Avesta
The Avesta is the sacred scripture of Zoroastrianism, comprising a collection of hymns and texts that articulate the beliefs and practices of this ancient religion. It is structured into five main sections: the Yasna, Yasht, Vendidad, Wispered, and Khorde Avesta, each varying in content and purpose. The oldest portion, the Gathas, is attributed to the Prophet Zoroaster, who is believed to have lived in eastern Persia or Central Asia between 1000 and 600 BCE. These hymns emphasize the worship of Ahura Mazda as the supreme deity and are considered foundational texts of the faith.
The Yashts celebrate various Aryan deities and recount the mythical history of the Iranian people, including notable dynasties and heroes. The Vendidad encompasses laws related to purity and ritual, addressing practical matters such as burial practices and societal norms regarding women and health. The Avesta was codified during the Sāsānian period in the Avestan script, and various interpretations and commentaries emerged, leading to diverse understandings and potential divisions among Zoroastrian priests. This scripture remains central to Zoroastrian worship and identity, reflecting the religion's rich historical and cultural heritage.
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Subject Terms
Avesta
Related civilization:Persia.
Date: 1000-600 b.c.e.
Locale: Central Asia, Persia
Authorship: Zoroaster and Zoroastrian priests
Avesta
The Avesta (AH-vuh-stah) is a collection of hymns that make up the sacred Zoroastrian scripture. The surviving part of the Avesta is divided into five sections that differ in content and structure. These are the Yasna, Yasht, Wispered, Vendidad, and Khorde Avesta. The oldest section of the Avesta was composed by the Prophet Zoroaster, who lived somewhere in eastern Persia or Central Asia sometime between 1000 and 600 b.c.e. Zoroaster’s hymns are known as the Gathas, embedded in the Yasna liturgy, which proclaims Ahura Mazda as the supreme deity. The Gathas and various other hymns are known as the Old Avestan texts because of dialectal differences within the Avesta. All other parts are known as the Younger Avesta.
The Yashts invocations are a series of hymns that concern themselves with other Aryan deities such as Wahram and Mitra. This section of the Avesta provides the mythical history of the Iranian people in which several dynasties such as the Peshdadids and Kayanids and feats of their kings and heroes are mentioned. The other major part of the Avesta is the Vendidad “antidemonic law,” which deals with issues of purity and pollution, ritual, and prescriptions in such matters as how to dispose of the dead, treatment of women during their menstruation, and treating the sick.
The Avesta was written down and codified in the Sāsānian period in the Avestan script (224-651 c.e.). Commentaries, or Zand, also were written. There were probably different interpretations of the Avesta in the Sāsānian period, which gave rise to schism and division among the priests.
Bibliography
Darmesteter, James. The Zend-Avesta. In Sacred Books of the East, edited by F. Max Müller. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press, 1882. Reprint. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 1993.
Insler, Stanley. The Gathas of Zarathustra. Leiden, Netherlands: E. J. Brill, 1978.
Kellens, Jean. “Avesta.” In Encyclopaedia Iranica. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul, 1989.