A Triad of the Terms: Xraosha, Parakletos, and Abrasax by Prof. Dr. Estiphan Panoussi is a comparative linguistic, religious, and philosophical study that investigates the deep connections between three figures from Iranian, Greek-Christian, and Gnostic traditions. The document explores whether the Avestan xraoša / sraoša (divine hearing and obedience), the Greek κλητός / παράκλητος (Parakletos) (“the one called to help”), and the Gnostic Abrasax represent parallel—or historically related—expressions of a single archetypal role: the divine mediator who reveals, guides, and protects.
 
The study combines historical linguistics, Indo-European phonology, and religious syncretism, demonstrating that Avestan sraoša and Greek kleitos are not merely semantically similar but are likely etymological cognates deriving from the Proto-Indo-European root ḱlew- (“to hear, to be called, to be spoken of”). The work further traces this root into Middle and New Persian (sorūdan, “to chant, call”), reinforcing the continuity of sacred speech and divine calling across time and cultures.
 
On the symbolic level, the document interprets Abrasax, often depicted with a rooster’s head, as a Gnostic embodiment of vigilance and revelation—functions closely aligned with Sraoša’s role as night-watcher and herald of truth, and with the Paraclete’s role as Spirit of Truth and divine advocate. The study also challenges the traditional assumption that Abrasax was created to symbolize the number 365, arguing instead that the numerical interpretation is secondary and exegetical rather than original.
 
Overall, the document presents a coherent triadic model—linguistic, symbolic, and theological—showing how Iranian, Greek, and Gnostic traditions share a common conceptual grammar centered on hearing, calling, revelation, and mediation. It stands as a rigorous contribution to comparative religion, Indo-European linguistics, and the study of Late Antique syncretism.