Mandaeism Mandaeism (Mandaic language, Classical Mandaic: ),https://qadaha.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/nhura-dictionary-mandaic-english-mandaic.pdf sometimes also known as Nasoraeanism or Sabianism, is a Gnosticism, Gnostic, Monotheism, ...

, Yawar Ziwa (; also known as Yawar Kasia "Hidden Yawar", or Yawar Rabba "Great Yawar") is an

uthra An uthra or ʿutra (, Neo-Mandaic ''oṯrɔ'', traditionally transliterated ''eutra''; plural: ʿuthrē, traditionally transliterated ''eutria'') is a "divine messenger of the light" in Mandaeism. Charles G. Häberl and James F. McGrath transl ...

(angel or guardian) from the

World of Light In Mandaeism, the World of Light or Lightworld () is the primeval, transcendental world from which Tibil and the World of Darkness emerged. Description *The Great Life ('' Hayyi Rabbi'' or Supreme God/ Monad) is the ruler of the World of Ligh ...

. He is the personification of light, as well as the head of reproductive powers. Simat Hayyi, the personification of life, is married to Yawar Ziwa.

Etymology

E. S. Drower translates ''Yawar Ziwa'' as "Dazzling Radiance",Drower, Ethel Stefana. 1937. ''The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran''. Oxford At The Clarendon Press.Drower, E. S. 1960. ''The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis''. Oxford: Clarendon Press. although Mark Lidzbarski translates ''Yawar'' as "helper."

In the ''Ginza Rabba''

Book 14 of the '' Right Ginza'' mentions Yawar as one of the first

s to have been created, along with Yushamin. Yawar is identified in ''Right Ginza'' 15.8 as "the first Gupna."

In other Mandaean texts

In '' Dmut Kušṭa'' (MS Asiatic. Misc. C. 12), Yawar Ziwa is the name of one of the heavenly trees.

As an epithet

Yawar Ziwa is also an epithet for several figures in Mandaean scripture, including: * Abatur * Hibil Ziwa * Manda d-Hayyi

''Šum Yawar Ziwa''

The ''Šum Yawar Ziwa'' () is a sacred gold ring worn by Mandaean priests.

References