Rashn Yasht
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The Rashn Yasht is the twelfth
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 Avest ...
of the 21 Yasht collection. It is named after and dedicated to the veneration of
Rashnu Rashnu () is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian ''yazata'' of justice. Together with Mithra and Sraosha, Rashnu is one of the three judges who pass judgment on the souls of people after death. Rashnu's standard appellation is "the very ...
, the Zoroastrian divinity representing Justice.


Structure

The Rashn Yasht consists of 39 stanzas, but it is sometimes additionally divided into 30 or 31 sections called Kardes. Such a subdivision can be found for many of the Yashts. Its application to the Rash Yasht, however, is inconsistent, since several of the oldest manuscript traditions do not have it. As a consequence, there is no consensus in modern editions of the Yasht as well. While, e.g., Westergaard and
Darmesteter Darmesteter is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Agnes Mary Frances Duclaux (once Darmesteter) (1857–1944), English writer and scholar *Arsène Darmesteter (1846–1888), French philologist *James Darmesteter James Darmeste ...
divide the Yasht into Kardes in their editions, Geldner and
Lommel Lommel () is a municipality and city in the Belgian province of Limburg. Lying in the Kempen, it has about 34,000 inhabitants and is part of the arrondissement of Maaseik. Besides the residential town, Lommel also has a number of nature reserv ...
do not.


Content

The Rashn Yasht begins with the typical framing of many Yashts, as a dialogue between Zarathustra and Ahura Mazda. Unlike other Yashts, however, this framing device is not used during the rest of the text. The next part is formed by stanzas 3-8. These verses include a description of the ritual actions that are needed to start the ordeal. The last part is by far the largest one and is formed by stanzas 9-37. It consists of a long list of 29 place names from which
Rashnu Rashnu () is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian ''yazata'' of justice. Together with Mithra and Sraosha, Rashnu is one of the three judges who pass judgment on the souls of people after death. Rashnu's standard appellation is "the very ...
is called forth to attend the ordeal. These verses are important for understanding the
world view A worldview (also world-view) or is said to be the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the whole of the individual's or society's knowledge, culture, and point of view. However, when two parties view the s ...
of the early Iranians.


Use

It has been assumed that the main part of the Yasht (stanzas 3-37) was originally used during Avestan times at a
trial by ordeal Trial by ordeal was an ancient judicial practice by which the guilt or innocence of the accused (called a "proband") was determined by subjecting them to a painful, or at least an unpleasant, usually dangerous experience. In medieval Europe, like ...
. The opening stanzes may, therefore, have been added later to align the text with the structure established by other Yashts. During Sasanian period it was part of the
Bagan yasht The Bagan yasht was, according to the Denkard, the fourteenth ''nask'' (volume) of the Sasanian Avesta. The work itself is lost, but based on later references, several of the extant Yashts are considered to have originally been part of the nask. ...
where it may have formed the 9th chapter. In modern Zoroastrian practice, the Rashn Yasht is recited on the days the 7th, 18th, 26th, and 28th of the month in the
Zoroastrian calendar Adherents of Zoroastrianism use three distinct versions of traditional calendars for Zoroastrian festivals, liturgical purposes. Those all derive from Middle Ages, medieval Iranian calendars and ultimately are based on the Babylonian calendar a ...
, dedicated to
Ameretat () is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrianism, Zoroastrian divinity/divine concept of immortality. Amerdad is the Amesha Spenta of long life on earth and perpetuality in the hereafter. The word ' is grammatically feminine and the divini ...
,
Rashnu Rashnu () is the Avestan language name of the Zoroastrian ''yazata'' of justice. Together with Mithra and Sraosha, Rashnu is one of the three judges who pass judgment on the souls of people after death. Rashnu's standard appellation is "the very ...
,
Arshtat Arshtat () is the Avestan language name of a Zoroastrian principle and signifies either "justice". or "honesty.", col. 205. As a substantive, ''arshtat'' designates the divinity Arshtat, the hypostasis of "Rectitude" and "Justice". Her standing ...
, and
Zam Zam () is the Avestan language term for the Zoroastrian concept of "earth", in both the sense of land and soil and in the sense of the world. The earth is viewed as a primordial element in Zoroastrian tradition, and represented by a minor div ...
, respectively.


Editions and translations

The Rashn Yasht is extant in thirteen manuscripts in total, none of which contain a translation into Middle Persian. They have been made available in a number of editions and translations, typically as part of the
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 Avest ...
collection of the
Khordeh Avesta Khordeh Avesta, meaning 'little, or lesser, or small Avesta', is the name given to two different collections of Zoroastrian religious texts. One of the two collections includes the other and takes its name from it. * In a narrow sense, the term ...
.
Darmesteter Darmesteter is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Agnes Mary Frances Duclaux (once Darmesteter) (1857–1944), English writer and scholar *Arsène Darmesteter (1846–1888), French philologist *James Darmesteter James Darmeste ...
published in 1883 a translation into English and in 1892 a translation into French. In 1927,
Lommel Lommel () is a municipality and city in the Belgian province of Limburg. Lying in the Kempen, it has about 34,000 inhabitants and is part of the arrondissement of Maaseik. Besides the residential town, Lommel also has a number of nature reserv ...
published a translation of the Yasht collection into German. In 2009, Éric Pirart published an edition dedicated to the Rashn Yasht specifically and accompanied by a translation into French. In 2015, Leon Goldman published a critical edition of the Rashn Yasht accompanied by an English translation, commentary and glossary.


References


Citations


Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * *


External links


Avestan text of the Rashn Yasht
at Avesta.org

by
James Darmesteter James Darmesteter (28 March 184919 October 1894) was a French author, orientalist, and antiquarian. Biography He was born of Jewish parents at Château-Salins, in Lorraine. The family name had originated in their earlier home of Darmstadt. He was ...
at Avesta.org {{Zoroastrian literature Avesta