THE WOODCUTTER AND HIS FORTUNE (Mushkel Aasan)

Translated from Gujarati

by

Dhun Madon and Cyrus Madon

Australia, 1999. Revised 2 !.

PREFACE

" #ish to dedi$ate this boo% to all &oroastrians, youn' and old, #ho have settled abroad and are unable to read the story of Mushkel Aasan from the Gujarati boo%. " have ta%en %een interest in this story sin$e the a'e of (, and my family and " have 'reatly benefited from re$itin' this throu'hout the years. "t has the )o#er to 'et you out of the #orst %inds of diffi$ulties. When there seems to e no l!"ht at the en# o$ the tunnel% I &an assure 'ou that the l!"ht (!ll e rou"ht to 'ou !n a m!ra&ulous (a' ' our Hol' An"el )ehram *a+a# (also s,elle# -Warharan-% or !n the A.estan lan"ua"e -/erethra"hna-) kno(n as the 0*a+ata o$ /!&tor'12 This event is su))osed to have ta%en )la$e in "ran some thousands of years a'o. "t is advisable to re$ite this story not just in times of diffi$ulties, #hen s)iritual hel) is needed, but habitually. I (!sh to thank m' &h!l#ren Sharon an# Farrah (ho% !n s,!te o$ not e!n" (ell .erse# !n the 3u4arat! lan"ua"e% ha.e su,,orte# me !n re&!t!n" the stor' $rom t!me to t!me2 Th!s !s (hat "ot me starte# on an En"l!sh translat!on2 I also (!sh to thank m' hus an# C'rus an# Dr2 Sam 5err (ho ha.e ass!ste# me !n &om,!l!n" an# translat!n" th!s stor' !nto En"l!sh2

Dhun Ma#on S'#ne'% Austral!a2 (Re.!se# E#!t!on 6an2 7889)

METHOD FOR RECITIN3

"t is im)ortant to bathe and say your +usti )rayers before re$itin' this story. ,hile one )erson re$ites the story, others sittin' in a$%no#led'e )eriodi$ally #ith a -.ee ray jee/. "f you are alone, )la$e a small mirror in front of you and re$ite the story #hile simultaneously a$%no#led'in' #ith a -.ee ray .ee/ )eriodi$ally yourself.

SUITA):E OFFERIN3S
,hile fol%s ba$% in "ndia use -Channa/,0 a %ind of roasted $hi$% )ea1, #here this is not available, nuts, dates or other dried fruit may be used. 2i'ht an oil lam) 0Dee#o1 and some in$ense sti$%s and )la$e a small vase of flo#ers #ith your offerin's. 3ou may also li'ht sandal#ood if available.

(RECITE THE FO::OWIN3)

A million than%s to 2ord Almi'hty and all 4is 5)iritual 6o#ers and to 7ehram 3a8ad. May 3our 7lessin's )rote$t me and my loved ones and ease our diffi$ulties in life. 6lease a$$e)t my humble offerin's to 3ou today. Amen9

THE WOODCUTTER AND HIS FORTUNE (Mushkel Aasan)

Mish%in #as a very )oor #ood$utter #ho earned a mea'er livelihood by $ho))in' and sellin' #ood. 4e lived in a small house #ith his #ife and dau'hter. :ne day #hen his nei'hbours #ere )re)arin' a meal, Mish%in;s dau'hter #as enti$ed by the tem)tin' aroma that #as #aftin' throu'h. 5he #anted that food so mu$h that she #ent over to their house on the )rete<t of borro#in' some %indlin' #ood, all the #hile ho)in' they #ould offer her some of that deli$ious food. The nei'hbours 'ave her the %indlin' but did not offer her any of their food. After a #hile she #ent a'ain #ith the e<$use that the %indlin' had burnt out and $ould she )lease 'et some more. 5he 'ot

her %indlin' but on$e a'ain had to $ome a#ay #ithout sam)lin' some of their food. The )oor 'irl #as hun'ry and des)erate and #hen the nei'hbours #ere about to sit do#n for their meal she made one more bold attem)t by as%in' for some more #ood as the last lot had burnt out too. 7y this time the nei'hbours #ere #ise to her intentions and in a tone of annoyan$e said -#e %no# #hy you %ee) $omin' here. Ta%e this #ood but remember, it is a sin to deliberately )ut out a fire/. ,ith that they slammed the door in her fa$e. Mish%in;s dau'hter $ame a#ay in tears and #as miserable for the rest of the day. That evenin' #hen her father returned home from the forest she sobbed and told him of the ri$h food the nei'hbours #ere )re)arin' and her failed attem)ts to 'et some of that. Mish%in $onsoled his dau'hter by sayin' that the follo#in' day he #ould 'o early to the forest and $olle$t a lar'er load of #ood. ,ith the e<tra money that he #ould earn, they #ould be able to eat very #ell. >arly ne<t mornin' Mish%in #ent to the forest? but to his utter disa))ointment he sa# that a fire #as ra'in' throu'h the forest. Mish%in #aited the #hole day in the ho)e that the fire #ould subside. That evenin' a tearful and very sad Mish%in #ent home to his family. All they had to fill their bellies that ni'ht #as some #ater. The ne<t day #as the same for this )oor family. 7y the evenin' of the third day Mish%in $ould not 'et himself to 'o home to his starvin' #ife and dau'hter. 4is sobs of des)air attra$ted the attention of five An'els, 7ehram 3a8ad, Ardibehsht 3a8ad, Meher 3a8ad, 7ahman 3a8ad and 5arosh 3a8ad, all dressed in robes of #hite 'reen and yello#, #ho #ere )assin' by. They a))roa$hed Mish%in and 7ehram 3a8ad, the An'el for solvin' human )roblems, as%ed him -#hy are you #ee)in'@ Do tell us and if it is )ossible, #e #ill surely resolve your )roblems./ Mish%in at first did not #ant to share his #oes #ith them but then the burden on his heart #as too 'reat and he )oured out his tale, tellin' them of his dau'hter;s humiliatin' e<)erien$e #ith his selfish nei'hbours and of his )romise to her to brin' home e<tra money for a 'ood meal and finally of the tra'i$ forest fire that had them all starvin' for the )ast three days. 7ehram 3a8ad )i$%ed u) three handfuls of dirt from the 'round and )ut them in Mish%inAs la), sayin' -%ee) this safely #ith you. "f your situation im)roves #ith this, then #henever $onvenient narrate your story to others and remember us #ith offerin's of nuts, flo#ers and s#eets/. Mish%in thou'ht to himself that this little )ile of dirt #as $ertainly not 'oin' to solve his )roblems. 4e #ould thro# it a#ay as soon as they had 'one. The An'els disa))eared into the air but a mysterious voi$e $ame from above, -:h Mish%in, loo% after this )ile of dirt as you #ould, your o#n life.

3ou #ill )ros)er #ith it. Do not thro# it a#ay? other#ise you #ill fa$e )overty all your life/. ,hen Mish%in returned home he thre# the dirt in one $orner of his house and on$e a'ain the family #ent to bed #ith just #ater to satisfy their hun'er. "n the very early hours of the ne<t mornin' the nei'hbours noti$ed bri'ht flashes of li'ht $omin' out of Mish%inAs house. They thou'ht it #as a fire and raised the alarm. Mish%inAs dau'hter #o%e u) and in turn shoo% a#a%e her father sayin' to him -there is unusual bri'htness in the house, father, $ould it be a thief@/ Mish%in re)lied, -donAt be afraid my $hild, #e have nothin' in our house e<$e)t some ro)e and an a<e for the thief to steal. 3ou have been hun'ry these )ast fe# days and are only ima'inin' this./ 4o#ever, Mish%in #as disturbed by the unusual bri'htness around the house and 'ot u) to $he$% for himself. 4e #as ama8ed to see that the )ile of dirt he had dum)ed the )revious ni'ht #as no# a )ile of da88lin' and 'litterin' 'em stones. Mish%in )ut these a#ay safely and #ent ba$% to bed. "n the mornin' Mish%in than%ed God for his 'ood fortune and #ent to the mar%et to sell one of his )re$ious stones. The first je#eller he visited #as so ama8ed to see the )ie$e that he as%ed Mish%in to name his o#n )ri$e for the )ie$e. Thin%in' that the man $ould not be serious, Mish%in #ent to another je#eller to 'et the 'em valued. -"n all the years that " have traded here " have never seen a stone as )re$ious as this/ said this old je#eller. -" #ill )ile three different lots of money and you $an toss your 'em and ta%e a#ay #hatever )ile of money it lands on -he e<)lained. Mish%in tossed his 'em and it landed on the lar'est )ile of money. Mish%in no# #ent sho))in' for 'ro$eries. 4e bou'ht the $hoi$est items and hired a labourer to deliver the 'ro$eries to his house. 4e also bou'ht nuts, fruits and flo#ers and these he distributed to the )eo)le he met on his #ay home. "n the meantime at Mish%in;s house his #ife and dau'hter refused to a$$e)t the 'ro$eries, $onvin$ed that the )oor labourer had brou'ht these to the #ron' address. These #ould surely belon' in a ri$h man;s house. As they #ere ar'uin' over this, Mish%in arrived home. -,e are starvin' and there is not a $rumb to eat in the house and here are all these 'ro$eries that are su))osed to be ours9/ e<$laimed his )u88led dau'hter to Mish%in. -4ave you been out robbin' someone@/ Mish%in smiled as he told his family, -these, my dears, have been besto#ed u)on us by God/ and so sayin' he told them the #hole story from the time he met the five An'els near the burnin' forest to the time he 'ot the lar'e )ile of money at the je#eler;s in e<$han'e for one of his 'em stones. "t #as not lon' before Mish%in had a house built that even humbled the +in';s 6ala$e by $om)arison. :ne day as the +in' #as )assin' by he #as

astonished to see this house that #as more )alatial than his o#n. D)on ma%in' enEuiries the +in' #as told that Mish%in #ho #as a sim)le #ood $utter had risen from ra's to ri$hes throu'h the 'ra$e of God, and #as the o#ner of that beautiful home. The %in' #as intri'ued and this made him #onder #hether su$h a man #ould be humble or arro'ant. To test this, he de$ided to send a )latter of food from his o#n table to Mish%in;s house. Mish%in and his family #ere 'enuinely humbled by the +in';s 'esture and #ondered ho# they #ould return his favour. "n the end Mish%in returned the +in';s )latter #ith a lar'e da88lin' diamond from his $olle$tion. There #as not a sin'le je#el in the +in';s $olle$tion that $ould $om)are to this diamond? and his dau'hter, the 6rin$ess, had it set into a ne$%la$e. 7ein' a very reli'ious man, Mish%in de$ided to 'o out of to#n on a 6il'rima'e. 4e entrusted his dau'hter #ith the tas% of )rayin' to 7ehram 3a8ad #ith re'ular offerin's of dried fruits, flo#ers and nuts. Mish%in;s dau'hter had many friends no# and one day they #ere at a lo$al )ond #here they met the 6rin$ess #ho had $ome to bathe there #ith her servants. The t#o soon be$ame 'ood friends and visited ea$h other;s homes Euite freEuently. "n her enjoyment, Mish%in;s dau'hter for'ot her father;s instru$tions that she )ray to 7ehram 3a8ad. :ne day #hen the t#o 'irls $ame u)on a la%e #ith their friends, the 6rin$ess #anted to 'o for a s#im. Mish%in;s dau'hter $ould not s#im and a'reed to loo% after the very )re$ious ne$%la$e and the 6rin$ess; $lothes. ,hen she returned from her s#im, the 6rin$ess noti$ed the diamond missin' from her ne$%la$e. There #as an alter$ation bet#een the t#o 'irls. The 6rin$ess a$$used Mish%in;s dau'hter of stealin' the diamond from her ne$%la$e. 4er )leas of inno$en$e fell on deaf ears and a very an'ry 6rin$ess #ent home and $om)lained to her father the +in' that jealousy had )rom)ted Mish%in;s dau'hter to steal her diamond. The +in' #as furious. 4e ordered that all of Mish%in;s )ossessions be $onfis$ated and his #ife and dau'hter be thro#n into jail. Mish%in in the mean#hile #as on his #ay home #hen he #as #aylaid by bandits and robbed. D)on $omin' home he #as informed of his family;s arrest and #ent strai'ht over to the +in' for an audien$e. -3our 4i'hness/, said Mish%in in a reverential tone. -"t is unbe$omin' for the man of the house to sit at home #hile his #ife and dau'hter lan'uish in jail. 6lease release them from the jail and let me ta%e their )la$e instead./ The %in' a'reed to this and Mish%in #ent to jail instead of his family. That ni'ht an An'el a))eared in his dream and s)o%e, -you #ere 'ranted so mu$h #ealth and ha))iness in your life but you failed to ma%e a sim)le offerin' to 7ehram 3a8ad/. Mish%in reali8ed that his

dau'hter;s for'etful #ays had brou'ht all this u)on them. 4e #as very sorry and )leaded for mer$y. -Fery #ell/ said the An'el,/ in the mornin' #hen you #a%e u) you #ill find some $oins under your )illo# and you #ill be 'ranted your freedom. Gind someone to buy you nuts, dried fruits and flo#ers and )ray to 7ehram 3a8ad #ith these offerin's/. ,hen Mish%in #o%e u) the ne<t mornin' he found the $oins under his )illo#, and soon after he #as set free. :utside the jail he sto))ed a horseH rider and reEuested him to buy the items for his offerin'. -" am in a hurry to buy $lothes for my son;s #eddin',/ the man said. -" have no time to fet$h these thin's for you./ 5o sayin', the man rode off. 4is horse soon tri))ed, thro#in' the man from his mount and brea%in' his le'. Mish%in then as%ed a sad old man that #as )assin' by to do his biddin'. -" #ill fet$h #hatever you #ant,/ the old man said, -" #as on my #ay to buy a shroud for my youn' son #ho is dyin', but " $an surely s)are you some time. The old man brou'ht Mish%in the items for the offerin' and Mish%in invited him to join in the )rayers. Mish%in narrated his story and to'ether they )rayed to 7ehram 3a8ad for the health and ha))iness of their families. ,hen the old man finally arrived home he #as 'iven the ha))y tidin's that his son #as #ell a'ain and there #as rejoi$in' all around. This established the old man;s faith in 7ehram 3a8ad and he too be$ame a re'ular devotee. :ne day, not lon' after, the +in', Iueen and 6rin$ess #ere ta%in' a stroll in their 'arden #hen a lar'e bird fle# over and dro))ed the missin' diamond at their feet. They #ere very sorry for #hat they had done to Mish%in and his family and the +in' )ersonally a)olo'i8ed to them. Mish%in said to the +in' -you have shamed our family #ith your a$$usations of theft. ,hat man #ill ever marry my dau'hter no#/@ 5eein' the truth in this, the +in' and Iueen as%ed for his dau'hter;s hand in marria'e to their only son, the 6rin$e. They #ere one family no# and visited ea$h others; homes often. :n one su$h o$$asion #hen the +in' and Iueen #ere over at Mish%in;s house the Iueen noti$ed that Mish%in had laid out these offerin's and #as )rayin'. -,hat is the si'nifi$an$e of these fruits, nuts and flo#ers@/ she jo%in'ly as%ed Mish%in. -They are the sour$e of all our ha))iness/ Mish%in re)lied and enli'htened her about the blessin's of 7ehram 3a8ad. -" have lost my brothers for the )ast seven years/ the Iueen said to Mish%in. -"f they should turn u) " #ill ma%e your story reno#ned throu'hout our +in'dom./ To'ether they made an offerin' to 7ehram 3a8ad and )rayed for the safe return of the Iueen;s brothers. Three days later the brothers suddenly $ame ba$% to the Iueen. ,ith her belief in the )o#ers of 7ehram 3a8ad firmly $emented, the very joyous Iueen made this story %no#n far and #ide

throu'hout the +in'dom and advised the $iti8ens to have faith in 7ehram 3a8ad too.

END
,hen our 'reat 6riests left "ran by shi) to save our reli'ion, there #as a hu'e storm and it is only #ith your Divine hel), 7ehram 3a8ad that our >ternal Gire #as saved and )reserved in the 4oly Gire Tem)le that #as established in Dd#ada, "ndia. .ust as Mish%in and his family;s desires #ere fulfilled, just as the old man;s son rose u) from his deathHbed, just as the Iueen;s brothers mysteriously returned after seven years, so too, 7ehram 3a8ad may you besto# your 7lessin's u)on my family and may all our )roblems be resolved. May God Almi'hty resolve all our diffi$ulties and May 6ea$e be u)on all of the ,orld. AMEN2 06ray B 3atha Ahu Fairyo and * Ashem Fohu here.1

,e are tryin' to have free $o)ies of this boo% available in most A'iaris and Atash 7ehrams in "ndia. :r visit htt)JKK###.avesta.or'KotherKmishfinl.htm