Saoshyant
Encyclopedia
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.
, 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)
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," which has arta/asha
"Truth" as an element of the name. 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, 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
).
The role of the Saoshyant, or Astvat-ereta, as a future saviour of the world is briefly described in Yasht 19.88-96, where it is stated that he will achieve the frasho.kereti, that he will make the world perfect and immortal, and evil and Druj will disappear. He is identified as the son of Vîspa.taurwairî and it is stated that he will come forth from Lake Kansaoya/Kansava and will carry the same weapon Verethragna that a number of Iranian epic heroes and kings have used in the past against various demonic foes. Haurvatat
, Ameretat
and other similar entities will be his companions and together, they will vanquish the evil creations of Angra Mainyu.
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.
Messiah
A messiah is a redeemer figure expected or foretold in one form or another by a religion. Slightly more widely, a messiah is any redeemer figure. Messianic beliefs or theories generally relate to eschatological improvement of the state of humanity or the world, in other words the World to...
, the Frashokereti
Frashokereti
Frashokereti is the Avestan language term for the Zoroastrian doctrine of a final renovation of the universe, when evil will be destroyed, and everything else will be then in perfect unity with God...
. The Avestan language
Avestan language
Avestan is an East Iranian language known only from its use as the language of Zoroastrian scripture, i.e. the Avesta, from which it derives its name...
name literally means "one who brings benefit," and is also used as common noun.
In scripture
In the GathasGathas
The Gathas are 17 hymns believed to have been composed by Zarathusthra himself. They are the most sacred texts of the Zoroastrian faith.-Structure and organization:...
, the most sacred hymns of Zoroastrianism and believed to have been composed by Zoroaster
Zoroaster
Zoroaster , also known as Zarathustra , was a prophet and the founder of Zoroastrianism who was either born in North Western or Eastern Iran. He is credited with the authorship of the Yasna Haptanghaiti as well as the Gathas, hymns which are at the liturgical core of Zoroastrianism...
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)
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
Airyaman
In the Avesta, ' is both an Avestan language common noun as well as the proper name of a Zoroastrian divinity.The common noun is a theological and social term literally meaning "member of community or tribe." In a secondary development, the common noun became the proper name of a divinity...
"member of community" is an epithet of these saoshyants. In contrast, the standing epithet of the saviour figure(s) is
Asha
Asha is the Avestan language term for a concept of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine. In the moral sphere, aša/arta represents what has been called "the decisive confessional concept of Zoroastrianism." ...
"Truth" as an element of the name. 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, 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
Ashi
Rav Ashi was a celebrated Jewish religious scholar, a Babylonian amora, who reestablished the academy at Sura and was first editor of the Babylonian Talmud...
-- the divinity of "recompense" -- is described to give the Saoshyants the power of "making wonderful" (frasho.kereti
Frashokereti
Frashokereti is the Avestan language term for the Zoroastrian doctrine of a final renovation of the universe, when evil will be destroyed, and everything else will be then in perfect unity with God...
).
The role of the Saoshyant, or Astvat-ereta, as a future saviour of the world is briefly described in Yasht 19.88-96, where it is stated that he will achieve the frasho.kereti, that he will make the world perfect and immortal, and evil and Druj will disappear. He is identified as the son of Vîspa.taurwairî and it is stated that he will come forth from Lake Kansaoya/Kansava and will carry the same weapon Verethragna that a number of Iranian epic heroes and kings have used in the past against various demonic foes. Haurvatat
Haurvatat
Haurvatat is the Avestan language word for the Zoroastrian concept of "wholeness" or "perfection." The hypostasis of that concept is the divinity Haurvatat, who is the Amesha Spenta of water , prosperity, and health....
, Ameretat
Ameretat
' is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian divinity/divine concept of "not dying." As the hypostasis of immortality, Ameretat is the Amesha Spenta of long life on earth and perpetuality in the hereafter....
and other similar entities will be his companions and together, they will vanquish the evil creations of Angra Mainyu.
In tradition
Already alluded to in scripture (e.g. Yasht 19.88-96, see above), 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 PersianMiddle Persian
Middle Persian , indigenously known as "Pârsig" sometimes referred to as Pahlavi or Pehlevi, is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times became a prestige dialect and so came to be spoken in other regions as well. Middle Persian is classified as a...
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
Denkard
The Dēnkard or Dēnkart is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs. The Denkard is to a great extent an "Encyclopedia of Mazdaism" and is a most valuable source of information on the religion...
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
Bundahishn
Bundahishn, meaning "Primal Creation", is the name traditionally given to an encyclopædiaic collections of Zoroastrian cosmogony and cosmology written in Book Pahlavi. The original name of the work is not known....
(30.1ff):
In the final battle with evil, the yazatas
Yazata
Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept. The word has a wide range of meanings but generally signifies a divinity...
Airyaman
Airyaman
In the Avesta, ' is both an Avestan language common noun as well as the proper name of a Zoroastrian divinity.The common noun is a theological and social term literally meaning "member of community or tribe." In a secondary development, the common noun became the proper name of a divinity...
and Atar
Atar
Atar is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire" ....
will "melt the metal in the hills and mountains, and it will be upon the earth like a river" (Bundahishn
Bundahishn
Bundahishn, meaning "Primal Creation", is the name traditionally given to an encyclopædiaic collections of Zoroastrian cosmogony and cosmology written in Book Pahlavi. The original name of the work is not known....
34.18), but the righteous (ashavan
Ashavan
Avestan ashavan is a Zoroastrian theological term. It literally means "possessing aša", hence "possessing truth" or "possessing righteousness", but has further implications:...
) will not be harmed.
Eventually, Ahura Mazda
Ahura Mazda
Ahura Mazdā is the Avestan name for a divinity of the Old Iranian religion who was proclaimed the uncreated God by Zoroaster, the founder of Zoroastrianism...
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
Asha
Asha is the Avestan language term for a concept of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine. In the moral sphere, aša/arta represents what has been called "the decisive confessional concept of Zoroastrianism." ...
) and immortality will thereafter be everlasting.