Vayu-Vata
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| Vāyu-Vāta Avestan: 𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬌𐬎-𐬬𐬁𐬙𐬀 | |
|---|---|
 The god of wind (Vāyu-Vāta) on a Kushan coin | |
| Other names | Vay, Vaybe, Vaybod, Andarva, Vayu, Wind |
| Affiliation | The Thirty-Three Deities, Guardians of the Days of the Month, Four Elements |
| Symbol | Lightning, Tornado, Emptiness |
| Sacred flower | Melissa |
| Attributes | Seeker, Righteous, Overcoming, Receding, Advancing, Everlasting, Strongest, Mightiest, Defeater, Wave-Caster, Flame-Spread[1] |
| Day | 22nd of each month in the Iranian calendar |
| Gender | Male |
| Festivals | Wind Day[2] |
| Associated deities | Indra, Rama |
| Equivalents | |
| Greek | Boreas |
| Sumerian | Adad |
| Indian | Vāyu |
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Vāyu-Vāta (or Vāta-Vāyu; Avestan: 𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬌𐬎-𐬬𐬁𐬙𐬀, romanized: Vāyu-Vāta, lit. 'air, wind, atmosphere', Avestan pronunciation: [ʋɑːju-ʋɑːt̪ə]) is the Avestan name of a dual-natured Zoroastrian deity of the wind (Vāyu) and of the atmosphere (Vāta).[3] The names are also used independently of one another, with 'Vāyu' occurring more frequently than 'Vāta', but even when used independently still representing the other aspect.[4]
The entity is simultaneously angelic and demonic, that is, depending on the circumstances, either yazata - "worthy of worship" - or daeva, which in Zoroastrian tradition is a demon. Scripture frequently applies the epithet "good" when speaking of one or the other in a positive context.[4]
In Zurvanism (Zurvanite Zoroastrianism, a now-extinct form of Zoroastrianism), Vāta-Vāyu represented two facets of the quaternary Zurvan. In this arrangement, Vāta-Vāyu represented "space" while the other two facets represent "time."
Vāyu-Vāta has Indo-Iranian roots and has the same name in historical Vedic religion.[5]
In Sanskrit and Hinduism
[edit]Both the words Vāta and Vāyu have almost identical meanings in Sanskrit or Vedic traditions. Although there is no god representing Vāta, there is the god Vāyu representing air.[6] The word Vāta is still used today in many Indian languages to denote atmosphere. Atmosphere in many Indian languages (such as Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Nepali, Odia, Sanskrit, etc.) is called Vātāvaraṇa (Sanskrit: वातावरण, lit. 'atmosphere, environment'); which is made of two words, Vāta (वात, lit. 'air') and Āvaraṇa (आवरण, lit. 'layer').[5]
References
[edit]- Dhalla, M. N. (1938), History of Zoroastrianism, Oxford: OUP, pp. 160, 219–221, 274–275
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- ^ "Vayu". Encyclopaedia Iranica.
- ^ "Desired Link". Amordad News. 1399.
- ^ A Brief Sketch of the Zoroastrian Religion & Customs: An Essay Written for the Râhnumâi Mâzdayasnân Sabhâ of Bombay, Ervad Sheriarji Dadabhai Bharucha, pp. 40, Duftur Ashkara Oil Engine Printing Press, 1893, ... Vayu (Skr. Vayu) is the name- both of air as well as of the yaznta presiding over it. When the air is still and calm, its yazata is honoured in the Avesta with this name. In later languages he is also called ' Vae-veh ' i.e. good air. Similarly Vata (Skr. Vata) i. e. wind is the name both of the air in motion as well as the yazata presiding over it ...
- ^ a b Foundation, Encyclopaedia Iranica. "Welcome to Encyclopaedia Iranica". iranicaonline.org. Retrieved 2024-07-24.
- ^ a b Joshi, J. R. (1973). "Vāta-Vāyu". Bulletin of the Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute. 33 (1/4): 227–248. ISSN 0045-9801. JSTOR 42936419.
- ^ A Vedic Reader for Students: Containing Thirty Hymns of the Rigveda in the Original Saṃhitā and Pada Texts, with Transliteration, Translation, Explanatory Notes, Introduction, Vocabulary, pp. 216, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, 1992, ISBN 9788120810174, ... This god, as Vata, the ordinary name of wind, is addressed in two short hymns. He is invoked in a more concrete way than his doublet, Vayu, who is celebrated in one whole hymn and in parts of others ...