The myths of the people of ancient Iran contain references of many animals and among them the horse is of particular importance. In mythological terms, the horse appears as the symbole of the warrior class. In the beliefs of the people of ancient Iran, the connection between the horse and the warrior was related to the ambiguity of the horse. In the Avesta, this is shown by the use of -aspa (horse) in proper names and in the opposition of the white horse and the black horse.
Studies in ethnology show that the horse is frequently connected with deities of the wind. It is not unusual, for example, for a horse to serve as a sacrifice to the deity of the wind. In the Avesta, too, passages hinting at the ties between horses and the wind can be found. In Zoroastrianism, wind possesses opposing qualities. Vayu, the god of wind, presents a clear duality. The twin Mainyus of good and evil reside in Vayu, like Zurvan.
Wind is the demarcation between life and death, situated between this world and the after life, as demonstrated in the Haδoxt Nask and the Aogemadaeca. The horse, too, represents the character of being this boundary or being situated in the between. This point can be seen in the horse as a metamorphosis of Verethraghna as well as the Gushnasp fire venerated during the Sassanian dyansty. The proof for the tie with the boundary is the prayer on horseback frequently mentioned in the Avesta.

抄録全体を表示

By comparison between cultures of the Near East and Japan, we see a essential part of both cultures.
In this way we see that the spenta mainyu of ancient Iran is the same as the ka of ancient Egypt as well as the aramitama of ancient Japan and the cross is the same as the effigy which brings the ka for mankind.

抄録全体を表示

A variety of goddesses appear in the Zoroastrian pantheon. Among them, three goddesses are especially significant -Armaiti, Aši, and Anahita.
Armaiti is a member of the Ameša Spentas and is ranked among the highest order of goddesses. Aši is closely connected with the concept of Aša, the core of the thought of Zoroaster himself. In Yašt it is recorded that Aši was the love of Zoroaster. Anahita, apparently influenced by the cult of Mesopotamian Mother Goddess, became the most popular object of Iranian faith.
The three goddesses have separate origins and are theologicaly distinct. Nonetheless, under the influence of Indo-Iranian folk beliefs, all these goddesses have been viewed as the Earth Mother and as the complements to deities of the sky. Ahura Mazda and Armaiti were regarded as the parents of Gaya Maretan, or the primeval man. Mi∂ra and Anahita formed a pair. Aši was closely associated with Sraoša. These models parallel the dual divinities-Dyavaprthivi-of Rg Veda.

抄録全体を表示

In Yasna 43₉, l. 2, Ahura Mazda is implicitly referred to in 2. pers. sing., which however is followed by a verb in 3. pers. sing. (pairi. jasat). The apparent disaccord may reasonably be explained in such a way as θwavas “Thy Highness” (nom. sg.) is elided as subject taking the predicate in 3. pers. sg. The author's interpretation as such can be justified by Nipištak-Vicitakiha i Zatspram (The Selections of Zatspram as is generally, known) ed. by B. T. Anklesaria, Bombay 1964, chapts. XXI₄-XXII. Vahuman here revealed himself to Zoroaster and led him to Ohrmezd in the celestial anjuman, where the prophet entered into conversation with Him. That the two celestial Beings appeared to Zoroaster seems to support the author's argument against all the translators thus far—argument that, referring to Ahura Mazda alone, θwavas “Thy Highness” whether expressed or elided accepts the predicate in 3. pers. sg., not simply in Y. 43₉ but also in all other passages where θwavas, either explicit or implicit, is attested; see p. 24 in which are listed the passages concerned. The syntactical phenomenon, however, seems soon to have fallen into oblivion, because in Pahlavi version and correspondingly in Neryosang's Sanskrit rendering of Y. 43₉, l. 2 it is solely Vahuman that makes apparition to the prophet of Ancient Iran.

抄録全体を表示