YASHT 3: Ardwahisht Yasht ("Hymn to the Highest Asha")

Avestan text based on edition of Karl F. Geldner, Avesta, the Sacred Books of the Parsis, Stuttgart, 1896.

English translation from James Darmesteter, Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1895, except as noted.

This digital edition 1995 by Joseph H. Peterson. Last updated May 29, 2021.

As noted by Darmesteter, "This Yasht is for a great part devoted to the praise of the Airyaman prayer, which is described as driving away all diseases and plagues that have been brought upon the world by Angra Mainyu."

Compare this hymn of praise with Vendidad 21, which uses a language more of command, making it a prayer for healing.




(Avestan) (English)

0. (pa nãm i ýazdã, hôrmezd i hvadâe i awazûnî gurz hvarahe awazâyât, ardabahisht ameshâspeñd bê rasât,
ezh hamâ gunâh ... pa patit hôm!)

xshnaothra ahurahe mazdå, tarôidîti angrahe mainyêush, haithyâvarshtãm hyat vasnâ ferashôtemem. staomî ashem,
ashem vohû...(3).
fravarâne mazdayasnô zarathushtrish vîdaêvô ahura-tkaêshô,

(Here recite the appropriate Gah dedication.)

ashahe vahishtahe sraêshtahe airyamanô ishyehe sûrahe mazdadhâtahe saokayå vanghuyå vouru-dôithrayå mazdadhâtayå ashaonyå
xshnaothra ýasnâica vahmâica xshnaothrâica frasastayaêca,

ýathâ ahû vairyô zaotâ frâ-mê mrûtê,
athâ ratush ashâtcît haca frâ ashava vîdhvå mraotû!

0. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! ....

Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good....

I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathushtra, one who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura;

For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Havani], the holy and master of holiness....

Unto Asha-Vahishta, the fairest; unto the much-desired Airyaman, made by Mazda, and unto the good Saoka, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy;

Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification.

Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness....

I.

1. mraot ahurô mazdå spitamâi zarathushtrâi, âat ýat asha vahishta fradaithîsha spitama zarathushtra staotareca zaotareca zbâtareca mãthranaca ýashtareca âfrîtareca aibijaretareca vanghâna xshaêta raocå hvanvaitîshca verezô ahmâkem ýasnâica vahmâica ýat ameshanãm speñtanãm.

2. âat aoxta zarathushtrô, mrûidhi bâ vacô arsh-vacô ahura mazda, ýatha tê anghen ýat asha vahishta frâdâhîsh spitama zarathushtra staotareca zaotareca zbâtareca mãthranaca ýashtareca âfrîtareca aibijaretareca vanghâna xshaêta raocå hvanvaitîshca verezô ýûshmâkem ýasnâica vahmâica ýat ameshanãm speñtanãm.

3. âdim framraomi ashem vahishtem, ýezi framraomi ashem vahishtem âat anyaêshãm ýat ameshanãm speñtanãm hvâyaonem ýim pâiti mazdå humatâish ýim pâiti mazdå hûxtâish ýim pâiti mazdå hvarshtâish, garô-nmâne ahurahe hvâyaonem.

4. garô nmânem nereyô asti ashâvaoyô naêcish drvatãm ayene paitish garô nmânem ravôhu ashâyaonem cithrem ahurem mazdãm.

I.

1. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: 'That thou mayest increase Asha-Vahishta, O Spitama Zarathushtra! with hymns of praise, with performance of the office, with invocations, holy words, sacrifice, blessings, and adoration — once to abide in the shining luminous space, in the beautiful abodes — for the sacrifice and invocation of us, the Amesha-Spentas'....

2. Zarathushtra said: 'Say unto me the right words, such as they are, O Ahura Mazda! that I may increase Asha-Vahishta, with hymns of praise, with performance of the office, with invocations, holy words, sacrifice, blessings, and adoration, — once to abide in the shining luminous space, in the beautiful abodes, — for the sacrifice and invocation of you, the Amesha-Spentas.

3. '.... I proclaim Asha-Vahishta: if I proclaim Asha-Vahishta, then easy is the way to the abode of the other Amesha-Spentas [Garothman], which Ahura Mazda keeps with Good Thoughts, which Ahura Mazda keep with Good Words, which Ahura Mazda keeps with Good Deeds;

4. '(Easy is the way to the Garo-nmana of Ahura Mazda): the Garo-nmana is for the holy souls, and no one of the wicked can enter the Garo-nmana and its bright, wide, holy ways; (no one of them can go) to Ahura Mazda.

II.

5. janaiti vîspaêshãm angrô mainyush ahmâi ýâthwãm pairikanãmca airyamanem mãthranãm mazishtem mãthranãm vahishtem mãthranãm sraêshtem mãthranãm sraêshtôtemem mãthranãm ukhrem mãthranãm ukhrôtemem mãthranãm derezrem mãthranãm derezrôtemem mãthranãm vârethrakhni mãthranãm vârethrakhnyôtemem mãthranãm baêshazem mãthranãm baêshazyôtemem.

II.

5. 'The Airyaman prayer smites down the strength of all the creatures of Angra Mainyu, of the Yatus and Pairikas. It is the greatest of spells, the best of spells, the very best of all spells; the fairest of spells, the very fairest of all spells; the fearful one amongst spells, the most fearful of all spells; the firm one amongst spells, the firmest of all spells; the victorious one amongst spells, the most victorious of all spells; the healing one amongst spells, the best-healing of all spells.

6. mãthranãm ashô-baêshazô dâtô-baêshazô karetô-baêshazô urvarô-baêshazô mãthrô-baêshazô baêshazanãm baêshazyôtemô ýat mãthrem speñtem baêshazyô, ýô narsh ashaonô haca uruthwãn baêshazyât, aêshô-zî asti baêshazanãm baêshazyôtemô.

6. 'One may heal with Holiness, one may heal with the Law, one may heal with the knife, one may heal with herbs, one may heal with the Holy Word: amongst all remedies this one is the healing one that heals with the Holy Word; this one it is at will best drive away sickness from the body of the faithful: for this one is the best-healing of all remedies.

7. ýaska apa-dvarata mahrka apa-dvarata daêva apa-dvarata paityâra apa-dvarata, ashemaokhô anashava apa-dvarata mashyô sâsta apa-dvarata,

7. 'Sickness fled away [before it], Death fled away; the Daeva fled away, the Daeva's counter-work fled away; the unholy Ashemaogha fled away, the oppressor of men fled away.

8. azhicithra apa-dvarata vehrkô-cithra apa-dvarata bizeñgrô-cithra apa-dvarata, tarô-mata apa-dvarata pairi-mata apa-dvarata tafnu apa-dvarata spazga apa-dvarata anâxshta apa-dvarata duzhdôithra apa-dvarata,

8. 'The brood of the Snake fled away; the brood of the Wolf fled away; the brood of the Two-legged fled away. Pride fled away; Scorn fled away; Hot Fever fled away; Slander fled away; Discord fled away; the Evil Eye fled away.

9. draokhô vâxsh draojishta apa-dvarata, jahi ýâtumaiti apa-dvarata jahi kahvaredhaine apa-dvarata, vâtô paourvô-apâxtara apa-dvarata vâtô paourvô-apâxtara apa-nasyata ýasca-mê aêtaêshãm ýat azhicithranãm.

9. 'The most lying words of falsehood fled away; the Jahi, addicted to the Yatu, fled away; the Jahi, who makes one pine, fled away; the wind that blows from the North fled away; the wind that blows from the North vanished away.

10. ýô janat aêshãm daêvanãm

hazangrâi hazangrô pairi baêvarâi baêvanô paiti ýaska jaiñti mahrka jaiñti daêva jaiñti paityâra jaiñti ashemaokhô anashava jaiñti mashyô sâsta jaiñti,

10. 'He it is who smites me that brood of the Snake, and who might smite those Daevas by thousands of thousands, by ten thousands of ten thousands; he smites sickness, he smites death, he smites the Daevas, he smites the Daeva's counter-work, he smites the unholy Ashemaogha, he smites the oppressor of men.

11. azhicithra jaiñti vehrkô-cithra jaiñti bizeñgrô-cithra jaiñti tarô-mata jaiñti pairi-mata jaiñti tafnu jaiñti spazga jaiñti anâxshta jaiñti duzhdôithra jaiñti,

11. 'He smites the brood of the Snake; he smites the brood of the Wolf; he smites the brood of the Two-legged. He smites Pride; he smites Scorn; he smites Hot Fever; he smites Slander; he smites Discord; he smites the Evil Eye.

12. draokhô vâxsh draojishta jaiñti jahi ýâtumaiti jaiñti jahi kahvaredhaine jaiñti vâtô paourvô-apâxtara jaiñti vâtô paourvô-apâxtara apa-nasyata ýasca-mê aêtaêshãm ýat bizeñgrô-cithranãm.

12. 'He smites the most lying words of falsehood; he smites the Jahi, addicted to the Yatu; he smites the Jahi, who makes one pine. He smites the wind that blows from the North; the wind that blows from the North vanished away.

13. ýô janat aêshãm daêvanãm
hazangrâi hazangrô pairi baêvarâi baêvanô
pairi paourva-naêmât patat
dyaosh daêvanãm draojishtô
angrô mainyush pouru-mahrkô.

13. 'He it is who smites me that brood of the Two-legged, and who might smite those Daevas, by thousands of thousands, by ten thousands of ten thousands. Angra Mainyu, who is all death, the worst-lying of all Daevas, rushed from before him:

14. adavata angrô mainyush pouru-mahrkô, âvôya-mê bâvôya asha vahishta ýaskanãm ýaskôtemem janât ýaskanãm ýaskôtemem tbaêshayât, mahrkanãm mahrkôtemem janât mahrkanãm mahrkôtemem tbaêshayât, daêvanãm daêvôtemem janât daêvanãm daêvôtemem tbaêshayât, paityâranãm paityârôtemem janât paityâranãm paityârôtemem tbaêshayât, ashemaokhô anashava janât ashemaokhô anashava tbaêshayât, mashyô-sâsta-sâstôtemem janât mashyô-sâsta-sâstôtemem tbaêshayât.

14. 'He exclaimed, did Angra Mainyu: "Woe is me! Here is the god Asha-Vahishta, who will smite the sickliest of all sicknesses, who will afflict the sickliest of all sicknesses;
'"He will smite the deadliest of all deaths, he will afflict the deadliest of all deaths;
'"He will smite the most fiendish of all fiends, he will afflict the most fiendish of all fiends;
'"He will smite the most counter-working of all counter-works, he will afflict the most counter-working of all counter-works;

'"He will smite the unholy Ashemaogha, he will afflict the unholy Ashemaogha;
'"He will smite the most oppressive of the oppressors of men, he will afflict most oppressive of the oppressors of men.

15. azhicithra-azhicithrôtemem janât azhicithra- azhicithrôtemem tbaêshayât vehrkô-cithra-vehrkô-cithrôtemem janât vehrkô-cithra-vehrkô-cithrôtemem tbaêshayât bizeñgrô-cithra-bizeñgrô-cithrôtemem janât bizeñgrô-cithra-bizeñgrô-cithrôtemem tbaêshayât tarô-mata janât tarô-mata tbaêshayât pairi-mata janât pairi-mata tbaêshayât tafnu-tafnôtemem janât tafnu-tafnôtemem tbaêshayât spazga-spazgôtemem janât spazga-spazgôtemem tbaêshayât anâxshta-anâxshtôtemem janât anâxshta- anâxshtôtemem tbaêshayât duzhdôithra-duzhdôithrôtemem janât duzhdôithra- duzhdôithrôtemem tbaêshayât.

15. '"He will smite the worst1 of the Snake's brood, he will afflict the worst1 of the Snake's brood;
'"He will smite the most wolfish of the Wolf's brood, he will afflict the most wolfish of the Wolf's brood;
'"He will smite the worst of the two-legged brood, he will afflict the worst of the two-legged brood;
'"He will smite Pride, he will afflict Pride;
'"He will smite Scorn, he will afflict Scorn;
'"He will smite the hottest of hot fevers, he will afflict the hottest of hot fevers;
'"He will smite the most slanderous of slanders, he will afflict the most slanderous of slanders;
'"He will smite the most discordant of discords, he will afflict the most discordant of discords;
'"He will smite the worst of the Evil Eye, he will afflict the worst of the Evil Eye.

1. JD: snakiest.

16. draokhô vâxsh-draojishtô janât draokhô vâxsh-draojishtô tbaêshayât jahi ýâtumaiti janât jahi ýâtumaiti tbaêshayât jahi kahvaredhaine janât jahi kahvaredhaine tbaêshayât vâtô paourvô-apâxtara janât vâtô paourvô-apâxtara tbaêshayât.

16. '"He will smite the most lying words of falsehood, he will afflict the most lying words of falsehood;
'"He will smite the Jahi, addicted to the Yatu, he will afflict the Jahi, addicted to the Yatu;
'"He will smite the Jahi, who makes one pine, he will afflict the Jahi, who makes one pine;
'"He will smite the wind that blows from the North, he will afflict the wind that blows from the North."

17. apanasyât druxsh nasyât druxsh dvârât druxsh vînasyât apâxedhre apa-nasyehe mâ mereñcainîsh gaêthå astvaitîsh ashahe!

17. 'The Druj will perish away, the Druj will perish; the Druj will rush, the Druj will vanish. Thou perishest away to the regions of the North, never more to give unto death the living world of the holy spirit.

18. ahe raya hvarenanghaca
tem ýazâi surunvata ýasna ashem vahishtem sraêshtem ameshem speñtem zaothrâbyô, ashem vahishtem sraêshtem ameshem speñtem ýazamaide

haomayô gava baresmana, hizvô danghangha mãthraca, vacaca shyaothnaca zaothrâbyasca, arshuxdhaêibyasca vâkhzhibyô.

ýenghê hâtãm âat ýesnê paitî vanghô mazdå ahurô vaêthâ ashât hacâ ýånghãmcâ tãscâ tåscâ ýazamaide.

18. 'For his brightness and glory I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard, namely, unto Asha-Vahishta, the fairest — the Amesha-Spenta. Unto Asha-Vahishta, the fairest, the Amesha-Spenta,

we offer up the libations, the Haoma and meat, the baresma, the wisdom of the tongue, the holy spells, the speech, the deeds, the libations, and the rightly-spoken words.

'Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda knows the goodness....

(Recite silently:) (hôrmezd i hvadâe i awazûnî mardum mardum sardagã hamâ sardagã ham bâ ýasht i vahã vaem vahe dîn i mâzdayasnã âgâhî âstvãnî nêkî rasãnât êduñ bât.)

19. (Recite aloud:) ýathâ ahû vairyô...(2).
ýasnemca vahmemca aojasca zavareca âfrînâmi
ashahe vahishtahe sraêshtahe airyamanô ishyehe sûrahe mazdadhâtahe saokayå vanghuyå vouru-dôithrayå mazdadhâtayå ashaonyå.

ashem vohû....

ahmâi raêshca ... hazangrem ... (kerba mazhd) ... ashem vohû...!!

19. 'Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness....

'I bless the sacrifice and prayer and the strength and vigour of Asha-Vahishta, the fairest; of the much-desired Airyaman, made by Mazda; and of the good Saoka, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy.

'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good....

'[Give] unto that man brightness and glory, give him health of body; .... give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.'