1. O the Ameshaspends! We bring you to mind through the prayer of praise of the Seven (Haptangini).

We praise the reflections in the water;  we praise the bridges over the waters;

We praise the various roads that travel in different directions,

and we praise the meeting of the roads.

2. We praise the mountain that is the friend of the waters; we praise the lakes abundantly filled with water; we praise the sheaves of grain; we praise the domesticator of animals. We remember Hormazd and Zoroaster.

3. We praise the Earth and the Sky; we praise the strong winds created by Hormazd; we praise mount Albruz; we Praise the world and all its natural phenomena.

4. We remember the good mind and the souls of the Pious. We praise the site of the 5 doors (Avesta: Vasim cha Yaam Panchasdvaram); we Praise the holy salt (khar) that stands in the middle of the waters of the *Vouru-kash sea; we Praise the sea of Vouru-kash (name of sea).

5. We praise the green and strong Ephideris Vulgaris (Haoma plant); we praise Ephidera Vulgaris L. which brings progress and furthers this world: we praise Ephidera Vulgaris L which troubles over pains (cures our ills by troubling our pain away).

6. We praise the flow of the waters; we praise the flight of the birds; we praise the return of the Aathornan who travel far, to preserve the holiness of the nation. We remember all the Ameshaspends.

(The rest of the prayer, Haptan Yasht is same as the beginning of the Yasht)

* VOURU-KASH: Dictionary meaning:

‘Vouru’ means ‘full of’ or ‘many’. Kash is a ‘border ‘or ‘shore’ or ‘enclosing line’.

Avesta also uses another word for the word ‘Kash’, the other word is ‘Karsh’ for which the Persian synonym is ‘Keshvar’ meaning ‘country’. In Persian and in Pehelvi, like in Avesta, the word means a place with a vast border or a sea with many shores; The Persian word being ‘Farakh-kard’ and the Pehelvi word being, ‘Farakh-o-kart’.

The word Keshvar stems from the Persian word for a ‘line made on a field by a plough’ not a mere furrow but a line defining the extent of ownership of land. If Kash also means ‘land’ then, Vouru-kash could well mean a vast land or a land with many borders.

In the Avesta:

Vouru-kash is the name given to the (mythical?) place from which the river Ardvisur flows, the sea into which it flows and the river itself—all three go by the same name amongst other aliases.

In Zoroastrian Myth there is the two original trees, the first trees created by Ahura Mazda— 1) the Tree of Immortality also known as the Tree of Life and             2) the Tree of all Seeds. Both grew together in the first waters created by Ahura Mazda, in the deepest part of that ocean called therein, the Sea of Vouru-kash.

Tir Yasht, Kardo 5: places the Vouru-kash (Farah Kart Sea) somewhere in the space between the sky and the earth. If something is thrown ‘like a comet’ it will arrive at the Farah Kart Sea.

Avan Yasht verse 4: describes it has having ‘a thousand lakes and thousand rivers’ each body of water is spoken of as huge (a swift rider would take forty days to go down its length).
Avan Yasht verse 5: speaks of the waters of the Vouru-kash inundating the entire known world, in all seasons, at all times.

According to the Boon-Da-Ishn, the Farah Kart Sea covers one-third of the earth’s surface and is the size of a thousand seas.

Physical location: If one believed that Vouru-kash was a physical body of water on Earth, scholars are of the opinion that there is no place in Iran which

has a name even remotely close to the name, ‘Vouru-kash’. However, there is a theory among scholars that the Sanskrit word ‘Varukaksha’, the old name for the town of Bharuch in Gujarat, India and the river Narmada which flows through this town are perhaps, Vourukaksha.

Theories also claim Vouru-kash to be the Caspian Sea (Mazandaran Sea), Sea of China, Gulf of Persia, the Indian Ocean, the Puyitic Sea, the Marangan Sea (Korea), and many others sea.

Scholars are still in the process of examining this claim.

The Shahnama places the Vouru-kash as the Sea of China.

The Shahnama also places: the Vouru-kash as an Indian Sea whence rose the Satvis (Pehelvi for the Indian Ocean as it was then known) of the ‘one hundred quarters and one hundred abodes (Sata-Vaesa, of the Avesta named after the star recognized today as Canopus). In pre-Islamic tradition, the rain and the irrigation of all lands on the face of the Earth, as well as the cleansing of water of dirt and filth, was one of the functions of the Satvis Sea and the cleansed water flowed into Farah Kart Zereh.

1. We offer worship filled with/full of praise and reverence to Hormazd and Ardibesht; we admit to and publicly acknowledge this worship of Them.

2. O Hormazd! May we eternally remain under your reign! You, who straddle both worlds, are the most wise ruler for us all; of both men and women.

3. We surrender ourselves entirely to You — all wise,*worthy of worship, who walks only on the Path (Raasti) and no place else — whereby, You who spends all eternity in both the worlds and Who are all wise become our very lives and each and every part of our body.

4. O Hormazd! May we by attaining happiness in abiding within you, become worthy of a long life and success. May we always love you and have faith in you. Amongst all who live in this world (Hayati), You, O all wise one, who has have the power, make us happy through prosperity for a very long time.

5 & 6. Oh Hormazd! We call ourselves people who pray to You, we are happy to be people who pray to you and we acknowledge that we pray to you. O Hormazd! The rewards you have awarded to us in this and in the unmanifest world, give us these rewards to us Yourself (bestow these rewards on us by Your own hand and through no other) so that we reach forever the realms belonging to You and to Ashoi.

*the word used here is Khodavand, one of the hundred and one names given to God in Zoroastrianism. Khoda, the word we commonly understand and use to denote the Almighty Creator is not one of those hundred and one names; the suffix ‘vand’ is added to turn the noun to an adjective. Thus, perhaps, having or possessing the qualities of Khoda.

1. O Hormazd! Imbue great wisdom and prosperity in these Creations. O Hormazd! Your Reward to a religious person like me is the only reward O ruler of wisdom!

2. In this world and the world of the unmanifest (*minoi) be our sole Bestower; so that, we forever attain your friendship and that of holiness (Ashoi)

3. So that we may gain long and lasting prosperity, strong bonds of friendship, O Hormazd, who desires purity/holiness give us intelligent and diligent people who walk on the Path (live by Raasti) and people who will keep us happy.

4. May You similarly treat our welfare and also our livelihood and our friends, O Hormazd! We ask all the above from you. Also, that we follow the Path and be happy/prosperous and be liked for our friendliness.

NOTE: Back to God seems to be the theme of this Karda. The desire for and the kind of relationship that the believer seeks to develop with the Ultimate, is so beautiful; a singular, eternal, permanent and extraordinary relation where the worshiper is content to leave to God’s wisdom his place and position in life and in his turn, the worshiper is satisfied with that which he receives only so that he may return to the realms of the Ultimate.

*Minoi : is simply a condition of nature, nominated by the occultist as “the plane”. The stage where the formation of the manifested originates, often described as the elemental, fundamental state of things, the very beginning of the form finally manifested; occurring somewhere in the realms of ether defying instrumental examination. According to the Kshnoom and Mazdayasni Daena, both these state that, the immortal world (Minoi Alam) is held in the Ninth and the Eighth heavens /planes.

The Kshnoom explains further that it is  the energy within the Minoi Alam, that makes it possible to create and sustain both the manifest and unmanifest Universes through timelessness–the hoary past to the invisible future. Minoi is also understood to be the Tenth plane , the primordial Source, the original creative Vibrations, the primordial Light—the Place where the Creator resides.

Thus, here, we bring to mind the poison of this world and its maker/producer; our souls as well as those of the animals; those animals which desire to keep us alive (i.e. animals that feed us) and (those animals) because of whom we exist and which exist because of us.

(The prayer here, refers to the ‘The interdependence of man and his environment’ and injuncts one to honour this dependence on each other, to take care of and heed his need of these environs).

We bring to mind the soul of the traveler and the soldier (the rider of animals); we bring to mind the soul of pious men and women when ever born, and who honour the Law or will honour or have, already, honoured the Law.

Thus, here, we praise the honorable men and women, the immortal, the Ameshaspends who perpetually/unceasingly make to our lives, a difference for the better. Those Ameshaspends, both, male and female, that resides in the honorable minds.O Hormazd! We regard you, similarly we comprehend your greatness and similarly are constantly reminded of you, by all the good you have thought, spoken, created and done. O Hormazd! Hence, we bow to you and thus are we beholden /indebted to you.

O Hormazd! We grow ever nearer to you through proper welfare, proper holiness/purity (Ashoi), praiseworthy behaviour like the female angels and the bliss induced in us by the good *Aspendamard.

*NOTE: Aspendamard also called Armaiti, and often shortened to Spendamard

is the attribute of the Perfect Mind in human beings. A perfect mind being a

balanced one having piety, faith, devotion, dedication, loyalty, kindness,

munificence, humility, modesty, generosity of spirit, an unassuming nature, educated mind, trustworthy.

This Ameshaspand is assisted by Avan (water), a Yazad of the physical world, DaepDin (giver of religion), Ashishvang (blessings) and Marespand (holy words), Yazads of the spiritual world.

1.  We praise/ propitiate Hormazd, the leader of purity/ holiness, we praise appreciate all the Ameshaspends the majestic and all wise/able; with desire to gain purity and for the good Mazda Yasni religion, we praise/propitiate all of nature’s creation related to its elements (Mino) and vibrations (Gati).

2. Just as we laud the good (the praiseworthy/ the high minded) so also, for happiness in this world and the next, do we laud and think well of those who are doing and those who have think pure/good thoughts, wish pure /good wishes and do pure/ good deeds.

3. O the pure (Asho) and loveable Hormazd! To attain the happiness of both worlds we appreciate/like the best works of people who live in this world and we study/practice these and imitate these works; i.e. we like, study/practice and maintain manashni, gavashni and kunashni in accordance with the excellent behavior of those that follow the Path.

4. We, those that learn and those that do not; those that have strength and those that do not; desire to live well and to have enough fodder for their cattle through association of the good and through good deeds. (In the times when this was written, the wealth of a person was the cattle and kind that he owned. there for, this desire for proper and enough fodder to feed their cattle.)

5. May the highest Padsha’s rule be firmly secured. we turn our minds on  Hormazd the highest righteousness (Ashoi). Alternately this means we serve Hormazd, the highest good/most pure, we incessantly admit his existence, we internalize him and make him our own.

6. Reveal/announce the name of the man/woman who has real knowledge of something good; and meditate on/practice this knowledge for ourselves and teach those that behave lowly/badly.

7. O humans! We consider best propitiation of Hormazd (Ijasné) and meditation on him and also the upkeep of cattle as we so wish may we meditate on/practise this and ingrain it into ourselves.

8. Should a person of this world, while following and meditating on/practising the Path (Raasti) wish to live in excellence in both the worlds, may He succeed; i.e. a person who, while adhering to Raasti helps the less fortunate according to his ability, he will live in exaltation in both the worlds.

(I’d say this reiterates what Ashem Vohu teaches us.)

9. O Hormazd! Keeping Ashoi in mind we recite these well known verses; we conceive you as the listener and the teacher of these.

10. O Hormazd! your purity/holiness (ashoi), kind thoughts (Maneshni) & invoking You, is above/higher than all other invocation (Stuti); the songs of song praise to your Fame are above and beyond all other songs of praise (Hymns) and meditation on/ practicing you is above all other meditations/practice.

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.

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