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AYasht (Middle Persian:𐭩𐭱𐭲,yšt') is a hymn of praise composed in theYoung Avestan language and dedicated to specific Zoroastriandivinities.[1] The term commonly applies to the collection of 21Yashts,[2] although it may also refer to other texts within the widerAvesta collection.[3]
The English wordyasht is derived fromMiddle Persian𐭩𐭱𐭲 (yšt', "prayer, worship"). In thePahlavi literature, the word is used interchangeably withyasn. Yasht probably originated fromAvestan 𐬫𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬀 (yašta, "honored") from 𐬫𐬀𐬰 (yaz, "to worship, honor"). It may ultimately go back toProto-Indo-European*yeh₂ǵ-[4] or*Hyaǵ-.[5]
Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬀 is also the origin of two other terms. First, Avestan𐬫𐬀𐬯𐬥𐬀 (yasna, act of worship), which is a general Zoroastrian term for an act of worship or specifically theYasna ritual, and, second, Avestan𐬫𐬀𐬰𐬀𐬙𐬀 (yazata, (being) worthy of worship), which is a general Zoroastrian term fordivinity.[6]
All the hymns of theYasht collection "are written in what appears to be prose, but which, for a large part, may originally have been a (basically) eight-syllable verse, oscillating between four and thirteen syllables, and most often between seven and nine."[7] Most of theyazatas that the individualYashts praise also have a dedication in theZoroastrian calendar. The exceptions areDrvaspa andVanant.
| No | Name[a] | Yazata[b] | Verses | Type | Siroza |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohrmazd Yasht[c] | Ahura Mazda | 33 | minor | 1,8,15,23 |
| 2 | Haft Amahraspand Yasht[c] | Amesha Spentas | 15 | minor | 2,4,5,7 |
| 3 | Ardwahisht Yasht[c] | Asha Vahishta | 19 | minor | 3 |
| 4 | Hordad Yasht[c] | Haurvatat | 11 | minor | 6 |
| 5 | Aban Yasht[b][9] | Anahita[f][g] | 132 | legendary | 10 |
| 6 | Xwarshed Yasht | Hvare-khshaeta | 7 | minor | 11 |
| 7 | Mah Yasht | Maonghah | 7 | minor | 12 |
| 8 | Tishtar Yasht | Tishtrya | 62 | hymnic | 13 |
| 9 | Gosh Yasht[10] | Drvaspa[d] | 33 | legendary | 14 |
| 10 | Mihr Yasht[11] | Mithra | 145 | hymnic | 16 |
| 11 | Srosh Yasht | Sraosha[e] | 23 | hymnic | 17 |
| 12 | Rashn Yasht | Rashnu[e] | 47 | hymnic | 18 |
| 13 | Frawardin Yasht[12] | Fravashis | 158 | hymnic | 19 |
| 14 | Bahram Yasht | Verethragna | 64 | hymnic | 20 |
| 15 | Ram Yasht[b] | Vayu[i] | 58 | legendary | 21, 22 |
| 16 | Den Yasht[b][13] | Chista | 20 | legendary | 24 |
| 17 | Ard Yasht | Ashi[g] | 62 | legendary | 25 |
| 18 | Ashtad Yasht[b] | Khvarenah | 9 | minor | 26 |
| 19 | Zamyad Yasht | see note[b] below | 97 | legendary | 28 |
| 20 | Hom Yasht | Haoma[h] | 3 | minor | 29 |
| 21 | Vanand Yasht | Vanant | 2 | minor | 30 |
The 21 yashts are used today in a wide range of liturgical practices. The can be recited by priests as well as lay people and in a diverse range of settings, likefire temples as well as in private or public spaces.[14] They are typically addressed to one specificdivinity. Their liturgical use is, therefore, different from the high liturgies, like theYasna,Vendidad orVisperad, which are always performed by several priests, typically in a fire temple, and are dedicated to all Zoroastrian divinities.[15]
In addition to the hymns in the Yasht collection, the term Yasht is also used in Zoroastrian tradition for other texts. This includes several hymns of theYasna liturgy that "venerate by praise". These Yashts are: theBarsom Yasht (Yasna 2), anotherHom Yasht inYasna 9–11, theBhagan Yasht ofYasna 19–21, a hymn toAshi inYasna 52, anotherSrosh Yasht inYasna 57, the praise of the (hypostasis of) "prayer" inYasna 58, and a hymn to theAhurani inYasna 68.
| a. ^ | TheYashts did not originally have titles. These were assigned at some time during theCommon Era, and hence reflect theMiddle Persian forms of the divinities' names. |
| b. ^ | SeveralYashts are—despite their names—hymns to other divinities or concepts.
|
| c. ^ | Yashts 1–4 are "mediocre, meaningless texts, composed in incoherent language; they probably result from a very late expansion of the Yašt collection."[16] |
| d. ^ | Yasht 9 toDrvaspa has a number of verses that are originally fromYasht 5, the hymn to the waters.[16] |
| e. ^ | Yashts 11 and 12 are respectively hymns toSraosha andRashnu, but are to some extent also an extension ofYasht 10, the hymn toMithra. Sraosha and Rashnu are both attendants of Mithra. |
| f. ^ | There is also a "hidden"Yasht tothe waters atYasna 38. |
| g. ^ | Yasht 5 (in praise ofAredvi Sura Anahita) andYasht 17 (toAshi) share a number of verses. It is not possible to determine which of the two is the original. |
| h. ^ | The Avesta has two hymns that were later titledHom Yasht. The original is part of theYasna liturgy and hence not counted as aYasht. The other,Yasht 20, is a duplicate of the three verses ofYasna 9–11. |
| i. ^ | Vayu, divinity of wind and atmosphere, is a dual divinity: part benevolent and part malign. |
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