When in the middle of the third century, Mithraism reached the apogee of its power; it seemed that the world was on the verge of becoming Mithraic, the religion from Orient and Persia. The extension of Mithraism, in the Rome and other western countries, was a natural product of importation of slaves, and transportation of troops. Because of his powerful God Mithraism became the favored religion of soldiers.
As Christianity grew in power, Mithraism became more and more isolated. But similarities between two religions make us believe that traditions must have passed from the one cult to the other.
For example, the sectaries of The Persian god, like the Christians, purified themselves by baptism: received, by a species of confirmation, the power necessary to combat the spirits of evil; and expected from a Lord's Supper salvation of body and soul. Also, their conceptions of the world and of the destiny of man were similar. Both of them admitted the existence of a Heaven inhabited by beatified ones, situate in the upper regions, and of a Hell peopled by demons, situate in the bowels of the earth. They both placed a Flood at the beginning of history; they both finally, believed in the immortality of the soul, in a last judgment, and in a resurrection of the dead, consequent upon a final conflagration of the universe.
Mithraism like Christianity, also held Sunday sacred, and celebrated the birth of the Sun on the 25th of December, the same day on which Christmas has been celebrated, since the fourth century at least.
So Christmas does not merely belong to Christianity, but it is a universal festival, especially for Persians.
Merry Christmas.
Source:
Cumont Franz., 1956; the Mysteries of Mithra, New York.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Sunday, December 20, 2009
Yalda (Shabe Yalda)
At the eve of the first day of the winter (21st December) Iranian people celebrate Yalda, also is known as Shab-e Chele. This festival is celebrated in the last day of the Persian month Azar, which is the longest night of the year. Iranians light up candles, and lay a tablecloth with fresh winter fruits such as pomegranate, watermelon and grapes and different kinds of dried fruits, nuts, and seeds.
This festival was considered extremely important in pre-Islamic time, and can be traced in a period of more than 6000 years.
Yalda is a Syriac word, which means birth (tavalod). They believed, sun was born at the end of this night.
According to ancient believes, each month of the year belongs to one deity. The month of azar belongs to Azar (Fire), the son of Ahura Mazda. The next month, Day, belongs to Ahura Mazda, The Lord of Wisdon. But the last day of month Azar is the longest night of the year, and the forces of Ahriman, Lord of darkness, are assumed to be at the peak of their strength. So people made fire and burnt it all night in order to prevent Ahriman's forces attack; and helped Mithra, the powerful deity, to bring the light. Because according to Avesta, Mithra, is a light-bringer, he is, the first light of the day. His epithet in Avesta is hvaaraokh.shana-, which means "endowed with own light".
Enjoy Yalda night, because it is the legacy of our ancestor and belongs to our grand grand fathers.
This festival was considered extremely important in pre-Islamic time, and can be traced in a period of more than 6000 years.
Yalda is a Syriac word, which means birth (tavalod). They believed, sun was born at the end of this night.
According to ancient believes, each month of the year belongs to one deity. The month of azar belongs to Azar (Fire), the son of Ahura Mazda. The next month, Day, belongs to Ahura Mazda, The Lord of Wisdon. But the last day of month Azar is the longest night of the year, and the forces of Ahriman, Lord of darkness, are assumed to be at the peak of their strength. So people made fire and burnt it all night in order to prevent Ahriman's forces attack; and helped Mithra, the powerful deity, to bring the light. Because according to Avesta, Mithra, is a light-bringer, he is, the first light of the day. His epithet in Avesta is hvaaraokh.shana-, which means "endowed with own light".
Enjoy Yalda night, because it is the legacy of our ancestor and belongs to our grand grand fathers.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
An Avestan penmanship
This is an Avestan penmanship, the language of our ancestors in Zarathustra's time. In English, it means : O Mazda tell me about best words and actions.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Arash-e-Kamangir
The story of Arash is popular with Iranian people. It has brought hope in troubled times for Iranians, because Arash is the savior of Iran from tyranny of Afrasiyab.
In the kingdom of king Manuchihr, Afrasiyab, the Turanian king invaded Iranshahr and ruled over this country. King Manuchihr removed his court to Tabarestan. Afrasiyab surrounded the land. The two King agreed to make peace, and according to instruction of Spandarmad, the goddess of earth, Manuchihr requested that Turanian king return to him a piece of Iranshahr's land, the wide of a bow-shot. Afrasiyab assented.
Spandarmad had discussed the request in celestial court with Ohrmaz and other celestial bodies. And when she returned, told the King: "You should prepare a special bow and arrow which it's wood, feather, and iron point should be taken from a special forest, eagle and mine. I will help you to build this bow and arrow, and your skilled archer Arash should shoot."Arash-e-shewatir who had the swiftest arrow among Aryans, was summoned to the court and commanded to shoot. Arash display himself naked and said: "Behold! My body is free of any wound or sickness, but after this bowshot I will be destroyed."
At dawn Arash shot the arrow from mount Airyo.kheshaotha in Tabarestan and after the shot he immediately torn to pieces. The arrow flew through the sky with the help of celestial bodies. Amshaspandan helped the arrow to fly, magnate Mihr prepared the path far away for it. Behind the arrow good lofty Ashi and Parendi on her swift chariot swept touching it. Ohrmazd commanded the wind to bear the arrow as far as the remote regions of Khorasan. At sunset the arrow struck a walnut tree in the mount of Khevanvat, the place named KUZIN.
And in this way the boundary between the Iranian and Turanian kingdoms was established.
In the kingdom of king Manuchihr, Afrasiyab, the Turanian king invaded Iranshahr and ruled over this country. King Manuchihr removed his court to Tabarestan. Afrasiyab surrounded the land. The two King agreed to make peace, and according to instruction of Spandarmad, the goddess of earth, Manuchihr requested that Turanian king return to him a piece of Iranshahr's land, the wide of a bow-shot. Afrasiyab assented.
Spandarmad had discussed the request in celestial court with Ohrmaz and other celestial bodies. And when she returned, told the King: "You should prepare a special bow and arrow which it's wood, feather, and iron point should be taken from a special forest, eagle and mine. I will help you to build this bow and arrow, and your skilled archer Arash should shoot."Arash-e-shewatir who had the swiftest arrow among Aryans, was summoned to the court and commanded to shoot. Arash display himself naked and said: "Behold! My body is free of any wound or sickness, but after this bowshot I will be destroyed."
At dawn Arash shot the arrow from mount Airyo.kheshaotha in Tabarestan and after the shot he immediately torn to pieces. The arrow flew through the sky with the help of celestial bodies. Amshaspandan helped the arrow to fly, magnate Mihr prepared the path far away for it. Behind the arrow good lofty Ashi and Parendi on her swift chariot swept touching it. Ohrmazd commanded the wind to bear the arrow as far as the remote regions of Khorasan. At sunset the arrow struck a walnut tree in the mount of Khevanvat, the place named KUZIN.
And in this way the boundary between the Iranian and Turanian kingdoms was established.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
AzarGoshnasp (Takht-e Soleyman), One of the oldest alive holy sites in the world
AzarGoshnasp (Takht-e Soleyman), One of the oldest alive holy sites in the world
One of the oldest alive holy sites in the world is called AzarGoshnasp (Takht-e Soleyman). It is located in a valley, near town of Takab, in West Azarbaijan in Iran. This fortified site has crater inside itself which is filled with spring water. Around the pond is the remains of a Zoroastrian sanctuary which partially rebuilt during the Ilkhanid period, as well as the fire temple from the Sassanid era that was dedicated to the Persian goddess Anahita (modern Persian Nahid). Archaeological excavations have also revealed traces of a 5th century BC occupation during the Achaemenid period, as well as later Parthian Sassanid kings, and that of the Byzantine emperor Theodosius II (AD 408-450), have also been discovered there. This place was recognized as a World Heritage Site in July 2003.
UNSCO believes:
Takht-e Soleyman is associated with one of the early monotheistic religions of the world. It is also has many important symbolic relationships, shows the association of the ancient beliefs, much earlier than the Zoroastrianism, as well as in its association with significant biblical figures and legends.
According to Zoroastrian texts; AzarGushnasp is one of the three Zoroastrian sacred fires that had been existing since creation and designated to serve as guardians and protectors of earth in the beginning of the creation.
And in the beginning of the creation the whole earth was delivered over into the guardianship of the sublime Farnbag fire, the mighty [Adar] Gushnasp fire, and the beneficial Burzin-Mihr fire, which are like priest, warrior, and husbandman. 9. The place of the fire Farnbag was formed on the Gadman-homand ('glorious') mountain in Khvarizem, the fire [Adar] Gushnasp was on the Asnavand mountain in Ataro-patakan, and the fire Burzin-Mihr on the Revand mountain which is in the Ridge of Vishtasp, and its material manifestation in the world was the most complete. (Selections of Zadsparam)
When Kay Kosrow the Kayanian King was destroying the image-shrine of Lake Chichast, AzarGushnasp is settled on the mane of his horse, dispelling darkness and shadow and shedding light, until the King had destroyed the image-shrine.
Where AzarGushnasp was first installed is uncertain but it seems some time before A.D. 400, it was transferred to a fortified site, today is called, Takht-e Soleyman.
It was probably in early Sassanid times that the fire was first classified by Persian scholastics as that of the warrior state, to which the kings themselves belonged. The royal connection of the fire was so fostered that it became the custom. Each potential Sassanid king made a pilgrimage there on foot to humble himself at the sacred fire altar after his coronation.
By the Arab invasion (645AD) the name changed to Takht-e Soleyman (Throne of Solomon) in order to keep it safe from destruction by Arabs and next invaders. Thus it became a holy place that belonged to Solomon the Semitic prophet.
sources:
Boyce Marry. 1985; “AdurGushnasp”. Encyclopeadia Iranica Volume I. p.475-6
Selections Of Zadspram.; Translated by E. W. West, from Sacred Books of the East, volume 5, Oxford University Press,. 1897.
UNSCO.org
Where AzarGushnasp was first installed is uncertain but it seems some time before A.D. 400, it was transferred to a fortified site, today is called, Takht-e Soleyman.
It was probably in early Sassanid times that the fire was first classified by Persian scholastics as that of the warrior state, to which the kings themselves belonged. The royal connection of the fire was so fostered that it became the custom. Each potential Sassanid king made a pilgrimage there on foot to humble himself at the sacred fire altar after his coronation.
By the Arab invasion (645AD) the name changed to Takht-e Soleyman (Throne of Solomon) in order to keep it safe from destruction by Arabs and next invaders. Thus it became a holy place that belonged to Solomon the Semitic prophet.
sources:
Boyce Marry. 1985; “AdurGushnasp”. Encyclopeadia Iranica Volume I. p.475-6
Selections Of Zadspram.; Translated by E. W. West, from Sacred Books of the East, volume 5, Oxford University Press,. 1897.
UNSCO.org
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Evil Eye (Shor Cheshmi)
Evil eye is one of the earliest prejudicial signs that have driven mankind to invent and use magic. It is believed that certain men and women, certain beasts and reptiles, and even apparently inanimate objects, possess the power of causing by a mere glance of the eye or a look, or by a mere aspect or appearance, injury to others, and to their properties.
It is said that the Evil Eye is produced by the mind itself or by some quality or power which it possesses. Love and envy are causes of this powerful destruction. They frame themselves readily into imaginations and suggestions, and come early into eye that is integral part of the mind. Love and envy lead to jealousy which no one can stand before it. Envy, Jealousy, and Evil Eye are inseparably connected; and when joined to words is the origin of the evil spirits which work sickness, disaster, ruin, and death in the world.
The belief in Evil Eye is ancient and almost universal. Every language, both ancient and modern, contains a word or expression which is the equivalent of "Evil Eye". The oldest mentions of the Evil Eye are found in the texts which the Sumerians, Babylonians, and Assyrians wrote in cuneiform upon clay tablets. The ancient Egyptians used eye shadow and lipstick to prevent the evil eye from entering their eyes or mouths.
In ancient Persian texts one of (Devil) Ahriman’s mates, Agash deev, is responsible for evil eye. According to book of Bundahishn, Aghash is the druj of the malignant eye which kills man with the eye.
The evil eye could be either involuntary or deliberate. Almost anything could cause the notion that some person possessed an evil eye. If someone looked too long at one's child or possession and afterward a child got sick, or some possession was lost or stolen, or some animals died, then the person was really suspected of having an evil eye.
Any person having an unusual characteristic could easily find himself in this category, such as a blue-eyed person among brown-eyed people, or people having body deformities. Some people were said to have been born with a permanent evil eye, corrupting everything they looked at. Also they were often called demonic possessed.
There are various kinds of amulets to repel the Evil Eye. The most common form of these amulets is the blue glass Eye charm, which mirrors back the blue of the Evil Eye and thus confounds it. This amulet which is called Lucky Eye (Cheshm Nazar) is made of silver or gold in the shape of bracelet, anklet, necklace, earrings, rings, chokers, key chains, magnets, pendants.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Iapetus is inhabitance of the Myths!
Iapetus (eye-APP-eh-tuss) is the Saturn’s third largest moon. In 1672 Jean-Dominique Cassini discovered this moon, he deduced that one side of the moon was dark, and the other side was white.
In New year’s Eve of 2005 Cassini spacecraft cameras sent images of the Iapetus to earth which shocked scientists. These images showed startling surface features of this moon. These pictures revealed Iapetus is a two-faced moon. One side of this moon is very bright, while the other is very dark. According to the Nasa: “Iapetus is a world of sharp contrasts. The leading hemisphere is as dark as a freshly-tarred street, and the white, trailing hemisphere resembles freshly-fallen snow; and a long narrow ridge that lies almost exactly on the equator of Iapetus, bisects its entire dark hemisphere and reaches 20 kilometers high. It extends over 1,300 kilometers from side to side, along its midsection. No other moon in the solar system has such a striking geological feature. The flyby images, which revealed a region of Iapetus never before seen, show feathery-looking black streaks at the boundary between dark and bright hemispheres that indicate dark material has fallen onto Iapetus.”
But this unique moon could be also the residence of myths. In Iranian Mythology there is a similar place which is named as the inhabitance of God and Evil. This place is mentioned at least in two ancient texts.
The first on is a Pahlavi text, Selection of Zadsparm, which has been written in 9th century A.D., and reveal the Zoroastrian cult. In chapter 1 of this text, when it describes the meeting of the Beneficent Spirit(Hormazd) and Evil Spirit(Ahriman), the contrast of these two places can be seen: “1. It is in scripture thus declared, that light was above and darkness below, and between those two was open space. 2. Ohrmazd was in the light and Ahriman in the darkness;”
The second one is in Manichaean mythology, where Mani taught a strict dualism of spirit and matter. According to Mani:In the beginning the Paradise of Light stretched unbounded upwards and to left and right. Below, lay the Hell of Darkness. The land of Paradise is ruled over by the Father of Greatness, and is inhabited by countless Aeons. A goddess, The Great Spirit, is the Father’s consort. Hell is ruled over by the Devil, or Prince of Darkness. Both places were separated with boundary which stretched between heaven and hell.
Now regarding to these texts, could Iapetus be the inhabitance of these myths? And moreover, do myths creat this world, or this one is just a coincidence?
Bibliography:
Boyce, Mary., 1975; A Reader In Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian. Acta Iranica 9. Téhéran-Liège.
Selections Of Zadspram.; Translated by E. W. West, from Sacred Books of the East, volume 5, Oxford University Press,. 1897.
www.nasa.gov/cassini
In New year’s Eve of 2005 Cassini spacecraft cameras sent images of the Iapetus to earth which shocked scientists. These images showed startling surface features of this moon. These pictures revealed Iapetus is a two-faced moon. One side of this moon is very bright, while the other is very dark. According to the Nasa: “Iapetus is a world of sharp contrasts. The leading hemisphere is as dark as a freshly-tarred street, and the white, trailing hemisphere resembles freshly-fallen snow; and a long narrow ridge that lies almost exactly on the equator of Iapetus, bisects its entire dark hemisphere and reaches 20 kilometers high. It extends over 1,300 kilometers from side to side, along its midsection. No other moon in the solar system has such a striking geological feature. The flyby images, which revealed a region of Iapetus never before seen, show feathery-looking black streaks at the boundary between dark and bright hemispheres that indicate dark material has fallen onto Iapetus.”
But this unique moon could be also the residence of myths. In Iranian Mythology there is a similar place which is named as the inhabitance of God and Evil. This place is mentioned at least in two ancient texts.
The first on is a Pahlavi text, Selection of Zadsparm, which has been written in 9th century A.D., and reveal the Zoroastrian cult. In chapter 1 of this text, when it describes the meeting of the Beneficent Spirit(Hormazd) and Evil Spirit(Ahriman), the contrast of these two places can be seen: “1. It is in scripture thus declared, that light was above and darkness below, and between those two was open space. 2. Ohrmazd was in the light and Ahriman in the darkness;”
The second one is in Manichaean mythology, where Mani taught a strict dualism of spirit and matter. According to Mani:In the beginning the Paradise of Light stretched unbounded upwards and to left and right. Below, lay the Hell of Darkness. The land of Paradise is ruled over by the Father of Greatness, and is inhabited by countless Aeons. A goddess, The Great Spirit, is the Father’s consort. Hell is ruled over by the Devil, or Prince of Darkness. Both places were separated with boundary which stretched between heaven and hell.
Now regarding to these texts, could Iapetus be the inhabitance of these myths? And moreover, do myths creat this world, or this one is just a coincidence?
Bibliography:
Boyce, Mary., 1975; A Reader In Manichaean Middle Persian and Parthian. Acta Iranica 9. Téhéran-Liège.
Selections Of Zadspram.; Translated by E. W. West, from Sacred Books of the East, volume 5, Oxford University Press,. 1897.
www.nasa.gov/cassini
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
خدایان- دیوان
در زمانهای قدیم در سرزمینهای دور در کنار رودخانه ها مردمانی سکونت داشتند که در این زمین های حاصلخیز و بارانی با سخت کوشی کشت و زرع می کردند. در اندیشه این مردمان خدایانی جای داشتند. گروهی از این خدایان بسیار قدرتمند و ترسناک بودند. آنان هنگام خشم سلاحهای مرگبار صاعقه و رعد و برق به زمین می فرستادند و بارانهای سیل آسا جاری می کردند که سیل و ویرانی به همراه داشت. در فصول بارانی مردمان، این خدایان را نیاز می بردند و با اهدای هدیه های گوناگون تحت حمایت آنان قرار می گرفتند و از خشم آنان در امان می ماندند. در کنار این خدایان، خدایان فرودستی می زیستند که قدرت کمتری داشتند و در انقیاد خدایان قدرتمند بودند.
گروهی از این مردم کشاورز که مبارزتر و ماجراجوتر بودند سرزمین قدیمی را ترک گفتند و به سرزمین های گرم تر کوچ کردند و در این سفر خدایان خود را نیز با خود بردند. در سرزمین جدید از بارانهای سیل آسا و رعد و برق و صاعقه خبری نبود. مردم دیگر به این خدایان قدرتمند و ترسناک نیاز نبردند پس آنان نیروی خود را از دست دادند و در اندیشه ها به فراموشی سپرده شدند و جای آنان را خدایان فرودست گرفتند که با آب و هوای جدید سازگار بودند. خدایان فرودست در اندیشه هایی که در اختیار گرفته بودند خدایان قدرتمند را دیوان بدکار نامیدند. خدایان قدرتمند قدیمی که دیگر دیو نامیده می شدند، تحقیر شده و دلشکسته اندیشه ها را رها کردند و در سرزمین افسانه ها جای گرفتند.
گروهی از این مردم کشاورز که مبارزتر و ماجراجوتر بودند سرزمین قدیمی را ترک گفتند و به سرزمین های گرم تر کوچ کردند و در این سفر خدایان خود را نیز با خود بردند. در سرزمین جدید از بارانهای سیل آسا و رعد و برق و صاعقه خبری نبود. مردم دیگر به این خدایان قدرتمند و ترسناک نیاز نبردند پس آنان نیروی خود را از دست دادند و در اندیشه ها به فراموشی سپرده شدند و جای آنان را خدایان فرودست گرفتند که با آب و هوای جدید سازگار بودند. خدایان فرودست در اندیشه هایی که در اختیار گرفته بودند خدایان قدرتمند را دیوان بدکار نامیدند. خدایان قدرتمند قدیمی که دیگر دیو نامیده می شدند، تحقیر شده و دلشکسته اندیشه ها را رها کردند و در سرزمین افسانه ها جای گرفتند.
Friday, May 22, 2009
Jashn-e Kordadegan,the celebration of prosperity
4th day of Khordad (25th day of May) in Zoroastrian calendar is named Khordad. And because the day is carrying the same name as the month, it is celebrated, and called: "Khordadegan", the ceremony is in the name of archangel Khordad (Avesta: Haurvatat). This day and the whole month belongs to Khordad, one of the seven *Amshaspand.
Khordad is the guardian of the water in material world. As water gives fertility to the land and is the source of prosperity, Khordad is taken as the possessor of plenty and prosperity. Food and drink are his/her gifts. He/she is also the giver of daily bread. Khordad is united with Amardad, another Amshaspand. And these dual archangels generally occur together side by side.
Khordad **Yasht (Yasht 4) is dedicated to Khordad. In this Yasht, he/she is being evoked as the lord of seasons and years (4.11). Ahura Mazda created Haurvatat (Khordad) for the help, joy, comfort, and pleasure of the righteous men (4.1). Haurvatat and Ameretat, together form the reward of the righteous after death.
At the time of Resurrection (Frash.kard) and in final struggle, he/she will banish Tairev, the demon of hunger, from the world.Happy Khordadegan, the celebration of prosperity.
_________________________________________________________________
* Amshaspandan or Amahraspandan (Avesta: Amesha Spenta) are six archangels who with Ormazd (Avesta: Ahura Mazda), as the president of the celestial council, represent the highest celestial beings.
**Yashts are poetic verses in the praise of Ahura Mazda and other heavenly bodies. Their contents are very ancient religious and historical traditions which have been composed in avestan language. The antiquity of some Yashts reaches back to the Indo-Iranian period of Aryan history.
REFERENCES:
Dhalla, M.J.N. Z., 1914: Zoroastrian Theology from the Earliest Times to the Present Day, New York.
Poure Davoud, I., 1377: Introduction to the Yashts, Asatir. Tehran.
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