Ashi (

Avestan Avestan (), or historically Zend, is an umbrella term for two Old Iranian languages: Old Avestan (spoken in the 2nd millennium BCE) and Younger Avestan (spoken in the 1st millennium BCE). They are known only from their conjoined use as the scrip ...

: 𐬀𐬴𐬌 ''aṣ̌i/arti'') is the

Avestan language Avestan (), or historically Zend, is an umbrella term for two Old Iranian languages: Old Avestan (spoken in the 2nd millennium BCE) and Younger Avestan (spoken in the 1st millennium BCE). They are known only from their conjoined use as the scrip ...

word for the

Zoroastrian Zoroastrianism is an Iranian religion and one of the world's oldest organized faiths, based on the teachings of the Iranian-speaking prophet Zoroaster. It has a dualistic cosmology of good and evil within the framework of a monotheisti ...

concept of "that which is attained." As the hypostasis of "reward," "recompense," or "capricious luck," ''Ashi'' is also a divinity in the Zoroastrian hierarchy of ''yazata''s.

Nomenclature

Avestan 'ashi' is a feminine abstract noun, deriving from the root ''ar-'', "to allot," with a substantivizing ''-ta'' suffix, hence ''aṣ̌i/arti'' "that which is granted." In the

Avesta The Avesta () is the primary collection of religious texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. The Avesta texts fall into several different categories, arranged either by dialect, or by usage. The principal text in the lit ...

, the term implies both material and spiritual recompense. Although conceptually older than Zoroastrianism, Ashi has no attested equivalent in

Vedic Sanskrit Vedic Sanskrit was an ancient language of the Indo-Aryan subgroup of the Indo-European language family. It is attested in the Vedas and related literature compiled over the period of the mid- 2nd to mid-1st millennium BCE. It was orally preser ...

. The late

Middle Persian Middle Persian or Pahlavi, also known by its endonym Pārsīk or Pārsīg () in its later form, is a Western Middle Iranian language which became the literary language of the Sasanian Empire. For some time after the Sasanian collapse, Middle P ...

equivalent as attested in the Zoroastrian texts of the 9th-12th century is ''ard-'', which is subject to confusion with another ''ard'' for '' aṣ̌a/arta-'' "truth". In the younger Avesta, divinified ''Ashi'' is also referred to Ashi Vanuhi or Ashi Vanghuhi (''Aši vaηuhī'', nominative ''Ašiš vaηuhī'' "Good Reward"), the Middle Persian equivalent of which is Ahrishwang (''Ahrišwang''). Ashi is also attested as a ''dvandvah'' compound as Ashi Vanghuhi-Parendi.

In scripture

In Zoroaster's revelation

Avestan ''ashi'' is already attested in the

Gathas The Gathas ()"Gatha"
''

, the oldest texts of the Zoroastrianism and believed to have been composed by Zarathushtra himself. In these hymns, where the term occurs 17 times, ''ashi'' is still an abstract concept and is not yet the divinity that she would become in the younger Avesta. With the adjective "good" (hence ''-vanuhi''), ''ashi'' occurs thrice. In the Gathas, ''ashi'' is frequently identified with ''asha'' "truth", so for instance in ''Yasna'' 51.10 where the poet calls "truth to im to come with good reward." The idea being expressed here is a soteriological one, with "truth" being connected to the afterlife (see ''

asha Asha (; also arta ; ae, 𐬀𐬴𐬀, translit=aṣ̌a/arta) is a Zoroastrian concept with a complex and highly nuanced range of meaning. It is commonly summarized in accord with its contextual implications of 'truth' and 'right(eousness)', 'ord ...

'' for details) and ''ashi'' being the appropriate recompense for the soul after death (''cf.'' ''

ashavan Ashavan (Avestan: 𐬀𐬴𐬀𐬬𐬀𐬥 ''ašavan'') is a Zoroastrian theological term. It literally means "possessing/mastering '' aša''" and has been interpreted as "possessing/mastering truth" or "possessing/mastering righteousness", but ha ...

''). This is also apparent in ''Yasna'' 43.5 where

Ahura Mazda Ahura Mazda (; ae, , translit=Ahura Mazdā; ), also known as Oromasdes, Ohrmazd, Ahuramazda, Hoormazd, Hormazd, Hormaz and Hurmuz, is the creator deity in Zoroastrianism. He is the first and most frequently invoked spirit in the ''Yasna'' ...

appoints "reward for deed and word: bad for the bad, good reward for the good." Subject to proper conduct in life, ''ashi'' is then tied to Zoroaster's concept of free will, evident for instance in ''Yasna'' 50.9 where a mortal has the power to influence his own reward. Both ''asha'' and ''ashi'' have associations with

Sraosha Sraosha ( ae, 𐬯𐬭𐬀𐬊𐬴𐬀 or ) is the Avestan name of the Zoroastrian '' yazata'' of "Conscience" and "Observance", which is also the literal meaning of his name. In the Middle Persian commentaries of the 9th-12th centuries, the di ...

and

Vohu Manah Vohu Manah (Avestan: 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬎 𐬨𐬀𐬥𐬀𐬵 ''vohu manah'') is the Avestan language term for a Zoroastrian concept, generally translated as "Good Purpose", "Good Mind", or "Good Thought", referring to the good state of mind that ...

. Sraosha even has ''ashi'' as an epithet, he is ''ashivant'', "possessing ashi" and obedience (=Sraosha) to Ahura Mazda brings good reward, which is "good thinking" (=Vohu Manah).

In the younger Avesta

In the younger Avesta, Ashi is unambiguously a divinity, particularly so in the hymn (''Yasht'' 17) dedicated to her. This hymn also contains older material, and many of the verses of ''Yasht'' 17 are also found in ''Yasht'' 5, the hymn nominally invoking "the Waters" (

Aban Apas (, ae, āpas) is the Avestan language term for "the waters", which, in its innumerable aggregate states, is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters. ''Āb'' (plural ''Ābān'') is the Middle Persian-language form. Introduc ...

), but actually addressed to

Aredvi Sura Anahita Anahita is the Old Persian form of the name of an Iranian goddess and appears in complete and earlier form as ('), the Avestan name of an Indo-Iranian cosmological figure venerated as the divinity of "the Waters" (Aban) and hence associate ...

. Both Aredvi Sura and Ashi are divinities of fertility, but other verses that have martial characteristics (see below) appear out of place in a hymn to "the Waters". As the divinity of fortune, Ashi is characterized as one who confers victory in time of battle (''Yasht'' 17.12-13). She is also closely connected to

Mithra Mithra ( ae, ''Miθra'', peo, 𐎷𐎰𐎼 ''Miça'') commonly known as Mehr, is the Iranian deity of covenant, light, oath, justice and the sun. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seein ...

, whom she serves as charioteer (''Yasht'' 10.68). In the hymn to

, the divinity of obedience receives ''ashiio'' (of uncertain meaning) as a stock epithet. Three verses of the ''Ard Yasht'' are devoted to enumerating the various kings and heroes who paid devotion to Ashi (17.23-25) and were rewarded for it. Verse 53 of the same hymn enumerates those who do ''not'' receive her favors, and this includes - besides demons - all youths that have not yet reached puberty. This is followed by two later verses (55-56) that recall a tale of Ashi hiding beneath a rock when pursued, only to be uncovered by prepubescent boys and girls. The last three verses (57-59) of the hymn describe Ashi complaining to

for the shame she feels for the "prostitute's" actions (''cf.''

Jahi Jahi is the Avestan language name of Zoroastrianism's demoness of "lasciviousness." As a hypostatic entity, Jahi is variously interpreted as "hussy," "rake," "libertine," "courtesan" and "one who leads a licentious life." Her standard epithet i ...

). In the day-name dedications of the

Zoroastrian calendar Adherents of Zoroastrianism use three distinct versions of traditional calendars for liturgical purposes, all derived from medieval Iranian calendars and ultimately based on the Babylonian calendar as used in the Achaemenid empire. ''Qadim ...

, Ashi presides over the 25th day of the month (''Siroza'' 25).

Iconography

Kushan The Kushan Empire ( grc, Βασιλεία Κοσσανῶν; xbc, Κυϸανο, ; sa, कुषाण वंश; Brahmi: , '; BHS: ; xpr, 𐭊𐭅𐭔𐭍 𐭇𐭔𐭕𐭓, ; zh, 貴霜 ) was a syncretic empire, formed by the Yuezhi, ...

coins, Ashi appears as ''

Ardoxšo Ardoksho ( Bactrian script Αρδοχϸο), also Romanised as Ardochsho, Ardokhsho and Ardoxsho, the Iranic goddess of wealth was a female deity of the Kushan Empire, in Central and South Asia during the early part of the 1st millennium CE. She i ...

'' with a cornucopia in hand.

Bibliography