Yasht

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The Yašts (from yešti, "worship by praise"), of which there are twenty-four, are hymns of the Avesta in honour of various divinities, many of whom also have days of the month dedicated to them (see Zoroastrian calendar).

The hymns are an important source of Persian mythology, and were incorporated by Ferdowsi, with due acknowledgement, in his Shahnameh epic. Among the divinities to whom special Yašts are devoted we find Ardvi Sura, the goddess of waters; Tishtrya, the star Sirius; Mithra, the divinity of light and truth; Fravaši, the guardian spirits; Verethragna, the genius of victory; and the Kavaya Hvarenah, "kingly glory", the divine light illuminating the ancient kings. The Yašts are for the most part metrical in structure, and some hymns show considerable poetic merit, an attribute that is not common in the Avesta texts. The older Hôm Yašt is part of the Yasna and is not counted among the twenty-four Yašts.

1. Ohrmazd Yasht (hymn to Ahura Mazda)

2. Haft Amahraspand Yasht (Hymn to the Amesha Spenta)

3. Ardwahisht Yasht (hymn to the highest Asha)

4. Hordad Yasht

5. Ardui Sur Bano Yasht (Hymn to the Waters)

6. Kwarshed Yasht (hymn to the Sun). Kwarshed (Modern Persian Khorshid) "Sun" is from Avestan hvarə-xšaēta "radiant sun". The Avestan word for "Sun", hvarə, is cognate to Sanskrit Surya, Greek Helios and Latin Sol (see also Jamshid for etymology). [1] [2]

7. Mah Yasht (Hymn to the Moon)

8. Tishtar Yasht (Hymn to the Star Sirius)

9. Drvasp Yasht

10. Mihr Yasht (Hymn to Mithra)

11. Srosh Yasht

12. Rashn Yasht

13. Frawardin Yasht (Hymn to the Fravashi)

14. Warharan Yasht

15. Ram Yasht

16. Den Yasht

17. Ard Yasht

18. Ashtad Yasht

19. Zam Yasht (Hymn to the Earth)

20. Vanant Yasht (Hymn to the Star Vega)

[edit] References

• Karl F. Geldner, Avesta, the Sacred Books of the Parsis, Stuttgart, 1896.