The earliest form of zoroastrianism, known as gathic zarathustrianism, was founded during zoroasters lifetime, perhaps as early as 1500 bce. Only a portion of the avesta, known as the gathas the hymns are attributed to the prophet zoroaster himself. Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet zoroaster also known as zarathustra, in avestan. This approach has its disadvantages and its critics. The followers of zoroastrianism believe that ahura mazda revealed the truth through the prophet, zoroaster. In the book of gathas, protecting life is the holy principle. Jan 25, 2012 the zorastrian holy book is called the avesta. In the gathas, the most sacred texts of zoroastrianism thought to have been composed by zoroaster himself, zoroaster acknowledged the highest devotion to ahura mazda, with worship and adoration also given to ahura mazdas manifestations amesha spenta and the other ahuras yazata that support ahura mazda. Jun 08, 2018 the rehbare dine jarthushti guide to the zoroastrian religion is a premodern catechism written by the high priest erachji meherjirana 1826 1900. One disadvantage in my opinion is that it tends to present an exaggerated view of the. The latter represent the basic source of the religion. Not only was it a cohort of the ancient vedic hinduism, but also had a huge influence on the development of judaism and christianity. It is written in an eastern iranian dialectlanguage that is called avestan for the lack of more suitable terms. The zend is the commentary on the teaching and the avesta is the original teaching in the holy book.
Many traits of zoroastrianism can be traced back to the culture and beliefs of the prehistorical indoiranian period, that is, to. This book is useful for the later history of the zoroastrians. Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed world religions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith. Zoroastrianism what is, history, beliefs, characteristics. Even the idea of satan is a fundamentally zoroastrian. This sacred text is divided into two main sections, the old testament and the new testament which are then further divided into various books. Despite its title, this book is much more than just a introduction. Zoroastrianism one of the worlds oldest religions 1999. This is one of the definitive books devoted to zoroastrianism along with mary boyces zoroastrians. The vendidad, or videvdat, is the main source for zoroastrian law, both ritual.
History of zoroastrianism religion in india upsc art. Zoroastrianism, although the smallest of the major religions of the world in the number of its adherents, is historically one of the most important. Zoroastrian tradition holds that the original work of 21 books known as. They are some debates about when zoroastrianism started, but most of the documents state that it originated around 4000 years ago in iran and india by a prophet named zoroaster. Hidden away in the folds of irans mountains lie the holy towns of the zoroastrians, the ancient religion that continues to defy. The practices and history of zoroastrianism essay 875 words. Zoroastrians follow the sacred text called the avesta. The extant avesta is all that remains of a much larger body of scripture, apparently zoroasters transformation of a very ancient tradition. The description of zoroastrianism reflects the authors personal beliefs and should be read with a critical mind and a large dose of sound skepticism. Zoroastrianism one of the most ancient religions of the world found sometime before 650 b. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century bce in persia. Feb 22, 2021 angra mainyu or ahriman is the name of zoroastrianism s underlying reality or substance of the destructiveevil spirit and the main adversary in zoroastrianism either of the spenta mainyu, the holy creative spiritsmentality, or directly of ahura mazda, the highest deity of zoroastrianism. A small community of parsis continue to experience and practice zoroastrianism in india and contribute to its ethnic diversity.
In this popular book he assembles quotations found throughout zoroastrian literature. An introduction to zoroastrianism the british library. Zaehners dawn and twilight of zoroastrianism is a comprehensive, wideranging, but still detailed book covering exactly what the title implies. Zoroastrianism is thought to be founded in 6th century bc by zarathustra. The avesta is the book of holy scriptures of zoroastrians. The people who tell the truth are on the side of asha, and are known as the people of righteousness. This includes the original words of their founder zarathushtra, preserved in a series of five hymns, called the gathas. The prophet zoroaster zarathrustra in ancient persian is regarded as the founder of zoroastrianism, which is arguably the worlds oldest monotheistic faith.
It is an existing religion because people from all around the world still practice it. We provide the complete text of the extant avesta, the most ancient scriptures of zoroastrianism, as well as many pahlavi scriptures. The obscure religion that shaped the west bbc culture. Zoroaster was the prophet of a new kind of religion, one that preached faith in a single god instead of many. The language is closely related to sanskrit and might have been mutually inteligible with it. Jun 20, 2017 nawruz, also spelled nowruz as well as other variants, is an ancient persian holiday celebrating the new year. Thats because classical romans, celts, sachs, and saxons had adopted the pagan religion of their ancient iranian ancestors, known as mithraism 1 a form of nature worship based on the sungoddess mithra 2 who on. Religion a thousand years of the persian book exhibitions. Zoroastrianism, which was the official religion of persian iran from 600 bce and for almost one thousand years, enjoyed the status of being one of the most powerful religious in the. The holy books of world religions sacred texts in world. The first part of the book is collectively called the gathas. Professor almut hintze explores its history and some of the key components of the religion.
This shows that gathas are of an earlier date than vedas. Avesta, sacred book of zoroastrianism containing its cosmogony, law. Zoroastrianism is one of the worlds oldest monotheistic religions. Apr 25, 2017 the prophet zoroaster founded the religion which was named after him in ancient iran persia around 3,500 years ago. It was founded by the prophet zoroaster approximately 3500 years ago. The religious texts of the zoroastrian faith of ancient persia are referred to as the avesta. But there is no mention of the vedas and other hindu books in zoroastrian scriptures. Believers anticipate ahura mazdas eventual victory, after which the followers of angra mainyu will suffer before all of humanity experiences eternal bliss. According to tradition, it was founded by zoroaster after he received a vision in which he was introduced to ahura mazda, and told of the great god and his adversary. Zoroastrianism is one of the worlds oldest known living religions and has its origins in the distant past.
However, as herodotus reports in his first book paragraph 1 the persians had no images of their gods and considered the use of them as a sign of folly. Holy book the holy bookof zoroastrianism is called the zend avesta. Jenny rose is a scholar that specializes in iranian studies most prominently ancient iranian religion, history, and culture. Biography of zarathustra, founder of zoroastrianism. The avesta is the primary collection of religious texts of zoroastrianism, composed in avestan language.
The iranian prophet and religious reformer zarathustra flourished before the 6th century bcemore widely known outside iran as zoroaster the greek form of. This priesthood introduced many pre zoroastrian gods into the religion. The oldest surviving versions of these tales are found in the ninth to 11th century ce texts of zoroastrian tradition i. The yasna devotion is the zoroastrian religious service but also. He saw other radiant figures too, but could not see his shadow on the ground, a sign which convince zoroaster his vision was authentic. Avesta, also called zendavesta, the sacred book of zoroastrianism containing its cosmogony, law, and liturgy, the teachings of the prophet zoroaster zarathushtra. It is now certain that for most of their long history the avestas various texts were handed down orally, and independently of one another, and that it.
The oldest part is the gathas, which includes a collection of hymns and one of the oldest examples of religious poetry attributed to the prophet zoroaster ca. Zoroastrian holidays and festivals learn religions. Zoroaster, who lived in eastern ancient iran around bc, created zoroastrianism. Dec 26, 2018 in zoroastrianism, the world is the battlefield between the good and the bad, where the goodalways stands versus the evil. What is the name of the holy book of zoroastrianism. The principal text in the liturgical group is the yasna, which takes its name from the yasna ceremony, zoroastrianism s primary act of worship, and at which the yasna. The term zoroastrianism is, in general usage, essentially synonymous with mazdaism the worship of ahura mazda, exalted by zoroaster as the supreme divine authority. Zoroastrianism was founded in persia in the sixth century bce by zoroaster, who is also known as zarathustra. The religion contains both monotheistic relating to the belief that there is only one god and dualistic features. The most important portion of the yasna texts are the five gathas, consisting of seventeen hymns attributed to zo. Zoroastrianism definition, beliefs, founder, holy book. Zoroastrianism, although the smallest of the major religions of the world in the number of its adherents, is. The religious works in the exhibition represent confessional and.
The principal text in the liturgical group is the yasna, which takes its name from the yasna ceremony, zoroastrianisms primary act of worship, and at which the yasna text is recited. It also includes information about the avestan language, and other useful information for students of zoroastrian religion. For centuries, zoroastrianism was the leading religion of persia now iran before the modern islamic religions came to be. Presented chronologically according to the source literature, they present the story of a religion in evolution. Zoroastrianism or mazdayasna is one of the worlds oldest continuously practiced religions, based on the teachings of the. The avesta texts fall into several different categories, arranged either by dialect, or by usage. The religion of zoroastrianism and its impact on the world. Zoroastrianism is the monotheistic faith established by the persian. Zoroaster rejects all but one of the forms of sacrifice practised by the indoiranians, and keeps only sacrifice by fire. This text claims that the highest god and creator, ahura mazda, is engaged in a primeval battle against angra mainyu, the destructive spirit. History of zoroastrianism for upsc under the patronage of the achaemenid empire in the 6th century bce, particularly under darius i, zoroastrianism flourished in modernday iran and most of the mesopotamian region under the control of the empire. Zoroastrianism simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Other names for zoroastrianism are mazdaism and parsiism. The major beliefs of zoroastrianism can be found in its principal holy text, the avesta.
The most significant and important books of this era include the denkard, bundahishn, menogi khrad, selections of zadspram, jamasp namag, epistles of manucher. Their religious beliefs and practices by mary boyce, demons of the flesh. The practices and history of zoroastrianism essay 875. It was founded by the prophet zoroaster or zarathustra in ancient iran approximately 3500 years. Zoroastrian religious texts the religious texts of the zoroastrian faith of ancient persia are referred to as the avesta. Firealong with waterare seen as symbols of purity in zoroastrian religion. That date has been set through archaeological discoveries and linguistic comparisons with the hindu scriptures named the rig veda. Founded by the iranian prophet and reformer zoroaster in the 6th century bc, zoroastrianism contains both monotheistic and dualistic features.
The zoroastrian book of holy scriptures is called the avesta. A presasanian history of the avesta, if it had one, is in the realm of legend and myth. In the zoroastrian religion, fire, together with clean water, are agents of ritual purity. Yet, a brief glance at an ancient religion still being practised today suggests. Survey of the history and contents o encyclopaedia.
Its name comes from the prophet zoroaster or zarathustra and its supreme identity is aura mazada or ormuz the wise lord, which is why it is also known as mazdeism. Zoroastrianism, in spite of its small current number of adherents, has played a huge role in the study of comparative religion. Middle persian and pahlavi works created in the 9th and 10th century contain many religious zoroastrian books, as most of the writers and copyists were part of the zoroastrian clergy. In addition, the religion has also influenced other religions like islam, christianity, and judaism. The religion of zoroastrianism is based mainly on two aspect of life. Ahuramazda, the sun god mithras, and the most important archangel, spenta mainyu holy spirit, formed a holy trinity. Most of the texts in these archives are extremely rare.
Zoroaster was the prophet of a new kind of religion. Avesta is the name the mazdean mazdayasnian religious tradition gives to the collection of its sacred texts. Avesta world history encyclopedia ancient history encyclopedia. Zoroastrianism is the ancient religion of persia, founded about 3500 years ago by the prophet zarathushtra. The gathas documents, a set of hymns written in the old avestan language and attributed to zoroaster, are oldest part of the holy book of the zend avesta. This religion of persian origin will sow the moral basis of the duality between good and evil for the future religions and civilizations of the west and the east. Zoroastrianism is an ancient persian religion that may have originated as early as 4000 years ago.
Ahura mazda and angra mainyu in zoroastrianisms creation. It developed about three and a half thousand years ago from the ancient indoiranian religion that was once shared by the ancestors of nomadic herding tribes that later settled in iran and northern india. Zoroastrianism is the monotheistic faith established by the persian prophet zoroaster also given as zarathustra, zartosht between c. That text was eventually translated into english with a commentary by the contemporary parsi dastur firoze kotwal of bombay. The avesta is the primary collection of religious texts of zoroastrianism, composed in avestan. Since the appearance of the prophet known as zoroaster or zarathustra in the persian world to the present day has remained one of the most ancient religions of the ancient era. When did zoroastrianism originate the origin, significance. The vendidad, or videvdat, is the main source for zoroastrian law, both ritual and civil.
Its religious core is a collection of songs or hymns, the gathas. They worship as a community in an agiary five temple. Zoroastrianismintroduction to persian religion syskool. The relation of zoroastrian teachings with other religions. It is not clear, for example, what part of zoroastrianism derives from zarathustras tribal religion and what part was new as a result of his visions and creative religious genius.
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