The position of women in Avesta

In ancient Iran, the position of women in society was very high and women cooperated with men in many matters of life. According to the book Nirangistan Pahlavi, women could participate in singing Yasna and holding religious ceremonies, or they could do such things by themselves.. Women could even take care of the Holy Fire at certain times and work as lawyers and judges according to Madagan Hazardadastan book.. In "Farvardin Yasht" and other Yashts, as well as Shahnameh and other ancient epics of this land, the names of many famous, brave, patriotic and religious women who have become among the living souls and immortals due to their useful and good deeds are mentioned. Salutations are sent to their blessed souls.
In ancient Iran, women even reached the royal position. In the Avesta, wherever there is a mention of a pure and pious soul, the soul of such women is immediately remembered and saluted..
"O Ahuramazda, among the men and women who give you the best thanks, you yourself will know it correctly, grant such men and women the grace of a good secretary."
(Yesna 42, paragraph 10)
"What a man or a woman considers to be right, good and worthy, should be done with clarity and teach others to do it correctly."
(Yesna 35, paragraph six)
"O people” Listen to the good speech of others and look at it with a clear mind and distinguish between your good and bad.. And before the opportunity is lost, every man and woman should choose their own path.. »
(Yesna 30, second paragraph)
Avesta considers education as obligatory for both men and women and even says: "Girls should study science and knowledge more than boys, because they are still in their father's house, they should take care of the upbringing and grooming of the father's house, and when they go to their husband's house, they should be engaged in the education of their children and the future generation.".
In his book, his slave, he says this about the perfection and perfection of the woman's creation from the first day: "Then we gave Ahura Mazda the soul, which he had created before the body, to the body of Mishi and Mishyaneh, and they came to life. So he said to them: "You are the parents of the people of the world. I created you pure and expressive. Live with piety. Be kind in thought, kind in speech, and kind in deed..
Then the first thing they thought was this: "Each of us should provide happiness and friendship to the other"..
In choosing his daughter's future husband, Ashozrattash left a good example for us in the Gathas. If he says:
"O you Puro Chista, O my youngest daughter. I, who am your father, chose Jamasp, who is a helper of the religion of Mazda, as my wife because of her honesty and pure character.. Now go and consult with your wisdom and if you agree, act with pure love in fulfilling the sacred duty of marriage. »(Yesna 53, third paragraph)
Then follow this song ” Ashu Zoroaster addresses the bridegrooms and bridegrooms:
"Now I am speaking with you. Listen to my admonition and remember my words well and zealously pursue a pure life.. Each of you should surpass the other in good deeds and kindness: to spend this holy married life with happiness and joy."
How well the Iranian poet has translated it into poetry:
How unkind both of you are
That a kind head is a pain in the head
A woman in Avesta and Sanskrit is nicknamed “Rita Sieh Banu” (Ritasya Bhanu) Or it is called "Ashe Bano" which means "the possessor of righteousness and piety". Today, the first word has been removed in the Persian language and we only use the word Bano which means "brightness and light" for women.. Also, the word mother in Avesta and Sanskrit "Matri" (mothers) which means "nurturer" and sister is "Swasari" (Svâsri) It means "holy and benevolent being" and a married woman with the adjective "Namanu Patni" (Nmâno Patni) or the "keeper of the house" has been nominated.
It is mentioned in his servant's book about women that "On the first day of Urmuzd, he said to the woman, O woman, I created you to bring forth pious and brave men and nurture them in your loving arms, so that with their help, the root of inaccuracy and impurity will be removed from the world. »
Shadarvan Ferdowsi Tosi says about this great female art:
It was enough for women to be an art
Sit and give birth to male lions
In other languages ​​of nations, including Europeans, they call God with a masculine pronoun and consider him as a man .

BAmong the writings of the Avesta, Ahura Mazda has both a maternal and a paternal aspect.
Lord, the first three are the first, which is Homan = "wisdom" and Ardibehesht is "truth" and Shahrivar is "strength" from the obvious fores of men and against the other three are Sepandarmaz "love and purity", Khordad "elegance and perfection" and To be "immortality" is one of the obvious virtues of women, and it is true that women make their generation immortal with their wealth..
It is in his servant :Ormuzd has both maternal and paternal rights towards the creatures. Because, like a father, create the creation in the form of a seed in the world of mine, and like a mother, nurture it and bring it to the gate and keep it and provide sustenance. .
Women's Day:
In ancient Iran, on the fifth day of the month of March, when the name of the day and the month are the same, a festival called Women's Day was held to honor the worthy status of women..
On that day, women and girls were free from housework, and men and boys, in addition to the gifts they gave to their mothers, wives, sisters, and daughters, on that day, did all the household chores, such as cooking, cleaning, sweeping, and washing. were in charge and by holding these ceremonies, men and boys became aware of the efforts of women and the difficulty of doing household chores and thus appreciated their efforts..
In ancient Iran, a woman participated in all gatherings and religious ceremonies with a man. She had economic freedom at home and exercised a lot of influence over her family. She could have her own wishes and property. From a legal point of view, she could be represented by her husband. , pursue lawsuits and take care of his affairs. A husband could not marry their common daughter without consulting his wife. As a female witness, she could testify in court like a man until she sits on the judge's seat. Professor Kristen Sen in her book He writes under the name "Iran during the Sasanian era".:
The behavior of men towards women in ancient Iran reminds people of the polite behavior of the present time. In that era, young women were not only familiar with family duties, but also learned the moral principles and religious laws of Avesta. Both in society and Even in their private lives, they had freedom of action after reaching the age of puberty..
At that time, the freedom of girls was so much that they could get permission to marry a man of their choice without the consent of their parents or the court by presenting sufficient reasons and get married against their parents' wishes. According to the writings of Khodanameh Pahlavi and Shahnameh, women sometimes even participated in hunting and war, and in this context, in the history of ancient Iran, there are stories of wars, bravery and epics of women. It is left. As far as they could in the position of a king, they were involved in the affairs of the country.
Marriage laws in Zoroastrian religion are based on monogamy, that is, a Zoroastrian woman or man cannot have more than one wife at the same time.. Also, there is no temporary marriage and marriage is permanent until the end of life, except for the reason mentioned in the personal status code of Zoroastrians, which is exceptional..
"Peace be upon the souls of pure and pious men and women".
(The third Yasht Kardeh Haftan and the thirty-fiveth Yasna of the third paragraph)
Saadi says:
clean woman , Parsa
Kond is the king of dervish men
source : “Zoroastrian worldview” To Khame Ravanshad Mobad Rostam Shahzadi.