Aban

For other uses, seeAban (disambiguation).

Apas(/ˈɑːpəs,æp-/,Avestan:āpas) is theAvestanlanguage term for "the waters", which, in its innumerableaggregatestates, is represented by the Apas, thehypostasesof the waters.

Āb(pluralĀbān) is theMiddle Persian-language form.

Introduction

"To this day reverence for water is deeply ingrained inZoroastrians,and in orthodox communities offerings are regularly made to the household well or nearby stream. "Theape zaothraceremony—the culminating rite of theYasnaservice (which is in turn the principal act of worship)—is literally for the "strengthening of the waters."

Avestanapas(from singularāpō) is grammatically feminine, and the Apas are female. TheMiddle Persianequivalents areābān/Ābān (alt:āvān/Āvān), from whichParsi Gujaratiāvā/Āvā (in religious usage only) derive.

The Avestan common nounāpascorresponds exactly toVedic Sanskritāpas,and both derive from the sameproto-Indo-Iranianword, stem*ap-"water", cognate with the British riverAvon.In both Avestan and Vedic Sanskrit texts, the waters—whether as waves or drops, or collectively as streams, pools, rivers or wells—are represented by the Apas, the group of divinities of the waters. The identification of divinity with element is complete in both cultures: in theRigVedathe divinities are wholesome to drink, in theAvestathe divinities are good to bathe in.

As also in the Indian religious texts, the waters are considered a primordial element. In Zoroastrian cosmogony, the waters are the second creation, after that of the sky.Aside from Apas herself/themselves, no less than seven Zoroastrian divinities are identified with the waters: All threeAhuras(Mazda,Mithra,Apam Napat), twoAmesha Spentas(Haurvatat,Armaiti) and two lesser Yazatas (Aredvi Sura AnahitaandAhurani).

Abans, a crater onAriel,one of the moons ofUranus,is named afteraban.

In scripture

In the seven-chapterYasna Haptanghaiti,which interrupts the sequential order of theGathasand is linguistically as old as the Gathas themselves, the waters are revered as theAhuranis,wives of theAhura(Yasna38.3). Although not otherwise named, Boyceassociates this Ahura withApam Napat(middle Persian:Burz Yazad), another divinity of waters.

InYasna38, which is dedicated "to the earth and thesacred waters",apas/Apas is not only necessary for nourishment, but is considered the source of life ( "you that bear forth", "mothers of our life" ). InYasna2.5 and 6.11,apas/Apas is "Mazda-made and holy".

In theAban Yasht(Yasht5), which is nominally dedicated to the waters, veneration is directed specifically atAredvi Sura Anahita,another divinity identified with the waters, but originally representing the "world river" that encircled the earth (seeIn tradition,below). The merger of the two concepts "probably"came about due to prominence given to Aredvi Sura during the reign ofArtaxerxes II(r.404-358 BCE) and subsequent Achaemenid emperors. Although (according to Lommeland Boyce) Aredvi is of Indo-Iranian origin and cognate with VedicSaraswati,during the 5th century BCE Aredvi was conflated with a Semitic divinity with similar attributes, from whom she then inherited additional properties.

In other Avesta texts, the waters are implicitly associated with[Spenta] Armaiti(middle PersianSpendarmad), theAmesha Spentaof the earth (this association is properly developed inBundahishn3.17). InYasna3.1, the eminence ofAbanis reinforced by additionally assigning guardianship to another Amesha SpentaHaurvatat(middle Persian:(K)hordad).

In tradition

According to theBundahishn,('Original Creation', an 11th- or 12th-century text),abanwas the second of the seven creations of the material universe, the lower half of everything.

In a development of a cosmogonical view already alluded to in theVendidad(21.15),abanis the essence of a "great gathering place of the waters" (Avestan:Vourukasha,middle Persian:Varkash) upon which the world ultimately rested. The great sea was fed by a mighty river (proto-Indo-Iranian:*harahvati,Avestan:Aredvi Sura,middle Persian:Ardvisur). Two rivers, one to the east and one to the west, flowed out of it and encircled the earth (Bundahishn11.100.2, 28.8) where they were then cleansed byPuitika(Avestan, middle Persian:Putik), the tidal sea, before flowing back into theVourukasha.

In theZoroastrian calendar,the tenth day of the month is dedicated to the (divinity of) waters (Siroza1.10), under whose protection that day then lies. Additionally,Abanis also the name of theeighth month of the yearof the Zoroastrian calendar (Bundahishn1a.23-24), as well as that of theIranian calendarof 1925, which follows Zoroastrian month-naming conventions. It might be the precursor of the holy month ofSha'abanin theHijri calendar. sha'aban meaning The Zoroastrian name-day feast ofAbanagan,also known as theAban Ardvisur Jashanby Indian Zoroastrians (see:Parsis), is celebrated on the day that the day-of-month and month-of-year dedications intersect, that is, on the tenth day of the eighth month. The celebration is accompanied by a practice of offering sweets and flowers to a river or the sea.

From among the flowers associated with theyazatas,aban's is thewater-lily(Bundahishn27.24).

See also

• Temple of Anahita, Istakhr
• Temple of Anahita, Kangavar
• Qadamgah (ancient site)
• Minar (Firuzabad)

Bibliography

• Boyce, Mary(1975).History of Zoroastrianism, Vol. I.Leiden: Brill.ISBN978-90-04-10474-7.
• Boyce, Mary(1982).History of Zoroastrianism, Vol. II.Leiden: Brill.ISBN978-90-04-06506-2.
• Boyce, Mary(1983). "Aban".Encyclopaedia Iranica.Vol. I. New York: Mazda Pub. p. 58.
• Lommel, Herman (1927).Die Yašts des Awesta.Göttingen–Leipzig: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht/JC Hinrichs.
• Lommel, Herman (1954). "Anahita-Sarasvati".Asiatica: Festschrift Friedrich Weller Zum 65. Geburtstag.Leipzig: Otto Harrassowitz. pp. 405–413.

• Girshman, Roman (1962).Persian art, Parthian and Sassanian dynasties.London: Golden Press.
• Aban Yasht,as translated byJames Darmesteterin
  Müller, Friedrich Max,ed. (1883).SBE, Vol. 23.Oxford: OUP.
• Yasna38(to the earth and the sacred waters), as translated byLawrence Heyworth Millsin
  Müller, Friedrich Max,ed. (1887).SBE, Vol. 31.Oxford: OUP.
• Anklesaria, Behramgore Tehmuras (1956).The Greater Bundahishn.