Prayer is one of the fundamental pillars of any religion. Muslims have various ways and supplications they recite at different times and places. Similarly, prayers are an essential part of Zoroastrian practice. Today, there are about one hundred thousand Zoroastrians living in and around Mumbai and other parts of India. In the morning, their prayers often begin with the words: “May Ahura Mazda be victorious, may Ahriman be destroyed.”
The Zoroastrian religion encompasses many specific prayers, each deserving its own detailed explanation. However, this article will briefly mention a few of these prayers.
Prayer of the mother of Life: The first prayer considered by Zoroastrians is the Prayer of the mother of Life. This prayer involves the use of soil. According to this belief, the foundation of all manifestations of life on this planet is fertile and agricultural soil. It is the earth that nourishes everything.
Prayer for the water of life: according to the Avesta, the prayer for the water of life is the same as the prayer for the mother of life; That is, in accordance with what comes from the Avesta poems about the prayer for the water of life, the various manifestations of water circulation in nature have been described, and such a flow exists on a smaller scale, in the form of its circulation in the structure of all living beings.
The prayer of the father of life: In the prayer of the father of life, the power of the sun is considered; As Zoroaster stated: “Just as soil and water play a constructive role in the root and foundation of all manifestations of life, a third force is also effective in this construction and that is the sun or solar energy, that is, the energy and force without which life in this planet will not be possible.
Praying for the breath of life: Praying for the breath of life means air, or to be more precise, in relation to “atmosphere”. From Zoroastrian’s point of view, “atmosphere” is responsible for all the vital values that create, maintain and guarantee life. Saadi from Avesta saying: “Where there is soul, there is life, where there is life, there is soul.” Breathing is the essence of life”, he says inspired: “Every breath that goes down is a continuation of life, and when it comes up, it brings joy to the soul”.
Prayer of the Fire of Life: One of the most important Avesta prayers is the prayer of life. This title in the Avesta language has exactly the same meaning as we understand from the compound word of life force. This prayer, which has faced various interpretations and inferences, has been interpreted as distorted from reality as many are of the opinion that Zoroastrians are fire worshipers, while this is not the case. Only one important reference is found in the Avesta. This is the expression that the followers of the religion should keep the “fire of life” burning with the purest elements every day. Whenever they want to start a flame, they should use dry and fragrant wood that burns without smoke.
Prayer of the brother of Tree: This prayer is one of the most interesting prayers of Avesta. According to Zoroaster, humans and trees are like brothers and without each other’s help and cooperation, they cannot live properly. In the Avesta, according to teachings and viewpoints, “the tree is the law itself”, meaning that the life of a tree is in perfect harmony with the forces and laws of nature.
The prayer of the owner of life: Another prayer that is of great importance in the Avesta is the prayer of “the owner of life”. According to Zoroastrian thoughts, man is God’s representative on earth who continues the work of creation and construction. Before the emergence of man, the evolution of our planet was the result of the interaction of all cosmic forces.
The prayer of the light of life: Another prayer that is mentioned in the Avesta is the prayer of humanity. Or as mentioned in the text of the Avesta, the prayer of the light of life. Based on what Zoroaster says: our life is determined not only by what we think, say or do; But it is also formed and determined to a higher degree by the thoughts, words, deeds, experiences, inventions and long achievements of our ancestors who represent the entire generation that we have followed.
Prayer for Eternal Life: The last prayer mentioned in the Avesta is the prayer for eternal life. According to Zoroaster: “Life is not the exclusive privilege of this planet.” Zoroaster teaches that life is a kind of cosmic energy and wherever there are suitable conditions for life, it will appear and take shape.
