Jahi is the

Avestan language Avestan ( ) is the liturgical language of Zoroastrianism. It belongs to the Iranian branch of the Indo-European language family and was originally spoken during the Old Iranian period ( – 400 BCE) by the Iranians living in the eastern p ...

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 is "the Whore." In Zoroastrian tradition characterized as the consort of

Ahriman Angra Mainyu (; ) is the Avestan name of Zoroastrianism's hypostasis of the "destructive/evil spirit" and the main adversary in Zoroastrianism either of the Spenta Mainyu, the "holy/creative spirits/mentality", or directly of Ahura Mazda, th ...

and the cause of the

menstrual cycle The menstrual cycle is a series of natural changes in hormone production and the structures of the uterus and ovaries of the female reproductive system that makes pregnancy possible. The ovarian cycle controls the production and release of eg ...

In scripture

In the hymn to ''

Haoma (; Avestan: ) is a divine plant in Zoroastrianism and in later Persian culture and Persian mythology, mythology. has its origins in Indo-Iranian religion and is the cognate of Vedas, Vedic . Etymology Both Avestan and Sanskrit derived from Pr ...

'', the devotee rejects the temptations of the "polluting whore" who "sits down devouring Haoma's sacrificial offering". In the hymn to ''

Asha ''Asha'' () or ''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' (or 'righteousness'), 'order' and 'right wor ...

'', the Holy term ('' manthra spenta'') is an effective remedy against Jahi and other noxious creatures. In the hymn to Ashi (not to be confused with Asha), "Fortune" wails about how shamed she is by Jahi's improper actions. Jahi is characterized in the ''

Vendidad The Vendidad /ˈvendi'dæd/, also known as Videvdat, Videvdad or Juddēvdād, is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. However, unlike the other texts of the Avesta, the ''Vendidad'' is an ecclesiastical code, not a ...

'' as causing

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 ...

"the most grief". "Her gaze takes the colors away from a third of orld. It also contains an oblique reference to Jahi's cosmological role as the killer of '' Gav-aevo.data'' ( MP: ''Gawi ewdad''), the primordial creature from whose seed all animal creation originates. In the ''Sudgar Nask''

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

is sickened by the stench and filth of Jahi and by the irritant "owing to the hussy who, dropping her knee on to the fire-stand, arranged her curls; the falling of damp and moisture from her head, with the hair and filth therefrom".

In tradition

In the ''

Bundahishn The ''Bundahishn'' (Middle Persian: , "Primal Creation") is an encyclopedic collection of beliefs about Zoroastrian cosmology written in the Book Pahlavi script. The original name of the work is not known. It is one of the most important extant ...

'', a Zoroastrian account of creation finished in the 11th or 12th century CE, Ohrmazd and

already co-exist at the beginning of time, but Ahriman is not immediately aware of Ohrmazd. During the first 3000 years (the first cosmic age), Ahriman espied the light of Ormuzd but "seeing valor and supremacy superior to his own, he fled back to the darkness and fashioned many demons — a creation destructive and ready for battle". Ohrmazd, being omniscient, knows of the inevitability of the attack and creates fire ('' Adur'') "with his thought", with which the universe would subsequently be suffused with goodness (life). Upon being attacked, Ohrmazd recites the Ahunawar invocation, thus revealing His ultimate victory to Ahriman, who then falls back confounded for another 3000 years. Towards the end of the second cosmic age (the second 3000 years), Ahriman, who until then has resisted the exhortations of his demons, is roused from his impotence by Jahi's beguiling devices, who promises to destroy the creatures of Ohrmazd. Incited, Ahriman defiles her with a kiss, and from this act Jahi is thenceforth afflicted with menstruation. Jahi is appointed by Ahriman for the defilement of females, and it is this defilement that causes women to have their

menses Menstruation (also known as a period, among other colloquial terms) is the regular discharge of blood and Mucous membrane, mucosal tissue from the endometrium, inner lining of the uterus through the vagina. The menstrual cycle is characterized ...

. Jahi's gaze is said to be powerful enough to kill.''Shayest-ne-Shayest'' 3.29

Notes

Bibliography

* pp. 350–351. * p. 405. * * * * {{reflist, 25em Daevas