Zoroastrianism is a minor religion with about 60,000 followers
Date founded: About 1200 BCE
Place founded: Ancient Persia (modern-day Iran)
Founder: Prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra)
Adherents: 60,000
Main location: India
Major sects and denominations: Parsis (India) and Irani Zoroastrians (Iran), with historical sects like Zurvanism.
Sacred text: Gathas and Zend Avesta
Religious professionals: Mobeds (or Mobad), with high-ranking priests known as Dasturs
House of worship: a Fire Temple, Dar-e Mehr, or Atashkadeh (eternal flame is maintained)
Type of theism: Dualism (and monotheism elements): Ahura Mazda (the Wise Lord, Holy Spirit) and Angra Mainyu (the Destructive Spirit).
Ultimate reality: ultimate reality is Ahura Mazda (the "Wise Lord").
Human nature: Inherently good, possessing free will to choose between truth (Asha) and falsehood (Druj).
Purpose of life: Actively participate in the cosmic battle between good and evil by upholding Asha (truth, order, righteousness) through good thoughts, words, and deeds.
How to live: Actively fight evil by following the threefold path of Humata, Hūxta, Huvarshta (Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds).
Afterlife: A temporary state of judgment based on an individual's "good thoughts, good words, and good deeds." Souls cross the Chinvat Bridge to enter paradise (House of Song), a purgatory (Hamistakan), or hell (House of Lies) until the final renovation of the world (Frashokereti) brings ultimate resurrection and universal salvation
Symbol: Faravahar. Used in ancient Persian culture, featuring a winged, human-faced disk representing a guardian spirit.
Major holidays: Nowruz (Persian New Year/Spring Equinox) and six seasonal Gahambars. Key observances include the 10-day Farvardigan festival for departed souls, Khordad Sal (Zoroaster’s birthday), and Zartusht-no-diso (death anniversary of Zoroaster).
Zoroastrianism is a Cosmic Dualism: The universe is a battleground between Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu (also known as Ahriman). While Ahura Mazda created a good world, Angra Mainyu attacks it with corruption, death, and destruction. Ethical/Moral Dualism: Human beings are central to this battle, possessing the free will to choose between truth (Asha) and falsehood/deceit (Druj). Spenta Mainyu vs. Angra Mainyu: Often, the opposition is defined as Ahura Mazda’s creative energy, Spenta Mainyu (Holy Spirit), opposing Angra Mainyu (Destructive Spirit).
Zoroastrianism Creation Story:
The Wise Lord, Ahura Mazda, created a perfect, spiritual, and material world to trap the evil spirit Ahriman (Angra Mainyu). Over 12,000 years, good (Asha) battles evil (Druj) across seven creations—sky, water, earth, plants, animals, human (Gayomard), and fire—eventually leading to the renovation of the world.
The Seven Creations: Ahura Mazda fashioned the world in seven stages: Sky: A metallic, protective dome. Water: To purify and combat demons. Earth: Flat, circular, and without mountains. Plants: Moist, barkless, and thornless. Animals: Specifically the primordial bovine (Gavaevodata). Human: Gayomard (Gayomaretan), the first, brilliant man. Fire: The vital force that permeates all other creations. Ahriman attacked this perfection, bringing pain, disease, and death into the world. He poisoned Gayomard (humasns), but from the earth, a rhubarb plant grew, giving rise to the first human couple, Mashya and Mashyoi, to carry on the battle.
Zurvanism is an extinct branch of Sāsānian-era Zoroastrianism (approx. 3rd–7th century CE) that elevated Zurvan as the supreme, primordial creator deity, rather than Ahura Mazda. It posited that the good deity Ahura Mazda and evil spirit Angra Mainyu were twin brothers born from Zurvan, creating a radical, rigid dualism. According to the tradition, Zurvan desired offspring and sacrificed for 1,000 years to create Ahura Mazda, but experienced a moment of doubt, allowing the evil Ahriman to be born simultaneously.
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