I guess your borrowed religion has improved from Zoroaster thru Mithraism. All the Devils adopted have been cut to one. I know you loving people would like to brag of your improved religion so thought
you might want borrow one of the old ones again to handle this Meat-Head.
The Kusti ritual
The following account is that of Dastur Jamaspji Minochiharji Jamasp-Asa-na, as recorded
by E. W. West, SBE 18, pg 383 ff.
The Nirang-i Kusti, or girdle formula, is a religious rite which a Parsi man or woman ought to
perform every time the hands have been washed, whether for the sake of cleanliness, or in
preparation for prayer; but it is not always strictly performed in all its details.
The Kusti, or sacred thread-girdle, is a string about the size of a stay-lace, and long enough to
pass three times very loosely round the waist, to be tied twice in a double knot, and to leave the
short ends hanging behind. It is composed of seventy-two very fine, white, woollen threads, as
described in Dd. XXXIX, I, note, and is tied in the manner there mentioned, but with the actions
and ritual detailed below.
[The ceremonial ablution, or Padyab, consists of washing the exposed parts of the skin while
reciting:
xshnaothrƒ ahurahe mazd†,
ashem voh–....
kˆm-nƒ mazdƒ ... (exorcism) ashem voh–....*
* One unties the kusti while reciting the final Ashem Vohu.]
The ceremonial ablution having been performed, and the Kusti taken off, the person stands
facing the sun by day, or a lamp or the moon at night; when there is no light he should face the
south, as he should also at midday, even when the sun is northerly. The Kusti is then doubled,
and the loop thus formed is held in the right hand*, with the thumb in the loop; while the left
hand holds the two parts of the string together, some twenty inches horizontally from the other
hand; and the ends hang loosely from the left hand.
[*NOTE: this seems to be backwards: most Zoroastrians hold the loop with the left hand.]
Holding the Kusti in this fashion, the person recites the following prayer in Pazand, bowing and
raising to his forehead the horizontal portion of the string at the name of Ohrmazd*, dashing the
string loosely and sharply downwards towards the left when mentioning Ahriman**, and
repeating this downward jerk to the left, less violently, as each of the other evil beings+ is
named:
h“rmezd* i hvadƒe, ƒharman** awƒdishƒha d–r awƒzh dƒshtƒr zat shkasta bƒt.
ƒharman** dˆwa+ dr–zha+ jƒdva+ darva¤da+ kŒka+ karafa+ sƒstƒra+
gunƒhkƒra+ ƒshm“ga+ darva¤da+ dushmana+ farya+ zat shkasta bƒt.
dushpƒdishƒha+ awƒdishƒha bƒt, dushmana+ stuh bƒt, dushmana+ awƒdishƒha
bƒt.
(Ohrmazd is Lord! Ahriman he keeps at bay, he holds him back. May Ahriman be
struck and defeated, with devs and drujs, sorcerers and sinners, kayags and karbs,
tyrants, wrongdoers and heretics, sinners, enemies and witches! May they (all) be
struck and defeated! May evil rulers not exist, (or) be far away! May enemies be
defeated! May enemies all not exist, (or) be far away!)
Bending forwards and holding the doubled Kusti up, horizontally, as before, we continue:
h“rmezd i hvadƒe, ezh hamƒ gunƒh patit pashˆman“m, ezh haravistŒn dushmat
duzh–xt duzhvaresht men pa gˆthŒ minŒt vaem guft vaem kard vaem jast vaem
bun b–t estet
(O Ohrmazd, Lord! I am contrite for all sins and I desist from them, from all bad
thoughts, bad words and bad acts which I have thought, spoken or done in the world,
or which have happened through me, or have originated with me.)
Then, holding the Kusti single with both hands near the middle of the string, but as far apart as
before, while the loose ends of the string are shortened (to prevent their touching the ground) by
being partially gathered, up in a large loop kanging under each hand, like a pair of spectacles,
he proceeds:
ezh a gunƒhihƒ manishnŒ gaweshnŒ kunishnŒ tanŒ rvanŒ gˆthŒ mainyuanŒ “xe
awaxsh pashˆma pa se gaweshnŒ pa patit h“m!
(For those sins of thinking, speaking and acting, of body and soul, worldly or
spiritual, O Ohrmazd! I am contrite, I renounce them. With three words I distance
myself from them.)
He then continues to recite the following Avesta phrases:
xshnaothrƒ ahurahe mazd† (With satisfaction for Ahura Mazda,)
bowing and raising the Kusti to the forehead;
tar“idŒti angrahe mainyˆush, (scorn for Angra Mainyu!)
jerking the Kusti to the left, without altering the mode of holding it;
haithyƒvarshtam hyat vasnƒ ferash“temem. staomi ashem,
ashem voh–*....
(The true achievement of what is most wonderful, according to wish! I praise Asha!
Ashem Vohu....)
does add authority of correctness for they had them first and there are many more than your one. |
