yasht,ha Persiska (Farsi) 1998

“The Yashts”, translated and researched by Ebrahim Pourdavoud, is one of the important works for the study of the Avesta, Zoroastrian tradition, and the culture and mythology of ancient Iran. The Yashts are a section of the Avesta, the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism, and consist of a collection of hymns and prayers primarily dedicated to the praise of divine beings and spiritual forces, including Mithra, Anahita, and Tishtrya.

The word “Yasht” is related to “Yasna” and means praise and worship. In the Middle Persian (Pahlavi) language, yashtan also carries the meaning of praising and worshiping. The Yashts of the Avesta are not uniform in terms of age or structure; each reflects aspects of the religious beliefs, myths, and worldview of ancient Iranians. In manuscript traditions, the longer Yashts are divided into sections known as “Kardeh”, while the modern division into numbered verses is a system developed by modern scholars to facilitate study and citation.

The two-volume collection “The Yashts”, translated and researched by Pourdavoud, provides not only translations of these Avestan texts but also serves as a valuable source for understanding Zoroastrianism, Iranian mythology, Zoroastrian deities, and the cultural heritage of ancient Iran.