Fravashi

Fravashi (Avestan: 𐬟𐬭𐬀𐬎𐬎𐬀𐬴𐬌, romanized: frauuaṣ̌i, ) is the Avestan term for the Zoroastrian concept of a personal spirit of an individual, whether dead, living, or yet-unborn. The fravashi of an individual sends out the urvan (often translated as 'soul') into the material world to fight the battle of good versus evil. On the morning of the fourth day after death, the urvan returns to its fravashi, where its experiences in the material world are collected to assist the next generation in their fight between good and evil. In the 9/10th-century works of Zoroastrian tradition, the Pahlavi books, Avestan fravashi continues as Middle Persian fravard (and -w- forms, fraward etc), fravahr, fravash or fravaksh. The last days of a year, called frawardigan (compare New Persian farvardin, first month within the Persian calendar), are dedicated to the fravashis. The first month of the year as well as the 19th day of each month are considered under the protection of, and named after, the fravashis. The winged-disc symbol of Zoroastrianism is traditionally interpreted as a depiction of a fravashi.