Khordeh Avesta

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Khordeh Avesta ( New Persian according to Xwurdag Abestâg in Pahlavi : "Little Avesta") is the fifth section of Avestas , the holy scripture of the followers of the Iranian founder of religion Zarathustra .

In terms of its function as a prayer book for general use, Khordeh Avesta can be described. In particular, the text contains the various prayers that are to be said according to the Zoroastrian religion 's division of the day into five times of the day at any time of the day (New Persian and Pahlavi: "Gâh").

In the course of the long history of the Zoroastrian religion, the work has undergone various changes, abbreviations and additions, so that under the term "Khordeh Avesta" one can often find books with sometimes different content. In different editions there are also sections with New Persian texts. These go back in part to old content, the Middle Persian original texts of which are no longer available, but still exist in the form of the existing, translated sections.

From a linguistic point of view, a division can be made within the given framework of the older sections of the text , which are in the Avestian language. This results in the generally most accepted version with the following breakdown:

1 . five Niyâyešs ( New Persian , in Pahlavi : Niyâyišn: song of praise, prayer). These are dedicated (in German rendition and subsequent Avestan and neo-Persian designation):
a. the sun ( Hvare-xšaeta , Khorshid),
b. Mithra (Mithra, more),
c. the water (Ardvisura Anahita , Nahid / Abân),
d. the moon ( Mâvangh , Mâh),
e. the fire ( Ātar , Ātaš).
2 . five Gâhs, dedicated to the five times of the day,
3 . four Afringâns (Pahlavi: praise, blessing) and
4 . further, mostly smaller sections, which include some introductory texts.

The collection Khordeh Avesta is among Zoroastrians the High Priest ( " Mobedan-Mobed " in Pahlavi) Azarpad Mehrespandan, one of the most famous characters of the Zoroastrian clergy of the Sassanian , attributed to Iran, which at Zoroastrians enjoys the rank of saint. This Mobedan-Mobed and Chancellor, who was already mentioned in various Middle Persian texts, including in the Denkard and Bundahišn and who lived during the reign of the Persian Great King Shapur II , had a significant influence on the canonization of Avestas that took place under the Sassanids, which he followed his predecessor Tansar, who lived in the time of the great king Ardaschir I and who served the same task, on behalf of Shapur II.

To illustrate this, an excerpt from the daily prayer "Osirin-Gâh", named after the Avestian deity "Uzayeirina", who watches over the time between evening and night: "We praise those who are pure ... that one who is pure spreads purity and truthfulness. "

literature

  • Encyclopaedia of Ancient Iran . Hashem-e Razi, Tehran, Sokhan, 2002.
  • A Concise Pahlavi Dictionary . DN MacKenzie. Routledge Curzon, 2005.
  • Encyclopedia Iranica . Edited by Ehsan Yarshater
  • Old Avestan Glossary. P. Octor Skjaervo, Harvard University.
  • Translations: J. Darmesteter, LH Mills, F. Wolff. See also Avesta.org .
  • Avesta . Gathas, Yasna, Yashts, Vispard & Khordah-Avesta. Hashem-e Razi, Tehran, Behjat Publications, 2000.
  • Avesta . Translation of the text. Jalil Doostkhah. Morvarid, 1996.

See also