Mutual Relationship of Man and Yazatas in Middle Persian Gnomic Treatises

Abstract

In Zoroastrian religion Yazatas and Amēša-spantas are the greatest agents of Ohrmazd. They are assigned to carry out responsibilities in all three stages of creation, protection, and finalization of the world. Here, as the only creature privileged with intelligence and free will, human must reinforce Ohrmazd’s front by making informed choices. Zoroastrian Middle Persian gnomic treatises are sagacious texts, based on Mazdaean tenets instructing proper way of life and directing to salvation. As such, they are expected to deal with the interaction of these two important icons. In this article, we thrive to figure out the relationship between Man and Yazatas in these treatises and its dimentions. By examining this corpus as listed in The History of Persian Literature before Islam, extracting the relative content, and analyzing it, a meaningful mutual relationship between Man and Yazatas was found out. Some obligations are proposed for Man towards Yazatas, in turn, Man receives protection and bounty from them. As such, Man is ordered to perform religious rites, adhere to friendship and sincerity towards Yazatas, surrender and be submissiveness to them, have trust in them and rely on them. In turn, Yazatas will give him bounties and protection in personal and cosmic levels. Thus, within a mutual relationship, Man and Yazatas contribute to the advancement of the cause of Ohrmazd and his aim of creation of the material world.

Keywords

• zoroastrian religion
• middle persian texts
• gnomic treatises
• yazatas
• man’s obligations