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Maternal DNA of Parsi Zoroastrians of India, and interesting links to...
The most recent study on the maternal DNA of the Parsi Zoroastrians of India appears in The mtDNA Landscape of the Southwestern Asian Corridor. While close to 60% of Parsi Zoroastrians show distinctive...
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Battle in the poetic gathas, ancient Zoroastrianism, and comparison with the...
An inherent sense of struggle for the sublime in the face of the forces of decay is characteristic of Zoroastrianism. Mazdyasna is a faith rooted in the unshakeable will power to “overcome, excel, and...
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The warrior’s goal “to transcend and overcome limitations” in the poetic...
In a previous article we talked about the common term for “battle/combat” in the poetic gathas, and how the word for “battle” ýáh (iáh,) and “warrior” ýáhî (iáhî) actually refers to “heroic...
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The magic of words, binding formulas of the Immortals, and a higher notion...
If art can be called the wondrous re-creation and a new formulation of reality through the lens of human experience, then the magic of words is the greatest achievement of art. Each word is a spell...
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Mid Winter Yule and parallels with the Avestan Mid-Year festival
Yule was an indigenous midwinter festival celebrated by the Germanic peoples. Yule-tide fell between what is now mid-November and early January. Similarly, the Avestan Maiδ-yaar literally “mid-year”...
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Wojtek, the Iranian Soldier-Bear of Monte Cassino, and the soul of the...
Recently the History Channel has aired a short story about Wojtek, the Iranian bear soldier of Monte Cassino. The account of RYSZARD ANTOLAK, the Polish writer, poet, and blogger is probably the most...
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The Avestan Champion Archer Araḵš, and Old Norse Berserkr Warriors
The Avestan hymn to Tištar or the Tri-star, recounts the epic story of araḵš or ereḵšö, the champion archer of the Aryans. According to the Avesta, ereḵšö “of the swift arrow, having the swiftest arrow...
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Zoroastrian influence upon other faiths and the example of Ashmedai
Aæšm in the poetic gathas and the Avesta is the arch-demon of “wrath, ruin and devastation.” Aæšm comes from the root aēš or aæš “to set into frenzied motion, chaos.” In the Zoroastrian sacred lore...
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Frya or love in the gathas, Old Norse Freya and Frigg
In the poetic gathas, fryá is the personification of “love.” Intense feeling of passion/love appears as fryá, fryái and fryö in the sacred poetry of the gathas. Fryán “lovely, free” appears as a...
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Avestan xšnu, Greek xenos and extending goodness toward disguised divinity
In the poetic gathas of the ancient Aryan prophet, and the Avestan sacred lore a recurring term is xšnû or ḵšnû “ to delight, be congenial, well disposed, be good natured.” Avestan xšnû is about...
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Divine kingship and Philosopher kings of the ancient Aryans
Kayánid in the ancient Iranian sacred tradition were a dynasty of “visionary leaders” who governed and ruled over the Aryans before their entry into the world stage as the greatest Empire of the...
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Eire, Ireland and Iran “land of the noble ones”
In Indo-European Poetry and Myths page 142, M.L. West points out that the both the name Iran (Airan) and Irish Eire coming from Aire “a noble lord,” developed from the same root as the Zoroastrian...
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Nowruz “New Dawn/Day” and the Goddess of Spring/Dawn Ôstara
Nowruz or more accurately NAUV ROOZ is the most sacred and happy festival of Zoroastrianism. The “new dawn/light” after equinox is called Nauv rooz. This fresh “new dawn/day” is a reminder of the fresh...
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Rapithwin, loftiest of all lights, and the Celtic goddess Brigit
In the Avestan calendar, the 3rd day after the vernal equinox is associated with aša vahišta or artha vahišta “truth, cosmic order, excellence, the very best,” and rapithwin “high noon,” when the sun...
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Zarathustra, the Aryan prophet, the rising of ahuras, and Spring Renewal
Zarathustra was the ancient Aryan poet/prophet whose birth coincided with the celebration of spring, new dawn and renewal of vitality. His philosophy and ancient poetry is as well based on the...
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Celebration of Equinoxes, Solstices in Zoroastrianism, and the sacredness of...
April 30th marks the beginning of the Zoroastrian “mid-spring” festival. The mid-spring festival lasts 5 days and culminates on May 4th. Maiδyö.zarəm literally means “middle of greenery and flowers,”...
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The second hymn of the gathas, animal welfare and the spirit/will to enhance...
The second song/hymn of the poetic gathas start with the words ḵšma.ibiiá géuš ûrvá gereždá “To You (the Multiplicity of Immortals,) the soul of the primeval cow géuš ûrvá (personification of all...
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The ancient Zoroastrian nation state Erán-shahr, and a plurality of ethnic...
The ancient Iranian system of government can be understood under the term Érán–shahr. The word ērān is derived from middle Iranian ehrih “honor, nobility, German Ehre.” It goes back to Avestan airya...
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The abode of the Immortals, wide vision, and the eye that sees all in the...
WELKIN “clouds, heaven, abode of the Gods” is an old English word that brings to mind a quote from Shakespeare’s King John Act 5, Scene 5: “The sun of heaven, methought, was loath to set / But stay’d...
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Rune Thurisaz, Frost Giants, and the severe cosmic winter in Zoroastrianism
In the runic alphabet of the ancient Germanic tribes of Northern Europe there is a rune called *þurisaz/thurisaz “frost giant.” Thurisaz is a protective rune that is depicted as the hammer of THOR. The...
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