s1r6zah I.
I. Ormazd.
To Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious ^ and to the Amesha-Spe;7tas ^ ^ J. Halevy, Revue des Etudes Juives, 188 1, October, p. 188.
YA^TS AND SIROZAHS.
2. Bahman.
To Vohii-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, 3. Ardibehej-t.
To Asha-Vahi^ta, the fairest^; to the much- desired Airyaman, made by Mazda "^; to the instru- ment made by Mazda ^; and to the good Saoka ^ with eyes of love ^°, made by Mazda and holy.
^ Akh^ti does not so much mean Peace as the power that secures peace; see note 4.
^ Ham-vai«ti, from ham-va (Yt. X, 141); possibly from van, to strike: ' Peace that smites.'
* Taradhatem anyaij' daman, interpreted: tarvinitartftm min zaki Sn daman pun anashtih akar kartan (Phi. Comm.), ' more destroying than other creatures, to make Non-peace (Ana- khjti) powerless.'
^ Asnya khratu, the inborn intellect, intuition, contrasted with gaosho-sriita khratu, the knowledge acquired by hearing and learning. There is between the two nearly the same relation as between the paravidya and aparavidya in Brahmanism, the former reaching Brahma in se (parabrahma), the latter jabda- brahma, the word-Brahma (Brahma as taught and revealed). The Mobeds of later times interpreted their name Maguj, i^jJ^^, as meaning, ' men without ears,' (_Py\.*, ' pour insinuer que leur Docteur avait puisd toute sa science dans le ciel et qu'il ne I'avait pas apprise par I'ouie comme les autres hommes ' (Chardin, III, 1 30; ed. Amsterdam).
' See Yt. III. ' See Vend. XXII.
* The 'golden instrument' mentioned in Nyayii- I, 8.
® A personification of the Ormazdean \veal; cf. Vend. XXII, ^° Vouru-doithra, kamak doisr; she is 'the genius of the good SIROZAH I. 5 4. Shahrevar.
To Khshathra-vairya; to the metals^; to Mercy and Charity.
5, Sapendarmad.
To the good Spe;^ta-Armaiti ^, and to the good Rata ^, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy.
6. Khordad.
To Haurvata/^ the master; to the prosperity of the seasons and to the years, the masters of holiness.
7. Murdad.
To Amereta/f ^, the master; to fatness and flocks; to the plenty of corn; and to the powerful Gaoke- rena ^ made by Mazda.
(At the gah^ Havan): to Mithra ^ the lord of wide pastures and to Rama //it'astra '\ (At the gah Rapithwin): to Asha-Vahi^ta and to Atar^'\ the son of Ahura Mazda".
eye, minoi hu/Ja^'mih' (Vend. XIX, 56 [123]), the reverse of the evil eye (Yasna LXVII, 62 [LXVIII, 22]; of.:fitudes Iraniennes, ^ Vend. Introd. IV, 33; Ormazd et Ahriman, §§ 202-206.
2 Ibid. ' Vend. Introd. IV, 30.
* See Yt. IV. ^ See Vend. Introd. IV, 34.
^ The white Horn, or plant of immortality; see Vend. Introd.
' SeeGahs. ' See Yt. X.
'' See Yt. XV. Cf. Yasna I, 3 (7-9), where Mithra and Rama are invoked in company with the genius of the Havani period of the day.
^° The Genius of Fire.
" Cf. Yasna I, 4 (10-12), where Asha-Vahi^ta and Atar are invoked in company with the genius of the Rapithwin period of the day.
YA,STS AND SIROZAHS.
(At the gah Uziren): to Apam Napa/\ the tall lord, and to the water made by Mazda ^.
(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 Verethraghna ^ made by Ahura, and to the crushing Ascendant ^.
(At the gah Ushahin): to the holy, devout, fiend- smiting Sraosha '^, who makes the world grow; to Rashnu Razii-ta ^ and to Arsidit ^ who makes the world grow, who makes the world increase ^°.
8. Dai pa Adar ^^ To the Maker Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, and to the Amesha-Spe/ztas.
^ Literally ' the Son of the Waters; ' he was originally the Fire of lightning, as born in the clouds (like the Vedic Apam napat); he still appears in that character, Yt. VIII, 34; he is for that reason ' the lord of the females ' because the waters were con- sidered as females (cf Yasna XXXVIII, i [2]). But, as napa/ means also ' navel' (the same words having often the two meanings of 'navel' and 'offspring;' cf. nabhi in the Vedas and the Zend nafyo, 'offspring,' from nafa 'navel'), Apam Napa/ was inter- preted as ' the spring of the waters, the navel of the waters,' which was supposed to be at the source of the Arvand (the Tigris; Neriosengh ad Yasna I, 5 [15] ); cf. Yt. V, 72.
2 Cf. Yasna I, 5 [13-15]. ^ See Yt. XIII.
* Perhaps better: 'to the flocks of Fravashis of the faithful, men and women.'
^ The Genius of Victory; see Yt. XIV.
^ See Yt. XI and Vend. Introd. IV, 31; Farg. XVIII, 14 seq.
« The Genius of Truth; see Yt. XII.
" The day before Adar (Dai is the Persian (^j, 'yesterday,' which is the same word as the Sanskrit hyas, Latin heri). The eighth, fifteenth, and twenty-third days of the month are under the SIROZAII I.
A 9. Adar.
A To Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; to the Glory and to the Weal, made by Mazda; to the Glory of the Aryas ^ made by Mazda; to the awful Glory of the Kavis -, made by Mazda.
A To Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; to king Husravah^; to the lake of Husravah*; to Mount A Asnava;// ^, made by Mazda; to Lake A'ae/^^asta **, made by Mazda; to the Glory of the Kavis, made by Mazda \ rule of Ahura and the Amesha-Spewtas, like the first day; they have therefore no name of their own and are named from the day that follows. The month was divided into four weeks, the first two numbering seven days, the last two numbering eight.
^ Or better ' the Glories of the Aryas ' (Eramdeja^ri«am): the Glory or Hvaxtno (Vend. Introd. IV, 11, p. Ixiii, note i) is threefold, according as it illuminates the priest, the warrior, or the husbandman. Ya^t XIX is devoted to the praise of the HvdiXQx\o.
^ Or ' the awful kingly glory: ' Kavi means a king, but it is particularly used of the kings belonging to the second and most celebrated of the two mythical dynasties of Iran. The Kavis succeeded the Paradhata or Peshdadians, and Darius Codo- manes was supposed to be the last of them. For an enumeration of the principal Kavis, see Yt. XIII, 132 seq. The HvsiVQwo alluded to in this clause is the ^^'areno of the priest; 'it is the fire known as Adarapra [Adar Froba]; or better Adar Farnbag: see Etudes Iraniennes, II, 84; its object is the science of the priests; by its help priests become learned and clever ' (Sanskrit transl. to the Atash Nyayish).
® A mountain in Adarbai^'an (Bundahij XII, 26), where king Husravah settled the fire Gushasp.
'' The glory of the warriors, the fire known,as Adar Gushasp orGushnasp; with its help king Husravah destroyed the idol- temples near Lake A'e/^ast, and he settled it on Mount Asnava«/ (Bund. XVII, 7).
8 YA5TS AND SIROZAIIS.
To Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; to Mount Raeva;// \ made by Mazda; to the Glory of the Kavis, made by Mazda ^.
To Atar, the beneficent, the warrior; the God who is a full source of Glory, the God who is a full source of healing.
To Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda, with all Atars^• to the God Nairyo-Sangha ^ who dwells in the navel of kings ^.
lo. Aban.
To the good Waters, made by Mazda; to the holy water-spring Ardvi Anahita^'; to all waters made by Mazda; to all plants made by Mazda.
II. Khorshed, To the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun^ To the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull»; to the only-created BulP; to the Bull of .many species ^^ ^ A mountain in Khorasan on which the Burzin fire is settled - ' The fire known as Adarabura_^amihira [Adar Burzin MihirJ; its object is the science of husbandry.' King Gu^tasp established it on Mount Raevaw/ (Bund. XVII, 8).
^ All sorts of fires. See another classification, Yasna XVII, II [63-67] and Bundahij XVII, i.
* See Vend. XXII, 7.
^ The fire Nairyo-sangha, as the messenger of Ahura, burns hereditarily in the bosom of his earthly representative, the king.
^ See Yt. VII and Vend. XXI, i, text and note.
* Aevo-data gauj; see Vend. 1. 1. and Bundahii' IV.
" Pouru-saredha gauj: the couple born of the seed of the stROZAH I.
To Tii-trya \ the bright and glorious star; to the powerful Satavaesa '-, made by Mazda, who pushes waters forward; to the stars, made by Mazda, that have in them the seed of the waters, the seed of the earth, the seed of the plants^; to the star Vana/^/*, made by Mazda; to those stars that are seven in number, the Hapt6Iri/^gas^ made by Mazda, glorious and healing.
To the body of the Cow, to the soul of the Cow, to the powerful Drvaspa ^ made by Mazda and holy.
15. Dai pa Mihir. To the Maker Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, and to the Amesha-Spe;2tas.
16. Mihir.
To Mithra^ the lord of wide pastures, who has a thousand ears and ten thousand eyes, a God invoked by his own name; to Rama //z'astra ^ 17. Srosh.
To the holy, strong Sraosha^ who is the incar- nate Word, a mighty-speared and lordly God.
18. Rashn.
To Rashnu Razi^ta^ to Ar^ta/'^ who makes the only-created Bull, and from which arose two hundred and eighty species (Bund. XI, 3).
1 See Yt. VIII. "" See Yt. VIII, 9.
=• SeeYt. XII, 29-31. * See Yt. VIII, 12.
' See Yt. XV. ' See Yt. XI.
» See Yt. XII. '" See Yt. XVIII.
to YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
world grow, who makes the world increase; to the true-spoken speech, that makes the world grow.
19. Farvardin. To the awful, overpowering Fravashis of the holy ones\ 20. Bahram.
To the well-shapen, tall-formed Strength; to Verethraghna^, made by Ahura; to the crush- ing Ascendant.
To Rama //z/astra^ to Vayu ^ who works highly^ and is more powerful to destroy than all other creatures: to that part of thee, O Vayu, that belongs to Spe;^ta-Mainyu ^ to the sovereign Sky, to the Boundless Time '', to the sovereign Time of the long Period *^.
To the bounteous Wind, that blows below, above, before, and behind; to the manly Courage.
23. Dai pa Din. To the Maker, Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious; to the Amesha-Spe/^tas.
To the most right Arista ^ made by Mazda and holy; to the good Law ^ of the worshippers of Mazda.
> SeeYt. Xm. ' See Yt. XIV.
^ See Yt. XV. * Powerfully.
« SeeYt. XV, i.
« See Vend. Introd. IV, 39 and Ixxxii, i.
' See Yt. XVI.
SIRdZAH I. IT To Ashi Vanguhi^ to the good /i:'isti ^; to the good Ereth^=^; to the good Rasasta/^; to the Weal and Glory, made by Mazda; to Pare;/di ^ of the light chariot; to the Glory of the Aryas made by Mazda; to the kingly Glory made by Mazda; to that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized ^ made by Mazda; to the Glory of Zarathu^tra, made by Mazda.
A 26. Ai-tad.
A 26. Ai-tad.
To Ar^ta/', who makes the world grow; to Mount Ushi-darena^ made by Mazda, the seat of holy happiness.
27. Asman.
To the high, powerful Heavens; to the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy ones.
28. Zemyad^.
To the bounteous Earth; to these places, to these fields; to Mount Ushi-darena ^ made by Mazda, the seat of holy happiness; to all the mountains made by Mazda, that are seats of holy happiness, of full happiness; to the kingly Glory made by Mazda; ' See Yt. XVII.
^ Religious knowledge, wisdom (far^'-anak; nirvana^^anam).
^ The keeper of treasures; cf. Vend. Introd. IV, 30.
* A^z;aretem //rareno: ' the /ivurend of the priests: that it cannot be forcibly seized means that one must take possession of it through virtue and righteous exertion' (Neriosengh and Pahl. Comm. to Yasna I and IV, 14 [42]).
' See Yt. XVIII. ' See Yt. I, 31, text and note.
9 See Yt. XIX.
12 YA^-TS AND SIROZAHS.
to that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized \ made by Mazda.
29. Mahraspand.
To the holy, righteousness-performing Mathra Spe/2ta^; to the Law opposed to the Daevas, the Law of Zarathui-tra; to the long-traditional teach- ing^; to the good Law of the worshippers of Mazda; to the Devotion to the Mathra Spe//ta; to the understanding that keeps'* the Law of the worship- pers of Mazda; to the knowledge of the Mathra Spe;/ta; to the heavenly Wisdom made by Mazda; to the Wisdom acquired through the ear^ and made by Mazda.
30. Aneran.
To the eternaK' and sovereign luminous space''; to the bright Garo-nmana^; to the sovereign place of eternal WeaP; to the A'inva/- bridge^", made by Mazda; to the tall lord Apam Napa^'^ and to the water made by Mazda; to Haoma ^^, of holy birth; to the pious and good Blessing; to the awful cursing thought of the wise ^; to all the holy Gods of the ^ See p. II, note 6. ^ The Holy Word.
' Daregha upayana: ihe Genius of Teaching (jixam admya- * In memory. ^ See above, § 2.
® Or boundless (anaghra; the Parsi aneran).
'' Or Infinite Light; see Vend. Introd. p. Ixxxii and Bund. I, 2.
® The abode of Ahura IMazda; see Vend. XIX, 32.
® See Vend. XIX, 36, note i.
" See Vend. XIX, 29, note 3.
" See Sirozah II, 7, note.
'2 See Vend. Introd. IV, 28.
" 'The blessing (afriti) is twofold: one by thought, one by words; the blessing by words is the more powerful; the curse SIROZAH II. 13 heavenly world and of the material one; to the awful, overpowering Fravashis of the faithful, to the Fravashis of the first men of the law, to the Fravashis of the next-of-kin ^; to every God invoked by his own name ^, s!r6zah II.
1. Ormazd.
We sacrifice unto the bright and glorious Ahura Mazda; we sacrifice unto the Amesha-Spe;/tas, the all-ruling, the all-beneficent.
2. Bah man.
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.
3. Ardibehe^t.
3. Ardibehe^t.
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.
(upamana) in thought is the more powerful' (Neriosengh ad Yasna I, 15 [44]). Upamana is the same as the Vedic manyu.
^ See Yt. XIII, o.
^ In contradistinction to general invocations.
14 YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
4. Shahrevar. We sacrifice unto Khshathra-Vairya, the Ame- sha-Spe/2ta; we sacrifice unto the metals; we sacri- fice unto Mercy and Charity.
5. Sapendarmad.
We sacrifice unto the good Spe/zta Armaiti; we sacrifice unto the good Rata, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy.
6. Khordad. We sacrifice unto Haurvata/, the Amesha- Spe/zta; we sacrifice unto the prosperity of the seasons. We sacrifice unto the years, the holy and masters of holiness.
7. Murdad.
We sacrifice unto Amereta/, the Amesha-Spe;zta; we sacrifice unto fatness and flocks; we sacrifice unto the plenty of corn; we sacrifice unto the powerful Gaokerena, made by Mazda.
(At the gah Havan): We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures; we sacrifice unto Rama //ij^astra.
(At the gah Rapithwin): We sacrifice unto Asha- Vahi^ta and unto 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 water made by Mazda and holy.
(At the gah Aiwisruthrem): We sacrifice unto the good, powerful, beneficent Fravashis of the holy ones; we sacrifice unto the females that bring forth flocks of males; we sacrifice unto the thrift of the siROZAII II. 15 seasons; we sacrifice unto the well-shapen and tall- formed Strength; we sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the crushing Ascendant.
(At the gah Ushahin): 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 Razi^ta; we sacrifice unto Ar^ta^, who makes the world grow, who makes the world increase.
8. Dai pa Adar.
We sacrifice unto the Maker Ahura Mazda, the bright and o-lorious; we sacrifice unto the Amesha- Spe;2tas, the all-ruling, the all-beneficent.
A 9. Adar.
We sacrifice unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; we sacrifice unto the Glory, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the Weal, made by Mazda; we sacri- fice unto the Glory of the Aryas, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the awful Glory of the Kavis, made by Mazda.
We sacrifice unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; we sacrifice unto kingr Husravah; we sacrifice unto the lake of Husravah; we sacrifice unto Mount As- nava/^/, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto Lake /ifae/C-asta, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the awful Glory of the Kavis, made by Mazda.
We sacrifice unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; we sacrifice unto Mount Raeva/^/, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the awful Glory of the Kavis, made by Mazda.
We sacrifice unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; we sacrifice unto Atar, the beneficent, the warrior.
We sacrifice unto that God, who is a full source of glory. We sacrifice unto that God, who is a full source of healing.
We sacrifice unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; we sacrifice unto all Fires; we sacrifice unto the God, Nairyo-Sangha, who dwells in the navel of kings, lo. Aban.
We sacrifice unto the good Waters, made by Mazda and holy; we sacrifice unto the holy water- spring Ardvi Anahita; we sacrifice unto all waters, made by Mazda and holy; we sacrifice unto all plants, made by Mazda and holy.
II. Khorshed. We sacrifice unto the bright, undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun.
We sacrifice unto the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull. We sacrifice unto the Soul and Fravashi of the only-created Bull; we sacrifice unto the Soul and Fravashi of the Bull of many species.
We sacrifice unto Ti^-trya, the bright and glorious star; we sacrifice unto the powerful Satavaesa, made by Mazda, who pushes waters forward; we sacrifice unto all the Stars that have in them the seed of the waters; we sacrifice unto all the Stars that have in them the seed of the earth; we sacrifice unto all the Stars that have in them the seeds of the plants; we sacrifice unto the Star Vana/^^*, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto those stars that are seven in num- ber, the Hapt6iri//gas, made by Mazda, glorious and healing; in order to oppose the Yatus and Pairikas.
SIROZAH II. 17 We sacrifice unto the soul of the bounteous Cow; we sacrifice unto the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy.
15. Dai pa Mihir.
We sacrifice unto the Maker Ahura Mazda, the bright and glorious; we sacrifice unto the Amesha- Spe;^tas, the all-ruling, the all-beneficent.
16. Mihir.
We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pas- tures, who has a thousand ears and ten thousand eyes, a God invoked by his own name; we sacrifice unto Rama i^z^astra.
17. Srosh.
We sacrifice unto the holy, tall-formed, fiend- smiting, world-increasing Sraosha, holy and master of holiness.
18. Rashn.
We sacrifice unto Rashnu Razii-ta; we sacrifice unto Ar^-ta/, who makes the world grow, who makes the world increase; we sacrifice unto the true-spoken speech that makes the world grow.
19. Farvardin.
We sacrifice unto the good, strong, beneficent Fravashis of the holy ones.
20. Bah ram. We sacrifice unto the well-shapen, tall-formed Strength; we sacrifice untoVerethraghna, made by Ahura; we sacrifice unto the crushing Ascendant.
We sacrifice unto Rama i/z^astra; we sacrifice unto the holy Vayu; we sacrifice unto Vayu, who works highly and is more powerful to destroy than all other creatures. Unto that part of thee do we sacrifice, O Vayu, that belongs to Spe;^ta-Mainyu. We sacrifice unto the sovereign Sky; we sacrifice unto the Boundless Time; we sacrifice unto the sovereio-n Time of the lono- Period.
We sacrifice unto the beneficent, bounteous Wind; we sacrifice unto the wind that blows below; we sacrifice unto the wind that blows above; we sacri- fice unto the wind that blows before; we sacrifice unto the wind that blows behind. We sacrifice unto the manly Courage.
23. Dai pa Din.
We sacrifice unto the Maker Ahura Mazda, the bright and glorious; we sacrifice unto the Amesha- Spe;^tas.
We sacrifice unto the most right A'ista, made by Mazda and holy; we sacrifice unto the good Law of the worshippers of Mazda.
We sacrifice unto Ashi Vanguhi, the bright, hieh, strone, tall-formed, and merciful; we sacrifice unto the Glory made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the Weal made by Mazda. We sacrifice unto Pare;^di, of the li^ht chariot; we sacrifice unto the Glory of the Aryas, made by Mazda; we sacrifice SIROZAH II. 19 unto the awful kingly Glory, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto that awful Glory, that cannot be forcibly seized, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the Glory of Zarathu^tra, made by Mazda.
We sacrifice unto Ar^ta^, who makes the world grow; we sacrifice unto Mount Ushi-darena, made by Mazda, a God of holy happiness.
27. Asman.
We sacrifice unto the shining H eavens; we sacri- fice unto the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy ones.
28, Zemyad.
We sacrifice unto the Earth, a beneficent God; we sacrifice unto these places, unto these fields; we sacrifice unto Mount Ushi-darena, made by Mazda, a God of holy happiness; we sacrifice unto all the mountains, that are seats of holy happiness, of full happiness, made by Mazda, the holy and masters of holiness; we sacrifice unto the awful kingly Glory, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the awful Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, made by Mazda.
29. Mahraspand.
We sacrifice unto the Mathra Spe;^ta, of high glory; we sacrifice unto the Law opposed to the Daevas; we sacrifice unto the Law of Zarathurtra; we sacrifice unto the long-traditional teaching; we sacri- fice unto the good Law of the worshippers of Mazda; we sacrifice unto the Devotion to the Mathra Spe/^ta; we sacrifice unto the understanding that keeps the Law of the worshippers of Mazda; we sacrifice unto 20 YA6'TS AND SIROZAIIS.
the knowledge of the Mathra Spe;^ta; we sacrifice unto the heavenly Wisdom, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the Wisdom acquired through the ear and made by Mazda.
30. Aneran.
We sacrifice unto the eternal and sovereign lumi- nous space; we sacrifice unto the bright Garo- nmana; we sacrifice unto the sovereign place of eternal Weal; we sacrifice unto the i'TinvaZ-bridge, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto Apam Napa/, the swift-horsed, the high and shining lord, who has many wives; and we sacrifice unto the water, made by Mazda and holy; we sacrifice unto the golden and tall Haoma; we sacrifice unto the enlivening Haoma, who makes the world grow; we sacrifice unto Haoma, who keeps death far away; we sacri- fice unto the pious and good Blessing; we sacrifice unto the awful, powerful, cursing thought of the wise, a God; we sacrifice unto all the holy Gods of the heavenly world; we sacrifice unto all the holy Gods of the material world.
I praise, I invoke, I meditate upon, and we sacri- fice unto the good, strong, beneficent Fravashis of the holy ones ^ ' Cf. Yasna XXVI, i.
The Ormazd Yajt, properly so called, ends with § 23. The rest of the Ya^ct, from § 24 to the end, is wanting in several manu- scripts, and is supposed by the Parsis to be a fragment of the Bahman Ya^t.
The Ormazd Yaxt is exclusively devoted to an enumeration of the names of Ahura and to a laudation of their virtues and efficacy: the recitation of these names is the best defence against all dangers.
§§ 1-6. The names of Ahura Mazda are the most powerful part of the Holy Word.
§§ 7-8. The twenty names of Ahura Mazda are enumerated.
§§ 9-11. Efficacy of these names, §§ 12-15. Another list of names.
§§ 16-19. Efficacy of Ahura's names.
§§ 20-23. Sundry formulas of invocation.
As may be seen from this summary, the subject has been treated twice over, first in §§ i-ii, and then in §§ 12-19; y^*^ i*^ ^^^^ ^^^ appear that this Ynst was formed out of two independent treatises, and it is more likely that the vague and indefinite enumeration in §§ 12-15, which interrupts so clumsily the train of ideas, is due either to an interpolation or simply to the literary deficiency of the writer himself.
The Ormazd Yajt is recited every day at the Havan Gah, after the morning prayer (Anquetil, Zend-Avesta, II, 143): it is well also to recite it when going to sleep and when changing one's residence (§ 17).
Speculations on the mystical powers of God's names have always been common among Orientals. The number of these names went on increasing: Dastur Noshirvan wrote on the 10 1 names of God; Dastur Marzban on his 125 names. With the Musulmans, Allah had looi names. On the names of God among the Jews, see Zeitschrift der Deutschen Morgenlandischen Gesellschaft, We have three native translations of this Yasi; one in Pahlavi (East India Office, XII, 39, and St. Petersburg, XCIX, 39; edited by Carl Salemann), one in Persian {East India Office, XXII, 43), and one in Sanskrit (Paris, fonds Burnouf, V, 66); the last two edited in our Etudes Iraniennes, II, 255).
The second part of the Ya.st, the so-called Bahman Ya^-t frag- ment, is In a state of the utmost corruption. It is difficult to trace any connection in the ideas, yet §§ 28, 29, 30 seem to point rather clearly to the final struggle between Ormazd and Ahriman and to the annihilation of the Daevas, and, thereby, some connection is established between this fragment and the Pahlavi Bahman Ya-yt^ which deals with the same subject. If that correspondence be real, § 26 might refer to the beginning of the Pahlavi Bahman Ya.st, in which Zarathui-tra is shown by Ahura the times to come and the end of the world.
Of this fragment we have only a bad Pahlavi translation in the St. Petersburg manuscript mentioned above.
0 -. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! May Angra Mainyu be destroyed! by those who do truly what is the foremost wish (of God^).
1 praise well-thought, well-spoken, and well-done thoughts, words, and deeds. I embrace all good thoughts, good words, and good deeds; I reject all evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.
I give sacrifice and prayer unto you, O Amesha-Spewtas! even with the fulness of my thoughts, of my words, of my deeds, and of my heart: I give unto you even my own life •*.
I recite the 'Praise of Holiness'^:' 'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good. Well is it for it, well is it for that holiness which is perfection of holiness!'
1 confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zara- thujtra, one who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura"; ^ Translated by West (Pahlavi Texts, I).
2 The formulas of this section serve as an introduction to all Yaj-ts.
^ The last clause of this sentence is imitated from Yasna XLVI [XLV], 19: 'he who does truly in holiness what was the foremost wish of Zarathu.rtra ' (that is, what he ordered most earnestly; Palil. Comm.).
* ' If I must give up my life for the sake of my soul, I give it up ' (Pahl. Comm.). The two sentences, ' I praise...,'' I give unto you...,' are taken from Yasna XI, 17, 18 [XII].
^ The Ashem Vohu, one of the holiest and most frequently recited prayers.
^ The Fravarane or profession of faith of the Zoroastrian ORMAZD VAST.
For sacrifice S prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Ha- vani]", the holy and master of holiness; For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Savan- ghi and Visya] ^, the holy and masters of holiness; For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto the Masters of the days, of the periods of the day, of the months, cf the seasons, and of the years *; Unto Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification.
Yatha ahii vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness: the riches of Vohu-Mano shall be given to him who works in this world for Mazda, and wields according to the will of Ahura the power he gave him to relieve the poor.
1, Zarathui"tra asked Ahura Mazda: *0 Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' What of the Holy Word is the strongest? What is the most victorious? What is the most glorious? What is the most effective?
2. ' What is the most fiend-smiting? What is the best-healing? What destroyeth best the malice of Daevas and Men? What maketh the material world best come to the fulfilment of its wishes^? What freeth the material world best from the anxieties of the heart''.'*' ^ He shows himself a Zoroastrian by offering sacrifice...^ The actual Gah during which the Ya^t is being recited must be mentioned here. Havani is the first Gah (see Gahs).
^ The Genii who co-operate with Havani, his hamkars; for each Gah the names of its proper hamkars should be mentioned (see Gahs).
* See Vendidad VHI, 19, text and notes.
^ Pun minishn it bara matartum, mandfim frarfm (Phi, tr.); manasas asti prapakatara (Sansk. tr.); »j^l^ A^ (Pers. tr.).
* Pun akhu it bara mflshitartflm: pim(i) umandiim i aparun 24 YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
3. Ahura Mazda answered: ' Our Name, O Spi- tama Zaratluutra! who are the Amesha-Spe/^tas, that is the strongest part of the Holy Word; that is the most victorious; that is the most glorious; that is the most effective; 4. 'That is the most hend-smiting; that is the best- healing; that destroyeth best the malice of Daevas and Men; that maketh the material world best come to the fulfilment of its wishes; that freeth the material world best from the anxieties of the heart.'
5. Then Zarathu^tra said: ' Reveal unto me that name of thine, O Ahura Mazda! that is the greatest, the best, the fairest, the most effective, the most fiend-smiting, the best-healing, that destroyeth best the malice of Daevas and Men; 6. ' That I may afflict all Daevas and Men; that I may afflict all Yatus and Pairikas ^; that neither Daevas nor Men may be able to afflict me; neither Yatus nor Pairikas.'
7. Ahura Mazda replied unto him: ' My name is the One of whom questions are asked^ O holy Zarathui-tra!