From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mashya and Mashyana
Mashya and Mashyana
Part of a series on
Zoroastrianism
Etymology
The names are from Avestan, nominally transliterated as
mašyā and mašyānē, but like other Avestan words also,
spellings (and hence transliterations) vary from manu-
script to manuscript. Mašyā may thus also appear as maṣ̌i-
iā or maš́iiā or mašiiāi (and variants).
Portal
Primary topics
Attestations
Zoroastrianism According to the creation myth as described in the Bun-
Ahura Mazda dahishn, Ohrmuzd’s (Ahura Mazda) sixth creation is the
Zarathustra primeval beast Gayomart (Gayamarətan), that was nei-
aša (asha) / arta ther male nor female. Ahriman (Angra Mainyu), the Spir-
it of Evil that dwelt in the Absolute Darkness, sought to
Angels and demons
destroy all that Ohrmuzd had created, and sent the de-
Amesha Spentas · Yazatas moness Jeh (Jahi) to kill Gayomard. In this she was suc-
Ahuras · Daevas cessful, but the moon (Mah) captured his seed before
Angra Mainyu the animal died, from which all animal life then grew.
Scripture and worship From Gayomard’s corpse grew a tree, the seeds of which
Avesta were the origin of all plant life, and from the branches of
Gathas · Yasna which grew Mashya and Mashyana.
Vendidad · Visperad They promised to aid Ohrmuzd in his battle with Ah-
Yashts · Khordeh Avesta riman, and gave birth to fifteen sets of twins which scat-
Ab-Zohr tered around the Earth and became the races of mankind.
The Ahuna Vairya Invocation
Fire Temples Theories
Accounts and legends Indo-European connections to Ask and Embla have been
Dēnkard · Bundahišn proposed. In Norse mythology, Ask and Embla were the
Book of Arda Viraf first man and woman, created from trees and given var-
Book of Jamasp ious gifts of life by three gods. According to Benjamin
Story of Sanjan Thorpe "Grimm says the word embla, emla, signifies a
History and culture busy woman, from amr, ambr, aml, ambl, assidous labour;
the same relation as Meshia and Meshiane, the ancient
Zurvanism
Persian names of the first man and woman, who were al-
Calendar · Festivals
so formed from trees."[1]
Marriage
Eschatology
Adherents See also
Zoroastrians in Iran • Adam and Eve
Parsis · Iranis
•••
Persecution of Zoroastrians
Notes
[1] Thorpe (1907:337).
See also
Index of Related Articles
References
According to the Zoroastrian cosmogony, Mashya and
Mashyana were the first man and woman whose procre- • Thorpe, Benjamin (Trans.) (1907). The Elder Edda of
ation gave rise to the human race. Saemund Sigfusson. Norrœna Society.
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Mashya and Mashyana
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Categories:
• Zoroastrianism
• Creation myths
• Legendary progenitors
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