AŠŌ-DĀD, Zoroastrian (Pazend) term for the remuneration to a priest for his services. The word means “what is given to the righteous or holy person,” with ašō from ašaw (Ao. ašavan, Pahl. ahlaw) and dād “given.” This ašō-dād consist of payment in money or in kind. At the ceremony on the third day after death, in addition to the gift of money, a sudra (q.v.) or a sacred shirt made of white mull is distributed to each priest invited for the ceremony. Again the drōn (q.v.) or sacred unleavened breads and the myazda (q.v.) (votive offerings of fresh or dried, fruits, etc., consecrated in honor of the departed ones in the Srōš bāǰ ) are given to the family priest as a remuneration. The suit of white clothes that is consecrated in honor of the departed with the bāǰ ceremony which is known as siyav in Parsi parlance, is usually given to the family priest as ašōdād.
Bibliography:
Modi, Ceremonies, pp. 378f., 415.
B. N. Dhabhar, The Persian Rivâyats of Hormazyâr Frâmarz and Others, Bombay, 1932, pp. 38, 74, 118, 171, 175, 177, 322, 422, 464, 577.
Search terms:
| اشوداد | asho dad | aashoo daad | ashu dad |
(M. F. Kanga)
Originally Published: December 15, 1987
Last Updated: August 17, 2011
This article is available in print.
Vol. II, Fasc. 7, p. 778
