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The airyaman ishya (airyaman išya, airyə̄mā išyō) is Zoroastrianism's fourth of the four Gathic Avestan invocations.
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The prayer is named after its opening words, ā airyə̄mā išyō. In present-day Zoroastrian usage, the airyama of these opening words are considered to be an invocation of the divinity Airyaman, the yazata of healing. The opening words may however have originally been an appeal to "the community" (or "tribe"[1]), which would reflect the etymologically derived meaning of airyaman.[2]
Like the other three formulas, the airyaman ishya is in Gathic Avestan. While the first three formulas are located at Yasna 27.13-27.15, immediately preceding the Gathas, the airyaman ishya - at Yasna 54.1 - provides the closure. Also unlike the first three, the theological exegesis of the airyaman ishya is not embedded in the Yasna liturgy itself. Like the yenghe hatam, the third of the four formulas, the airyaman ishya is a prayer.[3] Both it and the yenghe hatam are without the enigmatic "pronounced magical character"[4] of the first two formulas.
In Yasht 3.8, 11 and 15, the airyaman ishya is described as the weapon with which to put the demon (daeva) Taromaiti "heresy" to flight.[5] The airyaman ishya is the greatest, best, fairest, most fearful, most firm most victorious, and the most healing" of all formulas (Yasht 3.5[6])
Since its incantation was considered the most effective form of healing (Yasht 3.6), the airyaman ishya was accorded special status in the religion.[1] Vendidad 20.12 notes its efficacy against "all sickness and death, all sorcerers and witches, all whores belonging to the Lie." The Yasna verse immediately following the prayer considers the airyaman ishya "the greatest uttering of asha." (Yasna 54.2)
Like the ahuna vairya invocation (the first of the four great formulas), the airyaman ishya is "the most excellent, the most mighty, the most efficacious, the most smiting, the most victorious, the most healing, the greatest" of the formulas. (Yasht 1.1-1.3, 3.5-3.6 and 11.3[6]) Also like the ahuna vairya, the airyaman ishya has the power to elicit good thoughts, words and deeds, and so further asha and weaken the druj. (Visperad 24.0-2).
In the medieval texts of the 9th-12th century, the airyaman ishya is described to be the prayer that will be recited by the saoshyans to bring about the final renovation of the world. This eschatological role is already alluded to in Avestan texts, and the concepts of asha "Truth", ashi "Recompense" and airyaman (see translation below, the three words are also etymologically related) all have an eschatological aspect.
Besides being recited (four times) during the Yasna ceremony, the prayer is also part of the Ashirvad, the blessings invoked during a Zoroastrian marriage ceremony.
The airyaman ishya has 24 words in total, divided into two halves of 30 syllables each, distributed as 11,12,7 + 11,7,12.
Like all Gathic Avestan verses, the prayer is altogether ambiguous and translations vary significantly. One transliteration[7] and translation reads:
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