ナウサリのバガサ祭司パンタークの歴史的展開の一側面

The aim of this paper is to describe and clarify several aspects of the historical development of the Parsi community after the fifteenth century in Navsari with references to Gujarati historical documents, "Athoran Tolani Bhagarsath Vanshavali". The present author offered a detailed description of historical development of Panthaks among the Bhagaria priests in Navsari, focusing on the divisions and distributions among 5 pols of Navar, Nirangdin, Varsyo, and Boi ceremonies. The following are the main results of our study. The Parsi community is composed of the Mobed (priests and their descendants) and the Behdins (all laymen and their descendants). The Mobed have come down from the Panthaks which have been divided into the five genealogical pols or stocks. These five genealogical stocks have been separated into smaller lines which actually function as a social unit of Zoroastrian Parsi life in this world. The Behdin have been related to the Parsi community throuth their Panthaks which enable them to follow Zoroastrian beliefs and practices. The evidence shows that the Moｂed, according to the agreement of Panthaks, divided the months, the days and the hours into far smaller parts in order to peｒform Zoroastrian religious practices. The Parsis' residence is also closely connected with their own Panthak.The social structure of the Parsis, from historical point of view, is mainly composed of Panthaks and genealogical factors. Not only the sharing of turns but also the substitutes of unavailable priests are also fixed in a manner consistent with Zoroastrian Panthaks, and they have been treated as having succession to property among the Parsis. It is according to the Panthaks that such life rituals as birth, Navjot, marriage, funeral ceremonies, a great number of religious ceremonies in connection with the sacred fires, Parsi trust deeds, Palak(adoption), and foundation or maintenance of the sacred fires have been carried out by Zoroastrian Parsis in Navsari.