Verethragna
Verethragna (later Bahram) is the yazata of victory, whose hymn is Yasht 14 of the Avesta: he comes to the worshipper in ten successive forms - wind, bull, white horse, camel, boar, a youth of fifteen, raven, ram, buck and man - and in each he is the power that breaks the lie.
Living tradition: Verethragna is a yazata of the Avesta, and the Yasht makes him the smiter of the lie rather than a god of war for its own sake; the tradition's own account is primary and the Atash Bahram, the highest temple fire, bears his name. The planetary (Mars/Sun), zodiacal (Aries/Scorpio), tarot and Tuesday values are modern Western overlays, and no sabbat is assigned. The 'war god' framing, and the identification with the Roman Mars or the Norse Thor, are Western receptions that flatten a figure whose ten forms are cosmological, not military.
Correspondences
- Planetary Correspondence
- Mars
Offerings
- Offerings
- HaomaMilkFire woodIncense
Sacred timing
- Sacred Timing
Symbols and forms
- Alternate Names
- BahramVahramVictoryThe Smiting One
- Gender Expression
- Masculine
- Titles
- The VictoriousSmiter of the LieLord of the Ten FormsBahram
- Symbols
- BoarClubRavenWind
Practice
- Invocation Approach
- ToneMartial and uprightAddressVerethragnaBahramThe VictoriousRelationshipThe strength that clears the wayWarningVictory is not permission for crueltyResonanceThose facing a fight they did not choose
- Modern Practice
Invoked before a fight that must be fought - legal, physical or moral - and for courage and protection; modern correspondence work uses him for the strength to face what cannot be avoided, without the cruelty the tradition itself rejects.
Nature and meaning
- Domain
- VictoryHeroismThe smiting of the lieStrengthProtectionThe ten formsCourage
- Mythology Summary
Verethragna (later Bahram) is the yazata of victory, whose hymn is Yasht 14 of the Avesta: he comes to the worshipper in ten successive forms - wind, bull, white horse, camel, boar, a youth of fifteen, raven, ram, buck and man - and in each he is the power that breaks the lie. He is the patron of the righteous fighter rather than of war as such, and the highest grade of Zoroastrian temple fire, the Atash Bahram, is named for him. His day is Bahram, the twentieth day of the Zoroastrian month.
Details
- Correspondences
- ColorsRedGoldOrangeScentsFrankincenseDragons bloodMetalsIronGoldAnimalsBoarHorseCamelRavenTarot
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