The Celestial Trinity of Indo-Iranian Mythology: Abbas Saeedipour
The Celestial Trinity of Indo-Iranian Mythology: Abbas Saeedipour
The Celestial Trinity of Indo-Iranian Mythology: Abbas Saeedipour
ISSN 2250-3153
I. PROLOGUE
ARYAMAN
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International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2012
ISSN 2250-3153
God, may you guard us with your holy powers forever and bless
us."4
These three deities (Adityas) in the Vedic pantheon have
significant status among other Adityas most of the times. They
are present in the Yagya ritual in various hymns of the Rig Veda
with other Adityas.
"Mitra, and other gods and Aditi are the leaders of this peaceful
Yagya. They are the wealth gods too."5
Mitra, Varuna are majestic and king of all deities. That is what
in hymns 64, 65, and 66 among others, specially addressed and
introduced, we can see. In hymn 65 we read: " Let both these
powerful and great gods [ Mitra and Varuna ] make our people
prosperous." 6
This triplet is responsible for wealth and health of the mortals
of the earth. They are the givers of light, water, warmth, morality
and order.7
Varuna specially stands for the better life of the mortal on
earth. He cares about right and good of deeds and orderly
practice of the earthly mortals.
Mitra is such a significant mighty deity in the whole IndoIranian Pantheon to be called and requested also in madala eight
hyman 25 again with Varuna, peaceful goddess: Marutas, great
Indra and other gods of Indian pantheon accompanying
Aryaman. Lord Vishnu also is present (Vll.25.12). At the final
mandala of the Rig Veda(X) hyman 132 Mitra and Varuna are
present again together.
It is necessary now to remind that those deities we are talking
about in here are those Indo-Iranian ones that, according to the
evidence, they are called as witnesses for a treaty between Hittite
and Mitanni states. The evidence was discovered in Bogaz koi,
somewhere near the north of Syria.
So, one of the sacred gatherings of these three (Mitra, Varuna,
and Aryaman) deities of Indo-Aryan and Indo-Iranian pantheon
is recorded in the treaty discovered at Bogaz koi. This is what G.
Dumezil (1961) also emphasizes on his "The Three Functions
Theory of Myths.8
In many cases in the Rig Veda we have these three linked up
deities together. "Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman are free to take us
through their desired path. Let Aryaman convey our wishes to
the bounteous Loard".9
" Let Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman grant riches for us and our
sons. O gods!may you guard us with your holy powers forever
and bless us."10
"O great leaders Mitra, Varuna, and Aryaman". "At the time of
sunrise, we request you to share your mighty wealth with us. O
holy leaders, you have been born to perform the Yagya, you
enhance the Yagya and guard it from evil and jealous demons." 11
They are so majestic that in Mesopotamian and minor Asian
state-level society were they called for witness (although
originality can be disputed).
12
RV., 7, 65, 6
RV. Mandal 7., 66, 6
6
RV. Mandal 7., 65, 2
7
RV. Mandal 7., hymans 62-65
8
Encyclopedia Iranica, p98.
9
RV. 7. 64.3.
10
RV. 7 . 61.6.
11
RV. 7.66. 12-3.
5
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International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2012
ISSN 2250-3153
of things, who is " sleepless and awake " ever and ever and ever
(Y.X. repeatedly).
He is most honoured as in the Rig Veda.Mithra (in the Avesta)
who is invoked, exposed and praised in Mihr Yast (=Yasht 10),
is one of the Indo-Iranian deities of the Indo-Iranian Pantheon.
The only difference here is that his parallel in the Rig Veda is
spelled Mitra and praised, exposed and described with his
various associations in the several hymns of the Holy Scripture.
In the third Mandala, hymn fifty nine, nine verses are addressed
to lord Mitra. 19 In other mandalas like mandala number five,
hymns sixty two to seventy two he is joined with Varuna, and
also Aryaman, whom is always associated with. 20 Also in
mandala seven, hymns sixty one to sixty five, he is a gient deity
associated with Varuna. However he is also addressed with Agni,
and in hymn sixty two verse number six with Aryaman.
Airyaman is the healer deity (the Persian Avesta Yasht lV.54)
but the guard of marriage laws in the Rig Vedic hymns. And in
Hindu culture he is still so.
He is honourable and ideal, powerful and victorious who is
created by Ahura Mazda, and is praised by him for his strength. 21
Therefore, Aryaman, like Mithra, Varun, and like Ahura , is
unavoidably the ancient deity of Indo-Iranian people. He had
existed before they came into the sacred books of the Avesta and
the Rig Veda. And he is, amongst other parallel and similar
figures, one of the significant common myths of the two
separated people of the same origin of India and Iran.The
meaning of the name both in the Rig Veda and the Iranian hymns
in the Avestan scriptures is the same. He is, to Ahura Mazda, a
healing deity having his place of residence in the sky (see
Fargard 22, Vendidad, the Avesta). He is made against Angra
Mainyu, the creator of ninety nine thousands and nine hundred
and ninety nine (99999) diseases. Aryaman, his associate is
residing in an enlightening space (abode) in the sky. He is also
called the deity of the sky22.
He is significant in order to remove illnesses, dirty stains, and
the unclean. He seems to be an agent who is advanced in
functions and duties by handling the Ahura Mazda's struggle
against satanic forces of Angra Mainyu. Aryaman in Rig Veda is
usually linked up with Mitra (Mithra) and Varuna. While in the
Avesta he is independently given a magnificent, well lighted, and
enlightening, home, better to say he is lodging with brilliant
lights .23
His nature essentially is promising. He is kind and concerned,
as it is said previously, he is with marriage affairs and
ceremonies in the Rig Veda while he is the guard and defender of
goodness, pure thoughts, privileged deeds, and clean spirits.
George Dumezil calls him Aryan supporter.
These three holy Adityas(Mithra,Varuna and Aryaman)
perform the holy ritual of Yagya and fulfill wishes of the
worshipers. They have the quantities of absolving and cleansing
their worshippers' sins. They are not only the performers, guards,
observers, controllers, but also providers and makers of holy
rituals. Mortals expect and worship them to listen to them for
being saved and cleansed: " O Adityas,, may you grant enormous
riches, comfortable dwelling to the host who is tired after
expressing the Somras. "( soma juice). " O Adityas, may you
fulfill all our wishes. ", "O Varuna, Mitra, and Aryaman, you are
great .. we seek your blessing." 24 In one of the verses of hymn
fifty six Aditi herself is invoked with her three sons or all sons to
free the worshippers from evil's tricks and chains: " O Aditi and
Adityas"25 .
Evil demons are Mentioned again in the same mandala, hymn
thirty, verse three when all "thirty and three " deities are invoked
in verse two of the similar hymn. In the rituals of yagyas Manu
(the first man) performed the rite of worshipping. 26
Aryaman is the son of Aditi and Kasypa who represents
honour nobility, chivalry, rules, and order of the society. He is
another and the earliest common deity of Indo-Iranian Pantheon.
Aryaman is also introduced as the guard of regulations. He
concerns with the cycling and recycling of the time, calendar and
light. Aryaman is, again, one of those seven or twelve Adityas
who are immortal because their element is the everlasting light. It
is understood that Anyaman, as one Aditya is another name for
the sun.
He is constantly linked up with Mitra (Mithra), Varuna Indra,
and others repeatedly, like most deity and ritual cases. In several
Mandalas and hundreds hymns of the Rig Veda this is repeated.
AS Adityas are sons of Aditi , mother of gods , she is repeatedly
addressed too. Indra, Mitra, Aryaman, Bhaga, Varuna, Daksha,
Ansa, Savitra, Adiya, Dhatri, Vishnu, and Martanda are the
twelve Aditya as whose mother is Aditi in the Ring Vedic and
Hindu mythology (as Amshe Spendas in the Avestan Scriptures).
Aditi herself is immortal, too.27
Aryman, as one of the pillars of the trinity of Aryan
pantheon is enough old and experienced to be associated with
Ahura Maza and at the same time be an aditya whose mother is
all deities' mother. Some scholars even realized him as an elder
twin of Ohrmazd 28 (Ahura Mazda. His counterpart also is
significant in here to be another pillar of the trinity. He is
supremely wise and rational: Varuna, again, being an
enlightening eternally is a celestial Aditya. Being an omniscient
commander of universe, he has been said to be creating three
complex realms (heaven, earth, and the air). In addition to it, he
is well 'all seeing deity' and the inevitable judge and the scale of
the mortals' deeds. He is judge of the dead, too. He is associated
with Yama the judge of dead souls.
As we see in different hymns of the Rig Veda, he is
emphatically said to be a kind deity amongst and through other
sons of Aditi. Apart from Mitra and Aryaman, Indra, Bhaga,
Savitr, Anas, and also Martanda (Vivasvat) and a beautiful
charming and beloved sister Ushas, are his siblings.
19
24
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International Journal of Scientific and Research Publications, Volume 2, Issue 5, May 2012
ISSN 2250-3153
AUTHORS
Abbas Saeedipour, [M.A., Kent, U.K], Scholar and Candidate of
Ph.D in Comparative Study on Indo-Iranian Mythology at Jamia
Millia Islam,[Department of Persian], New Delhi 110025
Email id - [email protected]
,
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