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Saoshyant

 
World Mythology Dictionary: Saoshyant
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(West Asian mythology)

Literally, ‘saviour’. In Persian mythology the one who will come to renew all life at the end of time. He will remove every trace of the evil wrought in the world by Ahriman, and usher in the ‘second existence’, uniting souls with their bodies. The resurrection of the dead was expected to include both the good and the wicked: the followers of Ahura Mazdah, who dwelt in the abode of light along with celestial beings, or ‘shining ones’; and the inhabitants of Druj, the cold, foul place of darkness reserved for those who chose Ahriman as their master. A mighty conflagration would ensue, molten metal pouring forth on the earth and hell. All men will have to endure the burning torrent which will seem like ‘warm milk’ to the just and be exactly what it is to the wicked. But the sins of the damned should be purged away in this dreadful ordeal and all creation return to Ohrmuzd in joy. It was to be the frashkart, ‘the final rehabilitation’. In this late eschatology the ultimate fate of Ahriman and his demons is obscure, though the searing of Druj suggests a complete annihilation of the evil principle.

Zoroaster may have anticipated a reformation on the earth as the immediate consequence of his own mission. When this did not happen, his disciples thought the prophet would be succeeded by three saviours, each appearing at intervals of a thousand years. ‘At the last turning point of existence’ they anticipated a judgement in which the evil would be allotted their final doom and the good their eternal reward. The idea of heaven and hell as irremediable states was superseded under the Sassanians (226–652) by the ultimate triumph of Ohrmuzd, who replaced Ahura Mazdah and Spenta Mainya as the source of goodness.

According to a late myth, ‘time was for twelve thousand years’ divided into four periods each of 3,000 years. The first, a spiritual epoch, contained the fravashis, pre-existent external souls, the guardian angels; the second period saw the creation of Gayomart, the primeval man, as well as the primeval ox; in the third evil overcame Gayomart and the ox, while the three-headed dragon Azhi Dahaka tyrannized mankind; the present age has enjoyed the teachings of Zoroaster and will terminate with the advent of Saoshyant.

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Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: Saoshyans
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In Zoroastrianism and Parsiism, the final saviour of the world. He is the foremost of the three saviours who are posthumous sons of Zoroaster. He is expected to appear at the end of the last millennium of the world, miraculously conceived by a virgin who has swum in a lake where Zoroaster's seed is preserved. He will vanquish demonic power and resurrect the bodies of the dead, bestowing eternal perfection on them after all souls have been cleansed.

For more information on Saoshyans, visit Britannica.com.

Asian Mythology: Saoshyant
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Saoshyant or Saoshyans or Sōs̆yant is a Zoroastrian (See Zoroastrianism) term for “savior.” According to Zoroastrian tradition, three great Saoshyants will come after Zarathustra (See Zoroaster), himself a Saoshyant (See Zoroastrian Apocalypse). All later Saoshyants will come from the seed of Zarathustra that are saved in Lake Kansaoya and guarded by spirits until the savior's virgin mother (See Virgin Birth) is impregnated while bathing there. The last and greatest of the post-Zarathustra Saoshyants is to be Astvatereta—sometimes simply called Saoshyant—who will finally destroy the forces of evil aligned against those of the good in Zoroastrian theology.

Wikipedia: Saoshyant
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Saoshyant is a figure of Zoroastrian eschatology who brings about the final renovation of the world, the Frashokereti. The Avestan language name literally means "one who brings benefit," and is also used as common noun.

Contents

In scripture

In the Gathas, the most sacred hymns of Zoroastrianism and believed to have been composed by Zoroaster himself, the term is used to refer to the prophet's own mission and to his community of followers, who "bring benefit" to humanity. 'Saoshyant' may have been a term originally applied to Zoroaster himself (e.g. Yasna 46.3)[1]

The common noun, which also appears in the Younger Avesta (e.g. Yasna 61.5), is also used as a generic to denote religious leaders and another common noun airyaman "member of community" is an epithet of these saoshyants. In contrast, the standing epithet of the saviour figure(s) is 'astvat-әrәta' "embodying righteousness,"[2] which has arta/asha "Truth" as an element of the name.[3] These saviours are those who follow Ahura Mazda's teaching "with acts inspired by asha" (Yasna 48.12).

'Saoshyant' appears as a proper name in the Younger Avesta,[4] explicitly so in Yasht 13.129 where it is used in the singular and where 'Astvat-ereta' is also invoked as an alternate name of 'Saoshyant'. The singular also appears in Yasna 59.1 where Verethragna is said to be Saoshyant's weapon in overcoming resistance. A plural form appears for instance in Yasht 17.1 where Ashi -- the divinity of "recompense" -- is described to give the Saoshyants the power of "making wonderful" (frasho.kereti).

In tradition

Already alluded to in scripture (e.g. Yasht 19.92), but only properly developed in the 9th-12th century texts of Zoroastrian tradition is the role of the Saoshyant during the final renovation. In these Middle Persian texts, the name is rendered as Sōshans.

Zoroastrian tradition envisions three future saviours, one for the end of each 1,000-year period that comprise the last 3,000 years of the world. All three will be born of maidens, conceived while their mothers bathed in a lake that miraculously preserved the seed of the prophet Zoroaster himself. The first will be named Hushedar, the second Hushedarmah, and the third will be Saoshyant, who will lead humanity in the final battle against falsehood.

The story of the Saoshyant's conception and early life are described in Denkard 7.10.15ff as follows: Thirty years before the decisive final battle, a maiden named Eredat-fedhri ("Victorious Helper") and whose nickname is "Body-maker" will enter a lake (in Yasht 19.92, this is "Lake Kansava"). Sitting in the water, the girl, who has "not associated with men" will receive "victorious knowledge." Her son, when born, will not know nourishment from his mother, his body will be sun-like, and the "royal glory" of Khwarenah will be with him. Then, for the next 57 years he will subsist on only vegetables (17 years), then only water (30 years) and then for the final 10 years only on "spiritual food."

The events of the final renovation are described in the Bundahishn (30.1ff): In the final battle with evil, the yazatas Airyaman and Atar will "melt the metal in the hills and mountains, and it will be upon the earth like a river" (Bundahishn 34.18), but the righteous (ashavan) will not be harmed.

Eventually, Ahura Mazda will triumph, and his agent Saoshyant will resurrect the dead, whose bodies will be restored to eternal perfection, and whose souls will be cleansed and reunited with God. Time will then end, and truth/righteousness (asha) and immortality will thereafter be everlasting.

References

  1. ^ Boyce 1975, p. 234.
  2. ^ Boyce 1975, p. 282.
  3. ^ Dhalla 1938, p. 165.
  4. ^ Dhalla 1938, p. 108.

Bibliography

  • Boyce, Mary (1975), A History of Zoroastrianism, Vol. I, Leiden/Köln: Brill 
  • Dhalla, Maneckji Nusservanji (1938), History of Zoroastrianism, New York: OUP 

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World Mythology Dictionary. A Dictionary of World Mythology. Copyright © Arthur Cotterell 1979, 1986, 2003. All rights reserved.  Read more
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. Britannica Concise Encyclopedia. © 2006 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved.  Read more
Asian Mythology. A Dictionary of Asian Mythology. Copyright © 2001, 2002 by David Leeming. All rights reserved.  Read more
Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Saoshyant".  Read more