Sraosha

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The name of a divine figure in Zoroastrianism associated with truth and righteousness
2. A spiritual representation in ancient Iranian belief, symbolizing the divine voice of justice and order
3. A key figure in the Zoroastrian tradition, embodying the principles of good thought, word, and deed

Etymology: Sraosha is the Avestan name of a Zoroastrian divine figure whose name means "obedience" or "hearing," derived from a root meaning "to hear" (the Avestan word "sraoshem" carries that sense of attentive listening). In the Zoroastrian scriptures, Sraosha is the angel who watches over humanity by night, guarding against the demons and carrying the faithful's prayers and devotion upward to the divine realm. Sraosha also has a role at the end of the world. He is said to be among the figures who help defeat the forces of evil in the final renovation of creation, and in later Zoroastrian tradition he is associated with the rituals of prayer and with guiding the souls of the dead across the Chinvat Bridge, the crossing that separates the righteous from the wicked after death.

Synonyms: hearing, listening, perception, awareness, attention