Part II Beliefs and practices
Zorastrians view the world as a battleground between good and evil. Their God is
a joyous one like the Hindu gods and creation of productive wealth is an
essential obligation to their respective Gods in both religions. Creativity is
the cornerstone of their faith. Celibacy is considered a sin and so is
renunciation. The Gita takes a similar stand on these issues:
“Wherever there is glory, prosperity and power recognize it to be a part of my
splendor”. (X, 41)
“Performance of action is superior to renunciation”. (V, 2)
In Hinduism renunciation is advocated as an aid to mind control whereas
Zorastrianism focuses on the procreative aspect and denies the usefulness of
abstention. Even in Hinduism there is a certain ambivalence to Sannyasa for an
Upanishad says categorically, “Procreation is not to be abandoned.”
Freedom of will is an essential ingredient of both faiths. “Thus the best
wisdom is revealed to you. Reflect on it in its entirety and act on it as per
your light.” (Gita XVIII, 63)
The above comparison brings out also the essential difference in the two
approaches. Zoastrianism is straight, unambiguous and simple. Hinduism is
subtle, ambivalent and complex taking into account many facets of human nature.
The word ‘hypocrisy’ makes no sense to a Hindu. It is a daily reality.
Fire worship is common to both. We had already commented on the origin of the
Parsi fire and the schism it led to. The Parsis believe that the Holy Fire,
called Atar in Persian, is the son of the Supreme God, Ahura Mazda and is a
symbol of the True Law. There are three classes of fires. The Atarsh Behram is
the King of all fires. It is located in Udwada in Gujarat and is decorated with
a crown.
Some Zorastrian prayers are worth quoting:
“What indeed could be a more natural and more sublime (representation) of who
is Himself Eternal light than a pure and undefiled Flame.”
“Worthy of sacrifice art thou, worthy of prayers in the dwellings of men.”
“Just as the Holy Fire burns down all types of wood it also purifies men, the
sinners and others.”
Gita has an almost identical shloka” (IV, 37)
“Just as a blazing fire burns faggots into ashes the fire of knowledge burns
down all (cause effect relation of) actions.”
Rg Veda has similar hymns:
“Great Agni! Though thine essence be but one,Thy forms are three As fire thou blazeth here As lightning flashes in the atmosphere In heaven thou flasheth as Golden Sun In every Home thou art a welcome guest The householder’s tutelary Lord.”
Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts V, 22, 1)
Another prayer inspires the Zorastrians :
“Let me do my best to spread, like this Fire, before my death, the fragrance
of charity and good deeds and lead the life of righteousness and knowledge.”
The ancient Persians thought of the world as round and flat, essentially two-
dimensional. Hindus called the believers in two-dimensionality of as Daityas
(the sons of Diti the limited one) and Danavas, collectively Asuras.
The Hindu God Vishnu, an Aaditya or the son of Aditi (the unlimited), was three
dimensional in his body or Tribhuvanavapusha. The Universe was identified with
five-dimensional OM. Four-dimensional Space time was identified with the four-
headed Brahma, the anthropomorphic representation of creator.
The story of Vaamana avataar of Vishnu (the midget incarnation) deals with the
subjugation of Asuras. It also demonstrated the three dimensionality (describ as
the three steps of Vaamana) of the realm of Vishnu or the Space.
The ancient Egyptians also regarded the world as two-dimensional. The Pharaohs
wore two crowns as the lord of two lands or the lower or northern and upper or
the southern parts of Egypt.
Ashura was not the negative of Sura. It is mentioned in the Rg Veda as an elder
sibling of the Hindu Gods, the Suras (or Non-asuras). The Vishnu purana mentions
Ashur as a creation of Brahma .
The Zorastrian Supreme Deity Ahura Mazda was the Rg Veda’s Ashur defeated by
Indra and pushed beyond the mountains.
Ahura Mazda represents the creative principle and was opposed by the devil Angra
Manyu. The last is to be identified as the mind- born son of Brahma, Angirasa
who was one of the seven Rishis of the Hindus corresponding to Zorastrian Amesha
Spenta .
Mount Alburz was considered as the center of the universe with Tera as the
tallest peak. Which was connected to the heavens by a bridge called the chinvat.
The Hindus have similar belief about Mount Meru as the tallest peak and the
center of the Universe.
The Hindu God of wind Vaayu is considered to occupy the intermediate space
between the heaven and the nether world. Tishtriya is associated with rains and
protects the earth from drought. Apaosha Ardvi Sura Anahita (meaning half divine
in Sanskrit) is the Goddess of fertility. She corresponds to Ardhanaareesara.
Hoama, the plant and the God, are similar to the Hindu Soma. The plant is
identified as the ephedra plant the essence of which, ephedrine, is known to
increase blood pressure and aggressiveness. Hindus believed that Soma gave
strength to the Gods. In ancient Persia the plant was considered a cure-all.
Zoraster’s father Pourushaaspa and Vivanghavant assisted by two men were the
first to extract Hoama. Hoama is also a priest of the Gods like Soma for the
Hindus. Hoama is also a warrior against evils.
Yima was an ideal King corresponding to the Hindu belief that Yama was the
Dharmaraja. Thrita corresponds to the Hindu Indra. Both prepared Soma juice and
were addicted to it. Their weapon was the thunderbolt. Indra killed the serpent
demon Vrittra and released the waters impounded by him in the mountains. Thrita
killed the three headed serpent Vrisvarupa. He also slew a boar demon with a
mace reminding one of the Varaaha avataara of Vishnu.
Ahura Mazda was the Supreme God characterized by wisdom and was worshipped as
the father and mother of creation. The “swift-horsed Sun” was his eye. He is
enthroned in the heaven. He is not considered as omnipotent as he is
circumscribed by evil. These concepts are similar to the descriptions in the
Gita.
“I (see you) crowned with a diadem, club and discus.” (X, 15) “The lord
seated on the lotus throne”. (X, 17) “The moon and the sun (are your)
eyes” (X, 18).
Zorastrians believe History to span four periods of three thousand years each
corresponding to the Hindu yugas four, three two and one thousand years of
Brahma. The first two were golden periods. The last one is a mixed period of
strife Good and Evil when the latter would be defeated.
Zorastrians view the world as a battleground between good and evil. Their God is
a joyous one like the Hindu gods and creation of productive wealth is an
essential obligation to their respective Gods in both religions. Creativity is
the cornerstone of their faith. Celibacy is considered a sin and so is
renunciation. The Gita takes a similar stand on these issues:
“Wherever there is glory, prosperity and power recognize it to be a part of my
splendor”. (X, 41)
“Performance of action is superior to renunciation”. (V, 2)
In Hinduism renunciation is advocated as an aid to mind control whereas
Zorastrianism focuses on the procreative aspect and denies the usefulness of
abstention. Even in Hinduism there is a certain ambivalence to Sannyasa for an
Upanishad says categorically, “Procreation is not to be abandoned.”
Freedom of will is an essential ingredient of both faiths. “Thus the best
wisdom is revealed to you. Reflect on it in its entirety and act on it as per
your light.” (Gita XVIII, 63)
The above comparison brings out also the essential difference in the two
approaches. Zoastrianism is straight, unambiguous and simple. Hinduism is
subtle, ambivalent and complex taking into account many facets of human nature.
The word ‘hypocrisy’ makes no sense to a Hindu. It is a daily reality.
Fire worship is common to both. We had already commented on the origin of the
Parsi fire and the schism it led to. The Parsis believe that the Holy Fire,
called Atar in Persian, is the son of the Supreme God, Ahura Mazda and is a
symbol of the True Law. There are three classes of fires. The Atarsh Behram is
the King of all fires. It is located in Udwada in Gujarat and is decorated with
a crown.
Some Zorastrian prayers are worth quoting:
“What indeed could be a more natural and more sublime (representation) of who
is Himself Eternal light than a pure and undefiled Flame.”
“Worthy of sacrifice art thou, worthy of prayers in the dwellings of men.”
“Just as the Holy Fire burns down all types of wood it also purifies men, the
sinners and others.”
Gita has an almost identical shloka” (IV, 37)
“Just as a blazing fire burns faggots into ashes the fire of knowledge burns
down all (cause effect relation of) actions.”
Rg Veda has similar hymns:
“Great Agni! Though thine essence be but one,Thy forms are three As fire thou blazeth here As lightning flashes in the atmosphere In heaven thou flasheth as Golden Sun In every Home thou art a welcome guest The householder’s tutelary Lord.”
Muir, Original Sanskrit Texts V, 22, 1)
Another prayer inspires the Zorastrians :
“Let me do my best to spread, like this Fire, before my death, the fragrance
of charity and good deeds and lead the life of righteousness and knowledge.”
The ancient Persians thought of the world as round and flat, essentially two-
dimensional. Hindus called the believers in two-dimensionality of as Daityas
(the sons of Diti the limited one) and Danavas, collectively Asuras.
The Hindu God Vishnu, an Aaditya or the son of Aditi (the unlimited), was three
dimensional in his body or Tribhuvanavapusha. The Universe was identified with
five-dimensional OM. Four-dimensional Space time was identified with the four-
headed Brahma, the anthropomorphic representation of creator.
The story of Vaamana avataar of Vishnu (the midget incarnation) deals with the
subjugation of Asuras. It also demonstrated the three dimensionality (describ as
the three steps of Vaamana) of the realm of Vishnu or the Space.
The ancient Egyptians also regarded the world as two-dimensional. The Pharaohs
wore two crowns as the lord of two lands or the lower or northern and upper or
the southern parts of Egypt.
Ashura was not the negative of Sura. It is mentioned in the Rg Veda as an elder
sibling of the Hindu Gods, the Suras (or Non-asuras). The Vishnu purana mentions
Ashur as a creation of Brahma .
The Zorastrian Supreme Deity Ahura Mazda was the Rg Veda’s Ashur defeated by
Indra and pushed beyond the mountains.
Ahura Mazda represents the creative principle and was opposed by the devil Angra
Manyu. The last is to be identified as the mind- born son of Brahma, Angirasa
who was one of the seven Rishis of the Hindus corresponding to Zorastrian Amesha
Spenta .
Mount Alburz was considered as the center of the universe with Tera as the
tallest peak. Which was connected to the heavens by a bridge called the chinvat.
The Hindus have similar belief about Mount Meru as the tallest peak and the
center of the Universe.
The Hindu God of wind Vaayu is considered to occupy the intermediate space
between the heaven and the nether world. Tishtriya is associated with rains and
protects the earth from drought. Apaosha Ardvi Sura Anahita (meaning half divine
in Sanskrit) is the Goddess of fertility. She corresponds to Ardhanaareesara.
Hoama, the plant and the God, are similar to the Hindu Soma. The plant is
identified as the ephedra plant the essence of which, ephedrine, is known to
increase blood pressure and aggressiveness. Hindus believed that Soma gave
strength to the Gods. In ancient Persia the plant was considered a cure-all.
Zoraster’s father Pourushaaspa and Vivanghavant assisted by two men were the
first to extract Hoama. Hoama is also a priest of the Gods like Soma for the
Hindus. Hoama is also a warrior against evils.
Yima was an ideal King corresponding to the Hindu belief that Yama was the
Dharmaraja. Thrita corresponds to the Hindu Indra. Both prepared Soma juice and
were addicted to it. Their weapon was the thunderbolt. Indra killed the serpent
demon Vrittra and released the waters impounded by him in the mountains. Thrita
killed the three headed serpent Vrisvarupa. He also slew a boar demon with a
mace reminding one of the Varaaha avataara of Vishnu.
Ahura Mazda was the Supreme God characterized by wisdom and was worshipped as
the father and mother of creation. The “swift-horsed Sun” was his eye. He is
enthroned in the heaven. He is not considered as omnipotent as he is
circumscribed by evil. These concepts are similar to the descriptions in the
Gita.
“I (see you) crowned with a diadem, club and discus.” (X, 15) “The lord
seated on the lotus throne”. (X, 17) “The moon and the sun (are your)
eyes” (X, 18).
Zorastrians believe History to span four periods of three thousand years each
corresponding to the Hindu yugas four, three two and one thousand years of
Brahma. The first two were golden periods. The last one is a mixed period of
strife Good and Evil when the latter would be defeated.
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