Behram Yasht is in praise of a ‘mazdadhate’ meaning a giver of knowledge. Knowledge which assists us to live in the way and within the Law of Ahura Mazda; and thereby vanquish all evil from within and around us and make us impervious to hurt and harm. In the Behram Yasht this omniscient knowledge is described metaphorically to take on different forms from the gentle breeze and growing over time into a great invincible warrior. The ten Kardas of the Behram Yasht speak in metaphors of the growing strength of the knowledge given by Behram  eternally safeguarding from all harm, the true believer and practitioner of Asha and Ashoi (rectitude) the Natural, Eternal Law of Ahura Mazda brought down to us by Zarathustra —– the ‘Ahuirish Jarthutrish’. Writers have often remarked that the ten forms of knowledge correspond to the ten avatars of Vishnu in the Puranas. I’d say, well, how different can the one and only truth and the greatest knowledge ever be?!

BEHRAM YASHT —- TRANSLITERATION

 Greatness of Hormazd!

(Pray Ashem Vohu)

In the name of Khoda Hormazd Sahib who promotes /gives progress!

May his splendour/majesty and a u r a (khoreh) increase!

Eternally victorious and vanquisher of enemies, Behram Yazad (the energy of Knowledge), beautiful celestial, ceaseless helper, come to my aid!

In this world, all the evil thoughts I may have brought to my mind, ill words that I may have spoken, bad deeds that I may have done, those that I have induced or I have begun or that I have encouraged — those sins of thoughts, of words, of deeds, of my body and soul, of this world, of the next world— for these I am remorseful and abstain from them, I do penance for these by observing the three intrinsic goodness ( good thoughts good words good deeds).

(Pray ‘Fravaraane Mazdsyasno’) translation on http://www.mumbaiblogg.com/zoroastrian-zen/avesta-translations/sarosh-baaj-translation/)

KARDO 1                                                            

1) Reverence to Behram, emanated from Hormazd!

Asked Zoroaster of Hormazd:

“Hormazd, from who emanated the spirit of bounty /progress during our sojourn in the corporeal world, giver of the spirit of purity/Eternal Law/Tao,

who is the most brilliant/brightest among the venerable energies (Mino Yazads)?”

Then said Hormazd, “Behram, the giver of knowledge, O Zoroaster of the Spitmaan family!”

2) “For this (to give bounty/progress) /for him (one sojourning on this earth), Behram, the giver of knowledge (mazdadhate), first takes wing in the form of the zephyr ( a soft, great joy-giving wind) the giver of knowledge (mazdadhate); having good luster/radiance/gloss/brilliance (noor) of goodness, mazdadhate; keeping the light of  spiritual strength (*khoreh), mazdadhate; remedies / cures  for the physical body and also having great strength.

3) Then, therein is the greatest might/power of triumphant aggression amongst strengths/powers of triumphant aggression (irresistible aggressive force);

Amongst those who smite resistance (**Verethre), the most successful/ victorious to smite resistance;

Amongst those having k h o r e h, the holder of the strongest khoreh;

Amongst the donors/dispensers of gifts, I am the greatest donor/dispenser/receptacle of gifts;

Amongst benefits/profits/welfare/ advantage, I am the most beneficial/advantageous;

Amongst the remedies /cures I am the most efficacious remedy/ cure;

4) Thus, all ills will be vanquished; all that causes pain/harm, of the demigods/demons (div), of mortals (mashyanamcha), of wizards (yaathvaam), of fairies, of despots/ tyrant (saathraam), of those who refuse to see the truth despite having good eyes (kaoyam), those who refuse to hear the truth despite having good ears ((karafanamcha).

5) For his brilliant light and majesty, thus I worship him with praise/reverence which brings him eminence. With the ritual #Baresman, Behram, emanated from Hormazd, we venerate/ propitiate/worship in accordance with the first Laws of Ahura Mazda.

(Pray ‘Yange Hatem’)

*KHOREH (Pazend) = (Avesta) Khvarenangh. Light/halo/aura/glory stemming from the spiritual strength built in sages and holy individuals; their faces radiate a brightness (noor or halo), which is the extension of their Khoreh.

**VERETHRE = literally meaning “smiting of resistance” against the Law, which is the hypostasis (underlying-state) of ‘victory’. Therefore, Behram/Verethregano is also translated as Victorious.

# BARESMAN: The Baresman is the sacred bundle of twigs we see in frescos and pictures of religious worship. The barsam is considered “a conduit for the archetypal principles and powers to manifest their presence and receive the offerings.” it is a ritual necessity to solemnize religious ceremonies.

1. To BEHRAM the befriended of /guided by the Ameshaspends, who is better than all other created intelligence at pleasing the hallowed Hormazd;

2. (And) to the one with the highest self knowledge and one who has gained knowledge through listening (through the ear), the most pleasant ARDIBESHT, emanated from Hormazd;

(And) To SHEREVAR, emanated from Hormazd; the brave, likeable Aryaman (angel), with sight (eyes) wide and pure, holding sway over the pure metals;

3.The generous, one who feeds the poor, the good-hearted Spendamard;

(And) To KHORDAD the pure, insightful/discerning, bestower of all things, saradh, the inheritor of the wide eyes/loving glance (eaane varso), apex of holiness who rules over bringing timely harvest;

(And) To AMARDAD, emanated from Hormazd, under whom the cattle prosper, the harvest increases, giver of healthy corn (ajmati), ^Gaokerena, ruler of the loving gaze;

^(GAOKERENA = In Persian and Zoroastrian legends, the mighty Gaokerena was a mythic Haoma plant that had healing properties when eaten and gave immortality to the resurrected bodies of the dead. The juice from its fruit gave the elixir of immortality. The name Gaokerena means “Ox Horn”.

GAOKERENA also means, A Horn-like drinking vessel of ancient times, often having a pointed end shaped like an animal or animal’s head.—The American Heritage Dictionary of English Language. , 4th Ed.

In Greek antiquity, a type of drinking-vase, usually with one handle. — The Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia. 

Greek drinking Horn —-–Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-                                     Alike License.

A container from which fluids are intended to be drunk, having a base in the     form of a head.)

(All these) Meditate on them, laud their qualities, happy gift of God (khushnood) praise them, so that the quality of ‘Yatha ahu Vairyo’ is revealed to me; also, revealed to me will be the pure sage ‘Atha Rathush Ashachit Hatcha’.

4.(In Haavan Geh) To Meher Yazad the owner of the vast fields and to Ram

Kshethra, the angel who holds sway over the environment;

(In Rapithwan Geh) To ARDIBESHT Ameshaspand and the fire of Hormazd;

(In In Oojiran Geh) To the highest governor of moisture and the waters emanated from Hormazd;

5.(In Avisutram Geh) To the pure, to the Farohars women of the Pehelwans, to getting the harvest on time, to the good and beautiful  Um (an angel) and

to Behram, emanated from Hormazd, and to the Guardians of the Greenery/Forests (Vannati Upartaat);

(In Ooshain Geh) To Sarosh, the pure, the holy, the successful, giver of progress in this world. To Rashne of the most right/correct behaviour

and to Aastaad the giver of wisdom and prosperity;

(On all these) meditate on them, laud their persona/qualities, ^khushnood (Mubarak /Happy), praise them so that the essence/spirit of Yatha Ahu Vairyo is revealed to me, also revealed to me will be the essence/ spirit of the pure sage, ‘Atha Rathush, Ashachit Hach’.

6. We recognize/praise/propitiate:

The treasure keeper, the hallowed Hormazd; the Ameshaspends who rule over all creation and are all wise/discreet /knowing (have Dahpan), BAHMAN Ameshaspand—successful, guide, better than all other creation; the innate intelligence emanated from Hormazd, the intelligence received through listening;

We recognize/praise/propitiate:

7. The most pleasant ARDIBESHT Ameshaspand, the likeable Aryaman; the brave emanated from Hormazd, the pure , the holy insightful Saaok; SHEREVAR Ameshaspand; pure metals; SHEREVAR the munificent  and provider of the poor;

8. We recognize/praise/propitiate:

The good ASPENDAMARD; the pure/holy, perceptive/insightful and bestower of all things KHORDAD Ameshaspand, the timely harvest, the pure/holy, of the loving gaze, zenith of holiness/purity. AMERDAD Ameshaspand; the multiplication of cattle; increase in harvest; the one with the loving gaze, emanated from Hormazd;

11. O Zoroaster! It would be good /a blessing if magicians and if the believers in Demigods are destroyed O Spitmaan Zoroaster! Who is this man in whose house dies all that is evil, every germ and from whose home every falsehood is completely removed and annihilated when he prays these prayers?

12. Evil attack our body and kills your *Atharvan , your Atharvan and your **raathashtaar one who use the majestic and all wise Ameshaspends as a shield against his enemies, such a one has the ability to stand up to the evil and is potent against it. We praise the Zoroastrian religion and the fast flowing smooth waters emanated from Hormazd;

*ATHARVAN = 1. Fire-guardian/the attendant of the sacred fire in Persian temples/the proper word for a priest in the Avesta whose main religious duty is to perform Yasna (Sk. Yadnya, i.e. Fire sacrifice) and protect the sacred fire.  Athravan’s of Avesta were mere fire priests. There are no Gathic or Avestan compositions to their credit as we have to Atharvan’s of Vedic tradition. Athravan’s were not blood related but a group selected carefully as priests from different families. In later times Magu’s (Magi or Magavan) replaced Athravan’s as priests, thus putting an end to Athravan tradition.

The etymology of Avestan “Athravan” is still uncertain. However its origin could be traced to Avestan “Atar”, which means holy fire. Since duty of the Athravan’s was to protect fire, the term Athravan might have evolved from Atar…. Athravan…who protects the holy fire!                                                                        ** RAATHASHTAAR = A Warrior of the Persians always had a Chariot or Rath of his own.

13. Invoking you in praise O Hormazd, is more powerful than purity (Asha), pious mind (Vohu Manor) and the best realm/force field (Kshethra), in fact higher than all or any other Kshethra. Those words of worship (kalaams) which are iterated as an address to you surpass all other kalaams and the gifts offered to you is better than all other gifts.

# Avesta

# Zend Avesta
# Khordeh Avesta

# Zoroastrian Prayer Book

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# Jarthoshti prayer book

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# Haptan Yasht

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#Atharvan

#Sherevar

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#Asha

# Ashoi

# AvestaTranslation

# Avesta  Transliteration

# Translation

# Transliteration