The heart of Zoroastrian scripture pulses through the Avesta, a collection that’s been guiding the faith for over three millennia. At its very core sit the Gathas—seventeen hymns attributed to Zarathustra himself—thought to predate much of recorded history. These poems aren’t just religious verses; they read like soul-stirring conversations about truth, morality and the cosmic struggle between order (asha) and chaos (druj).

Branching out from the Gathas, the Yasna ceremony text expands into detailed rituals, including the acclaimed Ahuna Vairya prayer, which scholars often compare to the Gayatri Mantra in its spiritual stature. Nearby sits the Vendidad, a manual of purity laws, demon lore and mythic origins, its chapters sometimes described as an ancient handbook on everything from hygiene to the supernatural.

Yashts—twenty-one hymns dedicated to individual divine beings—add a lyrical layer, invoking Yazatas (divine angels) for blessings on fire, water, wind and earth. For day-to-day spiritual needs, laypeople turn to the Khorda Avesta or “Little Avesta,” a pocket-sized compendium of prayers used at home and in fireside worship.

When Zoroastrianism shifted into the Middle Persian era, a new set of writings emerged. The Denkard acts like an encyclopedia of theology and history; the Bundahishn lays out creation myths that feel as vivid as any modern fantasy novel; and the Dadistan-i Denig offers jurisprudential rulings that governed community life. The Arda Viraf Nama sends its hero on a celestial out-of-body journey—imagine an ancient “near-death experience” account that still fascinates scholars and spiritual seekers alike.

These layers of text have rippled beyond Iran’s deserts, influencing Vedic hymns and, more recently, interfaith dialogues at global gatherings like the 2023 Parliament of the World’s Religions. Even today, Parsis and Irani Zoroastrians keep these scriptures alive, chanting them at fire temples from Mumbai to London, ensuring those ancient verses remain as vibrant as ever.