The cosmic representation of the sacred bread
drōn and frasast
The drōn (Av. draonah- nt.) is used in the drōn service and all inner rituals. Its three stages of making (kirdan, Av. kar), preparing (sāxtan) and sacrificing (yaštan, Av. yaj) repeat the three stages of creation. Its sacrifice contributes to the fight of the Draonah in the world of thought. And its form represents the world of life.
On the drōn tray two different sacred breads are placed:
One, the drōn, an unleavened round bread made of wheat flour (or any other corn), clarified butter (or any other animal product), and water;
The other, frasast (Av. frasasti- f. ‘praise, repuatation’), smaller than a drōn.
The drōn is in the likeness of the world, i.e. the earth. Its roundness symbolizes the round world. Its edge should be raised. The (circular) edge of the drōn is likened to Mount Harā Bərəzaitī, in the way that it encircles the “world”. The frasast is in the likeness of Ahura Mazdā. It is placed on the right side of the drōn on the tray. Its edge should not be raised. The raised edge of the drōn indicates the spatial and temporal limit of the material world; while the unraised edge of the frasast indicates that Ahura Mazdā exists eternally, and He is limitless. The couple frasast-drōn corresponds to the old couple (father) heaven – earth (daughter), that is Ahura Mazdā and Spəṇtā Ārmaiti. It also reminds the cosmic (counter-)sacrifice of the first man and the primal cow, that is Gaya Marətan and Gao. In the centre of the drōn nine marks are made, three marks in three rows. The sacred bread should be pricked so that a hole does not appear on the other side. These marks at the middle of the drōn symblize man, cattle and plant. In the Nīrangestān 28, both drōn and frasast should be pricked. However, in the Pārsī tradition, the drōn proper is the sacred bread with the marks, and it is said to be “named”; while the frasast is unmarked, “without names”. These marked and unmarked breads have something similar to the Indian piṇḍa and lepa. The clarified butter (gōšudāg, Av. gāuš hudå ‘the cow who gives good gifts’) represents the Summit of the Law (cagād ī dāitī, Av. dāitya), which is in the middle of the world of life. The wine in the drōn tray is like the water in the sea (Vouru.kaṣa). The “garland” in the drōn service represents the forest in the sea. The flowers or herbs with scent (sprahm, Av. *spragma-) are the spell of the Holy Immortals (aməṣa spəṇta). The three pieces of firewood and fragrance represent the three steps of the “path” toward the paradise: Humata, Hūxta, Hvaršta. These pieces, as well as the “garland”, are placed on the right side, but the flowers are placed below and the wine above. The vegetables and the fruit are placed between the wine and the drōn, and the head of the priest should be towards the barəsman.
In the Pārsī tradition, on the drōn tray, we find, apart from the drōn and frasast, one sacred bread having five corners like the sun called the Xvaršēdrōy, and one sacred bread which is like the moon called the Māhrōy.
drōn and frasast
The drōn (Av. draonah- nt.) is used in the drōn service and all inner rituals. Its three stages of making (kirdan, Av. kar), preparing (sāxtan) and sacrificing (yaštan, Av. yaj) repeat the three stages of creation. Its sacrifice contributes to the fight of the Draonah in the world of thought. And its form represents the world of life.
On the drōn tray two different sacred breads are placed:
One, the drōn, an unleavened round bread made of wheat flour (or any other corn), clarified butter (or any other animal product), and water;
The other, frasast (Av. frasasti- f. ‘praise, repuatation’), smaller than a drōn.
The drōn is in the likeness of the world, i.e. the earth. Its roundness symbolizes the round world. Its edge should be raised. The (circular) edge of the drōn is likened to Mount Harā Bərəzaitī, in the way that it encircles the “world”. The frasast is in the likeness of Ahura Mazdā. It is placed on the right side of the drōn on the tray. Its edge should not be raised. The raised edge of the drōn indicates the spatial and temporal limit of the material world; while the unraised edge of the frasast indicates that Ahura Mazdā exists eternally, and He is limitless. The couple frasast-drōn corresponds to the old couple (father) heaven – earth (daughter), that is Ahura Mazdā and Spəṇtā Ārmaiti. It also reminds the cosmic (counter-)sacrifice of the first man and the primal cow, that is Gaya Marətan and Gao. In the centre of the drōn nine marks are made, three marks in three rows. The sacred bread should be pricked so that a hole does not appear on the other side. These marks at the middle of the drōn symblize man, cattle and plant. In the Nīrangestān 28, both drōn and frasast should be pricked. However, in the Pārsī tradition, the drōn proper is the sacred bread with the marks, and it is said to be “named”; while the frasast is unmarked, “without names”. These marked and unmarked breads have something similar to the Indian piṇḍa and lepa. The clarified butter (gōšudāg, Av. gāuš hudå ‘the cow who gives good gifts’) represents the Summit of the Law (cagād ī dāitī, Av. dāitya), which is in the middle of the world of life. The wine in the drōn tray is like the water in the sea (Vouru.kaṣa). The “garland” in the drōn service represents the forest in the sea. The flowers or herbs with scent (sprahm, Av. *spragma-) are the spell of the Holy Immortals (aməṣa spəṇta). The three pieces of firewood and fragrance represent the three steps of the “path” toward the paradise: Humata, Hūxta, Hvaršta. These pieces, as well as the “garland”, are placed on the right side, but the flowers are placed below and the wine above. The vegetables and the fruit are placed between the wine and the drōn, and the head of the priest should be towards the barəsman.
In the Pārsī tradition, on the drōn tray, we find, apart from the drōn and frasast, one sacred bread having five corners like the sun called the Xvaršēdrōy, and one sacred bread which is like the moon called the Māhrōy.
| the_cosmic_representation_of_the_sacred_bread.pdf |
The value of the drōn and myazd
arzumandīh ī drōn ud myazd
RP 56
arzumandīh ī drōn ud myazd
RP 56
| the_value_of_the_dron_and_myazd.pdf |
The offering of drōn
grift ī drōn
RP 58
This text corresponds to the Nīrangestān 28, 57, 58.
grift ī drōn
RP 58
This text corresponds to the Nīrangestān 28, 57, 58.
| the_offering_of_dron.pdf |
The significance of the sacred bread
abar cim ī drōn
This text corresponds to the RP 56. The passage about the battle of the spiritual Draonah with the Daēva in the night, also found in the RP 9.2-3, is based on the (Avesta) Stūdgar Nask 13 (cf. Dk ix M 801-802).
abar cim ī drōn
This text corresponds to the RP 56. The passage about the battle of the spiritual Draonah with the Daēva in the night, also found in the RP 9.2-3, is based on the (Avesta) Stūdgar Nask 13 (cf. Dk ix M 801-802).
| the_significance_of_the_sacred_bread.pdf |
On the preparing of the sacred bread ; the significance of the drōn
| .doc |
A manuscript of the Drōn
Yašt ‘the sacrificial text of the sacred bread’ (Guj. bāj-dharnā).
