HOMAGE FOR THE FOUR DIRECTIONS

natural22 lights,21 unto all23 the creations25 of Spenta Mainyu,24 the lords29 of holiness28, righteous men26 and righteous women.27

MĀH BOKHTĀR NYĀYESH

ed(Note: This Nyāyesh should be recited every day if possible; it is enjoined otherwise in the Persian Rivāyets to recite it especially on three days every month — the New Moon, Full Moon and the No Moon-Day (the dark half of the month).

Pa nāme yazdān Ahuramazda Khodāe awazūnī gorje khoreh awāzayād. Māh Bokhtār Māh yazad be-rasādee. Az hamā gunāh patet pashemānum, az harvastīn dushmata duzkukhta duzhvarshta, mem pa getī manīd oem goft, oem kard, oem jast, oem būn būd ested, az ān gunāh manashnī gavashnī kunashnī, tanī ravānī getī mīnōāni, okhe awākhsh pashemān pa sē gavashni pa patet hom.

(1) (To recite bowing the head): Nemō1 Ahurāi Mazdāi2, nemō Ahurāi Mazdāi, nemō Ahurāi Mazdāi, nemō3 Ameshaēibyō Spentaeibyō,4 nemō5 māonghāi6 gaochithrāi,7 nemō8 paiti-dītāi,9 nemō10 paiti-dīte;11 nemō Ahurāi Mazdāi, nemō Ameshaēibyō Spentaēibyō nemō māonghai gaochithrāi, nemō paiti-dītāi, nemō paiti-dīte; nemō Ahurāi Mazdāi, nemō Ameshaēibyō Spentaēibyō, nemō maonghāi gaochithrāi, nemō paitidītāi, nemō paiti-dīte.

(1) Homage1 (be)-unto (the Creator) Hormazd!2 Homage3 (be) unto Ameshaspands!4 having the seed of the cattle!7 Homage8 (be) unto the visible (or resplendent) side of the Moon (And)! homage10 (be) unto the visible (or bright) efpart!11

Explanation: (Its significance is that homage be unto both the sides of the Moon, bright as well as the Dark.)

(2) Khshnaothra Ahurahe Mazdāo, Tarōidīte angrahe mainyēush; haithyāvarshtām hyat vasnā ferashōtemem. Staomi Ashem: Ashem Vohū 3.

Fravaranē mazdayasnō Zarthushtrish vīdaēvō Ahura-tkaeshō (Gāh according to the period of the day) frasastayaēcha. Māonghahe gao-

ec i.e. unto waters of rivers, streams etc.

ed This entire Nyāyesh occurs in the Māh yasht except the passage “dasta amem” occurring after “Yasnemcha” at the end of this Nyāyesh.

ee i.e. may māh yazata the purifier (or salvation-giver) come (to my help)! Bestower, distributor (Professor Darmesteter)

ef “Hail to thee when we look at thee! Hail to thee when thou lookest at us” (Professor Darmesteter). “When the moon is visible, homage be unto it, when one thinks of the moon, homage be unto it” (Professor Harlez).

chithrahe, gēushcha aēvō-dātayāo, gēushcha pouru-saredhayāo,eg

khshnaothra yasnāicha vahmāicha khshnaothrāicha frasastayaēcha, Yathā Ahū vairyō zaotā frā-me-mrūte, athā ratush ashāt-chit hacha frā ashava vidhvāo mraotu. (3) Nemō Ahurāi Mazdāi, nemō Ameshaēibyo Spentaeibyō, nemō māonghai gao-chithrāi, nemō paiti-ditāi, nemō paitidīte.

(4) Kat12 māo13 ukshyeiti,14 kat15 māo16 nerefsaiti17 Pancha-dasa18 māo19 ukhshyeiti,20 pancha-dasa21 māo22 nerefsaiti,23 yāo24 he25 ukshkyāstāto,26 tāo27 nerfsānstātō28 tāo28 nerefsānstātō,30 yāo31 he32 ukhshyānstātas33 chit.34 Kē35 yā36 māo37 ukhshyeiti38 nerfsaiti39 ehthwat.40

(4) For how many12 (days) does the Moon13 wax14? For how many15

(days) does the moon16 wane17? Reply:- for fifteen18 (days) does the Moon wax20, and fifteen21 (days) does the Moon22 wane.23 As long as24 (is) her25

waxing26, so long29 is her32 waning30, the process is eternal.ei

(Zarathushtra speaks to the Creator Ahura Mazda): Who35 (else) (is there) other than ejThee40 through whom36 the Moon37 waxes38 (or) wanes39? (Reply: - there is none).

(4) Māonghem1 gao-chithrem2 ashavanem3 ashahe4 ratūm5 yazamaide.6 Tat7 māonghem8 paiti-vaēnem,9 tat10 māonghem11 paitivīsem,12 raokhshnem13 māonghem14 aiwi-vaēnem15 raokhshnem16 māonghem17 aiwi-vīsem,18 hishtenti19 Ameshāo Spenta20 khvarenō21 dārayeinti,23 hishtenti23 Ameshāo Spenta24 khvarenō25 bakhshenti,26 zām27 paiti28 Ahuradhātām.29

(5) We praise6 the Moon1 that keeps the seed of kine or cattle,2 the righteous3 and the Lord5 of righteousness.4 (When) I look at9 (that) Moon8 of the dark half7 ekI accept12 it (that Moon11 of darkness),10 (when) I behold15 the Moon of the bright half (that brilliant13 Moon)14 I accept it to (that brilliant16

Moon)17 the Holy Immortals20 then stand up19 and behold22 (its) glory;21 (and) they spread26 el(its) glory25 upon28 the earth27 created by Ahura.29

(5) Āat yat1 māonghahe raokhshni3 tāpayeiti4 mishti5 urvaranām6 zairi-gaonanām7 zaramaēm8 paiti9 zemādha10 uzukhshyeiti.11 Antaremāonghāoscha,12 perenō-māonghāoscha,13 vīshaptathāoscha.14 Antare-

eg i.e. for the worship, etc., of the Moon that keeps the seed of kine or cattle, of the sole-created Bull (i.e. of Gāvyodād), of the Bull, and many other species (see Khorshed Nyāyesh).

eh The same sentence occurs also in Yasna Hā 44 Stanza 3.

ei i.e. as long as the Moon waxes, so long does it wane.

ej Original meaning: from thee, than thee.

ek Perhaps the word “tat” may be the abbreviation of the word “temanghuhantem” the meaning of which would be “pertaining to darkness”; besides tat = Sanskrit tad = for this, thus. Professor Darmesteter did not translate the word tat”.

el For explanation, see Khorshed Nyāyesh, page 34.

MĀH BOKHTĀR NYĀYESH

māonghem15 ashavanem16 ashahe17 ratūm18 yazamaide;19 perenōmāonghem20 ashavanem21 ashahe22 ratūm23 yazamaide;24 vīshap-tathem25 ashavanem26 ashahe27 ratūm28 yazamaide.29

(6) When1 the light3 of the Moon2 shines4, the green-coloured7 plants6

grow11 on9 the earth10 through the mist.5 We praise19 the days after the new moon12 and the days after the full moon,.13 the destroyer (of the darkness) of the night.14 emWe praise19 the new moon.15

We praise24 the full moon,20 the righteous21 (and) the lord23 of righteousness.21 We praise29 (the full moon), the destroyer (of the darkness) of the night,25 righteous26 and lord28 of righteousness.27

(5) Yazāi1 māonghem2 gao-chitrem3 baghem4 raēvantem,5 khvarenanghuhantem6 afnanghuhantem tafnanghuhantem,8 varechanghuhantem9 khshtāvantem10 ishtivantem,11 yaokhshtivantem,12 saokavantem,13 zairimyāvantem,14 vohvāvantem,15 baghem16 baēshazem.17

I Praise1 Māh yazata2 that keeps the seed of kine or cattle,3 (who is) the bestower4 (or the ordainer4), radiant,5 glorious,6 possessed of enwater,7

warmth,8 eorefulgent9 help giving,10 bestowing riches,11 powerful,12

profitable,13 possessed of verdure,14 giver of good things (or prosperity)15

(and) the healing epdeity16

(8) Ahe17 raya18 khvarenanghacha,19 tem20 yazāi21 surunvata22 yasna23 māonghem24 gaochithrem.25 zaothrābyo26 māonghem27 gao-chithrem28 ashavanem29 ashahe30 ratūm31 yazamaide.32

(8) For this17 splendour18 and glory,19 I worship21 the resonant22 (or excellent) yasna,23 that20 Mah yazata24 that keeps the seed of kine or cattle.25

We praise32 with libations26 the Moon27 that keeps the seed of kine or cattle,28

the righteous29 (who is) the lord31 of righteousness.30

Haomayō gava baresmana, hizvō-danghangha, mānthracha, vachacha, shyaothnacha, zaothrābysacha arshukhdhaēibyascha vāghzibyō.

Yenghe hātām āat ysene paiti vanghō, Mazdāo Ahurō vaēthā ashāt hachā Yāonghāmchā tānschā tāoschā yazamaide

em The Full Moon is called “Vīshaptatha”, i.e. destroyer of the darkness of night; the reason is that on the Full Moon day there is no darkness at all the whole night; moreover, the word “Vīshaptatha” can also be explained in another way: vī = two; haptathe = relating to week; vī + haptatha = vīshaptatha = relating to two weeks, i.e. relating to a fortnight. The days of the Moon” (Darmesteter).

en Bringing clouds of water, producer of clouds, laid with water.

eo Wisdom-giving (Darmesteter); (ever-) moving (Harlez)

ep Bagha (Sanskrit bhaga) means “Divine power”.

(To recite in bāz) Ahura Mazda Khodāe, awazūnie mardum, mardum sardagān hamā sardagān, hambāyaste vehān, oem behedīn māzdayasnān āgāhī āstavānī nekī rasānad. eqAedūn bād. (To recite aloud) Yathā Ahū Vairyō 2.

(9) Yasnemcha vahmemcha aojaseha zavarecha āfrīnāmi, māonghahe gao-chithrahe, gēushcha aēvō-dātayāo, gēushcha pourusaredhayāo. Ashem Vohū 3.

(10) erDasta1 amem2 verethraghnemcha,3 dasta4 gēush5 khvāthrōnahīm,6 dasta7 narām8 pourutātem,9 stāhyanām10 vyākhnanām,11

vanatām12 avanemnanām13 hathravanatām14 hamerethe15, hathravanatām16 dushmainyush,17 steraptām18 chithra19-avanghām.20

(11) Yazata21 pouru-khvarenangha,22 yazata23 pouru-baeshaza,24 chithra25 vō26 buyāresh27 masānāo,28 chithra29 vō30 zavanōsavō31 chithrem32 bōit33 yūzemchit34 khvarenō,35 yazemnāi36 āpō37 dāyata.38 Ashem Vohū 1.

Ahmāi raēshcha, Hazanghrem; Jasa me avanghe Mazda; Kerfeh Mozd.

(10-11) Ye yazatas21 full of glory!22 Ye yazatas23 full of healing power!24

give1 strength2 and victory3 (unto me), esgive4, increase6 (herd) of cattle;5

give7 (me) eta multitude9 of strong10 men,8 sitting in the assembly,11

vanquishing12 (wicked creation), unconquerable,12 vanquishing14 the adversaries15 and enemies at-one-stroke,14 ever bestowing gladness28 (and) helping20 openly.19 May the greatness28 be27 manifest25 through you!26 May the good derived by invocation31 be27 manifest29 through you30(or advantages obtained through prayers).31

(O yazatas!) give38 ye34 manifestly32 the glory to him who consecrates36

euthe waters37 (i.e. to him who realises the excellence of the waters).

Roz nek nām, roz pāk nām, roz mubārak (falān) māhe mubārak (falān), gāhe (falān) namāz dādāre gehān dāmān. Khshnaothra Ahurahe Mazdāo, nemō Ahurai Mazdāi, nemō Ameshaēibyō Spentaēibyō, nemō māonghāi gao-chithrāi, nemō paiti-dītāi, nemō paiti-dīte; Ashem Vohū 1.

eq For the translation, see Khorshed Nyāyesh, above.

er Dr. Geldner takes entire paras 10-11 of “Dasta Amem” in verse form of 14 lines. Every line stops at Coma (,) and full point (.) The entire portion occurs in Vishtāsp yasht, paras 6-8.

es Give happiness of cattle and livelihood (Pahlavi): “give pompous beauty of cattle” (Harlez) “Meat and bread for comfort” (Darmesteter)

et Its significance is, many sons, of Atash Nyāyesh para 5.

eu If the word, “āpo” is taken in the vocative plural instead of in the accusative plural, this sentence can be translated as under:- O waters! give glory manifestly (and) indeed to the consecrator.