Ahura Mazda

Has Ahura Mazda (Persian اهورا مزدا, " the wise Lord" or " Lord of Wisdom ", Middle Persian Ormusd or Ormus ) is in Zoroastrianism, the Creator God, the first the spiritual world ( Menok ) and then the material world ( Geti ) created; he embodies the power of light, is the creator and sustainer of the world and humanity and is the god of fertility of living beings; mentioned in the cuneiform inscriptions of the Persian kings Ahuramazda.

The Creator God

Ahura ( "Lord" ) is a generic term of the Avestan language in the Iranian plateau, which is used in the original corresponding meaning with the ancient Indian word asura. With the addition of Mazda ( "wise" ) was a proper name, the carrier should be characterized primarily by omniscience, as is usually when a sky god of the case. In ancient India, Ahura Mazda corresponded to the sky god Varuna, who also called on as asura and was named according to one of the Gathas ( early Iranian religious text collection ) " the good asura son." In India, were in early times Asuras and Devas in the same divine level. Already in the Rigveda asura took the meaning of " evil spirits " to. While in India, the Asuras fell down to the level of demons remained in Iran after the battle of the two opposing forces of Ahura victorious and the Daevas ( Devas in accordance with the Indian ) were juxtaposed as demons.

The Greeks, who call him Oromazes or Oromasdes, knew him as the supreme god of the Persians, as the resultant of the purest light originator of the good things and creator of the world; on the cuneiform inscriptions of Darius I derived from Behistun (also: Bisutun ) he is called " the greatest of the gods."

An important description of Ahura Mazda comes from the Avesta, especially the oldest, of Zoroaster himself or his disciples the same originating part, the Gatha ( songs '). Thereafter, he is the most sacred, prosperous -giving spirit, the sun, moon and stars and the heavens, the earth and the waters, the trees and the people who created and maintains. He is the Knower, the friend and protector of the good, the enemy of the liar and the avenger of injustice, the inventor of good sayings ( Daena ) to fend off the fiends ( daeva ). You pray to him for the award of earthly goods, but also to perfection and immortality or long life. He is the source of good thoughts, words and deeds, the father of Armaiti which is the deity of humility and piety, and at the same time the Earth Spirit; " Truth" and " good sense " does not stand him, half personalized, half to the side.

His constant adversary is Anromainyus (the " evil spirit " Angra Manju, Ahrmanyu, later Ahriman ). Between this and Ahura Mazda man has to choose, but has throughout the former has a very inferior position and occurs only in the later parts of the Zend-Avesta more prominent.

Ahura Mazda will appear in the later religion as the creator of all other gods, especially the six Amschaspand, enthroned in heaven beside him. The creation of the world, especially the 16 landscapes of eastern Iran is more developed in detail, and there are many informed conversations which Ahura Mazda is said to have held his prophet Zarathustra on various issues of faith and morals.

Of course, it remains a somewhat abstract and passive character in comparison with the nature gods such as Mithras. Only his battle with the evil spirit, the last for 3000 years and will end with the defeat of the same is made ​​wider; also he now appears as a judge of the dead, who questioned the souls around her change and she if the answer satisfactory fails, invites you to share a paradise with him.

Still more decisive steps forward his form in the Pahlavi literature of the Sassanian period and in the religion of today's parsing, which is essentially monotheistic.

Iconography

Faravahar is usually displayed in the middle of the winged sun disk and symbolized by the flame, which forms one of the four sacred elements (fire, water, earth and air) and is considered pure.

Survival

The name of Ahura Mazda is the name of the Pope Hormisdas and the Sassanid kings Hormizd, also today feature still in the process of Strait of Hormuz in the province Hormosgan.

Influence of Zoroastrianism on other religions

Zoroaster's teachings were incorporated on Judaism (see Babylonian Exile ) also in Christianity and should not be underestimated in its importance. Specifically, the terms heaven and hell were previously unknown in Judaism; the devil as God's opponent is probably due to Ahriman. The spreading of the angel - faith engages safely back on Zoroaster. Angel in Zoroastrianism called Malakhim and Daevas.

After the conquest of Sassanidenreichs middle of the 7th century by the Islamic Arabs, the Zoroastrians in Persia were slowly added to a minority, with part of them emigrated to India ( Parsis ).