Azhi Dahaka

Quellen

[1]

45. We sacrifice unto the awful Glory, that cannot be forcibly seized, made by Mazda ....

46. For which the Good Spirit and the Evil One did struggle with one another: for that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized they flung each of them their darts most swift. The Good Spirit flung a dart, and so did Vohu-Mano, and Asha-Vahishta and Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda. The Evil Spirit flung a dart, and so did Akem-Mano, and Aeshma of the wounding spear and Azhi Dahaka and Spityura, he who sawed Yima in twain.

47. Then forward came Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda, thinking thus in his heart: 'I want to seize that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized.' But Azhi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, he of the evil law, rushed on his back, thinking of extinguishing it:

48. 'Here give it up to me; O Atar, son of Ahura Mazda: if thou seizest that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, I shall rush upon thee, so that thou mayest never more blaze on the earth made by Ahura and protect the world of the good principle.' And Atar took back his hands, as the instinct of life prevailed, so much had Azhi affrighted him.

49. Then Azhi, the three-mouthed, he of the evil law, rushed forward, thinking thus in his heart: 'I want to seize that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized.' But Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda, advanced behind him, speaking in these words:

50. 'There give it up to me, thou three-mouthed Azhi Dahaka. If thou seizest that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, then I will enter thy hinder part, I will blaze up in thy jaws, so that thou mayest never more rush upon the earth made by Mazda and destroy the world of the good principle.' Then Azhi took back his hands, as the instinct of life prevailed, so much had Atar affrighted him.

51. That Glory swells up and goes to the sea Vouru-Kasha. The swift-horsed Son of the Waters seizes it at once: this is the wish of the Son of the Waters, the swift-horsed: 'I want to seize that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, down to the bottom of the sea Vouru-Kasha, in the bottom of the deep rivers.'

52. We sacrifice unto the Son of the Waters, the swift-horsed, the tall and shining lord, the lord of females; the male god, who helps one at his appeal; who made man, who shaped man, a god who lives beneath waters, and whose ear is the quickest to hear when he is worshipped.

53. 'And whosoever of you, O men,' - thus said Ahura Mazda, - 'O holy Zarathushtra! shall seize that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, he has the gifts of an Athravan; whosoever shall long for the illumination of knowledge, he has the gifts of an Athravan; whosoever shall long for fulness of knowledge, he has the gifts of an Athravan;

54. 'And Riches will cleave unto him, giving him full welfare, holding a shield before him, powerful, rich of cattle and garments; and Victory will cleave unto him, day after day; and likewise Strength, that smites more than a year. Attended by that Victory, he will conquer the havocking hordes; attended by that Victory, he will conquer all those who hate him.' For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice....

92. When Astvat-ereta shall rise up from Lake Kasava [Kasaoya], a friend of Ahura Mazda, a son of Vispa-taurvairi, knowing the victorious knowledge. It was that Glory that Thraetaona bore with him when Azhi Dahaka was killed;

36. The second time when the Glory departed from the bright Yima, the Glory went from Yima, the son of Vivanghant, in the shape of a Varaghna bird.

Then Thraetaona seized that Glory, he, the heir of the valiant Athwya clan, who was the most victorious of all victorious men next to Zarathushtra;

37. Who smote Azhi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who had a thousand senses, that most powerful, fiendish Druj, that demon baleful to the world, the strongest Druj that Angra Mainyu created against the material world, to destroy the world of the good principle.

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'Mayest thou be instructed with a thousand senses, like Azhi Dahaka, of the evil law!

[3]

28. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....

29. 'To her did Azi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, offer up a sacrifice in the land of Bawri, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, and ten thousand lambs. 30. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may make all the seven Karshvares of the earth empty of men." 31. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant him that boon, although he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating her that she would grant him that boon.

'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....

32. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto Ardvi Sura Anahita....

33. 'To her did Thraetaona, the heir of the valiant Athwya clan, offer up a sacrifice in the four-cornered Varena, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 34. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome Azi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who has a thousand senses, that most powerful, fiendish Druj, that demon, baleful to the world, the strongest Druj that Angra Mainyu created against the material world, to destroy the world of the good principle; and that I may deliver his two wives, Savanghavach and Erenavach, who are the fairest of body amongst women, and the most wonderful creatures in the world." 35. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon.

'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....

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18.

   I will sacrifice to the Waters and to Him who divides them....
   To this Vayu do we sacrifice, this Vayu do we invoke.... 

19.

   Unto him did the three-mouthed Azhi Dahaka offer up a sacrifice in his accursed palace of Kvirinta, on a golden throne, under golden beams and a golden canopy, with bundles of baresma and offerings of full-boiling [milk]. 

20.

   He begged of him a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O Vayu! who dost work highly, that I may make all the seven Karshvares of the earth empty of men.' 

21.

   In vain did he sacrifice, in vain did he beg, in vain did he invoke, in vain did he give gifts, in vain did he bring libations; Vayu did not grant him that boon.

For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard....

[5]

The counter-creations of Angra Mainyu. The Avestan texts persistently speak of the creations of the two spirits, Spenta Mainyu and Angra Mainyu;26 moreover the first chapter of the Vendidad contains a list of the good places created by Ahura Mazda, over against which the Evil One counter-created various physical and moral evils to thwart the peace and happiness of the good creation. It is the Evil Spirit who has infected [260] the bodies of mortals with disease and decay;27 it is from him that come deformities of body;28 and he is ever perpetrating wrong against the world of goodness. Angra Mainyu corrupts the moral nature of man. He it was who called into existence the tyrant Azhi Dahaka for the destruction of the creatures of righteousness.29 The rival spirits have divided their sphere of possession and activity of the wind of Vayu, a part of which belongs to the Good Spirit, whereas the other part is included in the kingdom of the Evil Spirit.

[6]

According to legend, King Faridun of the Pishdadian dynasty, with his spiritual powers, had bound and imprisoned Azhi Dahaka or Zohak (the personification of evil) in this holy mountain. They say by night (when the forces of darkness and evil are more powerful) Azhi Dahaka's allegorical chains begin to weaken, but at the crack of dawn, when the cock crows (and the forces of light regain their strength), the chains once again bind the demon securely. This is a truth in Nature brilliantly expressed in allegorical form.