)باد می‌وزد. سرد است، ولی نه به آن اندازه که تن را بلرزاند. سردی از جنسی دیگر است. از همان‌ها که از تو رد می‌شود، بی‌آن‌که ردّی بگذارد؛ فقط ته‌نشین می‌شود، جایی در سینه. روی شیشه، رد باران‌های خشک‌شده جا مانده. تهران… نمی‌دانم دقیقاً چه وقت غریبه شد. شاید من رفته بودم، شاید او. ولی…

In Zoroastrian cosmology, Az (or Āz) represents more than mere moral failing; it is a cosmological principle of corruption rooted in the dualistic ontology of the religion. Az is the demon of insatiable greed, depicted as a consuming, ever-hungry force that opposes the divine order of Asha (truth, order). The very nature of Az challenges…

Abstract This article explores the dualistic conception of evil in Zoroastrian religious texts, focusing specifically on the ontological and functional distinctions between Ahriman (Angra Mainyu) and the divs (demons) as they appear in the Avesta and Middle Persian (Pahlavi) literature. By comparing their roles, representations, and theological significance, this study examines how these figures evolved…

چکیده این مقاله به بررسی مفهوم «شرّ هستی‌شناختی» در اندیشه دینی زرتشتی می‌پردازد؛ از طریق واکاوی نقش‌های الهیاتی و نمادین اهریمن (انگره‌مینو) و دیوان، همان‌گونه که در اوستا و متون فارسی میانه (پهلوی) تصویر شده‌اند. با تحلیل وضعیت متافیزیکی و کارکردهای این موجودات، مقاله دگرگونی آن‌ها را از نیروهای مجرد کیهان‌زاد به عوامل پیچیده اسطوره‌ای…

Abstract This article explores the dualistic conception of evil in Zoroastrian religious texts, focusing specifically on the ontological and functional distinctions between Ahriman (Angra Mainyu) and the divs (demons) as they appear in the Avesta and Middle Persian (Pahlavi) literature. By comparing their roles, representations, and theological significance, this study examines how these figures evolved…

This article explores the representations of Ahriman and demons in Zoroastrian canonical texts (primarily the Avesta) and Middle Persian (Pahlavi) literature. It examines how the dualistic cosmology of Zoroastrianism shaped the personification and conceptual evolution of evil, particularly in the figure of Ahriman (Angra Mainyu). Through a comparative approach, this study addresses thematic and doctrinal…

Abstract This article explores the dualistic conception of evil in Zoroastrian religious texts, focusing specifically on the ontological and functional distinctions between Ahriman (Angra Mainyu) and the divs (demons) as they appear in the Avesta and Middle Persian (Pahlavi) literature. By comparing their roles, representations, and theological significance, this study examines how these figures evolved…

⸻ Abstract This article examines the conception of ontological evil in Zoroastrian religious thought by exploring the theological and symbolic roles of Ahriman (Angra Mainyu) and the divs (demons) as depicted in both the Avesta and Middle Persian (Pahlavi) literature. By analyzing the metaphysical status and functional roles of these entities, the article traces their…

In Zoroastrian religious thought, Az (or Āz) is one of the central daēvas—cosmic demons—representing insatiable greed and the destruction of divine order (Asha). In early Avestan and Middle Persian texts such as the Bundahišn and Dēnkard, Az is portrayed not merely as a moral failing but as an ontological force that devours balance and destabilizes…