The Sacred Fire and Blue Lotus of Mount Damavand

In an age when the Aryan lands had not yet been smitten by bitter cold, the people of the Persian Plateau basked in the radiance of Ahura Mazda. They venerated the ever-burning sacred fire, while blue lotuses bloomed along riverbanks—symbols of the divine aura where water and fire harmonize. Back then, snowmelt from Mount Damavand gushed into streams that nourished all living things. At the foot of the mountain, in a small village, lived a young blacksmith named Arash. His hammer forged farm tools to withstand storms and weapons to defend his homeland.

Ahriman, the evil god, envied humanity’s peace and unleashed "the Winter of Vidofnir." Snow fell as thick as the pages of the Avesta, freezing rivers solid and crushing houses beneath its weight. The sacred fire flickered weakly in the howling winds. Clutching a half-withered blue lotus, the village elder sighed: "Only the sacred fire core atop Mount Damavand can dispel this world-destroying cold. But the path to the summit is blocked by the devil’s ice barriers, and the remnants of Zahhak—bound in chains—lurk there."

One night, Arash dreamed of the angel Sraosha descending from the heavens. The angel handed him a gold-inlaid ring and a bunch of withered haoma leaves: "Journey to the ruins of Persepolis. Beneath the lotus pond there lies the spiritual light of water. Use it to rekindle the sacred fire core, and warmth shall return. Remember: courage is not fearlessness, but perseverance rooted in justice."

Arash embarked on his quest. Traversing the parched wasteland, he nearly collapsed from thirst—until the haoma leaves in his bosom oozed sweet nectar, moistening his parched throat. In Zoroastrianism, this divine sap grants longevity and strength. When he reached the ice field, a gaping crevasse blocked his way. Suddenly, a Simurgh—its wings as brilliant as sunlight—circled down. The benevolent guardian of Persian mythology, it had guided countless heroes before. "The blue lotus’s aura melts illusion; the sacred fire’s warmth dispels darkness," the Simurgh said as it carried Arash across the chasm. "But you must resist Zahhak’s temptation—his evil springs from greed and arrogance."

Upon reaching Persepolis, Arash found a frozen blue lotus at the bottom of the ruined lotus pond. Its petals glimmered with an indigo aura, the very symbol of "fire within water." He touched the ice with the gold-inlaid ring, and the lotus bloomed slowly, spreading a warm glow that melted the frost from his fingertips.

With the blue lotus in hand, Arash climbed Mount Damavand. In a cave at the summit, Zahhak’s remnant struggled to break free from its chains, serpentine tentacles writhing in the darkness. Arash held the blue lotus aloft. It resonated with the sacred fire core deep within the cave, bursting forth in a blinding radiance. Chanting Ahura Mazda’s prayer, he watched as the blue lotus transformed into flames, merging with the sacred fire. The fire surged skyward in an instant, its warm light flowing down the mountainside. Frozen rivers thawed, and withered plants sprouted new shoots.

Zahhak’s remnant wailed in agony as the sacred fire consumed it. Using his blacksmith’s skill, Arash reinforced the chains, imprisoning the devil deep within Mount Damavand—just as the hero Faridun had done in ages past. On his descent, the Simurgh told him: "As long as humanity upholds goodness and venerates light, the sacred fire will never die, and the blue lotus will never fade."

From that day forth, the people of the Persian Plateau passed down Arash’s tale through generations. The sacred fire of Mount Damavand became a symbol of justice, and blue lotuses continued to bloom along rivers—reminding all that the struggle between good and evil endures, but light shall always triumph over darkness, and the spark of life shall be reborn even in the darkest despair.