Ahuna Vairya

Ahuna Vairya is the Avestan language name of the most sacred of the Gathic hymns of the Avesta, the revered texts of Zoroastrianism. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Ahura Mazda ( ae Ahura Mazdā) is the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت Asha ( aša) or arta is the Avestan language term for a concept of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept ae Amesha Spenta ( ae Aməša Spənta) is an Avestan language term for a class of divinity/divine concepts in Zoroastrianism, and literally means "Bounteous Yazata is the Avestan language word for a Zoroastrian concept For the fictional character in the Marvel Universe series see Ahura (comics; for the river see Akhurian River. Daeva ( daēuua, daāua, daēva) is the Avestan language term for a particular sort of supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics "Ahriman" redirects here For other uses see Ahriman (disambiguation. The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The Vendidad or Videvdat is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. A Zoroastrian Fire Temple is a place of worship for Zoroastrians. The Dēnkard or Dēnkart ( Middle Persian: "Acts of Religion" is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs The Bundahishn, meaning "Primal Creation" is an account of Zoroastrian cosmogony and cosmology and reflects ancient Zoroastrian and even pre-Zoroastrian beliefs The Book of Arda Viraf is a Zoroastrian religious text that describes the dream-journey of a devout Zoroastrian (the 'Viraf' of the story through the next world The Jamasp Nameh (var Jāmāsp Nāmag, Jāmāsp Nāmeh, "Story of Jamasp" is a Middle Persian book of revelations The Story of Sanjan (also Qissa-i Sanjan or Kisse-i Sanjan) is an account of the early years of Zoroastrian settlers on the Indian subcontinent Zurvanism is a now-extinct branch of Zoroastrianism that had the divinity Zurvan as its First The Zoroastrian calendar is a religious Calendar used by members of the Zoroastrian faith and it is an approximation of the (tropical Solar calendar. Zoroastrianism has numerous festivals and holy days all of which are bound to the Zoroastrian calendar. In the Zoroastrian faith marriage is encouraged an institution greatly favoured by the religious texts. Zoroastrianism eschatology is the oldest Eschatology in recorded history Zoroastrians in Iran have had a long history being the oldest religious community of that nation to survive to the present-day The Iranis are an ethno-religious community of the Indian subcontinent; descendants of Zoroastrians who emigrated from Greater Iran (in the main from Zoroastrians have faced much religious discrimination including forced conversions harassments as well as being identified as Najis "ritually impure" Avestan is an Eastern Old Iranian language that was used to compose the sacred hymns and canon of the Zoroastrian Avesta. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. Zoroastrianism (ˌzɔroʊˈæstriəˌnɪzəm is the religion and philosophy based on the teachings Subject to transliteration, the Ahuna Vairya is also known as Ahunavar, and in Middle Persian, as Ahunwar. Middle Persian is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times (224-654 CE became a Prestige dialect

The hymn, which appears in Yasna 27. Yasna ( Avestan: 'oblation' or 'worship' is the name of the primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta as well as the name of the 13, is named after its opening words yatha ahu vairyo, which cannot be translated without significant loss of meaning. Humbach refers to the Ahuna Vairya and the Artem Vohu (Ashem Vohu, Yasna 27. 14, the second most sacred invocation), as "very cryptic formulas, of a pronounced magical character. " (Humbach, 1991:1) The Ahunavaiti Gatha (chapters 28-34 of the Yasna), is named after the Ahuna Vairya hymn. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry

One interpretation captions the hymn as "The Principle of Choice", since the three lines of the invocation reflect the three choices that have to be made: ahu (frequently translated as 'lord', but is not in all translations a reference to Ahura Mazda), ratush (judgment), and kshathra (rule). Ahura Mazda ( ae Ahura Mazdā) is the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator

The Denkard, a 9th century semi-religious work, records that each volume of the nasks (that today form a significant portion of the texts of the Avesta) was initially assigned its title from a word in the Ahuna Vairya prayer (Denkard intro, 6, 8, 17, 18, 9. The Dēnkard or Dēnkart ( Middle Persian: "Acts of Religion" is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. 1. 4).

1 As an invocation
2 Ritual use
3 Translation and interpretation
4 Further reading
5 Bibliography
6 See also

As an invocation

According to the Hom Yasht, Zoroaster himself was the first mortal to recite the prayer (Yasna 9. Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت 14). Zend commentary Yasna 19. 13 notes that the invocation's efficacy derives from its primordial nature, as Ahura Mazda articulated the prayer immediately before creating the material universe. Ahura Mazda ( ae Ahura Mazdā) is the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator

Yasna 19. 10 notes that "this utterance is a thing of such a nature, that if all the corporeal and living world should learn it, and learning hold fast by it, they would be redeemed from their mortality. "

As a primordial utterance, the hymn is believed to have talismanic virtues: the power to aid mortals in distress, and inversely as a potent weapon against the daevas (modern Persian: divs, demons). Daeva ( daēuua, daāua, daēva) is the Avestan language term for a particular sort of supernatural entity with disagreeable characteristics In the earlier texts of the Avesta, the Ahuna Vairya is the "most victorious" (Yasht 11. 13), the "veracious word" (Yasna 8. 1), the "sacred gift" (Yasna 27. 7). In Vendidad 11. 3, in addition to being "most healing", frequent recitation is said to be the means to "protect the body".

The hymn's supremacy among sacred Zoroastrian formulae is even more evident in later literature.
In the Denkard ('Acts of Religion', 9th century),

four of the twenty-one nasks composed during the Sassanid era are noted to have expounded on the efficacy of the hymn (8. The Dēnkard or Dēnkart ( Middle Persian: "Acts of Religion" is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs The Sassanid Empire or Sassanian Dynasty or Sassanian Dynasty (ساسانیان) is the name used for the third Iranian dynasty and the second Persian empire 44. 1).
the prayer's potency to smite demons and protect life and property are described at length. (4. 38-45, 8. 43. 81, 9. 1. 4)
the hymn's primordial nature is seen as the root and summation of the belief in Ahura Mazda, "the seed of seeds of the reckoning of the religion. " (8. 45. 1)

According to the Bundahishn ('Original Creation', finished in the 11th or 12th century),

the spirit of the yatha ahu vairyo is the first manifestation of the luminaries that Ahura Mazda created. (12. 13-14)
in articulating the formula, Ahura Mazda made his ultimate triumph evident to "the evil spirit" (Angra Mainyu), who then fell back "confounded and impotent as to the harm he caused the creatures of Ahuramazd" (1. "Ahriman" redirects here For other uses see Ahriman (disambiguation. 29-30).

Ritual use

In addition to its recitation during the Zoroastrian daily Kusti prayers, the Ahuna Vairya formula, by virtue of its status as the most sacred of the hymns, is uttered at least once in every ritual ceremony as a part of the Yasna liturgy.

Recitation is also prescribed by the Vendidad as an act of hygiene (11. 13), and the Denkard suggests the prayer be uttered when entering a house (9. 18. 5). The Sayast ne Sayast prescribes its use when sneezing or coughing (12. 32), and recommends invocation when pouring potable liquids (10. 7). The Sayast ne Sayast additionally notes that a mumbling of the prayer is particularly offensive. (10. 25)

Translation and interpretation

Even though several translations and interpretations exist, the overall meaning of the prayer remains obscure. The terseness of the language and lack of grammatical structure make a literal translation from the old Avestan language difficult (See also: difficulties in translating the Gathas). Avestan is an Eastern Old Iranian language that was used to compose the sacred hymns and canon of the Zoroastrian Avesta. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry Translations based on middle Persian translations (and commentaries) of the hymn also exist and can differ greatly from those based on the gathic Avestan. Middle Persian is the Middle Iranian language/ethnolect of Southwestern Iran that during Sassanid times (224-654 CE became a Prestige dialect

Transliteration of the Avestan text in Latin script by Maneckji Dhalla (which is not significantly different from the 1896 version by Karl Geldner):

athā ahu vairyo athā ratush ashāt chit hachā

vangheush dazdā manangho shyaothananām angheush Mazdāi

khshathremchā ahurāi â yim dregubyo dadat vāstārem

Dhalla also notes that a corrupt form of the prayer is commonly used:

athāu veryo thāre tose sāde chide chāvanghoise dezdā manengho sotthenanām

anghyos Mazdāe khosetharamchāe orāe āiyem daregobyo daredar vāstārem

A simple translation from the Pahlavi by Darmesteter:

the will of the Lord is the law of righteousness. Avestan is an Eastern Old Iranian language that was used to compose the sacred hymns and canon of the Zoroastrian Avesta. Maneckji Nusserwanji Dhalla ( September 22, 1875 – May 25, 1956) also abbreviated M Friedrich Karl Geldner ( December 17, 1852 &ndash February 5, 1929) was a German Linguist best known for his analysis and

the gifts of the Good Mind to the deeds done in this world for Mazda.

he who relieves the poor makes Ahura king.

A translation from the Old Avestan by Windfuhr:

Whereas he shall be chosen by the world, so, according to Truth,

the judgement of deeds done by the world in Good Faith (Mind) is yielded to Mazda,

and the Power of the Ahura whom they shall assign as pastor to the poor. Avestan is an Eastern Old Iranian language that was used to compose the sacred hymns and canon of the Zoroastrian Avesta.

Other interpretations are listed in the further reading section below.

According to Brunner, the Zend commentary integrated as Yasna 19 of the Avesta sees the subject of the Ahuna Vairya formula refer to Zoroaster ("he" in Darmesteter's translation), and possibly to his successors. Later tradition (Denkard 9. 24. 1) infers no such connection, and applies it evenly to all followers of Zoroaster's teaching.

Bibliography

Insler, Stanley (1975). "The Ahuna Vairya prayer". Acta Iranica IV: The Gathas of Zarathustra. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 90-04-04399-3.
Brunner, Christopher Joseph (1984). "Ahunwar". Encyclopaedia Iranica 1. 7. Cosa Mesa: Mazda Pub.
Darmesteter, James (1883). James Darmesteter ( March 28, 1849 &ndash October 10, 1894) French Author and Antiquarian, was born of James Darmesteter ( March 28, 1849 &ndash October 10, 1894) French Author and Antiquarian, was born of Avesta: Khorda Avesta (Book of Common Prayer), Part I. as published in
Müller, Max (ed. For the Danish Colonel Max Müller see Second War of Schleswig. For the Danish Colonel Max Müller see Second War of Schleswig. ) (1898). Sacred Books of the East, Vol. The Sacred Books of the East is a monumental 50-volume set of English translations of Asian religious writings edited by Max Müller and published by the Oxford University 23.
Dhalla, Maneckji Nusservanji (1938). History of Zoroastrianism. New York: OUP.
Geldner, Karl Friedrich (1998). The Zoroastrian religion in the Avesta. Bombay: K. R. Cama Oriental Institute.
Humbach, Helmut, Joseph Elefenbein, Prods O. Skjærvø (1991). The Gāthās of Zarathushtra and other Old Avestan texts, Part II, Commentary. Heidelberg: Winter, 1-15, 248.
Mills, Lawrence Heyworth (1887). The Rev Dr Lawrence Heyworth Mills ( 1837 - January 29[[ 918]] who generally published as L The Rev Dr Lawrence Heyworth Mills ( 1837 - January 29[[ 918]] who generally published as L Avesta: Yasna. as published in
Müller, Max (ed. For the Danish Colonel Max Müller see Second War of Schleswig. For the Danish Colonel Max Müller see Second War of Schleswig. ) (1898). Sacred Books of the East, Vol. The Sacred Books of the East is a monumental 50-volume set of English translations of Asian religious writings edited by Max Müller and published by the Oxford University 31.

Dictionary

-proper noun

(Zoroastrianism) Avestan language name of the most sacred of the Gathic hymns of the Avesta, the revered texts of Zoroastrianism.

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