History of Zoroastrianism/Chapter 14

by Maneckji Nusservanji Dhalla

 

CHAPTER XIV

 

IRAN GOES BACK TO INDO-IRANIAN RELIGION

 

The Indo-Iranian cult passes under the mantle of Zarathushtra. King Vishtaspa was succeeded by weak kings and Eastern Iran soon lost political importance. Zarathushtra, likewise, was not blessed with successors of commanding personalities to carry on their missionary work. His religion could not easily penetrate into Western Iran, where the cult of the Indo-Iranian divinities had a strong hold over the minds and hearts of the people. Mithra occupied the pre-eminent position among them, with the non-Iranian Anahita as the close second in importance. Ahura Mazda outshone Mithra with his transcendent spiritual sublimity and ethical greatness. Besides, he had come with profound prestige as his cult was proclaimed by the new prophet himself. He was easily acclaimed as the most incomparable divinity that man had ever known. Mithra, Anahita, and other bagas, as we have seen from the inscriptions of the successors of Darius, accepted to work under the new supreme God.

The stronghold of Zarathushtra's religion was Eastern Iran. His religion was a reform of the primitive faith of the Iranians. But the reform did not last long, owing to the counter-reformation that followed his death. The excellence of his highly ethical religion was indelibly imprinted on the minds of the cultured classes, but it had not reached the masses. They could not comprehend the abstract ideas of the new prophet, whereas they found it easy to invoke Mithra and his heavenly associates with elaborate rituals and sacrifices. Their veneration for these older divinities, now in exile, had not ceased. They viewed the movement of the revival of the Indo-Iranian faith with great favour. The leaders of the Zoroastrian Church, on the other hand, were alarmed at this growing tendency to go back to the pre-Zarathushtrian faith. They sought a compromise. A great religious syncretism then took place, with the result that the successors of the prophet were obliged to accommodate the Indo-Iranian divinities in the divine household of Ahura Mazda. Mithra was the most popular divinity at the period in Western Iran from where his cult, as we shall see later, passed on to Europe. It is expressly said that Ahura Mazda and the Amesha Spentas were pleased with his religion and accepted it, and Ahura Mazda conferred upon him the chieftainship of the world.^[1] Mithra and his co-workers were made to give their allegiance to Ahura Mazda and to agree to work as the satraps in his divine kingdom. The Yashts or hymns dedicated to the several Yazatas open with the declaration that they are created by Ahura Mazda. Mithra is created by Ahura Mazda. The Yasht composed in honour of the angel Verethraghna, begins with the acknowledgment that Verethraghna is Ahura-dhāta, 'created by Ahura (Mazda).' In return, Mithra and his old compatriots secured the privilege of sharing the homage and adoration of mankind with their heavenly sovereign Ahura Mazda. Ahura Mazda and his six spiritual attributes were now openly recognized as seven impersonations of the cardinal virtues of Ahura Mazda, and were given a class designation, Amesha Spentas or the Holy Immortals. These Amesha Spentas were given the first rank in the divine hierarchy and the Indo-Iranian divinities and those of pre-Zoroastrian Iranian origin were classed under the epithet Yazata or Adorable One, and assigned a second place in the divine hierarchy. The Amesha Spentas are thus the archangels and Yazatas the angels in the newly formed Zoroastrian pantheon.

With the return of the pre-Zoroastrian divinities also came the ancient rituals and sacrifices, offerings and libations. The beliefs and practices of the old faith were engrafted on the religion. The writers ascribe them to the authorship of Zarathushtra. He is himself depicted as glorifying and worshipping the great Indo-Iranian divinities whom he did not recognize in his Gathas. He is shown begging them for various boons. The Indo-Iranian religion that Zarathushtra came to replace by his religion of reform thus lives as an indissoluble part of his religion. Zoroastrianism became a blend of the two, that is, the Indo-Iranian religion and Zarathushtra's religion of reform. And so it remains up to the present day, as we shall see in subsequent pages.

The Gathic view of life persists. When the ascetic ideal of life became so widespread in and outside India, it is natural that people of despairing disposition may be drawn to it. There were, it seems, some small sects or brotherhoods in Iran that embraced this view of life. It is evidently of some such sect that the Vendidad^[2] speaks with disapproval. Apart from such sporadic instances, the ascetic ideal of life is foreign to the Later Avesta. The exhortations of the prophet about the prime importance of a physically strong and sound body to enable man to combat evil, to fight the imperfections of the world, and to work strenuously for the regeneration of mankind, are faithfully embodied in the Younger Avesta. Self-control and discipline of the body rather than austerity and self-mortification remain the ideal. Strong and hardy men and women of rugged virtues bred by bodily cleanliness, bodily purity, bodily health, and bodily soundness are praised with unabated zeal. The view of life remains as optimistic and cheerful as propounded by Zarathushtra. The inborn craving of all human beings to obtain pleasurable states of feeling or happiness for themselves is fully recognized. The devout yearn for happiness that they can find in a temperate enjoyment of the good things of life. The gloomy view of life which the Indian cousins have now embraced is unknown to the Iranians. Life is still joy.

Ahura Mazda has created joy-giving lands for mankind.^[3] Three of the many names of Ahura Mazda are: All Happiness, Full Happiness, and Lord of Happiness.^[4] He has created happiness for mankind.^[5] He is himself abundant joy.^[6] Ahura Mazda has created joy, happiness, and pleasure of Haurvatat, the archangel presiding over weal.^[7] Adoration of Ahura Mazda by day and by night, bring him and Sraosha and waters and trees and the Fravashis unto the faithful for their joy.^[8] The householders pray that joy and happiness may never leave their houses.^[9] They prayerfully ask that their minds be full of joy.^[10] Ahura Mazda is invoked to give joy and happiness.^[11] Zarathushtra invokes his blessings upon King Vishtaspa that he may be as full of happiness as Raman, the genius of joy.^[12] Abundant happiness comes to him to whom the Kingly Glory cleaves.^[13] Mithra gives full happiness to his votaries,^[14] and the faithful invoke him to come for their joy.^[15] The angels presiding over fire and waters are invoked to give great happiness and life of joy.^[16] Atar is invoked to bestow joy upon the faithful The Fravashis of the righteous give happiness.^[17] Airyaman is implored to come for the joy of men and women who faithfully follow Zarathushtra.^[18] The entire creation that imparts weal unto mankind is invoked.^[19] Ardvi Sura gives good abodes and joyful abodes and enduring abodes unto all Mazda-worshipping families.^[20] Tishtrya prospers joyful and good abodes.^[21] Mithra blesses the Aryan peoples with them.^[22] The devout invoke Mithra that they may dwell long in happy abodes under him.^[23] He is besought to give happiness.^[24] Ardvi Sura gives riches and prosperity and flocks of cattle.^[25] Riches, flocks of cattle, and garments are his to whom Glory cleaves.^[26] The householder prays for an increase of his flocks.^[27] Atar is invoked to grant sustenance, life in abundance, and children of innate wisdom.^[28] He is further implored to grant flocks of cattle and multitude of men.^[29] That happiness, glory, riches, children of innate wisdom, and fortune may never leave his house is the fervent prayer of the worshipper.^[30] Ahura Mazda is invoked to give long, joyful life.^[31] Mithra gives courage, victory, fame, knowledge, bodily health, riches, and virtuous offspring.^[32] Soundness and health of body, riches, children of innate wisdom, life longer than long are sought from the good waters of Ahura Mazda.^[33] Vitality is asked from Haoma.^[34] The Fravashis are asked to give long life.^[35] Thus are all boons that make life comfortable, happy, enjoyable, and livable, constantly prayed for.

 

1. Yt. 10. 92.
2. Vd. 4. 47.
3. Vd. 1. 1.
4. Yt. 1. 14.
5. Ys. 21. 4.
6. Ys. 1. 1.
7. Yt. 4. 1.
8. Yt. 1. 9.
9. Ys. 60. 1, 7.
10. Ys. 60. 11.
11. Ys. 35. 4.
12. Yt. 23. 7; 24. 6.
13. Yt. 19. 54.
14. Yt. 10. 33, 65, 108.
15. Yt. 10. 5; Ny. 2. 14.
16. Ys. 62. 1, 4, 10; 68. 2. 11; Yt. 5. 26, Ny. 5. 10.
17. Yt. 13. 32.
18. Ys. 54. 1; Vd. 20. 11.
19. Vd. 19. 37.
20. Ys. 68. 14.
21. Yt. 8. 2.
22. Yt. 10. 4; Ny. 2. 13.
23. Yt. 10. 77.
24. Yt. 10. 33.
25. Yt. 5. 26, 98.
26. Yt. 19. 54.
27. Ys. 60. 3.
28. Ys. 62. 4, 5; Ny. 5. 10, 11.
29. Ys. 62. 10, Ny. 3. 10, 5. 16.
30. Ys. 60. 7.
31. Ys. 41. 4.
32. Yt. 10. 33, 108.
33. Ys. 68. 11.
34. Ys. 9. 19.
35. Yt. 13. 135.