Who Is Ahriman, and Why Is He Pure Evil Incarnate?

Ahriman, also called Angra Mainyu, is the main creature of evil in Zoroastrianism. He stands in direct opposition to Ahura Mazda, the God of light and wisdom. In ancient Persian beliefs, Ahriman causes all destruction, death, and moral corruption in both the physical and spiritual worlds.

Ahriman tries to disrupt the world’s order by spreading chaos, disease, and lies (druj). He lives in total darkness and is helped by many demons called daevas. His role is key to the ongoing battle between good and evil in Zoroastrian belief.

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Key Takeaways

Attribute	Details
Names	Ahriman, Angra Mainyu, Anra Mainyu, Ahreman
Title	The Destructive Spirit, Lord of Darkness, Prince of Evil
Origin	Ancient Persian / Zoroastrian
Gender	Male (often depicted as a malevolent masculine force)
Genealogy	Co-eternal rival of Ahura Mazda; in Zurvanism, the twin son of Zurvan
Role	Cosmic adversary, source of all evil, bringer of death and decay
Associated Deity/Figure	Ahura Mazda (Opponent), Mithra, Spenta Mainyu
Brings	Death, disease, winter, noxious creatures (khrafstra), sin, and falsehood
Weaknesses	The recitation of the Ahuna Vairya prayer, the eventual triumph of light
Realm/Domain	Duzakh (Hell), the Abode of Darkness, the North
Weapon/Item	The lie (druj), serpents, darkness
Symbolism	Absolute evil, chaos, entropy, and the negation of life
Sources	The Avesta, Gathas, Bundahishn, Denkard

Who or What is Ahriman?

Ahriman is the absolute personification of evil in the ancient Iranian tradition. Unlike some mythological figures that possess a mix of traits, Ahriman is characterized by total malevolence. He is not a fallen deity but a primordial force of destruction that chose to do evil. His primary goal is to destroy the Asha (truth/order) of the universe and replace it with Druj (falsehood/chaos).

In the earliest writings, Ahriman was seen as the spiritual opponent of Spenta Mainyu (the Holy Spirit). Later, he became Ahura Mazda’s main enemy. Ahriman is blamed for creating all harmful things, like poisonous snakes, scorpions, winter, and old age. He cannot create life, only things that harm it. In the end, he is fated to be defeated during Frashokereti, the Zoroastrian idea of the world’s final purification.

Ahriman Meaning

The name Ahriman is the Middle Persian development of the Avestan Angra Mainyu. The term Angra is linguistically related to words meaning “destructive,” “evil,” or “hostile.” The word Mainyu translates to “spirit,” “mentality,” or “mind.”

Because of that, the literal meaning is “Destructive Spirit” or “Hostile Mind.” This name reflects his nature as a spirit whose fundamental essence is to oppose and destroy.

The name is the opposite of Spenta Mainyu (the Bounteous or Holy Spirit). In the Sassanid era, the name was shortened to Ahreman in Pahlavi. Zoroastrian scriptures sometimes write his name upside down to show contempt and weaken his power. The meaning of his name highlights that he exists only to oppose the good creation of the supreme God.

How to Pronounce “Ahriman” in English

The name is usually pronounced as AH-ri-man (IPA: /ˈɑːrɪmən/). The first part, ‘Ah,’ sounds like the ‘a’ in ‘father.’ The ‘ri’ is short, like in ‘bit,’ and ‘man’ is pronounced as in the English word ‘man.’ The Avestan form, Angra Mainyu, is pronounced ANG-ra MINE-yoo.

Origins

The idea of Ahriman began in the Proto-Indo-Iranian period, but his role as the main spirit of evil was set by the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra) around 1500–1000 BCE. In the Gathas, the oldest part of the Avesta, Zoroaster talks about two ‘Twin Spirits’ who chose between good and evil at the start of time.

During the Sassanid period, the Zurvanite sect, a minority group within Zoroastrianism, introduced a different origin story. Their beliefs about the universe differed a lot from mainstream Zoroastrian ideas.

In this story, Zurvan (Infinite Time) made a sacrifice to have a son. Because of a moment of doubt, two twins were born: Ahura Mazda, who stands for the sacrifice, and Ahriman, who stands for the doubt. Ahriman came out first to try to rule the world for 9,000 years. In mainstream Zoroastrianism, though, Ahriman is just a spirit who chose the path of the ‘Worst Mind.’

Genealogy

Ahriman’s family relationships differ depending on the branch of Zoroastrianism.

Relationship	Details
Parents	None in orthodox tradition; Zurvan (Infinite Time) in Zurvanism
Siblings	Ahura Mazda (Twin brother in Zurvanism)
Spouse	Jahi (The Whore / Demoness of Lasciviousness)
Children	The Daevas (Demons), including Aka Manah, Indra, and Saurva

Sources

The main sources on Ahriman’s history and nature are Zoroastrian sacred texts, mostly written in Avestan and Middle Persian (Pahlavi).

Source	Quote
Yasna 30.3 (Gathas)	Atã vā mainyū paouruyē yā yēmā xᵛafnā asrvātem manahicā vacahicā šyaothanōicā hayā vahyō akemcā… (Truly there are two primal Spirits, twins renowned to be in conflict. In thought and word and act they are two: the better and the bad.)
Yasna 45.2 (Gathas)	I will speak of the two spirits of whom, at the beginning of existence, the Holier spoke thus to the Evil One: “Neither our thoughts, nor our teachings, nor our wills, nor our choices, nor our words, nor our deeds, nor our consciences, nor our souls agree.”
Bundahishn 1.24	Ahreman, on account of his backward knowledge, was not aware of the existence of Ohrmazd; then he rose from the abyss, and came to the place of the lights.

What Does Ahriman Look Like?

In the oldest texts, Ahriman is described as a spirit without a physical body. Later stories and images, though, give him a form. He is often linked to the shape of a serpent or dragon. The Bundahishn says he jumped into the sky as a snake.

In Sassanid rock carvings like those at Naqsh-e Rostam, Ahriman appears as a human-like entity lying under Ahura Mazda’s horse. In these images, snakes often appear from his shoulders or hair, similar to the later Persian story of Zahhak.

Zahhak is a legendary king in Persian mythology who was tricked by Ahriman. After Ahriman kissed his shoulders, two snakes grew from them. These snakes needed to eat human brains, which became a symbol of tyranny and evil.

Ahriman’s appearance is meant to show filth, decay, and monstrosity. He is said to live in the darkness of the north, and his presence is believed to bring a real smell of corruption and death.

Enemies, Rivals, and Allies

Ahriman’s main enemy is Ahura Mazda, the God of Light. He also faces opposition from the Amesha Spentas (Holy Immortals) and other divine beings known as yazatas, such as Mithra and Sraosha.

Ahriman’s allies are the Daevas, evil spirits he created to fight against the divine beings of light. His main helper is Aka Manah (Evil Mind), who is the opposite of Vohu Manah (Good Mind). He is also connected to Jahi, the demoness who woke him from a long sleep to attack the world of light.

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Connections to Other Ancient Demons

Name	Genealogy	Type	Appearance
Apep	Egyptian	Chaos Serpent	Giant snake/serpent
Tiamat	Babylonian	Primordial Chaos	Dragon or sea monster
Lamashtu	Mesopotamian	Disease Demon	Lion head, donkey teeth, hairy body
Surtr	Norse	Fire Giant	Giant with a flaming sword
Typhon	Greek	Monster/Giant	Serpent-headed giant
Mot	Canaanite	Death Deity	Entity with a gaping throat
Pazuzu	Assyrian	Wind Demon	Humanoid with wings and lion face
Asmodeus	Persian/Jewish	Demon of Wrath	Three-headed humanoid
Mara	Buddhist	Tempter/Demon	Often humanoid or monstrous
Chernobog	Slavic	Black God/Evil	Dark, shadowy figure

Ahriman Myths, Legends, and Stories

The Primal Choice

At the start, there were two spirits: Spenta Mainyu and Angra Mainyu. They were twins and always opposed each other. When they first met, they created both life and non-life.

Spenta Mainyu chose the way of Asha (truth and righteousness), while Angra Mainyu chose the path of the worst thoughts and deeds. This decision set up the universe’s moral foundation, where every being must choose between Mazda’s light and Ahriman’s darkness.

The Attack on Creation

The Bundahishn says Ahura Mazda created the spiritual world first, then the material world, to trap evil. Ahriman saw the light from the abyss and attacked. At first, the Ahuna Vairya prayer stopped him, and he fell back into darkness, where he slept for 3,000 years.

Later, the demoness Jahi woke Ahriman and promised to harm Mazda’s creation. Ahriman jumped into the sky as a snake, bringing darkness. He corrupted the Earth by making harmful creatures like snakes and scorpions. He caused the deaths of the Primeval Ox and the First Man, Gayomard.

The Reign of Zahhak

In the Persian epic Shahnameh, Ahriman is a trickster. He visits Prince Zahhak in different disguises. First, he persuades Zahhak to kill his father and take the throne. Later, as a skilled cook, Ahriman gives Zahhak meat (which is a sin) and asks to kiss the king’s shoulders in return.

After the kiss, two black snakes grow from Zahhak’s shoulders. These snakes needed to eat human brains every day, letting Ahriman spread death and fear in the kingdom for a thousand years.

Ahriman Powers and Abilities

Ahriman has great cosmic power, but it is only destructive. He cannot create real life; he can only twist or ruin what already exists. He can make evil versions of Ahura Mazda’s good creations. His influence works through people’s minds, as he is a spirit who tempts and deceives.

• Counter-Creation: The ability to create “bad” versions of Mazda’s creations (e.g., creating winter to counter summer).
• Corruption: The power to instill greed, wrath, and doubt in the hearts of humans.
• Metamorphosis: He can appear as a young man, an old man, a cook, or a serpent.
• Bringer of Death: He introduced mortality and decay into the physical world.
• Darkness Manipulation: He commands absolute darkness and lives in a void devoid of light.

Rituals, Amulets, and Protective Practices

Ancient Persians did not worship Ahriman. Instead, they held rituals to keep him away or lessen his power. Because Ahriman is drawn to filth, dead things, and lies, Zoroastrian practices focus on maintaining physical and spiritual purity.

People practiced ritual washing, called Padyab, to clean themselves before prayers or ceremonies. They also tended fires, since fire symbolized purity and Ahura Mazda’s presence. Keeping their surroundings clean and telling the truth were important for spiritual purity. The main way to protect against Ahriman was to have Good Thoughts, Good Words, and Good Deeds.

Incantations and Ceremonies

The strongest defense against Ahriman is saying the Ahuna Vairya (Yatha Ahu Vairyo) prayer. This prayer was believed to be the weapon Ahura Mazda used to defeat Ahriman at the start of time. Other rituals use sacred fire and haoma (a holy drink) to purify the area and keep away the daevas.

The Ahuna Vairya Prayer:

“yathā ahū vairyō athā ratuš ašāt̰-cīt̰ hacā
vaŋhēuš dazdā manaŋhō šyaothananąm aŋhēuš mazdāi
xšathremcā ahurāi ā yim drigubyō dadat̰ vāstārem”

Translation:

“Just as the Lord is all-powerful, so is the Teacher by reason of his store of Truth and Righteousness.
The gifts of the Good Mind are for those who work for the Lord of Life.
The Strength of Ahura is given to him who helps the poor and the needy.”

Amulets and Talismans

Amulets to protect against Ahriman often depicted the Faravahar (a winged disc symbolizing the soul or divine glory) or images of Mithra slaying a bull. Fire symbols were also common, as fire symbolizes Asha (Truth) and is believed to drive away the darkness of the ‘Destructive Spirit.’

Metal was seen as protective because it was linked to Khshathra Vairya (Desirable Dominion), one of the Holy Immortals.

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