Zoroastrianism is an ancient religion that has withstood the test of time, with its rituals and festivals offering a fascinating glimpse into its history. The religion involves three types of purification: padyab, nahn, and Navjote. Adherents engage in purification rituals such as washing hands, untying them, and retieing them while reciting prayers. The central ritual of Zoroastrianism is the Yasna, which is a recitation of the Avesta book and sacrificial ritual ceremony involving Haoma.
The Yasna serves as a place of worship for Zoroastrians, who make their choice known through their daily actions and ritual worship of Ahura Mazda. On the dawn of the fourth day, the spirit is believed to have passed away. Zoroastrianism is one of the oldest living world-religions, and its history, beliefs, sacred texts, and rituals are explored by Professor Almut Hintze.
Fire temples, or “Door of Kindness”, are places of worship for Zoroastrians, where water (aban) and fire (atar) are agents of ritual purity. In Iran, Chahārtāqs (sacred buildings with four gates or doors) are scattered over most of Iran. Permanent altars exist from the Sasanian period and are visited regularly.
Zoroastrianism also emphasizes the disposal of the body after death in Towers of Silence, a special place on a hill where the body is placed. The Navjote is the coming of age ritual that all Zoroastrians must participate in between the ages of 7-12.
📹 Please Explain: The Zoroastrian religion
Zoroastrianism was ancient when Jesus was born. Its followers believe we are connected to the environment, good and evil exist …
Do Zoroastrians have a holy day?
Nowruz, also known as Naw-ruz or Norooz, is a significant holy day for Zoroastrians, Bahá’ís, Sufis, and some Muslims. It falls on March 21 in the Fasli calendar and is celebrated quietly in homes and temples. Zoroastrian holy days are observed by followers of Zarathushti, who must observe the six Gahambar festivals and Nowruz, called feasts of obligation. Festivals can fall on different days, depending on the calendar used. Persian Zoroastrians follow the Qadīmī calendar, while Parsis use the Shenshai calendar, which is a month longer.
In the early 20th century, some Parsis adopted the Faṣlī (Gregorian) calendar, with Nowruz always falling on March 21. Parsis who use the Shenshai or Qadmi calendars celebrate the spring equinox as Jamshed-i-Nouroz and New Year’s in July or August.
Do Zoroastrians pray 5 times a day?
The sacred fire in Hinduism is kept burning continuously and fed five times a day, with prayers recited five times a day. The founding of a new fire involves an elaborate ceremony, purification rites, and regeneration of a fire. After death, a four-eyed dog is brought before the corpse, which is repeated five times a day. The fire is kept burning in the room until three days after the removal of the corpse to the dakhma, or “tower of silence”. The dakhma is built in three concentric circles, with corpses exposed naked.
Vultures strip the flesh off the bones, which are then dried by the sun and swept into a central well. The morning of the fourth day is the most solemn observance in the death ritual, as the departed soul reaches the next world and appears before deities who will pass judgment over it.
What is the holiest site of Zoroastrianism?
A fire temple is a place of worship for Zoroastrianism, the ancient religion of Persia. In Zoroastrianism, atar or fire and aban, water, are agents of ritual purity. Clean, white ash is used for purification ceremonies, which are essentially the rites proper to tending a domestic fire. As of 2021, there were 167 fire temples worldwide, with 45 in Mumbai, 105 in India, and 17 in other countries. Nine of these are the main Atash Behrams, while the remaining are smaller agiaries. Sacrificing to fire with fuel in one’s hand brings happiness.
Do Muslims recognize Zoroastrianism?
The question of whether Zoroastrians can interact with Muslims and be accommodated is answered affirmatively. Muslims generally agree that they can tax Zoroastrians and allow them to live alongside them within their empire. However, they do not recognize them as “people of the book”. This concept of accommodation refers to extending special privileges or exemptions to a group to benefit from their useful endeavors.
Zoroastrians could pay taxes, which would help the Muslim empire thrive, but they don’t have to recognize them as “people of the book”. This concept highlights the flexibility Muslims are willing to offer in allowing Zoroastrians in, but they are not willing to compromise their standards.
Can Muslims marry Zoroastrianism?
The Quran allows Muslims to marry “people of the book” and eat food, particularly meat, prepared by “people of the book”. However, if Zoroastrians were not recognized as “people of the book”, then Muslims should not marry them and cannot eat their meat. This led to numerous restrictions on Zoroastrians under Muslim rule, including paying an extra tax called Jizyah, dressing differently than Muslims, and not building new houses of worship.
The effectiveness of these restrictions is questionable, as it is difficult to determine what people actually did. Some common restrictions on Zoroastrianism include not following the rules imposed by the Quran, such as eating meat prepared by Zoroastrians. However, there are many Hadiths attributed to Prophet Mohammed that permit Muslims to eat cheese made by Zoroastrians. These statements were often promoted by Muslim lawyers in places like Kufa, Iraq, where there was a large Zoroastrian population in antiquity.
Michael Cook at Princeton University has found that these statements were often promoted by Muslim lawyers in places like Kufa, Iraq, where Zoroastrians and Muslims interacted in the markets, buying each other’s food and goods. As a result, Islamic law became flexible enough to include goods like cheese.
In conclusion, life for Zoroastrians under Islamic rule was not rosy, but rather, there were restrictions and some harsh enforcements. Understanding the shared history between Zoroastrians and Muslims is crucial to understanding the effectiveness of these restrictions and the challenges faced by Zoroastrians during this period.
Do Zoroastrians have a holy land?
Yazd, a Zoroastrian stronghold in Iran, has a population of 5-10 Zoroastrians, with the fire temple burning since the 5th century. The city is home to six holy shrines, with the Pir-e-Sabz in Chak Chak being the holiest. During British rule, many Parsis moved to Mumbai, becoming part of the elite entrepreneurial and business class. The city is also home to many of India’s richest Parsi families, including the Tata and Wadia families.
Mumbai is also known for its Parsi cafés, a legacy of their cuisine and culture. Sanjan Sanjan, Gujarat, is the landing point of the first wave of Parsi refugees in India and the town with the oldest Zoroastrian presence in India.
Where is the sacred place of Zoroastrianism?
Pir-e-Sabz is a sacred mountain shrine in Iran, known for its legends of a conquering Arab army pursuing Nikbanoo, the daughter of Emperor Yazdgird III. The mountain miraculously opened up and provided protection to Nikbanoo, who prayed to Ahura Mazda for her protection. The shrine, also known as Chak-Chak, is a man-made cave with a holy spring and an ancient tree. The spring’s waters are believed to be tears of grief shed by the mountain for Lady Nikbanoo.
Thousands of Zoroastrians from Iran, India, and other countries visit the temple from June 14 to 18. A pilgrim trail to Chak-Chak starts near the village of Elabad, and it is a time-honored tradition for pilgrims to stop at the sight of the shrine and continue their journey by foot. Roofed pavilions are constructed on the cliffs below the shrine, filled with pilgrims during the day and night.
Mt. Ushi-darena, also known as ‘Support of Divine Consciousness’ or ‘Sustainer of Divine Wisdom’, is the mountain where Zoroaster attained illumination and received the revelation of the supreme god, Ahura Mazda. The mountain is situated in the Mt. Alborz range near Azerbaijan, Zarathustra’s traditional birthplace.
Where do Zoroastrians usually worship?
Zoroastrian fire temples are places of worship that feature an eternal flame that burns continuously and is never extinguished.
Do Zoroastrians believe in Allah?
Zoroastrians adhere to a monotheistic belief system, worshipping a singular deity, Ahura Mazda. This monotheistic tradition is complemented by a dualistic cosmology, wherein good and evil are regarded as fundamental opposing forces. The God of Good, Ahura, engages in combat with the God of Evil, Mainyu, ultimately emerging victorious. Zoroastrianism allows individuals the autonomy to pursue a virtuous course of action.
What are the rituals of Zoroastrianism?
Zoroastrianism’s central ritual is the Yasna, a recitation of the Avesta book and sacrificial ceremony involving Haoma. Extensions to the Yasna are rare in modern Zoroastrianism, but it is still practiced in reduced forms like the sacrifice of fat before meals. High rituals like the Yasna are considered the purview of the Mobads, with a corpus of individual and communal rituals and prayers included in the Khordeh Avesta.
A Zoroastrian is welcomed into the faith through the Navjote/Sedreh Pushi ceremony, traditionally conducted during later childhood or pre-teen years. After the ceremony, Zoroastrians are encouraged to wear their sedreh (ritual shirt) and kushti (ritual girdle) daily as a spiritual reminder and for mystical protection.
Historically, Zoroastrians are encouraged to pray the five daily Gāhs and maintain and celebrate the various holy festivals of the Zoroastrian calendar, which can differ from community to community. Zoroastrian prayers, called manthras, are believed to be of a reflectionary and supplicant nature and have the ability to banish evil. Devout Zoroastrians are known to cover their heads during prayer, either with traditional topi, scarves, or other headwear, but full coverage and veiling are not part of Zoroastrianism.
Do Zoroastrians drink alcohol?
The consumption of alcohol is not traditionally proscribed in Zoroastrian texts; rather, it is a common practice during festive and social gatherings. However, it is also noteworthy that there exist both non- and anti-alcoholic attitudes among Zoroastrians.
📹 Zoroastrianism Explained
What do Emperor Xerxes, Freddie Mercury, and Ireland’s richest citizen Pallonji Mistry have in common? All of them are …
Let me tell you all a very famous story about Zoroastrians in India: so when Muslims invaded Iran zoroastrian refugees came to India went to the King’s court of that region asked the king to give them shelter the king showed them a glass full of milk and told them that this land is already full,how would they live here then one of the refugees took out some sugar and mixed it into the milk and told the king that just like the sugar dissolves in milk we will also dissolve in this country and would live peacefully here.
The Most Famous and Humble Farsi (Zoroastrian) in the whole World Mr. Ratan Tata (CEO of 113 Billion Dollar Company) Sadly the no. Of farsi in India Is less than 50 thousand in a country with a population of 1.3 billion, but their contribution helped build India without Farsi’s india wouldn’t have become what it is today Massive Respect
The similarity of Zoroastrianism and Hinduism is uncanny. The fire ritual in both rituals, the description of daevas in Zoroastrianasim and the description of devas in Hinduism, the knowledge of daevas being the ‘vid’ and knowledge of devas being ‘Veda’, Mazda being the wise lord in Zoroastrianism and the ban of worship of the wise lord ‘Brahma’ in Hinduism, ahura-ashura – these all are very intriguing.
Howdy! Religion teacher from Texas here. Your animation has gotten so much better over time, and the pacing of your scripts is much more usable for classroom teaching. At some point, you may think about re-doing your article on Buddhism with your new skills and pacing. It is great to see the growth of this website.
my parents have always told me my fathers side of the family have very strong Zoroastrian roots and just the last 2 hundred years my dads side converted to islam as islam is the main religion in iran (im Persian) tbh ive always been curious what Zoroastrianism is and this article really taught me alot about my ancestors religion.
I’m from Afghanistan and come from a traditionally muslim culture. As kids, we’ve been told that Zoroastrianism was our pre-Islamic religion and it’s a heresy religion because they worship fire instead of God. We also have a dance called the attan in which we perform certain movements while moving in a continuous circle one behind another. I know now that the dance dates back to Zoroastrian times and back than, they use to dance around a burning fire. The fire aspect vanished with time and only the circling motion continued in our memories. Zoroastrianism is a very sophisticated and grandiose religion worthy of my deepest respect. It sound a lot like the three Abrahamic religions; specially Christianity.
0:12 – Intro 0:52 – Basic history & geography of Zoroastrianism 3:14 – About Zoraster/Zarathustra 4:36 – #1 Ahura Mazda & Angra Mainyu (6 Amesha Spentas, Zurvan-Time, Daevas, Getig-Physical World, Gumezishn-Mixture) 7:45 – #2 Heaven & Hell (Duzakh, Tower of Silence) 10:02 – #3 The Apocalypse (Frashokerti -Recapitulation, Saoshyant -Savior) 10:54 – #4 “Asha”: Good thoughts, Good words, Good deeds (Vohu Manah) 12:16 – #5 Fire (temples & worship ritual) 13:01 – #6 Avesta (holy scriptures, 17 Gathas-Hymns) 14:28 – Uniqueness of Zoroastrian concepts in its time, its influence on Jews & other cultures
Fun fact, in Hindu mythology the Daevas are the gods while the demons are called Asura. And in Persian, “s” is often pronounced as “h” so it becomes Ahura. So for some reason ancient Indian and Persian mythologies might have had each others gods as the evil ones. Edit: pls stop spamming my notifications with idiotic idolatry and xenophobia
I like that they don’t care what you believed, only what you did. That way, even if you are atheist, you still get in, so long as you haven’t been a dick. I don’t trust religions that require you to believe to be saved. It is just a scare tactic to keep people believing. If whoever you love threatens to hurt you if you stop loving them, this is a terrible sign of an abusive lover.
As a Zoroastrian, (and a tough critic) I was curious to see what this article had to say. BRAVO Cogito!! It’s simple, uncomplicated, precise and factual. I was v. pleased to notice how you explained the Tower of Silence – usually a bone of contention for the younger generation of Zoroastrians, who have aged & realized that being Zoroastrian is not only a privilege (since we don’t encourage conversion) but an honor. “Tab for a cause” – What a WONDERFUL idea, concept, and simple way to better our world. I shall not only join, but tell my Zoroastrian & other friends about it – THANK YOU. Shine on Cogito – USHTA-TE!!
It’s interesting that you mention how the pre-Zoroastrian religion in Iran worshipped gods derived largely from the Hindu pantheon. India and Persia have a lot in common culturally and historically and it’s a shame that Persia often takes a backseat or is “the other side” when history is presented unless they’re talking about Cyrus the Great.
I was interested in learning about different religions a year ago, so I searched on Youtube and your articles popped out. I clicked it and the next thing you know I literally binged watched your articles. I love your explanations, made it easy for me to understand!! thanks for making them, very educational and knowledgeable! 😀 xx
I’m Persian( Iranian), and once I met a Parsi in Malaysia. We talked a little bit about our culture and which of our traditions still survived. It was very pleasant. But then he told me that even after all these years, all of the Parsi people he knows still pray for the well-being of their motherland. That actually made me cry in front of him. So amazing to know they still love our country. Ps. The animation was hilarious! Well done!
Abrahamic religions: Hey dude can I please copy your homework? Zoroastrianism: Alright but don’t make it too obvious Abrahamic religions: Edit: can’t believe i have to say this but this comment is a joke and doesn’t necessarily reflect my actual views, so don’t treat it as such. also, if you’re a fan of shitshow comment threads, be my guest.
I found a lot of interesting parallels between Buddhism and Zoroastrianism in this article. The most striking one is the “good thoughts, good words, good deeds” mantra. I think Buddhism has a practice similar to that (at least in the sect of Buddhism I know about anyway). We even divided karma into the same three levels; mental (karma of thought), verbal (karma of word), and physical (karma of deed). And the saying “Happiness comes to them who bring happiness to others.” encapsulates the essence of the karma cycle so well. For anyone who’s unfamiliar with the concept, it’s basically “if you do good things, you’ll get good things.” plus the opposite “if you do bad things, you’ll get bad things”, so you reap what you sow, essentially.
I just finished perusal Cogito’s articles on religion. They covered more content than a whole semester of a college-level course on comparative religious studies. Took a lot less than a semester too! Nice work. And to be perfectly honest… your descriptions of the similarities and differences of the Abrahamic faiths are pretty accurate. I’d make your articles required study if was still teaching.
This is a theory about the creation of the Parsi community. In the Rigveda, one of the earliest Hindu scriptures, there’s a mention of a battle of 10 kings. One of the kings belonged to the Parsu clan (that later became the Parsi clan). They fought against the Sudas (Vedic kings). In a decisive battle near a river bed, Sudas were on the verge of defeat. It’s said that they prayed to the Vedic God of rain to flood the river and damage the enemy bridge/dam. It rained and the Sudas were victorious. The defeated clans all went to separate places. Persians went west and created what we know as Zoroastrianism today. The language comes from Sanskrit with the theology being opposite to that of the Vedic religion. And it’s opposite because it’s thought that the Persians believed that the Gods (devas) betrayed them during that fateful battle. Hence, Ahuras (asuras), which are demons in Vedic ideology, became God’s, switching things up. Even a lot of their rituals are weirdly similar.
Religious Studies student here: Two things I think could be added… Good vs evil, like other Abrahamic religions, seems like ‘God vs Devil’ to many who may be perusal, but in Zoroastrianism it’s a little different. Where Judaism, Christianity, and Islam see the devil as a lesser being created by God, who rebelled, & no one thinks has a chance, Zoroastrianism is dualistic, meaning the Good and Evil are both eternal, uncreated forces, and, at least in the beginning, equal in power. Second thing: The Amesha Spentas are likened to archangels in your article. That’s a very good comparison. But I think they might be more accurately like spiritual embodiments of the Virtues — Truth, Beauty, Justice, Patience, Kindness, etc…. I could be wrong though.
Evidently, Zarathushtra I authored Gathas and Yasna Haptanghaiti of Avesta and recompiled Avesta. Zarathushtra I was like a Veda Vyasa of Zoroastrianism. He transformed Zoroastrianism into Monotheism and founded the basic tenets of Zoroastrian philosophy. This is how an Asuraveda transformed into Avesta and Zoroastrianism. Interestingly, Zoroastrianism accepted the Indian concept of Mahayuga of 12000 years that evolved after Ramayana era. Zoroastrianism followed equal length of four Yugas (3000 years of each Yuga) Instead of the differential duration (4:3:2:1) of four Yugas. Danavas and Turvashas of post Vedic era were the worshippers of Vedic devatas like Mitra, Varuna, Indra, Nāsatya and Agni etc. These Vedic gods had been transformed into Greek gods. 12 Olympian gods are like 12 Adityas of Vedic era. The common people from Afghanistan to East Europe prominently worshipped God Mithra. Gradually, Mitra became synonymous to Surya (Sun). Zarathushtra I’s monotheism also influenced the philosophy of Mitra god worshippers of East Europe. Thus, Mithraism was born in East Europe and became a popular religion before the birth of Christianity. Mithraism has been meticulously destroyed and wiped out by the Christian fraudster scholars and their authoritarian kings. Probably, many Indian families of Balochistan and Gandhara had also migrated to Sumeria, Babylon, Egypt. Puranas indicates that the sons of Prachetas, a descendant of Druhyu dynasty migrated to west and became the kings of Mlechcha countries.
You can see how confident one is about his religion when they feel the need to enforce it in a comment below, that would be often very one-sided and aggressive… If you truly believe in something you wouldn’t care someone compares it with something else or even criticize it as you know the truth, others opinions won’t change it. A true believer doesn’t need proof or approval and they certainly will not get offended at others opinions as the truth of their beliefs is undeniable. But sadly, if you are doubters you will feel the need for approval and recognition, and if not given, anger and intolerance will ensue followed by the persecution card you don’t like it because you are a : “input religion here”phobe… So be my guest and show me how much of a believer you are? On a brighter note, I learned about a very old religion that is pretty cool that I had no idea existed and was still practice today, very interesting indeed.
It was really interesting, also with this kind animation, just in case, I also have absolutely respect Iranian history, cultures, as one of the most ancient, ancient civilizations, cultures and so on., before Islamization, Muslimanization of Iran, and Zoroastrianism /Mazdaysna (based on the teachings of Zarathustra), as one of the most ancient, mentally developed, open- minded religions, and so on. Sincerely, Alex
The Zoroastrian calendar and the its rituals are also fascinating. The last Wednesday of a year is profoundly special and all of Iranians celebrate it. Lots of Zoroastrian traditions are still preserved in Iranian culture. Thanks to these traditions, hostile religions like islam failed to fully destroy Iranian identity.
This article was amazing, and this is one of the few times in my life where I’ve been swayed by the sponsor advertisement – Tabs for a Cause is very Zoroastrian! What an amazing religion. I’m humbled to even be able to know about it, considering how world history could have turned out with the opposite being the case. I would love to participate in a Zoroastrian worship ceremony
Thank you so much for this article. I have always been curious about this religion due to my fascination with the Persian empire and my own religion of Christianity. Truly amazing and mind blowing how much I as a Christian owe to this religion. Also, mad respect to them for been able to resist the conquest by islam even inthis present age.
The Magi in the Gospel weren’t necessarily Zoroastrians. They were referred to as the wise men or magi in translation. The original text consisted of a diverse cultural reading and most likely contained multiple meanings, magi being the most simple English translation. Magi were not necessarily confined to Zoroastrianism and could have been philosophers or ancient professors with a diverse set of talents.
Ask any random Indian on their thoughts on Zoroastrian/Parsi people, not a single soul would have any negative thing to say. I can’t stress enough on the immense contribution by the Parsi community in India. They’ve contributed in all sectors of life, be it serving the military (Sam Manekshaw), Science (Homi Jahangir Bhabha), industry (Sapoorji Palonji, Tata, Godrej), independence movement (Madam Bhikaji Cama, Dadabhai Naotoji ), sports (Diana Edulji), etc. Huge respect to the entire Parsi community and their great religion of Zoroastrianism.
Excellent! One small correction. Isaiah was written about 150 years BEFORE King Cyrus. It was Daniel (whom Nebuchadnezzar had promoted to head Magi) who met King Cyrus with the gift of Isaiah’s scroll — pointing out the King’s name. It was this that encouraged Cyrus to free the Jews -since Isaiah also prophesied the manner is which Cyrus would accomplish his military successes. Darius was “showing off” his newly acquired Magi (Daniel) at the time, when Cyrus came to visit the captured CITY of Babylon.
I think with respect to “worshipping fire”, some smart people probably say that meaning the same thing as when we say Christians “worship the cross”, and a lot of people don’t appreciate the distinction between fire and Ahura Mazda the same way they appreciate the difference between the cross and Jesus and the Holy Trinity.
I don’t believe they were meant to be actual gods, but metaphysical principles. Good god = positive beliefs/energy, which is expansiv and constructive. Bad god = negative beliefs/energy, which is contractive, separative. Both are needed for a dualistic physical world, like decay is needed in nature for recycling. It’s a negative principle, but not “bad”. I think the personification of those principles is a later misunderstanding and the longing for humans to worship something or someone.
I wished this was studied in public school RE classes. Especially as Zoroastrianism has had such a major influence on the beliefs found in Judaism, Christianity and others. It would help many students understand the many of the origins of their own beliefs as many of them think the ideas present in their own religions are unique.
Gautama Buddha actually encountered a grand priest from the “Fire religion” that was possibly Zoroastrianism in India. He had a productive conversation with this priest, and the Buddha didn’t believe that gods are eternal but they are just ephemeral as humans and everyone else. Still, Buddha never denied the existence of any god. This is interesting because Hinduism/Buddhism also has the same belief in the perpetual impermanence of Samsara and Karma. No one can last forever! Mortals, who do many good deeds, will eventually become gods. Gods, who lose their blessings after very long lifetimes, will devolve back to mortals.
india gave a refugee to persecuted religions like zoroastriant’s, Baha’i religion, Jews, Tibetan Buddhists(ex. dalai lama) and we r happy and blessed to have all of them and they reached highest positions in this country like becoming Army &Navy General’s, Industrialists, Billionaire’s, Space Scientist’s, actors & actresses…, We are blessed to have them. but i don’t know y Islam have a problem everywhere everytime in every non Muslim countries
It’s so crazy to me that religions are constantly arguing and killing each other over their differences, when at their core, most religions are EXACTLY the same. Good vs Evil, apocalypse, pure holy savior to free us all, heaven/hell, afterlife, limbo, beings of light/angels… the list goes on and on
In rigveda, there is mention of Dasarajan yuddha (battle of ten kings) in which king Bharata emerged victorious and all other kings left india. Ancestors of Zoroastrians were Hindus and they settle down in Persia. Their most important figure is Zoroaster also called Zarathustra . In Sanskrit, zarath- yellow and ustra- camel.
As an Iranian we were taught in school the three core teachings of Zoroastrianism which includes: “Good thoughts” or “پندار نیک” “Good words” or “گفتار نیک” “Good deeds” or “کردار نیک” Clearly noble…it’s depressing how we betrayed our own culture by forgetting and throwing away the riches of our roots and adapting something foreign to the point that… was it not for ferdowsi we wouldnt be speaking persian by now and… my mind shivers at the very thought to which ferdowsi says “بسی رنج بردم در این سال سی/ عجم زنده کردم بدین پارسی” which means “I suffered 30 years to write shahname and I revived the persians with this parsi” parsi means farsi which is the arabized version of parsi . remains of an ancient civilization so easily forgotten, youth of my age scratching and writing their name on the pillars of perspolis. The future of this long wounded culture is yet to be determined. We persians can hope those holding the helm of this country come to realization of the value of Zoroastrian teachings to which I dare say they violate each and every one of the three. With peace and love, a random persian…God bless
As in Iranian, I can suggest the gamers to play “Prince Of Persia”, the one that prince tries to help princess Elika to give life back to tree of life and restrain the Ahriman or “devil’. The characters and the story behind them, specially the 4, “Warrior”, “concubine”, “hunter”, and ” Alchemist” can shed a light on basics of human psyche, no joke.
I dunno how related to the topic of the post this is…In my 50 years i’ve lived in over 7 countries, travelled around many more, been financially well off & penniless poor & met many, many, man…..a helluva lot people. And the vast majority(96%+) of Iranian/Persion people i’ve met have been especially nice, good & friendly people. Note : And it grieves my heart that western populations remain silent as their nations criminal leaders; cabinets/admins wage unlawful war around that region & appear to be have Iran on their list. Truly western nations have become the new Nazis
In the teachings of Zarathushtra in the Gathas, devil or demon does not exist to confront the Wise Lord, Ahura Mazda. Spenta Mainyu or benevolent spirit and Angra Mainyu are connected to human’s mind and at the time of decision making, one should resort to benevolent spirit. Therefore Angra Mainyu or Ahriman does not confront Ahura Mazda. Heaven and Hell are not geographic places and in the Gathas, there is no depiction of the two, rather they represent the two states of the mind. Heaven is spiritual relief or bright mind and hell is equated with inner torment or dark mind. By the same token the sorting bridge is a poetical term for the separation of the soul of the wrongful who will will be upbraided by their conscience and do not pass and the righteous who will be guided by theirs conscience and shall pass the bridge. Aside from the three principle of good thoughts, good words and good deeds, an amazing issue is the respect for human’s liberty and freedom of choice that covers freedom of religion, leader, speech. government and spouse, even God is to be chosen by good deeds. Men and women are addressed equally and in some verses women are mentioned first. Both by good deeds can receive salvation.
Now I wonder how they will implement Zoroastrianism in genshin impact’s Sumeru region since it’s mentioned there that someone is training to be a Zasthur. Also you forgot to mention that some ancient writers claim that Pythagoras may have been taught geometry and the doctrine of metempsychosis from the Magi(while some from Egyptians).
(regarding statements at 14:40) Nothing in the text of Jewish Holy Writings of the Jewish Bible/Tanach indicates that Jews were ever open to Cyrus’s religious ideas and beliefs. He was honored for freeing Jews and allowing them/us to return to the Land of Israel and rebuild the Temple. That does not indicate, or imply, that his religion was anything other than idolatry as commanded against in the Torah.
Actually Ahura Mazada (Great Wise Creator) is Creator of everything, even light and Dark. Without Darkness of night, there would be no life on earth, both are needed. But Good and Evil are human creation, which is created by human Mind. It is our creation, since “Ahri-Man = Evil mind”, Man is the same in English, also means Mind! So get it right. One has to choose between the two. If you choose Good and Truth, you will create heaven on earth, otherwise you create Hell. Choose it right and do good for sake of goodness of all.
I firmly believe that if there is a God that they presented themself to Moses, Zoroaster, Mohammed, and the first Guru of Sikhism. They all have the exact same beliefs, and the fact that Jesus was born to a virgin mother, and he was supposed to bring about that peace mentioned in Zoroastrianism just really solidifies it. We are all preaching to the same god.
They call(ed) otters “water dogs”?? Omg, adorable!! Once at the aquarium in Chicago I was standing next to 2 kids from a summer education program for inner city kids, and the little boy said “Wow! What kind of fish is that?!”, and his little friend said “that’s not a fish. That’s a dog, stupid.” I thought that she was just being a silly kid, but apparently she wasn’t the first to think that an otter is a dog!! Lol!! 😂
ky burial (Tibetan: བྱ་གཏོར་, Wylie: bya gtor, lit. “bird-scattered”) is a funeral practice in which a human corpse is placed on a mountaintop to decompose while exposed to the elements or to be eaten by scavenging animals, especially carrion birds. It is a specific type of the general practice of excarnation. It is practiced in the annexed region Tibet and the Chinese provinces and autonomous regions of Qinghai, Sichuan and Inner Mongolia, as well as in Mongolia, Bhutan and parts of India such as Sikkim and Zanskar. The locations of preparation and sky burial are understood in the Vajrayana Buddhist traditions as charnel grounds. Comparable practices are part of Zoroastrian burial practices where deceased are exposed to the elements and birds of prey on stone structures called Dakhma. Few such places remain operational today due to religious marginalisation, urbanisation and the decimation of vulture populations. The majority of Tibetan people and many Mongols adhere to Vajrayana Buddhism, which teaches the transmigration of spirits. There is no need to preserve the body, as it is now an empty vessel. Birds may eat it or nature may cause it to decompose. The function of the sky burial is simply to dispose of the remains in as generous a way as possible (the origin of the practice’s Tibetan name). In much of Tibet and Qinghai, the ground is too hard and rocky to dig a grave, and due to the scarcity of fuel and timber, sky burials were typically more practical than the traditional Buddhist practice of cremation.
“Good thought, Good Words, Good Deeds” is not necessarily a good translation since the Persian word “Good” that is used in that sentence would entail different things as well, like: Honesty, truth and good. I think a better translation would be “Never lie to yourself, Always tell the truth, Always do what you know to be right”
Magic is likely the root of the word Magi actually. It stems originally from the Proto-Euphratean language pre 5300. It’s a language that was more tonal than verbal. The word magic came directly from ‘maugh’ which sounds like awe with an M sound in front of it. it’s meaning is ‘to be able’. But the rest of your facts are likely ok. 🌈THE MORE YOU KNOW!
Asha comes from a Indo-European root meaning something like “put in order” or “put toghether” and is related to words we currently use today some examples Italic (Latin) branch used in English = Article, Art, Army, Armor, Reason, Ratio Germanic branch used in English = Arm, Rhyme, Read Greek branch used in English = Arachnid (presumably from Spiders ability to put a web in order), Aristocrat, Arithmetic, Harmony Another tidbit for anyone who reads this far, Zoroaster couldn’t have been alive in ~6300 BCE since if he was it would’ve had a profound impact on Greek, Roman, Celtic, Germanic, Baltic and Slavic paganism and one of the reasons it’s believed Zoroaster was around or after ~1700 BCE is due to the lack of significant influence on what would become Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Tocharian pagan beliefs.
It surprises me how many people ignore the vedic roots of Zoroastrianism… There are so many stark similarities in etymology.. In Hindu Vedic culture Asura meant powerful beings who were evil and Devas was the word for gods.. It’s the exact complement in Zoroastrianism where Ahura refers to God and Daiva means evil forces.. The Gathas of the Parsees, the reverred religious books, their name Gatha is again an Indian word which means “folklore”… The path of Asha is the virtuous path… Asha is an indian word that means hope… Again Ahura Mazda referes to a Wise God.. The most supreme…Mazda has its origins in Sanskrit word Medha, which means callibre Or potential and in some cases is used for very high wisdom or knowledge too.. Again the Words Persian and Parsee come from the word Parshwa, according to Rigveda Parshwa was a prosperous and knowledge rich dynasty in India that had to move westwards near Iran following defeat in a war.. Yes Zoroastrianism was an inspiration to many Abrahamic principles but before that it has vedic origins which should be highlighted too
Problem is hardly any of this is in the Gathas (read them, they are short), the original scripture of Zoroastrianism. Instead much was incorporated into Zoroastrianism from religions that followed (Judaism & Christianity) and was added to the much later Zoroastrian Avesta texts. The influence therefore worked both ways, Zoroastrianism influenced Judaism & Christianity, and these in turn influenced later Zoroastrianism.
Very fantastic article! i Think the only inaccurate part was the Part about Alexander’s reception in Iran: In Shahnameh, Epic tales, mystic and idyllic poems etc. he is always depicted very positive and as an Iranian i’ve never heard or read the name ‘Alexander the Cursed’. The reason is not so simple but very interesting: as you yourself showed, the Magi are older than Zaraostar and his religious ideas was actually a revolt against them. Alexander and his Troops reached Iran in a time of magi’s monopoly on resources, land, power, money and everything. They have actually made the King a mere Puppet. Alexander was welcomed and his army was not only tolerated but assisted by many iranians and his invasion was far less bloody and destructive than the Mongols. Iranian people celebrated massacre of the Magi (Magophonia or magu-zati) and the massacre actually did happen with help of population itself. The magi have so many Things in Common with current Mullahs. As you can see, nowhere in the World are islamic clergy so power hungry and Brutal like in Iran. Iranian Muslim clergy, just like the magi, are never content with being scholars and preachers.
10:12 “A saviour born to a virgin mother” may be interpreted as someone who lacks one or more parents. Definitely living in a society will be extremely hard for a person without mother, father or both. He/she will be directly exposed to hardships of life staring from an early age, thereby providing him with the realization of good/bad, true meaning of life and social malpractices. The person will be at the bottom most of the social privilege ladder and so much un-satisfied with the present norms that he/she would dare to introduce a new concept of life, social order and justice called as ‘religion’. Same holds true for Christian and Islamic prophets.
sounds like an offshoot of Vedic Philosophy, surely its well known Parth was once part of KURU kingdoms in the last AGE when there was no zoroastianism it was part of ancient india once, 3500 years ago Buddhism was quite prevalent in the subcontinent. Fire element is quite vedic, covering mouth is quite like Jainism, concept of KARMA seems quite prevalent in most religions.
Is the Deity of Justice in Zoroastrianism religion. Together with Mithra and Sraosha, Rashnu is one of the three judges who pass judgment on the souls of people after death based on their good and bad deeds. He is described as having a golden scale through which an individual’s accumulated sins and virtues are measured. This balance “does not dip unjustly on any side: Not for the righteous ones, nor the sinful ones, not for lords nor other rulers. It does not alter so much as a single hair’s breadth and possesses no partiality.”
Omg, I love you Cogito and I love educational articles. Thank you for teaching me about Zoroastrianism. Honestly, I’m happy that those refugees are safe and to continue their lives peacefully after. “Religion” is such a stupid word, it divides us. In any culture, everyone speaks of the human duty in our world. To help others be it rich or poor, help those who’s vulnerable be it man, woman or animal. Sad that we are living in a backward society globally. Conflict in ourselves, conflict to the people around us, conflict in personal interest and conflict within moral principles. People twists words of wisdom and spread words of deceit to satisfy their needs. No matter your culture, let’s all do our duty which is to genuinely help each other. <3
It’s a common misconception, but Mattai (Matthew) doesn’t say that there were ONLY 3 Magi (plural). He wrote that an unspecified number of Magi (Magicians, etc.) brought three gifts (i.e. gold, myrrh & frankincense) (Matt. 2:1, 7, 11). Note: The Aramaic word Mġushe also means: “fire worshippers, priests of the Persian religion, mages & wizards.” However, the KJV for some reason translated the Greek word magoi as: “wise men” there. There is another specific word in Aramaic & Greek that actually means “wise men.”
Every Iranian who reads my words should remember that our origin is Zoroastrianism! The Arabic religion is not Islam, which entered our country with a sword! If we want to build our country, we must return to our originality! Let’s remember that if it wasn’t for us, Islam would be nothing but sword and blood, because the greatest scientists of Islam are Iranians!
As a Jew, I would like to show my respect for the first monotheistic religion. Religious conquests tried to destroy the true origin of monotheistic religions with many genocides and assimilations of peoples, rather than living together around a different way of believing in God. This is what brings our two peoples together in a horrible way.
Zoroastrian people are the most friendliest people ever seen, i see myself in them, cuz I’m a kashmiri pandit, we lost our land (kashmir).. like Zoroastrian people, We were the native Kashmiris, but today’s Muslims in Kashmir don’t like us, they says kashmir isn’t your, it’s ours 🥲 I don’t care, i don’t even blame Muslims for this, cuz I’m from a community where people are extremely tolerant 🥲 But The image of Muslims that is made in my mind isn’t gonna leave me…..
Minor corrections: Zoroastrianism is believed to go back to 8,000 BC was the Greek name given as they called Zarathustra (referenced by Nietzsche on the death of God) Zoroaster. Although they did not practise the religion the Japanese car maker actually did use the God Mazda’s name as they thought it would bring them good fortune, it’s a strange world. The Parsis who fled from the Muslims to India became extremely wealthy. Freddie Mercury’s family practised the religion, he didn’t.
Knowing ancient history really makes me question the religions of today. It makes sense that conquers burned all the books & destroyed all the art, & culture of previous cultures. It would’ve been too easy to connect the dots! FYI many cultures revered the not otter but beaver, they’re innate instinct to construct dams creates ecosystems along rivers & led to the prosperity of the land that all living beings benefited from.