IV. Gâh Aiwisrûthrima

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

IV. GÂH AIWISRÛTHRIMA ⁵

1. Propitiation be to Ahura Mazda. A blessing is Asha Vahista—. I confess myself a Mazdayasnian, and of Zarathustra's order, a foe to the Daêvas, devoted to the lore of the Lord, for Aiwisrûthrima, and Aibigaya ⁶, the holy lord(s) of the ritual order, for their sacrifice, homage, propitiation, and praise, and for Frâdat-vîspãm-hugyâiti ⁷ and Zarathustrôtema ⁸, the holy lord(s) of the ritual order, for their sacrifice, homage, propitiation, and praise. 2. And to the

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[paragraph continues] Fravashis of the saints, and to the women who have many sons, and to that prosperity of home which lasts without reverse throughout the year, and to Strength, well-shaped and stately, and to the victorious Blow Ahura-given, and for the crushing Ascendency which it bestows, (to all) be propitiation—. 3, 4. (See Gâh I, 3, 4.) 5. And we sacrifice to Aiwisrûthrima (and) Aibigaya, the holy lord(s) of the ritual order, and to thee, O Ahura Mazda's Fire! And we sacrifice to the stone-mortar, and to the iron-mortar, and to this Baresman spread with sanctity, with the Zaothra, and with its girdle, holy lords of the ritual order. Also we sacrifice to the sacred two, to the waters and the plants, and to the sacred vows for the soul, (as) holy lord(s) of the ritual order. 6. Also we sacrifice to Frâdat-vîspãm-hugyâiti (as) ruling in the ritual order; and we sacrifice to Zarathustra, the holy lord of the ritual; also we sacrifice to the Mãthra Spenta, (the bounteous word of reason ¹), and to the soul of the Kine, and to the Zarathustrôtema ². Also we sacrifice to the Fire-priest, the holy lord of the ritual order, and to the charioteer (the warrior), the holy lord of the ritual order. Also we sacrifice to the thrifty tiller of the earth, the holy lord of the ritual order. And we sacrifice to the house-lord, and to the village-chief, and to the Zantu-chief, and to the province-chief of the province, the holy lord of the ritual order. 8. And we sacrifice to the youth of the good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, even to the youth of good conscience, the holy lord of the ritual order; yea, we

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sacrifice to the youth of the spoken word (who spoke the words which we hold so dear ¹), the holy lord of the ritual order. Yea, we sacrifice to the youth who is given to his kin (and married to his blood), the holy lord of the ritual order. And we sacrifice to him who ranges through the province ², and to the itinerant with his many arts ³, the holy ritual lords. And we sacrifice to the house-mistress, holy, and ruling in the ritual order. 9. And we sacrifice to the holy woman forward ⁴ in good thoughts, and words, and deeds, receiving her instructions well, having her husband as her lord, the holy, and such as Âramaiti, the bounteous, is, and such as are thy wives, O Mazda, Lord!

And we sacrifice to the holy man most forward in good thoughts, and words, and works, wise as to piety, simple as to sin, by whose deeds the settlements advance in the holy order, for the worship and homage of the Zarathustrôtema, the lord. And we sacrifice to the Zarathustrôtema, the holy lord of the ritual order. 10. And we sacrifice to the good, heroic, bountiful Fravashis of the saints, and to the women who have many sons, and to that Prosperity which endures throughout the year, and to the well-shaped and stately Strength. And we sacrifice to the Blow of Victory, Ahura-given, and to the crushing Ascendency which it secures. 11, 12. (See Gâh I, 9, 10.) 13. (The Ahuna-vairya, &c.)

Footnotes

384:5 Recited every day at the hour of Aiwisrûthrima.

384:6 Or, 'that furthers life.'

384:7 The genius presiding over all that furthers happiness.

384:8 The genius presiding over the highest office in a province.

385:1 The Gâthas and Vendîdâd; the first verse of the Gâthas mentions the Kine's soul.

385:2 'And to Zarathustra.'

386:1 See Yast XXII.

386:2 It is very probable that the Yasna was at that period celebrated from house to house.

386:3 Medical?

386:4 Is it possibly, 'favouring good thoughts,' &c.?