The Dualistic principle being thus fully adopted, and the world looked on as the battle-ground between two independent and equal powers engaged in perpetual strife, it was natural that the imagination should complete the picture by ascribing to those superhuman rivals the circumstantials that accompany a great struggle between human adversaries.  The two kings required, in the first place, to have their councils, which were accordingly assigned them, and were respectively composed of six councillors.  The councillors of Ahura-mazda—­called Amesha Spentas, or “Immortal Saints,” afterwards corrupted into Amshashpands—­wore Vohu-mano (Bahman), Asha-va-hista (Ardibehesht), Khshathra-vairya (Shahravar), Qpenta-Armaiti (Isfand-armat), Haurvatat (Khordad), and Ameretat (Amerdat).  Those of Angro-mainyus were Ako-mano, Indra, Qaurva, Naonhaitya, and two others whose names are interpreted as “Darkness” and “Poison.”

Vohu-mano (Bahman) means “the Good Mind.”  Originally a mere attribute of Ahura-mazda, Vohu-mano came to be considered, first as one of the high angels attendant on him, and then formally as one of-his six councillors.  He had a distinct sphere or province assigned to him in Ahura-mazda’s kingdom, which was the maintenance of life in animals and of goodness in man.

Asha-vahista (Ardibehesht) means “the Highest Truth”—­“Voritas optima,” or rather perhaps “Veritas lucidissima.”  He was the “Light” of the universe, subtle, all-pervading, omnipresent.  His special business was to maintain the splendor of the various luminaries, and thereby to preserve all those things whose existence and growth depend on light.

Khshathra-vairya (Shahravar), whose name means simply “possessions,” “wealth,” was regarded as presiding over metals and as the dispenser of riches.

Qoonta-Armaiti (Isfand-armat)—­the “white or holy Ar-maiti,” represented the Earth.  She had from the first, as we have already seen, a distinct position in the system of the Zoroastrians, where she was at once the Earth goddess and the genius of piety.

Haurvatat (Khordad) means “health”—­“sanitas”—­and was originally one of the great and precious gifts which Ahura-mazda possessed himself and kindly bestowed on his creatures.  When personification, and the needs of the theology, had made Haurvatat an archangel, he, together with Ameretat (Amerdat), “Immortality,” took the presidency of the vegetable world, which it was the business of the pair to keep in good condition.

In the council of Angro-mainyus, Ako-mano stands in direct antithesis to Vohu-mano, as “the bad mind,” or more literally, “the naught mind”—­for the Zoroastrians, like Plato, regarded good and evil as identical with reality and unreality.  Ako-mano’s special sphere is the mind of man, where he suggests evil thoughts and prompts to bad words and wicked deeds.  He holds the first place in the infernal council, as Vohu-mano does in the heavenly one.