Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism is a religion founded in Iran by Zarathustra, a priest of the old religion of Persia, estimated to have lived sometime between 1,700 BCE and 600 BCE. He denounced the belief in polytheism (multiple gods or demonic spirits) and its many associated practices, and proclaimed the worship of Ahura Mazda (The Wise Lord) as the source of truth, righteousness, order and justice (asha), and good mind (vohu manah). He called the people to follow the threefold ethic of good thoughts (humata) and good words (hukhta) and good deeds (hvarstha). He influenced the Iranian King Vishtapa of the Kaynian dynasty with his teachings, although traditional supporters of polytheistic beliefs opposed him. For over a thousand years Zoroastrianism flourished in Iran.

The Parsis: In the tenth century CE, some Zoroastrians from Khorasan, a north eastern province of Iran, migrated out of fear of persecution following the Arab conquest, and became established at Sanjan in Gujarat, where they became known as the Parsis. Over the next thousand years, many more Zoroastrians migrated to India due to continual religious persecution. The Zoroastrians consider India as their adopted homeland, where the majority of Parsis live.

Zoroastrianism is an ethical, monotheistic religion believing in Ahura Mazda as the one supreme God, which persuaded its followers to cultivate a life of righteousness and goodness whereby they could strengthen the power of God’s goodness to destroy the forces of evil. Zoroastrianism’s three most important commandments are good thoughts, good words and good deeds. It believes in a life after death strictly in accordance with the law of retribution heaven for people of righteous deeds and hell for those of evil deeds. However, damnation to hell is not eternal as Zoroastrianism promises an ultimate happy and good life to all. Its religious life consists of the cultivation of moral virtues. Zoroastrians regard fire as a symbol of divine purity.

Zoroastrian worship mainly consists of offering prayers to Ahura Mazda requesting him to guide the life of righteousness. The traditional Zoroastrian places of worship are fire temples in which the sacred flame burns eternally in a consecrated chamber. It is a symbol of divine purity, where sandalwood is offered to create the good attributes in life (fragrance of sandalwood symbolises good attributes). Priests tend these fires. The people visit these temples with sandalwood as offerings to the sacred flames, and receive cold ashes to apply to their foreheads as sign of humility.

Fire is used in many Zoroastrian ceremonies and most Parsis keep an oil lamp burning in their homes. Fire is seen as the creation of Asha and considered a sacred force, a source of light, warmth and energy for life and symbol of truth and righteousness. It is believed that by utilising fire in worship, Zoroastrians develop the five senses to feel the presence of Ahura Mazda. They worship Ahura Mazda and venerate the guardian angels (Amesha Spentas) and the adorable beings worthy of worship (Yazatas), and not the fire. A high priest (Dastur) or an authorised priest (Mobed) officiates at Zoroastrian ceremonies. The priests wear masks over their faces so that their breath may not contaminate the sacred fire.

The only surviving major group following the Zoroastrian faith is the Indian Parsis. Except for two historical sects, the Shahanshahis, named after the last Shahanshahian King of Persia (Yazedegard), and the Kadmis, no other notable sects exist. Zoroastrians are urged to live an active, industrious, honest and charitable life and enjoy the good creation. They have an initiation ceremony for a newly born child (navjote) and wearing a sacred white shirt (sudreh) as symbol of purity, good thoughts, good words and good deeds; and sacred cord (kushti)) woven from 72 threads as symbol of 72 chapters of Yasna (Act of worship). In India, the Parsis dispose of their dead bodies in the Towers of Silence, where vultures are allowed to consume the bodies; this special practice is to avoid polluting the earth and water, according to Zoroastrian belief. Zoroastrians have a variety of festivals, among them are No-Ruz (New Year’s Day) observed as the Day of Yazedegard on 20th/21st March; Khordad Sal (6th day after No-Ruz); six seasonal festivals (Gahanbars) devoted to the Amesha Spentas and the creation of sky, water, earth, plants, animals and the people, and festivals in devotion to specific Yazatas.

Similarities between Jains and Parsis can be seen in their ethics of Right Thoughts, Right Words and Right Action; avoidance of animal sacrifices; and the use of sandalwood and its ash symbolically on the forehead (Jains use sandalwood paste). To avoid the pollution of fire, Parsis wear a mouthpiece in the fire temple; Jains use ‘mouthkerchief’ to avoid harm to micro-organisms in the air. Divine judgement of good or bad deeds after death indirectly supports the theory of karma, but there are also many differences.