A brief Introduction to Zoroastrianism and Zarathustra/Zoroaster-Part 3..

The great Fire Temple at Udavada on the western coast of India, north of Mumbai, known as the Iranshah Atash Bahram, housing the oldest sacred fire consecreted in India. The "Alaat" sacred implements needed for consecretion were brought from Iran by the migrating Iranians, in the 10th century A.D. This sacred Fire burns continuously since then, never allowed to go out, symbol of God's Creation.



Ruins of an outdoor stepped fire alter in Tajikistan; the ancient Zoroastrians worshiped in the open.



Unlike the Eygptians and the Sumerians, who share a very old civilization that grew along those great rivers, the Nile and Euphrates, with centers of  learning, and those huge structures, the pyramids and the ziggurats, that clearly speak of great wealth and an advanced knowledge of engineering and mathematics, the Indo-Europeans first, then the Indo-Iranians in the east, and the proto-European peoples in the west, were still searching for lands to settle, or more probably reluctant to give up their 'lust for wandering.'

The gods of these peoples, unlike the stylised animal motif gods of the Eygyptians and Sumerians (the latter less fearful of nature except for the flooding of their rivers), the gods of the wandering peoples of the Eurasian steppes were related to thunder and lightening, war and victory. We have Thor, god of thunder in the later Germanic peoples, we have the Greek Zeus, a father of gods, and Perkunas, again a god of war, amongst the Lithuanians; and Indra, god of war, in the east. (Again, refer to this LINK.)

Specifically, the Indo-Iranian gods, mainly related to natural forces were, for the obvious reasons, that gods fashioned man, also related with human attributes and relationship.
We have Mithra (Indian-Mitra) who is god that accompanies the sun across the sky, who has a thousand ears and eyes and watches over the deeds of men, but who is witness at all human contracts. When a man gives his word, Mithra is present and records the event.

Very early, the Indo-Iranian gods were thus seen to use intelligence and wisdom, as without these qualities it is not possible to judge human actions.

There is also the tendency to group the gods, collectively called Ahuras by the Iranians and Asuras by the Vedic Indians, this a reflection of the need to remain in strong groups on the vast plains and high mountains of the regions through which these peoples were migrating, eventually towards India and Iran-Afghanistan-Tajikistan-Uzbekistan.

Zarathustra was born in turbulent times, he was a Zoatar, a priest, whose vocation then included the memorized recitation of sacred hymns, and the performing of rituals that ensure, not just the appeasement of the gods, but which also replicate the myths of creation, played out in front of a group of worshipers.

One such grand ritual still practised today is called the Jashan, where the officiating priest, now represents/stands for Ahura Mazda, the Creator, and which in the pre-Zoroastrian eras represented Mazda, one of the gods, the main god of creation. The other priest/s who assist the officiating priest represent/stand for humanity.

So we have a ceremony where, the officiating priest as representative of the god of creation, lights the sacred fire, the first act of creation, then consecrates the other great creation elements represented by a stone pestle (the sky), fruits and milk (the vegetation and animal kingdom), water (water kingdom), and symbolically blesses these and hands some of these to the assisting priest, god entrusting his creation to man.

Perhaps, as Prof Mary Boyce postulates in her brilliant book , Zarathustra, whilst performing these rituals and pondering on it's meaning and symbolism, must have, through his keen intellect and as a high spiritual soul, come to the very new and startling conclusion that, with this richness of creation, there has to be one source at the very beginning of time, one Creator!

This far, no one had postulated a One God concept, an uncreated Creator. Zarathustra declares Ahura Mazda, Lord Wisdom, the very embodiment of wisdom, a Supreme Intellect, the source of all creation.

(Early Judaism, considered by most as the first monotheistic religion, it is suggested was, in it's early stage polytheistic/henotiestic-acknowledging one God with a rejection of false gods (that do exist!) SEE LINK , very interesting read.

Zarathustra then ponders, this Wise Lord has to have a Pure Mind (Vohu Manah) with the Best Righteousness (Vahista Asa), with Omnipotence-Victorious (Xshathra Vairya), and Immense /Bountiful-(Spenta) Devotion (Armaity.) to create and sustain His beautiful creation. And to do all this, the Wise Lord is the very embodiment of Well Being-Perfection (Haurvatat), and Eternal (Ameretat). Thus is born the Zoroastrian concept of a Supreme God, the Wise Lord with Six Great Attributes accompanying Supreme Wisdom, the Great Heptad.

At another level, it seems, Zarathustra is implying, man needs to be pure in mind and righteous, which will gain him strength and devotion in all things he does, leading to well being and fullness in life, qualities he will carry with him to eternal life!

But where does all the suffering, pain, decay and death arise? Zarathustra ponders on the full pure loving devoted nature of Ahura Mazda, and is convinced He, Ahura Mazda, cannot be the author of suffering, decay, pain and death. God cannot be revengeful and place His creation in a state contrary to His Wise and loving nature.

Zarathustra comprehends that a malevolent force, he calls Angra Mainyu (the Ignorant Mind) is the author in all and every circumstance, event, attribute, that negates God's good creation. The great prophet declares, Ahura Mazda "creates Life" and Angra Mainyu "creates Not-Life."

By it's very destructive nature, Angra Mainyu cannot be eternal, and at a point, in the distant future, this evil force will be utterly destroyed, all creation will be restored to it's pristine pure nature.

To fulfill His divine plan, Ahura Mazda manifests Himself as Spenta Mainyu (the Benevolent Bountiful Spirit) to continue His creation of everything good, and to oppose and eventually obliterate Angra Mainyu. Ahura Mazda creates the heavens and all the angels. Finally, He creates Man, who will play their role in a divine plan, for the total obliteration of Evil and the eternal perpetuation of Good.

Besides the six Amesha Spentas (Eternal Bountiful Spirits), (these are -Asa Vahista(Righteousness Best/Supreme), Vohu Manah (Pure Mind/Love), Xshathra Vairya (Omnipotent Victorious), Spenta Armaity (Bountiful Devotion), Haurvatat (Well Being) and Ameretat (Eternal),) Ahura Mazda creates Sarosh, Angel of Obedience, and who, in later religious development, watches over God's good creation through the night, when the forces of darkness and evil are most doing their mischief.

Zoroastrianism evolves as all religions do, so more angels are added to the hierarchy, as well as the calendar, and to preside over several of God's creation; and invoked in rituals- (Presumably, on the basis that the six Amesha Spentas and Sarosh, mentioned above, only figure in the Gathas, the other angels that begin to figure in the angelic world are later additions-but some postulate, the full group of angels are in fact the gods of earlier beliefs, 'converted' to angels, after Zoroaster's reform to monotheism.)

Angels are called Yazatas-Heavenly Beings (modern term-Yazads) in Zoroastrianism. Zarathustra is considered an Yazata, descended on earth to fulfill God's Will.

Yazatas are roughly in two groups, those that personify good human attributes, and those that are embodiments of some heavenly creation.

Thus, Yazatas include Verethrghna/Vahran, or later, Bahram, the Yazata of Victory; any human or divine victory over any wrong or evil is said to have been fulfilled with this angel's intervention or presence.

Mithra or Meher Yazata is the angel that accompanies the Sun's movement through the sky, thus witness to all the goings on, and ever watchful of evil doers!

The angel Rashnu embodies the spiritual office where all justice is meted out to ensure the good are rewarded; the angel Manthra Spenta is entrusted the task of guarding the Holy Word!

The angel Hvare Kshaeta-(Speeding Light) is the spiritual embodiment of the Sun; Mah Bokhtar represents the Moon, and Ava Ardivisura is the spiritual embodiment of all the good waters.

The great angel Atar (Fire) is most noteworthy, as the principal icon of worship is the sacred Fire, son of Ahura Mazda, His first creation; so Atar Yazata has a special place in all religious worship. No ritual takes place without the presence of the Sacred Fire.

Ahura Mazda and the 6 Archangels, the Heptad, and 27 angels comprise the Zoroastrian calendar, as names of each day in the Zoroastrian month. Hence, every day of each month, starting with the first day dedicated to Ahura Mazda Himself, is a reminder to worship Ahura Mazda, and then the heavenly archangels or angels to whom the day is dedicated.

Likewise,each of the 12 months of the year are dedicated in the same fashion, the 10th month to Ahura Mazda Himself, six months to six Archangels, and the remaining months to five angels. Where this dedication, of a day and month, coincides with the same Spiritual Being, the day is considered even more spiritually relevant. (For example, the second day of each month dedicated to Vohu Manah-Bahman, when coinciding with the 11th month to Vohu Manah, this day is considered very auspicious.)

For a full understanding of the Spiritual Heirachy see THIS LINK

Thus, to a pious and observant Zoroastrian, the whole of Ahura Mazda's creation has a very vibrant spiritual nature, with an angelic hierarchy that, on the face of things are seen to preside over each element or human attribute, but the real meaning of it being, each element of creation has an inner divine quality. Days of the religious calendar placing all this in an organised form, for veneration and worship, individually, or by rituals performed by the priests,or some by the laity.

Never far away from the natural elements, and dependent on pastures, and later, on agriculture, the beginning of each season is inaugurated by a great festival, called Gahambar, when people of all classes, from the king to commoner, sit together at a Jashan ceremony, and partake of a simple meal, now of rice and lentils, fruit and nuts. see LINK for more details. (Pictures are from Iranian Zoroastrian festivals, and one picture from a Parsi (Zoroastrians settled in India) festival-third picture from the bottom.)

Zoroastrians celebrate two New Year days. A "New Year," in line with the beginning of the Earth's journey around the Sun, is celebrated on the Spring Equinox, March 21st each year. This is an ancient event, called Jamshedi Navroze, after the ancient king of the Aryans, Kshaeta Yima (the Shining Yima-Jamshed in later times) who first laid down that his people celebrate events in tune with nature.

The second "New Year" - Now Ruz - is the first day of the Zoroastrian religious calendar. This calendar, comprising of 12 months of 30 days each , as explained a few paragraphs above, with five days added at the end, called the five Gatha days, to commemorate the Five Gathas, the five sections of Zarathustra's own compositions. Traditionally, the calendar, in Zoroastrian Iran, marked the beginning of each new reign, beginning with the new king's coronation. The present calendar marks the beginning of the reign of the last Zoroastrian monarch of Iran, Yezdegird the III.

The Zoroastrian calendar has no leap year, hence in ancient Sassanian times (Sassanian were the last Zoroastrian dynasty to rule Iran) a month was added every 120 years to 'update' the calendar. Calendar disputes arose when it was found the Zoroastrian in India had added a month to bring the calendar in line with missed leap years, this they did in 1125 or 1150 A.D. for full details see LINK

THERE IS SO MUCH MORE, ON ZOROASTRIAN TRADITIONS-SOME HAD NECESSARILY TO BE COVERED HERE, TO UNDERSTAND THE LINK BETWEEN THE ZOROASTRIAN VIEW OF ALL CREATION, AND HOW THIS HAS BEEN INTERWOVEN INTO THE ZOROASTRIAN'S DAILY LIFE, BY THE CALENDAR TRADITIONS DETAILED ABOVE.
OTHER PRACTICES AND TRADITIONS, INITIATION INTO THE RELIGION, MARRIAGE AND DEATH, WILL BE COVERED IN LATER POSTS.

WHAT DID ZARATHUSTRA DECLARE? WHAT, TO A PRACTISING ZOROASTRAIN, ARE THE CENTRAL BELIEFS TAUGHT BY THIS GREAT PROPHET........IN THE NEXT POST.

A brief Introduction to Zoroastrianism and Zarathustra/Zoroaster-part 2..

If  Cyrus the Great, founder of the first Iranian empire (546 B.C.), the
Achaemenid Empire, is the first to 'enter' history, as begun to be recorded by Herodotus and other Greeks, recent archaeological digs, in the vast regions north and north east of present Iran, give ample evidence of large kingdoms, highly organised, and wealthy enough to build temples and other religious structures much before the Achaemenids.

(This LINK is very interesting, for the first time we have a given a panoramic view of the regions which flourished as Iranian/Zoroastrian cultures before the better known Median/Achaemenid periods-see Early Avestan Aryan nations.)  http://www.avesta.org/vendidad/vd1sbe.htm

(Here, a closer sampling of Zoroastrian religion and culture LINK
gives ample evidence that Iranians, and Zoroastrianism, flourished well before the first world empire of the Achaemenids.)

In one of the sacred books of the Zoroastrian scriptures, the Vendidad (Vi-daevadat, meaning opposed to Devas-Devils) Ahura Mazda, the Lord Wisdom, God, created sixteen lands and gave each one of them an unique quality, then, the devil, Angra Mainyu (Ignorant Mind-the Zoroastrian satan) smote these good lands with some affliction, a clear vindication of the Zoroastrian principle of the fierce opposition by satan of all the good things created by God.

These sixteen lands enumerated in the Vendidad are clearly identifiable with regions north and north east of Iran, where ample archaeological evidences have been unearthed, clear evidence that the Zoroastrian scriptures can be corroborated by archaeology finds, and are not all legend and myth. The time frame of these sixteen lands, from the language used in the Vendidad, late Avestan, has been estimated as before 1000 B.C.

Very briefly, the Zoroastrian sacred books, the Avesta, are compilation/collection of several books, with the Gathic dialect used in the Gathas (Zoroaster's own words, still surviving) the oldest.The Yasnas, the second group, in Old Avestan, then the Yashts and Niyaesh sections, then the Vendidad, described above.....so we are moving back in time to at least 1500 B.C. when the Gathas, the oldest portion, in dialect form, being the compositions by Zoroaster himself.

Whilst the world of the Vendidad is a settled world of cities and forts dated to at least 1000 B.C., the world described in the Gathas, by Zarathustra, is far older, with simple folk, still in the process of settling down, and marauding tribes bent on robbing these good people of their cattle and few possessions, possibly dateable even earlier than 1500 B.C.

Zarathustra's family from the class of priests, were also, from several generations, connected with the breeding and use of horses. Names of his father, and older generations, carried the suffix asp, meaning 'of horse'- his father's name was Pourushasp (Upright Man of the horse), and other ancestors were Paitertasp, Urvadasp, Haichatasp, all names ending with asp. It is possible that the suffix 'asp' was indication of some form of status, association with the horse, already considered a noble animal amongst peoples of the steppes.

The name of one distant ancestor Spitaman, roughly meaning 'Fair Person/personage,' is chosen as the family name, thus the great prophet is addressed as Asho (the Holy) Zarathustra Spitaman.

During his time, and since the past, roughly, 1000 years before him, the proto-Iranians, considered themselves Mazdayasnis, worshipers of Mazda, the ancient god of wisdom (their counterparts the Indian Aryans worshiped Varuna, then Para-Brahma as the principal deity); but the very complex layers of religious beliefs include several other deities, mainly related to human relationships and traits, like Mithra, Iranian god that accompanies the sun, and is ever watchful of all human dealings. There is the god Atar, god of fire, a very sacred element for the Iranians, goddess of the waters is Haravaity, Mah is the moon god, Vayu, god of the winds. (All this had parallels in the Indian Aryans 'next door.')

Animal sacrifices and the drinking of Haoma (Soma to the Indian Aryans) was the basis of religious ritual; and one noteworthy trait, noticed later by Herodotus and others, was, these Aryans had no temples, they worshiped under the open skies, the curved skyline considered the 'stone body' of the gods. http://www.fordham.edu/Halsall/ancient/herodotus-persians.asp

Legend has it that Zarathustra laughed when his mother, Dughdova (Giver of Milk, meaning, a very generous soul) gave him birth, in very extraordinary circumstances- a strange divine light shone from her womb throughout the time she was pregnant. At the time of birth, this divine light shone through the whole village and the midwives were terrified thereby. All the good creation rejoiced, but the demons fled! As with other such great men of God, Zarathustra's life is embellished with such miracles. To the orthodox these are articles of faith and belief. Here is a very interesting LINK on his life story.

When a child, the evil men of the clan, recognizing the divine nature of Zarathustra, planned to kill him. But all attempts failed, miraculously, by divine intervention.

But Zarathustra was a very extraordinary person. Very early, he realized his people practiced rituals like blood sacrifice and riotous drinking of the plant freely found in the steppes, called haoma by them (and called Soma by the Indian Aryans.). In no uncertain terms, Zarathustra, abhorred these practices, and called for their ban, forming enemies in the priestly class.

He would wander from home, with no possessions, alone, and reflect upon the the sense of all things around him.

In one verse of the Gathas, his own compositions, he laments:

To what land shall I flee, whither shall I go,
they hold me (back) from the good people and friends,
there is no satisfaction for me from my people,
nor from the rulers of the land, they follow untruth,
how shall I satisfy Thee? O Ahura Mazda.

I know the reason, O Mazda, why I am helpless,
I have few possessions and a small following,
To Thee I appeal about this,
I am aspiring to bliss, like a beloved who seeks his love,
teach me through Righteousness the greatness of a Pure Mind.

In all these self search, introspection and hunger for the truth, and carefully observing the nature of all things, Zarathustra came to have a very extraordinary vision of One God, who he called Ahura Mazda, the Lord Wisdom; and seeing the wide opposing attitudes between good and evil, he came to realize that God is opposed by a malevolent evil Angra mainyu, the Ignorant Mind.

Again, as legend to some, but an article of faith to the faithful, the story goes, Zarathustra was wading through the waters of the holy river Daitya, where he got immersed up to the top of his head in water, baptized by this holy element, he came out of the water and was apprehended by a mighty Divine Being.

The light that shone from this Divine Being was so awesome and powerful, Zarathustra noted his shadow disappeared, and his face shone with a dazzling aura.

The Divine Being was Vohu Manah, Pure Mind, the great archangel Amesha Spenta (Divine Eternal Immortal-Amesha Spenta, one of the seven attributes of Ahura Mazda-Lord Wisdom,) who led Zarathustra into the presence of Ahura Mazda. Present with Ahura Mazda and Vohu Manah were the other five Divine Immortals, who together form a divine Heptad (God and His six Divine Beings)- Best Righteousness-Asa Vahista, Xshathra Vairya- Victorious Omnipotence, Spenta Armaity- Holy Devotion, Haurvatat-Divine Well being and Amretat-Divine- Eternal!

Thus began Zarathustra's enlightenment and the first message to humanity of One God and the prophecy that all evil will be eventually destroyed.

His own people were very hostile to Zarathustra's preachings, and he had to flee. Wandering the vast expanse of the then home of the Iranian peoples, he finally came to the eastern kingdom of Vishtaspa, where this king gave him a hearing.

The priests and courtiers at this good king's court were stunned and amazed at this new teaching of belief in One God, they felt this threatened their ancient beliefs. Zarathustra was framed, by their placing sorcerer's materials in his room, and the prophet was thrown in jail.

A little later, the king's favorite horse fell gravely ill and it's legs gave way and remained stiff under the horse's fallen body. None could cure the hapless animal. Zarathustra was finally summoned from jail, and he cured the horse, and got it standing upright to the utter amazement of all.

Vishtaspa and his wife Hutoasa become disciples, so does the court minister Jamasp.
Zarathustra preaches to both royals and the common folk, and his fame spreads far.

Zarathustra marries and has sons and daughters, all would become the new faith's missionaries!

Ancient enemies of these Aryans, the Turanians, hearing of this great enlightenment in their rival's kingdom, invade and lay seige to Vishtasp's capital of Balkh. After the city walls collapse the invaders enter the city's main temple and find Zarathustra there immersed in prayer.

A man aptly called Tur-baratur (the "Worst Turanian") slays the prophet, whose tongue does not cease to take God's name. The aged prophet, now 77, dies by the hands of this assassin, but before his last breath, he flings his prayer beads at Tur-baratur, who falls dead!

Thus, even in death the prophet fulfills his prophecy that evil always comes to the end it deserves, its utter destruction.

These stories, based on legends in some instances, some incidents zealously added by his followers, embellish the life of this great soul; but to the great fortune of all humanity, his very own words, his compositions, the Gathas, survive to this day.

His followers were quick to realize the timeless message in his words, and committed these to memory, father to son, for hundreds of generations, 'thought-provoking manthras '(messages), and these, the Gathas, form the core of Zoroastrian teachings.

When a script was invented and the Avesta committed to writing, in the 4th century A.D., the Gathas were placed within the Yasnas, the first book/portion of this Zoroastrian sacred literature -the other portions are Yashts-great hymns addressed to Ahura Mazda and  the Amesha Spentas (Benevolent holy Eternals) and angels- and the Niyashes-prayers to various divinities, and the Vendidad-a set of laws to govern society (but also used by the orthodox as a great ritual of prayer by priests.)

The Orthodox and faithful believe the entire Avesta was revealed to Zarathustra by Ahura Mazda. All portions of the Avesta are treated with the greatest reverence and various portions used for recitation during varied rituals and ceremonies.

This LINK gives details of various sources that attempt dating Zarathustra's era.

This LINK gives details of various sources that attempt to place Zarathustra in locations indicated in those many sources.

A brief Introduction to Zoroastrianism and Zarathustra/Zoroaster-part 1.

A brief introduction to Zoroastrianism, and who Zarathustra is, necessarily requires we go back several thousand years, to possibly 4000 years from the present, to examine the religious, cultural and linguistic scenario from which this religion was to eventually emerge. Then, a vast disparate group of peoples, known as the Indo-European groups, who were sharing the developing Indo-European languages that were to spread across much of Europe and Asia, were the inhabitants of the Asian steppes and eastern Europe.
For a brief introduction to Indo-European language family tree see here

The above link tells us the Indo-European group of languages is basically divided into the Satem and Centum groups, the former spread across much of Asia and the latter over Europe, and are famously identified from the similarity of words and numbers-Satem and Centum both stand for the number 100. so, interestingly, are some of the earliest words formed by man to speak and communicate; Mother, for example, is variously, Maa, Mader, (Maa-in Sanskrit and Hindi and in most Indian languages, and in Old Persian-Mader); and Muter, Mama etc etc in German, Italian/Spanish. (Father-pader (OP) and pitar(Vedic) , pater, pedro, etc all phonetically similar; and the list of such early words is pretty large!( King is Kai in old Persian, sun, surya in the Vedic, etc. )

If people share the same language roots, by close proximity, in regions across the European and Asian steppes, the Caucasoid Mountains and East Europe, then it's possible they shared similar religious beliefs.

*Dyēus Ph₂tēr (literally "sky father") is the god of the day-lit sky and the chief god of the Indo-European pantheon. The name survives in Greek Zeus with a vocative form Zeu pater; Latin Jūpiter (from the archaic Latin Iovis pater; Diēspiter), Sanskrit Dyáus Pitā, and Illyrian Dei-pátrous.

This Wiki link on proto-Indo European religious beliefs would be good for further reading.

In all Indo-European language speakers, there is a general belief in gods, a pantheon of gods, usually led by a principal god; Deus Pitar in Europe, the Deva concept in Asia-India.

I am reproducing here the summarized concluding para, in the above link, that explains the unique religious connections and similarities:

"The various Indo-European daughter-cultures continued elements of PIE religion, syncretizing it with innovations and foreign elements, notably Ancient Near Eastern and Dravidian elements, the reforms of Zoroaster and Buddha, and the spread of Christianity and Islam.
Anatolian: see Hittite mythology
Indo-Iranian:
Indo-Aryan: see Vedic religion and mythology, Indian religions (Hinduism and Hindu mythology, Buddhism and Buddhist mythology, Jainism, Sikhism)
Iranian: see Zoroastrianism, Persian mythology
Greek: see Greek polytheism and mythology, Hellenistic religion, Decline of Hellenistic polytheism, Greek Orthodox Church
Italic: see Roman polytheism and mythology, Roman Catholic Church
Celtic: see Celtic polytheism and mythology, Celtic Christianity
Germanic: see Germanic mythology (Continental, Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian traditions), Germanic Christianity
Baltic: see Latvian mythology, Lithuanian mythology
Slavic: see Slavic mythology, Christianization of the Slavs
Tocharian: little evidence, see Silk Road transmission of Buddhism
Armenian: limited evidence, see Armenian mythology, Armenian Orthodox Church
Prehistoric Balkans: see Paleo-Balkanic mythology."

further links for more reading are available in the link above.

During the period 5000 B.C and 1000 B.C. these disparate groups forming the Indo-European peoples began moving further from one another as, supposedly, the needs for growing population and need of more grazing grounds for their livestock, and the urge to push and plunder their way into more places, sent them into different directions.

Here is a brilliant essay that summarizes the migrations of these peoples across Europe and Asia.

http://www.kortlandt.nl/publications/art111e.pdf 

and this equally brilliant essay:

http://sino-platonic.org/complete/spp239_indo_european_languages.pdf   and this

http://www.people.fas.harvard.edu/~witzel/AryanHome.pdf

(In the above link, the author very aptly traces the migration of the Indo-Iranians, with archaeology digs where the methods of burial correspond exactly with Rig Vedic texts, this in the Siberian regions east of the Ural mountains (a singular burial where a horse's head is positioned on the severed head of the skeleton, as exactly described in the Rig Vedic texts.). The author goes on to trace the home of the Aryans "Airyana Vaejha" in the central highlands of Afghanistan.........the whole essay is indeed a revealing document.)      


Those groups that moved west were to become the ancestors of the present European peoples who speak Indo-European daughter languages, Norse, German, French, Spanish, Danish, Dutch,English, Belgic, Lithuanian, Russian etc. (as opposed to the speakers of the Finno-Ugraian groups like Finnish and Hungarian.) Early groups also arrived in present day Turkey-Syria, known as the Hittites who were rivals to the middle Egyptians, and the Mittani. The Hittites and the Mittani display names of gods still found today in the Hindu pantheon.

The group with which we are particularly concerned, the Indo-European Indo-Iranian group, ancestors of the Iranians and Indians, move south and south west to India and Iran.

But these ancestors of Iranians and Indians, were a sort of composite family group, living as neighbors, for a thousand years( 3500 B.C.-2500 B.C.)-in the present regions of north-west India, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and further north-west, sharing a common heritage, identifying themselves as Aryans-the Upright Peoples.

Their religious beliefs and myths and legends ran parallel. The principal gods were Mitra-Indian and Mithra(Iranian), Lord of contracts and wide pastures, Indra-Vrittra (Indian) and Verethregna (Iranian,) Lord of war and victory, Varuna (Indian)  and Apam-Napat (Iranian), Lord of the heavens; Vayu, Lord of winds, and so on. Both peoples collectively called this pantheon, the Asuras. When the Indian Aryans went their separate way they began calling their gods the Devas, the Iranians continued the term Asuras-Ahuras, whilst Devas become opposing forces in Iranian belief.

There are parallel legends and myths including Yama (Indian) and Yima (Iranian), the early kings, the slaying of a demonic serpent by the Iranian hero Kersaspa, in Indian lore known as Nairyosangha.

Of course, as with all other Indo-Europeans, rituals form the core of all religious and tribal activities of the Aryans, the veneration of fire and other elements of nature, especially water, and the cow is considered very sacred.

The best reading material on Zoroastrianism is available in the book by Prof Mary Boyce see link



In these still pre-historic times, somewhere in the regions north east of present day Iran, the family of Zarathustra lived as settled folk; these good settled folk are opposed by marauding tribes who loot their cattle and steal their few belongings; this forms the basis of the belief of a conflict between good and evil, which becomes one of the basic beliefs in Zoroastrianism.