Web. According to the creation myth as described in the Bundahishn, Ohrmuzd's (Ahura Mazda) sixth creation is the primeval beast Gayomart (Gayamartan), who was neither male nor female. At this point, Ahura Mazda's supernatural enemy enters the narrative Angra Mainyu (also known as Ahriman) who embodies chaos, darkness, and evil. The Huma bird, similar to Simurgh in many respects, conferred kingship and held all the wisdom of the ages while the giant bird of prey known as the Roc (or Rukh) dispensed justice upon those who thought they could escape it. . Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Tang (Public Domain). We contribute a share of our revenue to remove carbon from the atmosphere and we offset our team's carbon footprint. Azhi Dahaka was the great three-headed dragon created out of the lies of Angra Mainyu to thwart any positive impulse in the world and create chaos. The evil demons known as khrafstra tried to kill it, taking on the form of a frog and a lizard to eat it, but the plant was protected by the Kara fish who swam around it and kept them away as well as by the Righteous Ass, a pure-white donkey with a single golden horn on his forehead, three legs, nine mouths, and six eyes. Fravashis guardian angels, an aspect of one's higher self. Fereydun (Feridun) another name for the great Persian hero-king Thraetaona, who defeats the evil dragon Azhi Dahaka, liberates the people from Zahak (the dragon's embodiment), and was father of the princes who wage the Iranian-Tauranian War in the Shahnameh. Like Simurgh and the later Phoenix, the Huma was thought to live an immensely long life, die in its own flames, and give birth to itself afterwards. It was said to be so large it could easily stride the seven regions of the earth and people could climb on its back to travel from one place to another. Numerous educational institutions recommend us, including Oxford University. Kamak is so enormous that its spread wings blocked the rain, bringing drought to the land, and in the chaos which followed it easily plucked up human and animal prey to feed on. Bibliography The sun purifies Gayomartan's seed in the ground, and 40 years later, a rhubarb plant comes from it and grows into the first mortal couple Mashya and Mashyanag into whom Ahura Mazda breathes the spirit of life which becomes their souls. The creatures which appear in Persian mythology almost all fall into one of these two camps except for the Jinn (also given as Djinn and better known as Genies) and the Peri (faeries) who defy easy definition as their roles seem more neutral and their actions dependent on circumstance rather than loyalty to a given cause. House of Song the bright realm of paradise after death where the justified souls who had served Ahura Mazda were welcomed. The soul was then called to cross a dark river to the land of the dead during which good souls were separated from bad ones (a process known as the Crossing of the Separator). Many creation myths draw on trees as symbols of life. Rudaabeh (Rudaba, Rudabeh) a beautiful princess of Kabul in the Shahnameh, wife of the hero Zal, mother of the champion Rustum. Mashya and Mashyana celebrated their union by knitting to the green branches of a plant known as Mord since there was no wedding ceremony. Rakhsh the great stallion of the hero Rustum, mightier and more intelligent than any other horse, and of amazing strength and speed. She was a companion of Mithra. Guardian of the summer solstice. Even if one never actually saw a Koresk, one could still have hope one would someday and all one's problems would be solved in a sudden streak of supernatural good fortune. Righteous Ass the white donkey with a golden horn protruding from its forehead with three legs, nine mouths, and six eyes who guards the Tree of All Seeds and the great haoma plant, Gaokerena, in the midst of the Vourukasha Sea. The early Iranian deities were almost completely reimagined by Zoroaster but many retained their original function to greater or lesser degrees. A freelance writer and former part-time Professor of Philosophy at Marist College, New York, Joshua J. Now a days the nuber of known followers range from 150- 200,000. It is described as having a thousand senses and so is aware of any possible threat and can defend against it while, at the same time, knowing where its prey is at any time. Pairaka (Pairi) shapeshifting female demons (daeva) who appear as beautiful women to seduce and corrupt men in the night. License. Sohrab is born while Rustum is away at war and, when he is grown and has become a great warrior, goes to find him. Zahak was a prince who was corrupted by the lies of Angra Mainyu, killed his father, and took the throne. The dog was considered the best protection against these demons and also warded off cats. Simurgh gave Zal three of her feathers to call upon her if he should ever need help. Souls were protected from demonic attack by the angel Suroosh and were threatened by the demons Asto Vidatu and Aesma Daeva. Spenta Mainyu Holy Spirit, one of the seven Amesha Spentas, the embodiment of the light and goodness of Ahura Mazda. Birds feature prominently in Persian mythology on either side of the struggle between good and evil. Shahbaz a giant bird, larger than any other, who watches over and encourages humanity; thought to be the Imperial Eagle representing royalty under the reign of Cyrus the Great. Central to one's spiritual journey was how well a person treated animals, especially dogs. Following his father's footsteps, Zoroaster entered the priesthood from a young age and seems to have been born into a relatively wealthy family. Two dogs guard the Chinvat Bridge and welcome justified souls while rebuking those who lived according to lies. Anahita (Ardvi Sura Anahita) goddess of health, healing, water, and wisdom. Simurgh had the head of a dog, body of a peacock, and claws of a lion and lived 1,700 years, acquiring all knowledge, before dying in a flame of its own making and rising again. Upon the earth, Ahura Mazda spread all different kinds of vegetation and imbued it with its own life and then created Gavaevodta, the Primordial Bull (also given as the uniquely created bull, Primordial Bovine, and Primordial Ox) who would give life to all other animals which would feed on, and fertilize, the vegetation. The great heroes like Karsasp, Thraetaona, and Rustum express particularly Persian values but, as with all mythical figures, are recognizable to people of any culture as role models whose best qualities are worth emulating. Vouru-Kasa a water god who is the keeper and protector of the waters of the Vourukasha Sea, the source of all waters, and is the embodiment of that sea. Vohu Manah good purpose, one of the seven Amesha Spentas, represented on earth by domesticated animals, especially the cow. Known as the golden-heeled, he was finally defeated and killed by the hero Karsasp. Siyavash hero of the Shahnameh symbolizing virtue, innocence, integrity, and courage. Ahriman Statue Front ViewTouraj Daryaee (CC BY-NC-SA). He is the father of Apam-Natat, the god who provides these waters to humanity. The copyright holder has published this content under the following license: Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike. There are two main parts to the Persian creation story this second part of the story is what we shall be focusing on for today's lesson in Persian mythology, the spirit of good, one of the original beings in the universe, was the creator of the world his name. The Umm-Naush were a subset of the evil spirits known as Khrafstra. They largely appear in folklore as pranksters who hide objects or misdirect, and their most popular antics would be the ancient Persian equivalent of hiding a person's car keys. Mark, published on 16 January 2020. Creation & the Problem of Evil. Rashnu angel of judgment and divine judge of the dead at the Chinvat Bridge. Mark, published on 10 December 2019. The land of Israel, and the Levant more generally, is more subject to drought than floods, so it is natural to suppose that the story originated outside this area. Historically, these were regions long ruled by dynasties of various Iranian empires,[note 1][1][2][3] that incorporated considerable aspects of Persian culture through extensive contact with them,[note 2] or where sufficient Iranian peoples settled to still maintain communities who patronize their respective cultures. Mark has lived in Greece and Germany and traveled through Egypt. The central vision of ancient Persian religion was of a universal struggle between the forces of good and evil, order and chaos. Ask students to focus on the differences and similarities. Ahriman ( Angra Mainyu ), the Spirit of Evil that dwelt in the Absolute Darkness, sought to destroy all that Ohrmuzd had created, and sent the demoness Jeh ( Jahi . African mythology commonly depicts the cosmos anthropomorphically. Thank you! The latter process, in particular, requires the presence of writing in order that . When republishing on the web a hyperlink back to the original content source URL must be included. Izha goddess of sacrifice. Duzhyairya demon of want, who causes bad harvests; archenemy of Tishtrya, god of rain. Royal Stars the four major stars which influenced or, at times, governed human events. Oral tradition was especially important and storytelling a central value in ancient Persian culture, and so the stories of the old continued to be told, and many of the deities, now reimagined, appear in the works of the oldest monotheistic religion, Zoroastrianism, which developed between c. 1500-1000 BCE. This exact theme is the foundation of virtually every ancient world religion to one degree or another, but for the Persians, it amounted to the meaning of existence. Then Ahura Mazd created Gaymart . Modern scholars study the myths to shed light on the religious and political institutions of not only modern-day Iran but the Greater Iran, which includes regions of West Asia, Central Asia, South Asia and Transcaucasia where Iranian culture has had significant influence. Winged Figure, Rock-Cut Tombs of Qizqapan. Injuring, or attempting to injure, the Huma Bird would bring a lifetime of bad luck. Thraetaona also known as Fereydun, the great hero-king of the Shahnameh who defeats the dragon Azhi Dahaka. This Persian marvel was lost for millennia Only one ancient account mentions the existence of Xerxes Canal, long thought to be a tall tale. Author's Note: Grateful acknowledgement to Dr. Ezat Heydari for suggestions on this article. In some versions of the Persian* creation story a huge tree grew from the rotting corpse of the first human. Cite This Work The World History Encyclopedia logo is a registered trademark. She is scared off by a dog, especially the four-eyed dog (one with a spot above each eye), who is led into the room between three and nine times for this purpose. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. This faith developed from an earlier polytheistic system featuring a pantheon of gods, led by their king Ahura Mazda, who stood against the forces of the evil spirit Angra Mainyu. At birth, the fravashi sends the soul (urvan) into the physical body so that it can contribute to the fight against evil and experience the material world. The most prominent and unique feature of ancient Iranian religion was the development of dualism, primarily expressed in the opposition of truth ( arta) and falsehood ( drug, drauga ). If their purpose was atonement, they seem to have been collectively bad at their jobs since tales concerning them show them causing trouble as often as resolving it. They were generally regarded with suspicion, and amulets were carried by merchants and travelers for protection against them. To prove his innocence, he rode his great horse Shabrang Behzed through a towering fire and emerged unscathed. The gods, creatures, & heroes who made up the early stories are scattered amongst the various works of Zoroastrianism & later collections of myth & fable. Published by Echo of Iran, Tehran 1965. The trunk separated into a man and a woman, Mashya and Mashyane, and the fruit of the tree became the various races of humankind. World History Foundation is a non-profit organization registered in Canada. The Roman Mithras was an astrological deity while the Persian Mithra was considerably more complex. Dogs would welcome a justified soul and reject those who had been condemned. It struck without warning but, sometimes, would announce itself with a growl like a trumpet. These include a creation myth and a vision of afterlife, which Islam shares with the other Abrahamic . Persian MythologyPersian Mythology in ContextPersian mythology developed in what is now Iran around 1500 bce. Please donate to our server cost fundraiser 2023, so that we can produce more history articles, videos and translations. Related Content World History Encyclopedia, 16 Jan 2020. Cite This Work On the other side of the fence is Zahhak, a symbol of despotism who was, finally, defeated by Kve, who led a popular uprising against him. Its horn was thought to be a powerful antidote to poison and seeing one was thought to bring good luck. The force equated with fortune or destiny which defined a person's role in life. Please note that some of these recommendations are listed under our old name, Ancient History Encyclopedia. He also carries daggers, throwing-axes, and his famous mace which is his most powerful weapon. Mah (Mangha, Maha) goddess of the moon who accepted the corpse of Gavaevodata and purified its seed so that animals could be created. The list attempts to be complete but will omit some minor deities and even some heroes whose qualities are represented by others more famous. When someone in the community went missing, and there was no clue as to what happened to them, it was judged to be the work of a manticore. He is depicted with a helmet, shield, and spear and is associated with metal and metallurgy, especially with molten brass, thus linking him with transformation. Help our mission to provide free history education to the world! Web. There were four levels descending down from the Chinvat Bridge, each one increasing in darkness until the lowest which was completely absent of all light. They were neutral in the war between the forces of Good and those of Evil and based their actions on circumstance rather than ideology. The tale of King Yama is of particular interest to religious historians, as it can be seen as a potential inspiration . He will be resurrected in the final days to slay the dragon Azhi Dahaka. He was a god of courage and enlightenment, and led the chariot of the sun across the sky on its daily journey. Zal summons Simurgh who teaches him how to deliver the child through Caesarian section and also instructs him in the medicinal use of plants. Defining history is hardly easier than defining myth, but a historical approach necessarily involves both establishing a chronological framework for events and comparing and contrasting rival traditions in order to produce a coherent account. However one chose would then dictate the quality of one's life and, naturally, one's afterlife. They were allegedly imprisoned in their fairy-form until they had atoned for a past sin but were neither human souls nor immortal entities. This page was last edited on 25 March 2023, at 20:33. Peris, like jinns, are considered neutral in the war between Good and Evil and, also like them, are as apt to trick a person as to deal fairly. There were two forces at work in the universe which were antithetical to each other and whichever side one aligned one's self with would define one's earthly journey and destination in the afterlife. Sraosa (Sorush, Suroosh) angel of the Chinvat Bridge who guides and protects souls of the newly deceased as they cross toward final judgment by Rashnu. Karmak is the evil counterpart of the bird Chamrosh who spreads seeds, encourages fertility, and protects the people of the land. Her archenemy is Zarich, the demon of ageing. Shabrang Behzad the mighty black horse of the hero Siyavash. Last modified December 09, 2019. Tascheter one of the Four Royal Stars (modern designation Aldebaran) who worked for the good forces of Ahura Mazda. 30 Apr 2023. Cultural Trends. They are thought to be spirits imprisoned to atone for past sins but are neither immortal nor human souls. The following is a list of the various entities of pre-Zoroastrian Persia who appear in some of the most famous myths and legends.

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