Ashtad Yasht

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The Ashtad Yasht is the eighteenth Yasht of the Yasht collection. It is named after Arshtat, the Zoroastrian divinity representing rectitude. [1] The text, however, does not mention her. [2]

Contents

Name

Ashtad is the Middle Persian name of Arshtat the Zoroastrian hypostasis of rectitude. It is also the name of the 26th day of the month, on which the Yasht is celebrated. [3] The Yasht, however, does not mention Arshtat but is mostly dedicated to the Khvarenah, i.e., the divine glory of the Iranians. [4] It is thus unclear why it is named after Arshtat. Darmesteter opines that it is due to a connection between Arshtat and mount Ushi-darena, the place where the Khvarenah dwells. [5] On the other hand, Lommel speculates that the occurrence of Avestan arš (correct) establishes a connection. [6] Finally, Hintze argues that the connection may be due to the role of the Khvarenah, which also features prominently in Yasht 19. [7]

Within the Yasht collection

Within the Yasht collection of 21 Yashts, the Ashtad Yasht is the eighteenth hymn. It is a comparably short Yasht consisting of only eight stanzas plus the introductory formula. [8] It is generally grouped among the so called Minor Yashts. [9] Like most of the Yasht, it does not have a translation into Middle Persian. [10] It probably once belonged to the Bagan yasht, where it may have formed its fifteenth chapter. [11]

Structure and content

According to Skjaervo, the Ashtad Yasht can divided into three parts. [12] The first part (stanzas 1-2) is dedicated to the praise of the Khvarenah of the Iranians and its triumph over Angra Mainyu, Aeshma, Bushyasta, Apaosha, and Aneran. [13] The second part (stanzas 3-5) is in praise of Ashi, whereas the third part (stanzas 5-7) describes the fight between Tishtrya and Apaosha. [14] The last stanza 8 is devoted to the Ahuna Vairya manthra, the most important Zoroastrian prayer. [15]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Skjærvø 1987, "Yt. 18 [...] dedicated to Aštād, the goddess of rectitude".
  2. ↑ Lommel 1927, p. 166: "Urstat "die Aufrichtigkeit" [hat] ihren eigenen Yäst, in dem sie merkwürdiger Weise überhaupt nicht erwähnt wird".
  3. ↑ MacKenzie 1971, p. 13: "Aštād [...] the goddess Rectitude; cal. 26th day".
  4. ↑ Hintze 2014, "[T]his hymn [...] praises the Aryan Glory (airiianəm xvarənah-)".
  5. ↑ Darmesteter 1883, p. 283: "Whence comes this particular connection of Arstat with Mount Ushi-darena is uncertain, unfess it alludes to the fact that the possession of the Hvarend can be secured only through truthfulness".
  6. ↑ Lommel 1927, p. 166: "Nur von den § 8 genannten "rechtgesprochenen Sprüchen" kann man sagen, daß sie sich mit dem begrifflichen Inhalt von Arstät berühren".
  7. ↑ Hintze 2014, "However, this hymn [...] might have been associated with that day because of its proximity to the other hymn in praise of the Glory, Yt. 19".
  8. ↑ Skjærvø 1987, "The yašt is quite short (only nine verses including the holy formulas".
  9. ↑ Hintze 2014, "Minor or apotropaic Yašts [...] 18 (see ĀŠTĀD YAŠT)".
  10. ↑ König 2015, p. 132.
  11. ↑ König 2017, p. 21.
  12. ↑ Skjærvø 1987, "The yašt [...] can be divided into three parts".
  13. ↑ Skjærvø 1987, "Verses 1-2 feature the Aryan Glory".
  14. ↑ Lommel 1927, p. 167: "Der Yt. scheint in drei Teile zu zerfallen der wesentlich auf den Glücksglanz (Chvarna) bezügliche (§ 1, 2), der von As1 handelnde (3-5) und der, m welchem Tishtrya und sem Gegner Apavurta (vgl Yt 8) die Hauptrolle spielen(§ 5-7)".
  15. ↑ Skjærvø 1987, "In verse 8 the Ahunvar is worshiped".

Bibliography

  • Darmesteter, James (1883). Müller, Max (ed.). Zend-Avesta II: The Sirozahs, Yasts and Nyayis. Sacred Books of the East. Vol. 23. Dehli: Motilal Banarsidass Publishers.
  • Hintze, Almut (2014). "YAŠTS". Encyclopædia Iranica. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul.
  • König, Götz (2017). "Bayān Yasn: State of the Art". Iran and the Caucasus 2. 21: 13–38. doi:10.1163/1573384x-90000003.
  • König, Götz (2015). "Zur Überlieferungsgeschichte der Yašts: Reste der exegetischen Tradition. Die Pahlavi-Übersetzungen von Yt 13 in Dk 7.". In Cantera, Alberto (ed.). Festschrift Pirart. Estudios de Iran y Turan.
  • Lommel, Herman (1927). Die Yäšt's des Awesta. Quellen der Religionsgeschichte: Iran. Vol. 15. Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.
  • MacKenzie, David N. (1971). A concise Pahlavi dictionary. London, New York, Toronto: Oxford University Press.
  • Skjærvø, Prods O. (1987). "AŠTĀD YAŠT". Encyclopædia Iranica. Vol. II. New York: Routledge and Kegan Paul. p. 826.
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