Draft:Zurvan
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| Zurvan God of Time and Fate | |
|---|---|
| General Information | |
| Other Names | Zarawan, Zaman |
| Avestan | Zruuan 𐬰𐬎𐬭𐬬𐬀𐬥 |
| Planet | Saturn (In some Sources) |
| Symbol | Eternal and Infinite Time[1] |
| Guardian of the Day | None[Note 1] |
| Relatives | |
| Children | Ahriman, Ahura Mazda |
| Part of a series on |
| Zoroastrianism |
|---|
 |
 Religion portal |
Zurvan (Avestan: 𐬰𐬎𐬭𐬬𐬀𐬥, romanized: zruuān) is a primordial deity in Ancient Iranian religion, which represents infinite time and space.[2] In the religious movement known as Zurvanism, Zurvan is regarded as the ultimate source of all existence, depicted as a god of fate, time, destiny, eternity, and the fixed order of the universe.[3]
The origins of Zurvanism are unclear, but scholars suggest that Zurvanism emerged as a branch of Zoroastrianism during the late Achaemenid or early Parthian period.[4] It became especially influential during the Sasanian Empire (224–651 CE), although it was never the official state religion.[5] Although Zurvan as a Yazata is not a major figure in mainstream Zoroastrian texts such as the Avesta, Zurvanism developed its own theological framework in which Zurvan was regarded as the father of the twin spirits Ahura Mazda (the god of light and goodness) and Angra Mainyu (the spirit of evil and destruction).
In scripture
[edit]The earliest references to Zurvan (rendered as Zruvan) appear in several passages of the Avesta, including Vendidad 19.13 and 19.16, Nyayesh 1.8, and in the concluding words of the Yasna ceremony (Yasna 72.10).[6] In these instances, Zurvan is invoked alongside other spiritual beings (yazatas) that collectively represent fundamental aspects of the cosmos.
Zurvan is consistently associated with Θwāša, the deity of the firmament and abstract space, and Vayu-Vata, the deity linked to the void between light and darkness.[6] He is described with the epithets akarana- ("infinite") and darǝγō.xvaδāta- ("self-created for a long time").[6]
Additionally, in a passage concerning the fate of the soul after death (Vendidad 19.29), the paths leading to the Činwad Bridge are described as zruuō.dāta ("established by [or in] time").[7] These references suggest that although Zurvan was not a major figure in early Zoroastrian worship, the notion of time as a cosmic principle occupied a significant, if somewhat abstract, place within Avestan theology.
In tradition
[edit]In Zurvanite cosmology, Zurvan is the ultimate principle — an impersonal and infinite being representing "boundless time." According to Zurvanite cosmology, Zurvan wished to have a son who would create the world. After performing a ritual for a thousand years without visible results, he doubted its success. This moment of doubt resulted in the simultaneous conception of twin entities: Ahura Mazda, embodying goodness, and Angra Mainyu, embodying evil.[8]
Zurvan promised that whichever son appeared first would be given sovereignty over the universe. Angra Mainyu, being more aggressive, forced his birth before Ahura Mazda and thus initially won dominion, leading to the conflict between good and evil in the world. However, Ahura Mazda ultimately triumphs at the end of time, fulfilling the cosmic plan.[9][10]
Zurvanism differs from orthodox Zoroastrianism, which posits an uncreated Ahura Mazda who is wholly separate from evil. In contrast, Zurvanite theology suggests both good and evil originate from a neutral, impersonal source: Zurvan.[11]
The cult of Zurvan
Zurvanite beliefs became widespread, especially in the later Parthian and early Sasanian periods.[12] Several Sasanian kings, such as Yazdegerd I and Peroz I, showed interest in Zurvanite ideas.[13] However, following the Muslim conquest of Persia, Zurvanism rapidly declined and was eventually absorbed into broader Islamic and Zoroastrian traditions.[14]
Today, little survives of Zurvanite scripture apart from references in later Zoroastrian and Islamic texts.[15] Some scholars argue that Zurvanite ideas may have influenced later religious movements, such as Manichaeism and certain Gnostic sects.[16] Modern scholarship continues to study Zurvanism as a critical variant of ancient Iranian religious thought.[17]
Notes
[edit]- ^ Sometimes the 31st day of the first six months of the year is considered to be named after this god.
References
[edit]- ^ "گفتار دوم: زروان".
- ^ Zaehner, R.C. (1955). Zurvan: A Zoroastrian Dilemma. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 123.
- ^ Boyce, Mary (1979). Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. London: Routledge. p. 195.
- ^ Duchesne-Guillemin, Jacques (1962). La Religion de l'Iran Ancien. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France. p. 145.
- ^ Boyce, Mary (1979). Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. London: Routledge. p. 196.
- ^ a b c Hintze, Almut (2017). "Zurvan". In: The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 40.
- ^ Hintze, Almut (2017). "Zurvan". In: The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Zoroastrianism. Wiley-Blackwell. p. 41.
- ^ Zaehner, R.C. (1955). Zurvan: A Zoroastrian Dilemma. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 126–130.
- ^ Zaehner, R.C. (1955). Zurvan: A Zoroastrian Dilemma. Oxford: Clarendon Press. p. 128.
- ^ Boyce, Mary (1984). Textual Sources for the Study of Zoroastrianism. Manchester: Manchester University Press. p. 29.
- ^ Boyce, Mary (1979). Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. London: Routledge. pp. 198–199.
- ^ Duchesne-Guillemin, Jacques (1962). La Religion de l'Iran Ancien. Paris: Presses Universitaires de France. p. 147.
- ^ Zaehner, R.C. (1955). Zurvan: A Zoroastrian Dilemma. Oxford: Clarendon Press. pp. 134–136.
- ^ Boyce, Mary (1979). Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. London: Routledge. p. 200.
- ^ Williams, Alan (1994). The Zoroastrian Myth of Migration from Iran and Settlement in India: Text, Translation and Analysis of the 16th Century Qeṣṣa-ye Sanjān. Leiden: Brill. p. 56.
- ^ Zaehner, R.C. (1961). The Dawn and Twilight of Zoroastrianism. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. pp. 40–42.
- ^ Boyce, Mary (1979). Zoroastrians: Their Religious Beliefs and Practices. London: Routledge. p. 205.