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

spiritual Path nearer and nearer to Ahuramazda.
* * * * *
I now wind up the testimonies of witnesses by citing an erudite scholar of our holy scriptures and Pahalvi
writings- Sohrab Jamshedji Bulsara. He was one of those scholars, who, though, thoroughly trained in the
western studies of our Din, was not carried away by their theories, speculations and wild guesses. He had a
number of original researches to his credit. "Matikan-e-Hazaar Ddadastaan" was a Pahalvi Book of laws
current in the empire days, which Sohrab Bulsara translated and showed to the Western scholars that Iran
had a legal code which was based on the moral dictates of the Zarthoshti Din. He had propounded the view
that the alphabetic systems of writing, which are current even today are derived from the Avesta script. (Mody
Memorial Volume, page 378-404).
Baheramshah Shroff Frashogard Memorial Volume carries on its pages 726-7 a short Gujerati letter
dated 6th May 1911 from Sohrab Bulsara to Phiroze Masani and Jamaspa Panthaki. Here is the English
translation:
"Gentlemen,
You desire to know, what is my view on the teachings imparted by Baheramshah Shroff, named as
Elm-e-Khshnoom, from whatever I have listened to; I take your leave to write my reply as under.
One particular matter about which I am convinced is this: I have no doubt whatsoever that his
teachings are structured on the deep foundation of the Holy Zarthoshti Din; and the deep meanings and
interpretations he presents on all matters of our Holy Din, nobody in my knowledge has given with such
depth, in the present time.
Further, all those matters of our Religion, which are considered to be not comprehensible or childish or
full of myths, are found to be easily comprehensible and full of deep meanings; and the meanings of certain
Avesta words, which he presents in a way different from the ordinary sense, are found to be more
appropriate".
Alas! many Parsi scholars of yester Years and today, including the shawl-wearing Dastoors, have failed
to see what Sohrab Bulsara could see in Baheramshahji and Ilm-e-Khshnoom!
* * * * *
N. Kharshedji
(Parsi Pukar January-February-March 2001 - Vol. 6; No. 3)
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