In variousMandaean texts, several heavenly beings are described as personifiedgrapevines (gupna) in the World of Light. For example,Right Ginza 15.8 lists the following gupnas in order:
Taureil (Taurʿil) – also mentioned inQulasta prayers 379 and 381.[1]Right Ginza 4 identifies Taureil as another name for Anan Anṣab. According toRight Ginza 15.8, the gupna Taureil "rests at the river of the pureTarwan."[2]
Rwaz (Ruaz) – also mentioned inRight Ginza 6 and 15.7, and in Qulasta prayers71, 117, 196, 212, and 379
Yusmir – also mentioned inMandaean Book of John 62 and Qulasta prayers14 (as "Yusmir-Yusamir"),18,28,52, 171, and 379. According toRight Ginza 15.8, the gupna Yusmir "rests upon the earth ofSam Ziwa."
Šarhabeil (Šarhabʿil) – also described as the Great First Radiance in Qulasta prayers25 and 381. InRight Ginza18, Šarhabeil and her husbandŠurbai were the only survivors after the world was destroyed during the second epoch of the universe. According toRight Ginza 15.8, the gupna Šarhabeil "rests upon the earth ofHibil Ziwa."
Šar (Shar; literal meaning: 'he was firm') – also mentioned in Qulasta prayers36 and 374. Šar-Ziwa is mentioned in Qulasta prayer 372. Also identified withHibil Ziwa. According toRight Ginza 15.8, the gupna Šar "rests upon the earth of theFirst Life."
Pirun – also mentioned in Qulasta prayers36, 374, and 379 and in the first chapter of theMandaean Book of John. Pirun is described as a banner (drabsha) in Qulasta prayer 333, and as a "torrent" (river) in Qulasta prayer 378. In theBaptism of Hibil Ziwa (DC 35), Pirun is the name of a heavenly tree.[3]
Yawar is identified inRight Ginza 15.8 as "the first Gupna."
Right Ginza 17.1 mentions Šarat (literal meaning: 'she was firm') as agupna. Šarat-Niṭupta is mentioned inMandaean Book of John 68, and Šahrat is mentioned in Qulasta prayer 188.
In Mandaeism, vines are used to symbolize believers, or 'those of the true faith'.[6]
