4 PEOCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.61. 



eriis everj'thing with wisdom, righteousness, and goodness. Asso- 

 ciated with him in the government of the world as his ministers are 

 the Amshaspands {Amesha Spentas^ "Immortal Holy Ones"): 1, 

 Vohu Mano, good mind (the good principle, the idea of good that 

 works in man, inclining him to what is good) ; 2, Asha, right (as 

 conformity to the moral law and order) ; 3, Kshathra, the wislied- 

 for kingdom (the Kingdom of God) ; 4, Armaiti, devotion (humble 

 piety, reverence for the Divine) ; 5, Haurvatat, welfare or perfec- 

 tion; and 6, Amertat, immortality. With these six, to make up the 

 sacred seven, Sraosha, the genius of obedience, of " faithful hear- 

 ing," is sometimes joined. They were at first mere attributes of God, 

 or personified qualities and ideals of human character in the likeness 

 of God; later certain specified parts of the world were put under 

 their care; they were also assigned to different days and months, 

 and each has a peculiar flower and color. 



Besides the Amshaspands, who are termed the " children " of 

 Ormuzd, or may be designated as archangels, the Avesta mentions 

 some minor spiritual beings of the celestial hierarchy, such as the 

 Yazatas (modern Izads) , " worshipful or holy ones," ordinary angels ; 

 the Fravashis^ protecting spirits, who help men in battle and accom- 

 pany souls to the next world, and some mere abstractions, as Arshtat, 

 watchfulness; Parendi^ riches; Ashi^ rectitude, etc. 



Over against the realm of law and righteousness {asha) , ruled by 

 Ormuzd and his beneficent ministering spirits, is the sphere of the 

 Lie (druj) and wickedness, dominated by Ahriman {Angra-Mainyu, 

 " enemy spirit") at the head of the daevas^ a body of malevolent and 

 harmful powers. The relation of the opposing powers is variously 

 represented in the different parts of the Zoroastrian scriptures. In 

 the earlier Avesta (the Gathas) two primeval principles or causes of 

 light and darkness, of life and death, of good and evil, personified in 

 Spenta-lSIainyu, the Holy Spirit of Ahura-Mazda, and Angra- 

 Mainyu, respectively, are assumed, both being subordinate to and 

 united in Ahura-Mazda. As they met they produced life and unlife, 

 determining how at last there should be for the wicked the worst 

 state, and for the righteous the "best mind." Zoroaster is made to 

 say : " In the beginning there was a pair of twins, two spirits, each of 

 a peculiar activity. These are the good and the base in thought, 

 word, and deed. Choose one of these two spirits. Be good, not base. 

 AVhen the two spirits came together at the first to make life and death 

 (not life) and to determine how the world at the last shall be for the 

 wicked the worst life, for the holy the best mental state." In the 

 younger Avesta (especially in the Bundahish) the distinction be- 

 tween the Holy Spirit and God is not preserved, both being identified, 

 so that the opposition thenceforth stands between Ahriman and 



