Ahurani

Ahurani is the Avestan language name of a Zoroastrian (class of) divinity associated with "the waters" ("āpō"). In scripture, the expression "ahurani" appears both in the singular and in the plural, and may - subject to context - either denote a specific divinity named Ahurani, or a class of divinities that are "ahurani"s.

The Avestan feminine suffix "-ani" denotes "companion, wife, mate", hence "ahurani" means "partner of "ahura"." The "ahura" of the name may or may not be a reference to Ahura Mazda or to the other Ahuras. Following recent scholarship (see Ahura for details), it is now generally supposed that there was once been a divinity whose proper name was *Ahura, and from whom the various "ahura"s of the Avesta receive this epithet.

In scripture

In the "Yasna Haptanghaiti"

In the "Yasna Haptanghaiti", the "ahurani"s are invoked in the plural, as "companions of the "ahura"." In these verses of great antiquity and linguistically as old as the Gathas, they are also said to be "created by Ahura Mazda" ("Yasna" 38.4).

In the Younger Avesta

In the Younger Avesta, the expression appears in the singular: Ahurani bears gifts of health, prosperity, renown, and for the well-being of the soul ("Yasna" 68.3-4). In "Yasna" 68.11, the devotee asks Ahurani for a long life and a welcome in the radiant abode of the righteous (i.e. paradise, cf. "ashavan").

In "Yasna" 68, which is a "hidden" (since not explicitely dedicated to them) "Yasht", the "ahuric" one of (the) Ahura", appears to represent water in all its variations: rivers, wells, lakes, seas, snow and rain ("Yasna" 68.6). As such, the single divinity appears to be synonymous with the "*apas", the group of Indo-Iranian divinities of the waters.

In other verses, the waters are themselves revered as the "ahurani"s ("Yasna" 38.3). The "ahurani"s enlighten thought, speech and actions ("Yasna" 68.4). This is in line with the Indo-Iranian tradition of identifying water with wisdom (Avestan: "mazda"). The "ahurani"s as described as bringers of fertility and peace. In "Yasna" 68.1-2 (cf. Ab-Zohr, "offering to water"), the celebrant priest offers the "ahurani"s a libation of milk and butter (representing animal creation).

In tradition

Ahurani(s) are not included in any list of yazatas, nor do they/does she have a day-name dedication in the Zoroastrian calendar. This may be because in later Zoroastrianism Aredvi Sura Anahita dominates as divinity of the waters, and it is to her that the hymn to the waters (the "Aban Yasht") is dedicated.

There appear to be historic parallels between the Avestan "ahurani"s and the RigVedic "varunani"s, the "wives of Varuna." These parallels are one of the points of comparison for the theory that Ahura Mazda and Varuna both descend from a common predecessor (see Ahura Mazda for details).

Bibliography

* p. 51.
* p. 58.
* pp. 230-231.
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* p. 688.