| Abatur | |
|---|---|
 Image of Abatur from Diwan Abatur | |
| Other names | Third Life, Abatur Rama, Abatur Muzania, Bhaq Ziwa, Yawar, Ancient of Days |
| Abode | World of Light |
| Symbol | Scales |
| Texts | Diwan Abatur |
| Parents | Yushamin |
| Offspring | Ptahil |
| Equivalents | |
| Egyptian | Anubis |
| Zoroastrian | Rashnu[1] |
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Abatur (ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ, sometimes called Abathur; Yawar, ࡉࡀࡅࡀࡓ; and the Ancient of Days) is an Uthra and the second of three subservient emanations created by the Mandaean God Hayyi Rabbi (ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ, “The Great Living God”) in the Mandaean religion. His name translates as the "father of the Uthras", the Mandaean name for angels or guardians.[2] His usual epithet is the Ancient (ˁattīqā) and he is also called "the deeply hidden and guarded". He is described as being the son of the first emanation Yushamin (ࡉࡅࡔࡀࡌࡉࡍ).[3] He is also described as being the angel of Polaris.[4]
He exists in two different personae. These include Abatur Rama (ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ ࡓࡀࡌࡀ, the "lofty" or celestial Abatur), and his "lower" counterpart, Abatur of the Scales (ࡀࡁࡀࡕࡅࡓ ࡌࡅࡆࡀࡍࡉࡀ), who weighs the souls of the dead to determine their fate.[5] In Mandaean texts such as the Qulasta, Abatur is sometimes referred to as Bhaq Ziwa.[6]: 7–8
- ^ Kraeling, Carl (June 1933). "The Mandaic God Ptahil". Journal of the American Oriental Society. 53 (2). American Oriental Society: 152–165. doi:10.2307/593099. JSTOR 593099.
- ^ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen. 2002. The Mandaeans: Ancient Texts and Modern People. Oxford: Oxford University Press p8
- ^ One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Mandaeans". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 555–556.
- ^ Bunson, Matthew. Angels A to Z. New York:Crown Trade Paperbacks, 1996. ISBN 0-517-88537-9
- ^ Drower, Ethel Stefana. "105 (Known as the Asiet Malkia)". The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Page 105, translator's footnote 4.
⁴) There are two Abathurs, one appears to be a dmuta (or counterpart) of the other. In the less abstract form, he is Abathur of the Scales, the spirit of justice which weighs human souls in his balance.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
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