22. Zarathustra
Religious Gatheka
by Hazrat Inayat Khan
The life and teachings of Zarathustra give an example to those who thread the spiritual path, of the manner in which to begin the spiritual journey. Zarathustra is said to be born of the Huma tree. The interpretation of this idea is that the “Spirit of Guidance; does not come direct from Heaven, he is born from the human family: The tree is the family.
It has been a great error of some religious people, that out of their devotion for their Master, that they placed him through their imagination on a pedestal., where they themselves could not ever prove him to be when it came to reasoning. It can only stand in the horizon of faith. No doubt faith is the foundation. Faith is the lamp which lightens the path, but reason is the globe over it to make the light appear.
The purpose of this whole creation is fulfilled in attaining that perfection which is for a human being to attain. All the saints, sages, prophets and masters of humanity have been human beings and they have shown divine perfection, in fulfilling the purpose of being human.
Zarathustra’s spiritual attainment came by his communication with nature first. He appreciated, adored and worshiped the sublimity of nature and he saw wisdom hidden in the whole creation. He learned and recognized from that the being of the Creator, acknowledged His perfect wisdom and then devoted his whole life in glorifying the name of God. To those who followed him on the path of spiritual attainment, he showed the different aspects of nature and asked them what they could see behind it. He pointed out to his followers that the form, line, color and movement that they saw before them, and which attracted them so much, have been accomplished by an expert artist. It could all work mechanically and be perfect. No mechanism, however perfect can run without the help of an individual. Therefore he showed to them that God is not an object which the imagination has made, though He is molded by man’s imagination outwardly. In reality God is the Being; such a perfect Being, that if compared to other living beings of this world. He is beyond comparison. He is the Only Being.
The way of worship taught by Zarathustra was to worship God by paying homage to Nature. For nature suggests to the soul the Endless and Unlimited Being hidden behind it all.
Daily reflections on the following points in Religious Gatheka 22
Point One: Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan in this lecture says: The interpretation of this idea is that the “Spirit of Guidance; does not come direct from Heaven, it is born from the human family: The tree is the family.
Contemplation: Ask oneself, “What is my experience of the Spirit of Guidance?”
Point Two: Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan in this lecture says: He [Zarathustra] pointed out to his followers that the form, line, color and movement that they saw before them, and which attracted them so much, have been accomplished by an expert artist.
Contemplation: Ask oneself, “Do I recognize and remember the source of All? How would my life be transformed if I strove for constant remembrance.”
Point Three: Pir-o-Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan in this lecture says: The way of worship taught by Zarathustra was to worship God by paying homage to Nature. For nature suggests to the soul the Endless and Unlimited Being hidden behind it all.
Contemplation: Take a little time each day to pay homage to nature and so that the soul experiences this suggestion of the Endless and Unlimited Being hidden behind it all.
Learn More
