'Yenghe hatam^^: All those beings ^" of whom Ahura Mazda knows the goodness ^^ for a sacrifice
1 From Yasna XLIV, i6; cf. Vendidad VIII, 20.
^ See Sirozah I, 9, p. 7, note 2.
^ Iran Ve^'- ; see Vendidad, p. 3.
* Saoka; see Sirozah I, 3.
^ See Vendidad, p. 5, note 2.
^ Ardvi Sura Anahita, the great goddess of the waters; see Yt. V.
' See above, p. 23. ^ See above, p. 22.
® The prayer yatha ahu vairyo, known as Ahuna vairya
(Honover), from the first words in it: ahu vairyo. See above,
p. 23.
^^ Or 'the fairest Amesha-Spe«ta;' cf. Vend. Introd. IV, 7.
" Impersonated as gods, to obtain from them the benefits of which they are the impersonations.
^^ A formula found at the end of most chapters of the Yasna and imitated from Yasna LI [L], 22.
^^ The Amesha-Spewtas (Pahl. Comm. ad Yasna XXVII, fin.).
^* The benefits of which they dispose, and which they impart as rewards to the righteous.
Ormazd Ya5'T. 3 I
[performed] in holiness, all those beings, males ^ and females ^, do we worship.
23. 'Yatha ahu vairyo : The will of the Lord is the law of holiness ....
' I bless the sacrifice and the prayer unto Ahura
Mazda, bright and glorious, and his strength and
vifjour ^'
(Bahman Yanl)
24. *0 Zarathu^tra! keep thou for ever that man
who is friendly [to me] from the foe unfriendly [to
me]! Do not give up that friend unto the stroke
(of the foe), unto vexations to be borne ; wish no
harm unto that man who would offer me a sacrifice,
be it ever so great or ever so small, if it has reached
unto us, the Amesha-Spe;/tas.
25. ' Here is Vohu-Mano, my creature, O Zara-
thui-tra! here is Asha-Vahij>ta, my creature, O Zara-
thui-tra! here is Khjathra-Vairya, my creature, O
Zarathu^tra! here is Spe;na-Armaiti, my creature,
O Zarathu^tra ! here are Haurvata/ and Amereta/,
who are the reward of the holy ones ■''', when freed
from their bodies, my creatures, O Zarathu^-tra!
26. 'Thou knowest this, and how it is, O holy
Zarathu^tra ! from my understanding and from my
knowledge; namely, how the world first began ^
and how it will end ''.
^ The first three.
2 The last three, whose names are feminine.
^ Which he will impart in return to his worshippers.
* See above, p. 21.
^ As the Genii who preside over plants and waters, they are very likely entrusted with the care of feeding the righteous in Paradise. Cf. Yt. XXII, 18.
« From Yasna XXVIII, 12. ' Cf. Yasna XXX, 4.
YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
' A thousand remedies, ten thousand remedies ^ ! ' A thousand remedies, ten thousand remedies ! * A thousand remedies, ten thousand remedies !
27. '[We worship] the well-shapen, tall -formed
Strength ; Verethraghna, made by Ahura ; the crush-
ing Ascendant^, and Spe/2ta-Armaiti.
28. 'And with the help of Spe/^ta-Armaiti, break
ye ^asunder their* malice, turn their minds astray,
bind their hands, make their knees quake against one
another, bind their tongues ^
'When, O Mazda! shall the faithful smite the
wicked ^ ? When shall the faithful smite the Dru^ ?
When shall the faithful smite the wicked ?'
29. Then Zarathui-tra said : ' I threw you back
into the earth ^ and by the eyes of Spe/^ta-Armaiti ^
the ruffian was made powerless ^
30. ' W"e worship the powerful Gaokerena^^, made by Mazda ; the powerful Gaokerena, made by Mazda.
31. ' We worship the memory of Ahura Mazda, to keep the Holy Word.
' We worship the understanding of Ahura Mazda, to study the Holy Word.
' We worship the tongue of Ahura Mazda, to speak forth the Holy Word.
1 Yasna LXVIII, 15 (LXVII, 50). ^ See Sirozah I, 20.
^ Refers probably to the Izeds mentioned in the preceding paragraph.
* Of the foes alluded to § 24, ^ Derezvan; see Yt. XI, 2.
« Cf. Yasna XLVIII [XLVII], 2.
■^ I follow the reading zamerena, which is followed by the Pahlavi translation too. In the Yasna IX, 15 (46) Zarathujtra is said to have obliged the Daevas to hide themselves in the earth.
» Cf. Yt. XIX, 94. " Cf. Vend. IX, 12-13.
^° See Sirozah I, 7.
ORMAZD VAST. ;^;},
' We worship the mountain that gives under-
standing, that preserves understanding' ; [we worship
it] by day and by night, with offerings of Hbations
well-accepted -.
32. 'We worship that creation [of Ahura's], Spe;^ta-
Armaiti ; and the holy creations of that creature and
of Asha [Vahi^ta], that are foremost in holiness I
' Here I take as lord and master* the greatest of
all, Ahura Mazda ; to smite the fiend Angra Mainyu ;
to smite Aei"ma of the wounding spear ^ ; to smite
the Mazainya fiends^; to smite all the Daevas and
the Varenya fiends ^ ; to increase Ahura Mazda,
' That mount is called in later literature Mount Ojdajtar (the Pahlavi translation of ushi-darena, the keeper of understanding). According to the Bundahij (XII, 15), it stands in Seistan. High mountains, being nearer heaven, are apt to become in the spirit of mythology the seat of heavenly beings or treasures. It was on the top of a mountain that Ahura revealed the law (see Vd. XXII, ig [53])>* the first man and king, Gayomarth, ruled on a mountain and was called Gar- shah, the king of the mountain. When the Kayanian family failed, the Iranians went to Mount Alborz and found there Kai Kobdd waiting for his fate.
^ The order of the text differs in one series of manuscripts, in which it begins with § 31 ; then comes § 29 with the following additional words : 'A thousand remedies, ten thousand remedies ! (three times ; cf. above, § 26.)
We worship the Fravashi of the man whose name is Asmo- hvsiX\v2inf ; then I will worship the Fravashis of the other holy ones who were strong of faith' (Yt. XXII, 37). Asm6-/n'anva;//was one of the first followers of Zarathujtra, and with his name begins the enumeration of the Fravashis (Yt. XIII, 96).
Then follows § 30, and then again § 31 with the Ashem Vohii ; and then the additional passage, 'We worship ....,' is repeated twice.
' Visperad XIX, 2.
* As ahu and ratu, that is, as temporal chief and spiritual guide.
^ See Vend. Introd. IV, 22. " Ibid. 23.
34 YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
bright and glorious; to increase the Amesha-Spe/ztas;
to increase the star Tii'trya^ the bright and glorious ;
to increase the faithful men ; to increase all the holy
creatures of the Beneficent Spirit.
'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good . . . .^
^2,- '[Give] unto that man^ brightness and glory,
give him health of body, give him sturdiness of body,
give him victorious strength of body, give him full
welfare of wealth, give him a virtuous^ offspring,
give him long, long life, give him the bright, all-
happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones ^
' May it come according to my blessing ^ !
' A thousand remedies, ten thousand remedies "^ I (three times.)
' Come to me for help, O Mazda !
'We worship the well-shapen, tall-formed Strength,
and Verethraghna, made by Mazda, and the crushing
Ascendant ^.
' We worship Rama //z^astra, and Vayu who works
highly and is more powerful to destroy than all
other creatures. That part of thee do we worship,
O Vayu, that belongs to Spe;-Jta Mainyu. We wor-
ship the sovereign Sky, the boundless Time, and
the sovereign Time of the long Period ^
'Ash em Vohd : Holiness is the best of all good . . . .'
^ See Yaj-t VIII. ^ ^g above, p. 22.
^ Who shall offer thee a sacrifice. This paragraph is taken from Yasna LXVIII, ii (LXVII, 32), where it is addressed to the Waters: ' Ye, good waters, give unlo that man who will offer you a sacrifice . . . .'
* Sujila (Sansk. tr. ad Yasna LXI, 13).
^ This clause serves as a conclusion to all Yajts.
« From Yasna LXVIII, 20 (LXVII, 52).
' Cf. above, § 26. ^ Cf. Sirozah I, 20. ^ Ibid. 21.
Haptan \Ast. 35
II. HAPTAN YA.ST.
The Vast of the seven Amshaspands is recited on the first seven days of the week, that is to say, on the days consecrated to the Amesha-Spe«tas. In fact it is nothing more than an extract from the Sirozahs, being composed of the first seven formulas in their two forms: §§ i-5 = Sir6zah I, 1-7; §§ 6-io = Sir6zah II, 1-7. Then come four sections which are the original part of the Ya^t (§§11-15).
o, jMay Ahura INIazda be rejoiced M . . . .
Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good ^ . . . .
I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zara- thujtra, 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 ^ . . . .
i^ To Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, and to the Amesha-Spe;2tas ;
To Vohu-Mano; to Peace, whose breath is
friendly, and who is more powerful to destroy than
all other creatures; to the heavenly Wisdom, made
by Mazda, and to the Wisdom acquired through the
ear, made by Mazda ;
2'\ To Asha-Vahi^ta, the fairest; to the much-
desired Airyaman ; to the instrument made by
Mazda ; and to the good Saoka, with eyes of love,
made by Mazda and holy;
^ The rest as above, Yt. I, o. * Sirozah I, 1-2.
^ Sirozah I, 3-4. D 2
36 YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
To Khshathra-Vairya ; to the metals ; to Mercy and Charity.
3\ To the good Spe;zta-Armaiti, and to the
good Rata, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and
holy ;
To Haurvata/, the master; to the prosperity
of the seasons and to the years, the masters of
holiness ;
And to Amereta/, the master; to fatness and
flocks ; to the plenty of corn ; and to the powerful
Gaokerena, made by Mazda.
42. (At the Gah Havan) : To Mithra, the lord of wide pastures and to Rama //z^astra.
(At the Gah Rapithwin) : To Asha-Vahi^'ta and to Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda.
(At the Gah Uziren) : To Apam Napa^', the tall lord, and to water, made by Mazda.
5^ (At the Gah Aiwisruthrem) : To the Fravashis
of the faithful and to the females that bring forth
flocks of males ; to the prosperity of the seasons ; to
the well-shapen and tall-formed Strength ; to Vere-
thraghna, made by Ahura, and to the crushing
Ascendant.
(At the Gah Ui-ahin) : To the holy, devout, fiend-
smiting Sraosha, who makes the world grow ; to
Rashnu-Razii'ta and to Ari-ta/, who makes the world
grow, who makes the world increase ^ ;
Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification !
Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness ....
^ Sirozah I, 5-7. ^ sir6zah I, 7.
" Sirozah I, 7.
Haptan Ya^'T. 37
6^. We sacrifice unto Ahura Mazda, bright and
glorious ; we sacrifice unto the Amesha-Spe;^tas, the
all-ruUng, the all-beneficent.
We sacrifice unto Vohu-Mano, the Amesha-
Spe;^ta ; we sacrifice unto Peace, whose breath is
friendly, and who is more powerful to destroy than
all other creatures ; we sacrifice unto the heavenly
Wisdom, made by Mazda ; we sacrifice unto the
wisdom acquired through the ear, made by Mazda.
7^. We sacrifice unto Asha-Vahi^ta, the fairest,
the Amesha-Spe;/ta ; we sacrifice unto the much-
desired Airyaman ; we sacrifice unto the instrument
made by Mazda ; we sacrifice unto the good Saoka,
with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy.
We sacrifice unto Khshathra-Vairya ; we sacri-
fice unto the metals ; we sacrifice unto Mercy and
Charity.
8^ We sacrifice unto the good Spe^^ta-Armaiti ;
we sacrifice unto the good Rata, with eyes of love,
made by Mazda and holy.
We sacrifice unto Haurvata/, the Amesha-
Spe;/ta ; we sacrifice unto the prosperity of the
seasons ; we sacrifice unto the years, the holy and
masters of holiness.
We sacrifice unto Amereta/, the Amesha-Spe;ita;
we sacrifice unto fatness and flocks ; we sacrifice unto
the plenty of corn ; we sacrifice unto the powerful
Gaokerena, made by Mazda.
9*. (At the Gah Havan) : We sacrifice unto
1 Sirozah II, 1-2. ^ Sirozah II, 3-4.
=> Sirozah II, 5-7. * Sirozah II, 7.
'i.S YASTS AND siROZAHS.
Mithra, the lord of wide pastures ; we sacrifice unto Rama //z^'astra.
(At the Gah Rapithwin) : We sacrifice unto Asha- Vahi^ta and Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda.
(At the Gah Uziren) : We sacrifice unto Apam
Napa/, the swift-horsed, the tall and shining lord,
the lord of the females ; we sacrifice unto the holy
waters, made by Mazda.
io\ (At the Gah Aiwisruthrem) : We sacrifice
unto the good, powerful, beneficent Fravashis of the
faithful ; we sacrifice unto the females who bring
forth flocks of males ; we sacrifice unto the prosperity
of the seasons ; we sacrifice unto the well-shapen,
tall-formed Strength; we sacrifice unto Verethraghna,
made by Mazda ; we sacrifice unto the crushing
Ascendant.
(At the Gah Ui-ahin) : We sacrifice unto the holy,
tall-formed, fiend-smiting Sraosha, who makes the
world grow, the holy and master of holiness ; we
sacrifice unto Rashnu-Razii-ta ; we sacrifice unto
Ar^ta/, who makes the world grow, who makes the
world increase