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The Yenghe hatam is one of the four major mantras, and one of the most important prayers in Zoroastrianism. [1] It is interpreted as a call to pray specifically to the Amesha Spentas, [2] or generally to all Zoroastrian divinities. [3]
Jointly with the Ahuna vairya , the Ashem vohu , and the Airyaman ishya ; the Yenghe hatam forms the four mantras that enclose the Gathas in the Yasna and form the linguistically oldest part of the Avesta. [4] It is furthermore found throughout many other parts of the Avesta, where it often marks the transition from one portion of the text to the next. [1]
The Yenghe hatam reads as follows
yeŋ́hē hātąm āat̰ yesnē paitī vaŋhō
mazdå ahurō vaēθā aṣ̌āt̰ hacā
yåŋhąmcā tąscā tåsca yazamaidē
A Pahlavi and Parsi Avestan translation would be:
That one (masculine or neuter singular) of the beings indeed is for worship
who Mazda Ahura knows as better according to righteousness from the female beings also
These ones (masculine) and these ones (feminine) we worship.
Starting with the early exegesis of the Yenghe hatam in the Young Avestan period, the beings (hātąm) in the first line are generally interpreted to refer to the Amesha Spentas. [2] However, some scholars have opined that it may refer to living men and women. [5] The latter interpretation has become more influencal in modern interpretations of the mantra. [1]
The Yenghe hatam is generally considered to have been derived from Yasna 51.22, i.e., the 22nd verse of the Vohukhshathra Gatha. It reads as follows:
yehiiā mōi aṣ̌āt̰ hacā vahištəm yesnē paitī
vaēdā mazdā̊ ahurō yōi ā̊ŋharəcā həṇticā
tą yazāi xvāiš nāmə̄nīš pairicā jasāi vaṇtā
The main difference is to whom the worship is addressed. In the Gathic verse, the first line can be translated as "At whose sacrifice Ahura Mazda knows the best for me according to righteousness." In the Yenghe hatam, however, this is changed to "At whose of-the-beings [masc.] and of whom [fern. pl.] therefore Ahura Mazda knows the better for worship according to righteousness." [6]
The Yenghe hatam is part of a series of texts, which are linguistically distinct from the other parts of the Avesta. These texts are the four major mantras, the Gathas and the Yasna Haptanghaiti. The language in these texts is considered to be more archaic and is therefore referred to as Old Avestan vis-a-vis the Younger Avestan of the other texts. [7] However, among these texts, the language of the Yenghe hatam has been labelled pseudo-Old-Avestan, due to a number of idiosyncracies. [8]
One example is the relative pronoun yeŋ́hē (whose), which seems closer to the Young Avestan form yeŋ́he than the Old Avestan yehiiā as used in Y. 51.22. [9] Such changes have been interpreted such that the mantra originated during the early Young Avestan period but was composed to make it appear more ancient. [10]
There is no consensus on the authorship of the Yenghe hatam. Tradition identifies Zarathustra as its authors and scholars like Gershevitch have affirmed that identification. [11] On the other hand, some scholars like Boyce have pointed to the linguistic idiosyncracies of the mantra and concluded that it was composed by his early followers, who used the Gathic verse Y 51.22 as a model. [12]
Like the other mantras, the Yenghe hatam can be diffucult to translate due to its brevity, complex grammatical forms and poetic ambiguity. [1] As a result, a number of different translations exist. For examples, Skjaervo translates it as follows:
Thus, he among those that are, as well as the women,
in return for whose sacrifice the better good is to be given,
him (and them) Ahura Mazdā knows
to be according to Order
to those men and those women we sacrifice. [13]
Vazquez's liturgically inclined translation is:
They that are,
Who are of any gender,
Ahura Mazda knows through Asha of their glorious sacrifices
Thus we offer them worship!.
The Avesta is the primary collection of religious texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.
Ahura is an Avestan language designation for a particular class of Zoroastrian divinities. The term is assumed to be linguistically related to the Asuras of Indian Vedic era.
The Gathas are 17 Avestan hymns traditionally believed to have been composed by the prophet Zarathushtra (Zoroaster). They form the core of the Zoroastrian liturgy. They are arranged in five different modes or metres.
Atar, Atash, Azar or Dāštāɣni, is the Zoroastrian concept of holy fire, sometimes described in abstract terms as "burning and unburning fire" or "visible and invisible fire". It is considered to be the visible presence of Ahura Mazda and his Asha through the eponymous Yazata. The rituals for purifying a fire are performed 1,128 times a year.
Yasna is the Avestan name of Zoroastrianism's principal act of worship. It is also the name of the primary liturgical collection of Avesta texts, recited during that yasna ceremony.
In Zoroastrianism, the Amesha Spenta are a class of seven divine entities emanating from Ahura Mazda, the highest divinity of the religion. Later Middle Persian variations of the term include the contraction 'Ameshaspand' as well as the specifically Zoroastrian 'Mahraspand' and 'Amahraspand'.
Yazata is the Avestan word for a Zoroastrian concept with a wide range of meanings but generally signifying a divinity. The term literally means "worthy of worship or veneration", and is thus, in this more general sense, also applied to certain healing plants, primordial creatures, the fravashis of the dead, and to certain prayers that are themselves considered holy. The yazatas collectively are "the good powers under Ahura Mazda", who is "the greatest of the yazatas".
Ahuna Vairya is the first of Zoroastrianism's four Gathic Avestan formulas. The text, which appears in Yasna 27.13, is also known after its opening words yatha ahu vairyo. In Zoroastrian tradition, the formula is also known as the ahun(a)war.
Apas is the Avestan language term for "the waters", which, in its innumerable aggregate states, is represented by the Apas, the hypostases of the waters.
Asha or arta is a Zoroastrian concept with a complex and highly nuanced range of meaning. It is commonly summarized in accord with its contextual implications of 'truth' and 'right', 'order' and 'right working'. It is of cardinal importance to Zoroastrian theology and doctrine. In the moral sphere, aṣ̌a/arta represents what has been called "the decisive confessional concept of Zoroastrianism". The opposite of Avestan aṣ̌a is 𐬛𐬭𐬎𐬘 druj, "deceit, falsehood".
Ashi is the Avestan language word for the Zoroastrian concept of "that which is attained." As the hypostasis of "reward," "recompense," or "capricious luck," Ashi is also a divinity in the Zoroastrian hierarchy of yazatas.
The airyaman ishya is Zoroastrianism's fourth of the four Gathic Avestan invocations.
Aka Manah is the Avestan language name for the Zoroastrian daeva "Evil Mind", "Evil Purpose", "Evil Thinking", or "Evil Intention". Aka Manah also known as Akoman in Middle Persian and Akvan in New Persian, represents the malevolent force of sensual desire that was sent by Ahriman to seduce the prophet Zoroaster. His eternal opponent is Vohu Manah. Aka Manah is the hypostatic abstraction of accusative akem manah, "manah made evil". The objectification of this malign influence is the demon Aka/Akem Manah, who appears in later texts as Middle Persian Akoman and New Persian Akvan.
Amerdad is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian divinity/divine concept of immortality. Amerdad is the Amesha Spenta of long life on earth and perpetuality in the hereafter.
Haurvatat /ˈhəʊrvətət/ is the Avestan language word for the Zoroastrian concept of "wholeness" or "perfection." In post-Gathic Zoroastrianism, Haurvatat was the Amesha Spenta associated with water, prosperity, and health.
In the Avesta, airyaman is both an Avestan language common noun and the proper name of a Zoroastrian divinity.
The Ashem Vohu is the second most important mantra, and one of the most important prayers in Zoroastrianism. It is dedicated to Asha, a Zoroastrian concept denoting truth, order or righteousness.
Zoroastrian prayer covers a wide range of invocations and utterances, aimed at connecting the faithful with Ahura Mazda or other Zoroastrian divinities. They may be performed in private, in public or at a fire temple.
A mantra or manthra is a prayer, sacred formula or inspired utterance considered in Zoroastrianism to have spiritual power. Their use already goes back to Zarathustra who described himself in his Gathas as a knower of mantras.
The Avestan period is the period in the history of the Iranian peoples when the Avesta was produced. It saw important contributions to both the religious sphere, as well as to Iranian mythology and its epic tradition.