18. ASHTAD YASHT

Translated by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898.)

0.

May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced!....
Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good....
I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathushtra. one who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura;
For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Havani], the holy and master of holiness ....
Unto the Glory of the Aryans, made by Mazda,
Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification.
Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness....

1.

Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: 'I made the Aryan Glory, rich in food, rich in flocks, rich in wealth, rich in Glory; provided with full store of intelligence, with full store of money, to withstand Need, and to withstand enemies.

2.

'It destroys Angra Mainyu, who is all death; it destroys Aeshma, the fiend of the wounding spear; it destroys the yellow Bushyasta; it destroys the contagion of Aekha; it destroys the fiend of death, Apaosha; it destroys the non-Aryan nations.

3.

'And I made the great Ashi Vanguhi; she comes in, amid the family; she comes in, inside the fine royal palace.

4.

'Let Ashi, with fulness of welfare, follow the man who gladdens the faithful with his gifts! she comes in, inside his family; she comes in, inside his fine royal palace.
'With all sorts of flocks, with all victory, with all intelligence, with all Glory, the great Ashi Vanguhi puts one foot inside his family; she comes in, inside his fine royal palace.

5.

'Horses multiply a thousandfold, flocks multiply a thousandfold; and so does his virtuous offspring, (as) the bright, glorious star Tishtrya moves on equally, and so does the strong wind made by Mazda, and so does the Glory of the Aryas.

6.

'And they bring increase on the tops of all mountains, down the depths of all vales; they bring increase to all the growing plants, the fair, the golden-hued. And they bring (away) the contagion of Aekha, they bring (away) the fiend of death, Apaosha.

7.

'Hail to the bright and glorious star Tishtrya Hail to the strong wind, made by Mazda! Hail to the Glory of the Aryas!
'Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness....
'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good....

8.

'We worship the Ahuna Vairya.
'We worship Asha-Vahishta, the fairest Amesha-Spenta.
'We worship the rightly-spoken Words, fiend-smiting and healing.
'We worship the healing, well-spoken Words, the fiend-smiting.
'We worship the Mathra Spenta and the Law of Mazda, and (piety) that delights in Haoma.
'We worship the Glory of the Aryas.
'Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda....

9.

'Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness....
'I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of the Glory of the Aryas, made by Mazda.
'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good....
'[Give] unto that man brightness and glory, .... give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.'

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