Yasna LVIII. The Fshûshô-Mãthra

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

YASNA LVIII (SP. LVII).

THE FSHÛSHÔ-MÃTHRA ¹.

1. (Introduction.) (To the increase of our homage and praise of God) we offer this service ² which, as our defence ³, may shield us, which is worship ⁴ with its beneficent results; and Blessedness is with it of a verity ⁵, and Piety as well. [(Pâzand) and of this worship the results here mentioned are the well-thought thought, the word well spoken, and the deed well done]; and let this our worship shelter us from the Daêva and from the evil-minded man. 2. And to this worship do we confide ⁶ our settlements

p. 307

and persons for protection and care, for guarding, and for oversight; (3) and in this worship will we abide, O Ahura Mazda! and with joy.

In this worship do we exercise our choices; and to it will we approach, and to it will we belong; yea, to revering worship will we confide our settlements and persons for protection, and for care, for guarding, and for oversight, to such worship as is the praise of such as You ¹.

MÃTHRA.

4. The owner of herds is the righteous (one), and he is victorious when he strikes, and thus he is the best; [(Pâzand) we therefore offer (this) service (for herd-owners ²)] for the herd-owner is the father of the Kine by the help of him who follows the ritual order; and he is the father of the holy man as well, and of the sanctified creation ³. He is in verity the bestower of blessings, and to him ⁴, O Ye Bountiful Immortals ⁵! we render, (and his do we make) Your greatness, Your goodness, and Your (spiritual) beauty, and let this man, the cattle-owner, approach to guard over us; and may he be our watchman together with the Righteous Order, and with store for our nourishment and full generous liberality, together with sharing of the goods ⁶, with gentleness ⁷, and with Ahura Mazda's sacred Fire!

p. 308

5. O Ye Bountiful Immortals! as Ye have made us, so do Ye save us, holy men, and saintly women (as we are, and steadfast in the faith) ¹. Save us, O Ye Bountiful Immortals! Ye who rule aright and who dispose (of all) aright, for none other do I know, save You; then with Your Righteousness ² do Ye save us.

6. And we offer hereby our thoughts, and words, and actions, our herds, and men, to the Bountiful Spirit. And may the creative stars of Ahura Mazda, the Creator, shine down on us, and round about us ³ with full herds and healthy settlements, with healthy herds and healthy men, and with all in vigour, and endowed with the blessing of the Lord. 7. Praise to Thee, O Fire of Ahura Mazda! may’st thou come to (us in) the greatest one of the engrossing interests ⁴ for the help of the great (effort), for the joy-producing grace of the great (interest of our cause); grant us both Weal and Deathlessness!

8. We sacrifice to the entire collection of the Praises of the Yasna, with the careful structure of their language which has reached the most its object. And we offer (our homage) in our celebrations to Thy body, O Ahura Mazda! the most beautiful of forms, these stars, and to that one, the highest of the high [(Pâzand) such as the sun was called]. Yea, we worship the Praises of the Yasna which were the production of the world of old.

Footnotes

306:1 This piece in the Gâthic dialect has claims to an antiquity as high as Y. XII. It recalls the Gâthas in many ways. The increaser of cattle is identical with the thrifty tiller, and is the typical saint.

306:2 The Pahlavi has sûd a partial transcription; but the word is obscure.

306:3 See nipâtû.

306:4 Neme with K11.

306:5 Hâ + get; comp. Indian sa + ghat; or possibly from hak.

306:6 'Make mention of.'

307:1 Khshmâvatô is often Gâthic for 'You.'

307:2 Pâzand, as fshûshe is a plural, and not Gâthic. Or, 'we make men cattle-owners (we invite them to be such).'

307:3 The creation is mentioned in connection with the Kine. The typical saint stands at the head of the clean creation.

307:4 Whose?

307:5 See below.

307:6 Root vi + dâ (dhishâ); so also the Pahl. 'barâ dahisnîh.'

307:7 Akînîh va âtashik î Aûharmazd-dâd. The word is difficult.

308:1 Or, 'male and female holy ones, (the Amesha).'

308:2 Y. XXXIV, 7.

308:3 Lit. 'may we be closely beheld by the creative lights,' &c.

308:4 Allusion to maze-yaunghô.