The Pahlavi version

Translation of Zand-I Khurtak Avistak by Ervad Bamanji Nusserwan­ji Dhabhar. Reprinted in 2005 by The K. R. Cama Oriental Insti­tute, 136, Bombay Samachar Marg, Fort, Bombay 400001. Pp: vii + 476. Price: Rs 450.

This book contains Pahlavi versions of the Avestan prayers in the Khordeh Avesta. An erudite scholar of Iranian languages, Ervad Bamanji Dhabhar was reputed for his critical study of the Pahla­vi literature. His very exhaustive footnotes lead to clarity and are greatly appreciated even by well-known scholars.

Each divinity, from Ahura Mazda down, had a yasht consecrat­ed for his or her glorification. From these, names were given to the days of the month. The Preface to the book states that it was not only the 30 yazatas, presiding over the days of the month, that had the yashts consecrated to them, but the yashts must have far exceeded the number of days of the month. A great part of the Bakan-Yasht Nask constitute our present extant Yashts.

Asdin Kaka of Navsari is reputed to have written "the oldest yasht codex in A.Y. 960 — the oldest that contains all the yashts as being the ancestral manuscript of most of the yasht copies.”

A controversy raged among the western scholars a century ago regarding the merits and demerits of the Pahlavi version. Now the value of tradition is recognized by scholars as being of the greatest use in the interpretation of the Avestan texts, side by side with the philological attempts at their elucidation. Dhabhar sums up the subject by quoting Mills: "We have then comparative philology, original tradition, and the results of ancient schol­arship in these translations; and each is a distinct and indepen­dent factor bearing upon the exegesis of their original.” Dhabhar adds, "Neryosang should be our constant guide in the elucidation of the Pahlavi version.”

In the translation of prayers, Ashem vohu is the shortest. "Righteousness is a perfect boon. Righteousness is a virtue. Happy is he who is the sanctifier of the best righteousness.” The first thing to do on getting out of the bed is to recite Ashem vohu. It is more efficacious than reciting a thousand Ashem vohus later!

"As my own”

In praise of the 30 days of the month, the Homage Unto Auhar­mazd is the most touching as the devotee considers the Creator "as my own.” I reproduce the translation in toto:

"O good and beneficent creator, thou art Auharmazd, the greatest lord and wise, omnipotent and omnipresent, creator and maintainer of the whole earthly and spiritual creation: I praise and invoke thee and regard thee as my own at every place and time. I am thankful unto thee, O bright and glorious creator that thou createdst (me) and gavest me, in the material world, sound­ness of body, the fulfillment of my desire in every matter, and power (patukih) for doing every righteous duty and work of the law. May this be auspicious, of good omen and of happy issue.”

The Homage unto Avan Ardvisur is simply splendid — most beautiful. It states: "I praise and invoke the merciful and forgiving creator Auharmazd, the greatest amongst the spiritual and terrestrial beings. I profess praise for thee and thanksgiving unto thee that thou hast created the glory of Avan i.e. Ardvisur which is unde­filed, brilliant, beautiful, bright, glorious, effulgent, pros­perity giving, purifying and beneficent through the will of Auharmazd and that thou keepest, sound and pure, the seeds of males and females so that blood and pus are not mixed up with them, and so that there is thereby the procreation of offspring. Of all those who could be seen with the eyesight, thou art the most beautiful, most brilliant and the most auspicious of those who have been in existence, and thou hast been made, by Auhar­mazd, worthy of smartness, beauty, radiance and gloriousness. On account of this, the males and females of this material world may participate in such like glory, radiance and beauty and in thy gloriousness by the will of Auharmazd. We of this material world (invoke) blessings (on thee) so that from thy glory and radiance, beneficence and stainlessness may, for ever, reach the creation of Auharmazd.” What a beautiful and glorious tribute to the only feminine divinity referred to as Spenta Armaiti in our prayers.

The Zoroastrian prayers refer to Vohu Manah (good mind), Asha (right­eousness), Kshathrem Vairim (best kingdom), Spenta Armaiti (holy love and devotion), Haurvatat (Perfection) and Ameratat (Immortality). These and the triad of good thoughts, good words and good deeds broadly encompass the basic tenets of the Zoroastrian religion.

In his prefatory note, J. C. Tarapore refers to the present work as scholarly. A short prayer entitled Zand-I Nan is stated to be most efficacious if recited before taking meals. It reads "Here then we worship Auharmazd who created cattle and righteous­ness. He created both water and good plants. He created both light and the earth and even everything good (root and fruit).” In our scriptures, great importance is attached to animal husban­dry, particularly domestic animals like cattle, sheep and lambs, raising of crops, plants and plantations and making the soil fertile. Even tasty food is rightly considered as one of the great blessings of the lord. The approach is most practical, down-to-earth and realistic.

This is a book which every aspiring student of Avesta and Zoroastrian studies must possess — nay not only possess but study in depth. It is a great pity that today we have only a negligible number of students studying Avesta. This trend needs to be re­versed. All madressas and concerned institutions must do every­thing possible to get more and more students interested in Aves­tan and Zoroastrian studies.