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Amona
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human endeavours. Those who are cruel to dumb and Among the most active and successful community innocent animals in this world would not only displease lobbyists for animal rights, is Poona-based Diana Vohu Mana', but they would also be debarred from his Ratnagar and her 'Beauty Without Cruelty', an realm of heaven. It indicates that killing animals and international educational charitable trust for animal cruelty towards them are considered grievous sins. rights. Only kindness towards animals would strengthen the forces of 'Vohu Mana'. Otherwise anger, hatred and This most ancient faith once illumined the transevil thought-forces would rule the world.
Himalayan world, influenced the thought and philosophy In the Parsi calendar, the month of Bahman (the of the ancient Greeks and Romans, influenced also 11th month) has great significance with respect to Judaism and through it Christianity, and through vegetarianism. The people in the community are Christianity, Islam, and left its impress on the spiritual supposed to abstain from non-vegetarian diet during and intellectual progress and civilization of the human this month, as also on four particular days every month. race. This abstinence is supposed to bring merit and The prophet kept his teachings unrestricted as to propitiate 'Vohu Mana' or 'Bahman' and is proof in itself
time and space, and his faith has "universal respect that what they otherwise do is something not proper. for all that is good, true and beautiful throughout the Modern science now emphatically accepts that the
world". natural diet for mankind is vegetarian. With a
True religion cannot be divorced from life. It is not vegetarian diet, man's health is well-maintained and
a robe or garb to be put on and then discarded at one's with temperance in eating, he can lead a long life.
convenience. It has to be woven into our daily Dr. J. H. Kellogg, M.D. and scholar says, “To believe
behaviour, and is not to be separated or shelved. True that a man who despite eating non-vegetarian food can
behaviour is the essence of religion. Religion does not be considered righteous is to consider a man covered
act against our happiness. Real bliss is the reward of with layers of mud as clean."
Religion. Truly religious people are humble, Welfare of animals, mercy, love, protection and
unassuming and shun popular applause. The true nurturing of animals are imported from the fundamental
function of a religion is to enable us to return to our Zoroastrian scriptures in the 'Gâthâs'. As Tolstoy had
"home", to have "at-one-ment" or reunion after said, "...the change to vegetarianism is the first natural
regaining our true stature as Divine Beings. consequence of enlightenment."
The great Rabindranath Tagore admired Cyrus the Great, the great Zoroastrian ruler of Iran,
Zarathushtra and his teachings, after studying his was himself a vegetarian from childhood. Moreover,
teachings in the 'Gâthâs'. He wrote, “Zarathushtra was in his disciplined army, brave Zoroastrian soldiers were
the first prophet who emancipated religion from the raised on a vegetarian diet since childhood. Writers
exclusive narrowness of the tribal God, the God of a such as the Greek philosophers, Pliny and Plutarch,
chosen people and offered it to the Universal Man. This have written that the diet of the Magi (Mobeds or priests)
is a great fact in the history of religion." of Iran, was vegetarian.
Reference: A] Books: i) Message of Zarathushtra Around 1832, the East India Company
A Manual of Zorastrianism - The Religion of the promulgated a law in India, to destroy stray dogs.
Parsis by Dastur Khurshed S. Dabu, M.A., F.T.S. Several Parsi 'sethias', along with leaders of other
ii) The Parsis by Piloo Nanavutty communities, started 'Panjrapoles' for sheltering dogs,
B] Articles : who are regarded as righteous by Zoroastrians and
i) The Significance of Bahman Ameshaspand hold an important position in Parsi religious and social life. Of the 15 trustees, five were Parsis.
in the Zoroastrian Religion by Er. Burjorji Antia In 1874, Bai Sakarbai Dinshaw Petit Hospital for
ii) Animal Rights and Wrongs 'Parsiana' Animals was established in Parel, Bombay, for
Editorial Viewpoint 21st March, 2019
QO0 disabled, discarded, wounded animals, by the famous Parsi family of Petits.
Contact: nmgyara@yahoo.co.uk - 2096
પ્રબુદ્ધ જીવળ :અહિંસા વિશેષાંક
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