Its hierarchy possessed considerable power, and other religions were persecuted. The latter represent the basic source of the religion. The zend avesta is the main texts used in the zoroastrian faith. Tf the avesta is the book of prayers for the adherents of the zoroastrian tradition. Although herodotus wrote that the persians had no temples, some have been found, in the shape of terraces or towers or square rooms. Zoroastrianism zoroastrianism practices and institutions. There is a religious custom in india of not allowing zoroastrian women to enter the fire temple and. Mazda, odin and the sacred fire of zoroaster renegade. Zoroastrian sacred fire in a fire temple zoroastrians believe there in one god, called ahura mazda meaning wise lord in avestan, the sacred language of zoroastrians. This book traces the continuous history of the faith from the time it was. Avesta, sacred book of zoroastrianism containing its cosmogony, law, and liturgy, the teachings of the prophet zoroaster zarathushtra. Zoroastrianism is the ancient, preislamic religion of persia modernday iran. Zoroastrian sacred sites approach through the great desert to chak chak the primary religion in iran today is the shia sect of islam but the far older faith of the prophet zoroaster is still openly practiced, particularly in the central and northwestern regions of the country. According to a legend preserved in the book of arda viraf, a 3rd or 4th century work, a written version of the zend avesta had existed in the.
Zoroastrian sacred places in yazd travelling spice blog. In the zoroastrian sacred poetry fireluminous energy is the visible son or prodigy puthr. Most of the texts in these archives are extremely rare. Zendavesta avesta, also called zendavesta, sacred book of zoroastrianism containing its cosmogony, law, and liturgy, the teachings of the prophet zoroaster zarathushtra. Consecration may also include the readings from the vendidad. We provide the complete text of the extant avesta, the most ancient scriptures of zoroastrianism, as well as many pahlavi scriptures. List of books and articles about zoroastrianism online. Tf in zoroastrian temples guardians of the sacred fire keep the fire alive at all times. On the sacred fires of the zoroastrians bulletin of the school of.
It survives there in isolated areas but primarily exists in india, where the descendants of zoroastrian persian immigrants are known as parsis, or parsees. Zoroastrianism is the monotheistic faith established by the persian prophet zoroaster also given as zarathustra, zartosht between c. Although most of iran practice the beliefs of islam, this city host the most number of zoroastrians in the country. The celebrated parsi writer rohinton mistry presents his novel, family. In ancient times, when zoroastrians built no temples, possessed no religious imagery and had no books on the teachings of the faith, light served as the focus of. Scholars have long acknowledged the contributions of zoroastrianism to other faiths, including judaism, christianity, islam, and buddhism. Zoroastrianism practices and institutions britannica. Sacred fires have been tended in temples since about the 4th century bce. The avesta consists of fragmentary and muchcorrupted texts. An earthly fire can represent fire, by the sun, or by the moon. Zoroastrians worship in fire temples, where a sacred fire is kept burning to signify an eternal flame, and fire is always present during special prayers and. Fire is also recognized as a powerful purifier and is respected for that reason. In zoroastrian sacred lore, like in the norse mythology, the end of the mundane world comes first with 3 harsh, most severe winters and then with fire. Sacred book of the zoroastrianism faith praise written in avestan.
Avesta, the bible of zoroaster wikisource, the free. These many different texts are believed to have been transmitted orally for centuries before they were written down in the 3rd century. See also whats at your library, or elsewhere broader terms. In every fire temple, agiary, or place of worship, a sacred fire must be present it must be continually lit, fed a minimum of 5 times a day, and prayed to 5 times as well note. Ahura mazda is in conflict with the evil spirit ahriman or angra mainyu, who is the prince of evil, destruction, and lies. The sacred fire is then carried in procession to be installed in its sanctuary pad wahramih victoriously see boyce, on the sacred fires of the zoroastrians, bsoas 31, 1968, pp.
The fire temple at yazd, iran, wherein is housed the most sacred of zoroastrian fire, the atash behram. Adar sacred fire of zoroastrianism adar religionfacts. As such, it is worthy of reverence, but it is never worshipped in its own right. It was at this time that the avesta, one of the chief scriptures of the religion, was compiled. Scriptures zoroastrianism s scriptures are the avesta or the zend avesta pahlavi avestalaw, zendcommentary. They pray standing while untying and tying a sacred cord tied around their.
Zoroastrian temples keep a fire burning at all times to represent ahura mazdas eternal power. Zoroastrianism, the smallest of the worlds great religions, is also one of the oldest. It is a zoroastrian fire temple, and in there lies a sacred fire believed to be burning since approximately 2000 years ago. Chahartaq s sacred buildings with four gates or doors are scattered over most of iran.
Founded more than 3,000 years ago by the prophet zarathustra, it flourished in ancient persia during the time of the persian empire. Water made life possible, and fire was the source of warmth and the means of cooking meat. The number of zoroastrians in the world today is not clear. Permanent altars exist from the sasanian period and are depicted on coins with a burning fire. Translated by james darmesteter from sacred books of the east, american edition, 1898.
Around the sacred fire various symbolic foods, flowers, and other objects are arrayed, each representing one of the aspects of creation. These fires represent the light of god ahura mazda as well as the illuminated mind, and. After a celebratory service, the foods are joyously consumed by the community. Most sacred fires burn only for the duration of the service, but fire temples exist in iran and india in which a sacred. The parsis, as is well known, have three kinds of sacred fires, which in.
This book is useful for the later history of the zoroastrians. Zoroastrian kids korner is a fun site aimed at kids. Fire is seen as the supreme symbol of purity, and sacred fires are maintained in fire temples agiaries. Fire and firetemples in zoroastrianism through the ages. In zoroastrian temples, a fire is always kept burning by priests who watch over. This includes the original words of their founder zarathushtra, preserved in a series of five hymns, called the gathas. The zend avesta download books, sacred, spiritual texts. About the great advantage owing to rain, and connected. The holiest temple fires take up to a year to consecrate, and many have been burning for years or even centuries.
All prayers are to be said in the presence of fire. It also includes information about the avestan language, and other useful information for students of zoroastrian religion. This book traces the continuous history of the faith from the time it was preached by zoroaster down to the present day a span of about 3,500 years. The gathas and other avestan religious texts survived because they still. Sacred numbers and cyclical time the mathematical logic of zarathushtras gathas quatrains bibliotheca iranica. The oldest zoroastrian temple in india, its sacred flame has been. To create that fire, zoroastrian priests had to walk back to iran to bring what is called the alat, the accoutrements, which are the sacred items that are required before one can even collect sixteen fires to make a cathedral fire. It holds that there is one supreme deity, ahura mazda lord of wisdom, creator and sustainer of all things, and encourages adherents to express their faith through the principle of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds. If preferred, the fire can be consecrated within the course of a few hours by two priests who take turns reciting the 72 verses of the yasna a book of the the zoroastrian scriptures the avesta. Eirciv 102a, spring 2006 vi february 7, 2006 basic bibliography some useful literature boyce, m.
The idea of the sacred fire is also a fundamental symbol in zoroastrian worship. Zoroastrianism download books, sacred, spiritual texts. A zoroastrian was reciting a prayer, probably from the avesta, the sacred books of zoroastrianism. The fragments are the incomplete texts that are not included in any of the major categories of the avesta. Ascribed to the teachings of the iranianspeaking spiritual leader zoroaster also known.
Zoroastrianism or mazdayasna is one of the worlds oldest continuously practiced religions. The author of the site has also published a book of prayers for children, my little book of zoroastrian prayers. In yazd, there is a popular tourist attraction known as the ateshkadeh. With the arrival of the sassanian dynasty on the throne of iran in ad 224, zoroastrianism became the official religion. The zoroastrian response to god is not fear, sorrow, tears, selfaccusation, or selfabasement, but joy. The ancient iranian veneration of fire probably has its roots in the hearth fire, which was kept continually burning. They include things like sacred ash, the hair of the white temple bull, a ring, etc and in order for the priests. Before leaving i stole one last glance at the central fire altar and the tree candles at the back symbolizing good. Zoroastrianism, sacred fire and fireworship authentic.
First taught among nomads on the asian steppes, zoroastrianism became the state religion of the three great iranian empires and had a remarkable influence on other world faiths. It includes stories, crafts, and games, though the latter require previous knowledge of the religion in order to play. Find the top 100 most popular items in amazon books best sellers. It is the light of zoroastrianism, the first monotheistic religion, which began in iran. To a zoroastrian, a sacred fire is a living, glowing image of the energy and presence of god. Founded by the iranian prophet and reformer zoroaster in the 6th. Only a small portion of it, the gathas, is considered to be the work of the prophet. It is hardly more than a century ago that the western world, already often enriched by the treasures of the east, received another gift, a contribution from persia, and a new text deciphered was added to our list of sacred books of ancient nations this was the avesta, or zendavesta, the bible and prayer book of zoroaster, the prophet of ancient iran. Download the bible, the holy quran, the mahabharata, and thousands of free pdf ebooks on buddhism, meditation, etc.
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 text. Zoroastrianism sacred books the avesta with other zoroastrian scriptures and commentary, trans. Monotheism, judgment at seath, future resurrection, patriarchal god. Zoroastrianism is an ancient faith which arose in persia contemporary iran. In zoroastrianism, the sacred fire adar symbolizes righteousness and the presence of god. The sacred literature of zoroastrianism, zoroastrian scriptures, zoroastrian religious texts, pahlavi texts, zoroastrian books, literary sources of zoroastrianism.
A fire temple in zoroastrianism is the place of worship for zoroastrians, often called dare mehr. Zoroastrians must pray five times every 24 hours sunrise, noon, sunset, midnight and dawn. The extant avesta is all that remains of a much larger body of scripture, apparently zoroasters transformation of a very ancient tradition. It is a multitendency faith centered on a dualistic cosmology of good and evil and an eschatology predicting the ultimate conquest of evil with theological elements of henotheism, monotheismmonism, and polytheism. Zoroastrianism students britannica kids homework help. The bundahishn, an encyclopaediaic collection of zoroastrian cosmogony and cosmology written in book pahlavi, which was.