Piriawis
Heavenly river in Mandaeism
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In Mandaean cosmology, Piriawis (Classical Mandaic: ࡐࡉࡓࡉࡀࡅࡉࡎ, Modern Mandaic pronunciation: [piriˈawis]; sometimes also spelled Biriawiš ࡁࡉࡓࡉࡀࡅࡉࡔ[1]), also known as the Yardena Rabba (Classical Mandaic: ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡍࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ, romanized: Yardna Rba "Great Jordan"), is the sacred life-giving river (yardna) of the World of Light. It is the heavenly counterpart of rivers on Earth (Tibil), which are considered by Mandaeans to be manifestations of the heavenly Piriawis.[2][3][4]
Shilmai and Nidbai are the two guardian uthras (celestial beings) watching over Piriawis.[2]
Qulasta prayers 13 and 17 mention Piriawis-Ziwa and Piriafil-Malaka together as uthras.[5]
Etymology
Drower & Macúch (1963) consider the name Piriawis to be of Iranian origin, literally meaning 'full of water' (cf. modern Persian پر آب).[6]
Other names
In Book 4 of the Right Ginza, Sindiriawis is mentioned as "the great yardna of the Life" (sindiriauis, iardna rba ḏ-hiia).[2]
See also
- Yardna
- Ganga (goddess) in Hinduism
- Siniawis, its corresponding opposite in the World of Darkness
- Jordan River
- Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus, the name of the Living Water in Sethianism
