ahura

Ahura is an Avestan word meaning "lord" or "deity." In Zoroastrianism, it functions as a title for divine beings and appears in various names and epithets. The most famous instance is in Ahura Mazda, the religion’s supreme god, where Ahura serves as the title and Mazda is the proper name element.

In Zoroastrian scripture and tradition, Ahura is used broadly to designate holy beings or deities, while Ahura Mazda specifically embodies wisdom, truth, and order. The full name Ahura Mazda is commonly translated as "Wise Lord" or "Lord of Wisdom," highlighting the association of divinity with knowledge and cosmic harmony. The concept of Ahura Mazda sits at the apex of Zoroastrian cosmology, often described as the creator of the world and the source of all good in opposition to Angra Mainyu, the destructive spirit.

Historically, the term Ahura appears in Avestan and subsequent Iranian religious and linguistic traditions, where it continues to function as a title rather than a unique personal name. In later Persian usage, elements of the Ahura– Mazda formulation influenced religious and cultural vocabulary and sometimes appeared in personal names, place names, and inscriptions within Zoroastrian and broader Iranian contexts.

Today, Ahura remains primarily a linguistic and theological component within Zoroastrian studies, emblematic of the broader concept of divine lordship in the tradition. It is closely associated with Ahura Mazda, the central figure of Zoroastrian worship and cosmology.