Iran
This entry was originally published in the World History Encyclopedia and was written by Joshua J. Mark. It is shared in line with the Encyclopedia’s policies under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Daena – the Holy Maiden who appears to the newly deceased on the Chinvat Bridge and comforts them as they cross. She is the personification of one’s conscience and, as such, to the justified soul she appears as a beautiful maiden while, to the condemned, she is an ugly and frightening old hag. She is sometimes referenced as the daughter of Ahura Mazda and Armaiti, combining wisdom and devotion, and so symbolizes the heart of religious belief. She is the later form of the earlier goddess Cista but with significant modifications such as her pivotal role at the Chinvat Bridge.