The Nyayis

¹[Hail unto the Sun, the swift-horsed! May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced!] Hail unto thee, O Ahura Mazda, in the threefold way! [Hail unto thee] before all other creatures! Hail unto you, O Amesha-Spentas, who are all of you of one accord with the Sun! May this prayer come unto Ahura Mazda! May it come unto the Amesha-Spentas! May it come unto the Fravashis of the holy Ones! May it come unto the Sovereign Vayu of the long Period!

²[Hail unto the Sun, the swift-horsed!] May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! May Angra Mainyu be destroyed, by those who do truly what is the foremost wish (of God). I recite the 'Praise of Holiness.'

³I praise well-thought, well-spoken, and well-done thoughts, words, and deeds. I embrace all good thoughts, good words, and good deeds; I reject all evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.

⁴I give sacrifice and prayer unto you, O Amesha-Spentas! even with the fulness of my thoughts, of my words, of my deeds, and of my heart: I give unto you even my own life. I recite the 'Praise of Holiness:' 'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good. Well is it for it, well is it for that holiness which is perfection of holiness!'

⁵Hail to Ahura Mazda! Hail to the Amesha-Spentas! Hail to Mithra, the lord of wide pastures! Hail to the Sun, the swift-horsed! Hail to the two eyes of Ahura Mazda! Hail to the Bull! Hail to Gaya Maretan! Hail to the Fravashi of the holy Spitama Zarathustra! Hail to the whole of the holy creation that was, is, or will be! May I grow in health of body through Vohu-Mano, Khshathra, and Asha, and come to that luminous space, to that highest of all high things, when the world, O Spenta Mainyu! has come to an end! Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good ....

⁶We sacrifice unto the bright, undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun. We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who is truth-speaking, a chief in assemblies, with a thousand ears, well-shapen, with ten thousand eyes, high, with full knowledge, strong, sleepless, and ever awake.

⁷We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of all countries, whom Ahura Mazda made the most glorious of all the gods in the world unseen. So may Mithra and Ahura, the two great gods, come to us for help! We sacrifice unto the bright, undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun.

⁸We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, whose sight is sound. We sacrifice unto Tishtrya; we sacrifice unto the rains of Tishtrya. We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, bright and glorious. We sacrifice unto the star Vanant, made by Mazda. We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star. We sacrifice unto the sovereign sky. We sacrifice unto the boundless Time. We sacrifice unto the sovereign Time of the long Period. We sacrifice unto the beneficent, well-doing Wind. We sacrifice unto the most upright Arstat, made by Mazda and holy. We sacrifice unto the good Law of the worshippers of Mazda. We sacrifice unto the way of contentment. We sacrifice unto the golden instruments. We sacrifice unto Mount Saokanta, made by Mazda.

⁹We sacrifice unto all the holy gods of the world unseen. We sacrifice unto all the holy gods of the material world. We sacrifice unto our own soul. We sacrifice unto our own Fravashi. We sacrifice unto the good, strong, beneficent Fravashis of the holy Ones. We sacrifice unto the bright, undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun.

¹⁰I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathustra .... [We sacrifice] unto the Ahurian waters, the waters of Ahura, with excellent libations, with finest libations, with libations piously strained. Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good .... [Give] unto that man brightness and glory, give him health of body, .... give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.

¹Hail unto thee, O Ahura Mazda, in the threefold way! [Hail unto thee] before all other creatures! Hail unto you, O Amesha-Spentas, who are all of you of one accord with the Sun! May this prayer come unto Ahura Mazda! May it come unto the Amesha-Spentas! May it come unto the Fravashis of the holy Ones! May it come unto the sovereign Vayu of the long Period! [The whole of the Khorshed Yasht is inserted here.]

²May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! ....

³I praise well-thought, well-spoken, and well-done thoughts, words, and deeds ....

⁴I give sacrifice and prayer unto you, O Amesha-Spentas! ....

⁵Hail to Ahura Mazda! .... May I grow in health of body through Vohu-Mano, Khshathra, and Asha, and come to that luminous space, to that highest of all high things, when the world, O Spenta Mainyu, has come to an end!

⁶We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who is truth-speaking, a chief in assemblies, with a thousand ears, well-shapen, with ten thousand eyes, high, with full knowledge, strong, sleepless, and ever awake.

⁷We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of all countries, whom Ahura Mazda made the most glorious of all the heavenly gods. So may Mithra and Ahura, the two great gods, come to us for help! We sacrifice unto the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun.

⁸We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, whose sight is sound ....

⁹We sacrifice unto all the holy gods of the world unseen ....

¹⁰I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathustra ....

¹¹We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who is truth-speaking, a chief in assemblies, with a thousand ears, well-shapen, with a thousand eyes, high, with full knowledge, strong, sleepless, and ever awake. We sacrifice unto the Mithra around countries; we sacrifice unto the Mithra within countries; we sacrifice unto the Mithra in this country; we sacrifice unto the Mithra above countries; we sacrifice unto the Mithra under countries; we sacrifice unto the Mithra before countries; we sacrifice unto the Mithra behind countries.

¹²We sacrifice unto Mithra and Ahura, the two great, imperishable, holy gods; and unto the stars, and the moon, and the sun, with the trees that yield baresma. We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of all countries.

¹³For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard .... We offer up libations unto Mithra ....

¹⁴May he come to us for help! May he come to us for ease! ....

¹⁵I will offer up libations unto him, the strong Yazata, the powerful Mithra .... Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda ....

¹⁶Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness .... I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of Mithra .... Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good .... [Give] unto that man brightness and glory, .... give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.

¹Hail to Ahura Mazda! Hail to the Amesha-Spentas! Hail to the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull! Hail to thee when we look at thee! Hail to thee when thou lookest at us!

²Unto the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull; unto the only-created Bull and unto the Bull of many species; be propitiation ....

³Hail to Ahura Mazda! ....

⁴How does the moon wax? How does the moon wane? ....

⁵We sacrifice unto the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull ....

⁶And when the light of the moon waxes warmer ....

⁷I will sacrifice unto the Moon ....

⁸For its brightness and glory ....

⁹Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness ....

¹⁰Give us strength and victory! Give us welfare in cattle and in bread! Give us a great number of male children, praisers [of God] and chiefs in assemblies, who smite and are not smitten, who smite at one stroke their enemies, who smite at one stroke their foes, ever in joy and ready to help.

¹¹Ye gods of full Glory, ye gods of full healing, let your greatness become manifest! let your assistance become manifest as soon as you are called for! and ye, Waters, manifest your Glory, and impart it to the man who offers you a sacrifice. Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good .... [Give] unto that man brightness and glory, .... give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.

¹May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! .... Unto the good Waters, made by Mazda; unto the holy water-spring Ardvi Anahita; unto all waters, made by Mazda; unto all plants, made by Mazda, be propitiation ....

²Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathustra, saying: 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathustra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita ....'

³'Who makes the seed of all males pure, who makes the womb of all females pure for bringing forth ....'

⁴'The large river, known afar, that is as large as the whole of the waters that run along the earth ....'

⁵'All the shores of the sea Vourukasha are boiling over, all the middle of it is boiling over, when she runs down there ....'

⁶'From this river of mine alone flow all the waters that spread all over the seven Karshvares.'

⁷'I, Ahura Mazda, brought it down with mighty vigour, for the increase of the house, of the borough, of the town, of the country.'

⁸'He from whom she will hear the staota yesnya; he from whom she will hear the Ahuna Vairya; he from whom she will hear the Asha-vahishta; he by whom the good waters will be made pure; with the words of the holy hymns, he will enter first the Garo-nmana of Ahura Mazda: she will give him the boons asked for.'

⁹'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard; I will offer her a sacrifice well-performed. Thus mayest thou advise us when thou art appealed to! Mayest thou be most fully worshipped. We sacrifice unto the holy Ardvi Sura Anahita with libations. We sacrifice unto Ardvi Sura Anahita, the holy and master of holiness, with the Haoma and meat, with the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy spells, with the words, with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words. Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda ....'

¹⁰'Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness .... I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of the holy water-spring Anahita. [Give] unto that man brightness and glory, .... give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.'

¹Take me out, O Ahura! give me perfect piety and strength ....

⁴May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! .... Hail unto thee, O Fire, son of Ahura Mazda, thou beneficent and most great Yazata! Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good .... I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda .... For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification .... Unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; unto thee, Atar, son of Ahura Mazda!

⁵Unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; unto the Glory and the Weal, made by Mazda; unto the Glory of the Aryas, made by Mazda; unto the Glory of the Kavis, made by Mazda. Unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; unto king Husravah; unto the lake of Husravah; unto Mount Asnavant, made by Mazda; unto Lake Kaekasta, made by Mazda; unto the Glory of the Kavis, made by Mazda.

⁶Unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda; unto Mount Raevant, made by Mazda; unto the Glory of the Kavis, made by Mazda. Unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda. Unto Atar, the beneficent, the warrior; the God who is a full source of Glory, the God who is a full source of healing. Unto Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda, with all Atars; unto the God Nairyosangha, who dwells in the navel of kings; be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness ....

⁷I bless the sacrifice and invocation, and the good offering, the beneficent offering, the offering of assistance offered unto thee, O Atar, son of Ahura Mazda! Thou art worthy of sacrifice and invocation; mayest thou receive the sacrifice and the invocation in the houses of men. Well may it be unto the man who ever worships thee with a sacrifice, holding the sacred wood in his hand, the baresma in his hand, the meat in his hand, the mortar in his hand.

⁸Mayest thou have the right wood! Mayest thou have the right incense! Mayest thou have the right food! Mayest thou have the right fuel! Mayest thou be full-grown for protecting (this house)! Mayest thou grow excellent for protecting!

⁹Mayest thou burn in this house! Mayest thou ever burn in this house! Mayest thou blaze in this house! Mayest thou increase in this house! Even for a long time, till the powerful restoration of the world, till the time of the good, powerful restoration of the world!

¹⁰Give me, O Atar, son of Ahura Mazda! lively welfare, lively maintenance, lively living; fulness of welfare, fulness of maintenance, fulness of life; knowledge, sagacity; quickness of tongue; (holiness of) soul; a good memory; and then the understanding that goes on growing and the one that is not acquired through learning; and then the manly courage.

¹¹Firm-footed, unsleeping, (sleeping only) for a third part of the day and of the night, quick to rise up from bed, ever awake; and a protecting, virtuous offspring, able to rule countries and assemblies of men, well growing up, good, freeing us from the pangs (of hell), endowed with a good intellect, that may increase my house, my borough, my town, my country, my empire.

¹²Give me, O Atar, son of Ahura Mazda! however unworthy I am, now and for ever, a seat in the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones. May I obtain the good reward, a good renown, and long cheerfulness for my soul!

¹³Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda, lifts up his voice to all those for whom he cooks their evening meal and their morning meal. From all those he wishes a good offering, a beneficent offering, an offering of assistance, O Spitama!

¹⁴Atar looks at the hands of all those who pass by: 'What does the friend bring to his friend? What does he who comes and goes bring to him who stays motionless?' We sacrifice unto Atar, the valiant warrior.

¹⁵And if the passer-by brings him wood holily brought, or bundles of baresma holily tied up, or twigs of Hadhanaepata, then Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda, well pleased with him and not angry, and fed as required, will thus bless him:

¹⁶'May herds of oxen grow for thee, and increase of sons; may thy mind be master of its vow, may thy soul be master of its vow, and mayest thou live on in the joy of the soul all the nights of thy life.' This is the blessing which Atar speaks unto him who brings him dry wood, well-examined by the light of the day, well-cleansed with godly intent.

¹⁷Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness .... I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda .... Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good ....

¹⁸We gladden by our virtue thy mighty Fire, O Ahura! thy most quick and powerful Fire, who shows his assistance to him who has ever comforted him, but delights in taking vengeance with his hands on the man who has harmed him.