Ilm-e-Khshnoom - Traditional Zoroastrianism: Tenets of the Religion
Ilm-e-Khshnoom - Traditional Zoroastrianism: Tenets of the Religion
Ilm-e-Khshnoom - Traditional Zoroastrianism: Tenets of the Religion
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What is <strong>Ilm</strong>-e-khshnoom and why?<br />
BARJO LAHER GIVES AN AMAZING,<br />
LIST OF BAHERAMSHAHJI'S KNOWLEDGE<br />
IN VARIED ESOTERIC FIELDS.<br />
This series had its start in <strong>the</strong> year 1999. It is in answer to a number <strong>of</strong> questions which are asked about<br />
llm-e-<strong>Khshnoom</strong>, like:<br />
1. What is it? Some new line or school <strong>of</strong> thought?<br />
2. Is <strong>the</strong>re any au<strong>the</strong>nticity to <strong>the</strong> life story <strong>of</strong> Baheramshah Shr<strong>of</strong>f, who brought <strong>Khshnoom</strong> before <strong>the</strong><br />
Community? Is <strong>the</strong>re any evidence to prove beyond doubt that he did stay in an unknown, secret, and<br />
unobservable abode <strong>of</strong> Zarthoshti Ashavans?<br />
3. It is claimed that <strong>Khshnoom</strong> is <strong>the</strong> master key and <strong>the</strong> only key to understand <strong>the</strong> teachings and traditions<br />
<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Zarthoshti Din. How far is <strong>the</strong> claim correct?<br />
4. There seems to be too much <strong>of</strong> mysteries in <strong>Khshnoom</strong>. Have <strong>the</strong>y any scriptural support?<br />
5. Have <strong>the</strong> teachings <strong>of</strong> <strong>Khshnoom</strong> any support, near or remote, from modern science and thought?<br />
6. Baheramshah Shr<strong>of</strong>f died in 1927. Who carried on <strong>the</strong> banner <strong>of</strong> IIm-e-<strong>Khshnoom</strong>?<br />
The first step in an honest and objective search for <strong>the</strong> answers to <strong>the</strong>se questions is to examine <strong>the</strong><br />
testimonies <strong>of</strong> those contemporaries <strong>of</strong> Baheramshahji who had come in direct contact with him. Most<br />
fortunately we have Baheramshah Shr<strong>of</strong>f Memorial Volume published just three years after his death, which<br />
contains such testimonies <strong>of</strong> about 36 witnesses. We have read some <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m.<br />
We have seen that <strong>the</strong>y can be divided into several classes:<br />
1. Those who were responsible for bringing out Baheramshahji from his deliberate and self imposed silence <strong>of</strong><br />
25 long years. We have so far read only one such witness, Manchershah Palonji Kekobad. There are several<br />
o<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
2. Those oriental scholars like Khurshedji Cama and Khodabux Poonegar, who were amazed at <strong>the</strong><br />
knowledge <strong>of</strong> Avesta, Pahalvi, Pazend and Persian scriptures and writings.<br />
3. Legal luminaries like Khurshedji Suntoke, a most eminent Advocate who practised mainly in <strong>the</strong> Bombay<br />
Small Causes Court and Jehangirji Vimadalal Solicitor, an eminent orthodox personality <strong>of</strong> his time, both <strong>of</strong><br />
whom were intensely enamored by Baheramshahji's knowledge <strong>of</strong> Zarthoshti Din, our sacred Avesta<br />
scriptures and <strong>the</strong> spiritual Institutions practiced by <strong>the</strong> Parsis since thousands <strong>of</strong> years.<br />
4. Erudite intellectuals like Jamshed Mehta and Dr. Hormazshah Vania <strong>of</strong> Karachi; Pirojshah Rustomji Mehta<br />
and Nanabhai Mama <strong>of</strong> Bombay; and Ardesher Billimoria <strong>of</strong> Navasari. (We have not met <strong>the</strong>m in this series.)<br />
5. Sincerely faithful and tarikat-baaz Mobeds like Ervad Saheb Baheramji Unwalla and Dastoorji Manekji<br />
Bha<strong>the</strong>na, who were astounded at Baheramshahji's knowledge and guidance on Kriya Kaam.<br />
6. Personal disciples like Hakim Sola Doctor, Cawas Sarkari and Barjo Laher, who were not public figures,<br />
but had a stream <strong>of</strong> tears to shed on <strong>the</strong> death <strong>of</strong> Baheramshahji.<br />
7. Those disciples who ga<strong>the</strong>red around him to propagate Khoshnoom, like Masani bro<strong>the</strong>rs and Chiniwalla<br />
bro<strong>the</strong>rs.<br />
In <strong>the</strong> last installment <strong>of</strong> this series (Feb-March 2000) we were on <strong>the</strong> testimony <strong>of</strong> Barjo Laher, a close<br />
personal disciple <strong>of</strong> Baheramshahji. He has testified that he had on his own gone to Baheramshahji to<br />
investigate his claim and was thoroughly flabbergasted at <strong>the</strong> tremendous amount <strong>of</strong> occult and mystical<br />
knowledge stored in Baheramshahji, not only on Zarthoshti Din but o<strong>the</strong>r Dins too. He asks: how can this<br />
treasure be infused in an uneducated Gujarati IV Std. boy who was found to be heavily stammering and<br />
useless in his intelligence? He was found scintillating with most enlightened spiritual knowledge. How could<br />
he grasp and absorb and so ably convey such knowledge, unless it was inducted in him by highly spiritual<br />
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