REVIVE THE NOU ROOZ TABLE
2345 years ago Aristotle told his royal student: “If you destroy the Persians you will destroy one of the pillars of civilization (and the world will be ours).” Alexander did that, transformed the world, and in turn we call him Great.
Aristotle was right, today we live in a Roman world our language has Latin roots our medicine and science have Latin names even our God is anthropomorphic like the Roman gods. As individuals we live and die for money, as a nation we discreetly conquer other nations and enslave people to amass wealth AND ……
Now let’s look at the pillar that was destroyed and see if the world would have been better off. The Persian Empire was founded in 559 BCE by Cyrus the Great, who gave the world its first charter of Human Rights,1 we see for the first time progress being made for the common good of all humankind. Instead of building temples they built the first highway, 2400 kilometers long, from Susa to Sardis to promote safe movement of people and their needs. They connected the Mediterranean to the Red Sea via the Nile and measured the depth of the waterways all the way to the Indus River to chart a safe route for ships. They built Persipolis with paid labor from all over the empire. They paid maternity leave to women workers and women Generals lead the army.
They conquered tyrant rulers and replaced them with good local leaders they freed the Jews and even gave them gold to go and rebuilt what they had lost. They respected and afforded the freedom of belief to the conquered nations.
In Babylonia they introduced a system of irrigation that changed the face of the land; floods and famine became a thing of the past, only to be mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh and Noah’s Ark. They even introduced the use of wisdom among their enemies, the Greeks, for we see a short influx of philosophers after the peace treaty of 449 BCE, signed between the Persian and the Greeks. Majority of the philosophers were born in the Persian Empire and moved to Athens around this period.
Herodotus says “The erection of statues, temples, and altars is not an accepted practice among the Persians, and anyone who does such a thing is considered a fool…”
What was the philosophy behind this rational benevolent behavior?
Over 3750 years ago there lived a gentleman in the kingdom of Balkh, near Lake Hamoun on the borders of modern day Afghanistan and Iran who designated 63 degrees longitude as the scientific Meridian of the earth.2 His thesis was based on the fact that when it is Mid Day (Nim Rooz) at 63 degrees longitude, there is sunshine all over the hemisphere from Japan the land of the rising sun and Australia to the western tips of Africa. In Afghanistan this location is stilled unwittingly called Nim Ruz. Hello Galileo too late!
NIM ROOZ
This gentleman who has many other discoveries to his credit was a realist who in an era when gods and goddesses ruled, proclaimed that earthquakes, typhoons and hurricanes were not acts of God, but the course of nature and advised that instead of prayers we should use our wisdom and find ways to live in harmony with such acts of nature. He further declared – “Wisdom creates Happiness and Pain”.
He also advised: Everything that is created is first a thought, so let your thoughts be Good. Good Thoughts are those that are in harmony with nature. Let ONLY your good thoughts be known through Good Words, for that is when creation first comes into being.
Thus giving the maxim: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds.
He prescribed a seven step formula for progress, derived from nature. Where in wealth is measured by innovations that lead humankind towards perfection. The reward: Immortality; by way of fame and good name and the loss of the “Fear of Death”. Gold, diamonds and dollars are not what you amass; you don’t need to conquer for resources, you share your innovations and make best use of available resources in harmony with nature.
These SEVEN steps formed the pillar of the Persian civilization which Alexander destroyed and have since been lost to myths and superstition. It is incorporated in the Torah and the Bible but not understood. The Wise Men gave the first three principles to baby
Jesus,3 they are the ones that have to be achieved the other four follow. 4
“Seven Eternal Laws”
Symbolized on the Nou Rooz Table
1-VOHU-MANA – BAH MAN – Good Mind – Use your Good Mind to inquire and learn the
2- ASHA-VAHISTA- ARDIBESHT – Ultimate Truth– the Laws of Nature- Use them to make
3- KASH-ATRA-VAIRYA – SHAHRIVAR- Good Rules – Good Laws- Good Products – Which will lead to
4- SEPANTA-ARMAITY – ESFAND- Lawful Desire – Righteousness – which will pave the way towards
5- HURVATATA – KHORDAD- Perfection – Mental, Physical and Spiritual – which will lead to
6- AMERETATA – AMORDAD- Immortality –a) In Death being remembered for your good work for generations (b) In Life by losing the fear of Death –resulting in oneness with
7- AHURA-MAZDA – KHOD AH- The Creator of Wisdom – KHOD AH through Self Realization- KHOD = Self AH = to come.
These seven laws sit on the Nou Rooz Table every year in every house that celebrates Nou Rooz. Be it Persian, Afghani, Tajik, Uzbek, Kazak, Azeri, Kurd, Indian or Armenian, Bahai, Esmaili, Shia, Sunni, Yahyahe or Zarathushti. Will not the world be a better place if we all understood the real message the meaning of which is confirmed by the Bible?
The British Columbia Parliament building-Victoria, Canada has honored the author of these laws with a window pane which bears the name “Zoroaster” and calls him the father of philosophy. Others erroneously call him a prophet?5
With advance in knowledge it is time to transform back to these time tested principles;6 discard superstition and blind faith, stop the perusal of wealth. Stop wars and the enslaving of nations and people for resources. Work for the wellbeing and perfection of all humankind. Spread the Nou Rooz table for all to partake for we have seen it has nothing to do with any race religion or nation.
Those who celebrate Nou Rooz please frame these Seven Laws of Nature and put it on your Nou Rooz Table and endeavor to follow it. Let’s not be considered fools.
Fariborz Rahnamoon
www.ancientiran.com
Resources
1 The Cyrus Cylinder which bears the proclamation is in the British Museum and is at present on a tour in museums of USA. The replica adorns the entrance of the UN.
2 Avesta Mehr Yasht Kardeh (para) 103-104
3 The first three laws were given to Baby Jesus as gifts by the wise men. The meaning of which is given in Mathew and Luke (Matthew 4:3-11 – Luke 4:3-13). First the devil wants Jesus to limit the use of his MANA mind to convert stones into bread and Jesus says “Man does not live by bread alone”.
Unfortunately today we convert every stone into bread.
Next the devil wants Jesus to defy the law of nature (Asha) by jumping from the pinnacle of the temple. Jesus says the law of God is equal for man and son of God.
Finally the devil wants Jesus to spread the evil laws, (instead of Sharivar) which Jesus refuses.
4 The other four are clearly mentioned by Jesus.
You can be PERFECT like our father in heaven. (Matthew 5:1-48) Khordad.
They follow me and I give them ETERNAL LIFE (John 10: 27-28) (Amordad).
I and the Father are one.” (John 10: 30) KhodAh
The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we stone you but for the blasphemy; because you, being a man, make yourself God.” (John 10: 31-33)
5 3750 years ago neither the word nor the concept of a Prophet existed. It was an era of gods and goddess who acted directly and did not need intermediary. Even Jesus Christ is called the son of God not a prophet. Only the Jews and Muslims have prophets.
6 Less than hundred thousand of the followers of this philosophy who have followed it as a religion and are known as Parses, took refuge in India some 1300 years ago. They have led the billion strong population of India in all walks of life to this very day. Especially their way of handling wealth is unique and Tata Group Ltd, India’s largest industrial group is a living example.
