Yasna XVII. To the Fires, Waters, Plants, &c.

The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31), L.H. Mills, tr. [1886], at sacred-texts.com

YASNA XVII.

TO THE FIRES, WATERS, PLANTS, &c.

1-10 ¹, 11. We worship thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! We worship the fire Berezi-savangha (of the lofty use ²), and the fire Vohu-fryâna (the good and friendly ³), and the fire Urvâzista (the most beneficial and most helpful ⁴), and the fire Vâzista (the most supporting ⁵), and the fire Spenista (the most bountiful ⁶), and Nairya-sangha the Yazad of the royal lineage ⁷, and that fire which is the house-lord of all houses and Mazda-made, even the son of Ahura Mazda, the holy lord of the ritual order, with all the fires.

12. And we worship the good and best waters Mazda-made, holy, all the waters Mazda-made and holy, and all the plants which Mazda made, and which are holy.

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13. And we worship the Mãthra-spenta (the bounteous word-of-reason), the Zarathustrian law against the Daêvas, and its long descent.

14. And we worship Mount Ushi-darena which is Mazda-made and shining with its holiness, and all the mountains shining with holiness, and of abundant glory, and which Mazda made—.

15. And we worship the good and pious prayer for blessings, (16) and these waters and (these lands), (17) and all the greatest chieftains, lords of the ritual order ¹;

18. And I praise, invoke, and glorify the good, heroic, bountiful Fravashis of the saints, those of the house, the Vîs, the Zantuma, the Dahvyuma ², and the Zarathustrôtema, and all the holy Yazads ³!

Footnotes

258:1 See chapter VI, which is nearly identical with XVII, 1-10.

258:2 This fire is that before Ahura Mazda and the kings.

258:3 This fire dwells in the bodies of men and beasts (animal heat).

258:4 This is in trees and plants.

258:5 This in the clouds (lightning).

258:6 This is the fire which is applied in the world (Bundahis, West, page 61).

258:7 That N. is here referred to as connected with we fire, seems certain; this fire corresponds with that of Vâhrâm in places of worship.

259:1 1-17 occur also in MSS. as Y. LIX, 1-17.

259:2 Dahyuma.

259:3 The YêNhê hâtãm follows.