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Zoroastrianism has a long, oral tradition. Zarathushtra, known in the west as Zoroaster lived before the Iranians knew of writing. For many centuries his followers refused to use this alien art for sacred purposes. The Avesta, a collection of holy texts, was finally set down in a specially invented alphabet in the fifth and sixth century BCE. Except for the Gathas, seventeen hymns composed by Zoroaster, all parts of it are anonymous - the composite works of generations of priestly poets and scholars. This language, known simply as the Avestan, is otherwise unrecorded. It is written down in Persian under the Sassanian Dynasty and the Sassanian Avesta was a massive compilation in twenty one books. Only a few copies were made and in the destruction which later attended the Arab, Turkish and Mongol conquests of Iran all were destroyed. The surviving Avesta consists of litanies, hymns and prayers. The oldest existing manuscript was written in 1323CE.
The internal evidence of the Gathas shows that Zoroaster lived before the Iranians conquered the land now named after them, probably between 1400BCE and 1200BCE when the Iranians inhabited the South Russian Steppes east of the Volga. The prophet succeeded in converting one of the tribal princes, Vishtaspa, and saw his faith take root among the eastern Iranians and eventually western Iran which had been settled by the Medes and Persians. It became a state religion of the first Persian Empire (550CE-531CE) - the Achaemids, founded by Cyrus the Great, its western priests being the famed Magi. It flourished mainly from the reign of Darius (521-486BCE). Its doctrines had great influence then on some of the Persian subjects notably the Jews and in particular the Essene Sect. The conquest of the empire by Alexander did much harm to the oral tradition with sacred texts being lost through the deaths of priests.
The Parthians founded another Iranian empire (141BCE-224CE) which again had Zoroastrianism for its state religion which was succeeded in turn by the Sassanian/Persian empire. They created a strong ecclesiastical organization with a numerous priesthood and many temples and colleges. It was the mightiest political force of the time, dominating an area from north India to Turkey for some twelve hundred years. But with the Arab conquest in the seventh century Islam supplanted Zoroastrianism as the state religion of Iran, although it was three hundred years before Islam became dominant throughout the land. Some Zoroastrians sailed east in search of religious freedom at the end of the ninth century forming the Parsi Community of India. They became quite a wealthy community there and played a notable part in the development of Bombay. Although prosperous the community was numerically very small but a number of Parsis have settled abroad, notably in cities in England, Canada, Australia and the United States.
Zoroaster was the first personality to have worked creatively and informatively upon the course of religious history. The great themes first sounded in the Gathic dialogues of the God of Truth, Ahuramazda, with his prophet Zoroaster, can be heard in Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Aramaean, Arabic and every tongue of the west.
The first novelty of this radically new teaching lay in its treatment, in purely ethical terms, of the ultimate nature and destiny of both mankind and the world. In the orient of India the cosmic order of aeons ever cycling in a mighty round of returning ages from eternity through eternity would never, by any act of man, be changed from its majestic way. The sun, the moon, the stars, then animal species and the orders of the castes would remain forever established in their modes. The truth, virtue, rapture and true being lay in doing whatever had been traditionally done, without protest, without ego, without judgment, precisely as taught. The individual had therefore two courses: one to accept this system and strive to play his part competently without hope or fear; or to resign, to disengage himself and let the play of fools run on. In Zoroaster's new mythic view however, the world was corrupt, not by nature but by accident and had to be reformed by human action; wisdom, virtue and truth therefore lay in engagement not in disengagement and the crucial line of decision between ultimate being and non-being was ethical. The primal character of creation being light, wisdom, truth into which darkness, deception and the lie had entered. It was now man's duty to eradicate this through his own virtue in thought, word and deed.
The second teaching was that two contrary powers made and maintained the world in which men lived. First Ahuramazda, lord of life, wisdom and light, creator of righteous order and his antagonist Angramainyu, the demon of the lie who, when the world had been made, corrupted every particle of its being. These two powers were co-eternal having existed for all eternity. However the demon of the lie is to be undone at the end of time when truth alone will prevail. This is no longer the old, ever revolving cycle of the Bronze Age myth but a sequence once and for all of creation, fall and progressive redemption to culminate in a final decisive victory of the one eternal God of righteousness and truth.
A third teaching is of powers proceeding from the creator (Amesha Spentas), awakening their counterparts in men. Foremost of these were the archangels Goodmind (Vohu Manah or Vahman), the first born of God, who sits on His right hand, and Righteous Order (Vahishta or Prodvahisht) to whom Perfect Sovereignty (Vairya or Shahrever) and Divine Piety (Asmati or Sperdarmad) bring support, accompanied by Excellence (Haurvatat or Hordad) and Immortality (Ameretat or Amurdad). Opposed to these were the powers of the lie known as Evil Mind (Akah Manah), False Appearance, Cowardice, Hypocrisy, Misery and Extinction. These were later systematized as opposing hierarchies of benign Amesha Spentas and malign Daevas from where the Christian orders of angels and devils were derived. In addition to the Amesha Spentas were the Yazatas, the 'adorable ones' ranking under the Amesha Spentas. The mosst important were Mithra and Anahita, Vayu, Haoma, Atar, Verethrazhne and Rapitwin who had hymns of their own. Sraosha, (Obedience) is another important Yazata who is involved as the 'holy ritual chief', the best smiter of the Lie, smashing demon skills with his battle axe and opposed above all to Aeshma (Fury). He was the first to chant the Gathes, to offer prayer to Ahura Mazda and with Mithra and Rashnu, presides over judgement. Note that most of the Yazata derive from Pre-Zoroastrian mythology. Vayu was the Wind God, bringer of rain to the drought-plagued regions with both good and evil features and to whom both Ahura Mazda and Angra Mainyu offered gifts to win his support. Anahita was the goddess of the strong undefiled waters, source of all fertility; Verethraghra the personification of victory, incarnated as stron wind, or a bull, or white horse, or a hoar or a youth or a man with a golden sword. Rapithwin was the Lord of the Noon Day Heat, the time when Ahura Mazda performed the sacrifice which produced creation, and the time at which the dead will be resurrected at the end of the world. Atar was the Lord of Fire, and to this day fire remains central to all Zoroastrian rites. Haome was the God of plants, often appearing as one, and responsible for healing. His sacred plant was an ephedrin variety, called tiaome, and had hallucinatory properties which could inspire warriors and priests. Note the similaarity with the Hindu Gods. Agni (fire), Vishnu (wind), Soma (plants) and Indra (Victory), (the latter name being used for a demon, though the actual personage is the same).
Of high importance throughout is the idea of individual free will and decision and having chosen his cause a man must cling to it, not only in thought but in word and deed as well.
"He who would bend his mind til it attains to the better and more holy must pursue the good religion closely in word and act, his will and wish must be consistent with his chosen creed and piety". Zoroaster.
And when the course of life is run, the soul at the Chinvat Bridge, the bridge of judgement, learns the nature of its earned reward. The bridge widened for those in whom good works exceeded those of bad works, and it narrowed and caused the soul to fall into the pit of hell for those in whom bad works exceeded good works.
The vision of Ardaviraf composed during the late Sassanian period of Zoastrian restoration (226-641CE) gives an account of a Dantean visit in trance to the heaven and earth. The visionary is first led to a place where the souls remain ever in the same position: "Who are these" he asked "and why do they so remain?" to which his two guardians, Divine Obedience and Flaming Fire Of Thought answer: "They call this place the Ever Stationary, the souls here will remain until the resurrection of the future body, they are the souls of those in whom good works and sin were equal, their punishment is cold or heat from the revolution of the atmosphere and they have no other pain".
The next was the Star Tract, the place where good thoughts received their words. The radiance of the souls there ever increased like a glittering of stars and their throne of radiance was splendorous, full of glory. The voyager was told that these were the souls of those who, in the world, offered no prayers, failed to intone the Gathas, failed to contract next-of-kin marriages, exercised no sovereignty, rulership or chieftainship but through other good works became pious.
At the Moon Tract, good works found their reward. These are the souls who, in the world, offered no prayers, failed to intone the Gathas, failed to contract next-of-kin marriages but through other works came hither, their brightness matches the moon.
The third step was to the Sun Tract where good deeds found their reward and here was the radiance called The Highest Of The Highest, where he saw the pious on throne's and carpets made of gold, they were bright, the brightness of the sun. These were the souls he said, who, in the world, exercised good sovereignty, rulership and chieftainship.
The fourth step was to The Place Of Radiance called All Glorious where he met the souls of the departed who ask blessing offering praise and said "This is good thought, good word and good deed" and the archangel Goodmind brought him into the midst of Ahuramazda, the archangels and the blessed. "Behold Ahuramazda" said the archangel Goodmind and out of earth offered worship. When Ahuramazda spoke he was amazed but then he saw a light and heard a voice and understood this is Ahuramazda, though he saw no body - "Welcome and salutations" said the voice, "you have come from that perishable evil world to this pure place of illumination" and Ahuramazda told the guides to take him to see The Place Of The Reward and The Punishment Of The Wicked.
Ardaviraf was taken to The Place Of The Pious who walk adorned and to those who had intoned the Gathas, they were in gold embroidered and silver embroidered raiment. He saw the souls of those who had married their next-of-kin; those of the good rulers and monarchs; the great and truthful speakers; the women of excellent thoughts, words and deeds, submissive to control, who considered their husbands lords and honoured water, fire, earth, trees, cattle, sheep and all other good creations of God, performing the rituals of religion, practising without doubt. There were the souls also of those who had known the scriptures by heart, who had solemnized the rites, warriors and kings whose excellent arms were of gold set with gems. He saw the souls of those who had killed many noxious creatures in the world, agriculturalists in thick majestic clothing offering praise before the spirits of water and earth, trees and cattle; artisans who had served their rulers and chieftains well; shepherds who had preserved their flocks from the wolf, thief and tyrant; householders and justices; heads of village families; teachers and enquirers; interceders and peace-seekers and those pre-eminent for piety. They were all seated on throne's, great, splendid and embellished in the glorious light of space.
And then he came to a great and gloomy stream, dreadful as hell, on which there were many souls and spirits of the road . Some were not able to cross, some crossed only with difficulty and others with ease. His guardians told him that this stream was The River Of Tears that men shed in lamentation for their dead; they shed those tears unlawfully which swell into the stream. Those unable to cross are those for whom there is much weeping. Those who cross more easily are those of whom less was made. Speak when you return to the world and say, "When in the world do not make unlawful lamentation for it may bring much harm and difficulty to your departed".
Ardaviraf then returned to the Chinvat Bridge where he saw a soul of one of the wicked. A cold, stinking wind came to meet him from the quarter of the demons and he saw there in his own religion and deed the form of a profligate woman naked, decaying, gaping, bandy-legged, lean hipped and infinitely blotching. She said "I am your own bad actions O youth of evil thoughts, words, deeds and religion. It is because of your will and actions I am hideous and vile, iniquitous disease, rotten, foul smelling, miserable and distressed. When you saw anyone performing rites in the praise, prayer and service of God, preserving and protecting water, fire, cattle, trees and other good creations you did the will of the lie and the demons with improper acts. And when you saw one who provided hospitable reception with deserved gifts and charity for the good and worthy who came from far and near, you were avaricious and shut the door so that though I have been unholy, I have been made by you more unholy. Though I have been frightful, I have been made by you more frightful". And then the wicked soul advanced the first step to the Tract Of Evil Thoughts, then to the Tract Of Evil Words and then to the Tract Of Evil Deeds. Ardaviraf saw the greedy jaws of hell, the most frightful pit descending in a very narrow, fearful crevice and in darkness so murky amid such a stench that all whose nose inhaled that air struggled, staggered and fell, each one thought 'I am alone' and when a mere three days had elapsed, supposedly the end of five thousand years of time had come, he saw the soul of a man through whose fundament a snake went in like a beam and came forth out of the mouth and many other snakes ever seized the limbs. "What sin was committed by this body whose soul suffered so severe a punishment?" he asked. He was told that it was the soul of a man who in the world committed sodomy. A woman's soul he saw whom they gave to drink one cupful after another of impurity and filth. Her sin was that of failing to abstain before she approached Water and Fire during menstruation. Another man had his mouth filled with the menstrual discharge of women while he cooked and ate his own child for, while in the world, that man had intercourse with menstruating women.
On returning to Ahuramazda the God said "A perfect servant you have been O pious Ardaviraf, you have come as a messenger from my worshippers on Earth. Go back to them now, as you have seen and understood, so speak truly to the world. Say to my worshippers: "There is but one way clear to you, the way of the prime religion, the other ways are no ways. Take the one way that is piety and turn not from it in prosperity or in adversity or in any wise but practice good thoughts, good words and good deeds and be aware that the cattle are dust, the horses dust, silver and gold are dust and the body of man is dust. He alone mingles not with dust who in the world gives praise to piety and performs duties and good works".
Zoroastrians do not accept the Christian idea that the sacrifice of one person (even a God) can atone for the sins of many - such an outcome would be unbecoming to the justice of a man, much less the justice of God.
The Persian myth of Creation, Fall and World Renovation influences fundamentally not only the Messianic ideas of Judaism and Christianity but even the Marxian proletariat apocalypse. Dualism, the belief that there are two fundamentally opposed forces at work in the universe, is a characteristically Zoroastrian doctrine. As Zoroaster proclaims:
According to the Bundahish (the Book Of Creation) which was a production of the late Sassanian restoration in 226-641CE and which was completed in 881CE, the two creators were existent from all eternity. They created all so that in every part there is a nature that is both good and evil in conflict with itself and characterized by disorder. In the end however the dark and evil power with all his brood will be destroyed for ever in a crisis of world renovation in which all history ends and to which every individual is to aim. The forces of good are characterised as being of the head and hand, speaking and dying; the evil forces are of the skull, the claw, howling and perishing.
Ahuramazda (later called Ohrmazd) produced the angels and Angramainyu (later called Ahriman) produced the demons. As the next step the Lord Ahuramazda produced the constellations with the moon, the sun, the water, the earth, the plants, the animals and man. Angramainyu caused a female fiend, Jahi (Menstruation) to poison the righteous man, the labouring ox, the water plants, fire and all creation and the pollution called menstruation appeared. The fixed order of the sky was destroyed with the moving planets. Drought was sent against water and into the earth poured the serpent, scorpion, frog and lizard. Against the birds he sent the insects. He desiccated the plants with the angel of vegetation, mixed them with water and upon the trees he placed thorn and bark. He introduced avarice, want, pain, hunger, disease lust and lethargy first into the Soul - Created Ox and thereafter to the whole of creation. The sixth attack of Angramainyu was against the first created man, Gayomart, and he sent upon him the demon of death. But when he had passed away he gave forth seed and as the seed of the ox had given rise to the moon, so that of Gayomart was purified by the sun and there arose eight kinds of precious metals from his members - gold, silver, iron, brass, tin, lead, quicksilver and adamant.
And from the gold grew a plant and from this plant came two human beings, Mashya and Mashyoi. Their first thought of each other was to please the other, and their first deed was to go and wash, and their first words were that Ahuramazda had created all. But the enemy, Antagonism, entered them and they changed their minds declaring that Angramainyu had created all. They came upon a goat and partook of milk from the udder with their mouths. Mashya said, "Before drinking that milk I was happy but now that my vile body has drunk my delight is more delightful". They came upon a sheep which they slaughtered. The dropped three handfuls in the fire saying, "This is fire's share" and tossed one piece to the sky saying, "This is the angel's". They wore now clothing of skins and dug a pit in the earth from which they procured iron and built a wooden shelter from the sun. However Angramainyu caused the couple to quarrel. Mashya was told to kill a cow to worship the demon so that the Demon Of Malice would be quelled and he poured milk towards the northern quarter and the demons gave him much power so that for the next fifty years the couple had no desire for intercourse. But after fifty years their desire rose and they had intercourse and there was, in time, born to them a male and female. These they devoured but Ahuramazda took such desire for their children away so that they would be cherished alive.
Like the Bible this represents the Fall as the answer to the moral enigma or evil in the world. However in the Persian myth evil is regarded from a cosmic point of view, coming before the fall of man, whereas in the Bible the fall proceeds from man whose act of disobedience entailed calamity in the natural world as well as himself. The biblical view, by placing the Fall as being that due to man's disobedience cuts out a challenge to the character of God, denigrates the character of man and furthermore insists on the literalness of this myth. The Zoroastrian cosmic view was actually symbolized philosophy where man himself is not innately evil but has both good and evil in him and can, by choice, choose to do good, think good and say good and thus enter paradise and aid the inevitable victory of Ahuramazda. Also in contradistinction to the Bible redemption was cosmological, not political or personal. It would occur after a twelve thousand year span when Ahuramazda would appear to judge the living and dead, heralded by the virgin birth of a Messiah, Saoshyant. The ultimate aim of the prophet Zoroaster was to bring about the transformation of the earth, to return it to its original innocence and purity.
The ultimate aim of all virtuous striving is to bring about the salvation of this world. The last days will be marked by increasing wretchedness and cosmic calamities, then the world savior, the Saoshyant, will come in glory to be borne of the seed of the prophet Zoroaster, miraculously preserved within a lake, and a virgin mother. There will be a great battle between the Angels and Daevas, good men and bad, ending in victory for the good. The bodies of those who have died earlier will be resurrected and reunited with their soul and the last judgement will take place. Metals in the mountains will melt and cover the earth in a fiery flood which will destroy the wicked and purge hell. The saved will be given ambrosia to eat and their bodies will become as immortal as their souls. The kingdom of Ahuramazda will come on Earth made perfect again and the blessed will rejoice everlastingly in his presence (note the incredible similarity between the Christian version of the birth of Christ and the Christian concept of the apocalypse in the Book of Revelation. It is of interest to note the Zoroastrian version came first by some 300-400 years at least and probably 1500 thousand years before).
The doctrine of duality even extended to animals. Ahura Mazda created animals to help man; foremost being the dog and oxen. The dog exemplifies loyalty, affection and obedience and plays part in the funeral ceremonies as it guards the entrance to the underworld. The Oxen wholy for its products - flesh for food, milk for drink, carcase for clothing, dung for fuel and urine for cleansing. The cow herdsman was used in the same context as sheep and shepherd in the Semite religions; and is reflected in Hinduism's reverence for the cow.
Against this was the belief in evil creatures, those who showed qualities of a killer or cruelty. The fly, found round dead matter, was linked with demons of decay and corpses. Snake, scorpions, wolves, lions were all killers and evil; ugliness was evil and so therefore the toad was too. It was man's duty to care for the good creatures and kill the evil ones - an excellent prescription for ecological devastation!
Impurity is the form in which man comes into contact with evil. Death is the work of evil, therefore anything which leaves the body (and is so considered dead) is also evil - breath, spittle, urine, faeces, cut nails, hair, blood. These must not be allowed to touch the living or holy objects and must be disposed of carefully. The Zoroastrian priest will wear a mask over his face so his breath will not contaminate the sacred fire. In particular, menstruation is a very polluting experience, and menstruating women cannot enter a temple, come into contact with a priest or fire, or even other people and her own family, lest the evil blood contaminate these with death. The woman is not regarded as immoral, just an unwilling victim of the deadly assault of the Evil One. She therefore lives alone in a separate room with different clothes and utensils while menstruating.
The most polluting object is the dead body which represents a victory for the Evil One. The purity laws of funerals are very strict and they bring the cosmic conflict between good and evil into the daily lives of the believer.
Zoroastrians do not have the theological problem of evil in the world that monotheistic religions have - why does God allow suffering? To Zoroastrians, God does not; he is just not strong enough to control the Evil One - yet.
The Zoroastrian has the duty to pray five times daily; at sunrise, noon, sunset, midnight and dawn, in the presence of fire, the symbol of righteousness. He prays standing and while uttering the appointed prayers he unties and reties the sacred cord which should be worn constantly, it goes three times around the waist and is knotted over a sacred shirt. Before praying the Zoroastrian performs ritual ablutions for the faith makes cleanliness a part of godliness, seeing all uncleanness as evil (note the similarities with Hinduism and Islam). The Zoroastrian purity laws are comprehensive and they abhor the pollution of earth or water and maintain the strictest cleanliness in their persons and homes.
The ancient veneration of fire is centred on the ever-burning hearth fire. There are three grades of sacred fire, the Atash Bahram (victorious fire) which is consecrated with many rites and kept blazing brightly; the Atashi-Aduran (fire of fires) more simply installed and allowed at times to lie dormant beneath its hot ashes; and the Dadgah (fire in an appointed place) which is virtually a hearth fire placed in a consecrated building which may be tended if necessary by lay people.
Men and women have equal access to the temples and boys and girls undergo the same initiation into the faith usually between the ages of seven to nine. This is called Naojote (being born again) and is an important family occasion. On this day he bathes, drinks a consecrated liquid for inward cleansing and puts on the sacred shirt. He is then invested with the sacred cord, after which the relatives dress him in new clothes and give him presents amid general rejoicing. Again before marriage the bride and groom undergo a ritual purification and put on new garments.
Ceremonies of death are far more important and have a double aim, to isolate the impurity of the dead body and to give help to the soul. The body is given into the charge of professionals who lead segregated lives as unclean persons. Wrapped in a cotton shroud it is carried onto an iron bier after due prayers by priests to a stand tower where the polluting flesh is quickly devoured by vultures and the bone's are bleached by sun and wind. Mourners follow the bier to distance and afterwards make ablutions. The funeral takes place within twenty four hours but the soul is held to linger on earth for three days during which time priests say prayers and perform ceremonies to help it. Religious ceremonies are performed for the departed soul monthly during the first year and then annually for thirty years. After that it is held to have joined the great company of all souls and is remembered by name at the annual feast in their honour called Muktad, which is observed on the last five days of the year.
1. Zervanism
This 'heresy' developed during the Achaemid period as a result of Babylonian influence, was popular during the Parthian period (where it influenced aspects of Judaism and Gnosticism), came to full flowering in the Sassanion period and lasted into Muslim times. Zurvan, 'Time', was the ultimate source of good and evil, Father of the brothers Ohrmazd and Ahriman. The Zurvanites sought a unity behind the duality of orthodox Zoroastrianism. Zurvan wanted a son and after offering sacrifice unsuccessfully for 1000 years, began to doubt he would ever succeed. (Note: sacrifice in Persian belief has merit of itself - it does not imply praying to any other being). At the moment of his doubt, the twins were born within himself (Zurvan is conceived as androgynous) - Ohrmazd, the fulfilment of his desire, and Ahriman, personification of his doubt. Zurvan vowed to give kingship to the son who emerged first. Ohrmazd became aware of this and told his brother, whereupon Ahriman ripped open the womb and declared, 'I am your son Ohrmazd'. And Zurvan said: 'My son is light and fragrant, but thou art dark and stinking'. And he wept most bitterly, but gave the gift of kingship of the world to Ahriman for 9000 years. To his second son, Ohrmazd, he gave the symbol of priesthood (the barsom twigs) and rule above, so that Ohrmazd created heavens and earth.
Evil thus exists in the world, not as a result of error (Christian belief) nor as miscreation of the Evil One (Zoroastrian) but as a potential within the nature of the One who encompasses the polarity of good and evil. The purpose of the battle between good and evil is to restore unity within the Absolute One which was shattered by divine doubt.
The creation of the universe was also seen, not as an act of God, but an evolutionary development of formless primeval matter - Infinite Time and Space (Zurvan) - into all that has form and is finite. With this evolutionary idea went a denial of heaven, hell, reward and punishment, fundamentally alien to orthodox Zoroastrianism. This meant the fate of the individual was predetermined by the cosmic battle between the twelve zodiac signs for good and the seven planets for evil. Time mows down all alike; no account is taken of youth or old age. 'We enter in at one door and pass out of another: Time counts our every breath'. This gloomy outlook on life and cynical view of death are far removed from the optimistic positive attitude of orthodox Zoroastrians.
The attitude to women is reflected by the account of how the evil Jahi, the whore, united first with Ahriman then Gayomert the righteous man. According to Zurvanites; it was women's sexual desire which caused evil in the world (now where have we heard this before?). This attitude also affected Zoroastrianism, for in the 'Bundahish', Ohrmazd admits that though women were helpful to him because they gave birth to men, he would never have created women if he could have found any other alternative; but search as he might, he could find none.
Zurvan is seen as a human figure, entwined by a snake and with a lion's head; and this stature is seen as concerned with salvation and the soul's celestial ascent. As such, he is also seen in Mithraic Mysteries.
2. Mithraism
Mithra's worship spread as far west as north of England and east to India over many different periods. In ancient India, Mitra (Friendship/Contract) was invoked with Varvna (True Speech) as Mitra-Varvna, together on a shining chariot. His worship predates the state religion of Zoroastrianism in Persia, where he preserved Order and Truth, defeating demons of the Lie and judging the soul at death, and wielding his mace to prevent demons over-punishing the wicked. He continues to play an important part in modern Zoroastrianism. The Parsi temple is called 'dar-i Mihr' - court of Mithra; the priest is invested with the 'gurz' - mace of Mithra; most rituals are offered under Mithra's protection and the 'Mihragan' is a Persian festival in honour of Mithra, Judge of Iran for five days with great rejoicing and deep devotion.
Mithras also became an important Roman God and Mithraism almost defeated Christianity for the hearts and minds of the people of the West. His worship was introduced via the Persians living in the Roman erritones of the Middle East and Black Sea area. It flourished for 300 years (100CE to 400CE) and was particularly popular among soldiers and frontier regions of the empire.
Mithras, like Gayomart, was born beside a sacred stream beneath a sacred tree, fully formed as a youth, emerging from the Generative Rock or Cave, wearing his Phrygian cap, bearing a torch and armed with a knife. The earth gives virgin birth to archetypal Man. Shepherds nearby witness it (as in the Christian nativity scene). Then God culls the fruit of the tree (but, unlike Adam, with no sin) and fashions clothing. He shoots arrows at the rock to produce water to refresh a kneeling suppliant. (Compare Moses' action in Exodus producing water from the rock in the desert with his rod). The primal bull, agent of evil, is stunned by the god and the painful ordeal of bull and hero, as Mithras drags the bull down to his cave, becomes symbolic of human suffering in general and the specific trials of the initiate on his way to illumination. The raven, sent by the sun, tells the World Saviour that the moment has come for the sacrifice; Mithras plunges his knife into the flank, from which wheat sprang and from its blood, the wine - sacramental bread and wine. The focal point of every temple (Mithraeum) is an icon showing Mithras slaying the bull, who has a scorpion at his genitals; with a snake and dog leaping onto the bull's back.
Far from the traditional Zoroastrian symbolism of good and evil, the motifs correspond to the constellations:
Astrology is now seen as fundamental to the Mithraic mysteries. The Mithraists considered their temple as in the image of the world cave Mithras created; which is why they used caves as temples or created a sense of the subterranean symbolic of the primal underground cave from which the god sprang.
The initiates underwent a series of graded instructions; each under the protection of a planet. The Christian sage Origen wrote: "there is a symbol of the two orbits in heaven, the one being that of the fixed stars and the other that assigned to the planets, and of the soul's passage through these. The symbol is this. There is a ladder with seven gates and at its top is an eighth gate". The Mithras believed the soul descended into the world at birth. The goal of the religious quest was to achieve its ascent through the seven heavenly gates to the realm of heaven once more. Crucial scenes in a temple at Naples show an initiate on his knees, bound and naked before a more senior initiate, and then is later freed (very like Wiccan initiation rites). This suggests submission to higher authority (kneeling), casting off of the old life (nakedness) and liberation from bondage through the mysteries.
Mithras is seen as the Unconquered Sun; the bull; the moon. The bull slaying depicts not only the route but the agencies (sun and moon) by which salvation is revealed in birth and celestial rebirth.
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