Avestan
Avestan ( ) is the liturgical language of Zoroastrianism. It belongs to the Iranian languages, Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family and was First language, originally spoken during the Avestan period, Old ...
: š¬š¬“š¬š¬¬š¬š¬„ ''aÅ”avan'') is a
Zoroastrian
Zoroastrianism ( ), also called MazdayasnÄ () or Beh-dÄ«n (), is an Iranian religion centred on the Avesta and the teachings of Zarathushtra Spitama, who is more commonly referred to by the Greek translation, Zoroaster ( ). Among the wo ...
theological term. It literally means "possessing/mastering '' aŔa''" and has been interpreted as "possessing/mastering truth" or "possessing/mastering righteousness", but has further implications:
* It is an epithet of
Ahura Mazda
Ahura Mazda (; ; or , ),The former is the New Persian rendering of the Avestan form, while the latter derives from Middle Persian. also known as Horomazes (),, is the only creator deity and Sky deity, god of the sky in the ancient Iranian ...
(''
Yasht
A Yasht (, ) is a hymn of praise composed in the Young Avestan language and dedicated to specific Zoroastrian divinities. The term commonly applies to the collection of 21 Yashts, although it may also refer to other texts within the wider Avest ...
'' 1.12). The term may then be applied to anything within the domain of Ahura Mazda and/or AÅ”a (i.e. all of Creation), and excludes only that which is ''dr''É''gvant'' "possessing lie" ( YAv: ''drvant'').
* With respect to mortals and in an
eschatological
Eschatology (; ) concerns expectations of the end of present age, human history, or the world itself. The end of the world or end times is predicted by several world religions (both Abrahamic and non-Abrahamic), which teach that negative world ...
and sotereological context, ''aŔavan'' is also a quality that can be acquired in life. Then, having acquired the qualities of an ''aŔavan'', one becomes an ''aŔavan'' (through "blessed union with aŔa") after death. (See also: ''aŔa'': in eschatology and sotereology). This soteriological meaning of ''aŔavan'' is also evident in Xerxes' ''
daiva
A daeva (Avestan: š¬š¬š¬š¬š¬š¬ ''daÄuua'') is a Zoroastrian supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics. In the Gathas, the oldest texts of the Zoroastrian canon, the ''daeva''s are " gods that are (to be) rejected". T ...
inscription'', an
Old Persian
Old Persian is one of two directly attested Old Iranian languages (the other being Avestan) and is the ancestor of Middle Persian (the language of the Sasanian Empire). Like other Old Iranian languages, it was known to its native speakers as (I ...
text (XPh, early 5th century BCE). This next-world meaning of ''aŔavan'' is preserved in
Middle Iranian
The Iranian languages, also called the Iranic languages, are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family that are spoken natively by the Iranian peoples, predominantly in the Iranian Plateau.
The Iranian language ...
languages as Pahlavi ''ahlav''.
* ''AŔavan'' may be used to denote any follower of the "Good Religion." This is the most common use of ''aŔavan'', applicable to any who walk the "path of truth" (''
Middle Iranian
The Iranian languages, also called the Iranic languages, are a branch of the Indo-Iranian languages in the Indo-European language family that are spoken natively by the Iranian peoples, predominantly in the Iranian Plateau.
The Iranian language ...
languages as Pahlavi ''ardav''.
The linguistic cognate of Avestan ''aŔavan'' is
Vedic
upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed ...
ą¤ą¤¤ą¤¾ą¤µą¤Øą„ ''į¹tÄĢvan'', which, however, has some functional differences vis-Ć -vis the Zoroastrian term:
* The dichotomy of the ''aÅ”avan'' and the ''dr''É''gvant'' is not attested in the
Vedas
FIle:Atharva-Veda samhita page 471 illustration.png, upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the ''Atharvaveda''.
The Vedas ( or ; ), sometimes collectively called the Veda, are a large body of relig ...
.
* In Zoroastrianism any mortal may strive to possess ''aÅ”a'', but in the Vedas, '' į¹tĆ”'' is hidden from ordinary mortals and only initiated seers are allowed to possess it (become ''į¹tÄĢvan''s).
That the souls of the dead dwell in the radiant quarters of Asha (''Yasna'' 16.7) has a Vedic parallel in which the seat of truth is located in the other world.