'My second name is the Herd-giver ^ ' My third name is the Strong One^ (Phl.tr.); vitarkawam asti mushakatara (Sansk. tr.); ^:y^J Li. UJi;V ^i^* r^- ^'^•^ ^^ (Pers. tr.).
^ See Vendidad, Introd. IV, 20-21.
^ As the revealer of the law, which is generally expounded by a process of questions from Zarathujtra and answers from Ahura. The revelation itself is called spe«t6 frasna, ' the holy questions' (Vendidad XXII, 19).
^ ' That is, I give herds of men and cattle ' (Phi. tr.).
* * Strong, that is, I have strength for the works of the law ' (Phl.tr.); the Sanskrit translation has, ' powerful, that is, I have power to create.'
ORMAZD YAST. 25 * My fourth name is Perfect Holiness \ * My fifth name is All good things created by Mazda, the offspring of the holy principle.
* My sixth name is Understanding'^; 'My seventh name is the One with under- standing.
'My eighth name is Knowledge; ' My ninth name is the One with Knowledge.
8. ' My tenth name is Weal; ' My eleventh name is He who produces weal.
' My twelfth name is Ahura (the Lord) 3.
' My thirteenth name is the most Beneficent.
'My fourteenth name is He in whom there is no harm*.
'My fifteenth name is the unconquerable One.
' My sixteenth name is He who makes the true account ^ ' My seventeenth name is the All-seeing One.
' My eighteenth name is the healing One.
'My nineteenth name is the Creator.
' My twentieth name is Mazda (the All-knowing One).
9. ' Worship me, O Zarathu^tra, by day and by ^ Asha-Vahii-ta, which is the name of the second Amesha- Spewta too. The commentary has: ' That is, my own being is all holiness.'
2 Literally: 'My sixth name is that I am Understanding.' The same construction is used with regard to the eighth, the tenth, and the nineteenth names.
^ ' It follows from this passage that a man is not fit to be a king, unless he possesses twelve virtues' (Phi. tr.).
* ' Some say: I keep harm from man ' (Phi. tr.).
^ ' That is, I make the account of good works and sins ' (Phi. tr.); praka/am gawanakaras kila puwyapapayos sahkhyam aham karomi (Sansk. tr.). Cf. Yasna XXXII, 6, b.
26 YA5'TS AND SIROZAHS night, with offerings of libations well accepted ^ I will come unto thee for help and joy, I, Ahura Mazda; the good, holy Sraosha will come unto thee for help and joy; the waters, the plants, and the Fravashis of the holy ones will come unto thee for help and joy.
10. 'If thou wantest, O Zarathu-ftra, to destroy the malice of Daevas and Men, of the Yatus and Pai- rikas, of the oppressors, of the blind and of the deaf ^, of the two-legged ruffians", of the two-legged Ashemaoghas ^, of the four-legged wolves; 11. 'And of the hordes with the wide front, with the many spears ^, with the straight spears, with the spears uplifted, bearing the spear of havock; then, recite thou these my names every day and every night.
^ The Kavis and the Karapans, the blind and the deaf, are those ' who cannot see nor hear anything of God.' Those terms were current in the theological language of the Sassanian times to designate the unbelievers. An edict, promulgated by king Yazd- gard III (fifth century a. c.) to make Zoroastrism the state religion in Armenia, had the following words: ' You must know that any man who does not follow the religion of Mazda is deaf, blind, and deceived by Ahriman's devs ' (Elisaeus, The War of Vartan).
^ Or murderers (m airy a); according to the Parsis highway- men (^^j ii\j).
^ The heretics. Casuists distinguish three kinds of Ashemaogha: the deceiver (friftar), the self-willed (khot doshak), and the deceived (friftak). The first and worst is one who knowingly leads people astray, making forbidden what is lawful, and lawful what is forbidden; the second is one who follows his own will and reason, instead of applying to a Dastur (a spiritual guide) for direction; the third is one who has been led astray by another.
^ Drafi'a means also banner: the Persian ^_;^9,.i, derived from drafja, has preserved the two meanings. The Sanskrit translation has jastra, the Persian has ~%^.
ORMAZD YA5T. 27 12. ' I am the Keeper\- I am the Creator and the Maintainer^; I am the Discerner^ I am the most beneficent Spirit.
'My name is the bestower of health; my name is the best bestower of health.
'My name is the Athravan*; my name is the most Athravan-like of all Athravans.
' My name is Ahura (the Lord).
' My name Is Mazdrt;u (the all-knowing).
'My name is the Holy; my name is the most Holy.
'My name Is the Glorious; my name Is the most Glorious.
*My name Is the Full-seeing; my name is the Fullest-seeing.
'My name is the Far-seeing; my name is the Farthest-seeing.
13. ' My name is the Protector; my name is the Well-wisher; my name is the Creator; my name Is the Keeper; my name is the Maintalner.
'My name is the Discerner; my name is the Best Discerner.
'My name is the Prosperity-producer^; my name is the Word of Prosperity"^.
'My name is the King who rules at his will; ^ ' I keep the creation ' (Phi. tr.).
^ ' I created the world and I maintain it' (ibid.).
^ ' I can know what is useful and what is hurtful' (Ibid.).
* ' The priest.'
^ ' I impart increase to the righteous ' (Phi. tr.).
« Doubtful. Fjujo-mathro is used in several passages as the name of a part of the Avesta, Yasna LVIII [LVII], which appears to be called so from the presence in it of the words fjuja, f.yuma?//, 'thriving, causing to thrive,' which aptly express its contents.
28 YASTS AND SIROZAHS.
my name is the King who rules most at his will.
' My name is the liberal King^; my name is the most liberal Kin(T.
14. ' My name is He who does not deceive; my name is He who is not deceived.
'My name is the good Keeper; my name is He who destroys malice; my name is He who con- quers at once; my name is He who conquers everything; my name is He who has shaped everything ^.
' My name is All weal; my name is Full weal; my name is the Master of weal.
15. 'My name is He who can benefit at his wish; my name is He who can best benefit at his wish.
' My name is the Beneficent One; my name is the Energetic One; my name is the most Bene- ficent.
' My name is Holiness; my name is the Great One; my name is the good Sovereign; my name is the Best of Sovereigns.
'My name is the Wise One; my name is the Wisest of the Wise; my name is He who does good for a long time.
16. 'These are my names.
'And he who in this material world, O Spitama Zarathu-S"tra! shall recite and pronounce those names of mine^ either by day or by night; ^ Nama, translated apat, and interpreted Khutai rat. The Sanskrit translator has misread azat for apat, and translated svatantra, independent.
^ The commentator observes orthodoxly, 'everything good.'
^ That is to sav, who will recite this Ya^t.
ORMAZD VA5'T. 29 17. * He who shall pronounce them, when he rises up or when he lays him down; when he lays him down or when he rises up; when he binds on the sacred girdle^ or when he unbinds the sacred girdle; when he goes out of his dwelling-place, or when he goes out of his town, or when he goes out of his country and comes into another country; 18. 'That man, neither in that day nor in that night, shall be wounded by the weapons of the foe who rushes Aeshma-like^ and is Dru^-minded; not the knife, not the cross-bow, not the arrow, not the sword, not the club, not the sling-stone ^ shall reach and wound him.
19. ' But those names shall come in to keep him from behind and to keep him in front ^, from the Dru^ unseen, from the female Varenya fiend ^, from the evil-doer^ bent on mischiefs, and from that fiend who is all death, Angra Mainyu. It will be as if there were a thousand men watching over one man ^.
20. ' " Who is he who will smite the fiend in order to maintain thy ordinances? Teach me clearly thy ^ The aiwyaonghanem or kosti (see Vendidad XVIII, ^ Or ' with anger.'
' Akavo, >Jakav6, ishavo, kareta, vazra, translated kartari, ^akra, ^ara, jastrika, va^ra.
* Min akhar u luin (Phi. tr.); p;-i'sh/^a[ta]s purataj^'a (Sansk. tr.).
° Interpreted as the demon of lust and envy. Cf. Vendidad, Introd. IV, 23.
® Kayadha, translated kastar (Phi.), 'the impairer;' kadar- thaka (Sansk.), 'he who holds for nothing, who makes slight of.'
■^ Doubtful. The Phi. tr. has ' who impairs living creatures,' etc.
30 YA^TS AND stROZAHS.
rules for this world and for the next, that Sraosha may come with Vohu-Mano and help whomsoever thou pleasest ^" 21. 'Hail to the Glory of the Kavis"! Hail to the Airyanem Vae^'-ah^! Hail to the Saoka^, made by Mazda! Hail to the waters of the Daitya^! Hail to Ardvi ^ the undefiled well! Hail to the whole world of the holy Spirit!
* Yatha ahii vairyo: The will of the Lord..."^ 'Ashem Vohia: Holiness is the best of all 2 2. 'We worship the Ahuna Vairya ''. We worship Asha-Vahii-ta, most fair, undying, and beneficent^''. We worship Strength and Prosperity and Might and Victory and Glory and Vigour ^^ We worship Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, 'Yenghe hatam^^: All those beings ^" of whom Ahura Mazda knows the goodness ^^ for a sacrifice 1 From Yasna XLIV, i6; cf. Vendidad VIII, 20.
* Saoka; see Sirozah I, 3.
^ Ardvi Sura Anahita, the great goddess of the waters; see Yt. V.
® The prayer yatha ahu vairyo, known as Ahuna vairya (Honover), from the first words in it: ahu vairyo. See above, ^^ 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.
^ 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.
32 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.
^ 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.
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; 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 ^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 ^ 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).
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 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.
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.
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, 7.
HAPTAN YA^'T. 37 II.
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 III.
II. Let the Yatus be crushed, O Zarathujtra -! both Daevas and men ^ Who is he in whose house, O Spltama Zara- thu^tra! every Dru^^ is destroyed, every Dru^ perishes, when he pronounces these words *: 13. It is he who takes the seven Amesha-Spe/^tas, ^ Sirozah II, 7. '^ Or: Let Zarathujtra crush the Yatus.
^ The Yatus are either demons or men: the man-Yatu is the sorcerer, the wizard. Cf. Yt. VIII, 44.
■* Doubtful. '^ lam unable to make anything of this section.
HAPTAN YA5T. 39 the all-ruling, the all-beneficent, as a shield^ against his enemies.
We worship the Law of the worshippers of Mazda; we worship the waters coming in the shape of a horsed made by Mazda.
14-15. He has renounced trespasses and faults, O Zarathu^tra! he has renounced all trespasses and faults \ O Zarathu<rtra! when he throws down ^ the destroyer of Vohu-Mano and his words ^ with a hundred times hundredfold, with a many times manifold preaching and smiting, and he takes away the Law of Mazda, that was carried away as a pri- soner ^ from the hands of the [ungodly], who are destroyed by his strength, Ashem Vohti: Holiness is the best of all good...16. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness,...I bless the sacrifice and the prayer, the strength and vigour Of Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, and of the Amesha-Spe;ztas; Of Vohu-Mano; of Peace, whose breath is mruye (Yasna XII, 4 [XIII, 16]): atareman seems to be a sin by commission, vitareman a sin by omission.
* Doubtful (fraspavare^: fraspa is generally translated rami- tuntan).
^ Doubtful, « Cf. Yt. XIII, 100; XIX, 86; fravaxnam is the reverse of ' The rest as above, § i.
40 YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
Of Asha-Vahi^ta, the fairest; of the much-desired Of Khshathra-Vairya, of the metals^...Of the good Spe;^ta-Armaiti and of the good Of HaurvataA the master ^...Of Amereta/, the master ^...(At the Gah Havan): Of Mithra=^ (At the Gah Rapithwin): Of Asha-Vahi^ta^...(At the Gah Uziren): Of the high lord Apam (At the Gah Aiwisruthrem): Of the Fravashis of (At the Gah U^ahin): Of the holy, devout, fiend- smiting Sraosha, who makes the world grow; of Rashnu-Razi-?ta and of Ar^ta/, who makes the world erow, who makes the world increase.
Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good...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.
^ The rest as above, § 2. ^ The rest as above, § 3.
3 The rest as above, § 4. * The rest as above, § 5.
^ Who shall oJfer a sacrifice to the Amshaspands.
ARDIBEUWT YAST. 41 This Y3.st is for a great part devoted to the praise of the Air- yaman prayer, which is described as driving away all the diseases and plagues that have been brought upon the world by Angra Mainyu; and when the writer passes from the glorification of Airyaman to that of Asha-Vahijta, which is put into the mouth of Angra JNIainyu himself (§§ 13 seq.), he makes him speak of Asha- Vahij-ta just in the same way, and ascribe him just the same powers, as he himself has done with regard to Airyaman. This is owing to the fact of Airyaman being invoked in company with Asha- Vahijta in the second formula of the Sirozah^, The powers ascribed to Asha-Vahi^ta have their origin in the twofold nature of that Amesha-Spewta, who being, in his abstract character, the impersonation of the highest element in Mazdeism, Divine Order and Holiness^ and in his concrete character, the genius who presides over the mightiest of physical elements, Fire^ is one of the most powerful and dreaded opponents of Angra Mainyu ■''. On the other hand, Airyaman is the genius to whom Ahura Mazda applied to heal the nine, and ninety, and nine hundred and nine thousand diseases created by Angra Mainyu **.
This Yast is recited every day at the Gahs Havan, Rapithwin, and Aiwisruthrem (Anquetil).
o. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced!...Ashem Vohia: 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 ''...^ Ard-i-behi.yt is the Parsi form for Asha vahijta, ard being derived from arta, the Persian form corresponding to the Zend asha.
^ See Sirozah I, 3, and below die introductory formula, ^ See Vend. Introd. IV, 30, * Ibid. 33.
* See Yt. XVII, 18. ' Fargard XXII and Introd.
' As above, Yt. I, o.
42 YASTS AND SIROZAHS.
Unto Asha-Vahi^ta, the fairest; unto the much- desired Airyaman, made by Mazda, and unto the good Saoka, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holyi; Be propitiation, witli sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glori- fication.
Yath^ ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord Is the law of holiness'^ I, 1. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathui"tra, saying: 'That thou mayest increase Asha-Vahi^ta, O Spitama Zarathu5"tra! with hymns of praise, with performance of the office, with invocations, holy words, sacrifice, blessings, and adoration — once to abide in the shining luminous space, in the beautiful abodes ^ — for the sacrifice and invocation of us, the Amesha-Spe;/tas^'...2. Zarathui^tra said: ' Say unto me the right words, such as they are, O Ahura Mazda! that I may increase Asha-Vahi.s'ta, with hymns of praise, ^ Sirozah I, 3.
^ Several manuscripts add here the full invocation of the greater Sirozah: 'We sacrifice unto Asha-Vahista, 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.' ' The Garo-nmanem or Paradise; see Yasna XVI, 7 [XVII, * The principal clause appears to be wanting, unless Zarathujtra is supposed to interrupt Ahura. One might also understand the sentence in an optative sense: * Mayest thou increase...'
ARDIBEIII^T VAST. 4 ■^ with performance of the office, with invocations, holy words, sacrifice, blessings, and adoration, — once to abide in the shining luminous space, in the beautiful abodes, — for the sacrifice and invocation of you, the Amesha-Spe;^tas.
3\ '...I proclaim Asha-Vahi^ta: if I pro- claim Asha-Vahii'ta, then easy Is the way to the abode of the other Amesha-Spe;^tas ^, which Ahura Mazda keeps with Good Thoughts, which Ahura Mazda keeps with Good Words, which Ahura Mazda keeps with Good Deeds ^; 4. '(Easy is the way to the Garo-nmana of Ahura Mazda): the Garo-nmana is for the holy souls, and no one of the wicked can enter the Garo-nmana and its bright, wide, holy ways; (no one of them can go) to Ahura Mazda.
5. 'The Alryaman prayer* smites down the strength of all the creatures of Angra Mainyu, of the Yatus and Pairikas^ It is the greatest of spells, the best of spells, the very best of all spells; the ^ Here again it seems as if a paragraph had been lost: ' Ahura Mazda answered: Proclaim thou Asha-Vahijta; if thou proclaimest Asha-Vahi^ta...— Then Zarathujtra replied: I proclaim Asha- ^ The Garothman.
' An allusion to the three Paradises of Humat, Hfikht, Hvar^t through which the souls of the blessed pass to Garothman (Yt.
* The prayer known as Airyama-ishyo; see Vendidad XXI, ^ See Vend. Introd. IV, 20-21, 44 YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
fairest of spells, the very fairest of all spells; the fearful one amongst spells, the most fearful of all spells; the firm one amongst spells, the firmest of all spells; the victorious one amongst spells, the most victorious of all spells; the healing one amongst spells, the best-healing of all spells.
6. 'One may heal with Holiness, one may heal with the Law, one may heal with the knife, one may heal with herbs, one may heal with the Holy Word: amongrst all remedies this one is the healino- one that heals with the Holy Word; this one it is that will best drive away sickness from the body of the faithful: for this one is the best-healing of all remedies ^ 7. ' Sickness fled away [before it]. Death fled away; the Daeva fled away, the Daeva's counter- work - fled away; the unholy Ashemaogha '' fled away, the oppressor of men fled away.
8. ' The brood of the Snake fled away; the brood of the Wolf fled away; the brood of the Two-legged* fled away. Pride fled away; Scorn fled away; Hot Fever fled away; Slander fled away; Discord fled away; the Evil Eye fled away.
9. ' The most lying words of falsehood fled away; the 6"ahi ^, addicted to the Yatu, fled away; the ^ Cf. Vendidad VII, 44 (118). That Airyaman made use of the Holy Word (of spells) to cure diseases appears from Vend. XXII, 6 seq.
^ Paityara: every work of Ahura was opposed and spoiled by a counter-work of Angra Mainyu, Cf. Bundahi^ I, 23 seq.; Ill, 13 seq.; Vend. I; see Ormazd et Ahriman, §§ 195 seq.