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Manthra (Zoroastrianism)
A or (, ) 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 manthras. Zoroastrian manthras are etymologically and functionally related to the mantras known from the Indian tradition. However, they are not derived from Vedic mantras, but represent an independent, parallel development. Etymology Both Avestan 𐬨𐬄𐬚𐬭𐬀 () and Vedic मन्त्र () go back to a common, Proto-Indo-Iranian *mantram, which in turn is derived from the reconstructed Proto-Indo-European verb *men (to think) and the instrumental suffix *-trom. By combining verb and suffix, the word *mantram, therefore, acquires the meaning ''instrument of thinking''. Within the context of Zoroastrianism, the Avestan term is commonly transliterated into Latin script as manthra or mantra, while some use the phonetic transliteration . Yet this is not uni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zoroastrian Prayer
Zoroastrian prayer covers a wide range of invocations and utterances, aimed at connecting the faithful with Ahura Mazda or other Zoroastrian Yazata, divinities. They may be performed in private, in public or at a fire temple. The practice of prayer has changed considerable over the centuries. In Avestan period, Old Iranian times, Manthra (Zoroastrianism), manthras were the most common form. During the Middle Iranian period, non-Avestan prayers like the ''nirang'' and the ''monajat'' became common. In modern times, the wide availability of printed literature like the Khordeh Avesta had a noticeable effect on Zoroastrian prayer practice. Definition In general, prayers are interpreted as a means to establish a connection between a person saying the prayer and a deity to whom the prayer is addressed. In the Western tradition, they are distinguished from the broader canon of religious texts, which are considered revelations of the divine to humanity. This distinction is not directly ap ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Latin Script
The Latin script, also known as the Roman script, is a writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae in Magna Graecia. The Greek alphabet was altered by the Etruscan civilization, Etruscans, and subsequently their alphabet was altered by the Ancient Romans. Several Latin-script alphabets exist, which differ in graphemes, collation and phonetic values from the classical Latin alphabet. The Latin script is the basis of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), and the 26 most widespread letters are the letters contained in the ISO basic Latin alphabet, which are the same letters as the English alphabet. Latin script is the basis for the largest number of alphabets of any writing system and is the List of writing systems by adoption, most widely adopted writing system in the world. Latin script is used as the standard method of writing the languages of Western and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yazata
Yazata () is the Avestan word for a Zoroastrian concept with a wide range of meanings but generally signifying (or used as an epithet of) 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 ''yazata''s collectively are "the good powers under Ahura Mazda", who is "the greatest of the ''yazata''s". Etymology ''Yazata'' is an Avestan-language passive adjectival participle derived from ''yaz-''; "to worship, to honor, to venerate", from Proto-Indo-European ''*yeh₂ǵ-'' (“to worship, revere, sacrifice”). The word '' yasna'' or yagna– "worship, sacrifice, oblation, prayer" – comes from the same root. A ''yaza+ ta'' is accordingly "a being worthy of worship", "an object of worship" or "a holy being". As the stem form, ''yazata-'' has the inflected nomin ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Airyaman Ishya
The airyaman ishya (; ''airyaman išya'', ''airyə̄mā išyō'') is Zoroastrianism's fourth of the four Gathic Avestan manthras, and one of the most important prayers in Zoroastrianism. It is assumed to be a call toward the community or its hypostasis '' Airyaman''. Name The prayer is named after its opening words, ''ā airyə̄mā išyō''. In present-day Zoroastrian usage, the ''airyama'' of these opening words are considered to be an invocation of the divinity '' Airyaman'', the ''yazata'' of healing. The opening words may however have originally been an appeal to "the community" (or "tribe"), which would reflect the etymologically derived meaning of ''airyaman.'' In relation to the other manthras Like the other three manthras (''Ahuna Vairya'', '' Ashem vohu'', ''Yenghe hatam''), the ''airyaman ishya'' is in Gathic Avestan. While the first three manthras are placed at ''Yasna'' 27.13-27.15, immediately preceding the Gathas, the ''airyaman ishya'' - at ''Yasna'' 54.1 - pr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yenghe Hatam
The Yenghe hatam (Avestan: 𐬫𐬈𐬣𐬵𐬉⸱𐬵𐬁𐬙𐬅𐬨) is one of the four major Mantra (Zoroastrianism), manthras, and one of the most important Zoroastrian prayer, prayers in Zoroastrianism. It is interpreted as a call to pray specifically to the Amesha Spenta, Amesha Spentas, or generally to all Zoroastrian yazata, divinities. Jointly with the ''Ahuna Vairya, Ahuna vairya'', the ''Ashem Vohu, Ashem vohu'', and the ''Airyaman ishya''; the Yenghe hatam forms the four manthras that enclose the Gathas in the Yasna and form the linguistically oldest part of the Avesta. 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. Text and interpretation The Yenghe hatam reads as follows A Middle Persian, Pahlavi and Parsis, Parsi Avestan translation would be: Starting with the early exegesis of the Yenghe hatam in the Avestan period, Young Avestan period, the ''beings'' (hātą ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ashem Vohu
The Ashem Vohu (, Avestan: 𐬀𐬴𐬆𐬨⸱𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬏 aṣ̌əm vohū) is the second most important manthra, and one of the most important prayers in Zoroastrianism. It is dedicated to Asha, a Zoroastrian concept denoting truth, order or righteousness. Together with the '' Ahuna Vairya'', the ''Yenghe hatam'', and the '' Airyaman ishya''; the Ashem vohu forms the four manthras that enclose the Gathas in the Yasna. It is also at the end of most of the prayers in the Khordeh Avesta, except a certain few, most notably the Fravarane. In the Avesta In the Yasna, the Ahuna Vairya (Y. 27.13), the Ashem vohu (Y. 27.14), and the Yenghe hatam (Y. 27.15) precede the Gathas, which are followed by the Airyaman ishya (Y. 54.1). Together with the Yasna Haptanghaiti, these texts form the Old Avestan layer of the Avesta. In the Younger Avestan portions of the texts, the Ashem vohu is mentioned more than 200 times. Text and interpretation The Ashem vohu is overall the shortest of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ahuna Vairya
Ahuna Vairya (Avestan: 𐬀𐬵𐬎𐬥𐬀⸱𐬬𐬀𐬌𐬭𐬌𐬌𐬀) 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''. Numerous translations and interpretations exist, but the overall meaning of the text remains obscure. The Ahuna Vairya and '' Ashem Vohu'' (the second most sacred formula at ''Yasna'' 27.14) are together "very cryptic formulas, of a pronounced magical character." The Ahunavaiti Gatha (chapters 28-34 of the ''Yasna''), is named after the Ahuna Vairya formula. In relation to the other formulas Like the other three formulas ('' Ashem vohu'', ''Yenghe hatam'', '' Airyaman ishya''), the ''Ahuna Vairya'' is part of the Gathic canon, that is, part of the group of texts composed in the more archaic dialect of the Avestan language. Together with the other three formulas, the ''Ahu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Verethragna
Verethragna or Bahram () is a Zoroastrian yazata. The neuter noun ''verethragna'' is related to Avestan ''verethra'', 'obstacle' and ''verethragnan'', 'victorious'. Representing this concept is the divinity Verethragna, who is the Hypostasis (linguistics), hypostasis of "victory", and "as a giver of victory Verethragna plainly enjoyed the greatest popularity of old." In Zoroastrian Middle Persian, Verethragna became , from which Vahram, Vehram, Bahram, Behram and other variants derive. The Proto-Aryan adjective *vrtraghan, which corresponds to the Avestan noun Verethragna, also has an etymological cognate in Vedic Sanskrit - Vrtra. In Vedic literature, Vrtrahan is predominantly an epithet used for Indra after he defeated Vrtra. Vrtrahan literally means "slayer of Vrtra." The name and, to some extent, the deity was borrowed into Armenian mythology, Armenian and , and has cognates in Sogdian language, Buddhist Sogdian , Parthian language, Manichaean Parthian , Bactrian la ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ahura Mazda
Ahura Mazda (; ; or , ),The former is the New Persian rendering of the Avestan form, while the latter derives from Middle Persian. also known as Horomazes (),, is the only creator deity and Sky deity, god of the sky in the ancient Iranian religion Zoroastrianism. He is the first and most frequently invoked spirit in the ''Yasna''. The literal meaning of the word ''Wikt:Ahura, Ahura'' is "lord", and that of ''Wikt:Mazda, Mazda'' is "wisdom". The first notable invocation of Ahura Mazda occurred during the Achaemenid Empire, Achaemenid period () with the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great. Until the reign of Artaxerxes II (), Ahura Mazda was worshipped and invoked alone in all extant royal inscriptions. With Artaxerxes II, Ahura Mazda was gathered in a triad with Mithra and Anahita. In the Achaemenid period, there are no known representations of Ahura Mazda at the royal court other than the custom for every emperor to have an empty chariot drawn by white horses to invit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Gatha (India)
''Gāthā'' is a Sanskrit term for 'song' or 'verse', especially referring to any poetic metre which is used in legends or folklores, and is not part of the Vedas but peculiar to either Epic Sanskrit or to Prakrit. The word is originally derived from the Sanskrit/Prakrit root ''gai'', which means 'to speak, sing, recite or extol', cognate to the Avestan term ''gatha''. The stanzas of the Prakrit dialects of Ardhamagadhi, Sauraseni and Pāli are known as ''gathas'' as opposed to ''shlokas'' and sutras of Sanskrit and ''dohas'' of '' Apabhramsha''. Most of the Jain and Buddhist texts written in Prakrit are composed of ''gathas'' (or verses/stanzas). Thus, ''gatha'' can mean any Prakrit and Pali verses in general,Amaresh Datta (1988) ''Encyclopaedia of Indian literature vol. 2'' Chennai: Sahitya Academy p. 1374 or specifically the arya meter of Sanskrit; versified portions of Pāli Canon ''(Tipitaka)'' of Theravāda Buddhism are also specifically called ''gathas''. In contempora ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Avesta
The Avesta (, Book Pahlavi: (), Persian language, Persian: ()) is the text corpus of Zoroastrian literature, religious literature of Zoroastrianism. All its texts are composed in the Avestan language and written in the Avestan alphabet. Modern Edition (book), editions of the Avesta are based on the various manuscript traditions that have survived in Zoroastrianism in India, India and Zoroastrianism in Iran, Iran. The individual texts of the Avesta were originally Oral tradition, oral compositions. They were composed over a long period of several centuries during the Avestan period, Old Iranian period (possibly ranging from 15th century BCE – 4th century BCE). The written transmission began during the Sassanian empire, Sassanian period, with the creation of the Avestan alphabet. The resulting texts were then compiled into a comprehensive edition of the Sasanian Avesta, Avesta in 21 volumes. This edition was lost sometime after the 10th century CE and only a small part survi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yasht
A Yasht (, ) is a hymn of praise composed in the Young Avestan language and dedicated to specific Zoroastrian divinities. The term commonly applies to the collection of 21 Yashts, although it may also refer to other texts within the wider Avesta collection. Name The English word ''yasht'' is derived from Middle Persian 𐭩𐭱𐭲 (, "prayer, worship"). In the Pahlavi literature, the word is used interchangeably with ''yasn''. Yasht probably originated from Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬀 (, "honored") from 𐬫𐬀𐬰 (, "to worship, honor"). It may ultimately go back to Proto-Indo-European ''*yeh₂ǵ-'' or ''*Hyaǵ-''. Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬀 is also the origin of two other terms. First, Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬯𐬥𐬀 (, act of worship), which is a general Zoroastrian term for an act of worship or specifically the Yasna ritual, and, second, Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬰𐬀𐬙𐬀 (, (being) worthy of worship), which is a general Zoroastrian term for divinity. The ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
