Yasts

I. ORMAZD YAST.

May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! May Angra Mainyu be destroyed! by those who do truly what is the foremost wish (of God

I 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-Speṇtas! 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 Vohû: Holiness is the best of all good. Well is it for it, well is it for that holiness which is perfection of holiness!'

I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathustra, one who hates the Daêvas and obeys the laws of Ahura

For sacrifice prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Hâvani] the holy and master of holiness;

For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Sâvanghi and Vîsya] 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, of the seasons, and of the years

Unto AHURA MAZDA, bright and glorious, be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification.

Yathâ ahû vairyô: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness: the riches of Vohû-Manô 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.

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda: ‘O 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?

‘What is the most fiend-smiting? What is the best-healing? What destroyeth best the malice of Daêvas 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 ?’

Ahura Mazda answered: 'Our Name, O Spitama Zarathustra! who are the Amesha-Speṇtas, that is the strongest part of the Holy Word; that is the most victorious; that is the most glorious; that is the most effective;

‘That is the most fiend-smiting; that is the best-healing; that destroyeth best the malice of Daêvas 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.’

Then Zarathustra 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 Daêvas and Men;

‘That I may afflict all Daêvas and Men; that I may afflict all Yatus and Pairikas that neither Daêvas nor Men may be able to afflict me; neither Yatus nor Pairikas.’

Ahura Mazda replied unto him: ‘My name is the One of whom questions are asked O holy Zarathustra!

‘My second name is the Herd-giver

‘My third name is the Strong One

‘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 understanding.

‘My eighth name is Knowledge;

‘My ninth name is the One with Knowledge.

‘My tenth name is Weal;

‘My eleventh name is He who produces weal.

‘My twelfth name is AHURA (the Lord)

‘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).

‘Worship me, O Zarathustra, by day and by 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.

‘If thou wantest, O Zarathustra, to destroy the malice of Daêvas and Men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, 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;

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.

‘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 Âthravan my name is the most Âthravan-like of all Âthravans.

‘My name is Ahura (the Lord).

‘My name is Mazdāu (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.

‘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 Maintainer.

‘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; my name is the King who rules most at his will.

‘My name is the liberal King my name is the most liberal King.

‘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 conquers 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.

‘My name is He who can benefit at his wish; my name is He who can best benefit at his wish.