The person being celebrated receives a sudreh (undergarment) and a kutsi (string) which they wear their whole lives. The coming of spring brings hope for a future and enduring renovation of the world cleansed of all evil and one which will be accompanied by a resurrection of righteous souls. Nãhn purification rituals performed by Zoroastrians in India and Iran.1 The Saçle Nāhn and the Sl-Shuy Nāhn are the two simplest, threefold purifications deriving from the basic Zoroastrian purification ceremony called the Purification of the Nine [Days and] Nights (Phi. The mention of fire here brings up the various concepts and symbolisms behind fire in Zoroastrianism, one being its transformative nature and the second as a symbol of asha and wisdom's ability to overcome evil and ignorance represented by darkness. This is the Sitz-im-Leben  of most priestly liturgies, which are held on behalf of the departed ones. In ancient times, the modern country of Iran was known as Persia. Hence, when envoys come to them, or chiefs, or any other persons whatever, they and the presents they bring must pass through two fires" to prevent the entry of any evil. 29-67. In India, priests are initiated before the onset of puberty, but in Iran only adults are trained as priests. The earlier volume in this series dealt with two religions of Indian origin, namely, Buddhism and Jainism. According to Zoroastrian tradition, at the age of 30, Zoroaster had a divine vision while bathing in a river during a pagan purification ritual. Use of Fire in Ritual . singularity whose purity must be maintained at all times and all His 855-58; Langer, pp. Cleansing by Fire - Chahar-Shanbeh-Suri & the Seven Cleansing Fires. Bareshnum. The first is padyab, which is ablution, or washing of one's body/body part. As the esfand burns, it pops and crackles producing an aromatic smoke that adds to the mystique. One method for removing the effects of the evil eye is the burning of espand/esfand seeds. A Zoroastrian follower will say this prayer when they wake up, after they take a bath and use the toilet, and before they go to sleep. Most contemporary Zoroastrians, however, define their religious identity in ethical and subjective terms, namely as a commitment to “good thoughts, good words, and good deeds” and the individual choice of the autonomous believer. Purification Rituals: There are three ty pes of purification rituals. Zoroastrianism: Origins and Beliefs. The taro is ritually consecrated to nirang in advance and is believed to have cleansing properties (also see Darmesteter 5.5). November 01, 2021 Read time 1 min. This single vision changed his worldview, and he went on to tell others about it. Šāhzādi is an example of modern Iranian priests who were critical of many inherited ritual traditions and blamed the great influence of the clergy for the downfall of the Sasanian empire. The method of using espand is to sprinkle the seeds on a bed of hot charcoals (any source will do) in a handheld container or censer. It survives there in isolated areas but primarily exists in India, where the descendants of Zoroastrian Persian immigrants are known as Parsis, or Parsees. The Zoroastrian guiding principle of moderation in lifestyle choices applies. These papers present recent work on Hellenistic art, from Macedonia to northern India, with a particular focus on concepts of hybridisation and their contemporary usage. Furthermore, studies on misogyny within scripture and theology, differential ritual requirements and actions . Among the ‘inner’ rituals, the most complex one is the nirang ceremony, which needs to be held from time to time in order to produce consecrated water and consecrated cow’s urine (nirang; MP nērang), these materials are (India), or were (Iran), indispensable for the performance of some rituals of purification. actions, words, objects and substances used in the rites and the religious ©2021 Encyclopædia Iranica Foundation, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Iranian Zoroastrians have claimed that this was the essence of Zarathustra's message. Simple purifications can be done by every believer, but more severe forms of pollution require rituals of purification performed by priests such as the sāde-nāhn and the barašnom (Boyce, 1977, pp. She then circles her hand and egg around the heads of the receiver six times in a clockwise motion, and once in an anti-clockwise motion, for a total of seven circles after which she breaks the egg is then broken on the ground, or on a stone tile, symbolically destroying any collected evil, or as some believe - the evil eye. We answered them, 'Since it is thus we will pass through, so that we may not be suspected of such things.'" Barshanöm is the most important Zoroastrian purification rite. Some people murmur a heartfelt "muru-ray!" In central south Mumbai, the Bhikha Behram Well continues to serve as a site of worship for Zoroastrians (non-Parsis are not admitted). Next, the kutli (see above) or container of water is set aside and the tray containing the balance of the items is circled seven times and the contents cast aside. We have learned about the death rituals and much about the complex and ancient body purification rituals. Ramiyar Parvez Karanjia, The Bāj-Dharnā (Drōn Yasht): A Zoroastrian Ritual for Consecration and Commemoration, History, Performance, Text and Translation, Mumbai, 2010. Some Avestan formulae (manthras) such as the Yathā ahū vairiiō and the Ašem vohū, widely believed to be inherently powerful, are used throughout the entire register of rituals, from a short private prayer to the most elaborate priestly ceremonies. An international, cross-disciplinary investigation of ancient religious practices and their material remains yields fresh insights and poses new questions In the case of weddings, the priestly ceremony was the culmination of a series of rites (some involving fertility symbolism) and visits between the family of bride and groom. In Afghanistan and Tajikistan, the ritual is particularly popular for removing the evil eye from children, newborns and the mothers, as for people returning from funerals. Article / Evolution of the Zoroastrian priestly rituals in Iran 104 knowledge of the religious principles.9 This is a significant relaxation from the stringent requirements mentioned in the Rivāyats and rigidly practised till the first-half of the 20th century. There are three tupes of purification rituals. Also see details on the Bareshnum ceremony by a Zoroastrian senior Priest and scholar Dr Ervad Ramiyar . [1] To . Founded by the prophet Zoroaster, who at thirty years old had a divine vision of God during a ritual purification rite, radically transforming his view of the world. Perhaps the leaping over the fires at Chahar Shanbeh Suri is not just cleansing but an expression of the hope that the celebrant's soul will survive the ordeal of fire. physical body but ALSO PURIFY THE SOUL through prayers uttered during such This future event is called Frasho-Kereti or Frashigird. The revelatory encounter Dabestan-e Madaheb ("School of religious doctrines") : 17 th century description of religions and occult practices of India. Asgarov added "You burn uzarlik and then inhale the scent. Espand balaa band The purification prescriptions included the use of a disinfectant such as bull's urine (which though odd by today's standards, was one of the few readily accessible and effective disinfectants in ancient times), the smoke or aroma released during the burning of certain woods, and rituals to remove the evil eye. Sources from pre-Islamic Iran attest that the magi performed a variety of tasks in addition to the purely ritual ones; they were involved in administration, education, politics, and legal affairs. The cleansing prescriptions were especially pertinent in ancient times and in dry, dusty climes: daily bathing (nahn or nahan) were possible, the washing of hands and face before every meal and prayers for the five / four divisions of the day, the washing of hands, face and feet and the removal of shoes before entering a place of worship, the wearing of white undergarments and white ceremonial clothing, the covering of the face by priests (who were also physicians in ancient times), and the ritualized cleaning of a space or any implements (to prevent the spread of disease symbolized as the spread of evil), were all part of ritualized cleansing. The book provides detailed coverage of the historical development of different religious traditions, and, for each religion, presents issues of faith from the perspective of the believer. If the ritual we have just described was a Mongol custom as well, then the congruence of the customs is quite remarkable. Since most rituals are performed by priests, the rest of the people are observers. Die Reihe Islamkundliche Untersuchungen wurde 1969 im Klaus Schwarz Verlag begründet und hat sich zu einem der wichtigsten Publikationsorgane der Islamwissenschaft in Deutschland entwickelt. rituals. . Jashmi dost wa dooshmani bad andish Zoroastrian rituals Rituals play an integral role in life and religion. material and spiritual worlds thus making the entire universe a holy Anahita: Ancient Persian Goddess and Zoroastrian Yazata is a collection of papers, art and poetry celebrating this fascinating Goddess from more than 25 esteemed international academics, Zoroastrians, artists and writers. Zoroastrianism In Islam. This Is A New Release Of The Original 1905 Edition. Like their Zoroastrian sisters, many Latter-day Saint women hold positions of great responsibility in the secular world, but nothing replaces their natural role of wife and mother within the . Believers are likewise expected to say their prayers in each of these five gāhs. In Iran, shortly after the Islamic Revolution of 1978-79, an outspoken Zoroastrian priest, Mobed Rostam Šāhzādi (1912-2000), made his voice heard at the Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Ḵobragān), where the four acknowledged religious minorities were represented by religious leaders (Sanasarian, 2000, pp. In both Iran and India, the number of priests has declined sharply in modern times. For the second assignment (essay), you will be required to compare a Zoroastrian eschatological doctrine to a Jewish or to a Christian eschatological doctrine. Part II: Ritual in the Ancient Mediterranean World Chapter 13: Purification Thomas Kazen Stockholm School of Theology Abstract Ritual purity was a major goal of cultic activities in the Mediterranean world, but in a number of contexts, purity was also considered a desirable condition regardless of cultic participation. In Laws of Ritual Purity: Zand Ä« Fragard Ä« Jud-Dēw-Dād (A Commentary on the Chapters of the Widēwdād), the redactors present a comprehensive attempt to develop, systematize, scrutinize, and augment the Avestan and post-Avestan ... On the basis of their purposes and functions of the rituals, they can be divided into various groups like Thanksgiving Rituals known as Jashans; Consecration Rituals known as Visperad, Videvdad etc; Rites of Passage known as Navjote, Navar and Maratab (initiations), Marriage and Death among other . dualism present in the Zoroastrian faith provides the basis for all the rituals Finally, some water from the kutli is poured into the tray which is circled seven times as before, after which the water is sprinkled on both sides of the recipient or recipients. Zarathustra and Zoroastrianism offers a compact, concise and accessible survey of Zoroastrianism. 402-15, with clips and pictures on CDs). Purification is strongly emphasised in Zoroastrian rituals. After the last achu michu action, the recipients may choose to touch the officiating woman's feet as a gesture of thanks, humility and respect. The desert spirit-demons of Ahriman were created by him to serve as direct opposites to the celestial angels, who are called the Holy Immortals, amesha spentas, or ameshaspands. The Espand plant was likely a member of the haoma family of 10,000 medicinal plants, the chief plant being ephedra. Consecrated cow’s urine, called nirang, considered the most powerful cleansing agent, is also applied internally in some rituals of purification such as the sāde-nāhn, where the candidate also chews a pomegranate-twig. . . Trying to Grow is a many-splendoured book built around the experiences of a physically handicapped boy on the brink of manhood, a deeply moving story told with a remarkable blend of directness, humour and irreverence. With King Naqshband's blessings / command The Zoroastrian beliefs and ritual practices are integrated into the In this book, scholars from a broad range of disciplines make the first ever collective effort to discuss Zoroastrian rituals in different historical contexts and geographical settings. In the case of the navjote and wedding ceremonies it is performed after the nahan or ritual bath and immediately before a person enters the sacred space in which the ceremony is to be performed. 46-58). within the religious and social parameters of ritual practices. The purification rite is invoked against the forces of death, decay and evil and is seen as awakening the inner eye. At the foot of the hills are several other abandoned Zoroastrian buildings, including a defunct well, cistern, kitchen, and a lavatory. Barašnūm î nò sab). For a Zoroastrian, cleanliness is indeed close to godliness. In 1995 the book was included among the Times Literary Supplement's hundred most influential non-fiction works since WWII. Wudu. (5:21)" thus the Zoroastrian purification rituals not only cleanse the In present-day Iran, non-Zoroastrians can enter many fire temples, but this is still not the case in India. The investiture proper is preceded by a ritual of purification administered by a priest, who then, in the initiation proper, assists the pre-pubescent child (typically seven to ten years old in India, somewhat older in Iran) in the first public prayer with shirt and girdle/cord and then recites a litany of blessing (tandorosti). Shirinmai Mistry who we quoted earlier has a different opinion. These texts, many of which are proclamations of worship, constitute a corpus of revelation, which is not preached to an audience but executed in ritual practice. Noh is a combination of Shinto performance elements (demon-quelling dances, stamping feet, ritual purification, presence of spirits and ghosts) and Buddhist tales. He lived in a tribal area and followed the ancient religion of many gods (Polytheism), very similar to Hinduism. In Zoroastrian cosmogony , water and fire are respectively the second and last primordial elements to have been created, and scripture considers fire to have its origin in the waters. ENTIRE UNIVERSE. In other contexts of the faith, when Zoroastrianism and death are spoken of, believers must avoid defilement or any contact with dead matter. This book is called the Avesta and is actually a compilation (collection) of writings, and wasn't put together until a time period called the Sassanid Dynasty, which took place between the years 226-641 CE. An intriguing question has arisen, however, regarding how cut nails and cut hair are disposed of, since they cannot be allowed to pollute the earth, water nor fire. The other major rituals like performing Yasna ceremony and even outer rituals first require the Zoroastrian priests to undergo such purification rituals before performing any major or minor rituals. " It is also the source of Nietzsche's famous (and much misconstrued) statement that "God is dead." Though this is essentially a work of philosophy, it is also a masterpiece of literature, a cross between prose and poetry. Being clean is considered to make one "close to godliness" and also serves as a way to prevent the spread of evil (heritageinstitute.com). Bibliography: Iraj Afšār, Yādgārhā-ye Yazd, 3 vols., Tehran, 1975. such as one finds in the purification rituals of Padyab, Barashnum, The procedure is repeated with a coconut. in 1, Costa Mesa, 2003, pp. The concept of the evil eye and removing the effect of the evil eye has no discernable foundation in Zoroastrianism other than the determination to combat evil in all its forms at all times. from their heritage. The pādyāb-kosti rite (performed at the beginning of a religious ritual or as an independent act of cleansing) involves the religious garments, the shirt (šabig; sodra) and the cord or girdle (kustīg; kosti), the wearing of which is by the priestly texts considered a basic duty of all Zoroastrians. Yasna ceremony and even outer rituals first require the Zoroastrian priests In Zoroastrian tradition death represents the strongest form of ritual impurity or pollution. 157-194. The ceremonial ritual system has been deliberately neglected, and many rules and rituals that are carefully upheld by Indian priests have been all but abandoned in Iran. Chahar Shanbeh means Wednesday and suri means red, ruddy or glowing. The priest will have added to the nirang, a pinch of the bhasam or the consecrated ash from a fire at the fire-temple. The "Great Purification" rite of Zoroastrianism originally was intended for purification from serious polluting contacts, especially for corpse bearers after contact with death. This ritual of initiation is known as sedre-puši, sedre-pušun (putting on of the shirt) in Iran and navjote (popular etymology: “new birth”) in India (e.g., see Boyce, 1977, pp. In Zoroastrianism, water and fire are agents of ritual purity, and the associated purification ceremonies are considered the basis of ritual life. Idem, “Pādyāb and nērang: Two Pahlavi Terms Further Considered,” BSOAS 52/2, 1991, pp. According to legends, at the age of 30 Zoroaster had a divine vision of the almighty god while being a participant in a purification ritual. The rituals to ward off evil are nevertheless a pervasive part of various Zoroastrian ceremonies. The souls of the wicked will experience a final torment and cleansing of passing through molten metal. Above all, God and the six arch-angels number seven. Chashm-e-aaish chashm-e-khaysh The ‘outer’ liturgies can be performed by any priest, or even qualified lay persons. Mainyu. An intriguing question has arisen, however, regarding how cut nails and cut hair are disposed of, since they cannot be allowed to pollute the earth, water nor fire. Barashnûm, or Barashnûm nû shaba [pronunciation? The cleansing and purification ceremonies prepare a person, space or article for a religious ceremony and include spiritual and physical cleaning. The other major rituals like performing Zoroastrianism was founded by Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) in Persia which followed an aboriginal polytheistic religion at the time. This chant translates as: In Iran, wells, springs, and ponds often serve as the natural basis for shrines (Stausberg, 2004b, pp. The latter requires a separate ritual site. While there is some evidence for women playing active parts in the performance of public religious rituals in Sasanian times (see Nērangestān 22.1-5, and discussion in Elman), for the past millennium or so the priesthood has been an all-male profession, and entry is restricted by genealogy (but in Iran, in 2011, eight Zoroastrian women were formally recognized as [assistant] priests, termed mobedyār). and many purification rituals and specific prayers are available to help drive the loathsome daevas away. Water serves as the main cleansing agent; cow’s urine is used in addition, both as a more powerful cleansing agent and to shield water from impurity. Buscarel, the French ambassador to Persia in 1289 so recounts having to pass through a purification fire. The evil eye can have negative consequences for the target of the ill feelings and there are rituals to remove the ill effects of the evil eye. Before the introduction of electricity, the domestic hearth fire was the ritual/religious focus of the homes, and the development of fire temples (the exact introduction of which remains unclear) can be seen as an extension of the cult of the domestic fires. Also, when people around you smell this smoke, they are stripped of the ability to cause you harm. The espand plant is a rich natural source of five alkaloids, harmane, harmine, harmaline, harmalol and tetrahydroharmine (from the Indian name for the plant, harmal), the MAOI-A (monoamine oxidase inhibitor A), substances that have been used in modern medicine to treat clinical depression. [A Zoroastrian bathes daily before reciting her or his prayers, and though this is not the ritual nahan described above, it is nevertheless seen by orthodox Zoroastrian as a part of their daily religious rituals.]. Zoroastrians focus on keeping their minds, bodies and environments pure in the quest to defeat evil (Angra Mainyu). Zoroastrian doctrines and rituals should be studied within the Zoroaster consistently contrasts these two peoples as the People of Righteousness ( asha) and the People . He saw a "Shining Being" that revealed itself as Vohu Manah ("Good Mind"). Rejecting the religion of the Bronze Age Persians, Zoroaster believed in one creator God, the only one worthy of worship. "When starting a new karda (section), at the word afrinami / afrinameh, the priest and . . Focusing on the situation of both Muslim and non-Muslim religious minorities in the Middle East, this volume offers an analysis of various strategies of resilience and accommodation from a historical as well a contemporary perspective. Standard ‘outer’ liturgies are the āfrinagān, the faroḵši, and stūm. . While the category remains elusive, the formative social importance of ritual is by now generally acknowledged even in Zoroastrian studies (Stausberg, 2004a). The two ceremonies together cleanse and protect a person entering or participating in a religious ceremony or one that has religious significance. Ritual has been variously theorized in recent decades (Kreinath, Snoek, and Stausberg). Yona Williams April 10, 2006. The single fire used in the popular rite is representative of the seven cleansing and purifying fires described below. Iraj Afšār, Yādgārhā-ye Yazd, 3 vols., Tehran, 1975. The religion of Zoroastrianism, which can be dated back to the 6 th century, possesses a wide-range of practices, ceremonies and festivals that are performed and held. The first time the initiate undertakes the bareshnum, he does so to cleanse himself. Volume two of Theorizing Rituals mainly consists of an annotated bibliography of more than 400 items covering those books, edited volumes and essays that are considered most relevant for the field of ritual theory. In rural areas of Iran, women also prepare sir-o-sedāb, that is, garlic and rue (with some added herbs, seeds and spice) fried in hot oil and then cooled down by adding vinegar and water, thereby producing steam and an auspicious aroma (cf. Zoroastrianism purification is seen to increase the importance of the person. Dabestan-e Madaheb ("School of religious doctrines") : 17 th century description of religions and occult practices of India. Espand stop (band) evil (bla or balla) IT WOULD BE FOOLISH TO SET ASIDE THE ZOROASTRIAN RITUALS The nirang (taro) ritual is part of an ancient practice when taro was used externally (for washing items and the body) and internally as a disinfectant before the advent of modern anti-bacterial agents. VIIa-b; Stausberg, 2004b, pp. Plano Carpini, a 13th century Italian traveller, and one of the first Europeans, who visited the Mongol court forty years before Marco Polo, wrote in his travelogue that "before we were taken to his court we were told we would have to pass between two fires, which we refused to do under any consideration. Priests can give speeches at specific occasions such as feasts, but there are no sermons as part of the priestly liturgies. The day begins with a prayer and a purification ritual, and it ends as it began: with a prayer. A comprehensive site on the web is: Erowid. It was the first monotheistic faith in the world and even Persia's official religion from 600 BC to 650 AD. Taoism rituals frequently involve confession or expiation and involve the purification of the body through bathing and fasting, the purification of the heart through confession of transgressions or moral impurity, and a communal feast celebrating the re-established harmony between human community and the spirit world. The rituals are the same for both men and dogs. Holidays. Similarly, in weddings the priest(s) conduct a purification and the blessing (āširvād). Alternatively, the two hug each other. While strange today, thousands of years ago, the practice was an effective control against the spread of disease and saved lives. Vohu Manah led Zoroaster to Ahura Mazda, which is the Zoroastrian name for God. In Persian, tan means body and dorost means correct or healthy. At least five times a day, prayers and short purification rites have to be performed. The law of Asha is the principle of righteousness or "rightness" by which all things are exactly what they should be. Dear Friends: I hope you will enjoy the following short article. After removing the chewed leaf, the person also either sips or places her or his lips to a small metal container containing nirang (consecrated white bull's urine called taro or gomez when not consecrated). These liturgies are by the Indian priestly tradition divided into two main categories: those that are performed “within the ritual precincts” (pāw mahal) and the ordinary ones (hušmordi); the division is also known as “inner” versus “outer” liturgies (Modi, p. 246). Participants have to experience and feel the ritual and… Take my sickly pallor." Mary Boyce, A Persian Stronghold of Zoroastrianism, Oxford. However, while it was a powerful religion in the distant past, now Zoroastrianism is one of the smallest religions in the world. Rituals are an integral part of the religious life. Cleanliness and purification involved not just people, but clothing and the physical space occupied or used by them. The Sogdians also made the diplomats "pass through the fire" (we are unclear precisely what this means) "in the same manner they appeared to perform an act of purification upon themselves." Fire is regarded as the highest symbol of purity, while the Temple of Fire (dovecote) maintains the sacred fire. Hence Zoroastrianism is understandably one of the most ritual intensive religions. Prior to being invested with the articles of the first two levels priesthood, the Navar and Martab initiates undergo a ritual purification to cleanse body and soul, called the bareshnum. Some smudges, annotations or unclear text may still exist, due to permanent damage to the original work. We believe the literary significance of the text justifies offering this reproduction, allowing a new generation to appreciate it. Northwest of Iran in the country of Azerbaijan, the land of the eternal fires, espand is called uzarlik. Zoroastrianism is a ritual intensive religion. When the recipients start the motion of feet-touching, the woman performing the achu michu usually attempts to stop the feet-touching by gently pulling up on the upper arm of the recipient as a reciprocal gesture of humility - but the foot-touching usually proceeds. The coming of age ritual between the ages of 7-12. In another tradition, the souls of the righteous will be reunited with their bodies in a world that has achieved an enduring excellence through their prior efforts - through their good thoughts, good words, and above all, good deeds. This is a reason conversions into the faith are prohibited. As Zoroastrians left their bounded space and sought to become part of Iranian mainstream society, ritual boundaries were downplayed and the ritual function of the emblematic fire was de-emphasized. Mistakes in the verbal (and non-verbal) performance are dramatic, since they undermine the cosmic order and strengthen the evil powers (amounting to “demon worship”).

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