The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses , Devil and Demons
(‘the holy immortals’) In the religion of the Parsees, a collective title for the personifications of abstract concepts who serve → Ahura Mazda as his archangels. Five of the Ameša Spentas may well have arisen from elemental spirits via a process of reinterpretation: Aša (Avestan=truth) is symbolized by fire in the Gathas, Khšathra vairya (‘desired realm’) is the protector of metals, and is often represented as god of war; → Armaiti (‘compliance, compliant thought/speech’) is closely connected with the earth, while → Haurvatāt (‘perfection’) is associated with water, and Ameretāt (‘immortality’) with plants.
To this original group of five, → Vohu Manah (‘sound views’) and → Sraoša (‘obedience’) were added as archangels after Zarathustra. On occasion, → Spenta Mainyu and even Ahura Mazda himself are mentioned as ‘holy immortals’.
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