Purity and fire in Zoroastrianism

Goodness and purity are strongly linked in Zoroastrianism (as they are in many other religions), and purity appears in the foreground in the Zoroastrian ritual. There are various symbols through which the message of purity is communicated, mainly:

Fire
water
Haoma (a specific plant commonly associated with ephedra today)
Nirang (consecrated bull urine)
Milk or clarified butter (clarified butter)
Bread

Fire is by far the most central and often used symbol of purity. While Ahura Mazda is generally seen as a formless god and a being of entirely spiritual energy rather than physical existence, it has sometimes been equated with the sun and, of course, the images associated with it remain very fire oriented. Ahura Mazda is the light of wisdom that repels the darkness of chaos. It is the bearer of life, just as the sun brings life into the world.

Fire is also important in Zoroastrian eschatology when all souls will be subjected to fire and molten metal to cleanse them from evil. The good souls will pass unharmed, while the souls of the corrupt will burn in anguish.

Temples of fire
All traditional Zoroastrian temples, also known as agiari or "places of fire", include a holy fire to represent the goodness and purity that everyone should fight for. Once properly consecrated, a temple fire should never be put out, although it can be transported to another location if necessary.

Keep the fires pure
While fire purifies, even if it is consecrated, sacred fires are not immune to contamination and Zoroastrian priests take many precautions against such action. When tending to fire, a cloth known as padan is worn over the mouth and nose so that breathing and saliva do not pollute the fire. This reflects a view of saliva similar to Hindu beliefs, which shares some historical origins with Zoroastrianism, where saliva is never allowed to touch utensils to eat because of its dirty properties.

Many Zoroastrian temples, especially Indian ones, do not even allow non-Zoroastrians, or juddins, to enter their borders. Even when these people follow standard procedures to remain clean, their presence is considered too spiritually corrupt to enter a temple of fire. The chamber containing the sacred fire, known as Dar-I-Mihr or "Mithras portico", is generally positioned in such a way that those outside the temple cannot even see it.

Use of fire in the ritual
Fire is incorporated into numerous Zoroastrian rituals. Pregnant women light fires or lamps as a protective measure. Lamps often powered by clarified butter - another purifying substance - are also lit as part of the navjote initiation ceremony.

The misunderstanding of the Zoroastrians as fire worshipers
Sometimes the Zoroastrians are thought to love fire. Fire is revered as a great cleansing agent and as a symbol of Ahura Mazda's power, but it is in no way worshiped or believed to be Ahura Mazda himself. Likewise, Catholics do not worship holy water, although they recognize that it has spiritual properties, and Christians in general do not worship the cross, although the symbol is widely respected and cherished as a representative of Christ's sacrifice.