- Yima
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/yee"mah/, n. Zoroastrianism.a legendary king who, having reigned under the protection of Ahura Mazda in perfect happiness, sinned and lost for the world the immortality it had enjoyed.
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In ancient Iranian religion, the first man, son of the Sun, and progenitor of the human race.In one legend, Yima became king in a golden age in which need, death, disease, aging, and extremes of temperature were banished from the earth because of his virtue. This golden age ended when Ahura Mazdā foretold a terrible winter. Yima was instructed to build an underground domain, take in the best individuals from each species to preserve their seed, and then reemerge after the winter to repopulate the earth. In Zoroastrian legends, Yima was replaced by Gayōmart.* * *
in ancient Iranian religion, the first man, the progenitor of the human race, and son of the sun. Yima is the subject of conflicting legends obscurely reflecting different religious currents.According to one legend, Yima declined God's (Ahura Mazdā's (Ahura Mazdā)) offer to make him the vehicle of the religion and was instead given the task of establishing man's life on earth. He became king in a golden age in which need, death, disease, aging, and extremes of temperature were banished from the earth because of his virtue. The golden age ended, says one tale, when Ahura Mazdā told Yima of a terrible winter to come. He was instructed to build an excellent domain under the earth, lit by its own light, and take in it the best individuals from each species to preserve their seed. There they should dwell through the winter's destruction, then emerge and repopulate the earth.Zoroastrian tradition dislodged Yima as the first man, replacing him with the figure of Gayōmart. In later Persian literature Yima is the subject of many tales under the name Jamshīd.* * *
Universalium. 2010.
