CENTER FOR IRANIAN STUDIES - کانون پژوهشهای ايران شناختی

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In a message dated 10/3/2010 6:04:21 PM Pacific Daylight Time, Soleman2002@aol.com writes:


Symbolism of FIRE as found in the Zoroastrian Religion:


Fire, The Son and Symbol Of God

People believe that the religion of Zoroaster is fire-worship. This is a mistake. "Do not say that the Iranians were fire-worshippers. They were worshippers of one God." These are the utterances of the great Firdusi. Fire is a sacred and supreme symbol of God. It is a sacred symbol in the Avesta. Fire is considered as the son of Ahura Mazda. The prophet of Iran did not teach fire-worship. He taught the worship of the one Supreme Lord of the universe, Ahura Mazda. Fire is the symbol of divine in all sacrifices. It is a sacred object. It is the symbol of divine life. It is the sacred symbol most reverenced by the Zoroastrians of today.

In every religion, fire has been the symbol of the Supreme Lord. Brahman is fire in Hinduism. Ahura Mazda is fire. The Jews worship their God as a pillar of fire. The Christians declare that their God is a consuming fire. Fire symbolised the brilliance of the Lord. It is purifying. Fire stands for effulgence, illumination. The worship of Agni or Fire comes in the Vedas also. In the Bible it is said, "God is light." Upanishads declare "Brahman is Jyotirmaya (full of light)." In every religion fire finds a place in rituals. Fire brings the message that God is Light of lights. Zoroaster himself held Fire in great sanctity as a noble gift from God. He summoned Fire from the sky and pointed it to heaven. The Heavens burst into fire. Some of the flames darted downwards and fired the altar at his side. Sacred fire in the altar of a temple is a symbol that reminds the Parsee of the glory of Ahura Mazda. It is called Atar in the Avesta.

Fire is declared to be the most helpful of all the spiritual intelligences or archangels. He is the most friendly. He comes down from Ahura Mazda. He is acquainted with all heavenly secrets.

The Jews received for the first time the ideas of heaven and hell, of angels and archangels of Messiah, of the resurrection and the last day of judgment from Zoroastrianism. These have laid the foundation to the doctrines of Christianity and Islam also.


Dear Dr. Ichaporia,

Ushta!

You write: "Fire is considered as the son of Ahura Mazda. The prophet of Iran did not teach fire-worship. He taught the worship of the one Supreme Lord of the universe, Ahura Mazda. Fire is the symbol of divine in all sacrifices."

I posted a four-page essay, "Fire in the Avesta," on 29 April 2001. The esays shows that "Fire, Son of Ahura Mazda" does not occur in the Gathas and Supplements and that it is the "Hearth Fire" only which is called "Son of Ahura Mazda" and that there are other fires mentioned by their names.

Would you, please give your opinion on these points and also explain what are the "sacrifices" in the Zoroastrian Religion?

Awaiting your kind reply,

Ali A. Jafarey,


Buena Park, Southern California

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Washing


By:Majid Nafissi


Only the sound of the washer remains


And our clothes are losing


Their fragrant nightly memories:


The scent of firewood and wet grass


The stains of wine on your blouse


And the blackberries on my cuffs


The fingertips of morning dew on your shoulders


And the brown mark of earth on my back


Rolling, rolling under the fading stars


And suddenly the big red ball of the sun!


Let it turn around, around


and mingle our clothes together.


Love is stainless


And its clean shirt


Always shines.


October 12, 2002
___________________
*- This poem is one of twelve poems chosen by Writers at Work for publication in a colorful 2011 calendar in Los Angeles. On Sunday October 10, 2010 at 5 pm the "calendar poets" will be reading at Sky Light bookstore in 1818 North Vermont in Los Angeles. This event is free and the calendars will be presented for sale.
http://www.iranian.com/main/2010/oct

http://anobanini.ir/pic/danestani-ha/iranmap/language-map-iran/language-map-of-iran-b.jpg< br>


comet 103P/Hartley 2


The icy nucleus of comet 103P/Hartley 2 measures no more than a couple of kilometers across. That tiny nugget, however, is surrounded by an vast atmosphere of gas more than 150,000 km in diameter--about the same size as the planet Jupiter! And it's coming our way.

Image taken:
Oct. 4, 2010

Location:
Hunejan, Esfahan, Iran

Details:
It was really interesting to observe & Photograph the beautiful green comet . Photo info: camera: Canon 450D ISO: 1600 Focal length: 125 mm Exposure: 204 sec F-stop: f/5.6


M. Sol.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmxHYr6oQKQ&feature=player_embedded#