The Rose Beyond the Wall - Traditional Zoroastrianism: Tenets of ...

Disciplines to recite Avesta Mathravani
1. One can pray aloud but that does not mean one should pray loudly in an Agiary or
an Atash Behram and disturb others in their prayers. Your voice should be audible
enough to reach your ears. Our voice falling on our ears has a miraculous effect on
us and by reciting it aloud we can focus our attention on our prayers and prevent
other thoughts from arising in the mind.
2. Recite prayers in a sweet tone with proper intonation.
3. Pray with the correct pronunciation as far as possible as that would produce the
desired effect.
4. Do not stand with your back to the Padshah Saheb. Do not pray ‘diva no namaskar’
which we recite at night before the Padshah. Recite it only before Atash Dadgah. As
far as possible, do not recite ‘char-disha-no-namaskar’ before the kebla as showing
your back to the kebla, tantamounts to irreverence of the Padhshah.
5. More benefits can be obtained by approaching the Atash Padshah in a white dress
because white is the symbol of purity.
6. While reciting the prayers at home, keep water in a small glass. A devotee who prays
gazing at the water has better effect of the prayers and obtains benefits.
7. While praying it is essential to wear leather chappals. Sandals should not be of
rubber. After performing ‘kusti’ and before reciting mathravani or Avesta prayers,
do not converse with anyone as that would amount to breaking the ‘kusti’. Prayer
with devotion, true feeling and with concentration, gives benefit. While wearing the
sudreh be careful, lest you wear the sudreh inside out.
8. Ervad Aibara Saheb used to say that our place of prayer should be clean and made
sacred. It would be more beneficial to pray standing or sitting on the floor. If seated
on a chair, both your feet should touch the ground. Chappals or shoes should be
worn. Feet should not be bare. Do not cross your legs whilst praying. If seated on the
floor while praying, sit crossed legged as the mobeds do. Do not sit in any other
position or else the prayer would be void. While praying, keep both palms joined.
But when we wish, keep both palms open, joined at one edge, gaze at the lines of the
palm and wish.
9. Every Parsi Zarthosti should pray in a selfless manner according to God’s laws of
righteousness. “I recite this prayer in reverence of God and all angels.” Where there
is a place of prayer in your home, spread a small ground sheet over which place a
white bedsheet. Standing over this and praying would give more benefit.
10. Start Avesta prayers after performing ‘kusti’ with 101 names, Sarosh Baj, prayer of
whichever gah prevails. Before reciting 101 names, pray Kshnaothra Ahure Mazda,
one Ashem Vohu. Thereafter, begin with the first name: ‘Ya Yazad’ and light a divo
or agarbatti, while pronouncing this word. Once the 101 names are over, it is