《Contrastive Study of “Time” in Iranian-Indian Mythology》.pdf

Antrocom Online Journal of Anthropology 2011, vol. 7. n. 1 Asghari Annapurna – Time in Iranian-Indian Mythology History of Religions 153 - 165 Contrastive Study of “Time” in Iranian-Indian Mythology * ** Bibiaghdas Asghari , Annapurna M. Abstract The main aim in the study is to compare and contrast the textual contents and the formal structures that are involved in the myth of ‘time’ in Indian and Iranian mythologies. Three questions will be replay: What are the divisions of time? What is the function of time in the mythical system in both myths of Iran and India? And what is the formal structure in this myth in the both mythologies? Data collection for this article has been done with a documentary approach. The Primary sources involved the Avesta and the RigVeda and secondary sources (include: 31 books, related article) were reviewed, after data gathered from those, the data analysis has been done in this study. Comparison of two myths is done with following mythical three indices : 1. Structure (trinity) 2.Binary Oppositions 3.Archetypal patterns time. In the Iranian myth, like the Hindu myth time is divided into three and then again four part horizontally. In Hindu myths, time is cyclical. Lord Brahma in Hindu mythology is referred to as the creator. The Zoroastrian concept of time is linear not cyclical. In the creation myth Unlimited/limited and Numeric /Divine time are cosmic oppositions; Golden Age / Iron Age indicate sociological opposition. Keywords: Time myth, Indo-Iranian mythology, Vedic mythology, Avesta mythology, Structural mythology. Introduction A creation myth,