AnahitaAnahita , ou Nahid en persan moderne, est une ancienne divinité perse. Le culte de cette déesse a atteint son apogée en Iran. Comme l'a démontré Georges Dumézil, elle correspond à la déesse-rivière indienne Sarasvatî. En effet, son rôle comme déesse de l'eau ou des rivières est attesté, ainsi que son rôle comme nourrice des cultures et du bétail, rôle qu'elle partage avec Sarasvatī. Anahita n'est pas citée dans les premiers chapitres de l’Avesta ; son culte aurait été en contradiction avec la volonté monothéiste du zoroastrisme tel qu'il est présenté dans les Gathas.
Asha (zoroastrisme)Asha (ˈʌʃə) or arta (ˈɑrtə; 𐬀𐬴𐬀 Aṣ̌aArta) is a Zoroastrian concept with a complex and highly nuanced range of meaning. It is commonly summarized in accord with its contextual implications of 'truth' and 'right' (or 'righteousness'), 'order' and 'right working'. For other connotations, see Meaning below. It is of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine. In the moral sphere, aṣ̌a/arta represents what has been called "the decisive confessional concept of Zoroastrianism".
AshavanAshavan (Avestan: 𐬀𐬴𐬀𐬬𐬀𐬥 ašavan) is a Zoroastrian theological term. It literally means "possessing/mastering aša" and has been interpreted as "possessing/mastering truth" or "possessing/mastering righteousness", but has further implications: It is an epithet of Ahura Mazda (Yasht 1.12). The term may then be applied to anything within the domain of Ahura Mazda and/or Aša (i.e. all of Creation), and excludes only that which is drəgvant "possessing lie" (YAv: drvant).
YashtThe Yashts are a collection of twenty-one hymns in the Younger Avestan language. Each of these hymns invokes a specific Zoroastrian divinity or concept. Yasht chapter and verse pointers are traditionally abbreviated as Yt. The word yasht derives from Middle Persian 𐭩𐭱𐭲 yašt (“prayer, worship”) probably from Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬀 (yašta, “honored”), from 𐬫𐬀𐬰 (yaz, “to worship, honor”), from Proto-Indo-European *yeh2ǵ- or *Hyaǵ-, and several hymns of the Yasna liturgy that "venerate by praise" are—in tradition—also nominally called yashts.
AbanApas (ˈɑːpəs,_æp-, āpas) is the Avestan language term for "the waters", which, in its innumerable aggregate states, is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters. Āb (plural Ābān) is the Middle Persian-language form. "To this day reverence for water is deeply ingrained in Zoroastrians, and in orthodox communities offerings are regularly made to the household well or nearby stream." The ape zaothra ceremony—the culminating rite of the Yasna service (which is in turn the principal act of worship)—is literally for the "strengthening of the waters.
SraoshaSraosha (𐬯𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬴𐬀 or 𐬯𐬆𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬴𐬀 'sroː.ʃa) is the Avestan name of the Zoroastrian yazata of "Conscience" and "Observance", which is also the literal meaning of his name. In the Middle Persian commentaries of the 9th-12th centuries, the divinity appears as 𐭮𐭫𐭥𐭱, S(a)rosh. This form appears in many variants in New Persian as well, for example سروش, Sorūsh.
YasnaYasna (ˈjʌsnə; ,) is the Avestan name of Zoroastrianism's principal act of worship. It is also the name of the primary liturgical collection of Avesta texts, recited during that yasna ceremony. The function of the yasna ceremony is, very roughly described, to strengthen the orderly spiritual and material creations of Ahura Mazda against the assault of the destructive forces of Angra Mainyu. The yasna service, that is, the recitation of the Yasna texts, culminates in the apæ zaothra, the "offering to the waters.
AhuraAhura (Avestan: 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬭𐬀) is an Avestan language designation for a particular class of Zoroastrian divinities. The term is assumed to be linguistically related to the Asuras of Indian Vedic era. Avestan ahura "lord" derives from Proto-Indo-Iranian language *Hásuras, also attested in an Indian context as Rigvedic asura. As suggested by the similarity to the Old Norse æsir, Indo-Iranian *Hásuras may have an even earlier Proto-Indo-European language root.
Yazatathumb|300px|Investiture d'Ardachîr II représentant Mithra derrière et Ahura Mazda en face du roi Yazata est un mot avestique pour décrire un concept du zoroastrisme. Le mot possède un large éventail de significations mais prend généralement le sens de divinité. Le terme signifie littéralement « digne d'adoration » ou « digne de vénération ». Compte tenu de l'évolution du concept de divinité dans le monde iranien, le terme Yazata peut faire remonter aux premiers textes du livre sacré Avesta qui sont attribués au prophète Zoroastre (Zarathoustra), fondateur du zoroastrisme.
Calendrier zoroastrienLe calendrier zoroastrien est un calendrier religieux utilisé par les adeptes du zoroastrisme. Approximation du calendrier solaire tropical, ce calendrier est encore utilisé de nos jours par les fidèles zoroastriens pour leurs fêtes religieuses. Avant la réforme entreprise par l’empereur des Sassanides Ardachîr I, le calendrier en usage dans la Perse antique, basé sur le calendrier babylonien, avait une année de 360 jours. Dans ce système, le Kabiseh (ou déficit) est accumulé chaque année et compensé par l’adjonction périodique d’un treizième mois.
