yazata-s
- “In the amesha spenta-s+++(=yazata-s)+++ we find an invention of new devatA-s, in part to conceal the old ones. Thus, the abstractions of vohu-manaH, asha vahishta, and khshathra-vairiya are raised to devatA-s. The abstractions haurvatAt and amaratAt are used to conceal the old demonized twin devatA-s (i.e. the ashvinau).” MT-iShmin
- “The old devatA-s mithra (=mitra), baga (=bhaga), airiyaman(=aryaman), vAyu (same), aredvI surA anAhitA (=sarasvatI), haoma (=soma), thworashtar (=tvaShTar), thrita (=trita), apAm-napAt (same), spentA Armaiti (=aramati), yima vivanghat (=yama vaivasvata), and nairyosangha (=narAshaMsa) were, in large part, maintained as is but reconfigured as partisans of the ahuric force directed against the daeva-s.” MT-iShmin
- “Some devatA-s were retained as is, but they were given a new preferred named, and in some cases their old preferred name might being demonized as a daeva. Thus, the old varuNA received a new preferred appellation of ahura mazdA; viShNu received a new name raShnu, suggesting that the old ‘vi-‘ prefix was interpreted as a negative ‘vi-‘ prefix and replaced by a “right” “ra-” prefix; indra received the preferred name verethraghna, even as the name indra (andra) was demonized as indra-daeva; agni also received a new preferred name in the form of Atar.” MT-iShmin
- “the most drastic change, i.e. the attenuation of the “raudra” class of deities … In the avesta only vAyu is retained and the rest of this class is apparently nullified or transmogrified. This is rather dramatic relative to what happened in the Indo-Aryan sister group. Here, the old raudra class underwent major changes but was never attenuated as in the avestan world. "
Demonized deva-s
- “he innovates to create a new “head daeva” for his pandemonium:Angra manyu who is described as: daevAnAm daevotamA. Angra manyu is followed by the following series: indra daeva; saurva daeva; nAnghaithya daeva; taurvi; zairi; aeshma. Of this series the first three are transparent demonizations of indra, sharva and the nAsatyA. … "
- “taurvi has no counterpart in the veda, though its cognate tUrvi used in a positive sense to described deva-s.”
- “we cannot rule out the possibility that a demonized viShNu equivalent underlies the zairi of the Iranians.”
- “In the Iranian tradition recorded during the Sassanian rule we have one more demon coming after nAnghaithya daeva named tarOmaiti (tarOmat in Pahlavi) who is battled by the goddess spentA Armaiti (or just Armaiti). We posit that tarOmaiti corresponds to an inversion of Armaiti who is the daughter of ahura mazdA in the Iranian world. "
- “aeshma is one of the most feared entities of the avestan tradition.” Cognate with vedic ishmin. rudra/marut-class.
Rituals
Icons
- “In fact the cult of zarathuShTra was a vigorously iconoclastic one which appears to have been imbibed by the Judaistic stream of the Semitic world. But on the other hand other Middle Eastern Semites and Elamites appear to have influenced the Iranians towards iconic worship.”
- “the Elephantine papyri mention that the Iranians demolished several temples of Egyptian gods while apparently sparing that of Yahweh built by their Judean proteges.”
Motivations
“The old IE system, like many heathen systems, has deities who as actions relative to humans or their domesticated animals is ambivalent. The raudra class of deities are epitomes of this ambivalence of action. Why the Hindu system revels in the various shades of grey, zarathuShtra was driven by black and white binary thought. "
Hindu borrowing
According to their own internal narrative, there was an internecine war, they lost and were pushed out, and then Zarathushtra Spitama brought a people in despair “glad tidings” and new moral courage. The cosmic dispensation had kathenotheistically revolved, it was said, and the people of Ahura had now been chosen over the people of the Daevas. Nevertheless, Zarathushtra himself and many Magi and others after that continued to borrow or steal knowledge and tradition from the Hindus. This and other details are also recorded by Roman students of this tradition – The 4th century CE, Roman historian Ammianus Marcellinus made the following observations in his Rerum gestarum libri 23.6.31-36: “When Zoroaster had boldly made his way into the unknown regions of Upper India, he came to a certain woody retreat, of which with its tranquil silence the Brahmans, men of sublime genius, were the possessors. From their teaching he learnt the principles of the motion of the world and of the stars, and the pure rites of sacrifice, as far as he could; and of what he learnt he infused some portion into the minds of the Magi, which they have handed down by tradition to later ages, each instructing his own children, and adding to it their own system of divination.” Asho Zarathushtra converted the chieftains of a few immediate kshatriya clans, and then they later created a confederacy. They also infused this modified Brahminical knowledge into other existing priesthoods in the Middle East – the Magi were an existing pre-Zoro priesthood in that region.