Zoroastrian Pantheon

Zoroastrian tradition holds that the prophet Zarathushtra received revelation from Ahura Mazda, the supreme wise lord who created the universe through his thoughts. Opposing Ahura Mazda is Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), the destructive spirit who introduced death, disease, deceit, and evil into the world. Human beings occupy the center of this cosmic conflict: through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, they ally themselves with asha and hasten the eventual defeat of evil.

The divine realm includes the Amesha Spentas, six holy immortals who personify aspects of creation and virtue: Vohu Manah (good thought), Asha Vahishta (truth and order), Khshathra Vairya (desirable dominion), Spenta Armaiti (holy devotion), Haurvatat (wholeness), and Ameretat (immortality). Yazatas such as Mithra, Anahita, Verethragna, and Sraosha are venerated as worthy of worship. Fire, as a symbol of purity and divine light, is the focus of temple cult and must never be polluted.

Eschatology is central to Zoroastrianism. At death, the soul lingers near the body for three days before crossing the Chinvat Bridge, where its deeds are weighed. The righteous pass to paradise, while the wicked fall into hell. At the end of time, a savior named Saoshyant will lead the final battle, resurrect the dead, purify the world with molten metal, and establish eternal righteousness under Ahura Mazda.

Zoroastrianism was the dominant religion of the Achaemenid, Parthian, and Sasanian empires before the Islamic conquest of Persia. Survivors migrated to India, where they became known as Parsis, and smaller communities remain in Iran, India, and the diaspora. Its influence on later Jewish, Christian, and Islamic ideas of angels, demons, judgment, and paradise has been widely studied.