21. Zoroastrianism - Hindu Customs In The Parsi Community In India Hindu Customs in the Parsi Community in India. http://hindubooks.org/sudheer_birodkar/hindu_history/zoroastrianism.html

Dear Visitor, I welcome you to this non-profit, educational page. Here you will read about different aspects of the history and culture of that part of our globe which is known variously as Bharatvarsha, Hindostan or India. My approach of looking at history is that of a rationalist and humanist . As my aim is to spread awareness about history and culture, you may freely download this page, print it, link it up from your site, or mirror it at any server. Enjoy the infotainment laid out for you at this site. I also look forward to your valuable suggestions and feedback. Happy viewing. Author Zoroastrianism - Sought Refuge in India from Annihilation at the hands of Islam by Sudheer Birodkar Table of Contents A community in whose religious ceremonies the invocation of fire occupies the central place, who wear the sacred thread, whose ancestors worshipped gods named Mitra Vayu, Veretraghna, whose society was traditionally divided into various orders of priests, warriors and peasants, who consider themselves descendants of the Aryans - a race which originally lived in the sub-Artic regions near the North Pole - this obviously is a description of the Aryan settlers of India. Yes, but it applies equally well to the ancestors of the inhabitants of Iran and the Zoroastrian Parsis who migrated from Iran and settled in India around 900 C.E. In talking about the ancient history of the Parsis, we have to begin at the same point as we would when we talk of the history of the Vedic Aryan immigrants of India. Racially Zoroaster was of the Indo-European stock which about 2000 B.C.E. had divided into two great sections. One was spreading west to settle in Europe. This is also called the Cetum group by historians from the Latin word Centum meaning, a hundred. The other group of Aryans moved east and further divided itself into two groups. This eastward bound group is called by historians the Shatem group from the Sanskrit Shatam for 100. Of these east bound Aryans one group settled in what is now India and the other in the land we now call Iran.

22. THE ZOROASTRIAN FAITH AND HOMOSEXUALITY Orthodox zoroastrianism currently does not accept converts from other religions; one must have a Zoroastrian mother and father in order to be accepted into the http://www.religioustolerance.org/hom_zor.htm

THE ZOROASTRIAN FAITH AND HOMOSEXUALITY Click Here to Visit our Sponsors. The Zoroastrian faith has historically been strongly opposed to homosexual behavior. Zarathustra's writings, the Gathas , are silent on homosexuality or bisexuality. They tend to give broad guidance on basic principles without going heavily into commandments. The Zoroastrian law book, The Vendidad (written circa 250 to 650 CE) contains " laws against demons " which touch on homosexuality. These purity laws are still followed by some conservative Zoroastrian communities. The Vendidad states: " The man that lies with mankind as man lies with womankind, or as woman lies with mankind, is the man that is a Daeva [demon]; this one is the man that is a worshipper of the Daevas, that is a male paramour of the Daevas" An ancient commentary on the Vendidad states: " Four men can be put to death by any one without an order from the Dastur [high priest]: the corpse-burner, the highwayman, the sodomite, and the criminal taken in the deed." One principle that might influence condemnation of homosexuality is the importance of family life within the faith. Orthodox Zoroastrianism currently does not accept converts from other religions; one must have a Zoroastrian mother and father in order to be accepted into the faith. To preserve and expand the religion, homosexuals as well as celibate persons would be pitied and pressured into marriage.

23. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient The evil power in the Avesta, the collection of religious writings in zoroastrianism. http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?ahriman.htm

24. A Universal Religion - Zoroastrianism At Zoroastrianism.cc/universal_religion.ht The first Universal Religion, known in the West as zoroastrianism, is the root of much of Jewish, Christian and Islamic doctrine and belief. zoroastrianism. http://www.zoroastrianism.cc/universal_religion.html

ZOROASTRIANISM A Universal Religion: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds Related Articles off-site : Philosophy Historical Background Vision Vision ... Ancient Faith for Modern Man The religion known in the west as Zoroastrianism, and by its founder as the "Religion of Good Conscience", has laid claim to being the first Monotheist religion, the first Universal religion and the root of much of Jewish, Christian and Islamic doctrine and belief. Over the millenia, the words and compositions of its founder, one Zarathushtra Spitaman , (known to us by the Greek alliteration of his name - Zoroaster), were lost due to passage of time and the obsolescence of its language. Its original message was lost because of accidents of history, as libraries and books were burned again and again by invaders and its wise men were either killed, enslaved, deported or went into hiding. However, thanks to the long, arduous and painstaking work of literally hundreds of scholars in the last 200 or so years, the original message of Zoroastrianism, the message of its "Manthran" (Thought-provoker) Zarathustra Zoroastrianism has surfaced once again, revealing it as ever-relevant, unique and inspiring.

25. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient One of the Amesha Spentas in zoroastrianism. Represented by the oxen, and symbolizes the good pastoral life. http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?vohu_manah.htm

26. Buddhism And Its Spread Along The Silk Road The civilizations which flourished along the Silk Road in the first millennium CE were open to cultural and religious influences from both East and West. Many religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, zoroastrianism and Manichaeism, gained new followers. But it was Buddhism, travelling the trade routes of the Silk Road, which became the common factor uniting the different peoples of the Silk Road. http://www.silk-road.com/artl/buddhism.shtml

Buddhism and Its Spread Along the Silk Road "There one sees a structure of an elevation prodigious in height; it is supported by gigantic pillars and covered with paintings of all the birds created by God. In the interior are two immense idols carved in the rock and rising from the foot of the mountains to the summit....One cannot see anything comparable to these statues in the whole world." -Yakut describing Bamiyan in his geographical dictionary in 1218 Besides silk, paper and other goods, the Silk Road carried another commodity which was equally significant in world history. Along with trade and migration, the world's oldest international highway was the vehicle which spread Buddhism through Central Asia. The transmission was launched from northwestern India to modern Pakistan, Afghanistan, Central Asia, Xinjiang (Chinese Turkistan), China, Korea and Japan. Buddhism not only affected the lives and cultures on those regions but also left us with a world of wonders in arts and literature. (Figure on the right: Princes from Central Asian states in Lamentation, Dunhuang Cave 158. After Sakyamuni entered nirvana, princes of different Central Asian states gathered to express their grief, crying, beating their chests, piercing themselves with swords or knives, or cutting off their noses or ears. This painting not only depicts their devotions to Buddha, but also accurately presents the appearances, garments and customs of different nations along the Silk Road and the history of cultural exchange between them.)

27. Inner Bookshop Home Page Offers new and second hand books on subjects from aromatherapy and Astrology to Zen an zoroastrianism. http://www.innerbookshop.com/

Books for Mind, Body, Spirit, Health and the Unexplained Explore the mysteries of Life, Death and the Universe Progress on your spiritual path Have a rich and fulfilling life ENTER Webmaster

28. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient Religion with around 700,000 members worldwide. Creed has elements from zoroastrianism, Manicheism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Move Reference/Encyclopedias/Subject_Encyclopedias/Encyclopaedia_of_the_Orient/Y http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?yazidism.htm

29. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient A plant (the twigs are being used) that is used in zoroastrianism to reach intoxication. http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?haoma.htm

30. Zoroastrianism And Mazdakism Delphi Forum A forum for ongoing discussions about zoroastrianism and Mazdakism. http://forums.delphiforums.com/zoroastrianism1/start/

31. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient Iranian prophet, founder of the religion zoroastrianism. http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?zarathus.htm

32. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient The supreme god in zoroastrianism. http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?ahura_ma.htm

33. General Essay On Zoroastrianism General Essay on zoroastrianism. Boyce, Mary. ed. Textual Sources for the Study of zoroastrianism. Manchester Manchester University Press, 1984. http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/zorast/geness.html

General Essay on Zoroastrianism As probably the oldest revealed religion in the world, Zoroastrianism has a fascinating and significant place in the study of the world's religious traditions. Historically significant due to its undoubted influences on Judaism, Christianity and Islam, the religion of Zoroaster remains little known and numerically insignificant. Although its early history is obscure, following its establishment by the Iranian prophet Zarathustra (known in the West as Zoroaster), from the 6th century BCE to the 7th century CE Zoroastrianism was the most important religion in three successive Iranian empires. Persistent persecutions followed the Arab invasions in Iran and resulted in a small group establishing a community in north-west India in the 10th century CE, where they became known as 'Parsis' (Persians). The distinctiveness of Zoroastrianism lies in its insight that all of creation, including humanity, is involved in the cosmic struggle between the good God, Ahura Mazda, and the evil of Angra Mainyu. At both the individual and cosmic levels, the good or evil nature of life is the result of free will. Zoroastrians also believe in the concepts of heaven and hell, the resurrection of the dead, and a final judgement when evil will be overthrown. Referring to the chart, a vertical line has been drawn to Zurvanism, a Zoroastrian heresy of the pre-Islamic period, about which has survived very little historical evidence. The central myth of Zurvanism is centred on the fatalistic belief that rulership of the world is held by the god Zurvan's son Ahriman, the manifestation of doubt; a belief directly contradictory to Zoroaster's stress on free will.

34. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient Only part of the Avesta, the collection of holy texts in zoroastrianism, that is fully preserved. Includes the long nightoffice ritual in zoroastrianism, which shall protect against demons, the inhabitants of darkness. http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?vendidad.htm

35. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient Eternal divine beings in zoroastrianism, entities that bring blessings and comfort. http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?amesha_s.htm

36. Zoroastrianism Index faqs.org, Search FAQs Full Text. zoroastrianism. zoroastrianism/FAQ Subject alt http://www.faqs.org/faqs/zoroastrianism/

Search FAQs - Full Text Search Subject/Archive Names Search Article Headers Zoroastrianism zoroastrianism/FAQ Subject: alt.religion.zoroastrianism FAQ Maintainer: hmgs@access.digex.net Last Posted: 17 Apr 2004 11:26:36 GMT Posting-Frequency: monthly Version: Usenet FAQs Search Web FAQs Documents ... Cities PLEASE NOTE: The maintainers of this archive are NOT the authors or maintainers of the individual FAQs. To correct or contribute to these documents, send email to the specific FAQ maintainers identified in each of the FAQs. Last Update June 07 2004 @ 00:36 AM

37. Zoroastrianism zoroastrianism is perhaps the world oldest continuing nonpantheistic religion. zoroastrianism is also called Zarathustrism, Mazdaism and Parsism. http://i-cias.com/e.o/zoroastr.htm

Click to open Encyclopaedia of the Orient on its front page Zoroastrianism Who Are the Christians in the Middle East? Introduction to the lives of the 14 million Christians in the Middle East. Buy this book from Amazon (USA) ... or buy from: Religion with its origin in ancient Iran , which exist even in modern times. Zoroastrianism is perhaps the world oldest continuing non-pantheistic religion. The founder of Zoroastrianism, Zarathustra , preached around 600 BCE a second monotheistic religious message that is recorded. Much of this is found in the central collection of religious texts, Avesta Inside the History of Religion the teachings of Zarathustra has been used in order to explain the development of the three major monotheistic religions, Judaism Christianity , and Islam , but there has never been proven any clear examples of influence between the belief systems. Zoroastrianism is also called Zarathustrism, Mazdaism and Parsism. Parsism is the term used today among the believers in India, the largest Zoroastrian society of today. Modern Zoroastrianism counts about 150,000 believers in India, 60,000 in Iran, and perhaps 50,000 in the rest of the world. CULT The cult of Zoroastrianism is focused on battling the evil, and the principal symbol in this battle is the sacred Fire. The most important place of worship is the temple of fire. Here a fire burns as a symbol of the holiness of Ahura Mazda.

38. Encyclopaedia Of The Orient The collections of scared texts in zoroastrianism. http://i-cias.com/cgi-bin/eo-direct.pl?avesta.htm

39. ZOROASTRIANSIM zoroastrianism. The ancient Iranian religion of fire, light, and Wisdom still lives today. Introduction to zoroastrianism Please read this first. http://www.pyracantha.com/zoroastrianism.html

The Faravahar, or Fravashi, was the symbol of the holy light of Glory ( khvarenah ) surrounding ancient Persian kings, heroes, and saints. It is found on ancient Persian monuments. Some Zoroastrians also think it signifies the glorified human soul. The faravahar is now used as the symbol of the Zoroastrian faith. Click on the symbol to see an informative article about its origins. ZOROASTRIANISM The ancient Iranian religion of fire, light, and Wisdom still lives today. This is the first monotheistic religion, founded by the Prophet Zarathushtra over 3000 years ago. It has had a profound influence on Judaism, Christianity, and Western culture. Introduction to Zoroastrianism: Please read this first. It has link-words to essays on various Zoroastrian topics. THE ZOROASTRIAN WAY Do Zoroastrians really worship fire? Is Zoroastrianism really a dualistic religion? Can you convert to Zoroastrianism? What are the scriptures of Zoroastrianism like? ... How has Zoroastrianism influenced Judaism and Christianity? (newly updated) What is the sacred garb of Zoroastrians like?

40. ZOROASTRIANISM, JUDAISM, AND CHRISTIANITY zoroastrianism, JUDAISM, AND CHRISTIANITY. But then another question arises how did the ancient Jews learn about zoroastrianism? http://www.pyracantha.com/zjc3.html

ZOROASTRIANISM, JUDAISM, AND CHRISTIANITY Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Christianity share so many features that it seems that there must be a connection between them. Does this connection really exist? If so, how did it happen? And how much of the similarity between these faiths is due simply to parallel evolution, rather than direct contact and influence? The simplest answer to the first question is, yes, there is a great deal of Zoroastrian influence on Judaism and Christianity, but the problem is that it is hard to document this exactly, at least in the early stages of Judaism. The evidence is there, but it is all "circumstantial" evidence and often does not stand up to the rigorous judgment of scholarship. Nevertheless, I will dare to present these ideas assertively, with the qualification that there will likely be no definite way to prove them either true or untrue. In 586 BCE, the forces of the Babylonian Empire conquered the Jews, destroying their Temple and carrying off a proportion of the Jewish population into exile. The captives consisted especially of educated and upper-class people as well as the royal family. This "Babylonian captivity" lasted almost fifty years. In 539 BCE the Persians, under the leadership of the Achaemenid King Cyrus, conquered Babylon, and in 538 Cyrus issued a decree stating that the Jews would be allowed to return to their homeland. Not only were the Exiles released, but Cyrus, and to some extent his Achaemenid successors, also supported the rebuilding of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem. Cyrus' policy was motivated not only by his religious tolerance (he also encouraged other, pagan peoples to maintain their own religions) but by statesmanlike wisdom; people treated generously are less likely to rebel.

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