Philosophical enquiry needs an analytic Mathematical Mind.
One would notice that most of the Great Philosophers of the world have also been great Mathematicians.
Rene Descartes, Leibniz,Spinoza,Siddhas of India,Pingala, Arya Bhatta, Varaha Mihira….
It is easy for a Mathematician to understand Nature which is mathematically constructed.
Every atom to an elephant is made mathematically.
There is Uniformity and Rhythm in Nature.
This applies to actions and reactions.
The term Rta is dealt separately in Hinduism.
This means order.
Please read my post on this.
Another point in Hinduism is what is in Macrocosm is in Microcosm and vice versa.
What is found in the Universe is found in Man.
For example,
The ratio 1:1.618 is a golden ratio which is found all over the cosmos. Stick out your forefinger. The ratio from the first two bones is 1:1.618. Now the ratio between the 2nd middle bone and the third bone terminating at the knuckle is also 1:1.618. The ration from your navel to top of your head and bottom of your feet is also 1:1.618
This is called the Fibonacci Ratio.
Fibonacci Ratio in Leaves
Arrangements of the leaves
Fibonacci Ration in Leaves.
Also, many plants show the Fibonacci numbers in the arrangements of the leaves around their stems. If we look down on a plant, the leaves are often arranged so that leaves above do not hide leaves below. This means that each gets a good share of the sunlight and catches the most rain to channel down to the roots as it runs down the leaf to the stem.
The computer generated ray-traced picture here is created by my brother, Brian.
Leaves per turn
The Fibonacci numbers occur when counting both the number of times we go around the stem, going from leaf to leaf, as well as counting the leaves we meet until we encounter a leaf directly above the starting one.
If we count in the other direction, we get a different number of turns for the same number of leaves.
The number of turns in each direction and the number of leaves met are three consecutive Fibonacci numbers!
Fibonacci Number in Mount Meru
Mount Meru is an actual and sacred mountain in Tanzania/Arctic, it is also the name given to the Fibonacci series in the Maatraameru (Mountain of Cadence) written by Pingala in the Chhandah-shastra (Art of Prosody) around 450 BC. In this writing, it was organized as a pyramid, today known as Pascal’s triangle, like this:
Mount Meru In Numbers
Kubera was revered as the chief of the Guhyakas and was the ‘king of kings’, the ‘god’ and ‘guardian of the North’. The word Guhyakas comes from the word ‘godha’ (root gudh or guh), meaning chameleon – a dragon-serpent. It seems that in Hindu mythology, ‘god’ is a ‘naga’ or ‘dragon serpent’ who lives at the top of Mount Meru and hides a golden treasure.
Thus we find that God is associated in ancient Hindu mythology with the infinite and irrational golden ratio at the center of a Fibonacci spiral symbolized as a mountain, pyramid or perhaps an infinite spiraling vortex (like the Hindu Schwass-tika). Further reading on the subject describes Mt. Meru as home to all of the gods, closely resembling the Biblical concept of a heaven paved with gold.
As one last note, in Vedic astrology, Kubera’s golden treasure is guarded by Shukra, which is the Hindu name for the planet Venus. Shukra is then celebrated in a specific month in the Hindu calendar called JyeshTha, corresponding to May-June.
One would find he same in Carnatic Music and Bharata Natya.
More to follow.
Citation.
Journal of the American Oriental Society, Volume 33 by E. W. Hopkins, 1918.
2. The Golden Mean and the Physics of Aesthetics, Subhash Kak, Archive of Physics: physics/0411195, 2004
I have written about the Peruvian connection to Sanatana Dharma.
The Nazca lines resemble Shiva’s Trident and Sugreeva refers to it when he directed his Vanara Sena to search for Sita in Peru.
Now to Vishnu connection.
Puerta de Hayu Marca doorway, Gate of the Gods found in Peru
‘Huge mysterious door-like structure in the Hayu Marca mountain region of Southern Peru near Lake Titicaca,an hour drive from the city of Puno, has long been revered by local native indians as the “City of the Gods.”
Puerta de Hayu Marka Doorway (Gate of the Gods) is regarded as the Doorway of the Heavens (Amaru Meru or Aramu Muru).
Hayagreeva returns Vedas to Brahma.
‘the door or the “Puerta de Hayu Marca” (Gate of the Gods) has been, at some time in the distant past, carved out of a natural rock face and in all, measures exactly 23′ in height and width, with a smaller alcove in the center at the base which measures in at just under 6’ in height.
The native Indians of the region had a legend that spoke of “a gateway to the lands of the Gods”, and in that legend, it was said that in times long past great heroes had gone to join their gods, and passed through the gate for a glorious new life of immortality, and on rare occasions those men returned for a short time with their gods to “inspect all the lands in the kingdom” through the gate.
Another legend tells of the time when the Spanish Conquistadors arrived in Peru and looted gold and precious stones from the Inca tribes. According to one legend presented in the book, Secret of the Andes by Brother Philip, (as channeled by author/contactee, George Hunt Williamson, “Road in the Sky” — Markawasi), one Incan priest of the Temple of the Seven Rays named Amaru Meru (Lord Meru, Aramu Muru) fled from his temple with a sacred golden disk known as “the key of the gods of the seven rays”, and hid in the mountains of Hayu Marca. He eventually came upon the doorway which was being watched by shamen priests. He showed them the key of the gods and a ritual was performed with the conclusion of a magical occurrence initiated by the golden disk which opened the portal, and according to the legend blue light did emanate from a tunnel inside. The priest Amaru Meru handed the golden disk to the shamen and then passed through the portal “never to be seen again”. Archeologists have observed a small hand sized circular depression on the right hand side of the small entranceway, and have theorized that this is where a small disk could be placed and held by the rock.
According to some individuals who have lain their hands on the small door, a feeling of energy flowing has been commented on as well as strange experiences such as visions of stars, columns of fire, and the sounds of unusual rhythmic music. Others have said that they have perceived tunnels on the interior of the structure, although nobody as yet has found a gap that would illustrate the door opening. On the contrary the professional opinion is that there is no actual door, for the frame and the entrance-way and the back of the alcove are all carved from the same rock.
Hinduism reference.
In sanskrit, Haya is Horse and Vishnu Purana mentions about an form of Vishnu, which was horse-headed.
According to puranas, Hayagreeva (Haya = Horse, Greeva = Neck) was a demon who was son of Kaśyapa Prajāpati.
He gets a boon from the Goddess Durga that he can only be killed by another “Hayagreeva“.
Devas (Amaras) approached Lord Vishnu to kill this demon but despite a long struggle he was also unable to kill Hayagreeva.
Tired and drained after the battle, Vishnu proceeded to Vaikuntha to rejuvenate and meditate in padamāsana with his head supported by the upper end of his taut bow. The Devas once again approached Vishnu for help against Hayagrīva but were unable to rouse him from his meditation. The Devas asked a swarm of termites to assist in waking Vishnu by gnawing away the string of the bow upon which he was resting. However, the snapping of the bow-string produced such a resonant sound that the universe trembled, and the broken string lashed out with such force that Vishnu’s head was severed from his body.
Goddess Durga revealed to Devas of her boon to Hayagreeva and asked them to attach the head of a horse to Vishnu so that he in the guise of “Hayagreeva” could kill his foe.
With head of a White Horse, Vishnu was able to kill the demon.
Another legend has it that during the creation, the demons Madhu-Kaitabha stole the Vedas from Brahma, and Vishnu then took the Hayagreeva form to recover them.
The two bodies of Madhu and Kaitabha disintegrated into twelve pieces (two heads, two torsos, four arms and four legs). These are considered to represent the twelve seismic plates of the Earth. Yet another legend has it that during the creation, Vishnu compiled the Vedas in the Hayagreeva form.
Ramayana Reference.
Ramayana’s Kishkinda Kanda mentions Vanara King Sugreeva talking about crossing Pacific Ocean and landing in South America’s Peru.
tatra tat kopajam tejaH kR^itam hayamukham mahat || 4-40-48
asya aahuH tan mahaavegam odanam sa caraacaram |
Translation : There exists a fantastically refulgent Fire in the form of Horse’s Face that originated from the anger of Sage Aurasa. The victuals to that Fire is said to be that highly speedy waves of the ocean, together with all of the mobile and sessile beings of the world at the close of each Era.
Aurasa derives from the word uuru, meaning ‘thigh.‘ His mother hid him under her thigh when some kings came to kill, and that is how he got this name. Later, with vengeance this sage started to burn the world with his yogic fire, but his manes came to him to pacify and asked him to release his yogic fire in oceanic water.
When he did so, that fire remained underwater, ready to emerge from a cavity like that of a she-horse’s mouth, from beneath the ocean from the South Pole. This fire is called vaDaba agni, orbaDaba anala , referred here as Horse’s Face. At the time of yuga anta, End of Era, that fire emerges out, and the whole creation, with all its sessile and mobile beings, becomes its fuel. This episode is detailed in aadi parva , First Canto, Maha Bharata.
tatra vikroshataam naado bhuutaanaam saagara okasaam |
shruuyate ca asamarthaanaam dR^iSTvaa tat vaDavaa mukham || 4-40-49
Transaltion : There the high squealing sounds of oceanic beings dwelling undersea are audible, and although they are capable ones, they are incapacitated on feeling Fire from the Horse Mouth as such they yell.
So, Technically, Vishnu must have subsided this demon like fire emitting in Horse shape around ‘Ring of Fire‘ and saved creation or helped Brahma in recreation and also restored Vedas from getting destroyed.
Peruvian prophecy states that all the Americas were once united by a common spiritual tradition and leader, and that they will be again. They were anciently united as Amaru-ca or Ameru-ca, Ameri-ca, meaning the “Land of the Serpent” (Ananta Sesha forms the Ring of Fire around North & South American continents), during a time when the serpent was the universal symbol of mystical wisdom and spiritual power.
One legend states that North and South America were named after a culture bearer known historically as Aramu Muru or A maru (serpent/wisdom) the “Serpent (wisdom master) Meru,” with connections to the mythical Mount Meru, abode of the Demi-Gods.
Infact, Ameru is A-Meru (anti-meru or opposite of meru mountain).
I have written that the Chinese are reported to have descended from the son of Pururava.
Shiva Linga, Ganesha Worship in China.
Mahabharata refers to this.
‘
The word/race of Chins as rulers of eastern and northern kingdoms is mentioned in Mahabharata too (composed around 3100 BCE).
Cinas of yellow color, are said to ‘look like a forest of Karnikaras”.
In the Arthashashtra of Chanakya, China is mentioned as well. It is theorized that the name China is based upon the name of the kingdom, Ch’in, which was established by Shih Huang Ti in year 221 BC.
However, the name China comes from an ancient Sanskrit name for “the regions to the East”.
The Chin Indians did not only name a great country but also created the Chinese nation.
Regardless of the origins of the Chinese, the evidence reveals that ancient Chinese culture was Vedic in nature.’
Chinese origins may be traced to two tribes .
One from Kashmir.
And another is from South India,what is now called as Tamil Nadu.
Shiva Nandi Carving in China.
The original Chin race of India dwelling in Kashmir, and several parts of South India colonized Shensi, a province of Central China and subsequently subjugated all other petty kingdoms and thus became the emperors of perhaps the one of the largest empires of the world.
The name China and the Chinese were after the Chins of India and hence the scholars are unanimous about the Indian origin of the name of China.
A Chinese source states that in 720 AD the Pallava King Narasimhavarman II constructed a temple (in Tamil Nadu, India) on account of the empire of China, and another text cites the existence of three Hindu temples in southern China where ‘Brahmans’ resided during the 8th century.
Shiva Carving in Quanzhou .
The temple in Quanzhou is now in ruins, but over 300 carvings are still within the city.
Many are currently on display in the Quanzhou museum, and some have become a part of Buddhist temple—Kaiyuan Temple.Behind its main hall “Mahavira Hall”, there are some columns decorated by some Hinduism carvings. The carvings are dispersed across five primary sites in Quanzhou and the neighboring areas.
They were made in the South Indian style, and share close similarities with 13th-century temples constructed in the Kaveri Delta region in Tamil Nadu.
Nearly all the carvings were carved with greenish-gray granite, which was widely available in the nearby hills and used in the region’s local architecture.
Poorly written/formatted tamil wordings on these carvings prove that those were done by a non-native tamilian in China.
“First, I would like to make it clear that the probable language of the Kushana was Tamil. According to Dravidian literature, the Kushana were called Kosars=Yakshas=Yueh chih/ Kushana. This literature maintains that when they entered India they either already spoke Tamil, or adopted the language upon settlement in India.
The Kushana and the Yueh chih were one and the same. In addition to
North Indian documents the Kushana-Yueh chih association are also
discussed in Dravidian literature. V Kanakasabhai, The Tamils Eighteen
hundred years ago, note that in the Sanskrit literature the Yueh chih were called Yakshas, Pali chroniclers called them Yakkos and Kosars< Kushana.”
They allegedely arrived in India during the 2nd century BC. He makes it clear that the Yueh chih/ Kushana as noted on their coins worshipped Siva as seen on the coins of Kanishka. This is why we have a coin of a Kushana king from Taxila, dated to AD 76 that declares that the king was maharaja rajatiraja devaputra Kushana “Great King, King of kings, Son of God, the Kushana”.
Vedic Presence in China.
The Vedic tradition has undoubtedly been best preserved in India yet the universality of Vedic culture is such that none can claim to be the sole inheritors or originators of the Vedic traditions.
These traditions are part of the basic fabric of nature and the universe and can be accessed by anyone anywhere at any time.
The same ‘eternal’ vedic tradition known as Santana Dharma is at the very core of Chinese civilization.
For example, Imperial Tang dynasty (618–907 AD) used the Hindu/Vedic calendar a long side with the Chinese calendar.
Amongst the Gods, the Lord of Death and the Underworld known in Vedas as Yama is called ‘Yanmo Wang’ within the Chinese tradition.
Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang (ruled 712–56) called upon the Indian monk Vajrabodhi (671–741) to perform ‘Tantric’ rites to avert a drought in the year 726 AD.
In the Fujiyan province, in the Xinmen area of Quanzhou, there are the remains of a Siva Temple.
It still has a Siva lingam over five meters tall.
An ancient stone that still stands today; it has been widely identified as a Siva Linga.
Chinese records reveal that it was cut in half in the year 1011 AD and then rebuilt in the 1400s.
Even as late as 1950, childless mothers would go to it to invoke the blessings of the deity for motherhood.
In Hsuan-wu, Lo-yang district there is a pillar with Sanskrit writings from top to bottom and right to left. Besides Buddhism, Saivism was also popular in Yunan as is manifest from the prevalence of the cult of Mahakala there.
This ancient Indian colony in the south of China was a strong link in the Sino-Indian cultural relationship.
Shiva Temple may have already been in existence, which is highly likely, and it is only the Deity of Lord Shiva that was new.
Shiva temple had originally been built in 685 AD during the Tang Dynasty but was rebuilt by the Tamil Hindu community in the city in the late 13th century who dedicated it to Lord Siva.
There is direct evidence of that there were indeed Hindu temples in China as early as the 6th century AD.
Edakkal Caves (11°37′28.81″N76°14′8.88″ECoordinates: 11°37′28.81″N76°14′8.88″E) are two natural caves at a remote location at Edakkal, 25 km from Kalpetta in theWayanad district of Kerala in India’s Western Ghats. They lie 1,200 metres above sea level on Ambukutty Mala, beside an ancient trade route connecting the high mountains of Mysore to the ports of the Malabar coast. Inside the caves are pictorial writings believed to date to at least 6,000 BC, from the Neolithic man, indicating the presence of a prehistoric civilization or settlement in this region. The Stone Age carvings of Edakkal are rare and are the only known examples from south India.(wiki)
The caves contain drawings that range over periods from as early as 5000 BC to 1000 BC. The youngest group of paintings have been in the news for a possible connection to the Indus Valley Civilization.
Historian M.R. Raghava Varier of the Kerala state archaeology department identified a sign “a man with jar cup” that is the most distinct motif of the Indus valley civilization.The finding, made in September 2009, indicates that the Harappan civilization was active in the region. The “a man with jar cup” symbol from Edakkal seems to be more similar to the Indus motif than those already known from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Mr. Varier said “The discovery of the symbols are akin to that of the Harappan civilisation having predominantly Dravidian culture and testimony to the fact that cultural diffusion could take place. It is wrong to presume that the Indus culture disappeared into thin air.” Iravatham Mahadevan, a scholar of Indus valley and Brahmi scripts said the findings were very significant called it a “major discovery”.
Iran was apart of Hindu Empire during the Vedic Period.
This continued to be so till Vikramaditya’s period.
The Faravahar, believed to be a depiction of a fravashi
The customs and cultural behaviour of the Zoroastrians indicate the Vedic roots of Zoroastrianism.
A treaty signed by the Hittites and Mitannis dating to the fourteenth century BC calls upon Indara/Indra, Mitras(il)/Mitra, Nasatianna/Nasatya and Uruvanass(il)/Varuna, all known to Rig-Veda and Avesta.
I had posted articles about the Vedic /Tamil origin of these people.
Though there are similarities the roles of the Devas seem to have been reversed.
(haoma (soma), daha(dasa), hepta (sapta), hindu (sindhu), and Ahura (Asura) in Avesta)
Indra and the devas are demonic in Avesta,and Ahura/asura is considered the highest deity.
“At the time of composition of the Vedas, Varuna was losing his importance to Indra. In Avesta, Ahura Mazda is the main divinity and some people think that he is thesame as Varuna. Varuna sat with his spies who flew all around the world and bought back reports on the conduct of mortals. He abhorred sin and loathed evil deeds prompted by anger, drink and gambling.”
Probably a sect left on this issue and had a role in this difference.
Rig Veda is dated around 5000 BC while Avesta is dated around 1000 BC.
The Chief God worshiped in the Vedas is Agni,Fire.
Zoroastrians are Fire worshipers.
Another important connection is Upanayana ceremony which is the primary duty of a Hindu.
Zoroastrians have a similar Ceremony ‘Navjote’
‘The Navjote[pronunciation?] (Persian: سدرهپوشی, Sedreh pushi) ceremony is the ritual through which an individual is inducted into theZoroastrian religion and begins to wear the Sedreh and Kushti. The term navjote is used primarily by the Zoroastrians of India (theParsis), while sedreh pushi is used primarily by the Zoroastrians of Iran. Zoroastrians from Pakistan consisting of both Parsis andIranis use both terms…
Although there is no upper limit to the age of the individual for which the ceremony takes place, in common practice it occurs before a girl or boy reaches maturity. Under no circumstances is it permitted to be done for a child less than seven years of age since the child at that age range cannot comprehend the significance of the event.
In Vendidad 18.54, individuals above the age of 15 (once considered the age at which one attained adulthood) who are not yet been invested are said to be likely to fall into evil ways. In the 9th-12th century texts of Zoroastrian tradition, the same group are said to bekushad davarashni, literally “running about improperly clothed”. So for instance Menog-i Khrad 2.35 and the Book of Arda Viraf(25.6.10). The latter considers such a thing to be a service to demons (the daevas). Other texts of tradition that define adulthood as the boundary include the Sad-dar 10.1 and Shayast na-Shayast 10.13. ,.
The ceremony is traditionally the first time a Zoroastrian wears the sedreh undershirt and kushti belt, which they then continue to wear for the rest of their life. The sacred clothing signifies parental responsibility as well as responsibility for the one who is undergoing this ceremony. When the child wears the sacred clothes, it means the parents are now obligated to morally and religiously educate the child. If the child commits a wrongful act, it is their responsibility, as they may also take some pride in themselves when their child commits a righteous act. The sacred thread and shirt also teach the child responsibility, as they are to be untied before certain practices, such as prayer, bathing, and before meals, and re-tied shortly after the task is completed.
The shirt has a construction extremely specific to this culture.
Upanayana of Hinduism.
Upanayana is an important Samskara, duty of a Hindu.
The three Varnas, Brahmana, Kshatriya and Vaisya must have this performed.
Read my posts on Samskaras.
The wearing of the sacred thread opens the inner eye.
Zoroastrianism was founded by the Prophet Zoroaster (or Zarathustra) in ancient Iran. The precise date of the founding of Zoroastrianism is uncertain. An approximate date of 1500–1200 BCE has been established through archaeological evidence and linguistic comparisons with the Hindu text Rig Veda. However there is no way of knowing exactly when Zoroaster lived, as he lived in what, to his people, were prehistoric times.Depending on different approaches, it is thought that he lived some time between 1700 BCEto 500 BCE .Zoroaster was born in either Northeast Iran or Southwest Afghanistan. He was born into a Bronze Age culture with a polytheistic religion, which included animal sacrifice and the ritual use of intoxicants. This religion was quite similar to the early forms of Hinduism in India. The name Zoroaster is a Greek rendering of the nameZarathustra. He is known as Zartosht and Zardosht in Persian and Zaratosht in Gujarati. Zoroaster’s birth and early life are little documented. What is known is recorded in theGathas—the core of the Avesta, which contains hymns thought to be composed by Zoroaster himself. Born into the Spitama clan, he worked as a priest. He had a wife, three sons, and three daughters. Zoroaster rejected the religion of the Bronze Age Iranians, with their many gods and oppressive class structure, in which the Karvis and Karapans(princes and priests) controlled the ordinary people. He also opposed animal sacrifices and the use of the hallucinogenic Haoma plant (possibly a species of ephedra) in rituals, but held the rooster as a “symbol of light”and associated the cock with “good against evil” because of his heraldic actions..
* Cock is associted with Sunbrahmanya.
According to Zoroastrian belief, when Zoroaster was 30 years old, he went into the Daiti river to draw water for a Haoma ceremony; when he emerged, he received a vision ofVohu Manah. After this, Vohu Manah took him to the other six Amesha Spentas, where he received the completion of his vision.[51] This vision radically transformed his view of the world, and he tried to teach this view to others. Zoroaster believed in one creator God, teaching that only one God was worthy of worship. Furthermore, some of the deities of the old religion, the Daevas (Devas in Sanskrit), appeared to delight in war and strife. Zoroaster said that these were evil spirits and were workers of Angra Mainyu, God’s adversary.
Zoroaster’s ideas did not take off quickly, and, at first, he only had one convert: his cousin Maidhyoimanha.The local religious authorities opposed his ideas. They felt their own faiths, power, and particularly their rituals, were threatened because Zoroaster taught against over-ritualising religious ceremonies. Many ordinary people did not like Zoroaster’s downgrading of the Daevas to evil spirits. After 12 years, Zoroaster left his home to find somewhere more open to new ideas. He found such a place in the country of King Vishtaspa (in Bactria). The King and his queen, Hutosa, heard Zoroaster debating with the religious leaders of his land, and decided to accept Zoroaster’s ideas and make them the official religion of their kingdom. Zoroaster died in his late 70s. Very little is known of the time between Zoroaster and the Achaemenian period, except that, during this period, Zoroastrianism spread to Western Iran. By the time of the founding of the Achaemenid Empire, Zoroastrianism was already a well-established religion.
Humata, Hukhta, Huvarshta (Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds) are the basic tenets of the religion.
Faravahar (or Ferohar), one of the primary symbols of Zoroastrianism, believed to be the depiction of aFravashi (guardian spirit)
In Zoroastrianism, Ahura Mazda is the beginning and the end, the creator of everything that can and cannot be seen, the Eternal, the Pure and the only Truth. In the Gathas, the most sacred texts of Zoroastrianism thought to have been composed by Zoroaster himself, the prophet acknowledged devotion to no other divinity besides Ahura Mazda.
Daena (din in modern Persian) is the eternal Law, whose order was revealed to humanity through the Mathra-Spenta (“Holy Words”).Daena has been used to mean religion, faith, law, and even as a translation for the Hindu and Buddhist term Dharma. The latter is often interpreted as “duty” but can also mean social order, right conduct, or virtue. The metaphor of the “path” of Daena is represented in Zoroastrianism by the muslin undershirt Sudra, the “Good/Holy Path”, and the 72-thread Kushti girdle, the “Pathfinder”.
Daena should not be confused with the fundamental principle asha (Vedic rta), the equitable law of the universe, which governed the life of the ancient Indo-Iranians. For these, asha was the course of everything observable—the motion of the planets and astral bodies; the progression of the seasons; and the pattern of daily nomadic herdsman life, governed by regular metronomic events such as sunrise and sunset. All physical creation (geti) was thus determined to run according to a master plan—inherent to Ahura Mazda—and violations of the order (druj) were violations against creation, and thus violations against Ahura Mazda. This concept of asha versus the druj should not be confused with the good-versus-evil battle evident in western religions, for although both forms of opposition express moral conflict, the asha versus druj concept is more systemic and less personal, representing, for instance, chaos (that opposes order); or “uncreation”, evident as natural decay (that opposes creation); or more simply “the lie” (that opposes truth and righteousness). Moreover, in his role as the one uncreated creator of all, Ahura Mazda is not the creator of druj, which is “nothing”, anti-creation, and thus (likewise) uncreated. Thus, in Zoroaster’s revelation, Ahura Mazda was perceived to be the creator of only the good (Yasna 31.4), the “supreme benevolent providence” (Yasna 43.11), that will ultimately triumph (Yasna 48.1).
A Parsi Wedding, 1905
In this schema of asha versus druj, mortal beings (both humans and animals) play a critical role, for they too are created. Here, in their lives, they are active participants in the conflict, and it is their duty to defend order, which would decay without counteraction. Throughout the Gathas, Zoroaster emphasizes deeds and actions, and accordingly asceticism is frowned upon in Zoroastrianism. In later Zoroastrianism, this was explained as fleeing from the experiences of life, which was the very purpose that the urvan (most commonly translated as the “soul”) was sent into the mortal world to collect. The avoidance of any aspect of life, which includes the avoidance of the pleasures of life, is a shirking of the responsibility and duty to oneself, one’s urvan, and one’s family and social obligations.
Central to Zoroastrianism is the emphasis on moral choice, to choose the responsibility and duty for which one is in the mortal world, or to give up this duty and so facilitate the work of druj. Similarly, predestination is rejected in Zoroastrian teaching. Humans bear responsibility for all situations they are in, and in the way they act toward one another. Reward, punishment, happiness, and grief all depend on how individuals live their lives.
by A. L. Basham. See Also: 
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