Pure grape Wine plays a central role in the Aryan Zoroastrian religious rituals. Also, the ancient Magi and Zoroastrians were famous for their superb wine making skills.

The association of wine with Zoroastrian worship and the ancient Aryan religion has not been lost on the Iranian mystics and wine poets of the Islamic era.

In the Persian mystic poetry, the first or olden Magis (Pir-é Moghán) and the Winery provide an alternative, more sensuous mode of worship; in direct contrast to the moslem clergy and the mosque.

In the Avestan lore, grape vines are the ratü “chief, wise counsel” of all the fruits. The main term used in Persian poetry to mean wine, is MAY (pronounced just like the English month of May.) Persian term for Wine or MAY comes from the Avestan mað/mad, Vedic máðú, Old Norse mjöðr “mead wine.”

Mað/mad is the sacred, wine of immortality or haömá, Vedic sómá. When the sacred herb/plant could not be found, pure grape wine was substituted in its place.

In the poetic gathas, the ancient Aryan Prophet asks how to remove the stain/filth (of bloody sacrifices) from the wine. Alluding to the mixing of sacramental wine with blood sacrifices, thereby condemning the killing of animals and blood sacrifices and NOT the sacred haömá wine as erroneously maintained by some.

In the Sháh-námæ, a literary masterpiece that is pre-Islamic in its context and ideology, wine is an antidote to grief and misfortune and the necessary accompaniment of hospitality.

Also Herodotus writes concerning the ancient Iranians: “They are very fond of wine, and drink it in large quantities. They eat little solid food but abundance of dessert, which is set on table a few dishes at a time.

It is also their general practice to deliberate upon affairs of weight when they are drunk; and then on the morrow, when they are SOBER, the decision to which they came the night before is put before them by the master of the house in which it was made; and if it is then approved of, they act on it; if not, they set it aside. Sometimes, however, they are sober at their first deliberation, but in this case they always reconsider the matter under the influence of wine.”

In the Avestan lore, wine is a sacred drink that unveils the true nature of individuals. Zoroastrianism highly recommends MODERATE Drinking of pure grape wines, while forbidding drunkenness and mixing of a host of drinks.

Stories about the evils of making important decisions while drunk abound in Persian literature, as does praise for those wise enough to reconsider on the sober morning after all decisions made while drunk (Ḵᵛāja Neẓām-al-Molk, Sīār al-molūk, ed. H. Darke, Tehran, 1347 Š./1968, chaps. 15, 17, 39).

I shall conclude by the following beautiful poems from the Great Persian Wine Poet Khayyam:

“I sent my Soul through the Invisible,

Some letter of that After-life to spell:
And by and by my Soul return’d to me,
And answer’d: ‘I Myself am Heav’n and Hell”

“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,

Moves on: nor all thy Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all thy Tears wash out a Word of it.”

“Drink wine. This is life eternal. This is all that youth will give you. It is the season for wine, roses and drunken friends. Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.”

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The superb darioush winery in Napa has brought back the glory of the ancient Iranian wine making to Napa, CA with most excellent wines. Darioush has also recreated the Persepolis in Napa, with imported stones from the vicinity of Persepolis itself. Truly impressive and most amazing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEY1q6TD0TA&list=FLCkiPZJ3Q5YV_GTHt6SEHPQ

Herodotus writes c. 430 BCE on “The Customs of the Persians:”

“The customs which I know the Persians to observe are the following: they have no images of the gods, no temples nor altars, and consider the use of them a sign of folly. This comes, I think, from their not believing the gods to have the same nature with men, as the Greeks imagine. Their wont, however, is to ascend the summits of the loftiest mountains, and there to offer worship to the whole circuit of the firmament. They likewise offer to the sun and moon, to the earth, to fire, to water, and to the winds.”

The inhospitable mountainous region of central Iran around the desert city of Yazd has become a stronghold of Zoroastrianism after the arab bedouin conquest of ancient Airan/Iran. Today the towering central mountains of Iran remain the only significant area where mountain shrine pilgrimage is still practiced according to the ancient Aryan Zoroastrian traditions.

For Iranian Zoroastrians, summer begins with the pilgrimage to Pir-é-Sabz (Ancient Green.) This remote site is the most sacred of the Zoroastrian mountain shrines in Central Iran.

This legendary site, where a sacred spring issues from the towering cliff, is also called Chak-Chak, which means ‘drop-drop’ in Persian. Growing beside the source of the sacred spring is an immense and ancient tree.

Each year from June 14 to 18, thousands of Zoroastrians from Iran, India, USA, Canada, Australia and Europe flock to the high mountain shrine and sacred spring of Pir-é Sabz (Ancient Green.)

For the Iranian Zoroastrians the annual pilgrimages to Pir-é Sabz (Ancient Green) and the other five mountain shrines of Central Iran are the most important religious periods of the year.

Pilgrimage ceremonies at the shrines last for five days and the pilgrimages themselves are referred to by the Moslem term hajj.

While pilgrimage to the mountain shrines is definitely a spiritual journey. But it is also at the same time an opportunity for merry-making, wine, music and dancing.

The other Zoroastrian mountain shrines of the Yazd region are:

• Sæti Pir; east of Yazd, pilgrimage period June 14-18, often visited on the way to the shrine of Pir-e Sabz.
• Pir-é Nárestúnæ (Nárestán); Kharúna mountains, six miles east of Yazd; pilgrimage period: later part of June, after Pir-e Sabz.
• Pir-é Bánú-Pars (The Brilliant Fair lady of Persia;) near Sharif-ábád; pilgrimage period in early July.
• Pir-é Náraki; at the foot of Mt. Nárækæ, south of Yazd; pilgrimage period in mid-August.
• Pir-é Hærisht; near Sharif-ábád.

The shrine of Shekaft-e Yazdán (the ‘Cleft of God/Adorable One’) in the valley near the village of Zard-joo is sometimes visited after the pilgrimage to the shrine of Pir-é Bánú-Pars (The Brilliant Fair lady of Persia.) Another sacred site in the Yazd region is the Muslim shrine of Haji Khezr.

The term Pir is of Aryan Zoroastrian origin and refers to the “first, primeval, ancient” masters, guides or pristine sacred places of purity and ascent.

Mountain Pirs or pristine sacred shrines are often located near a natural water source/well, the water of which is considered also sacred. Often ancient trees especially ancient cypress trees are found in or near the Pir or pristine sacred shrines. To these ancient trees are tied wish-ribbons, a form of decorative garlands.

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Barshanöm is the most important Zoroastrian purification rite. Barshanöm consists of full 9 nights of solitude, ritual purification and reflection. The 9 nights of seclusion rite is primary to gain insight and wisdom. The purification rite is invoked against the forces of death, decay and evil and is seen as awakening the inner eye.

Every Zoroastrian priest has to undergo barshanöm before being initiated herbád/ervad and again before solemnizing the rituals.

Also, every member of the Zoroastrian community is required to undergo the full 9 nights rite at least once in his or her lifetime.

According to the Persian Rivayats, barshanöm is part of the preparation required of coverts to the Zoroastrian religion (Persian Rivayats, ed. Unvala, I, p. 282; tr. Dhabhar, p. 276).

The purification rite is touched upon briefly in the Yasht/hymn dedicated to haúr-vatát (healing, cure, every wisdom and wholeness formula) and described in detail in Vendidad 8.37-72, more briefly in Vendidad 9.1-37.

The full 9 nights of purification, seclusion and reflection of the Zoroastrians, reminds one of Óðinn’s discovery of the runes after full 9 nights.

Óðinn watched the Norns from his seat in Asgard and envied their powers and their wisdom. And he bent his will toward the task of coming to know the runes.

Since the runes’ native home was in the Well of Urd (Compare with the Avestan ardá/arthá) with the Norns of faith, and since the runes did not reveal themselves to any but those who prove themselves worthy of such insights, Óðinn hung himself from a branch of Yggdrasil (tree of life,) pierced himself with his spear, and peered downward into the shadowy waters below. Óðinn stared downward and called to the runes for no less than nine days and nights, teetering on the realm that separates the living from the dead.

At the end of the ninth night, Óðinn at last perceived shapes in the depths: the runes! The runes had accepted his sacrifice and shown themselves to Óðinn, revealing to Óðinn not only their forms, but also the secrets that lie within them. Equipped with the knowledge of how to wield the runes, Óðinn became the mightiest and most accomplished of beings in all the worlds.

After the full 9 nights, Óðinn’s gift/offering/sacrifice to himself (gefinn Óðinn) secured him from the Well of Wyrd 18 (twice 9) charms or runes.

I shall add that the poetic gathas or the most sacred verses of the Zoroastrians consist of 17 songs and 1 chapter of 7 charms, or 18 in total. The 18 gathas/songs (Lithuanian giedoti “to sing”) are world-shaping mind/consciousness formulas or secret wisdom (avestá from the root vid.)

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The Indo-European, Avestan word ashem (Vedic ऋतं ṛtaṃ) comes from the root ashá/artá, “excellence, brilliance, luminosity, virtue” (Compare with Greek arête,) has ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with the Hebrew term HaShem.

Traditionally in Judaism, the four-letter name of God is NOT pronounced during prayer but is read instead as ADONAI (“Master”, “Lord.”) The Hebrew word Adonai could very well be an Egyptian borrowing from Aten/Aton. Aten/Aton was extensively worshipped as a god in the reign of Amenhotep III much like Ra. In the reign of Amenhotep III’s successor, Amenhotep IV, the Aten/Aton became the central god of Egyptian state religion, and Amenhotep IV changed his name to Akhenaten to reflect his close link with the new supreme deity.

In Judaism, the Hebrew term Adonai is only used during prayers and Adonai is referred to/substituted with HaShem (“the Name”) at all other times.

In conversation, Jewish people call God HaShem, השם, which is Hebrew for “the Name” (this appears in Leviticus 24:11).

Also, the word Amen has NOTHING TO do with any Zoroastrian influence whatsoever. Amen is a declaration of affirmationfound in the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament.

Its use in Judaism dates back to earliest Hebrew texts. It means: “So be it truly/faithfully.” The standard Hebrew word for faith emuna comes from the root amen.

The Avestan equivalent of the Hebrew Amen would be atha jamyát yatha áfrinámi “may it come (jamyát) as to what is the loveliest (áfrinámi.)

Áfrinámi comes from the root frí,(Compare with Old Norse Freya/Freyja “the goddess of love, friendship, beauty.”) Persian Zoroastrian Áfrin comes from the same root, “that which is lovely, most amicable, friendly.”

The Zoroastrian influence upon Judaism is clearly evident in the Judaism of postexilic period.Eschatological ideas such as coming of a wholly new, splendid universe (Compare with Old Norse Ragnarök;) an evolved luminous physical form in the future and the resurrection of the dead; Angelology and demonology (Angels as the adorable names or wondrous aspects of God, and demonic powers as dark, negative, very real (not imaginary) energies;

Millennial doctrines of the future saviors, ALL can be traced back to the poetic gathas of the Aryan Prophet but are entirely absent from the Torah or the five books of Moses.

Furthermore, many purity laws and rituals of the Essenes (a Jewish Sect) as well as their ideas concerning kingdoms of light verses lies show unmistakable Zoroastrian influence.

It is highly ironic that some of our fellow modern Zoroastrians try so desperately to deny the existence of the aforementioned novel ideas in the poetic gathas, while they wildly speculate on words or ideas that are unmistakably and genuinely Jewish.

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May the 25^th was the festival of Haúr-vatát in the Avetsan Calendar. Haúr-vatát derived from haúr, is equivalent to the Old English word hālig, an adjective derived from hāl meaning “whole, healthy, entire, complete, sound.”

The Scottish hale (“health, happiness and wholeness”) is the most complete modern form of this ancient Indo European root.

Haúr-vatát is one of the “auspicious immortals, or splendid attributes of God in the poetic gathas and Zoroastrianism. In the poetic gathas, haúr-vatát (“health, happiness, every healing formula, curative power and wellness”) comes in association with Ameretát (“immortality, deathlessness, indestructibility.”)

Haúr-vatát presides over the third month of the Zoroastrian calendar, and over the sixth day of each month.

The name Haúr-vatát has changed to khordád in Persian. It has been translated as Avirdāda, udaka “waters of wisdom” and sarvapravṛttihá “source of everything” in the Sanskrit commentaries of Nairyösang on the poetic gathas.

The association of “waters, healing waters and waters of wisdom” with haúr-vatát goes back to the poetic gathas Yasna 51.7, 1^st and 2^nd rhymed verse lines.

Also the day of Hórdád corresponds to that of Manyú “spirit/mind,” “wisdom,” and Anna “fuel/food” in the Maga Brāhmaṇas’ calendrical lists (see Panaino, 1996, pp. 45, 48-49).

In the Avestan lore (HÓRDÁD YAŠT) haúr-vatát is closely associated with the number NINE, a symbol of wondrous knowledge and power.

Nine is a supremely powerful and key number in the Zoroastrian tradition. Nine is the basis of much ceremonial and ritual in Zoroastrianism. Nine symbolizes a synthesis of spirit/mind and the material, a whole wisdom/knowledge of heaven and earth, wonders of the seen and unseen realms. It impressed early mathematicians that multiplications by nine always produced digits that added up to nine.

The Avestan pair haúr-vatát (“health, happiness, every healing formula, curative power and wellness”) and Ameretát (“immortality, deathlessness, indestructibility”) appears as Arioch and Marioch in the Book of Enoch and as Hārut and Mārut in the (Koran (2.96.)

The angels Hārut and Mārut are mentioned once in the Koran (2:96 [2:102]) in a passage admonishing (Jewish) disbelievers who follow the teaching of the Satans (Šayāṭin) at the time of Solomon. “Solomon did not disbelieve, but the satans disbelieved, teaching the people magic [siḥr] and what had been sent down to the two angels in Babel, Hārut and Mārut; they do not teach anyone without first saying: ‘We are only a temptation, so do not disbelieve,’ so they learn from them means by which they separate man and wife; but they do not injure any one thereby, except by the permission of Allah” (tr. Bell, I, p. 14).

The 14th-century Armenian John VI Cantacouzenus cited in an anti-Muslim treatise the legend of Arōt and Marōt, whom God sent to earth “in order to rule well and justly” (Russell, p. 381).

Also, in Armenia hawrot-mawrot is the name of the tuberose, a flower used on the Ascension day in popular rites (Lagarde, 1847, p. 9; idem, 1850, p. 368; Gray, 1929 p. 52; Henning, 1965, p. 251, n. 53; idem, 1977, p. 626; Russell, pp. 375-98).

Hārut and Mā-rut also make an appearance in English literature from the end of the 18th century onwards as part of a romantic celebration of defiance and rebellion and the interest in the very notion of fallen angels. The pair appears in the poetry of George Croly (1780-1860; see Chew, pp. 201-3) and Thomas Moore (1779-1852).

In conclusion, I shall add that haúr-vatát is the whole wisdom and/or the holy knowledge of “healing, happiness and every wellness” in Zoroastrianism. Holiness for the ancient Aryans was a special knowledge of the whole, the wondrous power to heal, regenerate and bring forth much good fortune and happiness.

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Death and decay in the poetic gathas of the ancient Aryan prophet Zarathushtra, are associated with distortion of energy flow, falsehood and disharmony of the life force.

It is the evolving conditions of this material universe that make death and decay inevitable. The physical forms and/or material bodies cannot change fast enough in harmony with the progressive changes in the universal dynamism.

As the physical form and material body cannot continually meet or keep pace with the nature’s demands and forces, the body gets out of the course or flow. At a certain point, this growing disparity and disharmony between the body/form and the forces that press upon it make a complete dissolution of the physical form unavoidable.

But what if there will be a new, subtle, ingenious body endowed with the marvelous powers of spirit/mind??? What if the material form evolves to become as flexible as a body of light or energy???

In that case there would be no need for decay or drastic dissolution of the bodily form. Death and decay would be no longer inevitable. This is precisely what the poetic gathas and the Zoroastrian tradition teaches; a future brilliant body that will come to pass (tanö passinö.) A future lighted body that will never die of old age, disharmony and disease.

In the poetic gathas, Yasna 30.7, 2^nd rhymed verse line, the ancient Aryan Prophet talks about marvelous renewal/eternal youth (utayüitish) of the physical form (kehrpem, German Körper) destined/given through the unyielding, genial powers of ár-maiti, “the serene flow of thoughts, or streaming mind-power.”

In the poetic gathas, the cosmic battle is between eternal progress/evolution versus stagnation/limitation. The battle is about the unlimited powers of the spirit/mind and the triumph of the spirit over limitations, falsehood and perversion of the life force.

Death and decay is the doom of mortals and the condemnation of this still evolving universe. Death and decay are the very results of the limitations of matter. And with the evolution and progress of consciousness and matter, death will be overcome.

The poetic gathas teach about Immortality (Ameretát,) deathlessness and indestructibility. The poetic gathas teach about becoming godlike and overcoming the limitations of the mortal man (maretánö.)

The sacred verses of the ancient Aryan Prophet promise a brilliant remaking of the universe, a dazzling, new age of eternal progress; a fresh, splendid, new creation (farshö-kart.)

The association of death and decay with falsehood, distortion of the divine melody/music, and the onslaught of the powers of evil can be seen in all the occurrences of the term ruin/death in the poetic gathas.

In Yasna 31.1, 2^nd rhymed verse line, death is associated with disorder, destruction of artfulness and excellence, and the rule of lies, deceptive formulas.

In Yasna 31.18, 3^rd rhymed verse line, death (marakaæ) is associated with the deceiver (dregvatö,) the deceptive mind formulas (manthras) and illusive teachings of the trickster.

In Yasna 32.9, 1^st rhymed verse line, death/destruction is associated with the false teacher (dúsh-sastish,) an epithet of the evil spirit, the distortion of the inspired music/melody and a corruption of the power of the spirit to manifest itself in life( jyátéush khratüm.)

In Yasna 32.10, 1^st rhymed verse line, death is associated again with distortion of the inspired melody/music/sound (sraváv möreñdat) and denying the embodied life and the sun (hvare, Greek helios.)

In Yasna 32.11, 1st rhymed verse line, mar/spoiling/destruction of life (möreñden jyötüm) is associated with having high regard for the deceiver/liar, falsehood (dregvatö mazibísh či-köiteresh.)

In Yasna 32.12, 2^nd rhymed verse line, ruin/death is associated with ravaging/laying waste upon the inspired melody, song, music; and that the curse of the Wise lord will be upon those who kill/slaughter animals with cries of joy.

In Yasna 32.13, 2^nd rhymed verse line, death/destruction (marekhtárö “to destroy, put to death”) is associated the abode/dominion of the most broken/beaten spirit mind, limitation and greed.

In Yasna 45.1, 4^th rhymed verse line, death is associated with the false teacher (dush-sastish,) an epithet of the evil spirit.

In Yasna 46.11, 2^nd rhymed verse line, destruction/death is associated with ritual priests and their deafness and blindness to the skills of the adorable God.

In Yasna 51.10, 1^st rhymed verse line, death is associated with the lair of lies, brood/creation of deceit, falsehood and mal-formation, faulty, evil knowledge (dúž-dáv.)

In Yasna 51.13, 1^st rhymed verse line, death is associated with the distortion/destruction of the higher vision by the deceiver.

In Yasna 53.6, 5^th rhymed verse line, corruption/perversion/death of the existence (ahüm merengedúyæ) is associated with onslaught of the evil deceiver, against the excellent/good and diminish in power.

I would like to conclude by the 3^rd rhymed verse line of Yasna 47.1, where the ancient Aryan Prophet says I am (the being of the wise lord) destines/gives healing powers and immortality/deathlessness (ahmái dán haúrvátá ameretátá.)

Am (ahmái,) Lithuanian esmi, Gothic imi “am, being” refers to the Wise Lord giving/destining (dán) healing powers (haúr-vátá) and immortality/deathless-ness (ameretátá.)

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A goði or gothi (plural goðar) is the Old Norse term for an invoker of divine powers, a priest and/or a chieftain. The goðar were God-men (goði) and God-women (gyðja.)

The goðar are depicted in the Sagas as the religious and political leaders of their realm or goðorð. The goðar were involved in the administration of the Norse kingdoms and the performance of the religious acts of worship.Kings and chieftains came from the goðar, the invokers of the godly powers and arts. The goðars were the guardian of the divine wisdom and protectors of the land and hearth.

Likewise, in the Vedas, the hótṛ were the reciter of invocations and wisdom poetry. The hótṛ was the invoker of the godly powers, the reciter of mantras or powerful mind formulas. The hótṛ was the leading, invoker/priest who knew the entire sacred hymns (sukta) of the Vedas (the divine wisdom poetry.) The hótṛ had a leading or presiding role in the Vedic society. The hótṛ acted as invoker/priests, wise counsels and advisors to local Aryan kings and Aryan princes.

In the Vedas, Agni, “the divine spark” (latin ignis, Old Church Slavonic ogni, Lithuanian ugnis, “Fire” “to ignite.”) is the foremost invoker of the gods.

Agni is called hótáram (invoker) in Rig Veda 1.1.1. In Rig Veda 1.1.5, Agni is the invoker, the poet, with power to manifest and realize (agnih hótá kávi-kratúh.) In Rig Veda 1.12.1, Agni is hótáram vishva-veda-sam, “the invoker, knower of all.” Also in the same verse the divine spark is called an auspicious doer su-kratúm.

In Rig Veda 1.13.8, the term hótárá/invokers refers to daivyá kaví “divine seers or seers of the divine.” In Rig Veda 1.26.2, the divine spark is the desired or adorable invoker (hótá varenyah,) youthful (yavishtha) with divine or luminous speech/voice (divitmatá vachah.)

In the poetic gathas, the ancient Aryan Prophet Zarathúshtrá calls himself a Zaótá/Zaótar, an invoker of superb, godly powers (See Yasna 33.6, 1^st rhymed verse line.)

The term zaótá/zaótar,”invoker” exactly corresponds to the Old Norse goði and Sanskrit hótr. Zaótá/Zaótar like a goði and hótr was well versed in inspired, wisdom poetry and was a seer/invoker.

The Aryan prophet passionately invokes, calls upon arête “excellence, goodness and brilliance” (zaó-zaó-mi literally I/me intensely call upon, invoke, See Yasna 43.10, 1^st rhymed verse line.)

Also in Yasna 50.1, 4^th rhymed verse line, the ancient Aryan seer/prophet calls upon, invokes (zütá) the most awe-inspiring powers of spirit/mind.

The term zaótá comes from the root zü,/zava “to call, invoke” Compare with Old Church Slavonic zovo “to call, invoke.

Interestingly, the meaning of God, Old Norse guð, Gothic guþ is “that which is invoked” compare with the gathic/Avestan zütá.

Zaótá/Zaótar or züt as “invoker of godly powers” appears in the following places in the Avesta (the book of hidden or unknown wisdom)

Poetic gathas Yasna 33.6, 1^st rhymed verse line;

Also in other Yasna (adorations) 3.25, 11.1, 14.1, 59.30, 65.9, 68.12;

Vispa-ratü (all the rites, formulas, counsels) 3.6,7, 5.1, 11.19;

Yasht (adoring hymns) 3.1,2, 4.7, 5.57,123,132, 10.89,120,137-139, 17.6;

Nirangistan (the book of charms) 20, 21, 33, 37, 72, 73, 80, 81;

Ví-daæv-dátá (the laws against demons) 5.57-58;

I would like to conclude by stating that in the ancient Indo-European beliefs, God is not terrible, ferocious and wrathful. But God is Adoring, the luminous, all-wise force we speak to, call upon and invoke in our heartfelt prayers.

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Unlike the ancient Egyptian religion, where serpents, snakes, frogs, crocodiles, flies, rats, and a host of other creatures were worshipped; the ancient Aryan looked upon many of these creatures as hideous, grotesque, monstrous and malformed freaks of nature.

To the ancient Aryans, ants, serpents, frogs, worms, flies and rats meant only death, pestilence, and omens of impending evil.

In the Avestan lore, most worshipped creatures of the ancient Egyptian religion and Mesopotamia are seen as noxious, misshapen, repulsive and demonic creatures. The fabulous beasts of the Mesopotamian mythology and most of the worshipped animals of the ancient Egypt were seen as foul, mutated, monstrous, malformed versions of life by the ancient Aryans.

For example in ancient Egypt flies were emblems of valor and persistence and the king awarded gold flies of valor to distinguished warriors. Also the flywhisk is symbol of authority in African folk religion.

NOT SO, in the Avesta and among the ancient Aryans. Flies (magas) midges, mosquitoes, locust, Lice, and fleas symbolized only death disease, pestilence, and corruption in the Avesta.

(The word for flies magas/ magass is the same as Latin musca, Sanskrit. maksa-, Greek. myia, Old Church.Slavic. mucha,  Old.English. mycg, English midge.)

The Avestan word for ants and/or termites is mür literally “mors, death, destruction.”

In the Avesta snakes and serpents are called marthra or “murderer” compare with German Mord and English murder, Persian maar. They are the emblems of evil, deceit and chaos.

While in the south Indian Dravidian beliefs and the Chinese mythology; rats are considered auspicious and holy. In Zoroastrianism; rats, mice (müš) and/or other infestation causing rodents are symbols of disease, avarice, greed, and deformed, destructive intelligence.

The identification of frogs with heresy, forgery, and unclean spirit in the book of revelation (16.13) seem to be a direct Zoroastrian influence and/or borrowing.

Herodotus (1.140) reports that the Zoroastrian Magi customarily killed ants, snakes, rats and flies/midges.

In traditional Zoroastrianism, pest control (i.e., “destroying noxious creatures/vermin”) is considered the “bounden duty of the faithful” (refer to Yasht. 21.1, and Vendidad.16.12.) Its importance is reflected in the old annual celebration of the Feast of pest killing (Jašn-e ḵkrafstra koshuun) by the Zoroastrians of Kerman, which used to be held at the beginning of summer.

In the Avestan lore, destructive pests that bring about infestation, disease and doom with them are called khrafstar or khrafβtar.

Khrafstar(s) or khrafβtar(s) are considered stagnant life forms. They belong to a bygone era and have stopped progressing. Hence, they are limited, stagnated, parasitic and very deadly. All creatures that stop to evolve and progress have no further place in the creation according to the Zoroastrian lore. I

In the poetic gathas of the Aryan Prophet, the term khrafstar/ khrafβtar means simply “Monster” and comes with other terms such bestial, demons and mortal men. The term khrafstar/ khrafβtar in the poetic gathas does not necessarily apply to pests and noxious creatures; but does refer to malignantly clever, yet deformed intelligences of grotesque creatures.

The term khrafstar or khrafβtar appears 3 times in the poetic gathas and in all 3 instances has been translated as “khiradö staredö” or “a scattered, misshapen and deformed power of manifestation or wisdom.”

In the third rhymed verse line, second stanza of Yasna 34.9, the designation khrafstar/khrafβtar comes right after bestial creatures or aúrúná, (Compare Avestan aúrúná with the old Norse rune uruz “wild beasts.”)

In the third rhymed verse line, second stanza of Yasna 34.5, the term khrafstar/ khrafβtar comes after daævá/demonic powers and before mashyá/marthyá or mortals.

In the third rhymed verse line, second stanza of Yasna 28.5, the ancient Aryan Prophet prays to bring monsters of malformed intelligence under his will power (vauröi-maidi literally “bring under my will”) through this most magnificent manthra (mind formula).

The idea of diverting khrafstars to advantage and benefit is inspired by the above rhymed verse line of Yasna 28.5.

Hence, in the poetic gathas, khrafstars or monsters or are not unconditionally evil, but a mutant intelligence/wisdom that with mind-power formulas can be diverted to the benefit/advantage of creatures of this creation; just as the bee which prepares honey, the worm from which there is silk …”

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April 30^th marks the beginning of the Zoroastrian “mid-spring” or maiδyö.zarem. Maiδyö literally means “middle” and zarem from zar refers to the “bright golden green color of spring flowers and vegetation.” The mid-spring festival lasts five days and culminates on May 4^th.

The Avestan epithet of maiδyö.zarem is payan meaning “milk, syrup, nectar.” (Compare Avestan payan with Lithuanian pienas “milk” Greek pion “fat, cream” Sanskrit payate/ pituh “rich liquid, syrup, sap, milk.”)

Maiδyö.zarem is the first thanksgiving festival of the Avestan calendar and lies halfway between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. The festival marks the beginning of the pastoral summer season, when cattle/livestock are driven out to the summer pastures.Rituals using the symbolic use of fire and bright flowers are performed to encourage growth, the abundance of milk and dairy products and protect the cattle, crops and people from harm and negative energies.

Doorways, windows, equipment for milking, butter making and cattle themselves are decorated with bright flowers to evoke fire and youthfulness.

Like almost all other Zoroastrian rituals bonfires are kindled, and their flames, smoke and ashes are used in sacred rituals. The people and their cattle would walk around the bonfire, or between two bonfires, and leap over flames or embers. People ensure that the smoke of incense from the fire is blown over them and their cattle.

All household fires, hearths and candles are re-lit from the bonfire. When the bonfire has died down, the ashes from it are thrown among the sprouting crops.

In the Avesta, these thanksgiving feasts are called yaar ratö (annual rites, formulas/appointed times for advice, wise counsel and deliberation.)

During these thanksgiving feasts music is played, sacred verses from the poetic gathas of the prophet are recited, and participants enjoy seasonal fruits and other agricultural produce bár (literally “what earth bears forth”) in a communal spirit. It is especially meritorious to offer wine and/or syrup drinks to the participants during this festival (See afrín or loving hymns to thanksgiving festivals verses 4-7.)

In addition, banquets are offered as votive offerings to various powerful names of God or angels and holy spirits for securing a wish; or are offered after the supplicant has received the fulfillment of wish .

The customs, various rituals and ceremonies associated with gahan-bars show striking similarities to shia moslem SOFRA ceremonies. It appears that the custom of offering sofras to various holy figures among Iranian shiasis a modified relic of pre-Islamic Iranian Zoroastrian ceremonies. (sofras are spreads on which food and ceremonial objects are laid as beautiful offerings to holy spirits or saints.)

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April 22 marks the festival of ardá or ardá vahisht in the Zoroastrian calendar. Ardá or arthá is the same as ashá. In the Avestan, the sound “sh” is interchangeable with the sound “rt.”

Arthá, ashá or ardá is the same as Greek arête; “excellence, virtue, luminosity, brilliance, goodness.”

The ancient commentaries translate ashá/artá as “rásti ahúrmazd” meaning the truth of ahúrmazd, or the essence of God. Hence, virtue, goodness and brilliance is the essence of God in Zoroastrianism and God is God, because of his excellence, virtue and luminosity.

Arthá, ashá (excellence, virtue, goodness) and ahúrá (God) come from the same root, and the ancient commentaries translate ashá or arthá also as “ahuric virtues, ahuric skill, ahuric excellence, ahuric ability to make true or “ahráyih.”

Arthá or ashá vahisht is that WONDROUS ART or DIVINE SKILL that turns every opposition into an opportunity, every misfortune to good fortune, every hardship and adversity into ease and harmonious flow. The idea of ease, flow, artistic workmanship is fundamental to arthá or ashá.

It should be added that the ancient exegesis always adds the words “kár o kar-ôp,” or creativity, opus, masterwork as a footnote to ashá, ahráyih or ahuric essence/virtues.

Ashá/arthá is the art of overcoming limitations and opening new horizons. Avestan úshtá is the same as Germanic ôstara, refering to new horizons, new dawn and fresh, new radiance. The wondrous art/skill to make the ideal real and overcome the limitations is ashá or arthá. It is this very “wondrous art or ahüric skill” that in holy denkart, by a beautiful wordplay, is equated with the eyes (áish, compare with ashá) of the existence.

(The denkart exegesis refers to the first lines of Yasna 28.1 and Yasna 33.1 of the poetic gathas.)

arthá or ashá is NOT looking at the world as is, and accepting it; but it is the brilliance to look at the world and realize a better, more awe-inspiring creation.

At a given moment, in a certain circumstance, there are impossibilities. But from the eternal point, the point beyond time and space, in the infinity of time, NOTHING is IMPOSSIBLE, and the existence is an amazing field of wondrous possibilities.

And this possibility of infinite wonder, beauty and awe/vohü is the truth of ahúrmazd or “ashá.” Arthá is the wondrous skill to transmute and transform everything into a better and more awe-inspiring realization, hence its association with fire.

It is the eye, vision and the very core of existence. It is the formula of excellence, endless betterment and eternal progress.

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