Ahura Mazda (Ormuz) and Ahriman
Zarathustra (or Zoroaster to the Greeks) lived approximately between 700 and 630 BCE. At the age of 30 he received his religious revelation. His doctrine is contained in seventeen hymns (the Gathas) which form the oldest part of the Avesta (a compilation produced after Zarathustra, in which his original doctrine was probably distorted). The essential part of Zarathustra’s doctrine is a monotheism (the holy god Ahura Mazda) that presents a dualism between two spirits of opposing sign: good and evil. In practice, however, the struggle takes place between Ormazd and Ahriman and between the spirits subordinate to them.
In the dual mythology of Zoroastrianism (or Mazdaism), there is an opposition between the twin brothers Ahura Mazda (who dwells in light) and Ahriman (who dwells in darkness).
The twins are sons of the god Zurvan, “Time,” the last being that existed in the original void.
When the moment came for the twin brothers to be born, Zurvan promised his firstborn that he would rule the world. Ahura Mazda, who had been granted the gift of knowing the future, told this to his brother. Ahriman then, with the purpose of emerging first, lied to his father, saying: “I am Ahura Mazda, your son.” But Zurvan was not deceived and replied: My son is light and fragrance, but you are darkness and stench. Zurvan then began to weep.
Ahura Mazda (Ormuz) is the wise one whose knowledge knows no limits: he created the sun, the moon and the stars. He brought into being the Good Mind, which operates within man and throughout all creation. Ahriman (also called Angra Mainyu, meaning “Destructive Spirit”) created the demons and launched an attack against Ahura Mazda, who nevertheless manages to drive him back into the darkness, saying:
“Neither our thoughts, nor our teachings, nor our plans, nor our beliefs, nor our words, nor our souls, are in agreement.”
Ahura Mazda then created Gayomart, the first man and the first priest of fire. But Ahriman renewed his attack, piercing the sky in the form of a scorching fire, and with it he brought hunger and disease, pain, desire and death. Ahura Mazda then set a limit to time, trapping Ahriman within creation. Ahriman tried to escape from creation but could not. For that reason, he will continue doing evil until the end of time.
Ahriman is the personification of Zurvan’s doubt and corrupts the world to create sin and evil. He corrupts everything he touches and rejoices in it:
“My victory will be perfect. I have defiled the world with filth and darkness, and have made it my fortress. I have dried up the earth so that the plants may die, and I have poisoned Gayomart so that he may die.”