Amshaspands

Amshaspands or Amesha Spenta (Avestan: Ameša Spenta "immortal saints" or "healers") are, according to Persian tradition, spiritual beings who populate the upper astral plane and are essentially comparable to the Archangels of the Christian doctrine of hierarchy. They are the immediate followers of Ahura Mazda, whose various attributes are revealed through them. To his left are the male Amshaspands, to his right the female Amshaspands. There are 12 Amshaspands, but only 6 or 7 of them reveal themselves, while the others are hidden. They find their outer expression in the zodiac. They are thus also connected with the sublime zodiacal beings, the Cherubim. They are lords of the forces of nature, of the six elements (fire, metals, earth, water, plants, animals) and regulate the course of the year, with one of the six non-hidden Amashaspands taking the lead for a month in turn. Their immediate servants are the Izards, of which there are 28 to 31 groups, and their Ahrimanic counterparts are the Daevas.

Literature

• Ulrich Hannemann (Editor): Das Zend-Avesta. Weißensee-Verlag, Berlin 2011, ISBN 978-3-89998-199-5; eBook ASIN B00HUC196U
• Encyclopaedia of Ancient Iran. Hashem-e Razi, Teheran, Sokhan 2002.
• Günter Lanczkowski: Iranische Religionen. In: Theologische Realenzyklopädie. Band 16, S. 247–258.
• Fritz Wolff: Avesta. Die heiligen Bücher der Parsen. Übersetzt auf der Grundlage von Christian Bartholomaes Altiranischem Wörterbuch. K. J. Trübner, Straßburg 1910.
• Paul Horn: Geschichte der persischen Litteratur. (= Die Litteraturen des Ostens in Einzeldarstellungen. VI.1). C. F. Amelang, Leipzig 1901, S. 1–33.
• J. F. Kleuker: Zend-Avesta, Zoroasters lebendiges Wort, bey Johann Friedrich Hartknoch, Riga 1777 Erster Theil Zweiter Theil Dritter und letzter Theil
• Rudolf Steiner: Mythen und Sagen. Okkulte Zeichen und Symbole, GA 101 (1987) English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Okkulte Geschichte, GA 126 (1992), ISBN 3-7274-1261-5 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Weltenwunder, Seelenprüfungen und Geistesoffenbarungen, GA 129 (1992), ISBN 3-7274-1290-9 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org
• Rudolf Steiner: Welche Bedeutung hat die okkulte Entwicklung des Menschen für seine Hüllen (physischer Leib, Ätherleib, Astralleib) und sein Selbst?, GA 145 (2005), ISBN 3-7274-1450-2 English: rsarchive.org German: pdf pdf(2) html mobi epub archive.org

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