Songs Of Devotion The Gathas Of Zarathushtra

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RADHA SOAMI SATSANG BEAS endeavours to articulate and dis- seminate the universal message at the heart of all spiritual practices, a message which has been expressed by true spiritual masters over thousands of years, in various languages and in diverse ways across different cultures.

In this book we present the teachings of Zarathushtra, the God-realized spiritual guide esteemed for millennia as the founder of the religion of Zoroastrianism. Many mystics of exalted calibre have come into the world to deliver a spiritual message accord- ing to the language and expectations of their audience. Their message is for everyone - they do not say that "everyone must follow my teachings," they only say that "anyone with a sincere desire to find God within may do so." Zoroastrians who follow the philosophy of "Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds" do great honor to the positive and practical approach to life and spirituality espoused by their founder Zarathushtra. In terms of numbers of adherents Zoroastrians today form a relatively small religious community, yet they are known worldwide for their outstanding contributions to society in every field.

The Gathas are ancient prayerful hymns, ceremonially recited by every practicing Zoroastrian since they form an integral part of the liturgy at Zoroastrian services. Nevertheless, the ancient language of Avestan, in which the Gathas were first composed and are still recited, is understood by relatively few individuals, apart from specialist scholars. As such, the wealth of spirituality preserved in Zarathushtra's teachings in the Gathas is not well known even among devout and committed members of the modern faith and hardly at all among non-Zoroastrians. This book attempts to make accessible, in modern language, some of the spiritual treasures and message of encouragement the world has inherited from the great teacher Zarathushtra.

The English rendering of the Gathas in this book pays close attention to both the literal and 'free' translations offered in Dr. Irach J. S. Taraporewala's monumental work The Divine Songs of Zarathushtra (1951), as well as to other works. As with all translations, we have sought to let the original text 'speak for itself' and yet in doing so we have undoubtedly and inescapably brought our own understanding to bear on the material. For any inadvertent misunderstandings or mistakes we beg the reader's forgiveness, and we humbly endorse Dr. Taraporewala's observa- tion that "No one can truly assert that he has grasped fully the true spirit of the Gathas."

**Contents and Sample Pages**