“Varasyaji” – The Sacred Bull
An Award Winning Essay
The bull was considered a sacred animal by all the ancient religions of the world. The Egyptians had their Apis, the Assyrians had Baal, the Hindus had Nandi and Zoroastrians their Varasyaji.
In each important Zoroastrian fire temple is maintained a pure white (Albino) bull called Varasyaji as its “vares” (hair) is blanched and without pigment. Vares is thus a hollow tube.
The bull is not worshipped but respectfully well treated because:
The entire basis of the Zoroastrian religious rites rests on 3 foundations:
The religion cannot survive without the above.
The birth of the Varasyaji takes place only in the rarest of rare cases. A normal cow becomes pregnant and gives birth to a female calf as its first offspring at a time when the planet Jupiter is in a specific planetary position. That female calf grows up and gives birth to a female calf as its first offspring also when Jupiter is in exalted position. Only when these conditions are met over 3 generations, does the last cow give birth to a completely white bull as its first offspring which is taken and preserved till about 3 years old. Then it is consecrated to become a Varasyaji.
The Varasyaji does not have a single black hair including the eyelashes, hair, tail. The hoofs are also whitish both above and underneath and the body is completely blemish-free.
It is born as the Pesh Ruwan (spiritual leader) of the animal kingdom. It is able to catch the lustrous vibrations of the planet Jupiter in every breath. His Ushtan (life breath) is of a very high spiritual potency. His thoughts always work on the good side of nature, performing the funciton of “haataam jijishaam” i.e., to live life solely for the spiritual progress of others. This thought-force is present in cattle in general but it is supremely manifested in the Varasyaji and this gives rise to the fire-energy of “Adar Froba” within it.
Its body has the same 16 “chakras” as we do, but the 12th chakra located on the sexual organs is under the control of Jupiter. The urine passing thru this chakra becomes highly energized and potent. Thus, it is capable of cleansing spiritual pollution, replacing it with spiritual goodnes, thereby giving rise to Asha. Thus it is mandated for our daily use.
Ceremony to consecrate a Varasyaji
The ceremony to consecrate a Varasyaji is quite complicated. Below the reader is given a quick glimpse of the ceremony to understand the hard work involved in consecrating a Varasyaji.
We require 7 new copper fulias, a copper or brass comb, metal scissors, metal tongs, a gold or silver ring and new clothes for both the priests.
The bull is brought inside the Atash Behram premises and thoroughly washed. The hair of its tail is washed with soap and water and then combed.
The mobeds then perform the small khub and make preparations for performing the Yasna ceremony by obtaining goat’s milk, twig of a pomegranate tree, a leaf from the date palm, etc. Then they ritually purify the scissor and tongs and approach the bull which is tied in a near-by “pavi”.
The bull is made to stand facing the east, while the priests stand facing south. One of the priests holds up the tail of the bull using the tongs, while the other ritually purifies and sanctifies the tail and hair by prayers. Holding the gold ring in his left hand and the scissor in his right, the priest takes 3 strands of hair from the tail and ties them round the ring in his left hand, whilst reciting prayers. Tying the hair round the ring once, he cuts the hair from the tail with the scissor in his right hand and puts the scissor back in its special plate. Then using both hands, he ties 2 knots in the hair. The ring is then put in a special fulia. After that, the priests return to the main pavi where the ceremony will be performed.
One of the priests lays out the Hindola with all the apparatus in the proper way, specially one fulia in which a pinch of Bhasam (ash from the Atash Behram) and some water is poured. The other priest gets the fulia in which the ring is put and the sitting priest takes out the ring and holds it in his hand. The standing priest puts back the fulia in its place. He now holds the tongs and approaches the sitting priest, who puts the ring into the tongs such that it can be properly gripped. Now the priest takes the tongs and the bhasam fulia and approaches the fire. Putting the fulia in the fire, the priest swirls the ring in the fulia reciting one Yatha Ahu Vairyo prayer. He then returns the ring to the sitting priest. The latter washes the ring in 5 fulias. The standing priest gets the empty fulia, wherein the sitting priest puts the ring. Now both the priests step outside the Pavi and finish the prayers to complete the Baj. All the ritual implements are washed with well water. Then comes the “paragna” ceremony where all the alats are purified. The priest takes the ring, places it in the water filled Kundi, reciting 101 names of God 10 times (for a total 1,010 names). Whilst reciting the names he gently vibrates the ring. They now perform the entire Yazashne ceremony by reciting 72 chapters of the Yasna. The water is merges back into the well (Jor melavvi). The hair is untied and discarded. This is the “first Gevra”. The priests retire to the room in the temple, remain secluded and observe strict rules of purity.
The next day, the entire ceremony is repeated, thus finishing the “second Gevra”.
This is done for 6 days! On the 6th day, both consecrate separate Baj’s and then do the “chasni”, placing a tiny bit of Daran and ghee (purified butter) in each other’s mouth showing thereby that they have both attained “Ham Kalaam”.
Now both priests approach the bull with the scissors, tongs and metal plate. One priest holds up the tail of the bull with the tongs while the other washes the tail, with prayers. Taking the required Baj, the priest then cuts off the majority of the tail, leaving a few hair behind. Finishing the Baj, they return to the Pavi, place the plate with the cut hair between the fire and Hindola and ritually dry the same. The dried hair is placed in specially made and purified small copper boxes which are then put in a small bag made of the priest’s “padan” (mouth covering).
The ceremony concludes with a thanksgiving jashan for the successful consecration of the new bull.
The hair taken on the final day is now used to create the “Varas ni vitti” which will henceforth be used in the Yazashne ceremony.
There is a spiritual “paiwand” between the hair and Varasyaji which is broken only when the Varasyaji passes away. The Varasyaji is buried in the Dakhma ground, because no pollution takes place by its dead body. All ceremonies are stopped at the death of the Varasyaji and its hair is discarded.
Taro, Nirang
Urine has been used by several nations and cultures of the East and West as a purificative. The urine used for ordinary purification is taken from the cow, bull or goat. But for higher purification, it is Varasyaji’s urine. The urine of a cow or bull is called Taro, whilst the Varasyaji’s urnie after completion of Nirangdin ceremony is called Nirang. Our ancestors called it “abezar” (golden water). Until today, we thought it was so called because it was a disinfectant and a spritual cleaner. However, scientists from Junagad Agricultural University in India have found traces of gold in urine from the Gir cows. Traces of this precious element ranged from 3mg. to 10mg. in just 1 liter of urine. This holds perhaps true of the Varasyaji and our Iranian cows and bulls and being aware of it, our ancestors called it abezar – it was not just a figurative term but a literal one!!
When this urine is passed thru the Nirangdin ceremony, its power is capable of stopping decomposition and the resultant urine stays fresh, without foul odor for many years. The nirang forms the basis for all other ceremonies and is the foundation of the Zoroastrian rituals.
Details of the Nirangdin Ceremony
At first, 2 priests go thru the Bareshnum ceremony of ten days! On the 11th day, one of them puts on new clothes and perfoms the Khub ceremony. Both the priests perform the “Gevra” ceremony for 6 days. On the completion of the 6th Gevra, they perform the baj ceremony and become “Ham Kalaam”.
They now purify the metallic utensils to collect the urine. They are 2 large water pots, one larger than the other, 2 small water pots and a cup to cover the large pot. They now go with one of the small pots before the sacred bull and collect his urine in the pot. After that, they collect the urine from a number of other ordinary bulls. This collection should be completed before sunset. Now, one of the priests performs the paragna ceremony in the Uzirin Geh followed by the Vendidad ceremony at midnight. The pots containing the 2 urine specimens, is placed on stone slabs with a vessel of well water. This ceremony lasts for 7 hours. This consecrates the urine which is then known as nirangdin. The water consecrated is called “av”.
Two such specimens of nirangs were sent to a consultant bacteriologist – Dr. Saunders at St. Nichola Hospital, London. When he examined the Petri dishes of the cultured specimens, he was profoundly surprised that both specimens did not grow a single colony or germ of any kind and were completely and absolutely sterile.
No laboratory in the world today must be following such stringent laws of purification, undergoing such back breaking labor – not for hours but for days together for giving the community a priceless knowledge and treasure. Our Yozdathregar mobeds deserve our salute!!