The Ashem Vohu ( / ˈ ʌ ʃ ɛ m ˈ v ɔː h uː / , Avestan : 𐬀𐬴𐬆𐬨 𐬬𐬊𐬵𐬏 aṣ̌əm vohū) is the second most important mantra , and one of the most important prayers in Zoroastrianism . It is dedicated to Asha , a Zoroastrian concept denoting truth, order or righteousness.
9-1003: Together with the Ahuna Vairya , the Yenghe hatam , and the Airyaman ishya ; the Ashem vohu forms the four mantras that enclose the Gathas in the Yasna . It is also at the end of most of the prayers in the Khordeh Avesta , except a certain few, most notably the Fravarane. In the Yasna, the Ahuna Vairya (Y. 27.13), the Ashem vohu (Y. 27.14), and the Yenghe hatam (Y. 27.15) precede
18-534: A Sogdian version of the Ashem Vohu was discovered in the 1970 and translated by Nicholas Sims-Williams . Sogdian 𐼺𐼴𐼶𐽁𐽂 𐼺𐼷𐽁𐽂𐼰𐼷 𐼴𐽁𐽂𐼰𐼰𐼷 𐼰𐽁𐽂𐼴𐼶𐼺𐼰𐼷 𐽂𐼴𐽀𐽂𐼰𐼷 𐼰𐼶𐼴𐽁𐽂𐼰𐼷𐽀𐽂𐼺 Reconstruction in Old Sogdian urtam wahu wahištam ištī uštā istī uštā ahmāi yat urtāi wahištāi urtam This version shows some phonological and linguistic peculiarities compared to
27-553: A number of challenges for a grammatical analysis. The term vohū translates to good and can be used as a regular adjective or as a noun. In the latter case it acquires the meaning of possession , comparable to the English noun good in the sense of item of merchandise . The first line can therefore mean both "asha is the best possession" or "asha [is] good, it is best." The term uštā is equally ambiguous. It can be derived from ušta (desired things) or from ušti (desire). Finally,
36-403: Is truth for him who (represents) best truth. or: Order is the best good (reward/possession) there is. There are wished-for things in his wish for this one when his Order is for the best Order. or: Truth is best (of all that is) good. As desired, as desired, truth is for him who (represents) best truth. or: Holiness (Asha) is the best of all good: it is also happiness. Happy
45-906: The Gathas, which are followed by the Airyaman ishya (Y. 54.1). Together with the Yasna Haptanghaiti , these texts form the Old Avestan layer of the Avesta . In the Younger Avestan portions of the texts, the Ashem vohu is mentioned more than 200 times. The Ashem vohu is overall the shortest of the four Gathic mantras. It is dedicated to asha , a central concept of Zoroastrianism. It consists of only twelve words which are arranged in an alliterative fashion. This may have helped ordinary people to more easily remember it. It repeatedly uses
54-585: The extant Avestan version. Ilya Gershevitch has, therefore, opined that the Ashem Vohu must have been known to the Sogdians before they converted to Zoroastrianism. Combined with the fact that it contains no specific Zoroastrian beliefs, Gershevitch concluded that the mantra should be considered to be pan-Iranian. Ahuna Vairya Too Many Requests If you report this error to the Wikimedia System Administrators, please include
63-545: The man who is holy with perfect holiness!" or: Righteousness is the best good and it is happiness. Happiness is to her/him who is righteous for the sake of the best righteousness. In the early 20th century, several thousands documents were discovered by the Daoist monk Wang Yuanlu in the Library Cave at Dunhuang . They were subsequently acquired and brought to Britain by Sir Aurel Stein . In these documents,
72-405: The term ahmāi can refer to itself or to the next words hyat̰ aṣ̌āi . These ambiguities have resulted in a number of diverging translations, none of which has found universal acceptance. There are many translations that all differ significantly due to the complexity of Avestan and the concepts involved. For example: Righteousness is best (of all that is) good. As desired, what is being desired
81-466: The words aṣ̌a (truth, order), vohū/vahištā (good/best), astī (is) and uštā (desire); showing the centrality of these terms. It has been argued that it was one of the prayers used from early on at the five daily times of prayer known as gáh . Prayer aṣ̌əm vohū vahištəm astī uštā astī uštā ahmāi hyat̰ aṣ̌āi vahištāi aṣ̌əm IPA Transliteration: aʂəm vohuː vahiʃtəm astiː uʃtaː astiː uʃtaː ahmaːi hjat aʂaːi vahiʃtaːi aʂəm The text poses
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