Mah

Mah ( Persian: "moon ", according Māonghah / Māwngha / Māvangh in Avestan ) is a Zoroastrian moon god. He is depicted with a crescent moon that rises over his shoulder. He is known, among other coins. Only in the Parthian period, one understood the moon as a goddess.

In Iranian literature the moon " Hymn to the Moon" is a particular anthem of the same name, MAH Yasht dedicated. But us the moon already encountered in the Gathas, further including in Khordeh Avesta section mAh Niyâyeš, a praise to the moon, and in the Middle Persian Bundahischn. In Bundahischn the moon appears as the guardian of the Ursamens all animals ( Pahlavi CIHR / Tschihr, Avestan Cithra ) and plays an essential role in the fight against evil, represented by Ahriman, the "spirit of destruction" ( Avestan Angra Mainyu ).

In Mah Yasht the moon is worshiped as the guardian of Ursamens. In this regard, Mah Yasht can be found, among other things. " Amesha Spenta The spread its glory over the earth, the Ahura - created things and gaining heat during the moonlight to spring, grow up out of the earth golden plants ... We praise Antare Māwngha and the truthful and the Lord of truth, we praise Perenō Māwngha and the truthful and the Lord of truth, we praise Višaptaθa and the truthful and the Lord of truth. "

Herein, according Bundahischn Antare Māwngha the time of the crescent moon from the first to the fifth day of the month, Perenō Māwngha the phase of the full moon from the tenth to the fifteenth day and Višaptaθa the phase of the waning crescent moon between the twentieth and the twenty-fifth day. In the Iranian Pantheon each expressly applies the above phases of the moon own, including appropriate deity which is worshiped in the Yasna and the MAH Niyâyeš.