Bushyasta
Encyclopedia
Bushyasta is the Zoroastrian
demon (daeva
) of "Sloth". Her stock epithet is "the long-handed."
In scripture as well as in later tradition, Bushyasta (Middle Persian
Bushasp) is the hypostasis of laziness and idleness. She is the cause of procrastination as she strives to keep the righteous (ashavan
) from performing productive tasks. She lulls the world back to sleep and "makes the faithful forget in slumber the hour of prayer."
Although there are "as many demons as the sins that man commits" and Bushyasta is among the few daevas
who are specifically mentioned in the texts, she is not among the fiends who are described in any great detail.
11.9, 11.12, 18.16; Yasht
10.97), she is also described to be "gaunt" (Vendidad 11.9 and 11.12), and in Yasht 18.2, she is said to be zairi, "yellow, golden, green."
In verse 1 and 2 of Yasht
18, which is nominally dedicated to Arshtat
"Justice", khwarenah is said to vanquish Angra Mainyu
, Aeshma
of "Wrath", the Freezing Cold, Apaosha
of "Drought", and Bushyasta.
Towards dawn, before the demons are forced back into the darkness, Bushyasta rushes from the north murmering "Sleep on, O men! Sleep on, O sinners! Sleep on and live in sin" (Hadhokht Nask 41-42). Bushyasta is named among the demons who flee at the sight of Mithra's
mace. (Yasht 10.97, 10.134)
, a Zoroastrian account of creation completed in the 12th century, Bushasp is one of the hamkars (co-operators) of the six arch-demons. (here GBd XXVII.32) This hierarchy mirrors that of the six Amesha Spenta
s and their helpers, the yazatas
. In a fragment of the "lesser" Bundahishn, Bushasp brings a "unnatural lethargy" upon a hero, who then at that moment fails to defend the world against the fiendish deeds of Aži Dahaka. But the hero is protected by the "divine glory of the heavens", so he eventually wakes rested and kills Dahaka. (IBd 29.7)
In the numerology of the Shayest na Shayest, Bushasp "will twice come to the material world" (13.43), perhaps reflecting the hour of waking and the onset of sleep, or perhaps - as in Dadestan-i Denig 23.3 - being an allusion to birth and death.
In the Dadestan-i Denig 37.44, Bushasp is one of the few explicitely named entities amongst the "hordes" of demons created by Ahriman (Angra Mainyu
). In strophe 51 of the same chapter, Ahriman charges the demon with "the weakening of the breath."
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
demon (daeva
Daeva
Daeva in Avestan language meaning "a being of shining light", is a term for a particular sort of supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics. Equivalents in Iranian languages include Pashto dêw , Baluchi dêw , Persian dīv , Kurdish dêw...
) of "Sloth". Her stock epithet is "the long-handed."
In scripture as well as in later tradition, Bushyasta (Middle Persian
Middle Persian
Middle Persian , indigenously known as "Pârsig" sometimes referred to as Pahlavi or Pehlevi, is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times became a prestige dialect and so came to be spoken in other regions as well. Middle Persian is classified as a...
Bushasp) is the hypostasis of laziness and idleness. She is the cause of procrastination as she strives to keep the righteous (ashavan
Ashavan
Avestan ashavan is a Zoroastrian theological term. It literally means "possessing aša", hence "possessing truth" or "possessing righteousness", but has further implications:...
) from performing productive tasks. She lulls the world back to sleep and "makes the faithful forget in slumber the hour of prayer."
Although there are "as many demons as the sins that man commits" and Bushyasta is among the few daevas
Daeva
Daeva in Avestan language meaning "a being of shining light", is a term for a particular sort of supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics. Equivalents in Iranian languages include Pashto dêw , Baluchi dêw , Persian dīv , Kurdish dêw...
who are specifically mentioned in the texts, she is not among the fiends who are described in any great detail.
In scripture
Besides Bushyasta's stock epithet as "the long-handed," (e.g. VendidadVendidad
The Vendidad or Videvdat is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. However, unlike the other texts of the Avesta, the Vendidad is an ecclesiastical code, not a liturgical manual.-Name:...
11.9, 11.12, 18.16; Yasht
Yasht
The s are a collection of twenty-one hymns in Younger Avestan. Each of these hymns invokes a specific Zoroastrian divinity or concept. Yasht chapter and verse pointers are traditionally abbreviated as Yt....
10.97), she is also described to be "gaunt" (Vendidad 11.9 and 11.12), and in Yasht 18.2, she is said to be zairi, "yellow, golden, green."
In verse 1 and 2 of Yasht
Yasht
The s are a collection of twenty-one hymns in Younger Avestan. Each of these hymns invokes a specific Zoroastrian divinity or concept. Yasht chapter and verse pointers are traditionally abbreviated as Yt....
18, which is nominally dedicated to Arshtat
Arshtat
Arshtat is the Avestan language name of a Zoroastrian principle and signifies either "justice" or "honesty." As a substantive, arshtat designates the divinity Arshtat, the hypostasis of "Rectitude" and "Justice"...
"Justice", khwarenah is said to vanquish Angra Mainyu
Angra Mainyu
Angra Mainyu is the Avestan-language name of Zoroastrianism's hypostasis of the "destructive spirit". The Middle Persian equivalent is Ahriman.-In Zoroaster's revelation:...
, Aeshma
Aeshma
Aeshma is the Younger Avestan name of Zoroastrianism's demon of "wrath." As a hypostatic entity, Aeshma is variously interpreted as "wrath," "rage," and "fury." His standard epithet is "of the bloody mace."...
of "Wrath", the Freezing Cold, Apaosha
Apaosha
Apaosha is the Avestan language name of Zoroastrianism's demon of drought. He is the epitomized antithesis of Tishtrya, divinity of the star Sirius and guardian of rainfall...
of "Drought", and Bushyasta.
Towards dawn, before the demons are forced back into the darkness, Bushyasta rushes from the north murmering "Sleep on, O men! Sleep on, O sinners! Sleep on and live in sin" (Hadhokht Nask 41-42). Bushyasta is named among the demons who flee at the sight of Mithra's
Mithra
Mithra is the Zoroastrian divinity of covenant and oath. In addition to being the divinity of contracts, Mithra is also a judicial figure, an all-seeing protector of Truth, and the guardian of cattle, the harvest and of The Waters....
mace. (Yasht 10.97, 10.134)
In tradition
In the BundahishnBundahishn
Bundahishn, meaning "Primal Creation", is the name traditionally given to an encyclopædiaic collections of Zoroastrian cosmogony and cosmology written in Book Pahlavi. The original name of the work is not known....
, a Zoroastrian account of creation completed in the 12th century, Bushasp is one of the hamkars (co-operators) of the six arch-demons. (here GBd XXVII.32) This hierarchy mirrors that of the six Amesha Spenta
Amesha Spenta
' is an Avestan language term for a class of divine entities in Zoroastrianism, and literally means "Bounteous Immortal" The noun is amesha "immortal", and spenta "furthering, strengthening, bounteous, holy" is an adjective of it...
s and their helpers, the yazatas
Yazata
Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept. The word has a wide range of meanings but generally signifies a divinity...
. In a fragment of the "lesser" Bundahishn, Bushasp brings a "unnatural lethargy" upon a hero, who then at that moment fails to defend the world against the fiendish deeds of Aži Dahaka. But the hero is protected by the "divine glory of the heavens", so he eventually wakes rested and kills Dahaka. (IBd 29.7)
In the numerology of the Shayest na Shayest, Bushasp "will twice come to the material world" (13.43), perhaps reflecting the hour of waking and the onset of sleep, or perhaps - as in Dadestan-i Denig 23.3 - being an allusion to birth and death.
In the Dadestan-i Denig 37.44, Bushasp is one of the few explicitely named entities amongst the "hordes" of demons created by Ahriman (Angra Mainyu
Angra Mainyu
Angra Mainyu is the Avestan-language name of Zoroastrianism's hypostasis of the "destructive spirit". The Middle Persian equivalent is Ahriman.-In Zoroaster's revelation:...
). In strophe 51 of the same chapter, Ahriman charges the demon with "the weakening of the breath."