Who is Behram Yazad?

Behram Yazad presides over success, victory and triumph, over external enemies, as well as over internal vices. He bestows courage and confidence to people working for a righteous cause. He is also known by his epithets Fattehmand, Perojgar and dushman jadaar all of which mean “victorious/smiter of enemies.”  He is a Hamkar (co-worker) of Ardibahesht Ameshaspand.

The word Behram comes from the Avestan word verethraghna which means “success, victory.” The word is cognate with the Sanskrit word shatrughna and has the same meaning as the Gujarati word mushkel āsān (verethra = mushkel + ghna=asan) which means “reliever of troubles and difficulties.” He may be compared to Ganesha the ishta devta (chief God) of the Hindus, whose epithet Vighna-harta is very similar to Behram Yazad’s epithet dushman jadaar.

Behram Yazad’s co-workers are Ama and Vanainti. In Jasa Me Avanghe Mazda amahe hutashtahe prayer we remember Behram Yazad along with his two associate Yazads Ama and Vanaiti which literally mean “courage” and “ascendancy” respectively. In the khshnuman (invocation ) to Behram Yazad, all the three divine beings are remembered together. Behram Yazad’s chief opponent is Vyambur daeva.

Among Zoroastrians there is a belief that a savior (Saoshyant) would come to deliver people around the end of Time. One of the names by which the promised savior is referred to is Behram Varzavand. The words Behram and Varzavand are Pazand forms of the adjectives used for saoshyant, the avesta name of the savior amavantem (varzavnad) verethraghnem (Behram).

Behram Yazad is also associated with Travel. In that context, he is referred to as Rāgh-dast or Panth Yazad. He is invoked before departing on a voyage or a journey.

Behram Yazad was very popular in Iran during Sasanian and post Sasanian times:

* In the last paragraph of Doa Nam Setayashne, Behram Yazad is remembered immediately after Dadar Hormazd.

*   The practice of establishing a special fire dedicated to Behram Yazad – the Atash Behram –was popular during Sasanian times. As a mark of gratitude for a success or victory an Atash Behram, was established to honour Behram Yazad. Several Atash Behrams were built in Sasanian Iran to mark the victory of kings.

*   Five Emperors  in the Sasanian period were named after Behram Yazad. They are: Bahram I (272-275); Bahram II (275-292); Bahram III (292-293); Bahram IV also known as Kermanshah (388-399) and Bahram V also referred to as Bahramgur and equated to Rustam Pahelvan by Firdausi (420-440).

*   The General who rebelled against Khushru Purviz and his father Hormuz IV during the Sasanian period was named Behram Chobin.

*   Behram was also the name of the prince of last Sasanian emperor Yazdegard III, who after the death of his father went to Rome to seek help to re-conquer the empire from the Arabs, but did not succeed.

An important function of Behram Yazad is healing (baeshazem). He helps overcome Fever and Headache. Behram Yasht helps relieve chronic headaches. When the head ache is cured, a needy person should be helped.

Atash Behram: The first Atash Behram in India was built by our ancestors to thank Behram Yazad after they were miraculously saved from a sea-storm while traveling by sea from Diu to Sanjan. Behram Yazad is referred to as baro-khareno “carrier of divine energy” and the main function of an Atash Behram is to store and distribute the divine energy of Ahura Mazda.

In Iran there are several shrines dedicated to Behram Yazad, especially in Tehran and Yazd. In India we do not have a tradition of having shrines for divine beings.