Sih-rozag

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The Sih-rozag also known as Siroze are two closely related collections of short Avestan invocations and prayers dedicated to a number of Zoroastrian divinities, which in turn are connected to the thirty days in the Zoroastrian calendar. [1]

Contents

Name

Sih-rozag is derived from Middle Persian sīh, with the meaning thirty, [2] and rōz, with the meaning days. [3] It is, therefore, translated as thirty days [4] or belonging to the thirty days. [5] There is, however, no consensus on what thirty days are referenced here. On the one hand, authors like Darmesteter have interpreted them as the thirty days of the month in the Zoroastrian calendar to which the Sih-rozag is connected. [6] On the other hand, it has been suggested that the name refers to the thirty-day long morning period for a deceased, during which the text is used. [7]

History

The origin of the Sih-rozag collection is unknown, but its strong connection with the Zoroastrian calendar suggests that it was put together after its creation, which happened in the 5th century BCE. during the Achaemenid period. [8] The oldest mention of it is found in the Nerangestan dating to the Sasanian period. [9] There are two version of the Sih-rozag, a short one and a long one. [10] The former is called the Little Sih-rozag and the latter the Great Sih-rozag. [11] Based on its grammatical structure, Raffaelli has speculated that the invocations of the Little Sih-rozag may originally have been part of other litanies, [12] whereas the texts within the Great Sih-rozag were independent compositions. [13]

In the extant manuscripts, the Sih-rozag is edited as part of the Khordeh Avesta, meaning its texts can be performed as prayers by both priest and lay people. [14] In those manuscripts, the Avestan text of the Sih-rozag is presented jointly with a lengthy commentary in Middle Persian. In modern practice, the Sih-rozag is used in various rituals like the Afrinagan prayers, the Yasna, the Dron Yasht and during funerary rites. [15]

Structure and content

Overall, the content and structure of the two versions of the Sih-rozag is very similar, with invocations in the Great Sih-rozag being generally a somewhat more elaborate version of the same invocation in the Little Sih-rozag. [16] In addition, the Little Sih-rozag addresses the divinites using a genitive construction, whereas in the Great Sih-rozag the accussative case is used, govered by the verb yazamaide (we sacrifize). [17] For example, the prayer dedicated to the Waters, invoked on the 10th day, reads as follows in both versions:

There is some confusion as to the number of prayers, which comprise the collection. Most modern editions of the Sih-rozag divide it according to the 30 days of the Zoroastrian month and, as a result, the Sih-rozag consists of 30 prayers in these editions. In other editions, however, the last prayer, i.e., the 30th section, dedicated to Anagran in the above editions, is split into four distinct prayers dedicated to Anagran, Apam Napat , Haoma and Dahma Afriti . This division, therefore, results in 33 distinct prayers:

Regardless of the division, the first 30 prayers are each dedicated to a Zoroastrian divinity with their own name day. This means, that they are invoked on the day of the month, which is named after and dedicated to this divinity. [22] The only exception is Ahura Mazda which is invoked on every eighth day, i.e., day 1, 8, 15 and 23. [23] As a result, there are 27 divinities with their own name day in the Zoroastrian calendar.

Connection to the Yasht collection

The Sih-rozag has a strong connection to the collection of 21 Yashts. [24] Like the former, the latter have an established relationship with the day names of the Zoroastrian calendars and the respective divinities celebrated on that day. In addition, both the introductory [25] and concluding [26] verses of each Yasht draw material from the Sih-rozag.

Overview of the 30 Sih-rozag and the corresponding 21 Yashts [27]
Sih-rozag Yasht collection
No Avestan Middle Persian EnglishNoName Yazata
1 Ahura Mazda OhrmazdLord Wisdom1 Ohrmazd Yasht Ahura Mazda
2 Vohu Manah BahmanGood Thought2 Hapt Amahraspand Amesha Spentas
3 Asha Vahishta ArdibehestBest Truth3 Ardwahisht Yasht Asha Vahishta
4 Kshatra Vairya ShahrevarDesirable Dominon2 Hapt Amahraspand Amesha Spentas
5 Spenta Armaiti SpendarmadRight-mindedness2 Hapt Amahraspand Amesha Spentas
6 Haurvatat KhordadWholeness4 Hordad Yasht Haurvatat
7 Ameretat MurdadImmortality2 Hapt Amahraspand Amesha Spentas
8Daduuah Ahura Mazda Dai pa Adar1 Ohrmazd Yasht Ahura Mazda
9 Atar AdarFire
10 Ab AbanWater5 Aban Yasht Anahita
11 Hvare-khshaeta KhorshedSun6 Xwarshed Yasht Hvare-khshaeta
12 Maonghah MahMoon7 Mah Yasht Maonghah
13 Tishtrya TirSirius8 Tishtar Yasht Tishtrya
14 Gosh Urvaan GoshSoul of the Cow9 Gosh Yasht Drvaspa
15Daduuah Ahura Mazda Dai pa Mihir1 Ohrmazd Yasht Ahura Mazda
16 Mithra MihirContract10 Mihr Yasht Mithra
17 Sraosha SroshAttentiveness11 Srosh Yasht Sraosha
18 Rashnu RashnJustice12 Rashn Yasht Rashnu
19 Fravashis FrawardinChoices13 Frawardin Yasht Fravashis
20 Verethragna BahramVictory14 Bahram Yasht Verethragna
21RamanRamPeace15 Ram Yasht Vayu
22 Vata BadWind
23Daduuah Ahura Mazda Dai pa Din1 Ohrmazd Yasht Ahura Mazda
24 Daena DenReligion16 Den Yasht Chista
25 Ashi ArdReward17 Ard Yasht Ashi
26 Arshtat AshtadRectitude18 Ashtad Yasht Khvarenah
27AsmanAsmanSky
28 Zam ZamyadEarth19 Zamyad Yasht Khvarenah
29 Manthra SpentaMahraspandHoly Mantra20 Hom Yasht Haoma
30Anagra RaocahAnagranEndless Light21 Vanand Yasht Vanant

As can be seen from the table, the relationship between the Sih-rozag and the Yashts is both obvious and imperfect. [28] Overall, there are three main differences. First, there are several days dedicated to Ahura Mazda, but only one Yasht is dedicated to him. [29] Second, the Amesha Spentas have collectivley only one Yasht but a number of days are dedicated to them individually. [30] Finally, a number of days do not have a Yasht at all or are represented by Yashts dedicated to other divinities. [31]

The reasons for this discrepancy are unknown. On the one hand, it is possible that the Yasht collection originally also consisted of thirty hymns and some got lost over time. [32] On the other hand, the hymns in the Yasht collection may originally have served other purposes and were only later expanded and imperfectly associated with the days of the Zoroastrian calendar. [33]

Scholarly editions and translations

The Sih-rozag has typically been edited and translated as part of the wider Avesta collection. The first scholarly translation of the Sih-rozag was published in 1771 by Anquetil-Duperron into French. [34] The first critical edition, based on ten manuscripts, was published in 1852 as part of Westergaard's edition. [35] In 1889, Geldner produced another critical edition, based on 24 manuscripts, which remains the standard work as of today. [36] In 1883, Darmesteter published the first translation of the Sih-rozag into English [37] and in 1892 a translation into French. [38] In 2014, Raffaelli published the first critical edition dedicated to the Sih-rozag alone. It contains both its Avestan text and its Middle Persian commentary along with a translation into English, a commentary and a critical apparatus. [39]

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Raffaelli 2000.
  2. ↑ MacKenzie 1971, p. 75: "sīh [...] thirty".
  3. ↑ MacKenzie 1971, p. 72: "rōz [...] day.".
  4. ↑ Hintze 2009, p. 62: "[A] short Young Avestan text called the Siroze ('thirty days') ".
  5. ↑ Raffaelli 2000, "The title consists of a Middle Persian adjectival form that may be translated as relating to the thirty days".
  6. ↑ Darmesteter 1892, p. 294: "L'ensemble de ces trente formules forme ce qu'on appelle le Sirôza ou «les Trente jours»".
  7. ↑ Raffaelli 2000, "referring to the use of the text in rituals performed on behalf of a deceased person’s soul thirty days after the person’s death".
  8. ↑ Raffaelli 2014, p. 35: "The posteriority of the Sih-rozag with respect to the elaboration of the day-names of the Zoroastrian calendar suggests that the terminus post quem for its composition is the 5th century BCE".
  9. ↑ Raffaelli 2014, p. 4: "The Sih-rozag is mentioned for the first time in some passages of Pahlavi texts, which refer to its ritual recitation. A number of references in this respect can be found in the Pahlavi version of the Avestan text Nerangestan".
  10. ↑ Andrés-Toledo 2015, p. 521: "A short (S 1) and a long redaction (S 2) exist".
  11. ↑ Raffaelli 2000, "[T]he first, shorter one is denoted as the 'little Sīh-rōzag,' while the second, longer one is called the 'great Sīh-rōzag'".
  12. ↑ Raffaelli 2014, p. 12: "S. 1 is governed by nominal forms or formulae that are external to the text: the Sih-rozag was in fact originally complementary to other ritual texts".
  13. ↑ Raffaelli 2014, p. 13: "S. 2 instead, is an independent text".
  14. ↑ Raffaelli 2014, p. 161: "The Sih-rozag is one of the texts of the Xorde Avesta".
  15. ↑ Raffaelli 2014, p. 12: "Among the texts that have come down to us, the Sih-rozag is intended to be recited in the variable passages of the Afrinagan, as well as in those of the Yasna and the Dron Yašt, mainly in funeral rituals".
  16. ↑ Darmesteter 1883, p. 1: "There are two Sirozahs, but the only difference between them is that the formulas in the former are shorter, and there is also, occasionally, some difference in the epithets, which are fuller in the latter".
  17. ↑ Raffaelli 2014, p. 12: "S. 1 is mainly constituted of nominal and adjectival forms in the genitive, while in S. 2 the majority of the nominal, adjectival and pronominal forms are in the accusative, governed by yazamaide".
  18. ↑ Darmesteter 1883, p. 8.
  19. ↑ Darmesteter 1883, p. 16.
  20. ↑ Darmesteter 1883, p. 12.
  21. ↑ Raffaelli 2014, pp. 116-119.
  22. ↑ Hintze 2009, pp. 62-63: "Each of the 30 days is presided over by a divine being, a certain yazata whose name the day bears and who is invoked on that day by a special formula, collected in the Siroze".
  23. ↑ Hintze 2009, p. 63: "Every eighth day, however, is presided over by Ahura Mazda and the Amesha Spentas (day no. 1, 8, 15, 23)".
  24. ↑ Darmesteter 1883, pp. 1-2.
  25. ↑ Hintze 2014, "The introductory verses consist of text in Pāzand, quotations from Y. 17-19, the Gathas (Y. 33.14), and Siroze 1".
  26. ↑ Hintze 2014, "The conclusion again starts with a text in Pāzand and continues with quotations from Nyāyišn 1.17, the appropriate formula from Sīrōza 1 and passages from Y. 68.11".
  27. ↑ Hintze 2014, Table 1a-d.
  28. ↑ Kellens 1998, p. 505: "Il est connu que le rapport entre la succession des jours du mois et l'ordre des Yasts est à la fois évident et imparfait".
  29. ↑ Lommel 1927, pp. 4-5: "[E]rstens sind dem Ahuramazda außer dem 1. auch der 8., 15. und 23. Tag heilig".
  30. ↑ Lommel 1927, pp. 4-5: "Sodann gibt es fUr einige der Amasha Spantas keinen besonderen Yäst, sondern an 2. Stelle steht der Yäst an die sieben Amasha Spantas".
  31. ↑ Lommel 1927, pp. 4-5: "Sodann haben auch einige weitere Tagesgenien [...] keinen Yäst, während der 20. und 21. Yäst zwei Gottheiten (Hauma und dem Stern Vanant) gewidmet sind, die wiederum in der Tagesreihe nicht vertreten sind".
  32. ↑ Raffaelli 2019, p. 701: "According to some scholars, a canon of Yašts once existed, that comprised at the minimum hymns to all day-name entities, from which canon the present group of hymns would indirectly derive".
  33. ↑ Raffaelli 2019, pp. 701-702: "Some Zoroastrian sources dating from the late 1400s and later contain information that provides the basis for the view that actually, the group of Yašts that has come down to us directly derives, through expansion, from a corpus of hymns that was by several units smaller than it".
  34. ↑ Anquetil-Duperron 1771, pp. 316–336.
  35. ↑ Westergaard 1852, pp. 335–342.
  36. ↑ Geldner 1889, pp. 260-267.
  37. ↑ Darmesteter 1883, pp. 1-20.
  38. ↑ Darmesteter 1892, pp. 294-330.
  39. ↑ Raffaelli 2014.

Bibliography

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