In the heart of the vast Iranian plateau, for thousands of years, prayers, hymns, and wisdom flowed from the tongues of our ancestors, passed down from generation to generation and taking root in the soul of this land. This precious heritage, later known as the "Avesta," is not just a religious book but is considered the oldest written document of the history, culture, and authentic beliefs of the Iranians. The language of this collection is called "Avestan," a language of which no other work survives today, but its themes and hymns have deep roots in the ancient Indo-Iranian and even Indo-European eras.
The Avesta not only contains prayers to Ahura Mazda and other deities but also holds the national and epic stories of Iran. These narratives primarily belonged to the inhabitants of northeastern Iran and the mythical land of Airyanem Vaejah, where our ancient prophet, Zarathushtra Spitama, first preached his teachings. According to religious traditions, all the contents of this book were inspired in Zoroaster by Ahura Mazda, and the Avesta itself is a language of divine wisdom and a guide for living based on truth and goodness.
The oldest and most authentic part of the Avesta is called the "Gathas," which are the spiritual hymns of Zoroaster himself. This section, in terms of language and content, is so ancient that it bears striking similarities to the Indian Rigveda, and its age is dated to around 1500 to 1200 BCE. The Gathas, with a simple and philosophical language, emphasize the fundamental dualism between Spenta Mainyu (the Bounteous or Holy Spirit) and Angra Mainyu (the Destructive or Evil Spirit) and consider man free to choose the path of righteousness (Asha) and to combat falsehood (Druj). This emphasis on individual responsibility and ethical choice makes the Avesta one of the first inspirational texts on the path to monotheism.
However, the Avesta does not only consist of the Gathas. Other parts of the Avesta, known as the "Younger Avesta," include a collection of texts, hymns, and prayers that were added to the collection in different periods after Zoroaster. The Yashts, which are a collection of hymns in praise of pre-Zoroastrian deities like Mithra and Anahita, are much older than Zoroaster and indicate the fusion and evolution of the religious beliefs of Iranians throughout history. These parts, although linguistically newer, contain the deep roots of ancient Iranian culture and mythology.
Throughout history, the Avesta has undergone changes and revisions many times. In ancient times, this great book had 815 chapters in twenty-one Nasks (meaning book or section). But the fate of this treasure was altered with the invasion of Alexander the Great into Iran and the burning of the royal palaces. According to Zoroastrian religious traditions, many copies of the Avesta were destroyed in this attack, and only parts of it remained scattered. This incident was a fatal blow to the body of ancient Iranian knowledge and literature and forever deprived us of many parts of this valuable book.
After the era of Alexander and during the time of the Parthians, efforts began to re-gather the scattered Avesta. Vologases I of Parthia (51–78 CE) ordered that what remained of the Avesta and its commentary (Zend) be preserved and collected. These efforts reached their peak during the Sasanian era. Ardashir I and Shapur I, the founders of this dynasty, engaged in collecting and collating the books derived from the religion, and finally, Shapur II also ordered an investigation and review of the sayings and thoughts to reassure the people in their faith.
During the Sasanian era, the Avesta was divided into 21 Nasks, and the author of the Denkard in the ninth century CE divides these Nasks into three main sections: Gasanik, Hadak-mansarik, and Datik. The Sasanian Avesta is estimated to have been about 345,700 words. But the Avesta we have today is only about a quarter or a third of that huge volume and includes five main parts: Yasna, Visperad, Vendidad, Yashts, and Khordeh Avesta. The oldest surviving manuscript of the Avesta is kept in Copenhagen, Denmark, and its writing date goes back to 1325 CE.
The existing Avesta is not only written in the Gathic and Younger Avestan languages, but over the centuries, interpretations and translations have also been added to it. Among the most important of these interpretations is the "Zend," which is written in Pahlavi (Middle Persian) and helps in a better understanding of the Avesta. These interpretations indicate the dynamic life and interpretability of this sacred text throughout history and further reveal its importance among Zoroastrian communities.
The "Vendidad" section, which is one of the important parts of the existing Avesta, differs from other sections in terms of content and date of writing. This section includes harsh and oppressive penal laws and specific definitions of "daeva" (demon) and "followers of the daeva," which is also applied to the deities of other lands. This approach contrasts with the religious tolerance policy of Cyrus the Great and indicates the influence of more complex power systems and sociology on the later Avestan texts.
Despite all the challenges and damages that the Avesta has endured throughout history, this book has always remained as a shining lamp of Iranian wisdom and culture. This collection is not only an invaluable source for understanding the Zoroastrian religion but also a window into the worldview, values, and ideals of our ancestors. The story of the Avesta is a story of the resistance of knowledge and light against darkness and oblivion, a story that will continue to inspire generations.
The fact that the Avesta was preserved orally for a long time and that there were probably attempts during the Parthian or early Sasanian period to write it down in a script derived from Aramaic scripts is a testament to the importance of preserving this precious heritage in the collective memory of Iranians. These efforts show a strong will to transmit this ancient wisdom to future generations and make the Avesta a symbol of the resilience of Iranian culture.