Amesha Spenta

From Avestan 𐬀𐬨𐬆𐬱𐬀 𐬯𐬞𐬆𐬧𐬙𐬀 (aməša spəṇta, “Bounteous Immortal”).

Amesha Spenta (plural Amesha Spenta or Amesha Spentas)

1. (Zoroastrianism) Any of six immortal beings created by Ahura Mazda, often equated to archangels, or Ahura Mazda himself (making seven).
   • 1967, Walter Eichrodt, Theology of the Old Testament, page 195:

     Thus whereas Bousset, for instance, regarded the Amesha Spentas of the Zoroastrian religion as a textbook example of the process by which concrete divine beings could be evaporated into abstract figures,² it is now recognized that the development ran, in fact, in the opposite direction, that is, from the personification of abstract concepts to concrete protecting spirits, while the ancient Persian gods were the object of Zoroaster′s fierce attack.³

   • 1998, Peter Clark, Zoroastrianism: An Introduction to Ancient Faith, page 30:

     Each Amesha Spenta retains his or her⁵ individual nature and life which was given at their creation. […] and it is an act he also accomplishes through the guardianship and identification that the Amesha Spentas have for and with the world.

   • 2003, Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi, “8: The Notions of Divine Being in various Religions”, in Hamid Naseem Rafiabadi, editor, World Religions and Islam: A Critical Study, Part 1, page 125:

     Having created Asha,^{[divine order]} Ahura Mazda was its first follower. He rules through His Divine Powers, the Amesha Spenta, the immortal Shining Ones, collectively known as the Haft Amshahspands, the Seven Amesha Spenta.

Hyponyms:

• Ahura Mazda, Ameretat, Asha Vahishta, Haurvatat, Khshathra Vairya, Spenta Armaiti, Vohu Manah

Amesha Spenta m (plural Amesha Spentas)

1. (Zoroastrianism) Amesha Spenta (any of six immortal being created by Ahura Mazda)