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Arshtat

Field	Value
type	Zoroastrian
deity_of	Goddess of Truth and Justice
image	[[File:Huvishka with Rishti.jpg	260px]]
caption	Kushan ruler Huvishka with Rishti (Arshtat) on the reverse.
other_names	Ashtad
script_name	Avestan
script	Arshtat 𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬙𐬁𐬝
gender	Female
symbol	Truthfulness
affiliation	The Thirty-Three Deities, Guardians of the Days of the Month
attributes	Guardian of Wisdom, Labor, and Justice, World-Furthering, Guide of the Spiritual and Worldly Beings
day	26th of each month in the Iranian calendar
associated_deities	Zam, Ameretat, Rashnu
sacred_flower	Tulip
abode	Oshida

Arshtat () is the Avestan language name of a Zoroastrian principle and signifies either "justice" or "honesty." As a substantive, arshtat designates the divinity Arshtat, the hypostasis of "Rectitude" and "Justice". Her standing epithet is "world-furthering" or "world-promoting."

In scripture

Although there is a yasht nominally dedicated to Arshtat (Yasht 18), this hymn does not mention her, and it has been supposed that "the occurrence of arš- 'correct' may have been the reason" for the dedication.

Arshtat is closely allied with "the most upright" Rashnu, the "Judge." The two appear as a dvandva compound "Rashnu-Arshtat" in Yasna 1.7 and 2.7, in Yasht 10.139 and 12.40, and in Sirozeh 1.18 and 2.18. This is an eschatological identification, and in the liturgy recited on the third day after death she is invoked with Rashnu, Sraosha "Obedience" and Mithra "Covenant", together the three guardians of the Chinvat bridge.

In Sirozeh 1.26 and 2.26, Arshtat is invoked as the divinity presiding over the 26th day of the month (cf. Zoroastrian calendar). Both verses associate her with the mythical Mount Ushidarena the "keeper of intelligence" that in Zoroastrian tradition is where Zoroaster spent his years in isolation. Yasna 16.6 states the 26th day of the month is sacred to her.

Arshtat is once (Visperad 7.2) identified with Daena (generally translated as "Religion").

In tradition

Arshtat's eschatological role is carried forward into the 9th–14th century texts of Zoroastrian tradition, where she appears as Middle Persian Ashtad.

Arshtat is an assayer of deeds at the Chinvat bridge, the bridge of judgement that all souls must cross. in Bundahishn (37.10–14), Arshtat plays this role together with the Amesha Spenta Ameretat, of whom Arshtat is a hamkar "co-operator"; and in the Book of Arda Wiraz (5.3), she stands there with Mithra, Rashnu, Vayu-Vata, and Verethragna.

In the apocalyptic Zand-i Wahman yasn (7.19-20), Arshtat—together with Nairyosangha, Mithra, Rashnu, Verethregna, Sraosha and a personified Khwarenah—assists the hero Peshyotan.

References

Bibliography

(fasc., 1979, Berlin: de Gruyter) Bartholomae, Airwb, coll. 229-259 for asha, ashavan and cognates. --
: 826
: 826

References

"History of Civilizations of Central Asia". Motilal Banarsidass Publ..
{{harvnb. Gershevitch. 1959
{{harvnb. Bartholomae. 1904, col. 205.
{{harvnb. Skjærvø. 1987. Lommel. 1927
{{harvnb. Dhalla. 1938
{{harvnb. Gnoli. 1987
{{harvnb. Dhalla. 1938
{{harvnb. Dhalla. 1938

Wikipedia Source

This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page.

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