ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Proto-Indo-Iranian paganism

Okay kiddo, let's talk about Proto-Indo-Iranian paganism!

Long ago, people believed in many gods and goddesses who had power over different aspects of the world, like the sun, the moon, and even things like love and war. This is called paganism.

Proto-Indo-Iranian paganism was a kind of paganism that was practiced by ancient people in a part of the world that now includes Iran, India, and other nearby areas. They believed in many gods and goddesses too.

One of the most important things they believed in was something called the "Indo-Iranian religion." This was a religion that had a lot of different gods and goddesses, and was based on the idea of sacrifice. Sacrifice means offering something up to the gods to show them that you respect them and want them to help you.

They believed that their gods and goddesses controlled the world, and that they needed to make the right sacrifices or else bad things might happen. For example, one of their gods was called Varuna, and he was in charge of the sky and the waters. They believed that if they didn't make the right sacrifices to him, he might get angry and cause bad things like droughts or floods.

Another important thing they believed was that there was a cycle of life, death, and rebirth. This means that when you die, your soul goes to a special place where it can rest for a while before being reborn in a new body. This idea is still believed by some people today!

Overall, Proto-Indo-Iranian paganism was a complex and fascinating religion that helped ancient people understand the world around them. While it's not as widely practiced today, its influence can still be felt in many parts of the world.