KHORDEH AVESTĀ

1 KHORDEH AVEST comprisingAshem, Yatha, the five Ny yeshes, the five G hs,Vispa Humata, N m Set yeshne, Patet Pashem nee,all the Nirangs, B js, and Namaskars,and sixteen YashtsTRANSLITERATEDANDTRANSLATED INTO ENGLISHWith Copious Explanatory NotesPrepared byProf. Ervad MANECK FURDOONJI KANGA the Gujarati originalKhordeh-Avest -B -M yeniofErvad KAVASJI EDULJI KANGA.(first Edition published in 1880and Thirteenth edition in 1976.)FIRST EDITION IN ENGLISH1362 1993 edition 1381 2013 Edition in English 1362 1993 published by The Trusteesof the Parsi Panchayat Funds and Properties, 209, Dr. Dadabhai NaorojiRoad, Fort, Bombay 400 001. Printed by: Jenaz Printers, Bombay. Tel. 2612853 Revised 2013 to correct printer s errors, , Kasson MN KHORDEH -Avesta, with text and translation in Gujarati, had beenprepared in the year 1880 A. D. by the celebrated Avesta Scholar, the LateErvad Kavasji Edulji Kanga.

2 This work is known as KHORDEH Avesta B -M yeni. The value and the utility of this book could be perceived from thefact that even after more than a century, It has remained a standard work inthe Parsi Community for the purpose of prayers, and as well among thescholars as an indispensable reference book. The demand has been such thatit has subsequently been, published into thirteen recent times, however, it has been noticed that a fairly large number ofZoroastrians have been migrating to the Western countries, and hence havedifficulty in following the Gujarati language. Moreover, the youngergeneration in India are also nowadays not familiar with the Gujaratilanguage. A serious need was felt, therefore, to have a KHORDEH -Avesta inEnglish on the lines of the KHORDEH -Avesta B -M yeni in Gujarati by the lateErvad K. E. Trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet entrusted the work ofrendering the said Gujarati KHORDEH -Avesta B -M yeni into an Englishversion (Text in Roman Script with English Translation) to the well-knownScholar of Iranology, Prof.

3 Ervad Maneck Furdoonji Kanga who hadcompleted this work diligently, but did not live for his work to see the lightof day, as he passed way in October, 1988. For the proof-reading andcorrection of this publication, thanks are due to Ervad Ratanshah RustomjiMotafram who is the Head-Master of the M. F. Cama Athornan Institute,Andheri, and an erudite scholar of Avesta Trustees of the Bombay Parsi Punchayet have great pleasure inpublishing this invaluable book and presenting the same in the service of theParsi Aspi F. Golwalla,Chairman,Board of Trustees,Parsi Punchayet Funds and Properties, ,15th January, TO 2013 CORRECTED English edition of Ervad Kangaji s popular classic was first printedin 1993. Unfortunately, the printed edition has since become very scarce. Tenyears later, it was digitised and put on the web site through thetireless efforts of Ervad Soli Dastur.

4 It quickly became one of the mostviewed and downloaded documents on the website currently over 170,000times a staggering amount in view of the small number of practisingZoroastrians. In 2011, in view of its popularity, and the fact that the Parsees look uponErvad Kanga s editions as the standard prayer-books in point ofpronunciation, I undertook the task of preparing an ebook version of theclassic, which could be viewed on smart phones and tablets. At the sametime I took the opportunity to correct the frequent printer s errors which thatedition suffered from. Given the technical difficulties, it has taken nearly twoyears to complete the task. I am sure the scanning process has introducednew defects, and I welcome all feedback so I can make further those who are interested, a list of the corrections can be found , 7, 2013iiPreface to the English Edition of the KHORDEH Avesta-B -M yeniThe oldest Zoroastrian religious scripture, as preserved at present, isknown as the Avesta.

5 A section of this Avesta is known as the KHORDEH -Avesta which means the Smaller ( Selected) Avesta . This is the book ofdaily prayers of the Zoroastrians. It is a cherished possession of everydevoted Zoroastrian household. The KHORDEH Avesta is a collection ofprayers selected from other major works of extant Avesta literature such asYasna, Vispered, Vendidad, and the Yasht Literature. For instance, the AtashNy yesh is taken from Yasna Chapter 62, and the v n Ardvisur Ny yesh istaken from Yasna Chapter 65, and so book KHORDEH Avesta , therefore, contains daily prayers includingthe Kusti prayers, Hoshbam, Five G hs, Five Ny yeshes (praise, litany), the fring n (benedictions, blessings) containing invocatory prayers andblessings dedicated to Ard fravash, Dahm n, Srosh, Gahambar, Gatha,Rapithwin, etc., besides some prayers in KHORDEH Avesta, intended for the use of the devotees, is acollection of the forms of prayers most required by them at various seasonsand in the various circumstances of their lives.

6 As such, it is not a book ofuniform content and fixed arrangement. Thus, all the Yashts are alsoincluded in the Tam m KHORDEH Avesta; but because of the convenience ofprinting facilities, only a few Yashts, known as the shorter Yashts, and alsothose which the publisher considers as being necessary or popular, aregenerally included in the KHORDEH Avesta. The Hormazd Yasht, theArdibehesht Yasht, the Srosh Yasht H dokht, the Srosh Yasht Vadi, thesmaller Hom and Vanant Yashts, Haftan Yasht, and the Bahram Yasht aregenerally included. However, different editions contain a varying number ofYashts. For the convenience of the devotees, even the Five Gathas of theHoly Prophet Zarathushtra, which form a part of the Yasna section, areincluded in some of the editions of the KHORDEH recite their prayers in Avesta which is a sacred several words for prayers in Avesta, one is called m nthra ,which means thought (force), word, holy word.

7 It is similar to the Sanskrit mantra , and the Sanskrit translation is rendered as m nthrav ni which isalso significantly called desha : Divine Command .Among other Avesta words for prayer , the M nthra therefore,occupies a very important position, According to the Yasna Chapter (Gatha Ahunavaiti), m nthra is the Holy Word of Divine Origin, and theHoly Word of Ahura Mazda. One of the collections of these m nthras isknown as M nthra Spenta in Avesta which means the Holy, beneficentWord , and which is effective and full of glory . It is stated in the FravardinYasht (paragraph 81) that M nthra Spenta is the soul of Ahura Mazda .iiiivKhordeh AvestaAccording to Hormazd Yasht, the Holy Names of Ahura Mazdamentioned therein, form a section of the M nthra Siruze Yasht, in the Khshnuman (propitiatory formula) of theM nthra Spenta (M respand), it is stated: We revere the much gloriousM nthra Spenta, we revere the law against the demons, we revere the creedof Zarathushtra, we revere the long-standing traditions, we revere the goodM zdayasni Religion.

8 These are some of the foundational beliefs of theZoroastrian being a sacred language, it is incumbent upon every Zoroastrianto recite his/her prayers in Avesta. At the same time, any person would liketo learn about the general meanings of the prayers which he/she recites. Forthis, there are several translations available in different languages thoughvery often, such translations do not bring out the spirit of the the year 1880 then, a pioneering work in this field was carried outby the celebrated Avesta scholar, the late Ervad Kavasji Edulji Kanga, ofrevered memory. He brought out a translation of the KHORDEH Avesta inGujarati in a scholarly and systematic manner, transliterating and translatingeach paragraph simultaneously, and giving a number to each word for thebenefit of the readers following the translation with accuracy. He also gavefootnotes, wherever necessary, in the light of modern research based onphilology.

9 This work is known as the KHORDEH Avesta-B -M yeni: KhordehAvesta with meanings .The late Ervad Kavasji Kanga was an inspired soul. Not only did hebring out this translation of the KHORDEH Avesta, but he went on toaccomplish the monumental task of translating the entire Avesta scripturesavailable to us at present, besides bringing out an Avesta-English-Gujaratidictionary, and also a treatise on Avesta a century has now elapsed, this translation of KHORDEH Avestahas stood the test of time, and has remained a standard and authentic piece ofliterary work, both for the scholars and for the laity. As many as thirteeneditions of this translation-work have been brought out successively, the lastone being in original translation of the KHORDEH Avesta by Ervad Kavasji Kangawas in the Gujarati language. Even though there is much demand for work ofthis kind and utility, readership in the Gujarati language is graduallydiminishing in the Parsi community, particularly among the youngergeneration, as well as among a very large number of those who havemigrated to Western Countries in recent years.

10 Though some Englishtranslations of the KHORDEH Avesta have been attempted, and are available, agreat need has been felt for an English version of Kangaji s classic Gujaratitranslation of the KHORDEH Trustees of the Parsi Punchayat of Bombay therefore took uponthemselves to carry out this fundamental duty, and decided to get theGujarati translation of KHORDEH Avesta-B -M yeni of Ervad K. E. Kangarendered into English. This task they then entrusted to another celebratedscholar of international repute, namely, the late Prof. Ervad ManeckFurdoonji Kanga, who was incidentally a relative of the late Ervad KavasjiKanga. Prof. M. F. Kanga has written innumerable articles on Iraniansubjects for various journals, books, memorial and commemorative volumesthroughout the scholarly terms of reference of this work entrusted to Prof.