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The Fravashis: The Guardian Spirits of the Soul

Illustrated banner of Kurdish and Iranic heritage evoking the Fravashis, the guardian spirits and ideal souls of Zoroastrian belief, alongside the Newroz fire, the Simurgh and the tanbur

 

Introduction

 

The Fravashis are among the most beautiful concepts of Zoroastrian and Iranic belief: the pre-existent guardian spirits and ideal higher selves, one belonging to every person, and even to the divine beings and to Ahura Mazda himself, who descend to guide and protect the living, are honoured as the souls of the righteous dead, and lend their power to uphold the whole creation against the forces of evil.

 

In the Zoroastrian vision, each soul has its Fravashi, a kind of divine prototype or guardian, an ideal self that existed before birth and endures beyond death. The Fravashis of the righteous are honoured and invoked, especially at the great festival of remembrance before Newroz, when they are believed to return to their old homes. They are celebrated in their own great hymn, the Fravardin Yasht, as protectors and helpers, the powers on whom even the Wise Lord relies to maintain the cosmos.

 

Like the other concepts of the Zoroastrian tradition, the Fravashis belong to the shared ancient religious and mythological heritage of the Iranic peoples, a tradition the Kurds hold in common with the Persians and others of the Iranic world. To know the Fravashis is to encounter one of the deepest and most comforting images of Iranic spirituality, the guardian spirits that link each soul to the divine and the living to their honoured dead.

 

 

Contents

 

 

What Are the Fravashis?

 

The Fravashis, sometimes spelled Fravashi in the singular or known in later forms such as Farohar, are the guardian spirits or ideal selves of Zoroastrian belief. A Fravashi is a pre-existent, eternal spiritual entity, a kind of divine prototype or higher self, that belongs to each person and indeed to all the good creation, existing before birth and enduring beyond death. In the tradition, every human being has their own Fravashi, which acts as a guardian spirit and ideal self, distinct from the soul; and Fravashis belong also to the divine beings and even to Ahura Mazda. The Fravashis of the righteous are honoured and invoked as protectors and helpers of the living, are celebrated as the souls of the righteous dead, and are believed to return to their old homes at the great festival of remembrance before the new year. They are praised in their own great hymn, the Fravardin Yasht, and are held to lend their power to uphold the creation against the forces of evil. The Fravashis are thus among the most significant and beloved spiritual beings of the Zoroastrian vision.

 

 

The Meaning of the Name

 

The word Fravashi comes from the Avestan language, and although its precise original meaning is debated by scholars, it is connected with ideas of protection, of confession or choice of faith, or of the valiant or heroic spirit. The word does not appear in the oldest hymns, the Gathas of Zoroaster, but is found in the later Avesta, where the Fravashis are richly described.

 

Whatever the precise root, the Fravashi is understood in the tradition as the guardian spirit, the ideal or higher self, the divine prototype of a being. The name is connected in later usage with the forms Farohar or Foruhar, and the concept is associated with the winged symbol that is among the best-known emblems of the faith. The various proposed meanings of the name, protection, the heroic spirit, the chosen faith, all point to aspects of the Fravashi as it is understood in the tradition: the protecting guardian, the valiant spiritual power, the ideal self aligned with truth. While scholars debate the original sense, the religious meaning is clear and rich: the Fravashi is the guardian spirit and ideal self, the eternal spiritual prototype that guards and guides the being to which it belongs. The meaning of the name, in its religious use, thus expresses the essential nature of the Fravashi as the protecting, ideal, and eternal spiritual self. It is as the guardian spirit and higher self, by whatever etymology, that the Fravashi holds its place in the Zoroastrian vision.

 

 

Key Takeaways

 

  • The Fravashis are the pre-existent guardian spirits and ideal selves of Zoroastrian belief.

  • Every person has a Fravashi, distinct from the soul, existing before birth and after death.

  • Fravashis belong also to the divine beings and to Ahura Mazda himself.

  • They guide and protect the living and are honoured as the righteous dead.

  • They return to their old homes at the festival of remembrance before the new year.

  • They are praised in the Fravardin Yasht and help uphold the cosmos against evil.

 

 

Quick Facts

 

  • Name: Fravashi (singular); Fravashis; later Farohar, Foruhar

  • Nature: Pre-existent guardian spirit and ideal self

  • Belongs to: Every person, the divine beings, and Ahura Mazda

  • Distinct from: The soul (urvan), being the ideal higher self

  • Role: Guardian and helper of the living; the righteous dead

  • Three groups: The living, the dead, and the yet unborn

  • Their hymn: The Fravardin Yasht (Yasht 13)

  • Festival: Frawardigan / the remembrance before the new year

  • Cosmic role: Helping uphold the creation against evil

  • Heritage: Shared Iranic religious and mythological tradition

 

 

The Pre-existent Ideal Self

 

One of the most profound aspects of the Fravashi is that it is a pre-existent, eternal entity, an ideal self or divine prototype that exists before the birth of the being to which it belongs and endures after death. In this, it differs from the soul, the urvan, which animates the body in life.

 

In the Zoroastrian understanding, the Fravashi is the ideal, perfect form or higher self of a being, existing eternally in the divine realm before it descends to be united with a person at birth, and returning to that realm after death. It is, in a sense, the divine spark and the perfect prototype of the individual, an incorruptible spiritual essence aligned always with truth and the good, which no evil can stain. Scholars have compared the Fravashis to the ideal forms of certain philosophies, the perfect prototypes of which earthly beings are the embodiment. The Fravashi is thus distinct from the soul: where the soul is the animating self that lives the moral life and is judged after death, the Fravashi is the eternal ideal self, the guardian prototype that remains pure and aligned with the good. This conception of the pre-existent ideal self is one of the most striking features of the Fravashi, the eternal higher self that links the individual to the divine realm and to the ideal pattern of their being. The idea that each person has such a pre-existent and incorruptible ideal self, a guardian aligned always with truth, is a profound and comforting one, expressing the divine origin and the spiritual dignity of every being. It is as this pre-existent ideal self that the Fravashi holds its deepest significance in the tradition.

 

 

Guardians and Helpers of the Living

 

The Fravashis are, above all, guardian spirits and helpers, who watch over and aid the living, especially the righteous, guiding them toward the good and coming to their help in times of need.

 

In the tradition, each person's own Fravashi acts as their guardian and ideal self, guiding the conscience and inspiring right action throughout life. Beyond this, the Fravashis of the righteous, especially the great Fravashis of the holy ones of old, are invoked as powerful helpers who come to the aid of people in need. In the Fravardin Yasht, the Fravashis are described as helpers who aid people lost or in danger, who help the unborn child in the womb, who give strength to the good in their struggle against evil, and who come to the help of the righteous, especially kings and warriors who fight for a just cause. They are messengers and agents of Ahura Mazda and work alongside the bright divinities such as Sraosha. As guardians and helpers, the Fravashis express the comforting belief that the living are watched over and aided by these guardian spirits, both their own ideal selves and the powerful Fravashis of the righteous. This role as guardians and helpers of the living is central to the devotion paid to the Fravashis, the guardian spirits invoked for protection, guidance, and aid in the struggles of life. It is one of the most cherished aspects of the belief, the conviction that the faithful are not alone but are guarded and helped by these spiritual powers.

 

 

The Souls of the Righteous Dead

 

The Fravashis are also closely associated with the souls of the righteous dead, who are honoured and remembered as Fravashis, especially at the great festival of remembrance held before the new year of Newroz.

 

In the tradition, when a righteous person dies, their soul is united with their Fravashi, and the departed righteous are honoured and invoked as Fravashis, the guardian spirits of the dead who continue to watch over their living descendants. The great festival of the Fravashis, known as Frawardigan or by related names, is held in the days before the new year, when the Fravashis of the righteous dead are believed to descend and return to their old homes, where the living honour them with prayers, offerings, and remembrance. In this beautiful observance, the bond between the living and their honoured dead is renewed, the families welcoming and remembering the Fravashis of their departed, and the dead, in turn, blessing and watching over the living. This association with the righteous dead makes the Fravashis a focus of the remembrance and veneration of ancestors, the guardian spirits of the departed who remain connected to their families and are honoured especially at the festival before the new year. It is one of the most enduring and tender aspects of the belief, the honouring of the righteous dead as Fravashis who return to their homes and are remembered with love. The Fravashis as the souls of the righteous dead thus express the continuing bond between the living and the departed in the Zoroastrian vision.

 

 

Upholders of the Cosmos

 

Beyond their care for individuals, the Fravashis have a great cosmic role, for they are held to lend their power to uphold the whole creation, aiding Ahura Mazda in maintaining the cosmos against the assault of the forces of evil.

 

In the Fravardin Yasht, the Fravashis are described in grand cosmic terms as powers on whom the maintenance of the creation depends. They are said to support and uphold the sky, the waters, the earth, and the order of nature; they guard the sacred fires and the heavenly bodies; they protect the great cosmic sea and the constellations; and they lend their strength to the Wise Lord in his struggle to maintain the good creation against the forces of evil. So great is their collective power that, in the tradition, the Fravashis are among the forces upon which Ahura Mazda relies to sustain the cosmos and to keep the darkness at bay. The Fravashis thus have a role far beyond the guarding of individuals, participating in the upholding of the whole order of creation, the cosmic powers whose strength helps maintain the world against chaos and evil. This grand cosmic role is one of the most striking aspects of the Fravashis, the guardian spirits who are also upholders of the cosmos, lending their power to the maintenance of the entire creation. It expresses the belief that the spiritual powers of the righteous, the Fravashis, are woven into the very fabric of the cosmic order and its defence against evil. As upholders of the cosmos, the Fravashis are revealed as powers of the greatest significance in the Zoroastrian vision of the world.

 

 

Symbolism and Meaning

 

The Fravashis embody, above all, the idea of the divine origin and spiritual dignity of every being, the conviction that each person has a pre-existent, incorruptible ideal self, a guardian aligned always with truth and the good. In this, they represent the spiritual worth of the individual and the link between each soul and the divine.

 

The Fravashis embody, too, the comforting belief that the living are watched over and aided by guardian spirits, both their own ideal selves and the powerful Fravashis of the righteous, and that the bond between the living and their honoured dead endures beyond death. And in their cosmic role, they embody the participation of the spiritual powers of the righteous in the upholding of the whole creation against evil. In all this, the Fravashis are among the most profound and beautiful concepts of the Iranic religious tradition, embodying the divine dignity of the individual, the guardianship and aid of the spiritual powers, the enduring bond of the living and the dead, and the cosmic role of the righteous in sustaining the world. They are the guardian spirits and ideal selves, the pre-existent prototypes that link each being to the divine, honoured as the righteous dead and invoked as the helpers of the living, one of the deepest expressions of the spiritual vision that the Kurds share with the other heirs of the Iranic tradition. The winged symbol associated with the Fravashi, the Faravahar, remains among the best-known emblems of this ancient heritage.

 

 

The Fravashis and the Kurds

 

The Fravashis, like the other concepts of the Zoroastrian tradition, belong to the shared ancient religious and mythological heritage of the Iranic peoples, a tradition that the Kurds, as an Iranic people, hold in common with the Persians and others of the Iranic world. The belief in guardian spirits and the honouring of the righteous dead are part of the spiritual heritage of the whole region.

 

For the Kurds, the ancient Iranic religious heritage, including the belief in the Fravashis and the honouring of the dead, is part of the deep background of their cultural and spiritual world. The festival of remembrance of the dead before the new year, associated with the Fravashis, is connected to the wider tradition of Newroz and the new-year observances cherished across the Iranic world, including among the Kurds. It is honest and accurate to understand the Fravashis as part of this shared Iranic and Zoroastrian heritage, rather than as a uniquely Kurdish concept; they belong to the common ancient religious tradition of the Iranic peoples. As an Iranic people with ancient roots in this world, the Kurds share in this heritage, of which the Fravashis are a part, alongside the other heirs of the Iranic tradition. In presenting the Fravashis, then, we present a concept of the shared ancient Iranic heritage to which the Kurds, as an Iranic people, are heirs, one of the deepest and most comforting images of the spirituality that underlies the traditions of the region. The honouring of guardian spirits and of the righteous dead that the Fravashis embody is a value of enduring resonance across the Iranic and wider world.

 

 

Debates and Misconceptions

 

Are the Fravashis the same as the soul? No; in the developed tradition, the Fravashi is distinct from the soul, the urvan. The soul is the animating self that lives the moral life and is judged after death at the Chinvat Bridge; the Fravashi is the pre-existent, eternal ideal self or guardian prototype, incorruptible and always aligned with the good. After the death of a righteous person, the soul is united with its Fravashi. The two are related but distinct aspects of the spiritual being, the soul being the lived self and the Fravashi the ideal, guardian self.

 

Are the Fravashis the same as the winged Faravahar symbol? The famous winged symbol, the Faravahar, is associated with the concept of the Fravashi, and its name is a later form of the same word. But the Fravashis are the spiritual beings or concept, the guardian spirits and ideal selves, while the Faravahar is the visual emblem associated with them. The relationship between the symbol and the concept is a matter of tradition and interpretation; the symbol has come to represent the Fravashi and, more broadly, the faith and its ideals. The Fravashis themselves are the spiritual realities, of which the winged figure is the well-known emblem.

 

Are the Fravashis a specifically Kurdish concept? No; like the other concepts of the Zoroastrian tradition, they belong to the shared ancient Iranic religious heritage, a tradition the Kurds hold in common with the Persians and others of the Iranic world, rather than a uniquely Kurdish concept. As an Iranic people, the Kurds share in this broad and ancient heritage, of which the Fravashis are a part, alongside their neighbours.

 

 

Related Topics

 

  • The Faravahar: the winged symbol associated with the Fravashi

  • Ahura Mazda: the Wise Lord, whom the Fravashis aid

  • The Amesha Spentas: the holy immortals of the good creation

  • Sraosha: the yazata with whom the Fravashis work as helpers

  • The Chinvat Bridge: where the soul, united with its Fravashi, is judged

  • Newroz: the new year, near the festival of the Fravashis

  • Zoroaster: the prophet of the tradition that honours the Fravashis

  • Frashokereti: the final renovation in which the Fravashis share

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

What are the Fravashis in Zoroastrianism?

 

The Fravashis are the pre-existent guardian spirits and ideal higher selves of Zoroastrian belief. A Fravashi is an eternal spiritual entity, a kind of divine prototype, that belongs to each person and to all the good creation, existing before birth and enduring after death. The Fravashis guide and protect the living, are honoured as the souls of the righteous dead, return to their homes at the festival of remembrance, and help uphold the cosmos against evil.

 

 

How is a Fravashi different from the soul?

 

In the developed tradition, the Fravashi is distinct from the soul, the urvan. The soul is the animating self that lives the moral life and is judged after death at the Chinvat Bridge; the Fravashi is the pre-existent, eternal ideal self or guardian prototype, incorruptible and always aligned with the good. After the death of a righteous person, the soul is united with its Fravashi. The two are related but distinct aspects of the spiritual being.

 

 

What is the festival of the Fravashis?

 

The festival of the Fravashis, known as Frawardigan or Muktad and by related names, is held in the days before the new year of Newroz. During this time, the Fravashis of the righteous dead are believed to descend and return to their old homes, where the living honour them with prayers, offerings, and remembrance. It is a beautiful observance renewing the bond between the living and their honoured dead, who bless and watch over their families.

 

 

What is the Fravardin Yasht?

 

The Fravardin Yasht, or Yasht 13, is the great Avestan hymn dedicated to the Fravashis, a long hymn of many verses that describes their nature, categories, and functions. It praises the Fravashis of the righteous of all ages, from the first man to the future savior, as guardians and helpers, and describes their grand cosmic role in upholding the creation. It is recited especially in the month and on the day dedicated to the Fravashis and in remembrance of the dead.

 

 

What cosmic role do the Fravashis play?

 

Beyond guarding individuals, the Fravashis are held to lend their power to uphold the whole creation, aiding Ahura Mazda in maintaining the cosmos against evil. In the Fravardin Yasht they are said to support the sky, waters, and earth, guard the sacred fires and heavenly bodies, protect the great cosmic sea and the constellations, and give strength to the struggle against the forces of darkness, so great is their collective power in sustaining the world.

 

 

Are the Fravashis a Kurdish concept?

 

The Fravashis belong to the shared ancient Zoroastrian and Iranic religious heritage, a tradition the Kurds hold in common with the Persians and others of the Iranic world, rather than a uniquely Kurdish concept. As an Iranic people with ancient roots in this world, the Kurds share in this heritage, of which the Fravashis are a part, alongside their neighbours. The festival of remembrance connected with them is linked to the wider Newroz tradition cherished across the region.

 

 

References and Further Reading

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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