Faravahar
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Faravahar, believed to be a depiction of a Fravashi. |
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The Faravahar in the Seal of Darius I |
The
Faravahar (
Avestan),
Farohar (
middle Persian),
Foroohar or
Forouhar is one of the best known symbols of the
Zoroastrian religion.
What the figure symbolizes is disputed. While it is currently thought to represent a
Fravashi (
c. an individual's guardian angel), what it represented in the minds of those who adapted it from earlier Mesopotamian and Egyptian reliefs is unclear. Historically, the symbol is influenced by the "
winged sun" hieroglyph appearing on
Bronze Age royal seals (
Luwian SOL SUUS, symbolizing royal power in particular).
It is speculated that - just as the fire symbolizes the Truth of
Ahura Mazda - the
Faravahar may be a representation of Ahura Mazda Himself, or perhaps of His
Fravashi. Since the symbol primarily appears on royal inscriptions, it is also thought to represent the 'Divine Royal Glory', the
Fravashi of the king, or represented the
divine mandate that was the foundation of a king's authority.
Although the
Faravahar is generally believed to represent a
Fravashi, it must be noted that there is no physical description of the
Fravarshi in the
Avesta. Moreover, in
Avestan grammar, the
Fravashi are unmistakably female.
In "modern"
Zoroastrianism, the
Faravahar is used as a reminder of one's purpose in life, which is to live in such a way that the soul progresses towards
Frasho-kereti, or union with
Ahura Mazda.
There are two wings of a
Faravahar have three main feathers, representing 'good thoughts' 'good words,' and 'good deeds', which are in turn the way of (spiritual) advancement (conversely 'bad thoughts', 'bad words,' and 'bad deeds' are the path to misery and misfortune).
There are two legs, or loops, at the two sides of a
Faravahar, represent the twins
Spenta Mainyu (creative energy) and
Angra Mainyu (destructive energy), indicating that one should proceed toward the good and away from the bad.
The circle in the center of the image, having neither a beginning nor an end, represents eternity and the
immortality of the soul.
Prior to the reign of
Darius I, pictorial representations of a
Faravahar did not have a human form above the wings. In the early depictions with a human form, the face is thought to be that of Darius himself. The human face is interpreted to be a depiction of a
Faravahar's connection with mankind. One hand points upwards, interpreted as the struggle to thrive. The other hand holds a ring, considered to the ring of
covenant, representing loyalty and faithfulness which are tenets of
Zoroastrian philosophy.
*
Zoroastrianism*
Fravashi*
Winged sun symbols
