Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/281



The nature of the Younger Avestan prayers. The Younger Avesta propounds a ritualistic religion. The texts do not contain short or long continuous compositions that may be classed as prayers which can help man to give expression to the various feelings, moods, desires, and aspirations that agitate the deepest depth of his heart and the innermost recesses of his mind, beget emotional exaltation and devotional fervour in him, and inspire him to strive after an ideal life. Only some scattered sentences and short passages, occurring at rare intervals, can be collected from the mass of the liturgical texts to serve such a purpose. Ahura Mazda, Amesha Spentas, Yazatas, Fravashis, souls of the righteous men and women of all times, celestial and terrestrial beings, sun, moon, stars, sky, fire, wind, earth, water, rain, time, space, trees, mountains, rivers, places, fields, the season festivals, years, months, days, periods of the day, religion, customs, spells, texts, chapters, verses, metres, virtues, qualities, thoughts, words, deeds, intellect, self, priests, warriors, agriculturists, artisans, laymen, teachers, pupils, ritual implements and various other objects are enumerated by name with or without their attributes and functions, and receive praise and homage. They are all alike commemorated with the common word yazamaide, 'we worship,' in innumerable passages that pass as insipid, laudatory prayers.

Yasna Haptanghaiti or the Yasna of Seven Chapters, the earliest of prose compositions, made in the Gathic dialect, in the Younger Avestan period, contains more passages that can be termed proper prayers than any other text in the Avestan literature. It is significant to note that the supplicants who pray for several boons ask them from Haoma, Ardvi Sura and her waters. Fire, Mithra, and Sraosha rather than from Ahura Mazda himself.