Editing Ahriman (section)

==In Zurvanite Zoroastrianism==
{{main|Zurvanism}}
[[Zurvanism]] – a historical branch of Zoroastrianism that sought to theologically resolve a dilemma found in a mention of antithetical "twin spirits" in ''Yasna'' 30.3 – developed a notion that Ahura Mazda ([[Middle Persian|MP]]: Ohrmuzd) and Angra Mainyu (MP: Ahriman) were twin brothers, with the former being the epitome of good and the latter being the epitome of evil. This mythology of twin brotherhood is only explicitly attested in the post-[[Sassanid]] [[Syriac language|Syriac]] and [[Armenian language|Armenian]] polemic such as that of [[Eznik of Kolb]]. According to these sources the genesis saw Zurvan as an [[androgynous]] deity, existing alone but desiring offspring who would create "heaven and hell and everything in between." Zurvan then sacrificed for a thousand years. Towards the end of this period, Zurvan began to doubt the efficacy of sacrifice and in the moment of this doubt Ohrmuzd and Ahriman were conceived: Ohrmuzd for the sacrifice and Ahriman for the doubt. Upon realizing that twins were to be born, Zurvan resolved to grant the first-born sovereignty over creation. Ohrmuzd perceived Zurvan's decision, which he then communicated to his brother. Ahriman then preempted Ohrmuzd by ripping open the womb to emerge first. Reminded of the resolution to grant Ahriman sovereignty, Zurvan conceded, but limited kingship to a period of 9000 years, after which Ohrmuzd would rule for all eternity.<ref name="Zaehner_1966_419_428">{{citation|last=Zaehner|first=Richard Charles|title=Zurvan, a Zoroastrian dilemma|year=1955|publisher=Clarendon|location=Oxford}}</ref>{{rp|419–428}} Eznik of Kolb also summarizes a myth in which Ahriman is said to have demonstrated an ability to create life by creating the peacock.

The story of Ahriman's ripping open the womb to emerge first suggests that Zurvanite ideology perceived Ahriman to be evil by choice, rather than always having been intrinsically evil (as found, for example, in the cosmological myths of the ''[[Bundahishn]]''). And the story of Ahriman's creation of the peacock suggests that Zurvanite ideology perceived Ahriman to be a creator figure like Ormazd. This is significantly different from what is found in the Avesta (where Mazda's stock epithet is ''dadvah'', "Creator", implying Mazda is ''the'' Creator), as well as in Zoroastrian tradition where creation of life continues to be exclusively Mazda's domain, and where creation is said to have been good until it was corrupted by Ahriman and the ''[[daeva|dev]]''s.

In some Zurvanite narratives, it is mentioned that Zurvan had a wife and had children with Ahura Mazda and Ahriman, later, Ahura Mazda married his mother and had children with her, including the [[sun]], [[dog]]s, [[pig]]s, [[donkey]]s, and [[cattle]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Foundation |first=Encyclopaedia Iranica |title=MARRIAGE ii. NEXT OF KIN MARRIAGE IN ZOROASTRIANISM |url=https://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/marriage-next-of-kin |access-date=2025-03-23 |website=iranicaonline.org |language=en-US}}</ref>