Authentic Gatha Zoroastrianism

A lesson which they[the druids] take particular pains to inculcate is that the spirit/mind does not perish, but after death passes from one body to another; they think this is the best incentive to bravery, because it teaches men to disregard the terrors of death.
[De bellico Gallico VI, 14]`

The Zoroastrian concept of “frashökérétí” or “CREATING the world and all things in it FRESH and anew” is an original teaching of the Prophet/Seer Zarathushtra. It is the necessary and consistent conclusion to the action of creating. The brilliant renewal marks the opening of new horizons or an eternal spring in the cosmic progress. It brings to fruition the odyssey of an awesome mind/spirit/mainyü to bring about the victory of the powers of what is awesome, amazing, good, wondrous and most beautiful into the world. In the poetic gathas,  1st line of Yasna 30.9; it is WE,  “vaäm,” the thinking powers; who next to the AhúrāS or superb, divine powers/talents of Mazdā;  bring about this splendid renewal.

The use of “frashökérétí” as part of a proper name has a counterpart in Old Persian, where the adjective describes the most splendid/beautiful palace which Darius ordered to be built in Susa (DSf 56-57; DSa 5; DSj 6). Moreover, the syntagm “frašam akkūnavam,” which expresses Darius’s satisfaction with the “superb/brilliant craftsmanship” over  his  building project (DSo 3-4), corresponds to the Gathic formula in Yasna 30.9 and Yasht 19.11., 89) namely “excellence/brilliance in creating/workmanship.”

In a religious sense, “frashö” refers to Ahúrā Mazdā’s “brilliant, ever imaginative creativity,” as a root noun in the compound fraž-dā, it refers to effective, auspicious, ever creative formulation (Yasna 12.1.)

The concept of frashökérétí has no counterpart in the Indo-Aryan Vedas, yet we find an almost identical concept in the ancient Norse “ragnarök.” The Old Norse word “ragnarök” is a compound of two words. The first word in the compound, “ragna,” is the plural of regin (“gods” or “ruling powers”). 

“ragna” is the same as Sanskrit “raj,” Gathic/Avestan “rij,” “ražn,” “ražng” “rashn.” Compare also Germanic “rikijaz,”  Dutch “rijk” to rule, be powerful, rich.  Proto Aryan base is “reg;” the same as  Avestan “ráž;” to  move in a straight line, move unopposed,” hence “to rule, reign.”  The exact word in the sense of reigning, ruling, moving straight and unopposed; appears in the following passages in the poetic gathas; 1st and 2nd line of Yasna 34.12, 2nd line of Yasna 33.1, 3rd line of Yasna 46.5, 4th line of Yasna 50. 6 and 1st line of Yasna 53.9.

Also, the Angel “Rashnü” in Avesta who stands at entrance to realms of boundless lights and GUIDES/DIRECTS those may pass UNOPPOSED comes from the same root.

The second word, “rök,” has several meanings, such as “development, ARRIVE,  come down to a position,  CONSTELLATION, destiny, CONCLUSION OF EVENTS.”  The Avestan equivalent with the exact same meaning is “raäch,” compare with the Proto-Germanic rakō. “Raäch” appears in the following passages in the poetic gathas; 3rd line of Yasna 32.7, 2nd line of Yasna 32. 11, and the 2nd line of Yasna 34.7.

The word ragnarök as a whole is then usually interpreted as the “final destiny of the gods. In stanza 39 of the Poetic Edda poem Lokasenna, and in the Prose Edda, the form ragnarök(k)r appears, rök(k)r meaning “twilight.” Usage of this form was popularized by 19th century composer Richard Wagner by way of the title of the last of his “Der Ring des Nibelungen” operas, Götterdämmerung;  Twilight/Doom of the Gods,  compare “dämmerung” with Persian “damarū.” The term Götterdämmerung is occasionally used in English, referring to a disastrous conclusion of events.

Yet, Haraldur Bernharðsson correctly argues instead that the word “ragna-rök” suggests a meaning of “renewal of the godly powers.” Both the Avestan and Norse accounts tell in amazing  similarity of a cosmic winter/fimbulvinter and a final battle resulting in “ragnarök,” ushering of an eternal spring and a splendid renewal of the universe. The similarity between the Norse accounts and the account of “Bun-dahishn” concerning events surrounding “frashökérétí” and the new act of creating is really astonishing.

     We read in the poetic gathas of the prophet, line four of Yasna 45.4, that “ármaiti” is the “dúgedá” of Ahúra Mazdá. ármaiti means “perfect contemplation, composed, calm reflection” (búndak manishní,) and is related to the modern Persian “aramesh.”
“ármaiti” is made out of two parts: ár+maiti. The first part means tranquil, calm, rhythmic flow. Compare Avestan “ár”  with Ger. “Rhein,” from Middle.High.German. Rin, Gaulish Renos, lit. “that which flows,” from the root *reie- “to move, flow, run,” Middle.Irish. rian “river, way;” Goth. rinnan “run, flow,” Old.Norse. rinna “to run,” Greek. rheos “a flowing, stream,” rhythmos “rhythm,” rhytos “fluid, liquid.
The second compound or “maiti” is the same as latin meditat-, pp. stem of meditari  “to meditate, to think over, consider, reflect,” Greek. medesthai “think about,” Greek medon “ruler,” Welsh meddwl “mind, thinking,” Goth. miton, Old.English. metan.  Mederi “to heal,” medicus “physician,” also come from the same root. .
ármaiti therefore is the calm, creative, flow of thoughts and ideas, the composed and tranquil meditation and reflection that heals and nurtures, the feminine/nurturing aspect of the Force. ármaiti” is called the “dúgedá” of Ahúra Mazdá. Avestan “dúgedá” is the same as Old.English. dohtor, from Pre.Germanic. *dochter/dhukter, German. Tochter, Goth. dauhtar, Sanskrit. duhitar, Lithuanian. dukte, Gk. thygater, English daughter.
The original meaning of the word is to “breastfeed, nurture, nurse, care, help to grow,” corresponding to Swedish. dagga, Danish. dægge “to suckle.” to nurse, to foster, to nourish, Sanskrit dhayati “sucks,” dhayah “nourishing;” Gk. thele “mother’s breast, nipple,” O.Church.Slovanic. dojiti “to suckle,” dojilica “nurse,” deti “child;” Lithuanian. dele “leech;” Old.Prussian. dadan “milk;” Goth. daddjan “to suckle;” Old.Swedish. dia “suckle.”
Just as Old.Prussian. dadan “milk;” the Persian Drink Dugh also comes from the same root; also the name of the prophet’s mother “dugh.daay” meaning nourisher, nurse, caretaker.  
ármaiti is the perfect silence of contemplation which widens to the highest, most blissful consciousness. According to Yasna 21.2, ármaiti is the first whom in her perfect peace and silence, the resplendent glory of the divine rays are manifested. Most of us live projected lives, on the surface of our beings, we are cut in the vibrations of the forces which move in the outside world. When we meet unpleasant vibrations we become similarly upset and agitated and thus support such negative energies by our reciprocation. Only when the mind is still, like clear, motionless and pristine waters, and in perfect purity and peace of contemplation, we can find answers and right solutions. In ármaiti originates all activities and becomings(Yasna 44.10 & Yasna 47.2,) and from her silence, all wise words are born (Yasna 47.6.) In the Zoroastrian tradition the “ham-kars” or co-workers/co-creators of ármaiti are: waters, vision, spiritual riches and effective words or manthras.
ármaiti is the calm power of perfect contemplation to face the adverse waves and negative energies that rush from the outside environment to disturb our balance and inner-might. Perfect concentration/calm is a great sign of the Force and belongs to the strong. It is only the weak that are agitated and are cut in the vicious cycle of negative vibrations. ármaiti is the nurturing aspect of the divine force, the spiritual energy that help things grow, prosper and flow. In conclusion, i should add that one the one of the name of Gd in the moslem koran is “momean” which pretty much means the same as this divine ray of Ahúra Mazdá.
 
ardeshir

We come frequently across a phrase in later Avesta, namely ” átarsh púthrä ahúra-hä mazdáw.” This phrase has been commonly translated as ” fire the son of Ahúra Mazdá.” The word translated as “son” is “púthr/púthrä.” Modern farsi words such as “púr/son” and “partoo/reflection/rays of light,” are derived from the same Avestan root.  “Púthr” could be compared with latin “filius,” words such as “fruit” and “felix” are all derived from the same ancient root namely: “to yield, produce, bear fruit, grow, be auspicious, happy and fruitful.”
Translation of “púthr” as son, seem not to do justice to the original Avestan. In my opinion, translating “púthr” as PRODIGY is a much more accurate and closer choice. In the verses of the prophet, we encounter the phrase “töí áthrém,” or “Your Pure Blazing Fire/Flame,” instead of the aforementioned formula. Compare Avestan “töí” with Old.English. þu, Ger. du, Old.Norse. thu, Goth. þu, Latin. tu, Irish. tu, Welsh ti, Greek. su, Lithuanian. tu, Old.Church.Slavonic. ty, Sanskrit. twa.    
  Fire appears as gathic “áthra/áthrö,” later Avestan “átarsh” and modern farsi  “átash/ázar.” They are the same as Old.French. ether, Latin. aether or “a purer form of fire or air,” Greek “aither” from “aithein;” “to burn, shine,” Sanskrit. inddhe “burst into flames,” Old.Irish. aed “fire,” Welsh aidd “heat, zeal,” Old.High.German. eit “pyre.” In addition, “edifice” or originally “a place with a hearth” is from the same base.
áthra/áthrö refers to a pure form of energy or fire that constitutes the substance of the universe and the stars.  It is called the púthr of Ahúra Mazdá, because creative energy or light is the closest reflection of GD. Notice the beautiful connection between the concept of growth, rays of light, delight and pure, transformative, blazing energy.
To best understand the idea of áthra/áthrö as the purest refelction of Gd or the prodigy of Ahúra Mazdá; a look at the idea of fire in  Heraclitus Philosophy is most helpful.   Heraclitus was born to an aristocratic family in Ephesus, present-day Efes, Turkey. Ephesus had been part of the Ancient Zoroastrian Persian Empire since 547 and was ruled by a satrap or Persian Vice-Roy.
Contrary to the static worldview of the Greeks at the time; Heraclitus looked at everything being in the state of permanent flux, hence, reality being merely a succession of transitory states. He told people that nothing is the same now as it was before, and thus nothing what is now will be the same tomorrow.  According to Heraclitus all things come to be in accordance with “LOGOS” (literally, “word,” “account,” “measure,” “formula” or “reason.”) Heraclitus used “fire” in lieu of LOGOS, and declared it as the origin of all things. This connection bewteen logos and fire; shows uncanny resemblance to the connection between “the auspicious spirit of wisdom” (speñtá mainyü ) and fire in the poetic gathas of the prophet, see Yasna 36.2. 
All things are an interchange for fire, and fire for all things. Heraclitus held that fire in lieu of LOGOS is the primordial energy out of which everything else arises. Fire is the origin of all matter; through it things come into being and pass away.
When Heraclitus speaks of God, he doesn’t mean the Greek gods. Instead he thinks that God is living, fiery element  in every soul and even in every material thing on earth, the common-sense notion of a ‘thing which gives rise to the other elements and thus to all things.
The notion for such creative flame is also present in the Moslem Koran, where GD sates that he has made the angels out of a fire without smoke.
 
ardeshir

Cadä (c is prounounced as in city) is the most important Iranian winter festival, celebrated by kindling fires. Like other seasonal festivals – Noúv-rúz, Tir-gān, and Mehr-gān – it corresponds to Zoroastrian thanksgiving festivals. Sada/Cadä falls 40 days after the winter solstice or yaldaa, namely on the 10th (Ābān) day of the month of Bahman (on or around 30 January in the Gregorian calendar.
Early Iranian Moslem converts condemned the celebration of Sada/Cadä, Noúv-rúz, and Mehr-gān as idolatry for which the Iranians were punished by the Arab invasion (Hamadāni, p. 4; see also Zand, p. 64; Jašn-e Sada, p. 42; Cristoforetti, 2002, pp. 43-44). Yet for Muslim Iranians, who were anxious to retain their cultural identity and historical memory under the Caliphate, these three festivals became a symbol of their glorious past.
Historical and literary sources, confirm the feasting of Sade/Cadä at iranian courts from the Samanid and Ziyarid times up to the Saljuqs (10th-12th centuries) in the areas from Bukhara and Ghazni to Isfahan and Baghdad.
The etymology of the word Sade/Cadä is not clear. Authors generally derive it from the Persian numeral ṣad (one hundred). The most common explanation of the term is that within the five-month period of the “Great Winter,” counted from the first day of the month of Ābān until the end of Esfand, the festival fell on the 100th day of winter, that is the 10th of Bahman (Biruni, Āṯār, tr. Sachau, p. 226; Rāzi, pp. 37-38). According to another, lexplanation, “one hundred” stands for 50 days plus 50 nights that separate Sade/Cadä from the new year on the first day of spring (Biruni, Āṯār, tr. Sachau, p. 226; Idem, 1954-56, p. 265; Idem, 1983, p. 257; Gardizi, p. 246). The term is also put in connection with the legend on the children of the first man or of the first couple (Gayómarṯ, Mašya, and Mašyāna) whose number reached one hundred on that day (Biruni, Āṯār, tr. Sachau, p. 226; Idem, 1954-56, p. 265; Idem, 1983, p. 257; Gardizi, p. 246; Qazvini, p. 80).
I believe that the above explanations are NOT convincing at all, and show only an utter lack of knowledge of the Avestan language, and the Avestan root of many Persian words and terms. Sade/Cadä is most likely an abbreviation of Cardä; Avestan “cared” meaning “cold, frost, winter.” Compare Old English “cald,” Germanic “kaldaz,”  O.S. kald, Old High German kalt; from Proto Indo European base “kál-/cál,” cold, coldness. The fortieth day after Yaldaa or winter solstice is believed to be the time that winter is at its COLDEST. The Sada/Cadä or more accurately Cardä night is considered the coldest night of the year. It was believed that on that night the winter came out from the hell (Biruni, Āṯār, tr. Sachau, p. 226; Qazvini, p. 80) and, according to Biruni, in Karaj it was called šab-e gazina (the biting night). After Sade/Cadä or more accurately Cardä, the weather was supposed to be get warmer.
Iranians celebrated Sade/Cadä by kindling enormous bonfires, drinking wine, and feasting around them. The disappearance of Sade was never complete, and traces of a winter fire festival celebrated on the 10th day of Bahman or January 30th has survived until the present.
The traces of Sada/Cadä or more accurately Cardä have survived among non-Zoroastrian population of many regions. The custom of kindling Sade fires by non-Zoroastrians was reported for the Ravānduz region in Iraqi Kurdistan and for Šabestar in Azerbaijan (Jašn-e Sada, pp. 32-33), as well as for Kurdish tribes of Mahābād, Kermānšāh, and Qaṣr-e Širin, whose festival of Vehār-i Kurdi (Kurdish Spring) falls on the 45th day of winter. A Kurdish fire festival called Tolidān, including some elements of the cult of the prophet Ḵeżr, was celebrated in mid-February by the Kurds of Turkey, Armenia, and Iraq, and it coincided with the Christian Armenian festival of Derendez (Jašn-e Sada, pp. 89-90; cf. Enjavi-Širāzi, II, pp. 120-24).
Sade/Cadä or more accurately Cardä fires were reported for the cities of Nišāpur, Ferdows, Sabzavār, and Torbat-e Heydariya in Khorasan (Mirniā, pp. 226-27; Rażi, pp. 604-8), for the city of Ḵur in Kavir (Jašn-e Sada, pp. 32-35), and for Lālazār in the province of Kermān. According to Enjavi-Širāzi (I, pp. 54-57), until modern times a fire festival called Jeljelāni had been held in the city of Naṭanz in west-central Iran on the 17-19 days of Dey, that is some two-three weeks prior to the traditional Sade date, but with many of its characteristics.
At the same time, for rural communities of Iran, the 10th of Bahman or January 30th has kept its importance as a turning point of the winter,when agricultural and pastoral fertility magic is performed: the pastoral Kusa rites in western and central Iran (Enjavi-Širāzi, I, pp. 67-85 and II, pp. 92-115, 170-81; cf. Krasnowolska, 1998, pp. 161-80), orchard magic, fumigation of the fruit trees, hanging stones on their branches, etc. (Enjavi-Širāzi, I, pp. 4, 54-57; Asadiān-Ḵorramābādi et al., p. 214).
While the custom of lighting fires on the Sade night is UNKNOWN to the Zoroastrians Parsis in India, their co-religionists in Iran are still practicing it as a part of their RELIGIOUS observances. Sade or Cardä is the culmination of Zoroastrian the winter solstice and mid-winter/maid yaar festivals. It occurs about 40 days from the eve of the winter solstice, on or about January 30th. The great fire festival of “Caredá/Cardä or “cadä/sade” concludes the COLD SEASON celebrations. For further reading check my previous “Winter Solstice Among Ancient Aryans, Yal-dá, “Maid-Yaar,” Yule-tide and Jól” article.
 
Ardeshir

Bibliography:
ENCYCLOPEDIA IRANICA
M.Boyce, “Rapithwin, Nō Rüz and the Feast of Sade,” in Pratidānam. Indian, Iranian and Indo-European Studies presented to Franciscus Bernardus Jacobus Kuiper on his Sixtieth Birthday, ed. J.C.Heesterman, G.H.Schokker, and V.I.Subramoniam, The Hague, Paris, and Mouton, 1968, pp. 201-15.
Idem, A Persian Stronghold of Zoroastrianism, Oxford 1977.
Idem, “Iranian festivals,” Camb. Hist. Iran III/2, 1983, pp. 972-815.
Idem, “The Kurds and the sade,” Iran and Caucasus 2, 1998.
A.S.Enjavi-Širāzi, Jašnhā vo ādāb o rosum o moʿtaqedāt-e zemestān, 2 vols., Tehran, 1352-54 Š./1973-75.
Farroḵi, Divān-e Ḥakim-e Farroḵi-e Sistāni, ed. M.Dabirsiāqi, Tehran, 1349 Š./1970.
J.G.Frazer, Balder the Beautiful: the Fire-Festivals of Europe and the Doctrine of External Soul, 2 vols., London, 1913.
A.Krasnowolska, Some Key Figures of Iranian Calendar Mythology, Krakow, 1998.
Idem, “Šab-e Čella,” Folia Orientalia 35, 1999, pp. 55-74.
E.Pur-e Dāvud, Anāhitā. Panjāh goftār, [Tehran], 1361 Š./1982.
M.R.Šahzādi, “Sada yā jašn-e peydāyeš-e ātaš,” Našriya-ye Anjoman-e Farhang-e Irān 6/1, 1347 Š./1968, pp. 14-28.
E.Šakurzāda, ʿAqāʾed o rosum-e ʿāmma-ye mardom-e Ḵorāsān, Tehran, 1346 Š./1967.
S.Ḥ.Taqizāda, “The Old Iranian Calendars Again,” BSOAS 14/2, 1952, pp. 603-11.
Idem, Gāhšomāri dar Irān-e qadim, in Maqālāt-e Taqizāda, ed. I.Afšār, vol. X, [Tehran], 1357 Š./1978.

The date of this Pahlavi text is uncertain. However, it is a beautiful and concise summary of the orthodox Zoroastrian doctrine. The work is COMPILED FROM VARIOUS ANCIENT COMMENTARIES/PASSAGES OF THE POETIC GATHAS OF THE PROPHET. I have divided it into 3 articles, and tried to add middle iranian or pahlavani/pahlavi equivalent  of the key concepts.
(1) Now it is the beautiful religion of the Mazdyasna that explores/discovers, makes things easily comprehensible, and mediates/intervenes (miyan-ji) by means of wisdom, and brings enlightenment.
 
(2)So this must one know without venturing to doubt: “I have come from the unseen world of the spirit/mind (minoo/ménök), nor was I (always) of this terrestrial world (gätik). I belong to Ahúrmazd, the GD of vision, wisdom and realization; not to Ahriman, the afflicted, dull spirit of frustration. I belong to the adorable angels/godly virtues (Yazatás), not to the deceitful demons (Dävs), to the good, not to the wicked. I am a man, not a demon, a creature of Ahúrmazd, not of Ahriman. My stock and lineage is from (the living mortal) Gayómard. My mother is Speñtarmaiti, (the archangel of calmness and earth), and my father is Ahúrmazd, the celestial wise lord of the sky. My humanity is from Mashye and Mashyane who were the first seed and offspring of Gayómard.
 
(3) To perform my function and to do my duty means that I should believe that Ahúrmazd IS (hastí), WHICH HAS ALWAYS BEEN (hamé bütí), and WILL ALWAYS BE (hamé bávetí), that his Kingdom is INDESTRUCTIBLE, and that he is WITHOUT LIMITATION and is PURE ABILITY; and that Ahriman IS NOT (nístí), and IS WITHOUT BEING (avín bütí); that I myself belong to Ahúrmazd and his Auspicious Immortals {Amesha Speñtas}, and that I have no connection with the afflicted, dull Ahriman, the deceitful demons, and their associates.
 
(4) My first work on earth is to confess the Beautiful Religion, to practice it, and to take part in its joyous celebration and to be steadfast in it, to keep the Faith in the Beautiful Religion of the worshipers of the GD of wisdom and vision/Ahúrmazd ever in my mind, and to distinguish success/happy outcome (svüd) from loss, harm from industrious works, goodness from evil, light from darkness, and the worship of the Brilliant Ahúrmazd from the worship of the dull demons.
 
(5) My second work is to take a spouse and to procreate earthly offspring, and to be strenuous and steadfast in this.
 
(6) My third work is to cultivate and till the land;
 
(7) my fourth to treat all harmless/peaceful animals kindly and with benevolence;
 
(8) my fifth to spend a third of my days and nights in attending the seminary and consulting the wisdom of the wise,
to spend a third of my days and nights in tilling the land and in making it fruitful,
and to spend (the remaining) third of my days and nights in eating, rest, and sexual enjoyment.
 
(9) I must have no doubt but that success/good fortune arises from works of industry, and loss from injury, that my friend is Ahúrmazd, the GD of Genius and Brilliance, and my enemy is the frustrated Ahriman, and that there is only one way.
 
(10) (This) one way (is that) of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, (the way of) Heaven, of light and of purity, of the genius Creator WITHOUT LIMITATION, Ahúrmazd; who was always and will ever be.
 
(11) (There is also) the other way of evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds, (the way of) darkness, and of the LIMITATION/FRUSTRATION, utter misery, death, and wickedness which belong to the afflicted, dull Spirit Ahriman; who once was not in this creation, and again will not be in the creation of Ahúrmazd, and who in the end will be destroyed.
 
(12) I must have no doubt but that there are TWO first principles, one the principal of REALIZATION and the other the principal of FRUSTRATION.
 
(13) The Creator is Ahúrmazd who is all goodness, manifestation and light;
 
(14) and the ENEMY is the afflicted and beaten Spirit of FRUSTRAION, ahriman who is all wickedness and full of death, a liar and a deceiver.
 
(15) Equally I must have no doubt that all men are mortal except only Saöshyáns/the final savior and the seven scholar rulers (who help him).
 
(16) I must have no doubt but that the life-force (jaan) will be severed (from the body of flesh) and that the body (itself) will be dissolved. (Nor may I doubt) the three nights of judgment (of the soul at death), the raising of the dead, the Future Body of Light, the crossing at the Bridge of Illumination (“chinvatö perethö” or the bridge of clarity, illumination. the first part comes from the root ci/knowledge of something, to separate one thing from another, to distinguish.  Compare with O.French. science, from L. scientia “knowledge,” of scire “to know,” originally “,”to cut, divide.” “perethö” is bridge,  Ger. Brücke. ); the coming of the Saöshyáns/the final savior, the raising of the dead and the Final Body of luminosity.
 
(17) I must (further) observe what is honorable (pahlavi erih, german ehre, english honor) and the teachings of the Ancients, and (I must) preserve my thoughts in virtue, my tongue in truth, and my hands in doing what is good and excellent.
 
(18) With all the good I must act honorably
 
(19) Peace, harmony and concord in all good deeds I do.
 
(20) In my dealings, (I must) always behave according to justice and the dictates of the Beautiful Religion.
 
(21) With whomsoever it may be, in past, present, and future time, I must act in virtue and in accord with justice and decency (ham-datastan).
 
(22) Good deeds performed for the sake of the wondrous truth of Ahúrmazd are of a higher value than those performed for one’s own sake, and by them is getaway from confinment/limitation and welfare most assured.

Ardeshir

Yal-dá is a winter solstice festival that was celebrated by the ancient iranians/aryans as a religious Zoroastrian festival. The festival is celebrated at the exact moment of the winter solstice, and is determined by the Avestan calendar. In Iran today, despite of the advent of Islam, Yal-dá is still celebrated widely.  Yal-dá is and has always been the most popular festival after “nauv-raúz” or vernal equinox among the iranian people. 
 
It is a time when friends and family gather together to eat, DRINK and read POETRY until well after midnight. The night of the winter solstice  or “šab-e yal.dā” is an occasion for special ceremonies. This night is considered to be a magically potent night.In most parts of greater Iran the extended family gather around and enjoy a fine dinner. Many varieties of fruits, nuts  and sweetbreads especially prepared or kept for this night are served. In some areas it is believed that forty varieties of edibles should be served during the ceremony of the night. Pomegranates and watermelons are particularly significant. Watermelons are especially kept from summer for this ceremony. It is believed that consuming watermelons on this eve will ensure the health and well-being of the individual by protect­ing him from falling victim to excessive cold/heat or disease produced by hot humors.
 
Furthermore, the RED color in pomegranates and watermelons symbolizes the crimson hues and SPLENDOR of DAWN. After dinner the older indi­viduals entertain the others by TELLING them TALES. Another favorite and prevalent pastime of the night is DIVINATION by the Hāfez poetry (fāl-e Hāfez).  It is a widely practiced pre-islamic custom for Iranian families to have a kind of reunion on the longest eve of the year.  For in the Zoroastrian/Aryan tradition, the winter solstice is particularly auspicious, and prescribed rituals tend to assure good fortune and the overcoming of difficulties. Observing the splendor of the dawn after the longest night of the year, is a pre-islamic formula  prescribed in connection with this night that is specially auspicious, and here comes the Mithraic connection.
 
“Mithra,” the most brilliant of the adorable, divine/brilliant beings is closely associated with the rising sun, the glory of the dawn, and the pleasant light of the early morning hours. However,  there is not ONE single reference  in the entire Zoroastrian lore, be it Avesta, ancient Avestan commentaries or the entire middle iranian/pahlavi literature; about the supposed birth of Mithra on the eve of the winter solstice,. It is important to add that in Zoroastrianism ahuric powers/virtues/qualities such as “Mithra,” are “apaöúrvím” or without beginning. There is a very very thin line between divine names and adorable virtues/angels/yazatás in Zoroastrianism.
 
In addition, the Avestan name for the Month covering the time period of the solstice or December 20- January 20, is “daðváw/dathúshö,” farsi “Day.” The Avestan name means the “giver of gifts,” “bestower of talents/powers.”  In the civil Achaemenid calendar this month is called “a-nāma-ka,” month of the nameless/GD. It is the most festive month of the year according to the Avestan calendar, with the most number of festivals. Furthermore, the month dedicated to Mithra covers the period between late September till late October in the religious Zoroastrian calendar.
Hence, the commonly held belief that “Yal-dá”  is of aramaic origin, referring to the so-called birth of “Mithra;” is in my opinion unsubstantiated, and without any credible evidence. Why should Iranians adopt a semitic name for their second most beloved pre-islamic festival, while ALL other pre-islamic festivals have kept their indigenous indo-european names??? 
 I believe that the word “Yalda” is derived from the Avestan “Yaar,” namely YEAR,  Dutch  jaar, German Jahr, Gothic jer, Old Church Slovanic jaru.  In Avesta, YAAR or YEAR also means “COLD SEASON.” A comparison with the Farsi word for year or “cál” is helpful. The Avestan root of of the farsi “cál” or year is “cared.” Avestan “cared” means “cold, cold season, winter.” Compare Old English “cald,” Germanic “kaldaz,”  O.S. kald, Old High German kalt; from Proto Indo European base “kál-/cál,” cold, coldness. In addition, the other common name for solstice in farsi, “chelle” seem to support the notion of “cold/coldness” associated with the eve of the winter solstice.
 
I should add that the SECOND MOST FESTIVE  Zoroastrian Thanksgiving Festival is called “MAID-YAAR” or mid-year/mid winter. The importance of this festival as “the second most important festival” is cited throughout ancient Avesta and later middle Iranian/pahlavi literature. We read in “áfringan gahan-bár” or the  “Avestan blessing formulas” associated with seasonal thanksgiving celebrations, verse 11: “In the case that a person does not celebrate  “MAID-YAAR,” he/she must be expelled from among the community of the  Mazda worshippers.”
 
Avestan “MAID” means “middle,” “midmost,” and  “MAID-YAAR” alludes to the heart of cold/winter.  “MAID-YAAR”  is celebrated on Jan 4th.  From the WINTER SOLSTICE/Yal-dá around Dec 20th till Jan 4th or “MAID-YAAR” is about 2 weeks. Notice the very similar 12 days span between CHRISTMAS and EPIPHANY. Epiphany is when the 3 Zoroastrian MAGIS visited the Christ child.   
 
A Comparison with the Germanic winter festival of “Yule” or “Yule-tide” is most interesting. “Yule,” also called in Icelandic “Jól”  was an indigenous “winter solstice/midwinter” festival celebrated by the pre christian scandinavians and other Germanic people. Terms with an etymological equivalent to “Yule” are still used in the Nordic Countries for the Christian Christmas.
 
In chapter 55 of the Prose Edda book Skáldskaparmál, or “language of poetry” the term “Yule” is quoted, which reads: “Again we have produced Yule-being’s feast [MEAD of POETRY], our rulers’ eulogy, like a bridge of masonry.”
 
“Yule” was originally celebrated from LATE DECEMBER to EARLY JANUARY on a date determined by the Lunar Germanic calendar. The etymological line of the word “Yule,” is uncertain. Yet, the Estonian “jõul” seem to provide the key. Pre Christian Estonians believed that one’s behaviour in the times of “jõul” determined the good fortune of oneself and the whole household. Estonian “jõul,” were sacred days marking THE END OF ONE CYCLE/SEASON and the beginning of the new one. The etymology of YEAR in all indo-european languages, including Avestan YAAR also suggests the “COMPLETION OF A CYCLE.”
 
All these winter solstice/mid-winter festivals suggest an ancient aryan origin. In about 40 days from the eve of the winter solstice or about January 30th, the great fire festival of “caredá” or “cadä” concludes the COLD SEASON celebrations.
 
Ardeshir Fahrmand

Bibliography : Enjavī, Jašnhā o ādāb o moʿtaqadāt-e zemestān, 2 vols., Tehran, 1352 Š./1973. M. Pāyanda, Āʾīnhā wa bāvardāšthā-ye mardom-e Gīl o Deylam, Tehran, 2535 = 1355 Š./1976. ʿA.-R. Ṣafīpūrī, ʿAqāyed o rosūm-e mardom-e Ḵorāsān, 2nd ed., Tehran, 1363 Š./1984. Orchard, Andy (1997). Dictionary of Norse Myth and Legend. Cassel. Orel, Vladimir (2003). A Handbook of Germanic Etymology. Leiden. Simek, Rudolf (2007) translated by Angela Hall. Dictionary of Northern Mythology.

 Since the time immemorial, the threefold motto of “good thoughts, good words and good deeds” has been a fundamental tenet in Zoroastrianism .  This ancient code is acknowledged by Zoroastrians of every shade of doctrinal belief. The motto of “húmata hükhta húvarshta” acts as a unifying factor for the community, and is the basis for far-reaching charity and philanthropy. It simplifies our ancient religion into a very sincere belief in ALL WISE and ALL GOOD GOD, who insists on the purest essence in thoughts, words and deeds, and shapes the faith of the individuals in this world and the next, according to their thoughts, words and deeds. 
In the Haδōkht Nask 2.24-25 the Daäna/inner eyes/insight of a righteous person, is identified with his/her good thoughts, words, and deeds; by which the soul has been made beautiful/shining/brilliant; and (2.33-34) the virtuous ascend through the three stages of “húmata “hükhta húvarshta,” into the eternal lights, and then the celestial house of music & songs of ahúrá mazdá.
 According to the holy Dēnkart Bk. 4 (ed. Madan, p. 413.15-17; tr. Shaki, p. 120:) “the effective power of the religion’s truth lay not so much in exclamation, as in the purest essence in thoughts, words, and deeds, the guidance of the Spirit of Wisdom and worship of the yazatás or the ADORABLE VIRTUES/QUALTIES of an ALL GOOD GOD .”  In Yasht. 13.84 and Yasht. 19.17, the seven great Aməšhá Spəñtás or the “ahuric auspicious immortals” themselves are meditating on “húmata “hükhta húvarshta.”
The earliest occurrence of the formula is at the beginning of Yasna Haptaŋg.hāiti (Yasna. 35.2), Zoroastrian tradition with certainty, and a number of scholars with different levels of convictions, have assigned the composition of Yasna Haptaŋg.hāiti to Prophet Zarathushtra himself (K. Hoffmann apud Barr, p. 285, n. 7; Gershevitch, p. 18; Narten, 1982, p. 137;  1986, pp. 20-37; Boyce, 1992, pp. 87-94;  1995, p. 25; Hintze, pp. 31-33, 45-50); and the prophet can here be seen defining for his followers with simple clarity an ethical formula referred to in more subtle ways in the poetic gathas e.g  first line of Yasna 34.10,  third line of Yasna 45.8 and first line of Yasna 53.2.
“hú or hü,” the first part of the three Avestan words means; “extraction, purest essence, nectar.” It is the same as Sanskrit sú, Old High German saf, german saft, english sap.
“mata” or the second part of the first word of the formula; “to meditate, to think over, consider.” Compare Skt. midiur “I judge, estimate,” Welsh meddwl “mind, thinking,” Gothic. miton, Old.English. metan, Greek. medesthai “think about,” medon “ruler.” In Persian, the Avestan word is translated into “pendaar;” to ponder, to consider, to weigh a matter mentally. 
“ükhta” or the second part of the second word of the formula means;  “utterance,, speech, word.” Compare with Germanr. äussern “to utter, express.” It comes from the root “vac” voice, word, speech, expressed wish/desire.
“varsht” or the second part of the final and third word of the formula occurs frequently in the poetic gathas, and the combination of “húvarsht” appears also in the third line of Yasna 49.4.  The root “varesh/varez means;” “to come to pass, to become.” Compare Germanic wurdiz/wurthis, Old.Slavic. wurd, Old.High.German. wurt, German “werden,” Old.English. weorðan “to become”, from the base “wer-” “to turn, bend.” The ancient NORSE RUNE “WYRD” literally “that which is in the process of happening/becoming;” is identical to the Avestan word and concept here.
The Middle Persian or the Pahlavi renderings of the above three Avestan words are “hu-manishn hu-gōwishn, hu-kunishn.”
A further elucidation of the threefold formula is provided in Yasna 19.19:
kat húmatem, ashavanem mana-paóiryö,
What is the purest essence in thought? The foremost/original in the mind/spirit of the excellent.
kat hükhtem, mánthrö speñtö,
What is the purest essence in utterance/speech? the auspicious, effecive word of the spirit/mantra.
kat húvarshtem, staótáish asha-paóiryáish-cha dámébísh.
What is the purest essence in that which is happening/becoming? The praise/staótá lit.” that which causes to appear/stand, bring into existence;” of the lot/portion (dámébísh from the root dá; to give, allot) who regard “ahuric artistry/virtues” first and above all other things.

In conclusion, i should add that in Mazdyasna or the beautiful religion; the excellence in thoughts, words and deeds is the key to happiness and salvation regardless of one’s religion. Zoroastrianism’s emphasis is and has always been on “virtue and wisdom.” Zoroastrianism teaches us not to care for labels, instead focus on goodness and excellence. As we say in the popular middle persian “hamá zoor” prayer; “may we be of the same force/energy with the virtuous and good, across the seven kingdoms of the earth.”

Ardeshir

Sources: Die Religion des alten Iranier,” German tr. by J. P. Asmussen in Handbuch der Religionsgeschichte, ed. Asmussen and J. Laessoe, vol. II, Göttingen, 1972. M. Boyce, Zoroastrians, Their Religious Beliefs and Practices, London, 1979; 5th corrected repr., 2001.  Zoroastrianism: its Antiquity and Constant Vigour, “Thought, Word and Deed: a Topic of Comparative Religion,” in K. R. Cama Oriental Inst., International Congress Proceedings1989, Bombay, 1991, pp. 41-51. Die Religionen des Alten Iran, German tr. by H. H. Schaeder, Leiden, 1938; repr., Osnabrück, 1966. B. Schlerath, Awesta Wörterbuch, Vorarbeiten II, Wiesbaden, 1968. “Gedanke, Wort und Werk im Veda und im Awesta,” in Antiquitates Indogermanicae, Gedenkschrift H. Güntert, ed. M. Mayrhofer et al., Innsbrücker Beiträge zur Sprachwissenschaft, Bd. 12, 1974, pp. 202-21. M. Shaki, “The Dēnkard Account of the History of the Zoroastrian Scriptures,” Archív Orientální 49, 1981, pp. 114-20. E. W. West, Pahlavi Texts II, SBE 18, Oxford, 1882; repr. Delhi, 1965.

Traditional Zoroastrians, both males and females wear a sacred shirt and a sacred belt called “sudre and koeshti,” under their clothing. The sacred shirt and belt is given to a Zoroastrian during his/her initiation. This practice is quite ancient, and has its roots in ancient indo european beliefs. In fact, both “sudre” and “koeshti” bear striking resemblance to “russian peasant clothing.” The shirt or sudre is made out of white cotton, and is kept scrupulously clean. The cotton is a symbol for the sacredness of the Plant Creation. It looks really like a T-shirt with a V-neck. At the point of the V, over the chest, is a symbolic “pocket.” This pocket is called “the pocket of good deeds” and is the symbolic place where virtuous deeds are stashed.

Over the white cotton shirt or “sudre,” and tied around the waist, is a sacred belt called the “koeshti.” koeshti is etymologically realted to latin costa, engl. coast, old french coste, Dutch. kust, Swed. kust, Ger. Küste, Dan. kyst. The original meaning is SIDE, BORDER, which later developed a secondary sense of SHORE. In Avesta, the term used for “koeshti” is “aiwi-yáñg.” The avestan term comes from the from the root “yāh/ yās,” to gird, girdle; compare lithuanian “juosiu” to gird, O.C.S. po-jasu “girdle. belt.

Putting a belt amomg ancient Aryans meant “to gain or succeed by struggling,” to strive, fight, overcome and WORK AT. In fact, the ancient commentaries translate “yáh” as kárik; to create, work at, win, gain and succeed. Hence, by putting on the sacred belt or koeshti, a Zoroastrian becomes a worker/warrior of light, wisdom and virtue. A comparsion with Thor’s GIRDLE OF POWER in norse mythology is very appropriate.

This Zorastrian sacred belt or koeshti resembles in many ways the much later “Fransican cord.” Koeshti is a flattened tube of white wool and is made by women of priestly families. The wool of the Koeshti is a symbol for the sacredness of the Animal Creation. The color white stands for purity, light virtue and goodness. Koeshti has 72 strands interwoven in it, each strand symbolizes a chapter in the YASNA or the most sacred 72 songs of Zoroastrianism. The number 72 is especially sacred to Zoroastrian. The most powerful “srósh váj” formula (Yasna 27.13, Yasna 46.7 and Yasna 44.16 from the second line onwards) consists of 72 words. Also, the mention of the 72 intelligences governing the 72 zodiacal terms, and 72 as the number of eternal youth/vigor amomg taoists, could be cited as other examples.

The tying of the Koeshti is one of the most important rituals for a Zoroastrian. The Koeshti prayers are slightly different for Parsis from India and Iranian Zoroastrians. During recitation of the Koeshti formula, a Zoroastrian unties the koeshti from around his/her waist and holds it up, the strand doubled over, in both hands. The reciter faces a light, moon, stars or the sun, in honor of the divine light.

He/She lifts the koeshti to touch forehead and eyes. The formuals include some inspiring verses from the Poetic Gathas, and a warding formual against evil. Undoubling the koeshti, the reciter winds the belt around his/her waist and brings it around to the front, where he/she ties a square knot, while saying the most sacred Yasna 27.13 formula. Then, bringing the ends around to the back again, he/she ties another square knot, while saying Yasna 27.14 song. The two ends of the koeshti hang down a few inches in the back. The koeshti thus have three knots around the waist, which is symbolic of the great Threefold Path of “good thoughts, good words, good deeds.” In fact, Zoroastrians wear this sacred shirt and belt for the purpose of mutual work of spreading virtue, wisdom and goodness in thoughts, words and deeds in the world.

Ardeshir

Bibliography : M. Haug, Essays on the Sacred Language, Writings, and Religion of the Parsis, 2nd ed., London, 1878, pp. 396-99. Modi, Ceremonies, pp. 272-76.