AŠTĀD YAŠT

 

AŠTĀD YAŠT, Yt. 18, though dedicated to Aštād, Av. Arštāt-, the goddess of rectitude (or justice, see Aštād), does not mention her. The yašt is quite short (only nine verses including the holy formulas), and can be divided into three parts: Verses 1-2 feature the Aryan Glory (airiianəm xᵛarəno), who is said to vanquish Aŋra Mainiuu, Aēšma (Fury), Būšiiąstā (Sloth), the Freezing Cold (hąm. stərətəm aēxəm), the daēuua Apaoša (Drought), and the non-Aryan countries; verses 3-4(5) are devoted to Aši; and verses 5-7 to Tištriia and Vāta, who are said to bring prosperity to all mountains, valleys, and rivers, but destruction to the Freezing Cold and the daēuua Apaoša. In verse 8 the Ahunvar is worshiped and its correctly-spoken, victorious, healing words (vaca aršuxδa vārəθraγnš baēšaziš). The occurrence of arš- “correct” may have been the reason for dedicating this yašt to Arštāt-/Aštād (Lommel, p. 166).

 

Bibliography:

Avesta, tr. Darmesteter, II, pp. 611-14; tr. F. Wolff, Avesta, die heiligen Bücher der Persen, Berlin and Leipzig, 1924, pp. 284-85; tr.

H. Lommel, Die Yäšt’s des Awesta, Göttingen, 1927, pp. 166-68.

 

Search terms:

 اشتاد یشت ashtad yasht aashtaad yasht

 

(P. O. Skjærvø)

Originally Published: December 15, 1987

Last Updated: August 17, 2011

This article is available in print.
Vol. II, Fasc. 8, p. 826