Today is the blessed day of Khordad Amshaspand, the sixth of Amordad in the year 3759 Zoroastrian calendar, Friday, Mehr 30, 1400, October 22, 2021 AD.
Three hundred thirty-three years ago, on November 22, 1688, Nader Shah Afshar, the King and great general of Iran, was born in Khorasan.
Although Nader ruled for only 12 years, 12 years of glorious reign, and was killed at the age of 58 or 59, he is very famous, and part of this fame is the title given to him as the “Napoleon of the East”. He called himself “Nader of Iran”. This founder of Afshar dynasty expanded the borders of Iran in the north and northwest, south and east, to the border of the Sassanid era, and in the northwest and west, drove the Ottomans out of the Caucasus and all the Armenian lands.
He also was victorious in Delhi, and stabilized Iran’s borders in Daghestan by driving away the Russians. Suppression of the Afghan rebels, driving away the Ottomans and Russians from the country, restoration of Iranian independence and the victory in Turkestan, plus his victorious battles, made him very famous. By procuring large warships, he tried to strengthen the historic rights of the country over the norther and southern waters.
He excelled as a military leader and is credited for rescuing Iran from disintegration and foreign domination. He is considered the last great conqueror of Central Asia. He is known as a great commander of Iran for unifying Iran and driving away foreigners (from the Russians and Ottomans to the Afghan invaders) as the great general of Iran. As a teenager he was captured with his mother and imprisoned by the Uzbeks who plundered Khorasan. But, after reaching adolescence, and after the death of his mother, he escaped captivity and took refuge in the Afshar tribe, and thus became Nader Shah Afshar, while he was not originally of the Afshar descent. This story is not confirmed in any of the Iranian sources.
Nader Shah became autocratic towards the end of his life. Angry with this strange behavior, the commanders of the Iranian army killed him on June 10, 1747, and sent his beheaded head to the city of Herat. His body was buried in Mashhad. The history of Iran turned page, and with his death, until the middle of the 20th century, Iran was plagued by European colonization and misery. Nader Shah had said that without efficient naval power, European colonization of the East could not be ended and that without naval power, Iran would be more vulnerable from the south compared to the borders on the other 3 sides, and in order to have a powerful fleet the Parsis of India should be asked to help their fellow Iranians.
Nader, who was killed in Quchan, was buried in Mashhad. Three centuries later, in 1342, his tomb was built in a complex called Naderi Museum Garden, designed and designed by Houshang Seyhoun, the complex where the weapons museum is also located.
Khordad is the fifth Amshaspand and the guardian of water and greenery. Water and the other three elements (soil, air, and fire) were of special importance among the ancient Iranians. The existence of various gods entrusted to it and the Iranian and Iranian writings all testify to the importance of this element among the ancient Iranians and Zoroastrians. Nature has a high status in the eyes of Iranians, and its elements are respected and have a special sanctity. In the religion of Zoroastrianism and Iranian culture and tradition, water, wind, earth, and fire are the 4 holy elements. An angel is appointed for each of them, it is the responsibility of each Zoroastrian to preserve the environment and keep it as clean as possible.
Water is not only sacred but also used for drinking and for other purposes in everyday life. It is an element whose different features together are the symbol of Ahura Mazda, and whose diversity is the manifestation of all the universe phenomena, from the raindrops to the vast ocean and from the calm water of the wells to the current flood in the river, which creates life.
In ancient Iran, the third month of the year and the sixth day of each month is called Khordad. The 4th Yasht is called Khordad Yasht. Khordad is an angel representing Ahura Mazda in the spiritual world and guardian of water in the material world. Khordad in Avesta is pronounced “Heurvatat”, and in Pahlavi is “Khordat” or “Hordat” meaning ordinance and perfection, which in the Gathas is one of the characters of Ahura Mazda and in the New Avesta it is the name of one of the seven Amshaspands and the symbol of Ahura Mazda. The first part of the word “heurva” is an adjective meaning ordinant, full, right and complete. The second part “tat” is a suffix for noun. “Heurvatat” represents ordinance and perfection of Ahura Mazda.
Khordad Amshaspand is a lady who is responsible for protecting all waters on earth and she helps the thirsty to overcome their thirst. Therefore, as a custom, she is remembered in goodness when drinking water. On this earth she is a guardian of waters. Baad Izad, Tir Izad and Farvardin Izad are Khordad’s associates.
In the Gathas, Khordad and Amordad are constantly mentioned together. In the New Avesta, these two Amshaspands are the guardians of the waters and plants that come to the aid of the people to defeat their thirst and hunger. In Yasna, verse 47, it is stated that Ahura Mazda will reach out and give immortality of Amordad to the one whose thoughts, words and deeds are in accordance with the religion of truth and honesty.
In the ancient texts of Amshaspand Khordad: The fourth Yasht of the twenty-one yasht of Avesta is dedicated to the praise and worship of Amshaspand Lady Khordad, in which Yasht Ahura Mazda speaks about creating Khordad to help the pure people achieve salvation, peace and prosperity”. And then, it is emphasized that whoever praises Khordad is like one who has honored all Amshaspandans. In Bundahishn it is also mentioned about Khordad: “From all the creations in the universe she accepted the responsibility of the waters and says that life, birth and the growth of all living being on earth is from water, and therefore the earth’s prosperity is because of her.”
