The ''Epistles of Manushchihr'' (Minocher) () are a response to comments made by the author's brother on the subject of purification in
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism ( ), also called Mazdayasnā () or Beh-dīn (), is an Iranian religions, Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zoroaster, Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, ...
.
When
Zadsparam, who was the
high priest
The term "high priest" usually refers either to an individual who holds the office of ruler-priest, or to one who is the head of a religious organisation.
Ancient Egypt
In ancient Egypt, a high priest was the chief priest of any of the many god ...
of
Sirjan which is located near
Kerman, proposed certain new precepts, the public were not ready for change and were very unsatisfied. Therefore, they decided to complain to the high priest's older brother
Manuschchihr, who was the high priest of Kerman.
In response, Manushchihr issued three
epistle
An epistle (; ) is a writing directed or sent to a person or group of people, usually an elegant and formal didactic letter. The epistle genre of letter-writing was common in ancient Egypt as part of the scribal-school writing curriculum. The ...
s in the issue:
#A reply to the complaining people
#an expostulation with his brother
#a public decree condemning the new precepts of his younger brother as unlawful innovations.
The first epistle is dated March 15, 881; the third is dated June–July 881. This book contains almost 9000 words. Manushchihar is the author of another major
Pahlavi book named the '
Dadestan-i Denig'.
External links
English translationPahlavi original
Zoroastrian texts
9th-century books
{{Zoroastrianism-book-stub