The Hymns of Zoroaster, Usually Called the Gathas
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Zoroastrian Ethics by MA Buch
The Gnekwad Stu<Uc'^ in Rdi/tuii and Plcilu-^oph i/ : /I ZOKOASTRIAN ETHICS IVintod at the Mirfsion Press, Siirat l.y n. K. 8colt, and imblislieil l»y A. G. Wi(l;.'ery the Collej,'e, Baroda. I. V. 1919. ZOROASTHIAN ETHICS By MAGAXLAL A. BUCH, M. A. Fellow of the Seminar for the Comparative Stn<ly of IJelifjioiiP, Barotla, With an Infrnrhicfion hv ALBAN n. WrDGERY, ^f. A. Professor of Philosophy and of the Comparative Study of PiPlii^doiis, Baroda. B A K D A 515604 P n E F A C E The present small volume was undertaken as one subject of study as Fellow in the Seminar for the Comparative Study of Religions established in the College, Baroda, by His Highness the Maharaja Sayaji Eao Gaekwad, K C. S. I. etc. The subject was suggested by Professor Widgery who also guided the author in the plan and in the general working out of the theme. It is his hope that companion volumes on the ethical ideas associated with other religions will shortly be undertaken. Such ethical studies form an important part of the aim which His Highness had in view in establishing the Seminar. The chapter which treats of the religious conceptions is less elaborate than it might well have been, because Dr. Dhalla's masterly volume on Zomasfrirm Theolof/y^ New York, 1914, cannot be dispens- ed with by any genuine student of Zoroastrian- ism, and all important details may be learned from it. It only remains to thank I'rotessor Widgcrv lor writinf,' a L;enoral introduotion and for his continued help thronghont tho process of the work. -
Denkard Book 9
DENKARD, Book 9 Details of Nasks 1-3, 21 (The Original Gathic Texts) Translated by Edward William West From Sacred Books of the East, Oxford University Press, 1897. Digitized and converted to HTML 1997 Joseph H. Peterson, avesta.org. Last updated Mar 2, 2021. 1 Foreword The Denkard is a ninth century encyclopedia of the Zoroastrian religion, but with extensive quotes from materials thousands of years older, including (otherwise) lost Avestan texts. It is the single most valuable source of information on this religion aside from the Avesta. This volume contains detailed contents of the Gathic Nasks of the Ancient Canon, much of which is now lost in the original Avesta. Note however, that (as Dr. West says) “it is abundantly clear to the practised translator that Avesta phrases often underlie the Pahlavi passages which seem to be quoted at length from the original Nasks, especially in Dk. 9; but, for some of the details mentioned, there may be no older authority than a Pahlavi commentary, and this should be ever borne in mind by the sceptical critic in search of anachronisms.” I have added some comments in {} and [[]], mainly to facilitate searches. Spelling of technical terms have also been normalized to conform with other texts in this series. Wherever possible I have used the spellings of F.M. Kotwal and J. Boyd, A Guide to the Zoroastrian Religion, Scholars Press, 1982. The original S.B.E. volumes used a system of transliteration which was misleading to the casual reader, and no longer adopted. As an example “chinwad” (bridge) (Kotwal and Boyd) was transliterated in S.B.E. -
A Daily Gatha Prayer
Weekly Zoroastrian Scripture Extract # 195 – A Daily Gatha Prayer of 16 verses based on Ahura Mazda's advice to Zarathushtra to drive away evil - Vendidad 11.1 - 2 Hello all Tele Class friends: A Daily Gatha Prayer – A Suggestion: In our WZSEs #192 – 194, we discussed the question by Zarathushtra answered by Ahura Mazda for the prayers to be recited to ward of evil from a dead body (Vendidad 11.1 – 2). There are 16 verses instructed by Ahura Mazda. We suggest that these verses from Gathas can also be used as a Daily Gatha Prayer for all to recite. In this WZSE #195, we present this prayer. I apologize for the length of this WZSE. Hope you enjoy reading and listening and following up as a prayer. And would like to hear your thoughts. Background: Our Vakhshur-e-Vakhshuraan Zarathushtra Spitamaan, in his Gathas, asks many questions to Ahura Mazda, but Ahura Mazda never replies him; instead Zarathushtra figures out the answers by using his Vohu Mana, the Good Mind! Later Avestan writers of Vendidad, Yashts, etc. thought this mode of questions and answers between Zarathushtra and Ahura Mazda, can be a powerful way to expound their own interpretations of our religion but in their questions by Zarathushtra, Ahura Mazda answers them right away! This gave their interpretations a powerful support! We see such questions and answers all over Vendidad, Yashts, etc.. Age of Vendidad has been debated in literature for a long time. It could be between 300 to 800 BC or earlier. According to Dinkard, our religion had 21 Nasks (volumes) on various subjects. -
Weekly Zoroastrian Scripture Extract # 343: Oh Zarathushtra! Prayer Is
Weekly Zoroastrian Scripture Extract # 343: Oh Zarathushtra! Prayer is good for the people of the world - Sarosh Yasht Haadokht - Karda 1 - Verses 1 - 3 Hello all Tele Class friends: Sarosh (Sraosha) Yasht Haadokht and Sarosh Yasht Vadi Sarosh Yazata is a very important Zarathushtri Angel associated with mankind and is usually referred to as his/her conscience. He safeguards him/her against demons especially during nights. He accompanies the soul of a person after death for three days and nights and accompany it on the fourth dawn to Chinvat Bridge for his/her judgement together with Mithra and Rashne Yazatas. Sarosh Yazata has two Yashts (Yasht 11 and 11a and Yasna 57) dedicated to him – Sarosh Yasht Haadokht and Sarosh Yasht Vadi (longer). Sarosh Yasht Haadokht can be recited anytime but not in Rapithwan Geh; whereas, Sarosh Yasht Vadi is recited in Aiwisruthrem Geh. Zarathushtra mentions Sarosh in his Gathas many times together with Ameshaa Spentaas. “In the Gathas, Sraosha's primary function is to propagate conscience and the beauty of life, secondly the religion of Ahura Mazda to humanity, as Sraosha himself learned it from Ahura Mazda. Directly evident in the Gathas is the description as the strongest, the sturdiest, the most active, the swiftest, and the most awe-inspiring of youths and as the figure that the poor look to for support.” (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sraosha) Yasht Baa Maaeni Preface about Yashts – Dr. Ervad Rooyintan Peshotan Peer Our own celebrated, much revered Avesta/Pahlavi Scholar, Ervad Kavasji Edulji Kanga (fondly referred to as Kangaji) translated word-by-word the whole extant Avesta literature in Gujarati, a monumental work to date. -
Mecusi Geleneğinde Tektanrıcılık Ve Düalizm Ilişkisi
T.C. İSTANBUL ÜN İVERS İTES İ SOSYAL B İLİMLER ENST İTÜSÜ FELSEFE VE D İN B İLİMLER İ ANAB İLİM DALI DİNLER TAR İHİ B İLİM DALI DOKTORA TEZ İ MECUS İ GELENE Ğİ NDE TEKTANRICILIK VE DÜAL İZM İLİŞ KİSİ Mehmet ALICI (2502050181) Tez Danı şmanı: Prof.Dr. Şinasi GÜNDÜZ İstanbul 2011 T.C. İSTANBUL ÜN İVERS İTES İ SOSYAL B İLİMLER ENST İTÜSÜ FELSEFE VE D İN B İLİMLER İ ANAB İLİM DALI DİNLER TAR İHİ B İLİM DALI DOKTORA TEZ İ MECUS İ GELENE Ğİ NDE TEKTANRICILIK VE DÜAL İZM İLİŞ KİSİ Mehmet ALICI (2502050181) Tez Danı şmanı: Prof.Dr. Şinasi GÜNDÜZ (Bu tez İstanbul Üniversitesi Bilimsel Ara ştırma Projeleri Komisyonu tarafından desteklenmi ştir. Proje numarası:4247) İstanbul 2011 ÖZ Bu çalı şma Mecusi gelene ğinde tektanrıcılık ve düalizm ili şkisini ortaya çıkı şından günümüze kadarki tarihsel süreç içerisinde incelemeyi hedef edinir. Bu ba ğlamda Mecusilik üç temel teolojik süreç çerçevesinde ele alınmaktadır. Bu ba ğlamda birinci teolojik süreçte Mecusili ğin kurucusu addedilen Zerdü şt’ün kendisine atfedilen Gatha metninde tanrı Ahura Mazda çerçevesinde ortaya koydu ğu tanrı tasavvuru incelenmektedir. Burada Zerdü şt’ün anahtar kavram olarak belirledi ği tanrı Ahura Mazda ve onunla ili şkilendirilen di ğer ilahi figürlerin ili şkisi esas alınmaktadır. Zerdü şt sonrası Mecusi teolojisinin şekillendi ği Avesta metinleri ikinci teolojik süreci ihtiva etmektedir. Bu dönem Zerdü şt’ten önceki İran’ın tanrı tasavvurlarının yeniden kutsal metne yani Avesta’ya dahil edilme sürecini yansıtmaktadır. Dolayısıyla Avesta edebiyatı Zerdü şt sonrası dönü şen bir teolojiyi sunmaktadır. Bu noktada ba şta Ahura Mazda kavramı olmak üzere, Zerdü şt’ün Gatha’da ortaya koydu ğu mefhumların de ğişti ği görülmektedir. -
FEZANA Journal Do Not Necessarily Reflect the Views of FEZANA Or Members of This Publication's Editorial Board
FEZANA JOURNAL FEZANA WINTER ZEMESTAN 1378 AY 3747 ZRE VOL. 23, NO. 4 WINTER/DECEMBER 2009 G WINTER/DECEMBER 2009 JOURNALJODae – Behman – Spendarmad 1378 AY (Fasli) G Amordad – Shehrever – Meher 1379 AY (Shenshai) G Shehrever – Meher – Avan 1379 AY (Kadimi) Also Inside: Parliament oof the World’s Religions, Melbourne Parliamentt oof the World’s Religions:Religions: A shortshort hihistorystory Zarathustiss join in prayers for world peace in Pittsburgh Book revieew:w Thus Spake the Magavvs by Silloo Mehta PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA afezanajournal-winter2009-v15 page1-46.qxp 11/2/2009 5:01 PM Page 1 PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF ZOROASTRIAN ASSOCIATIONS OF NORTH AMERICA Vol 23 No 4 Winter / December 2009 Zemestan 1378 AY - 3747 ZRE President Bomi V Patel www.fezana.org Editor in Chief: Dolly Dastoor 2 Editorial [email protected] Technical Assistant: Coomi Gazdar Dolly Dastoor Assistant to Editor Dinyar Patel Consultant Editor: Lylah M. Alphonse, 4ss Coming Event [email protected] Graphic & Layout: Shahrokh Khanizadeh, www.khanizadeh.info Cover design: Feroza Fitch, 5 FEZANA Update [email protected] Publications Chair: Behram Pastakia Columnists: 16 Parliament of the World’s Religions Hoshang Shroff: [email protected] Shazneen Rabadi Gandhi : [email protected] Yezdi Godiwalla [email protected] Behram Panthaki: [email protected] 47 In the News Behram Pastakia: [email protected] Mahrukh Motafram: [email protected] Copy editors: R Mehta, V Canteenwalla -
Oral Character of Middle Persian Literature – New Perspective
ROCZNIK ORIENTALISTYCZNY, T. LXVII, Z. 1, 2014, (s. 151–168) MATEUSZ MIKOŁAJ KŁAGISZ Oral Character of Middle Persian Literature – New Perspective Abstract From the very beginning oral transmission of texts played a significant role in the Iranian world. It became a main topic of several works by Bailey (1943), Boyce (1957, 1968), de Menasce (1973), Skjærvø (1384hš), Smurzyński (2006) and Tafazzoli (1378hš). In my paper I try to depict the problem of orality in Middle Persian literature once again, but this time using some tools developed by Ong. On the other hand, it is highly likely that at least the “obscurity” is addressed to works of the 9th century that also contain material which at one time was transmitted orally, but which themselves were products of a written culture. Their style is difficult because the authors wrote in long, complicated sentences. Most of these sentences are in no way adopted to be transmitted by heart. Key words Middle Persian, literature, orality, influence In this article I would like to deal with the problem of orality and its influence on the formal structure of written Middle Persian texts. I use the adjective ‘written’ deliberately because most of Middle Persian texts, that we have at our disposal now, existed originally as unwritten and only later were written down. Paradoxically, it means that we are able to gain some information about orality literature only from some printed sources. The question of orality (and literacy) was elaborated by different Orientalists, but in my paper I am using Walter Jackson Ong’s method of analysis of texts existing first of all as acoustic waves.1 From this point of view, my paper is situated within the framework of today’s research on pre-Islamic literature in Iran but offers a new perspective. -
Zoroastrians Their Religious Beliefs and Practices
Library of Religious Beliefs and Practices General Editor: John R. Hinnells The University, Manchester In the series: The Sikhs W. Owen Cole and Piara Singh Sambhi Zoroastrians Their Religious Beliefs and Practices MaryBoyce ROUTLEDGE & KEGAN PAUL London, Boston and Henley HARVARD UNIVERSITY, UBRARY.: DEe 1 81979 First published in 1979 by Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd 39 Store Street, London WC1E 7DD, Broadway House, Newtown Road, Henley-on-Thames, Oxon RG9 1EN and 9 Park Street, Boston, Mass. 02108, USA Set in 10 on 12pt Garamond and printed in Great Britain by Lowe & BrydonePrinters Ltd Thetford, Norfolk © Mary Boyce 1979 No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except for the quotation of brief passages in criticism British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data Boyce, Mary Zoroastrians. - (Libraryof religious beliefs and practices). I. Zoroastrianism - History I. Title II. Series ISBN 0 7100 0121 5 Dedicated in gratitude to the memory of HECTOR MUNRO CHADWICK Elrington and Bosworth Professor of Anglo-Saxon in the University of Cambridge 1912-4 1 Contents Preface XJ1l Glossary xv Signs and abbreviations XIX \/ I The background I Introduction I The Indo-Iranians 2 The old religion 3 cult The J The gods 6 the 12 Death and hereafter Conclusion 16 2 Zoroaster and his teaching 17 Introduction 17 Zoroaster and his mission 18 Ahura Mazda and his Adversary 19 The heptad and the seven creations 21 .. vu Contents Creation and the Three Times 25 Death and the hereafter 27 3 The establishing of Mazda -
Denkard VI and Status of Sassanid Kings
J. Basic. Appl. Sci. Res., 3(1)1124-1132, 2013 ISSN 2090-4304 Journal of Basic and Applied © 2013, TextRoad Publication Scientific Research www.textroad.com Denkard VI and Status of Sassanid Kings Mehrangiz Kiani Haft Lang PhD candidate in the field of Ancient Culture Languages at the Science and Research Branch of Islamic Azad University .Tehran, Iran ABSTRACT The sixth book of denkard contains a lot of advices that promise people future prosperity with justifying good and evil. Although, none of the Sassanid kings are explicitly addressed in the book, some sayings imply to the circumstances of sassanian dynasty in different periods. Advices in denkard VI are mainly quoted by early sages (Poryōtkēšān) and some topics raised in advices are considered as a guide for people and rulers in material and spiritual life. In this article it will be tried to present a detailed discussion on religion, consultation, wisdom, moderation, heresy, dervishes and contentment in sassanid period based on denkard VI. KEYWORDS: people, religion, world, good, evil. INTRODUCTION Advices in denkard VI mostly quoted worldview and beliefs of ancient sages for improvement of society. In fact, they expressed their ideas and experiences in form of advice for guidance or warning of people. What kings said upon their accession to the throne, or on departing the material world could also be regarded as advice. Some rulers tended to record their opinions even on their personal accessories in order to dominate their will over people. Xšaθra Vaīrya signifies a favorable reign that is based on the God’s will, heeds the poor and overcomes the evil. -
Ardibehesht Yasht
Ardibehesht Yasht Through Fire do we approach Thee, O Ahura Mazda! (Yasna 36.1) Introduction: Ardibehesht is the Pahlavi name for the Avestan Asha Vahishta. Ardibehesht Ameshaspand presides over the Creation of Fire. Fire is the most perfect and unadulterated reflection, in the Spiritual World as on Earth, of the One Eternal Flame. It is the origin and the end of every material thing. It is the Divine Substance; it is heat, light, motion and intellect! Yasna 17.11 mentions Fire not only in its visible forms, but also in its invisible forms. The Invisible or Spiritual Fire is the Cosmic Energy, the Divine Light of Ahura Mazda pervading every atom of the Universe, transmuting matter to spirit, ultimately realizing the Goal of Frashogard. Yasna 31.7 states that Creation began with Ahura Mazda’s First Thought. He first thought of creating the Heavenly Realms filled with Light! Additionally, Yasna 29.7 reveals that Ahura Mazda framed the Holy Manthra through Asha! Holy Manthra is the Divine Word, “Ahunavar”, whose consequential resonances manifested as “staot”, the science of colors, sound, light, numbers and shapes. “Asha” indicates the Immutable Laws of Nature which are the result of the First Thought/Light, in charge of Asha Vahishta (Yasna 54). As established, the Word/Sound (Manthra) is produced by the Primordial Thought/Light of Ahura Mazda. The Ardibehesht Yasht emphasizes the interrelationship of light and sound as forms of energy. Thunder and lightening are a simple example of how light and sound are unified. That Fire is related to sound or speech is also evident from the Atash Niyayesh, karda 4, wherein it is stated that Atash grants wisdom and “fluent tongue”. -
Exploring the Gathas
Exploring the Gathas: Creation — Amesha Spentas Good and Evil — Reward and Retribution — Ervad Behram M. Panthaki Ushta-no zato Athrava, yo Spitamo Zarathushtro Fortunate are we that the Teacher was born, Spitama Zarathushtra (Yasna xii - 94) Introduction Gatha is an Avesta word meaning ‘a song, a hymn, a divine song.’ As the name implies, the Gathas are the divine songs and are metrical chants of Zarathushtra himself. These are expressively stated to be five in number, and “of Zarathushtra Spitama” (Yasna 57.8). Each of the five Gathas consists of one to seven Haitis - Has - Sections/Chapters, grouped in the Gathas on the basis of their five different metres (3-5-4- 3-4). The second to fifth Gathas are named after their respective opening words where as the first Gatha, the Ahunavaiti Gatha, is named after Yatha Ahu Vairyo [Ahuna Vairiya (Yasna 27.13)] which evidently had been counted as the beginning of the Gathas in an earlier compilation of the Yasna. Thus we have the following subdivision of the Gatha collection with their Avesta names, meaning, with corresponding numbers of the cantos of the Yasna: 1. Ahunavaiti (Divine Will) Yasna 28-34 2. Ushtavaiti (Bliss) Yasna 43-46 3. Spenta-Mainyu (Bountiful Wisdom) Yasna 47-50 4. Vohu-Khshathra (Beneficent authority) Yasna 51 5. Vahishtoishti (the highest Boon) Yasna 53 The Gathas must be judged by themselves and in the light of their own contents. The thought of the Gathas is really profound. The Gathas are spiritual in the fullest sense of the term. Therefore, it is essential to lift up their message to spiritual heights and never to understand them at the ordinary earthly level. -
Vandidad Has Firm Connection with Gathas
Vandidad has firm connection with Gathas Friends, Following article was published on Amordad News on August 29, 2009. The link was posted on zna newsgroup earlier. It describes how the Vendidad is an important scripture which was written with the Gathas in mind. Regards, Maneck Bhujwala ------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- -- Farid Shoulizadeh in a meeting in Bonyad Jamshid ‘Vandidad’ has firm connection with Gathas By Shahdad Heidari, Amordad correspondent TEHRAN (Amordadnews) : There are many who avoid even mentioning the name of ‘Vandidad’ because they think that this book belongs to the past and its percepts are no more applicable. This is a wrong understanding and has prevented scholars of Zoroastrian scripts from studying Vandadad. While, there are clear and obvious reasons to show that the mentality of the composers of Vandidad have had strong connection with Gathas (Zarathushtra’ s hymns). In a meeting on “The connection of Vandidad with Gathas” Farid Shoulizadeh stated the above, and referring to the meaning of religious jurisprudence, added: “Vandidad book can be considered as gist of jurisprudence, or in other words, religious law. Religious laws are the pillars of every religion and an outer reaction of the ideology and mentality of the believers of a religion, therefore religious laws cannot be separated from a religion. All through history the system was that the religious leaders have interpreted the outer behaviors in a frame of some kind of customs in order to guide the outer behaviors and the inner behaviors (mind) of the believers of a religion, in the same direction (with the same ideology and insight). These customs and interpreted behaviors have the ability to become updated, though the main structure and entirety of the religion cannot be changed.