In Zoroastrian doctrine a fravashi (Avestan fravaši; Middle Persian fraward, frawahr, frohar, frawash, frawaksh) is the guardian spirit of an individual, who sends out the urvan (often translated as 'soul') into the material world to fight the battle of good versus evil. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Ahura Mazda ( ae Ahura Mazdā) is the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت Asha ( aša) or arta is the Avestan language term for a concept of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept ae Amesha Spenta ( ae Aməša Spənta) is an Avestan language term for a class of divinity/divine concepts in Zoroastrianism, and literally means "Bounteous Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept For the fictional character in the Marvel Universe series see Ahura (comics; for the river see Akhurian River. Daeva ( daēuua, daāua, daēva) is the Avestan language term for a particular sort of supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics "Ahriman" redirects here For other uses see Ahriman (disambiguation. The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The Vendidad or Videvdat is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. Ahuna Vairya is the Avestan language name of the most sacred of the Gathic hymns of the Avesta, the revered texts of Zoroastrianism. A Zoroastrian Fire Temple is a place of worship for Zoroastrians. The Dēnkard or Dēnkart ( Middle Persian: "Acts of Religion" is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs The Bundahishn, meaning "Primal Creation" is an account of Zoroastrian cosmogony and cosmology and reflects ancient Zoroastrian and even pre-Zoroastrian beliefs The Book of Arda Viraf is a Zoroastrian religious text that describes the dream-journey of a devout Zoroastrian (the 'Viraf' of the story through the next world The Jamasp Nameh (var Jāmāsp Nāmag, Jāmāsp Nāmeh, "Story of Jamasp" is a Middle Persian book of revelations The Story of Sanjan (also Qissa-i Sanjan or Kisse-i Sanjan) is an account of the early years of Zoroastrian settlers on the Indian subcontinent Zurvanism is a now-extinct branch of Zoroastrianism that had the divinity Zurvan as its First The Zoroastrian calendar is a religious Calendar used by members of the Zoroastrian faith and it is an approximation of the (tropical Solar calendar. Zoroastrianism has numerous festivals and holy days all of which are bound to the Zoroastrian calendar. In the Zoroastrian faith marriage is encouraged an institution greatly favoured by the religious texts. Zoroastrianism eschatology is the oldest Eschatology in recorded history Zoroastrians in Iran have had a long history being the oldest religious community of that nation to survive to the present-day The Iranis are an ethno-religious community of the Indian subcontinent; descendants of Zoroastrians who emigrated from Greater Iran (in the main from Zoroastrians have faced much religious discrimination including forced conversions harassments as well as being identified as Najis "ritually impure" Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Avestan is an Eastern Old Iranian language that was used to compose the sacred hymns and canon of the Zoroastrian Avesta. Middle Persian is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times (224-654 CE became a Prestige dialect On the morning of the fourth day after death, the urvan returns to its fravashi, where its experiences in the material world are collected.

Contents 1 Etymology 2 In scripture 3 In tradition 4 References

Etymology

In general, fravashi is believed to have at its root var- "to choose. " From reconstructed *fravarti (/rt/ clusters in Avestan usually appear as /š/), fravashi could then be interpreted to mean "one who has been selected (for exaltation). Avestan is an Eastern Old Iranian language that was used to compose the sacred hymns and canon of the Zoroastrian Avesta. " Also following var- "to choose" is the interpretation as "to choose/profess a faith," as also attested in the word fravarane, the name of the Zoroastrian credo. The credo ( Latin for "I Believe" ˈkɾeːd̪oː is a statement of Religious belief, such as the Nicene Creed (or less often another creed

Other interpretations take other meanings of var- into consideration: Either as var- "to cover" that in a bahuvrihi with fra- "to ward" provides "protective valor," or a derivation from var- "to make/be pregnant" which gives "promoter of birth, birth-spirit. A bahuvrīhí (बहुव्रीहि or bahuvrihi compound (also exocentric compound) is a type of nominal compound that refers to something that " One interpretation considers a derivation from vart- "turn" hence "turning away, departing, death. "

In scripture

The concept of the fravashis, unlike that of many of the other yazatas, does not appear to have an equivalent in other Indo-Iranian religions. Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept Although there are parallels with the Indian pitaras, the historical development of the concept is unclear, and there are several conflicting theories as to when and why fravashis received the role they play in the texts of the Avesta. The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. Boyce speculates that perhaps the fravashis are the remnants of the hero-cult of the "Iranian Heroic Age" (c. Nora Elisabeth Mary Boyce ( &ndash) was a British scholar of Iranian languages, and a recognized authority on Zoroastrianism. 1500 BCE onwards), when ancestor-worship was widespread.

Early Zoroastrian texts such as Yasht 17 make a clear departure from ancestor worship, but the fravashis may have been re-integrated later in an effort to make the religion more widely acceptable. The ae Yashts ( ae Yašt s are a collection of twenty-one hymns in Younger Avestan. The military prowess of the fravashis is celebrated throughout the Yashts, and in two sections they are clearly identified with the urvan. Both are more consistent with the beliefs of the Iranian Heroic Age than with the philosophy expressed in the Gathas, the most important part of the Avesta and thought to have been composed by Zoroaster himself. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت

The fravashis are not mentioned at all in the Gathas. The earliest mention of them is in the Haptan Yasht, where they are mentioned several times. In chapter 57 of the Yasna, the fravashis are responsible for the course of the sun, moon, and stars (and will do so until the renovation of this world), and in nurturing waters and plants, and protecting the unborn in the womb. Yasna ( Avestan: 'oblation' or 'worship' is the name of the primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta as well as the name of the They would annually strive to ensure that "family, settlement, tribe, and country" had rain.

The principal source of information on the fravashis is Yasht 13 (Farvardin Yasht), the hymn that is addressed to them and in which they appear as beings who inhabit the stratosphere, and aid and protect those who worship them. The ae Yashts ( ae Yašt s are a collection of twenty-one hymns in Younger Avestan. In this hymn, the farvashis are described as a vast host of "many hundreds, many thousands, many tens of thousands" aiding Ahura Mazda in the creation of the universe. Ahura Mazda ( ae Ahura Mazdā) is the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator

In tradition

Although there is no physical description of a fravashi in the Avesta, the faravahar, one of the best known symbols of Zoroastrianism, is commonly believed to be the depiction of one. The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. The faravahar or farohar (transliteration varies is one of the best-known symbols of Zoroastrianism. The attribution of the name (which derives from the Middle Iranian word for fravashi) to the symbol is probably a later development. The Iranian languages are a branch of the Indo-European language family and its subfamily Indo-Iranian. In Avestan language grammar, the fravashi are unmistakably female, while the faravahar symbol is unmistakably male. Avestan is an Eastern Old Iranian language that was used to compose the sacred hymns and canon of the Zoroastrian Avesta.

In the hierarchy of the yazatas, the fravashis are the assistants of the Amesha Spenta Haurvatat (MP: Khordad) of "Wholeness", whose special domain are "the Waters" (Avestan Apo, MP: Aban). Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept ae Amesha Spenta ( ae Aməša Spənta) is an Avestan language term for a class of divinity/divine concepts in Zoroastrianism, and literally means "Bounteous Middle Persian is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times (224-654 CE became a Prestige dialect Apas ( ae-Latn āpas) is the Avestan language term for "the waters" which&mdashin its innumerable

In the day-name dedications of the Zoroastrian calendar, the fravashis preside over the 19th day of the month and the 1st month of the year, and both are named Farvadin after these yazatas. The Zoroastrian calendar is a religious Calendar used by members of the Zoroastrian faith and it is an approximation of the (tropical Solar calendar. The Iranian civil calendar of 1925 follows Zoroastrian month-naming conventions and hence also has Farvadin as the name of the first month of the year. The Iranian calendar or Solar Hejri (تقویم هجری شمسی؛ سالنمای هجری خورشیدی Taqwim Hejri Shamsi Salanmay Hejri Khurshidi) is an astronomical

References

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