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Enter Spenta Mainyu:
As long as
the simple Zoroastrian believed in God, Hormazd, and his adversary
the evil one, Ahriman, things went without spenta mainyu.
The more learned said that it was an appellation of Hormazd. And long
before them, in the good old days of the Vendidad, Ahura Mazda, the most
spenta mainyu, had anghra mainyu as his opponent. According
to the Zurvanites, who were perhaps as old as the Achaemenians in the 6th
century BC, and as young as the authors of Bundahishn and Vichitakiha-i
Zatsparam in the 9th century AD, good and evil were twins begotten by
Zurvān Akarna, Boundless Time. So the simple Zoroastrian was, more or
less, following tradition.
But with the advent of Zoroastrian studies, led and encouraged by Western
scholars, a change set in. Studies of the Gathas and the later Avesta
revealed that spenta mainyu was referred to as an entity. And since
then, almost all Zoroastrians and those who are well acquainted with the
Zarathushtrian religion know the term spenta mainyu. Because the
Gathas and the later Avesta were translated into English and other
European languages, mostly by Christian scholars who had the Holy Ghost or
Holy Spirit in mind, the term has conventionally come to mean the
Holy Spirit. The general notion about it is that it has an
adversary, Anghra Mainyu, the evil spirit. The two are locked in a
pitched life-and-death combat. The victory, of course, will go to the Holy
Spirit.
Meaning:
Spenta is derived by many philologists from an Avestan/Sanskrit
root spi/svi, meaning "to expand, swell, increase." Many,
therefore, render it as "incremental." The Pahlavi rendering of afzūnik,
meaning "increasing," fully supports the translation. This is further
strengthened by the later renderings mahattama (greatest),
gurutama (most important), and particularly, vriddhi
(increasing) in Sanskrit, and afzūni in Persian. There are other
scholars who prefer to derive it from spit/shvit, to be
bright, to be white, and consequently connect it with holiness. The
renderings by most of these scholars range between "beneficent, bounteous,
bountiful, incremental, holy and virtuous." Each scholar has reasons for
his/her rendering. While scholars have reason to differ, the familiar and
convenient "holy" has been taken for granted to be the meaning so
much so that fundamental Iranians, in their drive to purge Persian of all
Arabic words, have replaced moghaddas with sepanta! "Holy"
is in vogue, both with scholars and the laity.
I accept the traditional meaning on philological and contextual grounds. I
render it as "progressive, promoting, promoter." As we shall see, it
reflects the Gathic concept better. The Gathas emphatically advocate
progress and advancement.
Mainyu is, as far as I know, derived by every scholar and
Avesta/Sanskrit dictionary from man, meaning "to think,
contemplate, meditate." Ervad Kanga gives "spirit, mind, brain" and
Bartholomae gives "Geist, als Sitz des Denkens und Wollens - spirit/mind,
the seat of thoughts and intentions." Even the Sanskrit dictionaries
define it as "mind, zeal, spirit, mood, mettle." And "spirit" here only
means "temper or disposition of mind" and NOT "a supernatural being or
essence."
Although many know that yu is an agentive and instrumental suffix,
none has bothered to translate it as "an instrument, a way, a mode of
thinking," and therefore "mind, mentality." A few instances in the Gathas
show that mainyu and manah are interchangeable (S 6:6 = Y
33.6; S 7:2 = Y34.2). Pahlavi and Persian do not help much because they
have the same word as menok and mīnu except for a few times
when menishn, thinking, has been used. The root for "think" is
menidan. The Pahlavi literature shows its connection with "mind" and
"mental." Sanskrit renderings of adrsyah, paralokih, even
manasah (mental), and other synonyms point towards an "invisible,
outer" entity. Whatever the earlier renderings, the scholars have taken
the by-now-popular translation of "spirit" in the Christian sense
as quite suitable to their interpretation of a perpetual war between the
so-called twin spirits. It suits them better. A departure may well topple
the dramatic dualistic theory!
Many present Ahura
Mazda as Spenta Mainyu and therefore elevate Anghra Mainyu to make him an
adversary of the God of Good, and thus continue to write on the continuous
fight between the two. As a result, Zoroastrians have been characterized
by many as the people who believe in dualism.
As already pointed out, there was a time when the Zoroastrians believed in
this dualistic "theology." The Vendidad tells us this and so do the
writings written by and/or ascribed to the Sassanians and to those who
followed them. New light on the Gathas and the later Avesta has changed
views among intellectuals. But we see again a recession, because with the
coming into prominence of a new class of Zoroastrian scholars with their
academic roots in the dualistic scholarship of the later Avesta, the
theory of the dualism of Ahura Mazda and His adversary is reappearing in
certain quarters.
Gathic Picture:
The Gathas provide us with an entirely different picture: The term "spenta
mainyu" has been used fifteen times in the Gathas (S 1:1=Y 28:1; S
6:12=Y 33:12; S 8:2, 3, 6, 16=Y 43:2, 3, 6, 16; S 9: 7=Y 44:7; S 10:6=Y
45:6; S 12:1-6=Y 47:1-6; S 16:7=Y 51:7) and twice in Haptanghaiti, (Y
36:1-2), a later text composed in the Gathic dialect by a companion/s of
Zarathushtra. In these writings, there is no trace of any adversary of
God, or any struggle, combat, battle, or war between the so-called good
and evil forces at the divine level. The Gathas do not mention
anghra mainyu at all. In other words, anghra mainyu does not
exist as a compound word, a formalized term, in any of the texts in the
Gathic dialect -- not in the five Gathas (composed by Zarathushtra), nor
in Haptanghaiti (Y 35-41), Sarosh Hadokht (Y56), Fshusho Manthra (Y58),
Fravarti (Y11.17 to Y13.3), and Yenghe Hatam! The dualism of "Good and
Evil," highly dramatized in the later Avesta, is simply not related to the
divine spenta mainyu. That dualism is a separate subject of human behavior
on this earthly life and lies outside the scope of this article.
Subtle Faculty:
Let us know first where spenta, mainyu, spenta manyu,
and akin words occur in the Gathas.
Spenta (alone): S 2:7=Y 29:7; S 7:2=Y 34:2); S 8:3-5, 7,9,11, 13, 15=Y
43:3-5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15; S 9:2=Y 44:2; S 10:11=Y45:11; S 11:9=Y46:9; S
12:3-4=Y47:3-4; S 13:3,7=Y48:3,7; S 16:16=Y51:16, 21
Mainyu (alone): S
3:3-5=Y 30:3-5; S 4:3, 7, 12, 21=Y 31:3, 7, 12, 21; S 6:9=Y 33:9; S
9:2=Y44:2; S 10:2=Y45:2; S 17:7=Y53:7.
Spenta Mainyu: S 8:6=Y
43:6; S 9:7=Y 44:7; S 10:6=45:6; S 12:1, 5, 6=Y 47:1, 5, 6.
Spenishta Mainyu: S
6:12=Y 33:12; S 8:2=Y 43:2; S 16:7=Y 51:7.
Mainyu vohu: S 7:2=Y
34:2
Mainyu spenta:S 1:1=
28:1.
Mainyu spenishta: S
3:5=Y 30:5; S 7:16=Y 43:16.
Manyu: S 1:11=Y 28:11;
S 4:9=Y 31:9; S 5:9=Y 32:9; S 9:11=Y44:11; S 12:8=Y45:8.
Manyu vahishta: S
6:6=Y 33:6.
Manyu spenishta: S
12:2=Y 47:2.
The above instances
concern God, man, both, and occasionally āramaiti (serenity). But,
as already said, spenta mainyu is related directly or indirectly,
to God. One thing is evident: (a) Ahura Mazda is the
establisher/creator/parent of vohu manah (good mind), asha
(righteousness), Khshathra (dominion), and āramaiti
(serenity), and grants haurvatāt (wholeness, entirety), and
ameretāt (immortality) to the person who truly observes these
principles; and (b) spenta mainyu and ātar (fire) belong to
Ahura Mazda. These two are so subtly abstract that they are not a separate
entity to be established or created. They are two divine faculties,
thinking and illuminating.
Should one take all these instances one by one and at the same time, take
into consideration the adjoining stanzas as well as the relative song,
one would realize that the Gathas depict spenta mainyu as the
subtle divine faculty of the continuous creation and expansion plan of
Ahura Mazda. Zarathushtra, in his quest for truth, discovers that it
is the "spenta mainyu" aspect of the Supreme Being that fashioned
the joy-bringing world (S 12:7=Y 47:3). Above all, it was through
spenishta mainyu that God "created the wondrous wisdom of good mind by
means of righteousness." (S 8:2=Y 43:2). In fact the entire quest
enlightens Zarathushtra to realize that God is not simply spenta
but spenishta, the most progressive (S 7:4,5,7,9,11,13,15=Y 43:4,
5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15). It made him realize his own self (S 8:7=Y 43:7) and
know that the purpose of his acquiring knowledge was in quest of
righteousness. (S 7:9=Y 43:9).
The progressive
mentality plays a vital part in human progress. One may be "a person of
very small means, a person of great strength" but if he is righteous, he
has been promised the best. (S 12:4-5=Y47.4-5). God grants "good to both
these parties through the progressive mentality by means of fire
(enlightenment) because with the growth of serenity and righteousness, it
shall convert many a seeker." (S 12:6=Y47.6). "He receives the best from
the most progressive mentality who speaks words of good mind with his
tongue and performs, with his own hands, deeds of serenity." (S
12:2=Y47.2). Wholeness and immortality are "the refreshing splendid goals
achieved through the best mind." (S 6:8-9=Y33.8-9). "One whose soul is in
accord with righteousness is a progressive person. (S 7:2=Y34.2). "The
person who seeks the best life and prospers through righteousness is a
great promoter and a treasure for all (S9:2=Y 44.2). "One knowing the
divine teachings is progressive and wise like the Wise One. (S 13:3=Y
48:3). A progressive person advocates putting down fury and checking
violence, and wishes to strengthen the promotion of good mentality's
actions. (S 13:7=Y48.7).
That is why
Zarathushtra too "chooses for himself spenishta mainyu, the most
progressive mentality of God, so that a new life is breathed into the
physical body, serenity prevails throughout the divine dominion" (S 8:16=Y
43.16), and wholeness and immortality are achieved (S 12:1=Y47.1). It is
the progressive mentality that separates the two parties of mankind on
earth -- the righteous who promote their world and the wrongful who retard
their living (S 12:5=Y47.5). It is again the progressive mentality, which
"enlightens" the wrongful to seek truth and ultimately become righteous (S
12:6=Y47.6).
This enlightenment is
called fire, symbol of light, warmth, and energy, by the Gathas (S
11:7=Y46.7) and Haptanhaiti (Y36.1,3) It is this light, warmth, this
energy that Zarathushtra prays that every benevolent person will have. He
sings:
"Moreover, may
the best of blessings come to the person who gives blessings to others.
Wise One, may his knowledge grow throughout the days of his long life of
joy through Your most progressive mentality, the mentality through which
You created the wondrous wisdom of good mind by means of righteousness."
(S 8:2=Y43.2).
Asho Zarathushtra
wants every person to be godlike, choose spenta mainyu, the
enlightening light, the invigorating warmth, and the vitalizing energy,
rather the intuitive mind to be creative, promoter, and progressive in our
joy-bringing world. Spenta mainyu is, the Gathas tell us, the
guiding inspiration, the enlightening intuition, the constructive
promotion in our good lives. It is the divine spark in us. Let us maintain
and brighten it more. Let us, like Asho Zarathushtra, choose for ourselves
spenta mainyu to make our mission of propagating māńthra
(the thought-provoking message of the divine Māńthran,
Zarathushtra) prevail in the "sun-bathed" dominion of God! Let us join him
in a meditative prayer from the Gathas:
"Wise Lord, rise
within me, grant me courage through serenity, good gifts of prayers
through the most progressive mentality, full vigor through righteousness,
and felicity through good mind.
To support me,
wide-watching Lord, reveal to me the force of Your sovereignty, the
blessings of good mind. Show me through progressive serenity, righteous
conceptions.
Now as a dedication, I Zarathushtra offer to the Wise One the very
life-breath of myself and the first fruits of my good mind, deeds, and
words, gained through righteousness, with my ear to the divine voice; in
fact, my whole strength."
(S 6:12-14=Y33.12-14). |
