Ashavan

{{Short description|Zoroastrian theological term}} {{Zoroastrianism sidebar}} '''Ashavan''' (Avestan: 𐬀𐬴𐬀𐬬𐬀𐬥 ''ašavan'') is a Zoroastrian theological term. It literally means "possessing/mastering ''aša''" and has been interpreted as "possessing/mastering truth" or "possessing/mastering righteousness", but has further implications:

* It is an epithet of Ahura Mazda{{sfn|Gray|1926|p=101}} (''Yasht'' 1.12). The term may then be applied to anything within the domain of Ahura Mazda and/or Aša (i.e. all of Creation), and excludes only that which is ''dr''ə''gvant'' "possessing lie" (YAv: ''drvant'').{{sfn|Gnoli|1987|p=705}} * With respect to mortals and in an eschatological and sotereological context, ''ašavan'' is also a quality that can be acquired in life. Then, having acquired the qualities of an ''ašavan'', one becomes an ''ašavan'' (through "blessed union with aša") after death.{{sfn|Gershevitch|1955|p=483}} (See also: ''aša'': in eschatology and sotereology). This soteriological meaning of ''ašavan'' is also evident in Xerxes' ''daiva inscription'',{{sfn|Gnoli|1987|p=706}} an Old Persian text (XPh, early 5th century BCE). This next-world meaning of ''ašavan'' is preserved in Middle Iranian languages as Pahlavi ''ahlav''. * ''Ašavan'' may be used to denote <u>any</u> follower of the "Good Religion." This is the most common use of ''ašavan'', applicable to any who walk the "path of truth" (''Yasna'' 68.12 and 68.13). In this context, ''Ašavan'' is frequently translated as "righteous person" or "blessed person." This general meaning of ''ašavan'' is preserved in Middle Iranian languages as Pahlavi ''ardav''.

The linguistic cognate of Avestan ''ašavan'' is Vedic ऋतावन् ''ṛtā́van'', which, however, has some functional differences vis-à-vis the Zoroastrian term:

* The dichotomy of the ''ašavan'' and the ''dr''ə''gvant'' is not attested in the Vedas.{{sfn|Duchesne-Guillemin|1963|pp=46–47}} * In Zoroastrianism any mortal may strive to possess ''aša'', but in the Vedas, ''ṛtá'' is hidden from ordinary mortals and only initiated seers are allowed to possess it (become ''ṛtā́van''s).{{sfn|Gnoli|1987|p=706}}

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.{{sfn|Gershevitch|1964|p=18}}

==References== ;Citations {{Reflist|2}}

;Works cited {{Refbegin}} *{{citation|last=Duchesne-Guillemin|first=Jacques|title=Heraclitus and Iran|journal=History of Religions|volume=3|issue=1|year=1963|pages=34–49|doi=10.1086/462470|s2cid=62860085 }}. *{{citation|title=Word and Spirit in Ossetic|last=Gershevitch|first=Ilya|journal=Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies|volume=17|issue=3|year=1955|pages=478–489|doi=10.1017/S0041977X0011239X|s2cid=194030467 }}. *{{citation|title=Zoroaster's Own Contribution|last=Gershevitch|first=Ilya|journal=Journal of Near Eastern Studies|volume=23|issue=1|year=1964|pages=12–38|doi=10.1086/371754|s2cid=161954467 }}. *{{citation|chapter=Ašavan|last=Gnoli|first=Gerardo|title=Encyclopaedia Iranica|series=vol. 2|year=1987|location=New York|publisher=Routledge & Kegan Paul|pages=705–706}}. *{{citation|last=Gray|first=Louis H.|year=1926|title=List of the Divine and Demonic Epithets in the Avesta|journal=Journal of the American Oriental Society|volume=46|pages=97–153|doi=10.2307/593793|jstor=593793}}. {{Refend}}

Category:Zoroastrianism