Reassessing the Material Contexts of Ritual Fires in Ancient Iran
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The Hymns of Zoroaster: a New Translation of the Most Ancient Sacred Texts of Iran Pdf
FREE THE HYMNS OF ZOROASTER: A NEW TRANSLATION OF THE MOST ANCIENT SACRED TEXTS OF IRAN PDF M. L. West | 182 pages | 15 Dec 2010 | I.B.Tauris & Co Ltd | 9781848855052 | English | London, United Kingdom The Hymns of Zoroaster : M. L. West : See what's new with book lending at the Internet Archive. Search icon An illustration of a magnifying glass. User icon An illustration of a person's head and chest. Sign up Log in. Web icon An illustration of a computer application window Wayback Machine Texts icon An illustration of an open book. Books Video icon An illustration of two cells of a film strip. Video Audio icon An illustration of an audio speaker. Audio Software icon An illustration of a 3. Software Images icon An illustration of two photographs. Images Donate icon An illustration of a heart shape Donate Ellipses icon An illustration of text ellipses. Full text of " The Hymns Of Zoroaster. West has produced a lucid interpretation of those ancient words. His renditions are filled with insights and empathy. This endeavour is an important contribution toward understanding more fully some of the earliest prophetic words in human history. West's book will be widely welcomed, by students and general readers alike. West resuscitates the notion of Zoroaster as the self-conscious founder of a new religion. In advancing this idea, he takes position against many modern interpreters of these extremely difficult texts. The clarity and beauty of his translation will be much welcomed by students of Zoroastrianism and by Zoroastrians themselves, while his bold interpretation will spark off welcome debate among specialists. -
Part Six: Yasna Haptanghaiti 35.2 and 3. This Revised Version Simply
Part Six: Yasna Haptanghaiti 35.2 and 3. This revised version simply corrects a spelling error. My apologies. Yasna Haptanghaiti 35. 2 and 3 The Yasna Haptanghaiti is not a part of the Gathas. Nor do we know who its author(s) may have been. The form in which it has come down to us in surviving manuscripts, is generally in Gathic Avestan, (with some additions in later forms of the Avestan language).1 So it would be reasonable to conclude that (except for the later Avestan parts) it was composed closer in time to Zarathushtra than other Avestan texts. And indeed, some parts of the Yasna Haptanghaiti are very close to his thought. This is true of the entire first chapter of the Yasna Haptanghaiti (YHapt. 35), but also of other parts. The opening paragraph (YHapt 35.1) is in archaic YAv. and therefore would have been added much later (some additional details are footnoted).2 But it also is quite beautiful and accurately reflects Zarathushtra's thought. It reads as follows. 'The truth--possessing Lord Wisdom, (having) the judgment of truth,3 we celebrate; The beneficial non--mortal (ones), good--ruling, good--giving, we celebrate; The truth--possessing existence of all (things), we celebrate -- belonging to the existences of mind, and physical life -- praiseworthy (because) of good truth, praiseworthy (because) of the good envisionment of wisdom-- worship." YHapt. 35.1. There are no capital letters in Av. script, and I take last word -- the name of the religion -- with double entendre, meaning the worship of wisdom, and the worship of the Existence that is Wisdom personified. -
Denkard Book 9
DENKARD, Book 9 Details of Nasks 1-3, 21 (The Original Gathic Texts) Translated by Edward William West From Sacred Books of the East, Oxford University Press, 1897. Digitized and converted to HTML 1997 Joseph H. Peterson, avesta.org. Last updated Mar 2, 2021. 1 Foreword The Denkard is a ninth century encyclopedia of the Zoroastrian religion, but with extensive quotes from materials thousands of years older, including (otherwise) lost Avestan texts. It is the single most valuable source of information on this religion aside from the Avesta. This volume contains detailed contents of the Gathic Nasks of the Ancient Canon, much of which is now lost in the original Avesta. Note however, that (as Dr. West says) “it is abundantly clear to the practised translator that Avesta phrases often underlie the Pahlavi passages which seem to be quoted at length from the original Nasks, especially in Dk. 9; but, for some of the details mentioned, there may be no older authority than a Pahlavi commentary, and this should be ever borne in mind by the sceptical critic in search of anachronisms.” I have added some comments in {} and [[]], mainly to facilitate searches. Spelling of technical terms have also been normalized to conform with other texts in this series. Wherever possible I have used the spellings of F.M. Kotwal and J. Boyd, A Guide to the Zoroastrian Religion, Scholars Press, 1982. The original S.B.E. volumes used a system of transliteration which was misleading to the casual reader, and no longer adopted. As an example “chinwad” (bridge) (Kotwal and Boyd) was transliterated in S.B.E. -
Summer/June 2014
AMORDAD – SHEHREVER- MEHER 1383 AY (SHENSHAI) FEZANA JOURNAL FEZANA TABESTAN 1383 AY 3752 Z VOL. 28, No 2 SUMMER/JUNE 2014 ● SUMMER/JUNE 2014 Tir–Amordad–ShehreverJOUR 1383 AY (Fasli) • Behman–Spendarmad 1383 AY Fravardin 1384 (Shenshai) •N Spendarmad 1383 AY Fravardin–ArdibeheshtAL 1384 AY (Kadimi) Zoroastrians of Central Asia PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA Copyright ©2014 Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America • • With 'Best Compfiments from rrhe Incorporated fJTustees of the Zoroastrian Charity :Funds of :J{ongl(pnffi Canton & Macao • • PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA Vol 28 No 2 June / Summer 2014, Tabestan 1383 AY 3752 Z 92 Zoroastrianism and 90 The Death of Iranian Religions in Yazdegerd III at Merv Ancient Armenia 15 Was Central Asia the Ancient Home of 74 Letters from Sogdian the Aryan Nation & Zoroastrians at the Zoroastrian Religion ? Eastern Crosssroads 02 Editorials 42 Some Reflections on Furniture Of Sogdians And Zoroastrianism in Sogdiana Other Central Asians In 11 FEZANA AGM 2014 - Seattle and Bactria China 13 Zoroastrians of Central 49 Understanding Central 78 Kazakhstan Interfaith Asia Genesis of This Issue Asian Zoroastrianism Activities: Zoroastrian Through Sogdian Art Forms 22 Evidence from Archeology Participation and Art 55 Iranian Themes in the 80 Balkh: The Holy Land Afrasyab Paintings in the 31 Parthian Zoroastrians at Hall of Ambassadors 87 Is There A Zoroastrian Nisa Revival In Present Day 61 The Zoroastrain Bone Tajikistan? 34 "Zoroastrian Traces" In Boxes of Chorasmia and Two Ancient Sites In Sogdiana 98 Treasures of the Silk Road Bactria And Sogdiana: Takhti Sangin And Sarazm 66 Zoroastrian Funerary 102 Personal Profile Beliefs And Practices As Shown On The Tomb 104 Books and Arts Editor in Chief: Dolly Dastoor, editor(@)fezana.org AMORDAD SHEHREVER MEHER 1383 AY (SHENSHAI) FEZANA JOURNAL FEZANA Technical Assistant: Coomi Gazdar TABESTAN 1383 AY 3752 Z VOL. -
Mecusi Geleneğinde Tektanrıcılık Ve Düalizm Ilişkisi
T.C. İSTANBUL ÜN İVERS İTES İ SOSYAL B İLİMLER ENST İTÜSÜ FELSEFE VE D İN B İLİMLER İ ANAB İLİM DALI DİNLER TAR İHİ B İLİM DALI DOKTORA TEZ İ MECUS İ GELENE Ğİ NDE TEKTANRICILIK VE DÜAL İZM İLİŞ KİSİ Mehmet ALICI (2502050181) Tez Danı şmanı: Prof.Dr. Şinasi GÜNDÜZ İstanbul 2011 T.C. İSTANBUL ÜN İVERS İTES İ SOSYAL B İLİMLER ENST İTÜSÜ FELSEFE VE D İN B İLİMLER İ ANAB İLİM DALI DİNLER TAR İHİ B İLİM DALI DOKTORA TEZ İ MECUS İ GELENE Ğİ NDE TEKTANRICILIK VE DÜAL İZM İLİŞ KİSİ Mehmet ALICI (2502050181) Tez Danı şmanı: Prof.Dr. Şinasi GÜNDÜZ (Bu tez İstanbul Üniversitesi Bilimsel Ara ştırma Projeleri Komisyonu tarafından desteklenmi ştir. Proje numarası:4247) İstanbul 2011 ÖZ Bu çalı şma Mecusi gelene ğinde tektanrıcılık ve düalizm ili şkisini ortaya çıkı şından günümüze kadarki tarihsel süreç içerisinde incelemeyi hedef edinir. Bu ba ğlamda Mecusilik üç temel teolojik süreç çerçevesinde ele alınmaktadır. Bu ba ğlamda birinci teolojik süreçte Mecusili ğin kurucusu addedilen Zerdü şt’ün kendisine atfedilen Gatha metninde tanrı Ahura Mazda çerçevesinde ortaya koydu ğu tanrı tasavvuru incelenmektedir. Burada Zerdü şt’ün anahtar kavram olarak belirledi ği tanrı Ahura Mazda ve onunla ili şkilendirilen di ğer ilahi figürlerin ili şkisi esas alınmaktadır. Zerdü şt sonrası Mecusi teolojisinin şekillendi ği Avesta metinleri ikinci teolojik süreci ihtiva etmektedir. Bu dönem Zerdü şt’ten önceki İran’ın tanrı tasavvurlarının yeniden kutsal metne yani Avesta’ya dahil edilme sürecini yansıtmaktadır. Dolayısıyla Avesta edebiyatı Zerdü şt sonrası dönü şen bir teolojiyi sunmaktadır. Bu noktada ba şta Ahura Mazda kavramı olmak üzere, Zerdü şt’ün Gatha’da ortaya koydu ğu mefhumların de ğişti ği görülmektedir. -
Zoroastrianism from Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
Create account Log in Article Talk Read View source View history Search Zoroastrianism From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss Main page these issues on the talk page. Contents The neutrality of this article is disputed. (March 2012) Featured content This article may contain previously unpublished synthesis of Current events published material that conveys ideas not attributable to the Random article original sources. (March 2012) Donate to Wikipedia This article contains weasel words: vague phrasing that often Interaction accompanies biased or unverifiable information. (March 2012) Help Part of a series on About Wikipedia Zoroastrianism /ˌzɒroʊˈæstriənɪzəm/, also called Mazdaism Zoroastrianism Community portal and Magianism, is an ancient Iranian religion and a religious Recent changes philosophy. It was once the state religion of the Achaemenid, Contact page Parthian, and Sasanian empires. Estimates of the current number of Zoroastrians worldwide vary between 145,000 and Toolbox 2.6 million.[1] Print/export In the eastern part of ancient Persia more than a thousand The Faravahar, believed to be a depiction of a fravashi years BCE, a religious philosopher called Zoroaster simplified Languages Primary topics the pantheon of early Iranian gods[2] into two opposing forces: Afrikaans Ahura Mazda Ahura Mazda (Illuminating Wisdom) and Angra Mainyu Alemannisch Zarathustra (Destructive Spirit) which were in conflict. aša (asha) / arta Angels and demons ا open in browser PRO version Are you a developer? Try out the HTML to PDF API pdfcrowd.com Angels and demons ا Aragonés Zoroaster's ideas led to a formal religion bearing his name by Amesha Spentas · Yazatas about the 6th century BCE and have influenced other later Asturianu Ahuras · Daevas Azərbaycanca religions including Judaism, Gnosticism, Christianity and Angra Mainyu [3] Беларуская Islam. -
The Need for a Generally Accepted Definition of Zoroastrianism and for a Permanent Religious Body to Resolve Religious Issues — Kersey H
The Need for a Generally Accepted Definition of Zoroastrianism and for a Permanent Religious Body to Resolve Religious Issues — Kersey H. Antia oroastrianism and Zoroastrians have survived since time immemorial thanks mainly to the fact that Zoroastrians faithfully followed their Zancient traditions till the twentieth century. It was not the might of our empires or the greatness of our ancient civilization that was responsible for the continuation of Zoroastrianism throughout millennia. Rather, the main reason for its survival is the beauty and uniqueness of its philosophy that sets it apart from other religious systems, even though as generally acknowledged by scholars today, it has probably had more influence on other religions, directly or indirectly, than any other single faith. However, the advent of modernity has led to dissensions and disagreement among us as to what Zoroastrianism means to different groups of Zoroastrians. As Sir Jivanji Mody noted in his biography of the pioneering Parsi reformist, Mr. K. R. Cama, there were no reformists in the Parsi community when Mr. Cama grew up as a young man in the 19th century. As all Parsis till then were uniformly orthodox. But the westernization of the community has changed that peaceful scenario not only in India but also in Iran. What Professor James E. Whitehurst observes in this regard (“The Zoroastrian Response to Westernization: A Case Study of the Parsis of Bombay,” Journal of the American Academy of Religion, 1969, 37(3), pp. 231-6) is worth noting: “Perhaps the greatest threat to the Parsi community comes in the form of a frontal attack on much that Parsis have considered sacrosanct. -
Zoroastrians Their Religious Beliefs and Practices
Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices General Editor: John R. Hinnells The University, Manchester In the series: The Sikhs W. Owen Cole and Piara Singh Sambhi Zoroastrians Their Religious Beliefs and Practices MaryBoyce ROUTLEDGE & KEGAN PAUL London, Boston and Henley HARVARD UNIVERSITY, UBRARY.: DEe 1 81979 First published in 1979 by Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd 39 Store Street, London WC1E 7DD, Broadway House, Newtown Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 1EN and 9 Park Street, Boston, Mass. 02108, USA Set in 10 on 12pt Garamond and printed in Great Britain by Lowe & BrydonePrinters Ltd Thetford, Norfolk © Mary Boyce 1979 No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except for the quotation of brief passages in criticism British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Boyce, Mary Zoroastrians. - (Libraryof religious beliefs and practices). I. Zoroastrianism - History I. Title II. Series ISBN 0 7100 0121 5 Dedicated in gratitude to the memory of HECTOR MUNRO CHADWICK Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Cambridge 1912-4 1 Contents Preface XJ1l Glossary xv Signs and abbreviations XIX \/ I The background I Introduction I The Indo-Iranians 2 The old religion 3 cult The J The gods 6 the 12 Death and hereafter Conclusion 16 2 Zoroaster and his teaching 17 Introduction 17 Zoroaster and his mission 18 Ahura Mazda and his Adversary 19 The heptad and the seven creations 21 .. vu Contents Creation and the Three Times 25 Death and the hereafter 27 3 The establishing of Mazda -
“I Am a Prophet!” – the Image of Zoroaster in the Dāstān-E Goshtāsp (Tale of Goshtāsp)
He addressed the Kayānian king: “I am a prophet!” – The Image of Zoroaster in the Dāstān-e Goshtāsp (Tale of Goshtāsp) Ashk P. Dahlén University of Oslo Abstract The aim of this article is to examine the image of the ancient Iranian prophet Zoroaster in the Shāhnāma based on a closed reading of the story about the Kayānian king Goshtāsp written by Daqiqi (and con- tinued by Ferdousi). There has so far been no comprehensive treatment of Daqiqi’s rendering of Zoro- aster and the founding of the first Zoroastrian community. This lack of scholarly research is surprising given the importance of Daqiqi in the transmission of the ancient Iranian cultural and religious heritage (illustrated in his pioneering role in the creation of the Shāhnāma of Ferdousi) and the uniqueness of his work, which constitutes the only long poem that has been preserved from the Sāmānid and pre-Sāmānid period (even though extant verses of some early poets suggest the existence of several other epic works). As Daqiqi relates, it was in Goshtāsp’s reign that Zoroaster introduced his religion in the Iranian cultural sphere, with the support of the king’s son Esfandiār. Goshtāsp was forced to go to war to defend the faith against king Arjāsp of Turān and suffered the loss of his brother Zarēr in battle. These are cele- brated events in the early history of Zoroastrianism that have been expounded upon throughout the cen- turies in different versions. Keywords: Abu Manṣur Daqiqi, Shāhnāma, Abo’l-Qāsem Ferdousi, Zoroaster, Ahura Mazdā, Sāmānid, Avestā, Goshtāsp Introduction The Shāhnāma (Book of Kings) of Abo’l-Qāsem Ferdousi (940–1020) is general- ly considered the Persian national epic par excellence and enjoys an iconic status in Iranian literary culture. -
Commonalities Between Yaj–A Ritual in India and Yasna Ritual in Iran
Indian Journal of History of Science, 51.4 (2016) 592-600 DOI: 10.16943/ijhs/2016/v51/i4/41236 Commonalities between Yaj–a Ritual in India and Yasna Ritual in Iran Azadeh Heidarpoor* and Fariba Sharifian* (Received 07 December 2015) Abstract Sacrifice ritual in India and ancient Iran has been of particular importance. This ritual is called Yaj–a and Yasna respectively in India and Iran. In Brāhmaas and later Avesta, it is considered as one of the most important religious ceremonies with commonalities and the same root. The most important commonalities in holding sacrifice rituals in Iran and India are fire elements, Iranian haoma or Indian soma drink after bloody or non-bloody sacrifices, and singing holy hymns [of praise] by spirituals who hold the rituals. Given the importance of these elements in both Yasna and Yaj–a ceremonies, we can find out their common root in a period before separation of Indian and Iranian peoples from each other and their settlement in India and Iran. Ancient Indo-Iranians believed that there were many divinities in the world and these divinities had to be worshiped to be calmed so that order is established in the world; along with sacrifices and offerings. Sacrifices and offerings were made in mainly, (1) to please gods; and (2) to establish order in a better manner in the management of world affairs. The ancient Indo-Iranians apart from performing their sacrifices to gods, they also worshiped two vital elements: water and fire, for they considered them vital and priceless in life. Indo-Iranians considered waters as goddesses whom they called Ops. -
18 Ideas of Self-Definition Among Zoroastrians in Post
18 IDEAS OF SELF-DEFINITION AMONG ZOROASTRIANS IN POST-REVOLUTIONARY IRAN Sarah Stewart he tumultuous events of the Islamic Revolution of 1979 in Iran, followed Tby the eight-year war with Iraq, had a profound effect on the lives of all Iranians. Research conducted inside Iran on religious minorities during this time all but ceased. Moreover, the renewed religious fervour that characterized the post-revolutionary years in Iran, together with the continuation of discrim- inatory legislation, meant that many members of minority communities became reticent about discussing their religion – especially with foreigners. Information about the Zoroastrian religion and its people in Iran over the past 40 years has thus been fragmentary and is derived from a variety of sources. There are the accounts of those who left the country after the Revolution and settled elsewhere, some of them returning regularly to visit family members, maintain property that they continue to own, and to do business. There has also been a growing interest,Property amongst of I.B.Tauris young Iranian & Co. Ltdstudents and scholars, in the languages and cultures of pre-Islamic Iran. City dwellers – particularly the younger generation – use the internet with enthusiasm, and their websites and blogs provide insights into religious and social life, as well as the ways in which young Zoroastrians create and consolidate identities. In the past two decades, researchers from institutions both inside and outside Iran have had greater freedom of movement within the country and better -
Rethinking Sasanian Iconoclasm
Rethinking Sasanian Iconoclasm MICHAEL SHENKAR HEBREW UNIVERSITY OF JERusALEM This article presents a detailed reconsideration of the well-established and canon- ized theory of “Sasanian iconoclasm” postulated by Mary Boyce in 1975. The Sasanians did not develop any prohibition against anthropomorphic representa- tions of the gods, and in the surviving Zoroastrian literature and inscriptions there is no evidence of either theological disputes over idols or of a deliberate eradi- cation of them by the Persian kings. Sasanian cult was aniconic, but the historical and archaeological evidence clearly demonstrates that Sasanian visual culture was anything but iconoclastic. It seems that the Persian iconoclastic identity was constructed in the early Sasanian period as a response to the challenges posed by Christianity. By joining the common monotheistic discourse against idolatry, the Zoroastrian clergy adopted the conventions of the world in which they lived. Attacks against “idols” and “idolatry” should be understood in the context of inter- nal and external polemical discourse against beliefs deemed to be erroneous by the Zoroastrian priesthood. INTRODUCTION “Iconoclasm” (literally “the destruction of icons”) was originally a distinctly Christian term commonly applied to a number of religious and political movements, both ancient and mod- ern, that actively and aggressively rejected visual representations of the divine. In a recent study, iconoclasm was more broadly defined as “a motivated phenomenon of annihilation of any presence or power realized by an icon through the annihilation of that icon.” 1 In the pre-modern world, “iconoclasm” was perhaps most famously associated with the complex debates waged over icons that took place in the Byzantine Empire in the eighth-ninth cen- turies c.e.