Asman (Avestan: 𐬀𐬯𐬨𐬀𐬥, romanized: asman) is the Avestan and Middle Persian name of the Zoroastrian divinity that is the hypostasis of the sky. Asman is the "highest heaven," and is distinguished from the firmament, 𐬚𐬡𐬁𐬴𐬀 ([θβāṣ̌a] Error: {{Transliteration}}: transliteration text not Latin script (pos 1) (help)), which lies nearer the earth. The 27th day of the Zoroastrian calendar is dedicated to him. In the Veda, अश्मन (áśman) means 'sky'. It also means "stone" so the specific sense in reference to the sky is as "stony firmament".
In the Avesta, specifically in the Vendidad, the word is mentioned as being the first thing created.[1] The word is also the origination of the word آسمان (âsmân) in modern Persian and numerous languages of South Asia.[2]
References
^Naudou, Jean. "Polymorphisme du divin et monothéisme en Inde". In: Les grandes figures religieuses: fonctionnement pratique et symbolique dans l'Antiquité. Actes du Colloque international (Besançon, 25-26 avril 1984). Besançon: Université de Franche-Comté, 1986. p. 17 (Annales littéraires de l'Université de Besançon, 329) [www.persee.fr/doc/ista_0000-0000_1986_act_329_1_1661]
