Yazata

Yazata ( Avestan, " Venerable " ( Sg ); yaz of strain: " worship ", " praise ", " sacrifice "; corresponding to Middle Persian Yazd and plural Yazdan, therefrom Modern Persian Izad "God " / " deity " and Yazdan: "God" ) called Zoroastrian Iranian divinities in the strict sense. The term refers in the Avesta, the holy book of the religion Zoroastrianism, to deities, which the Creator, Ahura Mazda, are subject to and contribute to its work, but also in an outstanding way true and righteous people, which in line with the principle Asha to the higher levels of human development are reached. Here Ahura Mazda is considered ( Pahlavi: Ohrmazd ) as the highest figure among the divine Yazatas while Zarathustra occupies the highest position among the secular. In the hierarchy of deities Ahura Mazda Amesha Spenta follow the ( Pahlavi: Amahraspand, Modern Persian: Amšâspand ).

The under the name Yazata -emergent deities represent a considerable part considerably older, präzoroastrische Iranian deities, which, however, a Zoroastrian conceptualization were subjected to later.

In a broader sense, the term Yazata reflected in younger deities of the Iranian pantheon, here in particular in figures of Manichaeism, which can be found in the work of the Prophet Šābuhragān Mani in Middle Persian. So the deity Mithra appears ( Avestan: Mithra, Middle Persian: Mihr ) in Middle Persian Manichaean name and meaning as " Yazad " " Mihr ".

Among the Yazatas in particular comes to the great importance listed below, which is reflected inter alia by its presence in the Zoroastrian calendar as well as a part in the Iranian calendar:

The term Yazata already met us in the Gathas of Zarathustra. Here they appear as the Daevas opposite and venerable powers, which are invoked as a whole. In younger sections of the Avesta they eventually occur as individual deities, which are shown partly in anthropomorphic form. For example, the book Visperad refer devotional praises and hymns to various deities, to which, among other Vohu Manah and Anahita belong.

In Achaemenian Empire every day of the calendar month was dedicated to a deity, which was thought in particular. At the same time this way every day of the month was made expressly under the protection of a deity. The result is reflected in Zoroastrian tradition, and partly in the Iranian calendar.