Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/205

Rh lord of seasons and years. Ahura Mazda created Haurvatat for the help, joy, comfort, and pleasure of the righteous ones. The man who invokes the name of Haurvatat as one of the archangels is able to smite the legion of demons. The two, Haurvatat and Ameretat, together form the reward of the righteous after death, while fire is invoked to grant the blessings of Haurvatat and Ameretat to its supplicants for help and joy. The two archangels together will smite the demons of hunger and thirst during the final conflict between the forces of good and evil.

Instances where the two archangels materially personify water and plants are not found in the Later Avestan texts. Examples, however, are not wanting, as is well known, in which they occur as meaning specifically water and plants in their healing effect on mankind.