Asha


Asha or arta is a Zoroastrian concept with a complex and highly nuanced range of meaning. It is commonly summarized in accord with its contextual implications of 'truth' and 'right', 'order' and 'right working'. It is of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine. In the moral sphere, aṣ̌a/arta represents what has been called "the decisive confessional concept of Zoroastrianism". The opposite of aṣ̌a is druj.
Its Old Persian equivalent is arta-. In Middle Iranian languages the term appears as ard-.
The word is also the proper name of the divinity Asha, the Amesha Spenta that is the hypostasis or "genius" of "Truth" or "Righteousness". In the Younger Avesta, this figure is more commonly referred to as Asha Vahishta, "Best Truth". The Middle Persian descendant is Ashawahist or Ardwahisht; New Persian Ardibehesht or Ordibehesht. In the Gathas—the oldest texts of Zoroastrianism, thought to have been composed by Zoroaster—it is seldom possible to distinguish between moral principle and the divinity. Later texts consistently use the 'Best' epithet when speaking of the Amesha Spenta; only once in the Gathas is 'best' an adjective of aṣ̌a/arta. The Ashem Vohu, which is one of the most important prayers Zoroastrianism is dedicated to Asha.

Etymology

Avestan and its Vedic equivalent rta| both derive from Proto-Indo-Iranian *Hṛtá- "truth", which in turn continues PIE h₂r-to- "properly joined, right, true", from the root h₂er.
The word is attested in Old Persian as.
It is unclear whether the Avestan variation between aṣ̌a and arta is merely orthographical. Benveniste suggested š was only a convenient way of writing rt and should not be considered phonetically relevant. According to Gray, ṣ̌ is a misreading, representing – not /ʃ/ - but /rr/, of uncertain phonetic value but "probably" representing a voiceless r. Miller suggested that rt was restored when a scribe was aware of the morpheme boundary between the /r/ and /t/.
Avestan, like its Vedic Sanskrit cousin, appears to derive from the PIE root dhreugh, also continued in Persian دروغ "lie", Welsh drwg "evil", and German Trug "fraud, deception". Old Norse draugr and Middle Irish airddrach mean "spectre, spook". The Sanskrit cognate means "affliction, afflicting demon".
In Avestan, has a secondary derivation, the adjective , "partisan of deception, deceiver" for which the superlative and perhaps the comparative are attested.

Meaning

Aṣ̌a "cannot be precisely rendered by some single word in another tongue" but may be summarized as follows:
It is, first of all, 'true statement'. This 'true statement', because it is true, corresponds to an objective, material reality that embraces all of existence. Recognized in it is a great cosmic principle since all things happen according to it.
"This cosmic force is imbued also with morality, as verbal Truth, 'la parole conforme', and Righteousness, action conforming with the moral order."
The correspondence between 'truth', reality and an all-encompassing cosmic principle is not far removed from Heraclitus' conception of Logos.

As "truth"

Both Avestan aṣ̌a/arta and Vedic ŗtá- are commonly translated as "truth" as this best reflects both the original meaning of the term as well as the opposition to their respective antonyms. The opposite of Avestan aṣ̌a/arta is druj-, "lie." Similarly, the opposites of Vedic ' are ' and druh, likewise "lie".
That "truth" is also what was commonly understood by the term as attested in Greek myth of Isis and Osiris 47, Plutarch calls the divinity Αλήθεια Aletheia, "Truth."

As "existence"

The adjective corresponding to the noun aṣ̌a/arta, "truth", is Avestan haithya-, "true", the opposite of which is also druj-. Avestan haithya- derives from Indo-Iranian *sātya that in turn derives from Indo-European *h1s-ṇt- "being, existing". The Sanskrit cognate sátya- means "true" in the sense of "really existing." This meaning is also preserved in Avestan, for instance in the expression haiθīm varə''z, "to make true" as in "to bring to realization."
Another meaning of "reality" may be inferred from the component parts of the aṣ̌a/arta: from ŗ'' with a substantivizing -ta suffix. The root ŗ corresponds to Old Avestan arə''ta- and Younger Avestan ər''əta- "established", hence aṣ̌a/arta "that which is established."
The synonymy of aṣ̌a and "existence" overlaps with the stock identification of Ahura Mazda as the creator. Truth is existence inasmuch as falsehood is non-existence. Also, because aṣ̌a is everything that druj- is not, since aṣ̌a is, druj- is not.
This notion is already expressed in the Avesta itself, such as in the first Yasht, dedicated to Ahura Mazda, in which the "fifth name is the whole good existence of Mazda, the seed of Asha". Similarly, in the mythology of Gandarə''βa, the 'yellow-heeled' dragon of the druj-'' that emerges from the deep to destroy the "living world of Aṣ̌a"
In the ethical goals of Zoroastrianism, Vohu Manah is active in good thoughts, Sraosha in good words and Aṣ̌a in good deeds.. Aṣ̌a is thus "represented as active and effective."

As "right working"

Subject to context, aṣ̌a/arta- is also frequently translated as "right working" or " right". The word then has the same range of meaning of "right" as in the English language: truth, righteousness, rightfulness, lawfullness, conformity, accord, order.
These various meanings of "right" are frequently combined, such as "the inexorable law of righteousness," or as "the eternal fitness of things that are in accord with the divine order."
As regularity and "right working", aṣ̌a/arta- is present when Ahura Mazda fixed the course of the sun, the moon and the stars, and it is through aṣ̌a that plants grow.
"Right working" also overlaps with both Indo-European *ár- "to join together" and with the notion of existence and realization. The word for "established", arə''ta-, also means "proper". The antonymic anarəta- means "improper". In Zoroastrian tradition, prayers must be enunciated with care for them to be effective. The Indo-Iranian formula *sātyas mantras'' "does not simply mean 'true Word' but formulated thought which is in conformity with the reality' or 'poetic formula with inherent fulfillment '".

In comparison to Vedic usage

The kinship between Old Iranian aṣ̌a-/arta- and Vedic ŗtá- is evident in numerous formulaic phrases and expressions that appear in both the Avesta and in the RigVeda. For instance, the *ŗtásya path, "path of truth", is attested multiple times in both sources: Y 51.13, 72.11; RV 3.12.7, 7.66.3. Similarly "source of truth," Avestan aṣ̌a khá and Vedic
The adjective corresponding to Avestan aṣ̌a/arta- is haiθiia- "true". Similarly, the adjective corresponding to Vedic ŗtá- "truth" is sátya- "true". The opposite of both aṣ̌a/arta- and haithya- is druj- "lie" or "false". In contrast, in the Vedas the opposite of both ŗtá- and sátya- is druh- and ánŗta-, also "lie" or "false".
However, while the Indo-Iranian concept of truth is attested throughout Zoroastrian tradition, ŗtá- disappears in post-Vedic literature and is not preserved in post-Vedic texts. On the other hand, sátya- and ánrta- both survive in classical Sanskrit.
The main theme of the Rig Veda, "the truth and the gods", is not evident in the Gathas. Thematic parallels between aṣ̌a/arta and ŗtá-, however, exist such as in Yasht 10, the Avestan hymn to Mithra. There, Mithra, who is the hypostasis and the preserver of covenant, is the protector of aṣ̌a/arta. RigVedic Mitra is likewise preserver of ŗtá-.

Fire as the agent of Truth

Asha Vahishta is closely associated with fire. Fire is "grandly conceived as a force informing all the other Amesha Spentas, giving them warmth and the spark of life."
In Yasht 17.20, Angra Mainyu clamours that Zoroaster burns him with Asha Vahishta. In Vendidad 4.54-55, speaking against the truth and violating the sanctity of promise is detected by the consumption of "water, blazing, of golden color, having the power to detect guilt."
This analogy of truth that burns and detecting truth through fire is already attested in the very earliest texts, that is, in the Gathas and in the Yasna Haptanghaiti. In Yasna 43–44, Ahura Mazda dispenses justice through radiance of His fire and the strength of aṣ̌a. Fire "detects" sinners "by hand-grasping". An individual who has passed the fiery test, has attained physical and spiritual strength, wisdom, truth and love with serenity. Altogether, "there are said to have been some 30 kinds of fiery tests in all." According to the post-Sassanid Dadestan i denig, at the final judgement a river of molten metal will cover the earth. The righteous, as they wade through this river, will perceive the molten metal as a bath of warm milk. The wicked will be scorched. For details on aṣ̌a's role in personal and final judgement, see aṣ̌a in eschatology, below.
Fire is moreover the "auxiliary of the truth," "and not only, as in the ordeal, of justice and of truth at the same time." In Yasna 31.19, "the man who thinks of aṣ̌a, who uses his tongue in order to speak correctly, with the aid of brilliant fire". In Yasna 34-44 devotees "ardently desire mighty fire, through aṣ̌a." In Yasna 43–44, Ahura Mazda "shall come to through the splendour of fire, possessing the strength of aṣ̌a and good mind." That fire "possesses strength through aṣ̌a" is repeated again in Yasna 43.4. In Yasna 43.9, Zoroaster, wishing to serve fire, gives his attention to aṣ̌a. In Yasna 37.1, in a list of what are otherwise all physical creations, aṣ̌a takes the place of fire.
Asha Vahishta's association with atar is carried forward in the post-Gathic texts, and they are often mentioned together. In Zoroastrian cosmogony, each of the Amesha Spentas represents one aspect of creation and one of seven primordial elements that in Zoroastrian tradition are the basis of that creation. In this matrix, aṣ̌a/arta is the origin of fire, Avestan atar, which permeates through all Creation. The correspondence then is that aṣ̌a/arta "penetrates all ethical life, as fire penetrates all physical being."
In the liturgy Asha Vahishta is frequently invoked together with fire.. In one passage, fire is a protector of aṣ̌a: "when the Evil Spirit assailed the creation of Good Truth, Good Thought and Fire intervened"
In later Zoroastrian tradition, Asha Vahishta is still at times identified with the fire of the household hearth.