Historic Significance of Daeva Asura War

The Central Asia, Airyana Vaeja, was the homeland of Aryans, which included Today’s Turkmenistan, northeastern Afghanistan, and southern Uzbekistan. However, Airyana Vaeja is not confirmed yet but Zoroastrianism probably originated in Central Asian land. Peoples have diverse views regarding Zarathustra’s birth place some locate it at Central Asia, few suggestion for BMAC site or few locate it at northern Afghanistan (Balkh) because Balkh is given importance as first “Hearer and teacher”. He spread his religion to the neighboring lands that were following the Pre-Zoroastrian religion and using similar languages and dialects.

The Airyana vaeja’s locations keep changing in history depending on the climate change, migration, displacement due to war, and new settlement. When Persian came in power and reigned over the Iranian plateau, they mentioned their ancestors ‘place—lake Urima/Zagros mountain in Ajerbaijan--was Aryan’s homeland. There is no certain geography of Airyana vaeja. They had moved in all directions, and small Airyana Vaeja extended up to China, Upper Indus valley, and Central Turkey to the west.
Rigvedic and Iranian scriptures depict the conflicts between the Vedic people and the Iranians, which at one time formed one society. Indo-Iranian society bifurcated on philosophical and ideological matter and a separated branch reached Northern Afghanistan to Upper Indus region and called Indo-Aryan. Afterwards, two different cultures, religions, languages, ideologies, and customs resulted in two different lands.

Obviously, the separation wouldn’t have occurred peacefully. They must have been indulged in physical fights or wars in ancient time; Indo-Aryans had lost the war against Indo-Iranians and had been driven out of their homeland. Avestan text’s language and Rigvedic Sanskrit is very similar which shows the common origin of the two cultures. Both texts depict the split of two cultures in the story of Deva-Assura clashes.

Pre-Zoroastrian Aryans or say Proto-Indo-Iranians were ‘Mazda’ worshippers. Mazda can be related with Sanskrit “medha” meaning intelligent and wise. In Yasht, Ahura Mazda proclaims himself the “Wisest of wise”. Mazda was not an individual God; it’s the term used for God or a translation of God or Supreme God. So the ancient Aryans or Proto-Indo-Iranians were supposed to be Mazdayasaini; however, they never meant it as religion. Mazdayasini had separated from Asura culture and created an independent supreme god: Mazda. Proto-Indo-Iranians had a polytheistic religion and Asura worshippers and Mazda worshippers were accommodating each other. Mithira and Agni were the Asura gods and assimilated in Mazdayasini.

Zoroastrian Mazdayasini (after Zarathustra) has “Ahura” added with Mazda, which means laws of the lords. Zarthustrian Mazda worship opposes Daeva worship through the laws of lord (Ahura). Avesta is a Zoroastrian text (later origin; probably Persian times) and Proto-Indo-Iranians were worshipping God or Supreme power since ancient times (long before Avestan age). They would have been worshipping Varuna or Mithira at different stages in history and termed them as Mazda worship or God worship, such as Ishwar, Bhagwan, Parmeshwar are the likewise terms used for God. Varuna and Mithira is the principal Asuras mentioned in Rigveda and noticeably Mithira got a God like position in Mazdayasini beliefs before Zarathustra.

When Mazdayasini split from Asura, they used to say Mazda to their God instead of Varuna or other Asura god.

Zoroastrian worship of Ahura Mazda (principal god), fire, Hoama (Rigvedic Soma) & Mithra. Avesta addresses the 33 Vedic Gods.

Zoroastrian Avesta is a compilation from various sources, which varied widely and written in different time periods. Vendidad (Avestan book) list of daevas are: Indra (the principal Daeva), Sauru, Naunghaithya, Tauru, Zairi, Aeshma, Akatasha, Zaurva, Buiti, Driwi, Daiwi, Kasvi, Paitisha, the daeva of Varenya (Varena) and few more. Vendidad (Vi-daevo-data, implies laws against daeva) is written before Zarathustra, even before Persian and Mede origin. The time could be placed before 2,800 BC when Persia introduced in history. If we go by Vendidad (laws against Daeva), the Indo-Aryan migration could have been happened before 3000 BC. This date seems absurd or too late for Indo-Aryans separation from Proto-Indo-Iranian branch.

Proto-Indo-Iranian society was evolved as an advance society and developed in trade, cultures, agriculture, metallurgy and constructions which take many centuries to grow. They had developed three different faiths; one originated from other and it takes lot of time to create a new belief and to counteract the same belief with new one. Zarathustra didn’t mention the name of Daeva; instead he referred them demonic forces of evils or a group of evils. Zarathustra aroused against the polytheism beliefs and created a one and only God: Ahura Mazda.

He first converted King Vishtspa (Balkh) and gained royal patronage for Zoroastrianism. He also abandoned the animal sacrifices which were common customs then, but preserved the ancient Fire cult. Due to philosophical conflicts and contradictions, the society ultimately split.
Indo-Iranian had polytheism faith before Zarathustra so it was not easy for him to preach monotheism and influence people for the same.

He placed Ahura Mazda at center and emphasized on moral and social order of living. Zarathustra birth date is not confirmed but most scholars agreed on 600 BC. This was the age of confusion, chaos and lawless society all around in Iran, which was far more backward than the ancient advanced society of Proto-Indo-Iranians. Proto-Indo-Iranians had developed three different faiths, which co-existed at the same land with continual floods of new ideas. Mazda worshippers had annexed some of Asura gods in Mazdayasini, and Daeva’s relations were being cooperative with both Mazdas and Asuras. However, philosophical contradictions also existed among these groups, especially between Daevas-and Asuras. The conflicts and contradiction were continued and to prove dominance over other they often indulged in physical fights. Ultimately, the society got divided in three different faiths.

Proto-Indo-Iranian society was a culturally advanced, free and democratic society where three different faiths were growing simultaneously and people had a choice to follow any of them.

The Rigvedic deva, daeva (avestan text), div (Persian text), are depicted evil qualities and demons in Zoroastrians text. Zoroastrians might have changed few alphabets or their pronunciations also; ‘S’ is replaced with ‘H’ and Vedic Assura becomes Ahura in Avesta. I could say this because Ahura term was not in existence in Pre-Zoroastrians religion. There was Ahu word, which means lord of any type, human lord, landlord, or divine lord. The opening paragraph of Fravadin Yasht (oldest Avestan scripture) says that Pre-Zoroastrian Mazdayasinies were the keepers of the original ancient laws. Ahura (laws of the Lord) added later by Zarathustra in late Aryan History. And that is also mentioned in Fravadin Yasht’s verses 89 & 90. Mazdayasinies had Asura beliefs and they had assimilated few significant Asura gods also. Therefore, he couldn’t discard that at once and wisely replaced ‘s’ with ‘h’ and gained their trust and support.

Mazdayasini later had migrated to south because of severe climatic change at Airyana Vaeja. It is also told that they had lost war against combined force of Daeva and Asura worshippers and had been driven out from Airyana Vaeja. Earlier Mazdayasini were stronger and drove out Daeva (first) and Asura (next) from Airyana Vaeja.
According to Avan Yasht, we have information about Daevayasini, the daeva worshippers also. Probably Daevayasini people had replaced the ‘H’ with‘S’ in Vedic Sanskrit and created Asura. It could be in either way. Rigveda is composed later in India; it used to converse orally over centuries because it was based upon memorization of the sacred scriptures and stories. According to Vendidad (Vi-daevo-data), Zarthustrians Mazda-worshippers opposed Daeva-worshippers through the laws of lords (Ahura) so Ahura ( vedic-Asura)became the natural enemy of Rigvedic Deva.

Perhaps, Daevayasini is the oldest Proto-Indo-Europeans (PIE) tradition. The existence of similarities in deities, religious practices, and mythologies of Proto-Indo-European people reflect their common source of origin. PIE people migrated in groups at different time periods before or during the ice-age. They spread in South-east Europe, Western Europe, Russian steppes, and Iran region and developed separate and independent cultures. Old mythologies like, tree significance (ash tree, oak tree, banyan tree, world tree and many), dragon serpent fight, Sun god, earth , fire and water purification, twin brothers, sky god wind god, Varuna (May be Greek Uranus and Roman Saturn) and many more such beliefs shows the common PIE concepts.
We can conclude that Mazdayasini and Asura culture both come under the subset of Daevayasini—sharing a few characteristics, religious beliefs, and common customs.

This fact of growing and diminishing the significance of gods and beliefs are the proof of continual growth of new and creative ideas and philosophical progressiveness of a society.

 

thanx for encouragement!