Vahagn
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Vahagn (or Vahagan) was Armenia's national god. Some time in his existence, he formed a "triad" with Aramazd and Anahit. When Zoroastrian ideas were pervading Armenia, superseding the gods of the country, there was so much vitality in Vahagn's worship that Mithra himself could not obtain a firm foothold in that land, in the face of the popularity of his native rival.
Historian Khorenatsi's report of an ancient song gives a clue to his nature and origin:
- In travail were heaven and earth,
- In travail, too, the purple sea!
- The travail held in the sea the small red reed.
- Through the hollow of the stalk came forth smoke,
- Through the hollow of the stalk came forth flame,
- And out of the flame a youth ran!
- Fiery hair had he,
- Ay, too, he had flaming beard,
- And his eyes, they were as suns!
Other parts of the song, now lost, said that Vahagn fought and conquered dragons, hence his title Vishabakagh, "dragon reaper". He was invoked as a god of courage, later identified with Herakles. He was also a sun-god, rival of Baal-shamin and Mihr.
The Vahagnian song was sung to the accompaniment of the lyre by the bards of Goghten (modern Akulis), long after the conversion of Armenia.
The stalk or reed, key to the situation, is an important word in Indo-European mythology, in connection with fire in its three forms.
The name, originally Verethragna, the hypostasis of victory in the texts of the Avesta, turned into Vahagn (the Avestan th becoming h in Arsacid Middle Persian), later on to take the form of Vahagn.
Vahagn was identified with the Greek Heracles. The priests of Vahévahian temple, who claimed Vahagn as their own ancestor, placed the statue of the Greek hero in their sanctuary. All the gods, according to the Euhemerian belief, had been living men; Vahagn likewise, was introduced within the ranks of the Armenian kings, as the son of Yervand (6th century B.C.), together with his brothers — Bab and Tiran. In the Armenian translation of the Bible, Heracles worshipped at Tyr, is named Vahagn.
