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| Avestan1 [MP3 Audio]2
ashem vohû vahishtem astî |
English3
Holiness (Asha) is the best of all good: |
NOTES:
1. Based on edition of Karl F. Geldner, Avesta, the Sacred Books of the Parsis, Stuttgart, 1896. 2. Recited by Soli Dastur. Copyright 2006. Used with permission. 3. Translated by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898., Vol 3, p 216.) |
| Avestan [MP3 Audio]4
ýathâ ahû vairyô |
English5
The will of the Lord is the law of righteousness. |
4. Recited by Soli Dastur. Copyright 2006. Used with permission.
5. This is the most holy prayer in the Zoroastrian religion. Translations vary widely. This translation is by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898., Vol 3, p 100.) Compare with the Pahlavi explanation (PRDd60, tr. AV. Williams): The explanation of yathâ ahû vairyô: 'as is the will of the Lord' (as is the will of Ohrmazd) 'so (is) that of the ratus' (and so is that of the priest) 'through whatever righteousness' (good deeds are to be done, so in priestly fashion to be done; just as Ohrmazd (wills), one must increase (them)). 'That which the gift of Vohuman too (is) within the action of Ohrmazd' (i.e. that reward and recompense which they give to Vohuman [1] they thus give to him [i.e. Ohrmazd] also; there is one who says thus: 'Vohuman gives himself'). 'Lordship is *given to Ohrmazd by him' [2] (and he makes Ohrmazd Lord and ruler over his body), 'who gives good things to the poor' (and nurture, in that they provide assistance and intercession for them. There is one who says thus: 'Lordship is from Ohrmazd', i.e. the rulership is given him by Ohrmazd. There is one who says thus: 'The Lordship of Ohrmazd is put into practice'.) [NOTES: [1] The gloss kû ân mizd ud pâdâshn ... etc., in PRDd., Pahl. Vd., and KZA appears to represent a substantial misunderstanding of the Avestan; D. compares this with the Pahl. gloss of Y31.21 and notes that neither has ô or pad before wahman (ZKA, transl., p. 3, nn.6, 7). [2] Cf. Dk. IX.21, DkM. 934.14 f.: frâz-ish ân guft ahlaw zardusht kû-sh yazishn kard kê ân î amâ yashtan humenishnî az ish ud ên-iz kû dên pad tan mehmân â-sh wahman ud mânsar pad tan mehmân: "Righteous Zartosht proclaimed that worship was done by him from whom there is the good thinking of our worship. And this also that he in whose body Religion is lodged, then Vohuman and the sacred word [[manthra]] are lodged in his body". |
| Avestan
kêm-nâ mazdâ mavaitê pâyûm
dadå hyat mâ dregvå dîdareshatâ
aênanghê anyêm thwahmât âthrascâ
mananghascâ ýayå shyaothanâish ashem
thraoshtâ ahurâ tãm môi dãstvãm
daênayâi frâvaocâ, |
English
Kem-na Mazda (Exorcism)
Ke verethrem-ja:
Pata-no:
|
| Avestan (and Pazand)4
0. xshnaothrâ ahurahe mazdå, |
English
0. With satisfaction for Ahura Mazda. Ashem Vohu.... |
NOTES:
4. For the complete ritual see the kusti ritual. 5. As above. 6. Geldner indicates that this should be repeated three times. He gives no footnotes to indicate that any of his manuscripts differ here, but most other sources omit the 3. |
| Avestan
ithâ ât ýazamaidê ahurem mazdãm ýê gãmcâ ashemcâ dât apascâ dât urvaråscâ vanguhîsh raocåscâ dât bûmîmcâ vîspâcâ vohû. (after meal:) ashem vohû...(4). ýathâ ahû vairyô...(2). ahmâi raêshca .... hazangrem ... jasa-mê ... (kerba mazhd...) atha jamyât ýatha âfrînâmi. ashem vohû...!! |
English
Thus therefore do we worship Ahura Mazda,
who made the Kine (the living creation), and the
(embodied) Righteousness (which is incarnate in the
clean), and the waters, and the wholesome plants,
the stars, and the earth, and all (existing) objects
that are good.
Yatha Ahu Vairyo...(2). To him splendor... |
| Avestan
guneh shkaste sad hazar bad ýathâ ahû vairyô.... (here perform the natural function) ashem vohû...(3).
>> humatanãm hûxtanãm hvarshtanãm
yadacâ anyadacâ verezyamnanãmcâ vâverezananãmcâ
mahî aibî-jaretârô naênaêstârô
ýathanâ vohunãm mahî. <<(2)
ahunem vairîm ýazamaide, ashem vahishtem sraêshtem ameshem speñtem ýazamaide. ýenghê hâtãm âat ýesne paitî vanghô mazdå ahurô vaêthâ ashât hacâ ýånghãmcâ tãscâ tåscâ ýazamaide!! |
English7
May wrong actions be done away with a hundred-thousand times.
Yatha Ahu Vairyo... (here perform the natural function)
Ashem vohu...(3).
>>We are praisers of good thoughts, of good
words, and of good actions, of those now and those
hereafter [(Pazand) of those being done; and of those
completed]. We implant (?) them (with our homage,
and we do this) the more, and yet the more since we
are (praisers) of the good (from whom they spring).
(y35.2)<<(2).
>>To the best of good rulers (is) verily the Kingdom,
because we render and ascribe it to Him, and
make it thoroughly His own (?), to Mazda Ahura
do we ascribe it, and to Righteousness the Best.
(y35.5)<<(3).
Yatha ahu Vairyo...(4).
We worship the Ahunwar. We worship Best Asha, the most beautiful Amesha Spenta. Yenghe... (Y18.9). |
NOTES:
7. Translation from Modi RCC, p. 374. This prayer is also known as "Pishab ni Baj." |
| Pazand
>> shkasteh shekasteh shaotãn, âhreman
gacaste kâr ô kêrdâr, na-rasat gacaste
kâr ô kêrdâr, xareh i sî-ô-sê
ameshâspeñdãn dâdâr hormazd pîrôzgar
pâk. staômî ashem, |
English
>> Broken, broken be Satan Ahriman. .... not reach me. May the thirty-three Ameshaspands and the creator Ormazd be victorious. I praise Asha. Ashem vohu.... <<(3) |
| Avestan8
Hawan Gah (sunrise to midday)
hâvanêe ashaone ashahe rathwe ýasnâica
vahmâica xshnaothrâica frasastayaêca
Rapithwin Gah (midday to mid-afternoon)
rapithwinâi ashaone ashahe rathwe ýasnâica
vahmâica xshnaothrâica frasastayaêca, Uzerin Gah (mid-afternoon to sunset)
uzayeirinâi ashaone ashahe rathwe ýasnâica
vahmâica xshnaothrâica frasastayaêca, Aiwisruthrem Gah (sunset to midnight)
aiwisrûthrimâi aibigayâi ashaone ashahe
rathwe ýasnâica vahmâica xshnaothrâica
frasastayaêca, Ushahin Gah (midnight to dawn)
ushahinâi ashaone ashahe rathwe ýasnâica
vahmâica xshnaothrâica frasastayaêca, |
English
(Hawan Gah)To Hawan, Ashavan, the master of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. To Savanghi and Visya, Ashavan, the master(s) of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. (Rapithwin Gah)To Rapithwin, Ashavan, the master of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. To Fradat-Fshu and Zangtuma, Ashavan, the master(s) of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. (Uzerin Gah)To Uzerin, Ashavan, the master of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. To Fradat-Vira and Dakhyuma, Ashavan, the master(s) of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. (Aiwisruthrem Gah)To Aiwisruthrem that furthers life, Ashavan, the master of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. To Fradat-vispam-hujyaiti and Zarathushtrotema, Ashavan, the master(s) of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. (Ushahin Gah)To Ushahin that furthers life, Ashavan, the master of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. To Berejya and Nmanya, Ashavan, the master(s) of Asha, for worship, adoration, propitiation and praise. |
NOTES:
8. These five dedications are not recited independently. Depending on the time of day, one of the five is recited where indicated in other prayers. |
| Avestan (and Pazand)
0. (pa nãm i ýazdã, hôrmezd i hvadâe awazûnî gurz hvarahe awazâyât, srôsh i ashô i tagî i tan farmãn i shkaft zîn i zîn awazâr i sâlâr i dãmã i hôrmezd bê rasât. ezh hamâ gunâh patit pashêmãnôm, ezh haravistîn dushmat duzhûxt duzhvaresht men pa gêthî minît vaem guft vaem kard vaem jast vaem bun bût estet ezh ã gunâhihâ manishnî gaweshnî kunishnî tanî rvãnî gêthî mainyuãnî ôxe awaxsh pashêmã pa se gaweshnî pa patit hôm!)
1. ýathâ ahû vairyô...(5).
2. sraoshem ashîm huraodhem verethrâjanem
frâdat-gaêthem ashavanem ashahe ratûm ýazamaide, ahunem
vairîm tanûm pâiti,
3. pâta-nô tbishyañtat pairi mazdåsca
ârmaitishca speñtasca, nase daêvî druxsh
nase daêvô-cithre nase daêvô-frakarshte
nase daêvô-fradâiti, apa druxsh nase apa druxsh
dvâra apa druxsh vînase apâxedhre apa-nasyehe
mâ mereñcainîsh gaêthå astvaitîsh
ashahe, nemascâ ýâ ârmaitish îzhâcâ.
4. ýasnemca vahmemca aojasca zavareca âfrînâmi
sraoshahe ashyehe taxmahe tanumãthrahe darshi draosh âhûiryehe.
5. ahmâi raêshca hvarenasca ahmâi tanvô
drvatâtem ahmâi tanvô vazdvare ahmâi tanvô
verethrem ahmâi îshtîm pourush-hvâthrãm
ahmâi âsnãmcit frazañtîm ahmâi
darekhãm darekhô-jîtîm ahmâi vahishtem
ahûm ashaonãm raocanghem vîspô-hvâthrem,
atha jamyât ýatha âfrînâmi. |
English9
0. In the name of God , May the bounteous miraculous power and glory of Ohrmazd the lord increase. May it (i.e. the prayer) reach Srosh, the righteous, the vigorous, whose body is the command, having a hard weapon, powerful of weapon, the lord of the creations of Ohrmazd. I am contrite for all sins and I desist from them, from all bad thoughts, bad words and bad acts which I have thought, spoken or done in the world, or which have happened through me, or have originated with me. For those sins of thinking, speaking and acting, of body and soul, worldly or spiritual, o Ohrmazd! I am contrite, I renounce them. With three words I distance myself (from them).
1. Yatha Ahu Vairyo...(5).
2. We worship Sraosha, companion of Ashi, fair of form, victorious,
world-promoting, the Ashavan, master of Asha . The Ahuna Vairya
prayer protects the body.
4. I desire worship and adoration and strength and force for
Sraosha, companion of Ashi, the brave, who has the Manthra for
body, with bold club, the ahurian.
5. Bestow on him riches and good things; bestow health of body,
toughness of body, and resistance of body; bestow on him possessions
giving abundant ease, future noble offspring, and a lengthy long
life; bestow on him the best existence of the Asha-sanctified,
the luminous, offering all happy.10 |
NOTES:
9. English translation not found in SBE. 10. This paragraph follows Bailey, op. cit. p. 10. |
| Avestan
1. atha imã vacô dreñjayôish ýôi
anghen vârethrakhnyôtememca baêshazyôtememca,
pañca ahuna vairya frasrâvayôish,
2. nemase-tê (hôsh-bâmî)(3).
3. fradathâi ahurahe mazdå raêvatô hvarenanguhatô
fradathâi ameshanãm speñtanãm fradathâi
tishtryehe stârô raêvatô hvarenanguhatô
fradathâi narsh ashaonô fradathâi vîspanãm
speñtahe mainyêush dâmanãm ashaonãm.
4. vanghuca vanghåsca âfrînâmi vîspayå
ashaonô stôish haithyâica bavãithyâica
bûshyãithyâica ashîm râsaiñtîm
darekhô-vârethmanem
5. ýatha-nô ånghãm shyâtô
>> asha vahishta asha sraêshta daresâma
thwâ pairi thwâ jamyama hamem thwâ haxma. |
English
1. Then thou shalt say those victorious, most healing words;
thou shalt chant the Ahunwar five times: 2. Homage to you, O Dawn (3). (Y27.1-2:) This is to render Him who is of all the greatest, our lord and master (even) Ahura Mazda. And this to smite the wicked Angra Mainyu, and to smite Aeshma of the bloody spear, and the Mazainya Daevas, and to smite all the wicked Varenya Daevas. 3. And this is to further Ahura Mazda, the resplendent, the glorious, to further the Bountiful Immortals, and the influences of the star Tishtrya, the resplendent, the glorious, (and) to the furtherance of the holy man, and of all the (bountiful and) holy creatures of the Bounteous Spirit. (Y52.1-4:)
4. I pray with benedictions for a benefit, and for the good,
even for the entire creation of the holy (and the clean); I beseech
for them for the (generation which is) now alive, for that which
is just coming into life, and for that which shall be hereafter.
And (I pray for that) sanctity which leads to prosperity, and
which has long afforded shelter, which goes on hand in hand with
it, which joins it in its walk, and of itself becoming its close
companion as it delivers forth its precepts, bearing every form
of healing virtue which comes to us in waters, appertains to cattle,
or is found in plants, and overwhelming, all the harmful malice
of the Daevas, (and their servants) who might harm this dwelling
and its lord, bringing good gifts, and better blessings, given
very early, and later (gifts), leading to successes, and for a
long time giving shelter. And so the greatest, and the best, and
most beautiful benefits of sanctity fall likewise to our lot.
(Y8.5-7:)
May'st Thou, O Ahura Mazda! reign at Thy will, and with a
saving rule over Thine own creatures, and render Ye the holy (man)
also a sovereign at his will over waters, and over plants, and
over all the clean and sacred (creatures) which contain the seed
of Righteousness. Strip ye the wicked of all power! (Y60.11 seq.:)
5. In order that our minds may be delighted, and our souls the
best, let our bodies be glorified as well, and let them; O Mazda!
go likewise openly (unto Heaven) as the best world of the saints
as devoted to Ahura, and accompanied by Asha Vahishta (who is
Righteousness the Best), and the most beautiful! And may we see
Thee, and may we, approaching, come around about Thee, and attain
to entire companionship with Thee! |
| Pazand | English11 |
NOTES:
11. Translation from Boyce, Textual Sources, pp. 59-60. |
|
| ba nãm i ýazad i baxshâyañdeh i baxshâyashgar i meherbãn. | In the name of God, the bestower, the giver, the benevolent! | ||
| ýathâ ahû vairyô...(2). | Yatha ahu vairyo...(2). | ||
| tan-darôstî dêr-zîvashnî âwâyat hvareh hañgat ashahîdâr ýazdãn i mînôyãn ýazdãn i gethyãn haft amshâspañdãn myazd rôshan hamê bê-rasât. | May there be health and long life, complete Glory giving righteousness! May the visible yazads and the invisible yazads and the seven Amashaspands come to this fair offering. | ||
| în dôâyãn bât, în hvahâyãn bât, hame añdar kasãn ra zartôshtî dîn shât bât, êdûn bât. ýâbârî hvadâ hvadâ-vañd12 i âlam râ hamâ hañjaman râ | May this household be happy, may there be blessing! May there be happiness among the people of the religion of Zartosht! We beseech you, Lord, to grant to the present ruler, to all the community, and to all those of the Good Religion, health and fair repute. | 12. qodavand | |
| ((Insert title:) Behdin/Ervad/Osta/Osti N.13 -râ) bâ farzañdãn14 hazâr sâl dêr bê-dâr u shat bê-dâr u tan-darost bê-dâr u êdûn bê dâr bar sar i arzânyãn sâlhâ i bîsyâr u karanhâ i bîshumâr bâkî u pâyañde dâr sat15 hazârãn hazâr âfrîn bât. | May so-and-so, [and his wife (or, her husband), and children] live for a thousand years! Keep them long happy, long healthy, long just! Keep them thus, keep them caring for the deserving! Keep them living and abiding for many years and countless hours! A hundred thousand thousand blessings upon them! |
13. Here name the person or persons to be blessed. "If the recital is for a
Behdin, prefix the word Behdin before the name of both man and woman; if a
member of the priestly class use the word 'Ervad' before his name if he has
gone through the Navar ceremony, otherwise prefix the word 'Osta' to his
name. Before the name of a woman from a priestly class use the word
'Osti'." Khordeh Avesta (in Roman script) 9 Yasht, Union Press, Bombay,
1982 - p. 321.
14. The last two words are omitted in Antia. 15. Kanga & Sontakke, p. 324. |
|
| sâl hvacasta bât. rôz farrohv bât mâh mubârak16 bât. cañdin sâl cañdin rôz cañdin mâh | May the year be auspicious, the day fortunate, the month propitious in all these years and days and months! | 16. Mobed Firouz Azargoshab's Khordah Avesta, p. 22 reads "farhkondah." | |
| bîsyâr sâl arzãnîdâr ýazashne u nyâishne u râdî u zôr barashne ashahîdâr awarê hamâ kâr u kerfehâ tan-darôstî bât nêkî bât h'ub bât. | For many years keep them worthy to perform worship and utter prayers, to give charity and offerings, being just. May they have health to fulfill all their duties! May they be liberal, kind and good! | ||
| êdûn bât.17 êdûntarac bât. pa ýazdãn u ameshâspañdãn kãme bât. | May it be so, may it be more so, may it be according to the wish of the Yazads and the Ameshaspands! | 17. Antia ends at this point. | |
| ashem vohû... | Ashem vohu.... |
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