Religion
“I declare my faith”
The English rendition of the kusti prayers was demonstrated at the XVI North American Zarathushti Congress (NAZC) in New York on August 4, 2012. Compiled from various translations, the English prayers were shared with Parsiana by Lovji Cama who was the moderator for the session on “Rituals and Practices: The Navjote/Sudreh Pushi Ceremony and the Kushti.”
Kemna Mazda
O Mazda, how will I protect myself when deceit tries to overcome me and leads me astray from the path of Asha?
Only by your fire within me (my good will) and my good mind, which lead me to actions that are in accordance with Asha. Ahura make me fully comprehend this.
Reveal to me clearly the wise soul-healing teacher, Zarathushtra, who will be victorious, and who through his teachings protects the living. Let Sraosha (obedience to His teachings) come to me through my Good Mind.
O Mazda and Armaiti (right mindedness) protect us from the deceivers.
Perish O deceit, you are the product of the false gods. Disappear, O deceit, so that the world of righteousness may not be destroyed.
I give homage to Armaiti which is right-mindedness.
Ashem Vohu (1)
Righteousness is the highest virtue. It leads to enlightened happiness.
Happiness comes to him who lives righteously for the sake of righteousness.
Ahura Mazda Khodai
O Ahura Mazda, may the evil mind be defeated and removed far from me (shake the kusti three times)
The wicked persons, the false gods, those who have strayed from righteousness, the willfully blind and the willfully deaf, the deceivers, may they all be frustrated and defeated.
May wicked rulers be removed from us.
O Ahura Mazda, from all my sins I repent and turn back.
From every evil thought, evil word or evil deed which in this world I may have thought, or committed, or have been cause of, or originated by me, pertaining to my body or my soul or pertaining to this world or the spiritual world, I repent.
I repent with my Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. (Make the two loops of the kusti in front of you)
Let glory be to Ahura Mazda, let contempt be for the evil mind, such is the wish of those who adhere to righteousness. I praise righteousness. (Tie the kusti from front to back and to front again readying for the knots)
Ashem Vohu (1)
Righteousness is the highest virtue. It leads to enlightened happiness.
Happiness comes to him who lives righteously for the sake of righteousness.
Yatha Ahu Vairyo (2)
(Tie the two knots in front with each Yatha Ahu Vairyo)
Just as we choose to worship the Lord (Ahura Mazda), so do we make our decisions in accordance with the Truth.
The gift of the Good Mind is granted in order to advance the good creation.
The power of Ahura Mazda comes to him, who works for the poor and the weak.
Ashem Vohu (1)
(Tie the two knots at the back while reciting this Ashem Vohu)
Righteousness is the highest virtue. It leads to enlightened happiness.
Happiness comes to him who lives righteously for the sake of righteousness.
Jase-me-Avenghe Mazda
Come to my help Oh Mazda, come to my help Oh Mazda, come to my help Oh Mazda.
I am a worshiper of Mazda (Mazdayasni), a Mazdayasni according to Zarathushtra.
Thus firmly do I declare my faith.
I solemnly believe in good thoughts, well conceived.
I solemnly believe in good words, well spoken.
I solemnly believe in good deeds, well done.
I acknowledge my acceptance of the good religion of Mazda, which ends strife and disarms violence, which makes us righteous and self-reliant.
Of all the religions that have been, or that will be, this one is the highest, the greatest, the best and the loftiest, this religion of Ahura Mazda as taught by Zarathushtra.
All good derives from Ahura Mazda.
Such is my solemn declaration of the Mazdayasni religion.
Ashem Vohu (1)
Righteousness is the highest virtue. It leads to enlightened happiness.
Happiness comes to him who lives righteously for the sake of righteousness.
Kemna Mazda
O Mazda, how will I protect myself when deceit tries to overcome me and leads me astray from the path of Asha?
Only by your fire within me (my good will) and my good mind, which lead me to actions that are in accordance with Asha. Ahura make me fully comprehend this.
Reveal to me clearly the wise soul-healing teacher, Zarathushtra, who will be victorious, and who through his teachings protects the living. Let Sraosha (obedience to His teachings) come to me through my Good Mind.
O Mazda and Armaiti (right mindedness) protect us from the deceivers.
Perish O deceit, you are the product of the false gods. Disappear, O deceit, so that the world of righteousness may not be destroyed.
I give homage to Armaiti which is right-mindedness.
Ashem Vohu (1)
Righteousness is the highest virtue. It leads to enlightened happiness.
Happiness comes to him who lives righteously for the sake of righteousness.
Ahura Mazda Khodai
O Ahura Mazda, may the evil mind be defeated and removed far from me (shake the kusti three times)
The wicked persons, the false gods, those who have strayed from righteousness, the willfully blind and the willfully deaf, the deceivers, may they all be frustrated and defeated.
May wicked rulers be removed from us.
O Ahura Mazda, from all my sins I repent and turn back.
From every evil thought, evil word or evil deed which in this world I may have thought, or committed, or have been cause of, or originated by me, pertaining to my body or my soul or pertaining to this world or the spiritual world, I repent.
I repent with my Good Thoughts, Good Words and Good Deeds. (Make the two loops of the kusti in front of you)
Let glory be to Ahura Mazda, let contempt be for the evil mind, such is the wish of those who adhere to righteousness. I praise righteousness. (Tie the kusti from front to back and to front again readying for the knots)
Ashem Vohu (1)
Righteousness is the highest virtue. It leads to enlightened happiness.
Happiness comes to him who lives righteously for the sake of righteousness.
Yatha Ahu Vairyo (2)
(Tie the two knots in front with each Yatha Ahu Vairyo)
Just as we choose to worship the Lord (Ahura Mazda), so do we make our decisions in accordance with the Truth.
The gift of the Good Mind is granted in order to advance the good creation.
The power of Ahura Mazda comes to him, who works for the poor and the weak.
Ashem Vohu (1)
(Tie the two knots at the back while reciting this Ashem Vohu)
Righteousness is the highest virtue. It leads to enlightened happiness.
Happiness comes to him who lives righteously for the sake of righteousness.
Jase-me-Avenghe Mazda
Come to my help Oh Mazda, come to my help Oh Mazda, come to my help Oh Mazda.
I am a worshiper of Mazda (Mazdayasni), a Mazdayasni according to Zarathushtra.
Thus firmly do I declare my faith.
I solemnly believe in good thoughts, well conceived.
I solemnly believe in good words, well spoken.
I solemnly believe in good deeds, well done.
I acknowledge my acceptance of the good religion of Mazda, which ends strife and disarms violence, which makes us righteous and self-reliant.
Of all the religions that have been, or that will be, this one is the highest, the greatest, the best and the loftiest, this religion of Ahura Mazda as taught by Zarathushtra.
All good derives from Ahura Mazda.
Such is my solemn declaration of the Mazdayasni religion.
Ashem Vohu (1)
Righteousness is the highest virtue. It leads to enlightened happiness.
Happiness comes to him who lives righteously for the sake of righteousness.
◆ ◆ ◆
From the archive