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Description
Vohu Manah is one of the six (sometimes seven) divine emanations of Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrian cosmology known as the Amesha Spentas. His name literally translates to "Good Thoughts", an echo of the religion's famous maxim: "Good thoughts, good words, good deeds." This is considered to be the highest goal of followers of Zoroastrianism, best embodied through acts of charity, kindness, and giving to the poor. Indeed, Vohu Manah is considered to be the embodiment of Purpose itself. He is the emanation which represents the lofty goal of any mortal to become as holy as their creator. He is in direct opposition to the demon Akem Manah, the entity who embodies the path of the evil destroyer Angra Mainyu. Freewill is extremely important in Zoroastrianism, as it is the foundational mechanism behind the faith. They believe the physical world was created by Ahura Mazda as a trap for Angra Mainyu, and we humans, being directly in the middle of these universal opposites, must choose which side we wish to be on during the final battle at the end of time. Obviously to a Zoroastrian, the best choice is the god of all things good and happiness and sunshine, Ahura Mazda.

As mentioned in the last drawing, later chroniclers often linked each Amesha Spenta with an element of creation. Haurvatat is water, Asha Vahishta is fire, and Vohu Manah is usually linked to animal life more generally, with an emphasis on cattle specifically. Given how sacred cattle are held in ancient Iran's neighboring cultures, it's not hard to imagine that they would hold a special place in the hearts of Zoroastrians as well. This makes sense, after all, when for most of agricultural history, your cow was the lifeblood of your family farm, providing meat and milk in a cycle that lasts as long as you have cattle to reproduce. The Gathas, sacred poems often attributed to the prophet Zarathustra himself, make passing mentions of a primordial cow, Gavaevodata, who suffers under the onslaught of the demons commanded by Angra Mainyu. While the noble beast succumbed to its wounds, under the care of the Moon its "chihr" (a strange word which seems to best be translated as "seed" or more specifically "essence") is preserved and purified. From this "chihr", all the world's animals are created, hence why Vohu Manah represents all animal life despite his specific affinity for cattle.

Design notes, like Asha Vahishta, there are a few coins from ancient Persia depicting this particular Amesha Spenta. Being coins, they often aren't particularly detailed, but it does at least give me a historically viable silhouette to extrapolate from. For his wings and tail, I took reference from a bird known as the oxpecker, an animal which forms a symbiotic relationship with large hoofed mammals by picking parasites off their hides. The reason behind the choice is fairly obvious, I hope. Speaking of oxen, I strapped a cattle yoke over his torso, which was a bit of a pain in the ass to design for a bipedal form but I think I got it to work. I also fitted him with a pair of falconer's gloves, a sign that he is completely comfortable handling and respecting the power of such noble animals. I also modeled his beard off of a goat's, because what animal has a more majestic beard than those dopey little mad lads? Well okay I guess the bearded vulture has some wicked ass facial features, but I'll save that for the next one.

Description
Vohu Manah is one of the six (sometimes seven) divine emanations of Ahura Mazda in Zoroastrian cosmology known as the Amesha Spentas. His name literally translates to "Good Thoughts", an echo of the religion's famous maxim: "Good thoughts, good words, good deeds." This is considered to be the highest goal of followers of Zoroastrianism, best embodied through acts of charity, kindness, and giving to the poor. Indeed, Vohu Manah is considered to be the embodiment of Purpose itself. He is the emanation which represents the lofty goal of any mortal to become as holy as their creator. He is in direct opposition to the demon Akem Manah, the entity who embodies the path of the evil destroyer Angra Mainyu. Freewill is extremely important in Zoroastrianism, as it is the foundational mechanism behind the faith. They believe the physical world was created by Ahura Mazda as a trap for Angra Mainyu, and we humans, being directly in the middle of these universal opposites, must choose which side we wish to be on during the final battle at the end of time. Obviously to a Zoroastrian, the best choice is the god of all things good and happiness and sunshine, Ahura Mazda.

As mentioned in the last drawing, later chroniclers often linked each Amesha Spenta with an element of creation. Haurvatat is water, Asha Vahishta is fire, and Vohu Manah is usually linked to animal life more generally, with an emphasis on cattle specifically. Given how sacred cattle are held in ancient Iran's neighboring cultures, it's not hard to imagine that they would hold a special place in the hearts of Zoroastrians as well. This makes sense, after all, when for most of agricultural history, your cow was the lifeblood of your family farm, providing meat and milk in a cycle that lasts as long as you have cattle to reproduce. The Gathas, sacred poems often attributed to the prophet Zarathustra himself, make passing mentions of a primordial cow, Gavaevodata, who suffers under the onslaught of the demons commanded by Angra Mainyu. While the noble beast succumbed to its wounds, under the care of the Moon its "chihr" (a strange word which seems to best be translated as "seed" or more specifically "essence") is preserved and purified. From this "chihr", all the world's animals are created, hence why Vohu Manah represents all animal life despite his specific affinity for cattle.

Design notes, like Asha Vahishta, there are a few coins from ancient Persia depicting this particular Amesha Spenta. Being coins, they often aren't particularly detailed, but it does at least give me a historically viable silhouette to extrapolate from. For his wings and tail, I took reference from a bird known as the oxpecker, an animal which forms a symbiotic relationship with large hoofed mammals by picking parasites off their hides. The reason behind the choice is fairly obvious, I hope. Speaking of oxen, I strapped a cattle yoke over his torso, which was a bit of a pain in the ass to design for a bipedal form but I think I got it to work. I also fitted him with a pair of falconer's gloves, a sign that he is completely comfortable handling and respecting the power of such noble animals. I also modeled his beard off of a goat's, because what animal has a more majestic beard than those dopey little mad lads? Well okay I guess the bearded vulture has some wicked ass facial features, but I'll save that for the next one.