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Encyclopedia of Religion entry forAhuna-VairyaThe name of the oldest known creed or formula of the Zoroastrians. Martin Haug translates: " As a heavenly lord is to be chosen, so is an earthly master (spiritual guide), for the sake of righteousness, (to be) the giver of the good thoughts, of the actions of life, towards Mazda ; and the dominion is for the lord (Ahura) whom he (Mazda) has given as a protector for the poor." Wilhelm Bousset gives as the translation (What is Religion? 1907, p. 159 f.) : " The will of the Lord is the law of justice. The reward of heaven is for those who have worked in the world for Mazda. Ahura grants the kingdom to those who have helped the poor." In Yasna xix. of the Zend-avesta, Ahura-mazda is represented as saying : " These my parts of the Ahuna-vairya, when recited without mistake (and) without mispronunciation, are equal, 0 Spitama Zarathushtra! to a hundred of the other principal stanzas (Gathas) recited without mistake (and) without mispronunciation. Even recited with mistakes (and) mispronunciation (they are) equal to ten other principals. And whoever, in this my world supplied with creatures, O Spitama Zarathushtra ! shall recall (mentally) one part of the Ahuna-vairya, or in the course of recalling shall mutter it, or in the course of muttering shall chant it, or in the course of chanting prays to it, his soul will I, who am Ahuramazda, carry all three times over the bridge to paradise." See Martin Haug. citations: Encyc. of Rel., Canney
article created 2006-04-12 , last updated 2006-04-12 |
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