| Ard Yasht | |
|---|---|
 First page of the Ard Yasht inDarmesteter's French translation[1] | |
| Information | |
| Religion | Zoroastrianism |
| Language | Avestan |
| Period | Avestan period |
| Chapters | 10Kardes |
| Verses | 62 |
TheArd Yasht orArshishvang Yasht is the seventeenthYasht of the 21 Yasht collection.[2] It is named after and dedicated to the praise ofAshi, theZoroastrian divinity representingrecompense andcapricious luck.[3]
The Ard Yasht consists of 62 stanzas, which are further grouped into 10 sections calledKardas. This makes it relatively short among the so-calledGreat Yashts.[4] Regardless, it is considered to be of high literary quality and covers a wide range of topics.[5] The Yasht does not have acommentary in Middle Persian.[6] In theZoroastrian calendar, it is celebrated on the 25th day of the month dedicated to Ashi.[7]
In his edition of the Avesta,Geldner notes that the Yasht is called bothArd andArishvang in the different manuscript traditions.[8] Here, Ard is theMiddle Persian name forAvestanAshi, whereas Arishvang is the name of Ashi is some Middle Persian sources,[9] and is ultimately derived fromAvestanAshish vaŋuhi (the good Ashi).[10] Ashi in turn is apersonified abstraction of Avestanaṣ̌i/arti[note 1] with the meaning ofthe thing attained orreward.[11]
FollowingDarmesteter, the Ard Yasht can be divided thematically into several parts. The first part (Kardas I-II) is dedicated to a description of Ashi's characteristics as a goddess of luck,[12] and her connection withZarathustra.[13] The next part (Kardas III-IX) follows the general outline of many of the so-calledLegendary Yasht, by describing how legendary heroes of old offer sacrifice to her:[14]
We sacrifice to Ashi Vanguhi, who is shining, high, tallformed, well worthy of sacrifice, with a loud-sounding chariot, strong, welfare-giving, healing, with fulness of intellect and powerful.
To her didHaoshyangha, theParadhata, offer up a sacrifice, upon the enclosure of theHara, the beautiful height, made byMazda.
He begged of her a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O greatAshi Vanguhi! that I may overcome all theDaevas of Mazana; that I may never fear and bow through terror before the Daevas, but that all the Daevas may fear and bow in spite of themselves before me, that they may fear and flee down to darkness.'
The great Ashi Vanguhi ran and came to his side: Haoshyangha, the Paradhata, obtained that boon.
For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice [...]
— Yasht Karda III: verses 17.23 - 17.26 (translated byJames Darmesteter).[15]
The rest of this part, i.e. Kardas IV-IX, follows the same structure. Each Karda starts with an introductory verse, followed by a few verses which describe the worshipper and the boon they requested from Ashi, and finally a verse how the request was granted by her.[16] Next to Haosyangha, this list containsYima Khshaéta (Karda IV),Thraêtaona (Karda V),Haoma (Karda VI),Husravah (Karda VII),Zarathustra (Karda VIII) andVishtaspa (Karda IX).[17] The same list is also found in Yasht 9, where the worship is, however, addressed toDrvaspa instead of Ashi.[18] The last part (Karda X) describes how Ashi will not accept worship from people, who cannot engage inreproductive sexual activity, or who do so outside a marital relationship.[19][note 2]
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Zoroastrianism | ||
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