had an inner feeling that the Bazam initiated by
him for the religious education to the Parsi youth, had some guiding hand on it. How he got this intuition, he
was unable to say; but his words indicate that it was not a mere feeling but a message from some unknown
divine forces or 'Saheb's, some holy Abed's or Saints.
When Baheramshah Shroff entered the Bazam and talked on Atesh, Manchershah wondered whether
this was the Parsi master he was told about. His article impliedly, but surely, reflects his conviction that
Baheramshah was in fact that predicted master.
Another remarkable feature of Manchershah's words is that Baheramshah attended the Bazam for three
years, and all along Manchershah had a feeling that Baheramshah must be taken to Mumbai, and that after a
time, circumstances cropped up which opened the way for Baheramshah to be taken to Mumbai. This was
again due to the help from the unknown mystical Abeds, says Manchershah. Here he does not make a guess;
he makes a positive statement: "Again, the help of the holy unknown Abeds (Gebi Sahebo) arrived."
How is it that such erudite teacher and grammarian of the English language having authored a book on
English grammar, and an intellectual savant, is talking about unknown, holy, mystical ("gebi") Sahebs ? A
striking personality, was this Manchershah Pallonji Kekobad. Even his day to day spoken English often
sounded like gems from literature flowing from a sonorous voice. Such a "rational" man talking about mystical
personalities!! But there is no teacher better than one's own personal experience. It is not rational to discard
one's own experience in the name of rationality. And an intellect, which does not understand its own obvious
limitations and does not thereby lead itself to Faith is irrational; there is something wrong, something
fallacious, in its thinking and reasoning; it is not in search of truth; it is entangled in its own ego. But not this
searching Parsi, Manchershah Kekobad. The mystical help had arrived, he declared. He himself refers to the
'rationality' of his pointers towards the "gebi Sahebs." Let us continue his quotation from where we left it in the
last issue.
"Mr. Kekhashru Barojorji Choksey, a well known citizen of Mumbai and now a zealous student of IIm-e-
Khshnoom came to Surat one of those days, and told me about a scheme devised by him. The scheme
was that a class be opened in Mumbai, wherein young and enthusiastic Athornans (practicing priests)
might be given education in English, Persian etc. and imparted good knowledge of our Religion, so that
the Parsi priests, as a class, might come out of its den of ignorance. He was prepared to provide
scholarships to them. But the big question was what kind of religious education should be
imparted? Mr. Choksey felt that the knowledge imparted by the modern method, through the
rationalistic lines, was extremely dry and lifeless. Those who were of the old orthodox views were
thoroughly useless, being absolutely stagnant. He told me about this difficulty and asked “'Can you find
me some religious teacher who can impart the genuine knowledge as I would like to be taught to the
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