Zoroastrianism:
Zoroastrianism once counted adherents in the millions before the Arab invasion of Iran in the 7th century AD. It has it's roots in a hoary proto Indo-European past when tribes in pre-historic periods upto early Bronze Age wandered across the vast Eurasian steppes, some of these going westward into Europe and others east and south into Central Asia and India. Whilst these Indo European tribes had polytheistic beliefs in multitude gods, some with human attributes and others representing nature's forces, (we see this vast array of gods in the Greek and Roman world even much later, and in Hinduism even today) Zoroastrianism broke away from polytheistic beliefs when it's founder Zarathustra declared one God, Ahura Mazda- Lord Wisdom, who revealed Himself the one uncreated God. "In Zoroaster's religious teachings, Ahura Mazda is recognized as the supreme Creator God of the universe who was not created himself (Yasna 30.3, 45.2)." -http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ahura_Mazda
"The Zoroastrian worship of Ahura Mazda is significant in the history of religions for two reasons. First, Ahura Mazda and the closely-related Amesha Spentas provide a looking glass into the beliefs of the ancient proto-Indo-Iranian-Aryans from which Zoroastrianism developed. Secondly, Ahura Mazda is one of the most important influences upon some of the most widespread perspectives on God that exist today. Ahura Mazda represents what some lines of evidence suggest to be among the first examples of monotheism, a conceptualization of God which is at the root of the Abrahamic traditions".-http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ahura_Mazda
Proto Indo-Iranian culture and religious beliefs and it's evolving into Zoroastrianism in it's earliest stages had it's roots in what is now recognized as the Andronovo/Yaz culture on the Russian steppes. ( "The early Iranians are commonly identified with the descendants of the Proto-Indo-Europeans known as the Sintashta culture and the subsequent Andronovo culture within the broader Andronovo horizon, and their homeland with an area of the Eurasian steppe that borders the Ural River on the west, the Tian Shan on the east. Historical linguists broadly estimate that a continuum of Indo-Iranian languages probably began to diverge by 2000 BC, if not earlier,[9]:38–39 preceding both the Vedic and Iranian cultures. The earliest recorded forms of these languages, Vedic Sanskrit and Gathic Avestan,(Zoroastrian dialect.) are remarkably similar, descended from the common Proto–Indo-Iranian language ")...ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indo-Iranians)
Iranians spread across present Central Asia in what is known as the Andronovo and Yaz cultures and then south to the BMAC-Bactria Margiana Archaeology Complex, and somewhere at that time Zoroaster founded Zoroastrainism, which went on to become the religion of the Iranians on the Iranian plateau (but before that the religion spread in the regions north east of Iran, amongst the subjects of pre-historical nations mentioned in the Iranian epic Shahnameh, and in the Zoroastrian religious scripture, the Avesta- these pre historical dynasties now seem plausible after the digs carried out at BMAC , and then became the state religion of the Achaemenids, and later of the Parthian and the Sassanian empires.)
Zarathustra:
Zarathustra, Zoroaster to the Greeks, the founder of Zoroastrianism, lived and preached amongst the Indo-European "Aryan" ancestors of Iranians, in a remote past; the first to proclaim the existence of One God, Ahura Mazda, Lord Wisdom. To readers conditioned to visualizing God with human attributes- an angry or wrathful God who visits destruction, or demands sacrifices, (Abraham, as one example, tested, and asked to sacrifice his son,) the Zoroastrian God is pristine pure, and human failings cannot be attributed to His nature.Scholars have argued that
"Zoroastrian monotheism influenced the evolution of Jewish monotheism, which is said to have began as henotheism (devotion to one God while recognizing the existence of others) and not to have become fully monotheistic until the Babylonia captivity, partly due to contact with Zoroaster's followers. Zoroastrian belief in heaven and hell and in the resurrection of the dead and in the Day of Judgment may also have impacted on Christianity." http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Zoroaster
The Zoroastrian credo is: "Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds." The neighboring religion to the East, Hinduism, tells you "think no evil, see no evil, do no evil;" not a frontal ethical assertion as "Good Thoughts Good Words Good Deeds. " Hinduism believes in renunciation and rejection of this world, by contrast a Zoroastrian is expected to lead a joyous life, raise a family, help the poor, look after God's creation, and fight evil from within the world!
Ahura Mazda, Lord Wisdom, is Highest Righteousness, Pure Mind, Supreme Omnipotence, Bountiful Devotion, Perfection and Eternity. These seven attributes, a Great Heptad, are reverently addressed as the Amesha Spentas, Eternal Bountiful Divine Beings, but which form one monotheistic Entity, Ahura Mazda, Lord Wisdom.
Ahura Mazda is so pristine pure, no human failings and negative qualities like anger revenge and punishment can be part of Him; thus Zarathustra's God is simply incapable of causing human suffering and pain.
All the pain and death, suffering and misery is the work of an opposing Force, Angra Mainyu, the Ignorant Mind, whose sole aim in creation is to wreck the good work of Ahura Mazda.
Besides, Ahura Mazda has set into motion Asa- Laws of Creation- that we see all around us, the order in the Universe, day and night, seasons, waning and waxing of the moon, the 'force' that prevents Earth from falling!
He has created man, endowed him with intelligence, and given him free choice to do things the right way or choose otherwise through unrighteous or evil actions. But, with the freedom of choice, he is responsible for his actions and all natural consequences from such actions.
Eventually, all evil will be utterly annihilated, and all of God's creation will attain perfection and become deathless. This is called Frashokereti - perfection of the world.
Zarathustra was born in very remote times, when his people, proto-Indo-Iranians, spoke in an ancient Indo-European dialect. We now call this dialect the Gathic dialect, after the Gathas, hymns he composed, and which survive to this day, and form the central core of Zoroastrian teachings and scripture.
This dialect, scholars affirm, is a sister dialect of ancient old Vedic, spoken by proto-Indo-Aryans whose descendants are the Hindus/Indians of today . On a closer study of Zarathustra's compositions, this Gathic dialect appears more archaic than even the Vedic dialect of the Rig Veda. Scholars surmised from this that Zarathustra lived at around the same time, possibly earlier, to the authors of the Rig Veda. That places him around 1500 B.C. at least. (Here is a very informative LINK posing the various possibilities about when Zarathustra lived.)
(However, the orthodox Zoroastrian world view, on the basis of their scriptures and traditions, detail a time-line, details the history of this world and all humanity, the rise and fall of civilizations, and the establishment of all great religions- each cycle spans every 81000 years. In this LINK -a must read- the author, a traditional religious scholar in Zoroastrianism, places Zarathustra in the 7th millennium B.C.)
On account of that hoary age, probably the late Bronze Age, ( 1800-1200 BC) it becomes equally difficult to identify the region, in Central Asia, as Zarathustra's birthplace. Of course, one can only surmise he was born in a remote place, in one of those scattered regions, across Central Asia, where his people, ancient proto- Indo-Iranians, lived, and roamed in search of pastures for their flocks. The Gathic dialect being identical to the Vedic dialect, made scholars surmise his people lived in close proximity to these Vedic speakers. Evidence available point to the far north eastern regions of ancient India, now the northern parts of Afghanistan, and further north, as home of the Vedic people; this means the Iranians lived in regions further north and north east, east of the Caspian Sea.
Archaeology digs reveal this Central Asian region, spanning across the eastern Russian steppes to areas east of the Caspian Sea, and further south, was home of the Indo-Iranians, with the Yaz culture, east of the Caspian Sea, the possible homeland of early Zoroastrians. Here, no burials have been found, leading archaeologists to surmise the practice of sky burial, the ancient Zoroastrian method for disposal of their dead, confirming their presence there.
This clear archaeology evidence of the total absence of burials in the Yaz Culture, gives two obvious conclusions, that Zoroastrians were present here, and further that Zarathustra was born in this region, or in close proximity to this region. This again can be disputed if one can believe those scholars who claim the system of disposal of the dead predates Zarathustra's founding of the religion.
Zarathustra's Message:
Zarathustra's own words, in metrical verses, are collectively called the Gathas, which have survived, first through memorization, orally handed down from father to son, in the Zoroastrian priestly class-the Athravans, (later called Magupat by the Acaemenids, the Magi of the Bible and western sources,) and then all of Zoroastrian scriptures, including the Gathas were committed to writing in the 4th century AD when a script was invented for this purpose.
This whole body of sacred Zoroastrian writing, the Avesta (Indian Vidya-knowledge), include the Gathas, Yasnas, Yashts, Khorde Avesta, Visperad and Vendidad.
The Gathas are placed within a section of the Avesta known as the Yasna, this and most other portions of the Avesta, were composed orally, from around 1500-1400 B.C. down to 300 B.C., and were committed to writing in the 4th century A.D., but which are faithfully memorized by Zoroastrian priests, and fewer portions, by the laity, to this day.
This written version of the Avesta would have been available for others to read and Martin Haug states that Hermippus, the philosopher of Smyrna (ca. 250 BCE), "is reported by Pliny (Historia Naturalis XXX., 1) to have made very laborious investigations into all Zoroastrian books, which were said to comprise two million verses, and to have stated the contents of each book separately." Regrettably, Hermippus' work has since been lost.
The Gathas, five great hymns, and four principal prayers ( see below), also in metrical verses, are included in the Yasnas, (ritual prayers), liturgical texts comprise the oldest portion of the Avesta-(these Yasnas are made up of 72 sections including the 5 sections of the Gathas.) The Yasnas were most definitely 'composed' by 1200 B.C.
(The LINK above, and here, provides detailed information on the Yasnas.)
The Yasnas are liturgical texts used in the Ijeshne ceremony, which is one of the central rites of the Zoroastrian faith.
Other sections of the Avesta include the Yashts, hymns to various angels in the Zoroastrian hierarchy, and the Khorde Avesta, drawn from portions of the Yasnas and the Yashts, used for rituals and personal prayers.
The other very important section of the Avesta is the Vendidad, more appropriately called the Vidaevadat-Law against the demons, a voluminous compendium of laws that once governed Zoroastrians. The Vendidad, containing matter that goes back to Indo-European times, was in it's present form most definitely composed by the 4th century B.C.
Zoroastrian priests were not just custodians of the religion, they were copyists, assiduously copying the Avesta contents since the time Avestaic writing was 'invented, probably in the third or fourth century AD.
Besides, they continued to produce more religious work in later centuries, in the evolving Iranian languages, in Middle Persian, called Pahlavi, from around the 3rd century A.D. Still later, in post Islamic times. they would continue adding to their religious literature in Persian....see the Avesta
To give the reader an immediate insight into Zarathustra's ministry, here are some of the most important verses in Gathic, followed by the first verses of the Gathas:
The Ahunavar -the "Lord's Prayer" of Zoroastrianism:
Just as the Sovereign Lord is all powerful,
so is the Spiritual Teacher, by reason of his store of Righteousness;
the gifts of Pure Mind,
are for deeds done for the Lord of Creation;
and the Kingdom of God is indeed upon him
who clothes his brother meek!
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The Ashem Vohu prayer-The principal message of righteousness:
Righteousness is the highest good, it is illumination;
illumination comes to him who is righteous,
for the sake of the highest righteousness.
(and not for any reward.)
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The Yenghe Hatam prayer-the universal message of Zoroastrianism-to revere all good men and women.
Indeed, of those that are, of whom in every act of worship, the Lord God knoweth to be of higher worth,
by reason of his righteousness,
also of the woman he knoweth to be likewise,
all such, both these men and women, do we revere!
*********************
the main body of the Gathas, the first verses, as a sampling:
Gathas-Yasna(verse) 28-1:
To You(!) I pray in humble adoration with hands uplifted for perfect bliss-
to Thy Holy Spirit, O Mazda(Wise [Lord]), first of all;
through deeds inspired by Righteousness,
and for the Wisdom of Pure Mind do I pray,
thus I shall bring solace to the Soul of Mother Earth!
Gathas- Yasna 28-2:
I verily, O Mazda Ahura (Wise Lord), would reach You
through Pure Mind,
that to me be granted in both the worlds,
both this corporeal and that of the Spirit,
the blessings through Righteousness,
whereby Thou would lead Thy faithful into
the Abode of Light.
Gathas-Yasna 28-3:
I verily unto Thee, O Asa(God-Righteous),
shall weave my hymns
and to Vohu Mano(Pure Mind of God), as never before,
and unto Mazda Ahura(Wise Lord);
so that by your grace O Xshathra (God-Omnipotent)
shall Armaity (God-Devoted) make grow (purity in us.)
come Ye to our call and grant perfect bliss.
(Here is a brief intro to what Zoroastrianism generally means-Wikipedia- Zoroastrianism
The Parsis and Zoroastrian Iranians:
Zoroastrianism, as mentioned earlier, once counted millions of adherents in greater Iran and Central Asia, now finds it's few followers, since the Islamisation of Iran, left in India and Iran, and in places across the world (by way of a diaspora from India and Iran.)
In India, Zoroastrians are mainly centered in western Indian cities of Mumbai, Pune, Navsari, Surat and Ahmedabad, with the small town, Udvada, on the western Indian coast, some 160 kilometers north of Mumbai, being the most revered place. The holiest and oldest Sacred Fire, called Iranshah, kindled in the 8th or 10th century A.D., (with sacred implements called Alaat brought from Iran) by newly arrived refugees from Iran, is now housed in a temple there.
These refugees left Iran in the 8th or 10th century A.D., at around the time Islam was getting more vigorous there. They settled in the western coastal regions north of Mumbai, and became known as Parsis.
The other significant group of Zoroastrians are Iranian Zoroastrians, centered in the Iranian town of Yazd and the surrounding villages, with some in Kerman and Tehran.
On a rough estimate, Zoroastrian Parsis' population would total to some 1,00,000, with 70,000 in India and the rest spread worldwide. Iranian Zoroastrians have an estimated population of some 35,000, with 10,000 in Iran, the rest spread across the world.(Both groups outside of India and Iran, are mainly found in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Tanzania.)
Parsis that the world might know, include the Queen group lead singer, the late Freddie Mercury (Farrokh Bulsara), Zubin Mehta, the conductor, who currently wears the Wagner ring, and has been the Music Director of some of the best orchestras of the world-New York Philharmonic, Israel Philharmonic, and the Vienna Philharmonic.
In India, the leading industrial house, the Tatas,
laid the foundation of modern industrial India, with Jamsetji Tata, the founder of the Tata group, setting up Asia's first steel plant in 1905, his descendant J.R.D.Tata setting up India's first airline, Tata Airline that later became Air India. The Tatas have drawn the world's attention by lately acquiring ownership of Jaguar and Land Rover, Piaggio Scooters, Tetley Tea and Corus Steel. Their industrial base covers some 70 companies and turnover amounts to a total of some US$ 150 Billion. The Taj Palace Hotel, that was in the world news in 2008-by the terrorist attack on the hotel and Mumbai- is part of the Tata group. The Nano car, the cheapest car in the world, at US$ 2700.00 is a Tata product.
Three Indians, all Parsis, were the first Asians/Indians to become Members of the British Parliament. The first of these Dadabhoy Naoroji, is also known as the "Grand Old Man of India"- mentor of Mahatma Gandhi- who first spoke out for home rule for India.
Some of the best sail ships in the English Navy, (including the HMS Minden on which American Stars and Stripes was composed[!]) were built by the Wadias, Lovji Wadia, followed by some seven generations built ships for the English navy and Indian shipping.
What made this small group of adherents to a very ancient message, so resilient and determined to get through the worst hardships, calamities and vicissitudes that befell them, reducing their numbers from millions to a mere 1,50,000?
The answer lies in the lofty principles and beliefs that embody the Zoroastrian religion, ably supported by traditions and rituals, and an ethos and values that encourage the Zoroastrian to stand up and be counted.
This religion, whose principles are woven around an ethos of Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds, recognizing a conflict exists between good and evil, seen all around us, will eventually end in the full destruction of all evil forces, that a righteous life here on earth prepares the individual not just for a righteous life after death, but supports the spread of righteousness in this world itself, that God is a kind Being not the cause of the world's miseries and pain, that God expects the better we gain from life the more we should care for the poor as well as His creation; all this and more has left an indelible impact on a Zoroastrian to be unflinchingly honest, hardworking, and stand up against all unrighteousness, deceit, lies and dishonesty.
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Portrait of Lady Tata, wife of Sir Dorab Tata, the distinguished Tata family, Zoroastrian Parsis.
