Myth and Religion; - Germanic Mythology

Saranyu. his wife, who had previously borne him Yama and Yami, who were also twins.
Afterwards we are told, that Saranyu became, in a peculiar manner, the mother of
Nasatya and Basra, who are called the two Asvins or ,,horsemen." 19 Passing now to Mr.
Rydberg's characterization of the myth, the twins, Yama and Yami, or to take their
Iranian equivalents, Urvakhshaya and Kerecaspa. are twin brothers, who, though unlike
in disposition, love one another and are united in their endeavours to improve the state of
the world. One of them was a warrior and man of action; the other was peaceful, and
sought to reconcile those that were at strife with each other. The warlike brother, after
conquering many demons, fell at last himself under the sway and influence of a female
demon, who, in concert with a male confederate, brought him. — the warlike twin, — to
that evil state of mind that he should slay his peaceful brother. This evil deed
accomplished, the peaceful brother, in his immortal part, descends to the underworld,
where he becomes a ruler in the seats of the blessed, in which he must remain until the
time for the renewal of the earth is fulfilled, whereupon the inhabitants of this lower
world shall return to inhabit it. The warlike brother, sorrowing deeply over his evil
action, is also in turn slain, on which he follows his peaceful twin-brother, where he, as it
were sunk in sleep, awaits until the day shall come, for the last final struggle against the
evil powers, when he shall also awake to take a part in the conflict.
This history, with some variations, is repeated in the Iranian twins, Urvakhshaya
and Kerecaspa. The latter falls under the influence of a similar female demon; thus
separated from his brother, the evil powers contrive not only the befooling of Kerecaspa,
but also the death of Urvakhshaya. Kerecaspa, freed after his brother's death from the evil
influences which had corrupted him. descends to earth and becomes a Persian hero in the
kingdom of light, and is one of the most famed national leaders of Iran. But alas! he falls
into sin, and to expiate his sin must pass through the gates of death. Accordingly he is
slain of the Turanian Nijas (necessity). He now also sleeps for a thousand years, watched
by thousands of fravashiers, whatever these may mean? until the final struggle between
good and evil shall come. Then he shall be awakened by a threefold admonitory call,
shall hasten to the strife, shall seek and slay the demon Azhi-Dahaka.
Still we have another variation of the same myth in Jima and his brother
Tahmurath, in whom the same experiences are practically repeated.
But when beneficent gods, for the sake of the order of the world, are removed to
the underworld, others are provided to take their places, as Baldr is succeeded by his son
Forsete, and the warlike Had by Vale, so in the Persian Indian mythology. Jima-
Urvakhshaya and Tahmurath -Kerecaspa are replaced by the Asvins. These, if possible,
in their relation to each other, show a still more idyllic activity of beneficence than even
their twin predecessors. The characters of the Asvins, their inseparability, their
beneficence, pass over as an inheritance to the Greek Dioskuroi, and in the Germanic
mythology to Baldr and Had. The Greek names Dioskuroi signify that they are the
children of Zeus, though in the Greek mythology, it is also held that the mortal of the
two, Castor, is the sou of Tydareos, while it is only Polydeukes or Pollux, who is the son
of Zeus.
The close relationship of Baldr and Had is not so evident, though Mr. Rydberg
holds that the forest maidens apparently exert a witchery over Had, to render him an
enemy of Baldr, as had occurred in their Indo-Persian analogues. Mr. Rydberg finds also
19 Prof. Max Miiller's ,,Lectures on Science of Language". Vol. II. p. 529.