Zoroastrianism the Zend-Avesta the Vendidad

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Zoroastrianism the Zend-Avesta the Vendidad ZOROASTRIANISM THE ZEND-AVESTA THE VENDIDAD TRANSLATED BY JAMES DARMESTETER Formatting by William B. Brown Table Of Contents Table Of Contents..................................................... i THE ZEND-AVESTA PART I................................................ 1 THE VENDIDAD ....................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION.......................................................... 1 CHAPTER I. THE DISCOVERY OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. ....................... 1 CHAPTER II. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. ................. 9 CHAPTER III. THE FORMATION OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. .................... 11 CHAPTER IV. THE ORIGIN OF THE AVESTA RELIGION. .................... 24 CHAPTER V. THE VENDÎDÂD. .......................................... 37 VENDIDAD. FARGARD I. .............................................. 47 Introduction ...................................................... 47 VENDIDAD. FARGARD I. .............................................. 49 FARGARD II. Yima (Gamshêd). ....................................... 51 Chapter 1........................................................ 51 Chapter II....................................................... 53 FARGARD III. The Earth. ........................................... 55 Chapter I........................................................ 55 Chapter II....................................................... 56 Chapter III...................................................... 56 Chapter IV....................................................... 58 FARGARD IV. Contracts and Outrages. ............................... 59 Introduction..................................................... 59 Chapter I........................................................ 60 Chapter II a..................................................... 60 Chapter II b..................................................... 60 Chapter II c..................................................... 60 Chapter II e..................................................... 61 Chapter III a.................................................... 61 Chapter III b.................................................... 64 Chapter III c.................................................... 64 FARGARD V. ........................................................ 65 Introduction..................................................... 65 Chapter I a...................................................... 66 CHAPTER I b...................................................... 66 CHAPTER II....................................................... 66 CHAPTER III...................................................... 67 i CHAPTER IV....................................................... 67 Chapter V........................................................ 68 CHAPTER VI....................................................... 68 CHAPTER VII...................................................... 69 CHAPTER VIII..................................................... 70 FARGARD VI. ....................................................... 71 Introduction..................................................... 71 Chapter I........................................................ 72 Chapter II....................................................... 72 Chapter III...................................................... 73 CHAPTER IV....................................................... 74 Chapter V........................................................ 75 FARGARD VII. ...................................................... 75 Introduction..................................................... 75 CHAPTER I........................................................ 76 CHAPTER II....................................................... 76 Chapter III...................................................... 77 Chapter IV....................................................... 78 Chapter V........................................................ 78 CHAPTER VI....................................................... 78 CHAPTER VII a.................................................... 79 CHAPTER VII b.................................................... 79 CHAPTER VIII..................................................... 80 Chapter IX....................................................... 81 Chapter X........................................................ 82 Chapter XI....................................................... 82 Chapter XII...................................................... 83 FARGARD VIII. ..................................................... 83 Introduction..................................................... 83 Chapter I........................................................ 83 CHAPTER II....................................................... 84 CHAPTER III...................................................... 84 CHAPTER IV....................................................... 85 Chapter V........................................................ 86 Chapter VI....................................................... 87 Chapter VII...................................................... 87 Chapter VIII..................................................... 90 ii Chapter IX....................................................... 91 Chapter X........................................................ 93 FARGARD IX. The nine nights' Barashnûm. ........................... 94 Introduction..................................................... 94 Chapter I a...................................................... 94 Chapter I b...................................................... 95 Chapter II....................................................... 99 Chapter III..................................................... 100 FARGARD X. ....................................................... 101 Introduction.................................................... 101 Chapter I....................................................... 101 FARGARD XI. ...................................................... 103 Introduction.................................................... 103 Chapter I....................................................... 103 FARGARD XII. ..................................................... 106 Introduction.................................................... 106 Chapter I....................................................... 106 FARGARD XIII. The Dog. ........................................... 110 Introduction.................................................... 110 Chapter I a..................................................... 110 Chapter I b..................................................... 110 Chapter II...................................................... 111 Chapter III..................................................... 112 Chapter IV...................................................... 112 Chapter V....................................................... 113 Chapter VI...................................................... 113 Chapter VII..................................................... 114 Chapter VIII.................................................... 114 Chapter IX...................................................... 115 Chapter X....................................................... 115 FARGARD XIV. ..................................................... 116 Introduction.................................................... 116 Chapter I....................................................... 116 FARGARD XV. ...................................................... 118 Introduction.................................................... 118 Chapter I....................................................... 118 Chapter II...................................................... 119 iii Chapter III..................................................... 119 Chapter IV...................................................... 121 FARGARD XVI. ..................................................... 122 Introduction.................................................... 122 Chapter I....................................................... 122 Chapter II...................................................... 123 Chapter III..................................................... 123 FARGARD XVII. Hair and Nails. .................................... 124 Introduction.................................................... 124 Chapter I....................................................... 124 Chapter II...................................................... 125 FARGARD XVIII. ................................................... 125 Introduction.................................................... 125 Chapter I....................................................... 125 Chapter II...................................................... 126 Chapter III..................................................... 128 Chapter IV...................................................... 130 FARGARD XIX. ..................................................... 131 Introduction.................................................... 131 Chapter I....................................................... 131 Chapter II...................................................... 132 Chapter III..................................................... 136 FARGARD XX. Thrita, the First Healer. ............................ 137 Introduction.................................................... 137 Chapter I....................................................... 137 FARGARD XXI. Waters and Light. ................................... 138 Introduction...................................................
Recommended publications
  • Mah Tir, Mah Bahman & Asfandarmad 1 Mah Asfandarmad 1369
    Mah Tir, Mah Bahman & Asfandarmad 1 Mah Asfandarmad 1369, Fravardin & l FEZAN A IN S I D E T HJ S I S S U E Federation of Zoroastrian • Summer 2000, Tabestal1 1369 YZ • Associations of North America http://www.fezana.org PRESIDENT: Framroze K. Patel 3 Editorial - Pallan R. Ichaporia 9 South Circle, Woodbridge, NJ 07095 (732) 634-8585, (732) 636-5957 (F) 4 From the President - Framroze K. Patel president@ fezana. org 5 FEZANA Update 6 On the North American Scene FEZ ANA 10 Coming Events (World Congress 2000) Jr ([]) UJIR<J~ AIL '14 Interfaith PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF '15 Around the World NORTH AMERICA 20 A Millennium Gift - Four New Agiaries in Mumbai CHAIRPERSON: Khorshed Jungalwala Rohinton M. Rivetna 53 Firecut Lane, Sudbury, MA 01776 Cover Story: (978) 443-6858, (978) 440-8370 (F) 22 kayj@ ziplink.net Honoring our Past: History of Iran, from Legendary Times EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: Roshan Rivetna 5750 S. Jackson St. Hinsdale, IL 60521 through the Sasanian Empire (630) 325-5383, (630) 734-1579 (F) Guest Editor Pallan R. Ichaporia ri vetna@ lucent. com 23 A Place in World History MILESTONES/ ANNOUNCEMENTS Roshan Rivetna with Pallan R. Ichaporia Mahrukh Motafram 33 Legendary History of the Peshdadians - Pallan R. Ichaporia 2390 Chanticleer, Brookfield, WI 53045 (414) 821-5296, [email protected] 35 Jamshid, History or Myth? - Pen1in J. Mist1y EDITORS 37 The Kayanian Dynasty - Pallan R. Ichaporia Adel Engineer, Dolly Malva, Jamshed Udvadia 40 The Persian Empire of the Achaemenians Pallan R. Ichaporia YOUTHFULLY SPEAKING: Nenshad Bardoliwalla 47 The Parthian Empire - Rashna P.
    [Show full text]
  • On the Good Faith
    On the Good Faith Zoroastrianism is ascribed to the teachings of the legendary prophet Zarathustra and originated in ancient times. It was developed within the area populated by the Iranian peoples, and following the Arab conquest, it formed into a diaspora. In modern Russia it has evolved since the end of the Soviet era. It has become an attractive object of cultural produc- tion due to its association with Oriental philosophies and religions and its rearticulation since the modern era in Europe. The lasting appeal of Zoroastrianism evidenced by centuries of book pub- lishing in Russia was enlivened in the 1990s. A new, religious, and even occult dimension was introduced with the appearance of neo-Zoroastrian groups with their own publications and online websites (dedicated to Zoroastrianism). This study focuses on the intersectional relationships and topical analysis of different Zoroastrian themes in modern Russia. On the Good Faith A Fourfold Discursive Construction of Zoroastrianism in Contemporary Russia Anna Tessmann Anna Tessmann Södertörns högskola SE-141 89 Huddinge [email protected] www.sh.se/publications On the Good Faith A Fourfold Discursive Construction of Zoroastrianism in Contemporary Russia Anna Tessmann Södertörns högskola 2012 Södertörns högskola SE-141 89 Huddinge www.sh.se/publications Cover Image: Anna Tessmann Cover Design: Jonathan Robson Layout: Jonathan Robson & Per Lindblom Printed by E-print, Stockholm 2012 Södertörn Doctoral Dissertations 68 ISSN 1652-7399 ISBN 978-91-86069-50-6 Avhandlingar utgivna vid
    [Show full text]
  • 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.
    [Show full text]
  • Ahura, Mazda. Evolution of the Name(S)
    Part Three: 3.20, The Evolution of the Name(s) Ahura, Mazda. Evolution of the Name(s) Mazda, Ahura. In the Gathas, Zarathushtra calls the Divine by many different names.1 But in this chapter, I will limit the discussion to the names he uses most often -- mazdA- and ahUra-, and combinations of these two, because they are the names most associated with his perception of the Divine. You may question: Why is the evolution of these names of the Divine important? Why should we care? Well, for at least two reasons (you may well think of additional ones). 1. As Thieme has pointed out, in a religion that has no images of the Divine, the name given to the Divine reveals its nature, its essence.2 The evolution of the names of the Divine enables us to see how the perception of the nature of the Divine changed, from Zarathushtra's perception -- Wisdom personified (mazdA-), and Lord (ahUra- used in the sense of one who has acquired lordship over the qualities that make a being Divine),3 -- to the perceptions of later texts in which the Divine became an authority figure Lord Wisdom (ahUra- mazdA-), to yet later texts in which the name had become one word (Hormezd, Ormazd) which no longer had any intrinsic meaning in the everyday language of that time, and therefore projected no notion of the nature, the essence, of the Divine. Once the meaning of a name is no longer understood in everyday language, anyone can attribute any kinds of (totally different) qualities to the Divine.
    [Show full text]
  • 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.
    [Show full text]
  • Weekly Verse #393
    Weekly Zoroastrian Scripture Extract # 393: The first Western Scholar to translate our scriptures - Abraham Hyacinth DuPerron - a French Scholar Hello all Tele Class friends: During March 1758, some 262 years ago, Surat, Gujarat, India was the chief center of Parsi Zarathushtri Religion and community. Thanks to the Mobeds’ hereditary, our prayers were kept in their pristine language and recitation by word of mouth from father to son, but their understanding was very much lacking. And during that time, the Parsis were embroiled in the “Kabiseh Controversy” about what was the correct calendar between Shehenshahi and Kadmi calendars. During these turbulent times arrived a French Scholar, Anquetil Duperron, to learn our scripture languages and to translate them in French! Abraham Hyacinthe Anquetil-Duperron (7 December 1731-17 January 1805) (please see the photo attached) “The Religion and History of the Parsis are subjects, which, beyond being interesting in themselves, merit moreover the attention of savants, on account of the connection which this people had with the Hebrews, the Egyptians, the Greeks, the Indians, and even with the Chinese. But to trust solely to what the ancient writers tell us of that nation would be to run the risk of getting but an imperfect idea of it. The works which treat thoroughly of its History and Religion exist no more; and those that have escaped the ravages of time cannot give us a sure and satisfactory knowledge of it.” These were the words of a French scholar, Anquetil Duperron, in 1771. Duperron was born in Paris in December 1731. Duperron initially distinguished himself in the study of theology at Paris and Utrecht with the intention of becoming a priest.
    [Show full text]
  • Ashem Vohu, the Prayer of Good Heart (7) Nine Pearls in the Divine Necklace of Ushta
    PRAYERS FOR THE GOOD HEART. MEANING AND MESSAGE OF "KHSHNAOTHRA AHURAHEY MAZDAAO." A SILENT PRAYER OF LOVE, DEVOTION AND ACTION, AND NOT A YELL OF HATRED, EGO AND SHOW OFF. The subject of Manthra Prayers has been often treated in this humble Parsi Pukar. September 1996 was a special issue on Manthra. The subject is too wide to be adequately covered even through half a dozen special issues. Yet it is this magazine's pet subject. Because, Khordeh Avesta Prayer is perhaps the only minoi institution of our Religion we have preserved better than any other. A lot of questions are being asked on the mode and mechanics of different Prayers. One question that is repeatedly asked is: do our Avesta Prayers have any meaning in them? What are their contents? What is the message, if any, in them? What are the thoughts embedded in them? Can we have some idea about what thoughts we should have or pass through our mind while chanting them? To answer these questions, we propose to present to our readers, from time to time, the meanings and message of some of our daily Khordeh Avesta Prayers or the passages therefrom, which occur repeatedly, up to a level. As is often pointed out here, Manthra have levels of meanings. The translations from the western studies are based on a manmade conjectural grammar of Avesta and the guess-work of a psuedo science called linguistics or etymology or 'science' of languages. There is no doubt that great exertions were put in by the western scholars in arriving at their translations.
    [Show full text]
  • The Zend-Avesta Contents
    sbe04 THE ZEND-AVESTA PART I THE VENDIDAD TRANSLATED BY JAMES DARMESTETER Sacred Books of the East, Volume 4. Oxford University Press, 1880. {scanned at sacred-texts.com January-May/2001} {p. vii} CONTENTS. INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER PAGE I. THE DISCOVERY OF THE ZEND-AVESTA xi II. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE ZEND-AVESTA xxv III. THE FORMATION OF THE ZEND-AVESTA xxx IV. THE ORIGIN OF THE AVESTA RELIGION lvi V. THE VENDÎDÂD lxxxiii http://www.sacred-texts.com/zor/sbe04/sbe04.htm (1 of 257)2006-03-29 오후 2:22:09 sbe04 TRANSLATION OF THE VENDIDAD. FARGARD I. AN ENUMERATION OF SIXTEEN LANDS CREATED BY AHURA MAZDA, AND OF 1 AS MANY PLAGUES CREATED IN OPPOSITION BY ANGRA MAINYU FARGARD II. MYTHS OF YIMA 10 FARGARD III. THE EARTH 21 I (1-6). The five places where the Earth feels most joy 22 II (7-11). The five places where the Earth feels most sorrow 24 III (12-35). The five things which most rejoice the Earth 25 IV (36-42). Corpses ought not to be buried in the Earth 31 FARGARD IV. CONTRACTS AND OUTRAGES 33 I (1) 34 II a (2). Classification of contracts 34 II b (3-4). Damages for breach of contract 35 II c (5-10). Kinsmen responsible 36 II d (11-16). Penalties for breach of Contract 37 III (17-55). Outrages 39 (18). Definitions 39 (18-21). Menaces 39 (22-25). Assaults 40 http://www.sacred-texts.com/zor/sbe04/sbe04.htm (2 of 257)2006-03-29 오후 2:22:09 sbe04 (26-29).
    [Show full text]
  • 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.
    [Show full text]
  • NAVZOTE - MUBARAK to Dear, ______With Congratulations, Choicest Greetings & Zoroaster’S Blessings! From
    1 2 Date__________ NAVZOTE - MUBARAK To Dear, __________________ With Congratulations, Choicest Greetings & Zoroaster’s Blessings! From: __________________________ ___________________________ 3 4 NAVZOTE (Revised Edition 2019) With KUSHTI PRAYERS Authored By: Late NOSHIR KHURSHED DABOO AHMEDABAD RE-PUBLISHED BY FAMILY MEMBERS ~ FOR FREE CIRCULATION ONLY~ 5 DEDICATED IN SACRED MEMORY OF ALL DEAR DEPARTED SOULS OF OUR FAMILY WITH HOMAGE TO THEIR HOLY FRAVASHIS ~ FAMILY MEMBERS 6 FOREWORD This small booklet has come out, because I have received requests from my well-wishers & others, to publish a GUIDE on NAVZOTE, that gives the significance of the Sacred Ceremony in Simple English Language; especially for the young children, who have to undergo the Investiture Ceremony. NAVZOTE Can only be done of a Child whose Both parents are Parsi Zoroastrians. It is advisable that the Navzote ceremony be done in the Morning, in Havan Geh Or at the Most early Evening at 4/4.30 p.m. In the presence of KHURSHED YAZAD (The sun) All the other celebrations could be had at night. Keeping in mind the importance of the Navzote religious ceremony. Thus aspirant NAVJOTEE can perform his religious duties with the right Zoroastrian 7 spirit with better understanding. It is in 2 parts. 2nd part contains the Essential KUSHTI Prayers for a NAVJOTEE, with their substance to enhance the moral value. The Basic Prayers are: ~ 1. Ashem Vohu 2. Yatha Ahu Vairyo 3. Yenghe Hatam 4. Kemna Mazda 5. Hormazd Khodai 6. Jasme Avanghahe Mazda 6. Din No Kalmo 7. Sarosh Baj (Jamvani Baaj & Patet Pashemani also were said Traditionally.) A NAVJOTEE should learn by heart, these prayers before the INITIATION Ceremony.
    [Show full text]
  • Zoroaster's Contributions to Christianity
    ZOROASTER'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO CHRIS- TIANITY. r.V THE EDITOR. WE read in the Arabic Gospel of the Infancy (p. 176) the fol- lowing passage which we cannot doubt is but a more com- plete version of Matt. 11 :i : "And it came to pass when the Lord Jesus was born at Bethle- hem of Judah. in the time of Herod the King, behold Magi came from the East to Jerusalem, as Zerdusht had predicted : and they liad with them gifts, gold, incense and myrrh ; and they worshipped him and offered unto him their gifts." Zerdusht is the Arabic name for Zoroaster, and we have here the positive statement that Zoroaster had predicted the Saviour. The three Magi are now commonly supposed to be represent- atives of the Gentile nations, but among the early Christians they were Magi, or priests of Mesopotamia. They are always represented as wearing Persian caps, the same head covering which Mithra wears, and which under the name of miter, has become the typical cap of honor of the Christian bishops. The names of the three Magi according to an ancient popular legend, are Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. All are pagan names ; not one of them is Jewish. Caspar means "radiance", Melchior means "the light of Malech or Moloch" (i. e. the king, viz., God), Balchazar means "Bel protect the king." The story of the Magi is the last remnant in the Christian can- on of the evidences of the influence which the religion of the Per- sians exercised on early Christianity. We know now that this in- fluence must have been enormous although it appears that during the rivalry between Mithraism and Christianity, the vestiges that might testify to it have been systematically obliterated, leaving only hints of the significance of Zoroaster's faith at the beginning of the Christian era.
    [Show full text]
  • 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.
    [Show full text]