(A strengthening blessing is the thought, a blessing is the word, a blessing is the deed of the righteous Zarathustra. May the Bountiful Immortals accept and help on the chants. Homage to you, O sacred Gâthas !)

With venerating (desire) for this (gift) of gracious help, O Mazda , and stretching forth my hands (to Thee) I pray for the first (blessing) of (Thy) bountiful Spirit; (that is, I beseech of Thee that my) actions (toward) all (may be performed) in (the Divine) Righteousness; and with this I implore from Thee the understanding of Thy Benevolent Mind, in order that I may propitiate the Soul of the Kine (our herds and folk, which cries so bitterly to Thee).

And therefore, O Great Creator, the Living Lord! (inspired) by Thy Benevolent Mind, I approach You , (and beseech of Thee ) to grant me (as a bountiful gift) for both the worlds, the corporeal and (for that) of mind, those attainments which are to be derived from the (Divine) Righteousness, and by means of which (that personified Righteousness within us) may introduce those who are its recipients into beatitude and glory !

O (thou Divine) Righteousness, and thou Benevolent Mind (of Deity)! I will worship you, and Ahura Mazda the first , for all of whom the Pious ready mind (within us) is causing the imperishable Kingdom to advance. (And while I thus utter my supplications to You), come Ye to my calls to help !

(Yea, I will approach You with my supplications, I) who am delivering up (my) mind and soul to that (heavenly) Mount (whither all the redeemed at last must pass ), knowing (full well) the holy characteristics and rewards of the (ceremonial and moral) actions (prescribed) by Ahura Mazda. (And) so long as I am able and may have the power, so long will I teach (Your people concerning these holy deeds to be done by them with faith toward God, and) in the desire (for the coming) of the (Divine) Righteousness (within their souls) .

And, thou Righteousness! when shall I see (thee, knowing the Good Mind (of God), and above all the personified) Obedience (of our lives which constitutes) the way to the most beneficent Ahura Mazda. (Asking this, I thus beseech thee, for) with this holy word of supplication we most hold off with tongue the flesh-devouring fiends, (the very sign and power of all spiritual foulness) !

And do Thou, O Lord, the Great Creator! come to me with Thy Good Mind; and do Thou, who bestowest gifts through Thy Righteousness, bestow alike long-lasting life on us. And (that this life may be spent aright, do) Thou by means of Thy lofty words (bestow) the (needed) powerful spiritual help upon Zarathustra and upon us , whereby we may overcome the torments of the tormentor.

(And) do thou, O (Divine) Righteousness, bestow (upon me) that sacred blessing which is constituted by the attainments of the Good Mind (within my soul) ; and do thou also, O Piety! grant unto Vîstâspa and to me our wish; (yea) may’st Thou grant (us), O Mazda, ruler (as Thou art! that grace) whereby we may hear (with understanding) Thy benignant words.

That best (of gifts therefore) do I beseech (of Thee), O Thou best (of beings) Ahura! who art one in will with (Thy Divine) Righteousness (within us, likewise), the best (of spirits), desiring it (as I now do) for the (heroic) man Frashaostra, and for me , upon whom also may’st Thou bestow it (not for time alone), but for all the ages of Thy Good Mind (that reign of Thy Benevolence which shall be to us as Heaven )!

And (impressed and moved) by these gifts of strengthening grace (which Thou may’st give in answer to these prayers) may we never anger You, O Ahura Mazda! (nor Thy) Righteousness (within us), nor yet Thy Kindly Mind (toward us), since we have most earnestly made effort (helping to advance Your cause) in the (chanted) offering of Your praisers, for most easy to be invoked (are Ye). (Yours are verily both) the desire for (spiritual) blessings (for us), and the (Divine) Possession (of their power) .

And therefore do Thou, O Lord, the Great Creator! fill up and satisfy (my ) desire with these attainments (of the grace) of Thy Good Mind, which Thou dost know to be derived from Righteousness, (and) which (are verily) sublime , for I have known Thine instructions to be never void of their effect (in the struggles) for our (daily) food , and therefore worthy objects of desire .

(Yea, I approach Thee with my prayers, I) who by these (great gifts of grace) will protect ((Thy) Divine Righteousness, and (Thy) Good Mind within us) for ever. And do Thou therefore, O Ahura Mazda! teach me from Thyself, yea, from Thine own mouth of spirit, that I may declare it forth to (these Thy waiting people) by what (powers and according to what laws ) the primeval world arose ! 17:1 Yânîm cannot well mean 'revealed,' except by the most farfetched conception. The Indian yâna, as in devâ´yna, should give the fundamental idea, easily reconcileable as it is with the ancient rendering of the Pahlavi translator. 17:2 Notice that the Ameshôspends are mentioned in this early heading. In the Gâthas themselves the name, 'Bountiful Immortals,' does not occur. 17:3 Possibly, 'take up and continue on the Gâthas.' Literally, 'seize forth.' 17:4 It is hardly necessary to say that this is no part of the Gâthas. It is, however, in the Gâthic dialect, and as it needs not, or perhaps cannot, be considered an intentional imitation, it must be very old. 17:5 Vocative with the Vendîdâd Sâdah, otherwise the accumulation of genitives would be suspicious. Ahura is, however, beyond any question elsewhere spoken of as 'the most bounteous Spirit.' The usage is like that of the Semitic scriptures; the Holy Spirit is both God and 'of God.' As to the rendering 'bounteous,' I fear that 'holiest' (so many) is too bold. Ashavan occurs side by side with spenta as applied to Ahura, and ashavan cannot mean 'righteous' there, but must mean 'holy.' The Pahlavi renders etymologically afzûnîk. Comp. svânta. The sole etymological bases for the meaning 'holy' are presented by the Lithuanian and Ecclesiastical Sclavonic; but, as Justi has well remarked, in the conceptions of the Avesta that which increases the kingdom of Ahura is equivalent to what is holy. 'Bountiful' must therefore be understood in a particular sense, only to be rendered by the words, 'gracious, sacred, and august.' 18:1 See Y. XXIX, 1. 18:2 The plural of majesty, or the literal plural, referring to the Bountiful Immortals as together. 18:3 Plural and singular interchange throughout. 18:4 Possibly, 'one may introduce.' 18:5 See Y. L, 5. Hvâthrâ and its allied forms are so often associated with raokah and the like, that I do not hesitate to accept an Iranian hvan = to shine (with Justi). As there is an Indian svar which means 'to roar,' and another 'to shine,' and again a svan = to sound, so in Iranian there is a hvan = to sound, and another = to shine, as in asmanem hvanvantem. The 'comfortable stone heaven' is difficult. Comfortable, or even 'delectable mountains' so we should have to say elsewhere), are not very likely to have been recognised or appreciated in the Avesta. 'Glorious beatitude' is a better rendering here. If hvâthrâ always means 'comfort,' how comes it that hvarenô is said to be hvâthravat? 'Comfortable glory' is hardly probable. Compare also the ancient subha. When it is the fashion to accept a separate Iranian root at every difficulty, small and great, I see no reason for stopping here, where the pressure is considerable. The Pahlavi also may be read to favour my view. (Comp. hveng = hvan.) 19:1 Or, 'having no first' (Roth, reading apourvîm). 19:2 I am very far from a positive rejection of the forms suggested by the Pahlavi translator, although he should never be pressed on such a point, being often free. As alternative read 'may Piety who bestows increase (fem. participle) come to my calls to give grace.' 19:3 The Pahlavi translator, unable to credit 'ye as = I who' (so also modern authority sometimes with regard to other occurrences of ye in this chapter), renders as follows: When I shall be your own (thus for 'worship,' and possibly deceived by the form of the words, ufyânî and nafsman being nearly alike in the Pahlavi character), O Ashavahist and Vohûman! the first [ ], Aûharmazd's also [his own I shall be], through whose unweakened acquisition his rule over them exists [ ], and [hers also I shall be], Spendarmad's, the giver of increase. She comes to me with joy when I invoke her [when I shall call upon you, come ye on toward me with joy]. (A plain and noticeable instance of an alternative rendering in the gloss. The verb was first thought of as a 3rd sing. middle subjunctive, afterwards as an imperative 2nd plural.) 19:4 Meñ = m + the nasal vowel, and may represent man, or I think also mãm, adverbially for menâ; or 'mân' = 'demânê.' 19:5 Mount Alborg, where the Kinvat Bridge extends; so also important authority; but we might read mengairê = mângairê (Garôdman). 19:6 Ashi, a blessing given in reward; so elsewhere. 20:1 I think it is better to hold by the parallel passage and the sense of 'teach' here. The Pahlavi has an irregular form which probably means 'I teach,' but might be intended for 'I am taught.' After the words 'so long as I have the power,' 'I will teach' is rather more natural than 'I will learn.' Haug's rendering of this word has never been accepted. Those most opposed to tradition follow it here. Perhaps, 'I will teach to desire R.' 20:2 The Pahlavi translation corrected by MSS. may be rendered thus: He who gives up his soul within Garôdmân does so by the aid of Vohûman [ ], and is also intelligent concerning the veneration which belongs to the doers of good works [ ] in that which is Aûharmazd's [religion]; as long as I am a suppliant and have [the power, so long do I inculcate the desire of Righteousness which is, duty and good works]. 20:3 Kadâ´ mrilîkám sumánâ abhí khyam (Rv. VII, 86, 2). 20:4 Obedience, throughout the Avesta and Parsi literature, guides the soul to heaven. 20:5 Or, 'knowing the throne of Ahura' (so the Pahlavi, most scholars following); but the construction would be awkward. 'Finding the way' occurs in the Riks, and gâtu need not always mean 'place' in the Gâthic, because it has that sense most frequently in the Zend. 20:6 Possibly, 'we may teach the foul polluted men.' Or, 'confess the greatest One with Khrafstra(-slaying) tongue.' Perhaps the text is to be amended; yet see XXXIV, 5, 9. 20:7 The Pahlavi translation may be rendered thus: O Ashavahist! when do (shall) I see thee? I know this one by means p. 21 of a good mind's instruction [that is, I see thee in that time when every man is intelligent because he is pious; but when shall it be?]. And the place of Aûharmazd, when do (shall) I see it, I who am a suppliant for a benefit? That place is known through Srôsh [ ], that greatest of Mãthras is to be taught, given forth with tongue to him whose understanding is confused. 21:1 It certainly involves a question how the words 'to Zarathustra and to us' can be compatible with Zarathustra's authorship. Vîstâspa and Frashaostra (verses 8, 9) are equally excluded. Who is then the individual who thus refers to himself with others? And is this verse an interpolation, and with it 8 and 9? This last seems to me a very feeble suggestion. Was this piece, together with the rest (for they all are connected), the work of some unnamed man of influence, the true author of Zarathustrianism? I think that there is also little gained by this supposition. There is no particular reason why Zarathustra's name should have come down to us as the chief figure, while that of the prime mover failed to reach us. I should say that the piece was composed by Zarathustra and put into the mouth of a leading priest, or that it was composed with many others under his inspiration. Or, can there have been a school, or family, of Zarathustrians, religious poets, similar to the Vedic seers? (See chap. LIII, 2 Zarathustris Spitâmô.) 21:2 This mention of 'overcoming an enemy,' strengthens the probability of my view of vâvarôimaidî (vâurôimaidî). 21:3 The Good Mind is now, as we should say, 'the Spirit of God' in the mind of God, and again His Spirit in the human soul. 22:1 The Pahlavi correctly renders pâdakhshâ. 22:2 Probably originally heard, inspired words. Compare Manyeus hakâ Thwâ aunghâ, verse 12. So often. Oral communications are figuratively alluded to everywhere. No literal articulation or sound (!) is of course intended. (Or 'sravayaêmâ = proclaim.') Neryosangh may be rendered as follows: Grant, O Sanctity! this devotion which (results) from the priority (an error from misreading the characters of the Pahlavi, chiefly his original) of the Good Mind [that is, make me so religious that prosperity may result [to me from my good conduct]. Grant thou to the perfect mind in, or to, the earth (so the Parsis understood Âramaiti)] the wish that proceeds from Gustâspa and from my people [ ]. Grant praisers, O great wise One! kings, who may be announcers of your word, and bestowers of arrangements (for the service); [that is, who may teach thy word, and render it progressive]. 22:3 The earliest occurrence of Asha Vahista. The Pahlavi: 'Since the best thing that Thou hast [Thy Religion] is better than all other things, the best through Righteousness.' 22:4 See verses 7 and 8. 22:5 In the millennial (sic) renovation as well as in heaven. See chap. XXX, 4, where Vahista Manah is equivalent to heaven. The Pahlavi gloss has: Aîgh Frashôstar va hâvistân î Frashôstar, vad tanû î pasînŏ hamâî nadûkîh padas vâdan; that is, for Frashôstar and the disciples of Frashôstar for ever, until the final body provide a benefit thereby. 23:1 Possibly, 'may we not anger you with our prayers for these blessings.' Kím me havyám áhrinâno gusheta. 23:2 That dasemê may now better be referred to a similar root with dasvare, I regard the more probable because the Pahlavi also freely renders as if it so understood. Its author knew the meaning of dasema = dasama. One is reminded of course of the dása-gva. 23:3 The Pahlavi with its peculiar view of anâis (not to be rejected too confidently; see note at another occurrence of it) is interesting (as corrected by the Persian MS.): On account of a not-coming to you, O Aûharmazd! This I would not do [ ]. Ashavahist also I will not pain for the sake of a blessing; [that is, I do not desire a single blessing which appears displeasing to Ashavahist (this turn of the sense is followed by some who have hitherto opposed tradition, but I cannot follow it, although I value every hint of the ancient writers). Also Vohûman, the excellent [I do not harass him]. 23:4 Or, 'to those whom thou seest as creatures (?) of V. fill up the desire with attainments.' 23:5 Possibly, 'the righteous,' erethweng; cp. ritâ´vânas (?). Pahl. trans. 'î frârûnŏ.' 23:6 Possibly, 'I obtain.' 24:1 Ner. has analaso(-ah) for asûnâ more correctly than the Pahlavi asûdak. 24:2 Or, 'well reaching their aim;' but the Pahlavi translator gives his evidence for the meaning 'food'—khûrisnŏ. Recall the constant prayers for nourishment in the Riks. And as favouring the ancient translation, see XXIX, 7, where 'food for the eaters' is declared to be the gift of God, who is at the same time 'bounteous with his doctrine.' 24:3 Neryosangh: Evam ye dharmasya vettârah* uttamasyaka dâter manasah [ ] ekahelayâ* Mahâgñânin Svâmin! tebhyah* pûrnam parikinohi* kâmam; [kila, [ ] subham tebhyah kuru]. Evamka igisneh* analaso labhatâm khâdyâni vastrânika vadanena. 24:4 One is tempted to read nipaunghê as an infinitive, but the Pahlavi translation anticipates us all with its more critical barâ netrûnam. 24:5 This question is answered in Y. XXX. 24:6 Ner. improving upon the Pahlavi has as follows: Yadi sunirîkshanatayâ dharmam pâlayâmi manaska* uttamam sadâpravrittaye; [kila, ket satyasya sadvyâpârasyaka rakshâm karomi]. Tvam tat* Mahâgñânin Svâmin! prakrishtam me sikshâpaya* [ ] vâki. Adrisya Tvatto mukhena [sphutaya] antar bhuvane pûrvam babhûva [tâm srishtim me brûhi]. A translation truly remarkable considering the circumstances under which it was made. Next: Yasna XXX Sacred Texts | Zoroastrianism « Previous: The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31): The Gâthas: Yasn... Index Next: The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31): The Gâthas: Yasn... » Sacred Texts | Zoroastrianism