I begin my prayer by invoking the name of Yezad...

Many of you have been at morning Arti at the Samadhi when my mum Roshan Kerawalla sings the Zoroastrian prayer, Panaamey Yezdaan. Since her heart surgery mum can't get to the Samadhi on her own steam so she takes the chance of getting up there when my sister Dolly comes to stay. And when she is up there she sings this prayer. It is a beautiful prayer which Baba said was the only part of the Zoroastrian scriptures carried down just as it was when the prophet Zoroaster (or Zarthustra, to give Him His correct name) sang it all those centuries ago. It is part of the group of prayers called Khorshed Ni Yaaz from the Khordeh Avestha.

Baba sent Kohiyaar Satarawala to Pune to Bindra House, where my mum lived with Eruch's mum and family at the time, and Kohiyaar taught them the correct way of singing - learning the right breathing technique, enunciation, tune - and once they had learned it correctly, they used to sing this prayer for Him whenever He asked them to. We also learned to sing it as children, and can still sing it today!!

Mum is getting older and she may not be able to sing it much longer, because she says her breathing control is not what it used to be. I thought it would be a good thing to get it on video so we can continue to listen to her in the future.

The translation of this prayer is as follows:

I begin my prayer by invoking the name of Yezad, O lord of creation Ahuramazda.
Thou who art the source of all light and thou who art all effulgence, and all knowing,
art the lord of lords, the king of kings, the creator of all creation, the preserver and sustainer.

O Omnipotent, O the Ancient One and Eternal. Thou who art the giver of all boons, Thou who art all mercy and wisdom and the source of all purity.
O the lord of creation Ahuramazda I invoke Thy name and ask for Thy blessings, let Thy will be done and Thy justice be administered, O Lord Ahuramazda.