In Mandaean cosmology, Piriawis (Classical Mandaic: ࡐࡉࡓࡉࡀࡅࡉࡎ; sometimes also spelled Biriawiš ࡁࡉࡓࡉࡀࡅࡉࡔ), also known as the Yardna Rabba (ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡍࡀ ࡓࡁࡀ "Great Jordan"), is the sacred life-giving river (yardna) of the World of Light. It is the heavenly counterpart of rivers on Earth (Tibil), which are considered by Mandaeans to be manifestations of the heavenly Piriawis.
Shilmai and Nidbai are the two guardian uthras (celestial beings) watching over Piriawis.
Qulasta prayers 13 and 17 mention Piriawis-Ziwa and Piriafil-Malaka together as uthras.
Other names
In Book 4 of the Right Ginza, Sindiriawis is mentioned as "the great yardna of the Life" (sindiriauis, iardna rba ḏ-hiia).
See also
- Yardna
- Ganga (goddess) in Hinduism
- Siniawis, its corresponding opposite in the World of Darkness
- Jordan River
- Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus, the name of the Living Water in Sethianism
References
- Lidzbarski, Mark. 1920. Mandäische Liturgien. Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse, NF 17.1. Berlin.
- ^ Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
- Al-Saadi, Qais Mughashghash; Al-Saadi, Hamed Mughashghash (2012). Ginza Rabba: The Great Treasure. An equivalent translation of the Mandaean Holy Book. Drabsha.
- Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
- Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
