Similes for Mainyu, Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Avesta, Bundahishn and Mainyu-i ye Xrad
The concepts of Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Zoroastrian religious culture are intertwined with the concept of Mainyu, such that Ahura Mazda holds Spenta Mainyu within himself, and Ahriman is another verbal form of Angra Mainyu. In addition to these two antagonistic deities, Mainyu also applies to...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | fas |
| Published: |
Semnan University
2024-05-01
|
| Series: | مطالعات زبانی و بلاغی |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://rhetorical.semnan.ac.ir/article_8719_230b7e8f0e36bf26100b516e09f5bec3.pdf |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841527752876883968 |
|---|---|
| author | Saba Kazemian Kazem Dezfoulian Ahmad Khatami |
| author_facet | Saba Kazemian Kazem Dezfoulian Ahmad Khatami |
| author_sort | Saba Kazemian |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The concepts of Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Zoroastrian religious culture are intertwined with the concept of Mainyu, such that Ahura Mazda holds Spenta Mainyu within himself, and Ahriman is another verbal form of Angra Mainyu. In addition to these two antagonistic deities, Mainyu also applies to other concepts in Zoroastrian scriptures. These three concepts are still ambiguous and confusing, despite ongoing research, due to factors such as antiquity, semantic multiplicity, abstraction, and changes that have occurred over time in their meanings. The authors of this article have attempted to analyze and demonstrate these concepts from the perspective of the similes that have been formed around them, using a descriptive-analytical method and by extracting data from Zoroastrian scriptures. This is to show how simile, as one of the most important tools of cognition, has been used to visualize these abstract concepts and what visual and semantic characteristics have been explained for them. The results of the study show, firstly, that the authors of the scriptures under discussion have consciously used similes to relate the intellectual to the sensory as well as the tangible and the popular to bring these three concepts closer to the understanding and perception of the general public. Secondly, using simile to compare the concept of Mainyu to martial art terminilogy has defined a role for it beyond mere personification, identifying it as the agent and combatant soul of the world of Asha. Thirdly, while the similes referring to Ahura Mazdā maintain aesthetic criteria, the images associated with Ahriman have been chosen from among the most terrifying and striking phenomena in the view of that era. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6776c46011694933816bced41430aaae |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2008-9570 2717-090X |
| language | fas |
| publishDate | 2024-05-01 |
| publisher | Semnan University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | مطالعات زبانی و بلاغی |
| spelling | doaj-art-6776c46011694933816bced41430aaae2025-01-15T08:08:23ZfasSemnan Universityمطالعات زبانی و بلاغی2008-95702717-090X2024-05-01153573410.22075/jlrs.2023.29174.22088719Similes for Mainyu, Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Avesta, Bundahishn and Mainyu-i ye XradSaba Kazemian0Kazem Dezfoulian1Ahmad Khatami2Ph.D. student, Persian language and literature, University of Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran: Correspondence authorProfessor, Persian Language and Literature, University of Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran.Professor, Persian Language and Literature, University of Shahid Beheshti, Tehran, Iran.The concepts of Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Zoroastrian religious culture are intertwined with the concept of Mainyu, such that Ahura Mazda holds Spenta Mainyu within himself, and Ahriman is another verbal form of Angra Mainyu. In addition to these two antagonistic deities, Mainyu also applies to other concepts in Zoroastrian scriptures. These three concepts are still ambiguous and confusing, despite ongoing research, due to factors such as antiquity, semantic multiplicity, abstraction, and changes that have occurred over time in their meanings. The authors of this article have attempted to analyze and demonstrate these concepts from the perspective of the similes that have been formed around them, using a descriptive-analytical method and by extracting data from Zoroastrian scriptures. This is to show how simile, as one of the most important tools of cognition, has been used to visualize these abstract concepts and what visual and semantic characteristics have been explained for them. The results of the study show, firstly, that the authors of the scriptures under discussion have consciously used similes to relate the intellectual to the sensory as well as the tangible and the popular to bring these three concepts closer to the understanding and perception of the general public. Secondly, using simile to compare the concept of Mainyu to martial art terminilogy has defined a role for it beyond mere personification, identifying it as the agent and combatant soul of the world of Asha. Thirdly, while the similes referring to Ahura Mazdā maintain aesthetic criteria, the images associated with Ahriman have been chosen from among the most terrifying and striking phenomena in the view of that era.https://rhetorical.semnan.ac.ir/article_8719_230b7e8f0e36bf26100b516e09f5bec3.pdfsimileahura mazdāahrimanmainyuzoroastrianismavestabundahishn |
| spellingShingle | Saba Kazemian Kazem Dezfoulian Ahmad Khatami Similes for Mainyu, Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Avesta, Bundahishn and Mainyu-i ye Xrad مطالعات زبانی و بلاغی simile ahura mazdā ahriman mainyu zoroastrianism avesta bundahishn |
| title | Similes for Mainyu, Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Avesta, Bundahishn and Mainyu-i ye Xrad |
| title_full | Similes for Mainyu, Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Avesta, Bundahishn and Mainyu-i ye Xrad |
| title_fullStr | Similes for Mainyu, Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Avesta, Bundahishn and Mainyu-i ye Xrad |
| title_full_unstemmed | Similes for Mainyu, Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Avesta, Bundahishn and Mainyu-i ye Xrad |
| title_short | Similes for Mainyu, Ahura Mazdā and Ahriman in the Avesta, Bundahishn and Mainyu-i ye Xrad |
| title_sort | similes for mainyu ahura mazda and ahriman in the avesta bundahishn and mainyu i ye xrad |
| topic | simile ahura mazdā ahriman mainyu zoroastrianism avesta bundahishn |
| url | https://rhetorical.semnan.ac.ir/article_8719_230b7e8f0e36bf26100b516e09f5bec3.pdf |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sabakazemian similesformainyuahuramazdaandahrimanintheavestabundahishnandmainyuiyexrad AT kazemdezfoulian similesformainyuahuramazdaandahrimanintheavestabundahishnandmainyuiyexrad AT ahmadkhatami similesformainyuahuramazdaandahrimanintheavestabundahishnandmainyuiyexrad |