Observations placeholder
Persepolis
Identifier
022401
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
Persepolis literally meaning "the Persian city," also known as the Throne of Jamshid was the ceremonial capital of the Achaemenid Empire (ca. 550–330 BC). To the ancient Persians, the city was known as Pārsa. To the English and Greek speaking world it became Persepolis - derived from the Greek Persépolis (Περσέπολις), a compound of Pérsēs (Πέρσης) and pólis (πόλις), meaning "the Persian city."
But a far more accurate name, given its importance to the Mysteries and Zoroastrianism is the Throne [or seat] of Jamshid (Persian: جمشید, Jamshīd) .
In all mystic movements involving a spiritual path, once one has achieved enlightenment one is called either a King or a Queen. Whilst learning, one is theoretically a Prince or Princess [or pawn!]. Jamshid was a King – an enlightened person – a god.
Once one had achieved this status one was known to be in receipt of wisdom. In other words only the enlightened had wisdom, the rest, if they had intelligence of some sort were viewed as simply clever, hence the expression ‘clever but not wise’.
The name Jamshid is originally a compound of two parts, Jam and shid, corresponding to the Avestan names Yima and Xšaēta. The suffix -shid is the same as that found in other names such as khorshid ("the Sun" from Avestan hvarə-xšaēta "radiant Sun"). So a Sun god, a sort of Apollo; or alternatively a Vedic Vivasvat, "he who shines out", a divinity of the Sun.
AVESTA: VENDIDAD (English): Fargard 2. Yima (Jamshed) and the deluge.
1. Zarathushtra asked Ahura Mazda:
O Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
Who was the first mortal, before myself, Zarathushtra, with whom thou, Ahura Mazda, didst converse, whom thou didst teach the Religion of Ahura, the Religion of Zarathushtra?
2. Ahura Mazda answered: The fair Yima, the good shepherd, O holy Zarathushtra! he was the first mortal, before thee, Zarathushtra, with whom I, Ahura Mazda, did converse, whom I taught the Religion of Ahura, the Religion of Zarathushtra.
Many scholars appear to dismiss the idea that there could have been an actual, as opposed to simply legendary Yima/Jamshid. And of course once one dismisses the existence of a person, then one also has to dismiss the idea that he could have been a king there.
Wikipedia
Jamshid's capital was erroneously believed to be at the site of the ruins of Persepolis, which for centuries (down to 1620 CE) was called Takht-i Jamshēd, the "Throne of Jamshid". However, Persepolis was actually the capital of the Achaemenid kings and was destroyed by Alexander.
But it could have been both. The Zoroastrian mystic movement is far far older than scholars appear to believe and there are mounds near Persepolis that have all the appearance of being ancient ziggurats. The observations for the sacred geography of Persepolis also indicate it was once a far far large site.
We have an observation from the Fargard of Yima, but this summary from Wikipedia of the Vendidad is also helpful:
A description of the experience
Wikipedia
In the second chapter of the Vendidad of the Avesta, the omniscient Creator Ahura Mazda asks Yima, a good shepherd, to receive his law and bring it to men. However, Yima refuses, and so Ahura Mazda charges him with a different mission: to rule over and nourish the earth, to see that the living things prosper. This Yima accepts, and Ahura Mazda presents him with a golden seal and a dagger inlaid with gold.
Yima rules as king for three hundred years, and soon the earth was full of men, flocks of birds and herds of animals. He deprived the daevas, who were demonic servants of the evil Ahriman, of wealth, herds and reputation during his reign. Good men, however, lived lives of plenty, and were neither sick nor aged. Father and son walked together, each appearing no older than fifteen. Ahura Mazda visits him once more, warning him of this overpopulation. Yima, shining with light, faced southwards and pressed the golden seal against the earth and boring into it with the poniard, says "O Spenta Armaiti, kindly open asunder and stretch thyself afar, to bear flocks and herds and men."
The earth swells and Yima rules for another six hundred years before the same problem occurred once more. Once again he pressed the seal and dagger to the earth and asked the ground to swell up to bear more men and beasts, and the earth swells again. Nine hundred years later, the earth was full again. The same solution is employed, the earth swelling again.
The next part of the story tells of a meeting of Ahura Mazda and the Yazatas in Airyanem Vaejah, the first of the "perfect lands". Yima attends with a group of "the best of mortals", where Ahura Mazda warns him of an upcoming catastrophe: "O fair Yima, son of Vivaŋhat! Upon the material world the evil winters are about to fall, that shall bring the fierce, deadly frost; upon the material world the evil winters are about to fall, that shall make snow-flakes fall thick, even an arədvi deep on the highest tops of mountains."
Ahura Mazda advises Yima to construct a Vara (Avestan: enclosure) in the form of a multi-level cavern underground, two miles (3 km) long and two miles (3 km) wide. This he is to populate with the fittest of men and women; and with two of every animal, bird and plant; and supply with food and water gathered the previous summer. Yima creates the Vara by crushing the earth with a stamp of his foot, and kneading it into shape as a potter does clay. He creates streets and buildings, and brings nearly two thousand people to live therein. He creates artificial light, and finally seals the Vara with a golden ring.
The source of the experience
ZoroastrianConcepts, symbols and science items
Science Items
Activities and commonsteps
Commonsteps
References
