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Spenta Mainyu (Spenamino, Hormazd) means "The Holy Creative
Spirit", He is the spirit of Ahura Mazda, active in the world. He
has dominion over humans. He is the god of life and personified
light and goodness in the world and people. Later, he became
identified with Ormazd, while Ahura Mazda (Name synonymous with Ormazd) became known as Zurvan.
~Human Beings~ |
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Each Amesha Spenta
(Amahraspand) personifies an attribute of Ahura Mazda as well as a
human virtue. In early Zoroastrianism they are spirits of light and
may be considered divine aspects of Ahura Mazda. Later they became
fully personified as independent deities.
Male Amesha Spentas presided over masculine elements:
Fire, Metals and Animals
Female Amesha Spentas presided over feminine elements:
Earth, Water and Vegetation
Still, they were never
worshipped individually. Each
Amesha Spentas
had a special
character and was assigned respective creations to preside over on
the physical, moral and spiritual planes of Ahura Mazda's creations
to aid in the triumph of the forces of light over darkness.
Each had an eternal
archenemy in the Daevas (Demons) headed by Ahriman. Each
Amesha Spenta also symbolizes a sector of Ahura Mazda's Creation.
Each also has a month named after them in the Zoroastrian calendar.
Vohu Manah (Vohu Mano, Vohuman) |
Vohu
Manah
is the "Good Mind, Intelligence and Good Thinking", It
stands for the discerning wisdom and thorough thinking
required for leading a useful life. It is the generator of
Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. He is given the
freedom to choose between good and evil, and the
responsibility to reap the consequences.
He is the Intellectual Principle and was the first Amesha
Spenta created by Ahura Mazda, at whose right hand he sits.
~Animals~ |
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Asha Vahishta
(Ardwahisht) |
Asha
Vahishta
means "Truth and Justice", It is the Divine Law-it embodies
Righteousness, Truth, order, Justice and Progress. It is the
universal law of righteous precision. Every Zoroastrian
strives to follow the Path of Asha in its highest and
deepest spiritual sense.
Asha is the
personification of the "most righteous truth". He was the
second Amesha Spenta created. He is the most prominent of
the male Amesha Spentas as the principal adversary of the
world against the Daevas.
~Fire~ |
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Khshathra Vairya
(Shahrewar) |
Khshathra
Vairya
means "Righteous Power"
Denotes
the "Power" to settle in peace. It is chosen by free and
wise people as their ideal order in spirit and matter. It is
the divine dominion. It is democracy in mind and body, in
thought, words and deeds in every social activity.
He symbolizes self-control to include one's desires and
sensory organs from being stimulated by objects of sense as
well as good authority which ushers in prosperity and the
Kingdom of God.
~The Sky
and Metals~
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Spenta Armaiti
(Spandarmad) |
Spenta
Armaiti
means "Holy Serenity, Devotion" also means Tranquility,
Holy
Compliance.
It is peace and prosperity.
She is an earth and fertility goddess and daughter of Ahura
Mazda. She was the fourth Amesha Spenta created. She
personifies holy devotion and righteous obedience, and also
perfect mindedness gained through humility, faith, devotion,
piety, and so on.
~The Earth~
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Haurvatat
(Hordad) |
Haurvatat means
"Wholeness,
Integrity, Health
and completion". It is the perfecting process and final
completion of our material and spiritual evolution.
She is the Amesha Spenta that presides over water and is the
personification of perfection. She guards the spiritual and
physical natures of water, and she brings prosperity and
health.
~Waters~ |
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Ameretat
(Amurdad) |
Ameretat
means "Deathlessness and Immortally". Together with
Haurvatat, it is the ultimate goal and represents the
completion of our evolutionary development and the final
achievement of our life on earth.
She is associated with plants. She personifies immortality
and rules the physical and spiritual aspects of eternal life
as are symbolized in plants.
~Plants~ |
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Also known as Arda Fravash ("Holy Guardian Angels"). Each
person is accompanied by a guardian angel, which acts as a guide
throughout life. They originally patrolled the boundaries of the
ramparts of heaven, but volunteer to descend to earth to stand by
individuals to the end of their days.
Ahura Mazda advises Zarathushtra to invoke them for help whenever he
finds himself in danger. If not for their guardianship, animals and
people could not have continued to exist, because the wicked Druj
would have destroyed them all.
The Fravashi also serves as an ideal which the soul has to strive
for and emulate, and ultimately becomes one with after death. They
manifest the energy of God, and preserve order in the creation. They
are said to fly like winged birds, and are represented by a winged
disk, often with a person superimposed. |
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Means
"Adorable ones", a created spiritual being, worthy of being honored
or praised. Like the Amesha Spentas they personify abstract ideas
and virtues, or concrete objects of nature. The Yazatas are ever
trying to help people and protect us from evil. See below for some
specifics of the more important Yazatas.
- Aban (Avan, Ava)
- Ahurani
- Airyaman
- Akhshti
- Anaghra Raocha
(Anagran, Aneran)
- Apam Napat
- Aredvi Sura
Anahita
- Arshtat (Ashtad)
- Ashi Vanghuhi (Ashishwangh,
Ard)
- Asman
- Atar (Adar, Atash,
Atesh, Adur)
- Chisti (Chista)
- Daena (Den, Din)
- Dahm
- Dahma Afriti
(Dahman Afrin)
- Damoish Upamana
- Drvaspa
- Erethe
- Gaw
- Geush Urvan
(Gosh, Goshorun)
- Haoma (Hom)
- Haptoiringa
- Havani (Hawan, havan)
- Hvare-khshaeta
(Khwarshed)
- Khwarenah
(khwarrah, farrah)
- Maonghah (Mah)
- Manthra Spenta
(Mahraspand)
- Mithra (Mehr, Mihr,
Meher)
- Nairyosangha
(Neryosang)
- Paoiryaenis
- Parendi
- Paurwanya
- Raman (Ram)
- Rapithwin
- Rasanstat
- Rashnu, Rashne
(Rashn)
- Rata
- Satavaesa, Sataves
- Sraosha (Sarosh,
Srosh)
- Tishtyra
- Tishtryaeninis
(Tishtar, Tir)
- Upa-Paoiri
- Ushah "Dawn"
- Ushahin
- Uzerin
- Vata (Gowad)
- Vanant,
Vananta, Vanand
- Vayu (Wad, Gowad, Govad)
- Verethraghna
(Warharan)
- Visya
- Zamyat, Zamyad
(Zam)
- Zantuma
Other spiritual beings, not classified with the above:
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