- CONTENTS - 1. The only Ray of Hope in the Dark Clouds of Despair 1 2. Editorial - Ilm-e-Khshnoom, The Master Key to decipher the Daena 4 3. Testimonies on the Truth of Baheramshah Shroff's Sojourn with Zarathushtrian 'Abed's - First witness: Khurshedji Suntoke, an Eminent Lawyer 6 4. "Baheramshah Shroff, a Shining Star in the Study of Zarthoshti Din" - Jehangirji Vimadalal 9 5. Jehangirji Vimadalal Gives a List of the Zarathushtrian Topics Explained by Baheramshah Shroff - Manchershah Kekobad Narrates How Baheramshah Broke His 25 Years Long Silence 12 6. The Inspirational Experiences of Manchershah Kekobad - One of the First Disciples of Baheramshah Shroff 15 7. How the Astute Savant Khurshedji Camaji was formidably Impressed by Bahermshah Shroff - The Dawn of Khshnoom in Bombay - 75 Sittings By the Gujerati IV Standard - "Uneducated" , with B.A.’s M.S.’s and Ph.D's !! 18 8. Press Report of Baheramshahji's First Two Lectures of 10-3 AND 21-3-1910 - Khurshedji Cama, The Genuine Truth Seeker, Who Accepted Baheramshahji's Expositions 21 9. Allure of K.R. Camaji for Baheramshah and Ilm-e-Khshnoom Narrated by Khodabux Poonegar, another Erudite Scholar - Evidence for Khshnoomic Expositions is scattered all over Avesta and Pahalvi 25 10. Another Profound Scholar, Sohrab Bulsara, Opines on Ilm-e-Khshnoom - The Unique Key to decipher the complex matters of Zarthoshti Din 28 11. Khurshedji Suntoke's Testimony on Baheramshahji's Mystical Teachings about "Khaetvodath" 31 12. Ervad Saheb Baheramji Unwalla on how Baheramshah Shroff Enlightened him in Kriyakaam 33 13. Questions on “KRIYAKAAM” asked by Ervad Baheramji Unwalla and Answered by Baheramshah Shroff - Some Features of the Kriya of Nirangdin 36 14. Why does the decomposition rate of Nirangdin's Nirang slow down ? Baheramji Unwalla's question – Baheramshah Shroff enumerates four factors- Mobed's "ASHOI" the foundation of the miracle 38 15. Ervad Baheramji Unwalla on Ustad Saheb Baheramshah Shroff's teachings on Kriyakaam - The Present Situation of Kriyakaam and Mobeds 41 16. Ervad Saheb Baheramji Unwalla testifies further on Baheramshah Shroff's amazing knowledge of Zarathoshti Kriyakaam 43 17. Another mobed Ervad Saheb Manekji Bhathena testifies about Ilm-e-Khshnoom and Baheramshah Shroff - "The only remedy to arrest the parsi decay is to go Back to Din through Ilm-e-Khshnoom." 46 18. Ervad Saheb Manekji Bhathena's testimony on Baheramshah Shroff and Ilm-e-Khshnoom - "Lack of moral courage in scholars and dastoors who keep their eyes closed towards this god-sent knowledge." 49 19. Baheramshah Shroff 's amazing knowledge of medical sciences: homeopathy, bacteriology, hakimoo, chromotheraphy, hydrotherapy, human body and diseases - Hakim Rustom - Sola Doctor -Testifies 52 20. Hakim Rustom (Sola) Doctor's testimony on Baheramshahji's astounding knowledge of rare spiritual sciences – Now arrive the personal disciples - Ustad and Shagerd 55 21. Baheramshahji's personal disciple Cawasji Sarkari, reveals his miraculous experiences 58 22. Barjo Laher, personal disciple of Baheramshahji, speaks - What were the Subject-matters Inducted in Baheramshahji by Saheb - Delaan? 61 23. “I personally went to investigate... and found him a treasure of Zarthoshti Ilm." - Barjo Laher, the Heart-Disciple of Baheramshahji Describes His "Darshan" and "Satsang" - “Aksir-E-Azam" Gifted to Baheramshah 64 24. Barjo Laher gives an amazing, list of Baheramshahji's knowledge in varied esoteric fields 68 25. The Late eminence Jamshed Mehta of Karachi on Baheramshah Shroff and Ilm-e-Khshnoom - This is surely Zarthoshti Din….. and much better - Sohrab Bulsara, an erudite scholar 71 26. The Story of the propagation of “KHSHNOOM” after the death of Baheramshah Shroff - Who was Dr. Framroze Sohrabji Chiniwalla? 74 27. Dr. Framroze Chiniwalla receives a "NIRANG" from the Mystical Masters - True story of Bamanshah Hakim, the inner-circle-man of Ilm-e-Khshnoom 78 28. Ustad Baheramshahji performs a confirmatory test: Are Chiniwalla brothers destined to propagate Khshnoom after him? - The story of Bhuleshwar riots, "COLD STOUT" and Maachi in Atash-Beheram 82 29. The story of "OPEN AND CLOSE" doors - The master performs another confirmatory test 85 30. What will happen after Baheramshahji's death? Who will teach us the secrets of the Din? - Jehangir Vimadalal and Nusserwanji Boyce Meet Baheramshah in December 1924 88 31. Marathon writings on Khshnoom by Dr. Framroze Chiniwalla - "The Exertions of the Western Savants Have Given to Khshnoom an Opportunity to Show Its Lusture." 92 32. How did Dr. Framroze Chiniwalla introduce Khshnoom to the Parsis? 97 WHAT IS ILM-E-KHSHNOOM, AND WHY? The only Ray of Hope in the Dark Clouds of Despair. by N. Khurshedji What is lIm-e-Khshoom? Is it a mere "school of thought" like the schools in the subject of philosophy? Or is it some mystifying interpretation of the Religion of Zarathushtra - different from that Religion itself? Is it some mumbo-jumbo devised for those who have a natural craving for mysticism and who would ask for a mystical explanation for even the simplest looking teachings of Religion? Let us make a systematic inquiry as to the origin, nature and content of Khshnoom. Some twelve centuries back our ancestors arrived in India. The reason is stated to be the preservation of Religion. But, to preserve what? If the Religion of Zarathushtra consists merely of a moral code described as good thoughts, words and deeds, was it necessary to leave Iran? The history, tradition and our way of life until the first half of the century, do indicate that the anxiety was to preserve not a more moral code, but also - and more so - the yogic and spiritual institutions which were a part and parcel of the Parsi life. The whole of the Parsi code can be expressed by the following seven Rules : - 1. A Parsi shall during all the moments of his life, put on the specially designed garment - the Sudreh and girdle - Kushti, and unwind and wind the Kushti at specified times and in the specified manner. 2. A Parsi shall recite and chant the specially composed Manthra - prayers, in the specified manner and at the specified time. Khurshed and Meher Niyash are to be recited at least once a day. 3. A Parsi shall present himself before the specially consecrated Fire in an Atash Beheram or Atash- Adran and recite Atash-Niyaish. 4. A Parsi shall adopt Meher-Patet at all moments of life; Meher means: to stick to the truth and justice in all dealings with humanity and mother nature. Patet implies constant struggle with the evil embedded within man; if he falls, he has to repent, and resolve to be watchful last he falls again. 5. When a Parsi dies, his body is to be taken to a specially designed and constructed place called Dokhma. 6. The living has to get performed Yasna - ceremonies to facilitate the onward journey of the Ruvan who has left the earth. 7. A Parsi has to preserve his racial gene and not allow it to be mixed up by marriage outside the fold. This is the full package of Parsi life. Each of the seven rules is inseparable from the rest. All the seven are to be preserved and that craving brought our fore-fathers to this Holy Land of Yogis - India. For 12 long centuries, we preserved our religious institutions and way of life, with tenacity, and Nature did reward us. We thrived and prospered; we were looked upon as apostles of honesty, truthfulness and character. Our dealings with people surrounding us was exemplary. We served them with all earnestness. If we prospered, the fruits of our prosperity were laid out before all country-men. Our charities were predominantly cosmopolitan. And the community had no beggar and no prostitute. All our successes and services emanated from our spiritual strength and energy, and that energy was being constantly and continuously generated within us by our religious practices and institutions. The conduct in Rule No.4 above was the result of the adherence to the other six Rules. And those who dealt with us were so overwhelmed by our natural goodness to all, that nobody every raised a question; why we do not allow non-Parsis to enter our Fire-temple or why we do not marry outside the fold. "Let them do whatever they like as regards their own community and Religion, they are so helpful and so good and so truthful and so charitable and so generous to everybody; why should we disturb them and question them about their small exclusiveness in the matters of their community and Religion?" That was the way in which all non-Parsis treated us. Alas! All that is now to be stated in that past tense. All the seven pillars on which the grand edifice of the Parsi life stood have been shaken - and shaken frightfully and we are on the way towards our own extinction. And the blame lies at our own door. Many Parsis have discarded Sudreh Kushti; they don't know what their Manthra-prayers are; not many of them are keen about their Fire-temples; some of them criticize Dokhma and Yasna; the tide of mixed marriages has surrounded us; and we have beggars and criminal and the unchaste, in plenty. The present generation of non-Parsis has no idea of our recent past; they consider us as a 1 community of crackpots! Let me state the theme of this article right here; IIm-e-Khshnoom is the only white ray of hope in these clouds of despair. Please do not brush aside this statement; I propose to elaborate it and to convince you about its truth; my only appeal to you is to be objective and open-minded and not to be carried away by your past prejudices, most of which are based on nothing more than hearsay.