Azar Kayvan
Encyclopedia
Āzar Kayvān was a Zoroastrian high priest of Istakhr
and native of Fars who emigrated to the Gujarat in Mughal India during the reign of the Emperor Akbar and became the founder of a Zoroastrian school of ishraqiyyun or Illuminationists. Exhibiting features of a Zoroastrianized Sufi order, this school became known as the Sepassian.
Details regarding Azar Kayvan's life are scanty and are mainly culled from the hagiographical literature of the school. This hagiography places Azar Kayvan, son of Azar Gashasb, and his ancestry back to Sasan the Fifth (cf. the Dasatir-nama) then through Sasan the First to the Kayanids, Gayomart, and finally to Mahabad
, the figure who appeared at the very beginning of the great cycle of prophecy, according to the "Bible of the Prophets of Ancient Iran," and who seems to be none other than the primordial Adam. His mother was named Shirin
; her ancestry goes back to Khosrau I Anushiravan
, the Philosopher King.
According to the Dabestan-i-Mazahib
, as a young boy Azar Kayvan showed signs of his calling to the contemplative life. Through dreams and visions he received the teaching of the ancient sages of Iran
, which allowed him to give extraordinary replies to questions which were asked of him at the madrasa where he was a student, and which won him the nickname Zu'l-`Olum (master of the sciences). Internal references in the biography by his devotees allow us to determine that his residence was at Estakhr (about a hundred kilometers north of Shiraz
), where he spent the first thirty or forty years of his life in contemplation and where he assembled his first assembly of disciples. Around 1570, drawn by the religious revival which was taking place in India
around the Emperor Akbar, he left with them to settle down in the town of Patna
in the Gujarat, where he lived until he died at around eighty-five years of age. Amongst his students, certain of these hagiographical sources place key Shi'ite Muslim
theosophical figures of the Safavid philosophical revival at Isfahan within his circle. Notably among these figures was Shaykh Baha'addin Amili
and Mir Fendereski
, on whose behest the latter seems to have translated a major Tantric
yogic text from Sanskrit
into Persian
.
According to some scholars, Dastur
Meherji Rana
, who had influenced Akbar and founded the famous lineage of Parsi high priests at Navsari
, was a disciple of Azar Kayvan.
In 1926, Meher Baba revealed that Zarathustra had 14 disciples whom he realized. There was one more whom he realized after that and from him the knowledge and experience of God descended from father to son for 700 years. After that, the very last one, Dastur Azar Kaivan, was false. And after obtaining the sacred seat, he started collecting money. Those who followed him decreed whatever they thought.
After them until the present, there has been no Realized person among Zoroastrians. Whatever religious books [the Avesta] the Zoroastrians have got now are books from these dasturs and not of Zarathustra. He taught and gave out gems of Truth – gems of Sufism – but they’re unknown to people. Tremendous changes were made to Zoroaster’s doctrines by these false priests.
In 1926, Meher Baba revealed that Zarathustra had 14 disciples whom he realized. There was one more whom he realized after that and from him the knowledge and experience of God descended from father to son for 700 years. After that, the very last one, Dastur Azar Kaivan, was false. And after obtaining the sacred seat, he started collecting money. Those who followed him decreed whatever they thought.
After them until the present, there has been no Realized person among Zoroastrians. Whatever religious books [the Avesta] the Zoroastrians have got now are books from these dasturs and not of Zarathustra. He taught and gave out gems of Truth – gems of Sufism – but they’re unknown to people. Tremendous changes were made to Zoroaster’s doctrines by these false priests. Ref: www.lordmeher.org p.1020
Istakhr
Estakhr was an ancient city located in southern Iran, in Fars province, five kilometers north of Persepolis. It was a prosperous city during the time of Achaemenid Persia.-History:...
and native of Fars who emigrated to the Gujarat in Mughal India during the reign of the Emperor Akbar and became the founder of a Zoroastrian school of ishraqiyyun or Illuminationists. Exhibiting features of a Zoroastrianized Sufi order, this school became known as the Sepassian.
Details regarding Azar Kayvan's life are scanty and are mainly culled from the hagiographical literature of the school. This hagiography places Azar Kayvan, son of Azar Gashasb, and his ancestry back to Sasan the Fifth (cf. the Dasatir-nama) then through Sasan the First to the Kayanids, Gayomart, and finally to Mahabad
Mahabad
-Culture:Muhammad Qazi translated more than 70 important literary works into Persian. Other writers and poets have hailed from Mahabad in the 19th and 20th century including Wafaei , Hejar , Hêmin , Abdorrahamn Zabihi and Giw Mukriyani...
, the figure who appeared at the very beginning of the great cycle of prophecy, according to the "Bible of the Prophets of Ancient Iran," and who seems to be none other than the primordial Adam. His mother was named Shirin
Shirin
Shirin was a wife of the Sassanid Persian Shahanshah , Khosrau II. In the revolution after the death of Khosrau's father Hormizd IV, the General Bahram Chobin took power over the Persian empire. Shirin fled with Khosrau to Syria where they lived under the protection of Byzantine emperor Maurice...
; her ancestry goes back to Khosrau I Anushiravan
Khosrau I
Khosrau I , also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just Khosrau I (also called Chosroes I in classical sources, most commonly known in Persian as Anushirvan or Anushirwan, Persian: انوشيروان meaning the immortal soul), also known as Anushiravan the Just or Anushirawan the Just...
, the Philosopher King.
According to the Dabestan-i-Mazahib
Dabistan-e-Madahib
The Dabestān-e Mazāheb, also transliterated as Dabistān-i Mazāhib "School of Religions", is an examination and comparison of South Asian religions and sects of the mid-17th century...
, as a young boy Azar Kayvan showed signs of his calling to the contemplative life. Through dreams and visions he received the teaching of the ancient sages of Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, which allowed him to give extraordinary replies to questions which were asked of him at the madrasa where he was a student, and which won him the nickname Zu'l-`Olum (master of the sciences). Internal references in the biography by his devotees allow us to determine that his residence was at Estakhr (about a hundred kilometers north of Shiraz
Shiraz
Shiraz may refer to:* Shiraz, Iran, a city in Iran* Shiraz County, an administrative subdivision of Iran* Vosketap, Armenia, formerly called ShirazPeople:* Hovhannes Shiraz, Armenian poet* Ara Shiraz, Armenian sculptor...
), where he spent the first thirty or forty years of his life in contemplation and where he assembled his first assembly of disciples. Around 1570, drawn by the religious revival which was taking place in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
around the Emperor Akbar, he left with them to settle down in the town of Patna
Patna
Paṭnā , is the capital of the Indian state of Bihar and the second largest city in Eastern India . Patna is one of the oldest continuously inhabited places in the world...
in the Gujarat, where he lived until he died at around eighty-five years of age. Amongst his students, certain of these hagiographical sources place key Shi'ite Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
theosophical figures of the Safavid philosophical revival at Isfahan within his circle. Notably among these figures was Shaykh Baha'addin Amili
Baha' ad-Din al-`Amili
Bahāʾ al‐Dīn Muḥammad ibn Ḥusayn al‐ʿĀmilī was a scholar, philosopher, architect, mathematician, astronomer and a poet in 16th-century Iran. He was born in Baalbek, Lebanon but immigrated in his childhood to Safavid Iran with his father...
and Mir Fendereski
Mir Fendereski
Mir Fendereski was a renowned Iranian philosopher, poet and mystic of the Safavid era. His full name is given as Sayyed Mir Abulqasim Astarabadi , and he is famously known as Fendereski...
, on whose behest the latter seems to have translated a major Tantric
Tantra
Tantra , anglicised tantricism or tantrism or tantram, is the name scholars give to an inter-religious spiritual movement that arose in medieval India, expressed in scriptures ....
yogic text from Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
into Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
.
According to some scholars, Dastur
Dastur
A dastūr is a Zoroastrian high priest who has authority in religious matters and ranks higher than a Mobad or Herbad.In modern usage the term dastūr refers mostly to Parsi priests in India.-References:...
Meherji Rana
Meherji Rana
The first Dastur Meherji Rana was the undisputed spiritual leader of the Parsi community in India during the sixteenth century. He was renowned not just among the Parsis but also other communities on account of his piety, vast knowledge and spiritual powers....
, who had influenced Akbar and founded the famous lineage of Parsi high priests at Navsari
Navsari
Navsari is a city and municipality in the Surat Metropolitan Region and also the administrative headquarters Navsari District of Gujarat, India. Navsari is also the Twin City of Surat, and only 37 km south of Surat.-Geography:...
, was a disciple of Azar Kayvan.
In 1926, Meher Baba revealed that Zarathustra had 14 disciples whom he realized. There was one more whom he realized after that and from him the knowledge and experience of God descended from father to son for 700 years. After that, the very last one, Dastur Azar Kaivan, was false. And after obtaining the sacred seat, he started collecting money. Those who followed him decreed whatever they thought.
After them until the present, there has been no Realized person among Zoroastrians. Whatever religious books [the Avesta] the Zoroastrians have got now are books from these dasturs and not of Zarathustra. He taught and gave out gems of Truth – gems of Sufism – but they’re unknown to people. Tremendous changes were made to Zoroaster’s doctrines by these false priests.
See also
- Dabestan-e Mazaheb, whose author was a son of Azar Kayvan according to some scholars.
In 1926, Meher Baba revealed that Zarathustra had 14 disciples whom he realized. There was one more whom he realized after that and from him the knowledge and experience of God descended from father to son for 700 years. After that, the very last one, Dastur Azar Kaivan, was false. And after obtaining the sacred seat, he started collecting money. Those who followed him decreed whatever they thought.
After them until the present, there has been no Realized person among Zoroastrians. Whatever religious books [the Avesta] the Zoroastrians have got now are books from these dasturs and not of Zarathustra. He taught and gave out gems of Truth – gems of Sufism – but they’re unknown to people. Tremendous changes were made to Zoroaster’s doctrines by these false priests. Ref: www.lordmeher.org p.1020