Aredvi Sura Anahita

Yazata of the waters, fertility, and healing; a great river goddess to whom heroes sacrifice for boons.

Domains

• waters rivers
• fertility fecundity
• healing waters

Powers

• Pour forth the world river that waters and renews the earth
• Purify the seed of men and the wombs of women
• Grant boons and victory to heroes who sacrifice to her

Epithets

• Arǝduuī Sūrā Anāhitā avestan · Aredvi Sura Anahita · hymnicThe Moist, the Strong, the Undefiled; the great river-and-waters goddessAban Yasht (Yasht 5), the hymn to the waters (primary)
• vīspanąm.apąm.fraδātara avestan · vispanam apam fradatara · hymnicIncreaser/furtherer of all waters; she who swells every streamAban Yasht (Yasht 5.1-5) (primary)
• frādaṱ.gaēθā avestan · fradat-gaetha · avestaWho furthers the living world; increaser of herds, households, and landsĀbān Yašt (Yašt 5) (primary)

Relations

• ally: ThraetaonaReciprocal of zoroastrian_thraetaona.ally — Sacrificed a hundred stallions to Anahita, who granted him the boon of overcoming Azhi Dahaka.Avesta, Aban Yasht (Yt. 5.33-35) (primary)
• interpretatio: ArtemisReciprocal of greek_hesiod_artemis.interpretatio — Anatolian Greeks worshipped Anahita as 'Artemis Anaitis' / 'Persian Artemis'. Preserves the pure virgin-river imagery; breaks on Anahita's fertility-bestowing waters — closer to a mother than a huntress.Pausanias 3.16.8 (Artemis Anaitis of the Lydians) (primary); A. de Jong, Traditions of the Magi (1997) (secondary)
• equated with: AnahitAnahit is the Armenian reflex of Anahita, and became the nation's most beloved goddess ('mother of all sobriety'). Preserves waters, fertility, healing; the Armenian cult adds golden-statue motherland patronage.J. R. Russell, Zoroastrianism in Armenia (1987) (secondary)

Sources

• existence: Avesta, Yasht 5 (Aban Yasht) (primary)