Dahm
Encyclopedia
Dahman or Dahman Afrin is the Avestan language
name of a Zoroastrian
concept, later considered to be the embodiment of prayer, and ultimately (also) as a divinity, one of the yazatas
.
Dahman Afrin literally means 'devout blessing(s)', and the divinity Dahman is the active principle and hypostasis
of the Gathic Avestan Dahma Afriti invocation (Yasna 60.2-7). Yasna 61 also refers to the prayer as Dahma Vangui Afriti and considers it to be the fourth most potent incantation. The prayer is invoked as a blessing upon the house of the ashavan
, which may be translated as 'just' or 'true' man.
In Zoroastrian tradition, the divinity Dahman appears as Middle Persian
Dahm.
60 and 61, the term dahma appears to mean 'pious' or 'good', but that it may have originally been used to refer to one who had been initiated into the Zoroastrian religion. Zend translations of Yasna 61 and middle Persian glossaries appear to have considered the term unfamiliar enough that it needed explanation. In these, dahm is considered the essence of the just man, and the name of the prayer is translated as 'blessings of the good/pious'. However, according to Boyce (1982), the authors of the Zend were mistaken. According to her, dahm was not a (masculine plural) noun, but an (accusative singular feminine) adjective "used exclusively of Afriti among the divine beings." The mistranslation became the standard name of the prayer, and ultimately embodied as that of a yazata.
The potency of the Dahma Afriti invocation is also mentioned in the Vendidad as Ahura Mazda
's reward for a cure for disease (Vendidad
22.5). It is also the payment a priest may give for medicinal services rendered unto him (Vendidad 7.41, 9.37), which – a Zend commentary explains - is more valuable than any other form of payment.
As the essence of the just man, dahman was eventually personified as the divinity Dahman Afrin, or just Dahman. As a divinity, Dahman only appears thrice in the surviving texts of the Avesta
(once in Siroza 33, and once each in fragments P31 and P32) and once in a Zend translation of the lost Sudgar Nask.
, as the greatest saviour from the daevas
(815.4-815.8), a description also provided by the Shayest ne shayest supplementary (13.43). A Sassanid era commentary on Siroza 33 notes that property acquired honestly is protected by Dahman Afrin.
Boyce (1982) suggests that Dahman may once have had a dedication of the twenty-third day of the month of the Zoroastrian calendar
, but was displaced when three additional days were assigned to Ahura Mazda
. Dahman continues to be invoked with Apam Napat (middle Persian: Burz
Yazad) and Haoma (Hom
) together with Anagra Raoca (Aneran), the divinity of the thirtieth day of the month.
In Zoroastrian cosmogony, Dahman was created though, and is associated with, the Amesha Spenta
Shahrevar (Avestan: Kshathra [Vairya]), the guardian of metals and minerals. (Bundahishn 3.16)
Dahman also plays a role as the yazata who receives the souls of the just/pious at sunrise on the fourth day after death. In that Afringan ('ritual of blessing'), Dahman is summoned to accept the soul of the deceased from Sarosh (under whose care it had remained for the previous four days) and accompany it until the soul's Fravashi
is united with it. (Dhalla, 1938)
Beyond these references, Dahman Afrin is of no great significance in modern Zoroastrianism, and is overshadowed by Sarosh, with whom Dahman is frequently associated. There is no Yasht dedicated to Dahman, but it has been suggested that the divinity of prayer was once important to the Zoroastrian priesthood. (Boyce, 1993b)
Unlike most other yazatas, Dahman is a purely Zoroastrian
concept, with no pre-Zoroastrian equivalent, and was not inherited as an entity by later Persian mythology.
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 of a Zoroastrian
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
concept, later considered to be the embodiment of prayer, and ultimately (also) as a divinity, one of 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...
.
Dahman Afrin literally means 'devout blessing(s)', and the divinity Dahman is the active principle and hypostasis
Hypostasis (linguistics)
In linguistics, a hypostasis , is a relationship between a name and a known quantity, as a cultural personification of an entity or quality...
of the Gathic Avestan Dahma Afriti invocation (Yasna 60.2-7). Yasna 61 also refers to the prayer as Dahma Vangui Afriti and considers it to be the fourth most potent incantation. The prayer is invoked as a blessing upon the house of the ashavan
Ashavan
Avestan ashavan is a Zoroastrian theological term. It literally means "possessing aša", hence "possessing truth" or "possessing righteousness", but has further implications:...
, which may be translated as 'just' or 'true' man.
In Zoroastrian tradition, the divinity Dahman appears as Middle Persian
Middle 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...
Dahm.
In scripture
As used in YasnaYasna
Yasna is the name of the primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta as well as the name of the principal Zoroastrian act of worship at which those verses are recited. The Yasna, or Izeshne, is primarily the name of the ceremony in which the entire book is recited and appropriate...
60 and 61, the term dahma appears to mean 'pious' or 'good', but that it may have originally been used to refer to one who had been initiated into the Zoroastrian religion. Zend translations of Yasna 61 and middle Persian glossaries appear to have considered the term unfamiliar enough that it needed explanation. In these, dahm is considered the essence of the just man, and the name of the prayer is translated as 'blessings of the good/pious'. However, according to Boyce (1982), the authors of the Zend were mistaken. According to her, dahm was not a (masculine plural) noun, but an (accusative singular feminine) adjective "used exclusively of Afriti among the divine beings." The mistranslation became the standard name of the prayer, and ultimately embodied as that of a yazata.
The potency of the Dahma Afriti invocation is also mentioned in the Vendidad as 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...
's reward for a cure for disease (Vendidad
Vendidad
The Vendidad or Videvdat is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. However, unlike the other texts of the Avesta, the Vendidad is an ecclesiastical code, not a liturgical manual.-Name:...
22.5). It is also the payment a priest may give for medicinal services rendered unto him (Vendidad 7.41, 9.37), which – a Zend commentary explains - is more valuable than any other form of payment.
As the essence of the just man, dahman was eventually personified as the divinity Dahman Afrin, or just Dahman. As a divinity, Dahman only appears thrice in the surviving texts of the Avesta
Avesta
The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...
(once in Siroza 33, and once each in fragments P31 and P32) and once in a Zend translation of the lost Sudgar Nask.
In tradition
In addition, Dahman appears several times in the DenkardDenkard
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...
, as the greatest saviour from the daevas
Daeva
Daeva in Avestan language meaning "a being of shining light", is a term for a particular sort of supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics. Equivalents in Iranian languages include Pashto dêw , Baluchi dêw , Persian dīv , Kurdish dêw...
(815.4-815.8), a description also provided by the Shayest ne shayest supplementary (13.43). A Sassanid era commentary on Siroza 33 notes that property acquired honestly is protected by Dahman Afrin.
Boyce (1982) suggests that Dahman may once have had a dedication of the twenty-third day of the month of the Zoroastrian calendar
Zoroastrian calendar
This article treats of the reckoning of days, months and years in the calendar used by adherents of the Zoroastrian faith. Zoroastrian religious festivals are discussed elsewhere, but have a fixed relationship to Nawruz, the New Year festival, whose timing is discussed below...
, but was displaced when three additional days were assigned to 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...
. Dahman continues to be invoked with Apam Napat (middle Persian: Burz
Burz
Burz is the middle Persian name for the Indo-Iranian divinity of waters. Burz is also known as Ahura Berezant in the texts of the Avesta, and also as Apam Napat in Avestan and Vedic Sanskrit...
Yazad) and Haoma (Hom
Haoma
Haoma is the Avestan language name of a plant and its divinity, both of which play a role in Zoroastrian doctrine and in later Persian culture and mythology. The Middle Persian form of the name is hōm, which continues to be the name in Modern Persian and other living Iranian languages.Sacred haoma...
) together with Anagra Raoca (Aneran), the divinity of the thirtieth day of the month.
In Zoroastrian cosmogony, Dahman was created though, and is associated with, the Amesha Spenta
Amesha Spenta
' is an Avestan language term for a class of divine entities in Zoroastrianism, and literally means "Bounteous Immortal" The noun is amesha "immortal", and spenta "furthering, strengthening, bounteous, holy" is an adjective of it...
Shahrevar (Avestan: Kshathra [Vairya]), the guardian of metals and minerals. (Bundahishn 3.16)
Dahman also plays a role as the yazata who receives the souls of the just/pious at sunrise on the fourth day after death. In that Afringan ('ritual of blessing'), Dahman is summoned to accept the soul of the deceased from Sarosh (under whose care it had remained for the previous four days) and accompany it until the soul's Fravashi
Fravashi
A fravashi is the guardian spirit mentioned in the Avesta of an individual, who sends out the urvan into the material world to fight the battle of good versus evil...
is united with it. (Dhalla, 1938)
Beyond these references, Dahman Afrin is of no great significance in modern Zoroastrianism, and is overshadowed by Sarosh, with whom Dahman is frequently associated. There is no Yasht dedicated to Dahman, but it has been suggested that the divinity of prayer was once important to the Zoroastrian priesthood. (Boyce, 1993b)
Unlike most other yazatas, Dahman is a purely Zoroastrian
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
concept, with no pre-Zoroastrian equivalent, and was not inherited as an entity by later Persian mythology.