Homage unto Ahura Mazda
by Dastur Dr. M.N. Dhalla, M.A., Ph.D. (Columbia)
A collection of 223 devotional prayers addressed directly to Ahura Mazda, the Wise Lord. Written by the High Priest of the Parsis of Karachi, this work moves from praise and invocation through the themes of righteousness, the human soul, and the path of good life — drawing on Zoroastrian scripture, mythology, and personal devotion.
Biography of Dastur Dhalla
Part I
Chapters 1–105
- 1Thou art all in all to me, Ahura Mazda
- 2Thy name is above all names, Ahura Mazda
- 3Thou art the creator of all, Ahura Mazda
- 4Thou art our nearest and dearest, Ahura Mazda
- 5Thou art all-good, Ahura Mazda
- 6Though invisible thyself, thou art all-seeing, Ahura Mazda
- 7Thou art light, Ahura Mazda
- 8Thou art the same from age to age, Ahura Mazda
- 9Thou art Ageless, Ahura Mazda
- 10Thy will is the pole star of my life, Ahura Mazda
- 11My heart longs for thee, Ahura Mazda
- 12I offer thee my life, Ahura Mazda
- 13Thou dost bury me under the burden of thy gifts Ahura Mazda
- 14The Amesha Spentas
- 15The Yazatas
- 16Sraosha, the ever-watchful guardian
- 17Sraosha in life, Sraosha in death
- 18The Fravashis watch our course with vigilance
- 19The Birth of Zarathushtra
- 20Temptation of Zarathushtra
- 21Zarathushtra is the Lord of Mankind
- 22The passing away of Zarathushtra
- 23Fire is the symbol of Ahura Mazda
- 24May the Fire burn forever in my house, Ahura Mazda
- 25The Inner Light
- 26Asha's Universal Order in the Universe
- 27The Path of Righteousness
- 28Righteousness is the rule of life
- 29Righteousness is Religion
- 30Righteousness exemplified the best in Zarathushtra
- 31Righteousness is its own reward
- 32Righteousness is the highest riches
- 33The coming of the Kingdom of Righteousness
- 34Prayer is the heavenward soaring of the soul on wordy wings
- 35Teach me to pray, Ahura Mazda
- 36The Family Prayer
- 37Prayer for the Dead
- 38Life is thy greatest gift, Ahura Mazda
- 39Life is a blend of contradictions
- 40Life is what we make it
- 41Let me live my life to the full, Ahura Mazda
- 42Let me not grow prematurely old in spirit
- 43Let me grow old gracefully, Ahura Mazda
- 44Teach me to number my days, Ahura Mazda
- 45Let me not fear death, Ahura Mazda
- 46Death is the portal to immortal life
- 47Resurrection
- 48Heaven
- 49Hell
- 50Renovation of the Universe
- 51The bridge of Chinvat
- 52The divine judgment
- 53The day of judgment
- 54Reward and punishment
- 55The soul at death
- 56The parting of soul and body
- 57The soul in the other world
- 58The soul of the righteous
- 59The soul of the wicked
- 60The undying glory of a good man
- 61Let me live the life of the spirit, Ahura Mazda
- 62The divine spark
- 63Man is thine image, Ahura Mazda
- 64Let me see thee in my fellow men, Ahura Mazda
- 65Good mind is thy choicest gift to mankind, Ahura Mazda
- 66Teach me to think, Ahura Mazda
- 67Let not my mind be troubled, Ahura Mazda
- 68Let not my heart be hardened, Ahura Mazda
- 69Let me be sincere in thought and word and deed, Ahura Mazda
- 70Sincerity
- 71Humility
- 72Courage
- 73Patience
- 74Contentment
- 75Gratitude
- 76Forgiveness
- 77Industry
- 78The dignity of labour
- 79Charity
- 80Social service
- 81Let me not seek after wealth for its own sake, Ahura Mazda
- 82Let me not covet the wealth of others, Ahura Mazda
- 83Let me use my wealth for the good of others, Ahura Mazda
- 84Health
- 85Disease
- 86Let me face suffering bravely, Ahura Mazda
- 87Old age
- 88Let me accept pain as thy will, Ahura Mazda
- 89Let me not murmur at thy will, Ahura Mazda
- 90Let me be thankful for thy blessings, Ahura Mazda
- 91Let me bear my cross bravely, Ahura Mazda
- 92Sorrow
- 93Loneliness
- 94Despondency
- 95Let me not give way to despair, Ahura Mazda
- 96Let me be joyous in thee, Ahura Mazda
- 97Joy
- 98Beauty
- 99Nature
- 100The Sun
- 101The Stars
- 102The Earth
- 103Water
- 104Plants
- 105Animals
Part II
Chapters 106–169
- 106Cattle
- 107Husbandry
- 108Marriage
- 109Home
- 110Motherhood
- 111The Child
- 112Youth
- 113Education
- 114The teacher
- 115Brotherhood of man
- 116Friendship
- 117Hospitality
- 118The community
- 119The nation
- 120The king
- 121Justice
- 122Peace
- 123War
- 124Truth
- 125Falsehood
- 126Pride
- 127Anger
- 128Jealousy
- 129Envy
- 130Greed
- 131Sloth
- 132Gluttony
- 133Lust
- 134Addiction to intoxicants
- 135Gambling
- 136Virtue is the health of the soul, as vice is its disease
- 137Repentance
- 138Atonement
- 139Self-conquest
- 140Self-culture
- 141Self-sacrifice
- 142Self-reliance
- 143Conscience
- 144Let me conquer self, Ahura Mazda
- 145Let me not seek revenge, Ahura Mazda
- 146Let me love mine enemies, Ahura Mazda
- 147The Zoroastrian religion is a way of life
- 148Religion is not a burden but a blessing
- 149Zoroastrianism is a living religion
- 150Spread the religion of Zarathushtra
- 151Defend the religion of Zarathushtra
- 152Decline of the Zoroastrian community
- 153Regeneration of the Zoroastrian community
- 154The Zoroastrian diaspora
- 155Let the Zoroastrian community be united, Ahura Mazda
- 156The priestly order
- 157The fire temple
- 158Religious ceremonies
- 159The sacred girdle
- 160Religious festivals
- 161Nouruz
- 162Disposal of the dead
- 163Purity
- 164The sacred texts
- 165Zoroastrian eschatology
- 166Saoshyant — the world saviour
- 167Frashokereti — the renovation of the world
- 168The universal religion
- 169The universal brotherhood
Part III
Chapters 170–223
- 170Thy gifts to me are beyond my deserving, Ahura Mazda
- 171Thou art ever near to me, Ahura Mazda
- 172I am restless without thee, Ahura Mazda
- 173I will seek thee and find thee, Ahura Mazda
- 174I will trust thee implicitly, Ahura Mazda
- 175Fully will I adjust my will to thy will, Ahura Mazda
- 176I will surrender myself wholly unto thee, Ahura Mazda
- 177Let me dwell in thee and thou in me, Ahura Mazda
- 178Inspire me with divine ardour, Ahura Mazda
- 179Let me feel thy presence always, Ahura Mazda
- 180Let me love thee with all my heart, Ahura Mazda
- 181I will praise thee, Ahura Mazda
- 182May I always do what is pleasing to thee, Ahura Mazda
- 183I know thee not as I should, Ahura Mazda
- 184Draw me ever closer to thee, Ahura Mazda
- 185It is my own fault if I know not thee, Ahura Mazda
- 186Let my faith in thee stand firmer than ever, Ahura Mazda
- 187Through Zarathushtra didst thou speak, Ahura Mazda
- 188I will follow the path blazed by Zarathushtra
- 189Let me mould and shape my life in Zarathushtra's likeness
- 190Let me hearken to the promptings of my conscience
- 191Knowledge illumines my understanding
- 192I shall cultivate a passionate craving for knowledge
- 193Let thy light illumine my mind, Ahura Mazda
- 194Thou art the hope of the hopeless, Ahura Mazda
- 195Thy joy fills the world from end to end, Ahura Mazda
- 196Let my good thoughts regulate my words and deeds, Ahura Mazda
- 197When I pray aright, thou dost answer my prayers, Ahura Mazda
- 198Let the light of Asha's Righteousness shine in my heart
- 199Put me thou on the track of truth, Ahura Mazda
- 200Nature mirrors thy face for us, Ahura Mazda
- 201Let not life ever lose its zest for me, Ahura Mazda
- 202Let not my outlook on life be darkened, Ahura Mazda
- 203I will live my life with open eyes and ears, Ahura Mazda
- 204Help me to make my mark in life, Ahura Mazda
- 205Let me be thy herald to the poor, Ahura Mazda
- 206A robust and virile race cannot be reared in the slums
- 207Let us be all the world to one another
- 208Let us be the harbingers of goodwill to all
- 209Let not power be the ruling passion of the nations
- 210Let me run to the relief of those sinking in the mire of misfortune
- 211Let me sacrifice myself at the altar of service
- 212I will elevate the spirit over the flesh, Ahura Mazda
- 213Let me hunger and thirst for goodness, Ahura Mazda
- 214Let us valiantly fight and vanquish evil
- 215I will not let the evil spirit have dominion over me
- 216Orthodoxy courts purelities of dogmatic theology, casuistry and irrational formalism
- 217Guide me to be free from bigotry, Ahura Mazda
- 218Let enthusiasm be the driving power of my youth
- 219Let me not while away my time, Ahura Mazda
- 220Help me to conquer sin, Ahura Mazda
- 221I will die unto sin, Ahura Mazda
- 222Death but brings me to my life's new birth in thy abode, Ahura Mazda
- 223Death knows no time, nor respects rank