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 principal Zoroastrian act of worship at which those verses are recited. 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. Ahuna Vairya is the Avestan language name of the most sacred of the Gathic hymns of the Avesta, the revered texts of Zoroastrianism. 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 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

A well-trained priest is able to recite the entire Yasna in about two hours. (Stausberg, 2004:337,n131) With extensions, it takes about an hour longer. Yasna chapter and verse pointers are traditionally abbreviated with Y.

Contents 1 The service 2 The liturgy 2.1 Content and organization 3 Bibliography 4 See also 5 External links

The service

Main article: Ab-Zohr

The Yasna service, that is, the recitation of the Yasna texts, culminates in the Ab-Zohr, the "offering to waters". Ab-Zohr (āb-zōhr is the culminating rite of the greater Yasna service the principal Zoroastrian act of worship that accompanies the recitation of the Ab-Zohr (āb-zōhr is the culminating rite of the greater Yasna service the principal Zoroastrian act of worship that accompanies the recitation of the The Yasna ceremony may be extended by recitation of the Visperad and Vendidad. Visperad or Visprad is either a particular Zoroastrian religious ceremony or the name given to a passage collection within the greater Avesta compendium The Vendidad or Videvdat is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta.

As the name of the service, the term Yasna is linguistically (but not functionally) cognate with Vedic Yajna. This article discusses the historical religious practices in the Vedic time period see Hinduism and Indian religions for details In Hinduism, Yajna ( Devanagari यज्ञ IAST yajña; also anglicized as Yagna, Yagya or Yadnya Unlike Vedic Yajna, Zoroastrian Yasna has "to do with water rather than fire" (Drower, 1944:78; Boyce, 1975:147-191)

The liturgy

Yasna 28. 1, Ahunavaiti Gatha (Bodleian MS J2) The texts of the Yasna are organized into 72 chapters, also known as hads or has (from Avestan ha'iti, 'cut'). The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The 72 threads of the Zoroastrian Kusti - the sacred girdle worn around the waist - represent the 72 chapters of the Yasna. The collection includes the 17 chapters of the Gathas, the oldest and most sacred texts of the Zoroastrian canon. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry Some sections of the Yasna occur more than once. For instance, Yasna 5 is repeated as Yasna 37, and Yasna 63 consists of passages from Yasna 15. 2, 66. 2 and 38. 3. The ability to recite the Yasna from memory is one of the prerequisites for Zoroastrian priesthood.

Content and organization

• Yasna 1 opens with the praise of Ahura Mazda, enumerating his divine titles as the Creator, "radiant, glorious, the greatest, the best, the most beautiful, the most firm, the most wise, of the most perfect form, the highest in righteousness, possessed of great joy, creator, fashioner, nourisher, and the Most Holy Spirit. Ahura Mazda ( ae Ahura Mazdā) is the Avestan language name for a divinity exalted by Zoroaster as the one uncreated Creator " (Dhalla, 1936:155). Yasna 1 then enumerates the divinities, inviting them to the service.
• Yasna 2, the Barsom Yasht, presents libation and the barsom (a bundle of 23 twigs bound together, symbolizing sanctity) to the invited divinities. The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. Yasna 2-4 complement Yasna 1. Most verses in Yasna 2-3 begin with the formula ayese yeshti …, "by means of this sacrifice, I call …", followed by the name of the divinity being invoked.
• Yasna 3-8 known collectively as the Sarosh dron, presents other offerings (zaothra). Sraosha is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian divinity of "Obedience" or "Observance" which Yasna 3 draws the attention of the divinities invoked in Yasna 1, and in Yasna 4, the offerings are consecrated to the divinities. Yasna 5 is repeated in Yasna 37. Yasna 6 is almost identical to the first 10 verses of Yasna 17.
• Yasna 9-11 is the Hom Yasht, a collection of eulogies to the Haoma plant and its divinity. The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. Haoma is the Avestan language name of a plant and its divinity both of which play a role in Zoroastrian doctrine and in later Persian culture and mythology
• Yasna 12 constitutes the Fravarane, the Zoroastrian creed and declaration of faith. It is in "Artificial" Gathic Avestan, that is, it is stylistically and linguistically aligned with the language of the Gathas, but imperfectly. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The last strophe of verse 7 as well as all of verses 8 and 9 are incorporated into the Kusti ritual.
• Yasna 13-18 are comparable to Yasna 1-8 in that they too are a collection of invocations to the divinities. Chapters 14-18 serve as an introduction to the Staota Yesniia of Yasna 19-59. The first 10 verses of Yasna 17, "to the fires, waters, plants", is almost identical to Yasna 6.
• Yasna 19-21, the Bhagan Yasht, are commentaries on the three 'high prayers' of Yasna 28-53.
• Yasna 22-26 is another set of invocations to the divinities.
• Yasna 27 has the prayers referred to by Yasna 19-21. These are:
  • The Ahuna Vairya invocation (also known as the Yatha Ahu Vairyo), the most sacred of all Zoroastrian prayers. Ahuna Vairya is the Avestan language name of the most sacred of the Gathic hymns of the Avesta, the revered texts of Zoroastrianism.
  • The Ashem vohu
  • The Yenghe hatam
• Yasna 28-53 include the (linguistically) oldest texts of the Zoroastrian canon. 17 of the 26 chapters make up the Gathas, the most sacred hymns of Zoroastrianism and thought to have been composed by Zoroaster himself. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry Zoroaster ( Latinized from Greek variants) or Zarathushtra (from Avestan Zaraθuštra) also referred to as Zartosht (زرتشت The Gathas are in verse. These are structurally interrupted by a) the Yasna Haptanghaiti ("seven-chapter Yasna", #35-41), which is as old as the Gathas but in prose, b) two short chapters (#42 and #52) that are not as old as the Gathas and Yasna Haptanghaiti.
  • Yasna 28-34: Ahunavaiti Gatha
  • Yasna 35-41: Yasna Haptanghaiti, the "seven-chapter Yasna", also in Gathic Avestan but in prose. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The Yasna Haptanghaiti ( ae Yasna Haptaŋhāiti) Avestan for "Worship in Seven Chapters" is a set of 7 hymns within the greater Yasna
  • Yasna 42: a 4 verse chapter invoking the elements.
  • Yasna 43-46: Ushtavait Gatha
  • Yasna 47-50: Spenta Mainyu Gatha
  • Yasna 51: Vohu Khshathra Gatha
  • Yasna 52: an 8 verse hymn to Ashi. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry Ashi ( aši) is the Avestan language word for the Zoroastrian concept of "that which is attained Verses 52. 5 - 52. 8, in Younger Avestan, are a duplicate of Yasna 8. 5 - 8. 8.
  • Yasna 53: Vahishto Ishti Gatha
• Yasna 54 has the text of the a airiiema ishiio, a prayer referred to in Yasna 27. The word "Gātha" means a "hymn of praise" in the earliest Indo-Iranian poetry The airyaman ishya ( airyaman išya, airyə̄mā išyō) is Zoroastrianism's fourth of the four Gathic Avestan invocations
• Yasna 55 is a praise to the Gathas and the Staota Yesniia.
• Yasna 56 is again an invocation to the divinities, appealing for their attention.
• Yasna 57 is the Sarosh Yasht, the hymn to the divinity of religious discipline. Sraosha is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian divinity of "Obedience" or "Observance" which It is closely related to, and appears to have sections borrowed from Yasht 10, the hymn to Mithra. This article is about the Zoroastrian Yazata Mithra (Miθra For other divinities with related names see the general article Mitra.
• Yasna 58 is again a "hidden" Yasht, here to the genius of prayer (cf. Dahman). Dahman or Dahman Afrin is the Avestan language name of a Zoroastrian concept later considered to be the embodiment of prayer and ultimately (also as
• Yasna 59 is a repetition of the sections from Yasna 17 and 26.
• Yasna 60 is blessing upon the house of the ashavan ('just' or 'true' man). Avestan ashavan (also ašavan, ašāvan and artāvan) is a Zoroastrian theological term Yasna 60. 2-7 constitute the Dahma Afriti invocation, also known as the Afrinagan Dahman. Dahman or Dahman Afrin is the Avestan language name of a Zoroastrian concept later considered to be the embodiment of prayer and ultimately (also as
• Yasna 61 praises the anti-demonic powers imbued in the Afrinagan Dahman, Yenghe hatam and the three principal prayers of Yasna 27.
• Yasna 62 constitutes the Ataksh Nyashes, prayers to fire and its divinity. Atar ( ātar, Avestan) is the Zoroastrian concept for "burning and unburning fire" and "visible and invisible fire" (Mirza 1987389
• Yasna 63-69 constitute the prayers that accompany the Ab-Zohr, "offering to water". Ab-Zohr (āb-zōhr is the culminating rite of the greater Yasna service the principal Zoroastrian act of worship that accompanies the recitation of the
• Yasna 70-72 are again a set of invocations to the divinities.

Bibliography

• Boyce, Mary (1975). Nora Elisabeth Mary Boyce ( &ndash) was a British scholar of Iranian languages, and a recognized authority on Zoroastrianism. History of Zoroastrianism, Vol. I. Leiden: Brill. ISBN 90-04-10474-7.  
• Dhalla, Maneckji Nusservanji (1938). History of Zoroastrianism. New York: OUP.  
• Drower, Elizabeth Stephens (1944). "The Role of Fire in Parsi Ritual". The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland 74 (1/2): 75-89. doi:10.2307/2844296. A digital object identifier ( DOI) is a permanent identifier given to an Electronic document.  
• Kellens, Jean (1989). "Avesta". Encyclopaedia Iranica 3. Encyclopædia Iranica is a project whose goal is to create a comprehensive and authoritative English language Encyclopedia about the history culture and Cosa Mesa: Mazda Pub. 35-44.  
• 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.   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.  
• Stausberg, Michael (2004). Die Religion Zarathushtras (Band 3). Stuttgart: Kohlhammer. ISBN 3-17-017120-8.  

See also

External links

• Translations of the Yasna liturgy now in the public domain:
  • at avesta.org (organized by chapter).
  • at sacred-texts.com (plain text).

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