Ahura Mazda’s creation, the Divine Angel Avan Ardvi Sur Anahita Banoo is the protector of flowing water and all other fluids essential for survival… in the Aquatic bodies on Earth, in mankind, animals, foliage and in the spiritual world. We worship Ahura Mazda by venerating all forms of nature. By praying the Avan Nyaish or the Avan Yasht, near any aquatic body, especially flowing water, ‘Avan Yazad’ blesses us with protection and abounding our life with joy, piety, good health, prosperity and wisdom. The 7th section of the Avan Nyaish says “I, Ahura Mazda, created the powerful force of Ardvi Sura.”
The word ‘Avan’ is derived from the Avestan words ‘Apas’ or ‘Apam’, meaning water. ‘Ardvi’ describes the ability of this Divine Angel to lead us to spiritual and physical perfection. ‘Sura’ refers to her weapons, comprising of electro-magnetic forces abounding in flowing waters. The second verse of the Avan Nyaish describes five such forces, called Fradho, namely Adhu-Fradho, Vanthvo-Fradho, Gaetho-Fradho, Kshaeto- Fradho and Danghu-Fradho. Ancient manuscripts about our scriptures have revealed a sixth Fradho named Zantu-Fradho. These forces aid righteous people by answering all their prayers, ensuring smooth childbirth, ascertaining purification in rituals and daily ablutions, agricultural irrigation and growing foliage, and all other human functions and requirements. Kshaeto-Fradho protects the water bag containing the foetus within a woman’s womb, enabling smooth child delivery. ‘Ardvi’ is also the name of a symbolical river flowing through Iran in ancient times. The word ‘Anahita’ means pure and undefiled.
Recitation of the Avan Yasht, the 65th Ha of the Yasna prayers, harmonizes us with Avan Yazad. Priests who perform the strenuous Ab-Zohr (Water purification) ritual pray the Avan Yasht towards the conclusion of the ritual. This ritual arouses the five Fradhos who then proliferate in all the flowing water of the world. We receive boons by sincerely praying either the Avan Yasht or the Avan Nyaish consecutively for 40 days. The Avan Yasht or Avan Nyaish should only be prayed in the Havan, Rapithwan and Uzerin Gehs because negativity prevails near the sources of water after dusk.
The 16th, 19th and 30th Kardas of the Avan Yasht describe the symbolic body (Keherpa) of Avan Ardvi Sur Anahita as an enthralling noble maiden, tall, strong and pure. She wears a mantle embroidered with gold and, most importantly, dangling gold ear-rings with four corners which signify the ebb and flow of tides and their influence on the destiny of human beings in accord with the gravitational attraction of the Moon towards Earth. Her gold earrings signify her power to help good human beings and subdue evil throughout the four corners of the Earth, with its four elements, viz, air, water, fire and matter. The gold ensures that all changes in the Universe contribute towards the eventual advent of ‘Frashogard’, the golden age.
Perpetually holding a ‘Baresma’, a bundle of consecrated twigs to maintain purity, She rides in a chariot drawn by four magnificent horses, symbolizing Wind, Rain, Cloud and Sleet, indicating that climatic elements are not an obstacle for Her. Karda 101 of Avan Yasht tells us that Avan Ardvi Sur Banoo resides in magnificent palaces. Our hearts too, can be a royal palace for Avan Yazad when we adhere only to the Mazdayasni Zarathushti Religion, adhering always to Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds!
Vafranawaz – The Ferryman
(A short story about our benevolent Avan Yazad submitted by Meher Parvez Sutaria)
In ancient Iran, on the banks of the river Rangha, lived a man called Vafranawaz, with his family. Vafranawaz was a humble ferryman who ferried people across the bank of the river Rangha for a living. A poor but devout Zoroastrian, he sincerely worshipped Dadar Ahura Mazda and all His creations, especially the holy Avan Yazad.
He plied his boat daily over the river Rangha. Every morning, after offering heartfelt prayers to Avan Banoo, he was off to ferry people, to and fro the riverbank. As per the decree of the ruling monarch, a written permission was necessary for people to cross the river.
Usually, the ordinary folk of the villages on either side of the Rangha were his regular passengers. One day, Vafranawaz was amazed to see a very handsome, young man, galloping on horseback, approaching the river-bank. He was a tall, well-built and noble in appearance. The robes he wore were made of the finest silk adorned with gold embroidered borders.
This nobleman was none other than the holy king, Shah Faredoon, a great Avestan scholar and an extremely religious follower of Dadar Ahura Mazda. He knew all kinds of holy incantations and possessed the ability to heal people with powerful manthras. He could also change his form at will by using powerful ‘nirangs’.
Vafranawaz had never ever seen such an astounding personality and he gazed in great wonder, as the man dismounted from his magnificent steed. Awestruck, he began to wonder if he was dreaming. The rider came towards him and demanded that he be ferried across the river. Not knowing that he was the king himself, Vafranawaz asked him with utmost humility to produce the written permission to be ferried across the Rangha. Being on an urgent mission, the King found this request inane and thinking this to be disobedience on the part of the ferryman, he used his powerful ‘manthra’ which transformed the ferryman into an eagle! For three days, Vafranawaz, now in the form of an eagle, kept circling in the sky, wondering what would become of his poor family.
At dawn of the fourth morning, the eagle alighted on a tall palm tree, growing besides the river. With great devotion in his heart, he prayed to his dear Avan Yazad to help him get out of this predicament. Upon perceiving the great devotion of her ardent devotee and realizing that he was in urgent need of help, the benevolent Avan Yazad, the guardian of the waters , herself arose from the Rangha and gently caught hold of the eagle’s wings, safely setting him down on the bank of the river.
As soon as the eagle touched mother earth, Vafranawaz regained his original form!
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