We read in the Várštmánsar commentary of Yasna 28 that the“Auspicious, Brilliant Immortals” come for assistance/help through Seraôša, or “readiness to listen, and be inspired by the life increasing god-powers.” Seraôša is derived from srū- “to hear,” Greek κλο “fame, report,” Church Slavonic slovo “word,” Old Irish clú “fame,” Tocharian A klyu, B kälywe “fame” are cognates.
In Zoroastrianism, mortal men come into possession of eternal fame, and glory by hearkening to, and living in the songs and melodies of the “brilliant, life increasing god-powers.” Like the other Aməṣ̌a Spəṇtas or “Auspicious, Brilliant Immortals,” Seraôša appears both as an abstraction, and as an individual god force, and is a major yazatá “hallowed, god being” in Zoroastrianism. The first appearance of Seraôša is in Yasna 28 in the form of “səraôšəm mazdái.”
The supreme god of Zoroastrianism Mazdá, and the ancient Greek Muses who inspire with creative ideas, and wisdom, both have their linguistic roots in *men(s)-dh(e)h1, the word for “learning, discovery, to place in the mind/memory.”
The ancient Greek poets claim to derive their knowledge from the Muses whom the poets “only HEAR their fame/glory” (κλο). In ancient Zoroastrianism, it is Seraôša who makes the wondrous wisdom of the Immortals HEARD, and inspires with higher knowledge/superb wisdom of the Mindful Lord, Mazdá.
Ahûrá Mazdá has revealed his luminous vision/wisdom through Seraôša, and made him the teacher of revelation/vision (Yt. 11.14: daænö.disö.)
It is Seraôša who first recites the Poetic Gâthâs, and reveals their meaning/mystery in the realm of thought/mind. Seraôša is the lord of the sacred speech, the magical language of the Gods, the Gâthâs, who are the melodic model (pristine prototype) of the original ideas, creative music of the ahuras, a kind of blueprint of the creation of the worlds, and protector against chaos/evil.
Seraôša plays a crucial role in combating the forces of chaos, darkness, and other diabolic beings in the camp of stagnation, evil. In the Váršt.mánsar commentary of Yasna 28, it is the Inspiring Wisdom of Mazdá that tears apart the enmity, hatred of the diabolic forces daibišuuatö duuaæšáv tauruuaiiámá. It is Seraôša or Sröš who helps Zarathustra restore the pristine religion of the ahûrás, and cleanse the faith of the Aryás from impurities of the diabolic powers.
In the sacred Avestan lore, Zarathustra RESTORES the purity of the ancient wisdom of the noble ones to the Pristine Worship of the Inspiring, Wise Lord Mazdá, and his Ahurás. Thus, in ancient Zoroastrianism, Zarathustra is never considered a reformer but a brilliant restorer.
In his warrior/priestly function, Seraôša’s victorious weapons are the Ahüna Vairya prayer, “Will to become one with the primeval ahûrás,” Yasna Haptaŋ.háiti, the Seven Sacred, Blessed Chapters, and the Fšüsö.mąθra “Thought formula of Prosperity.”
Seraôša is associated with harkening to mąθrá, “the creative thought formulas,” and is the master of wondrous wisdom, hymns, charms, and sacred rites. His association with Mithrá “allegiance to the Immortals” is mentioned in the Várštmánsar commentary of Yasna 28.
In the Avestan sacred lore, “Mithrá drives the frightened troops of chaos hither, Rašnü drives them thither, Seraôša aṣ̌ya chases them everywhere” (Yt. 10.41). Seraôša possesses high/lofty wisdom bərəziδī, and shares with Mithrá the epithet tanu.mąθra, he “who embodies the sacred speech, thought formulas of the original ideas.”.
Because of Sröš’s prowess in combating the diabolic forces, he is invoked to protect the soul of the deceased for the first three days after death. Sröš is the lord and ruler (xwadāy ud dahibed) of gētīg, the living world, holds and protects the material creations against the forces of chaos, and disintegration.
Seraôša or Sröš is the god force presiding over the unfailing glory, and is a source of rewards. Seraôša has the standing epithet aṣ̌ya, a derivative of aṣ̌i, the goddess of reward, fortune. The epithet aṣ̌ya in the sacred Zoroastrian literature can be traced back to səraôšö aṣ̌ī mąza.rayá hacimnö in the gathas. The middle Iranian epithet Sröš Ahláy is preserved in Manichean srwšrt which could be a historically more correct form.
ardeshir