Death but brings me to my life's new birth
in thy abode, Ahura Mazda

Strong is the sense of transiency of life with which I am filled. Life seems to be suspended by a thread. My body grows old with age, but my soul knows no age and ever young will it live. Worn out and old will I die in this world to be born young and wholesome in the other.

When weakness steals upon me, my bodily strength fails and impending death lays me low on the bed of sickness, when healing remedies are of no avail, when health cannot be restored, let me not linger and suffer. When life slowly begins to ebb away from me, when the night of death comes and I stand on the threshold of the next world, let me live my last moments in the hope that with the end of my mortal life upon earth, my soul will now rest in ineffable peace.

When my mortal bonds are broken and I lay down my life, when I depart this life from my lifelong labors to rest, then at last I will be gathered to my Heavenly Father who created me. Let me never forget that my soul has proceeded from thee, my God, and has one day to return to thee. I belong to thee by birth. Let me then die as one that still belongs to thee. One day will I be where thou art and thy angels are and the righteous dead are.

It is upon everyone to work out one's own salvation or damnation. When man regulates his conduct according to the laws ordained by God, he is saved. When he obeys them not, he is lost. Man alone can make his heaven or his hell.

Thou, Ahura Mazda, hast been by my side from the day when I first saw the light. So be thou, I beseech thee, when the light ceases to shine upon me on the day I take my departure from this world. When I cross the border land of the earth and heavenly regions, let the golden gate of Garonmana open for me, Ahura Mazda.

This page was last updated on Tuesday, August 01, 2000.