Yasna 46 — Ushtavaiti Gatha

46.1. To what land shall I go to escape? Where shall I go to escape? They cast me out from family and community. The fellowship I serve gives me no satisfaction, nor do the lie-bound rulers of the land. How, Mazda Ahura, shall I satisfy you?

46.2. I know why I am powerless, Mazda: I possess few herds, and I have few men. I lament before you. Look upon it, Ahura. Grant me the support that one friend gives a friend. Through Asha, teach me the powerful aid of Vohu Manah.

46.3. When, Mazda, will the dawns rise—days advancing to sustain existence through Asha—when the understandings of the future saviors shall come forward with powerful teachings? To whom will Vohu Manah come for aid? For myself, Ahura, I choose you as teacher.

46.4. The lie-bound man keeps those who bear Asha’s cattle from advancing—whether through district or province—he, hard to challenge and entrenched by his own deeds. Whoever deprives him of power or life, Mazda, shall go before and lead those cattle into the pastures of good understanding.

46.5. If a person of power receives a petitioner who comes under the bonds of hospitality, or receives him through good lineage and under agreements, living in accordance with right judgment—if, aligned with Asha, he recognizes the lie-bound man as such, he shall declare it to his household and kindred, Mazda Ahura, so that they may keep him from destruction.

46.6. But if an able man does not come to that petitioner, he himself shall enter the bonds of the Lie. For lie-bound is the one who is best to the lie-bound, and aligned with Asha is the one who is dear to the one aligned with Asha—since, Ahura, you established the primal Daenas.

46.7. Whom, Mazda, have you appointed as protector for one like me, when the lie-bound man sets himself to injure me? Who else but your Fire and your Manah, through whose deeds Asha has flourished, Ahura? Proclaim that teaching fully to me, for my Daena.

46.8. Whoever seeks to place my living world in harm—may no harm from his deeds come upon me. Let it recoil upon him in hostility and keep him from good life, not from wretched life—through hostility, Mazda.

46.9. Who is the man who, as the first, recognized me as worthy, since by deed we invoke you as the greatest—Spenta Ahura, aligned with Asha? What the Fashioner of the Cow declared to you through Asha and for Asha—this I wish to hear from you through Vohu Manah.

46.10. Whoever—man or woman—shall give me, Mazda Ahura, what you know to be best in existence: the reward for Asha and Khshathra through Vohu Manah—and all whom I shall lead in praise of those like you—with all of them I shall cross the Chinvat Bridge.

46.11. Karapans and Kavis yoke mortals to their dominions, through evil deeds, to destroy existence. Their own soul and their own Daena shall torment them when they reach the Chinvat Bridge, to remain forever as guests in the House of the Lie.

46.12. When Asha arose among the descendants and lineage of Turanian Fryana, through the vigor of Armaiti his living world flourished. Then Vohu Manah brought them together. Ahura Mazda teaches them for aid.

46.13. The mortal who satisfies Spitama Zarathushtra with generous gifts shall be renowned as upright. Ahura Mazda shall grant him existence, and through Vohu Manah shall make his living world thrive. Through Asha we regard him as a good companion.

46.14. “Zarathushtra, who is your companion aligned with Asha for the great Magā? Who wishes to become renowned?” “It is Kavi Vishtaspa at the offering. Those whom you, Mazda Ahura, have joined with me in one purpose—I invoke with the words of Vohu Manah.”

46.15. O Haecat-aspa Spitamas, I shall declare to you how you are to distinguish the lawful from the lawless. By these deeds you shall establish Asha for yourselves, through the primal laws of Ahura—???

46.16. Frashaoshtra, go there with the upright, where those whom you choose may dwell in radiance—where Armaiti accompanies Asha, where Khshathra is possessed through the desired power of Vohu Manah, where Ahura Mazda dwells in increasing splendor.

46.17. There I shall proclaim to you measured teachings, not unmeasured ones, O wise Jamaspa. Dwell with them, hearing the praises of saving power. Let Ahura Mazda, through Asha, discern with clear insight what is lawful and what is lawless.

46.18. Whoever keeps faith with me—to him, through the powers of my purpose, I assign what is best through Vohu Manah. But hostility to the one who seeks hostility against us. Mazda, satisfying your choice through Asha—this is the judgment of my understanding and Manah.

46.19. Whoever shall truly fulfill for Zarathushtra what accords with Asha, according to his will—the making-fresh of existence—for him, as the winner’s reward, shall be an existence beyond thought, with all possessions and cattle. Teach me these things, you who know best, Mazda.

46.20. Radiance for the one through whom radiance comes to anyone at all. Ruling at will, may Ahura Mazda grant it. Enduring strength, together with life-force, I desire from you; I desire to uphold Asha. Give me this, Armaiti: the rewards of splendor, a life in Vohu Manah. (repeat) Radiance for the one through whom radiance comes to anyone at all. Ruling at will, may Ahura Mazda grant it. Enduring strength, together with life-force, I desire from you; I desire to uphold Asha. Give me this, Armaiti: the rewards of splendor, a life in Vohu Manah. Asha is good; it is best. Radiance is; radiance for the one whose Asha is for the Best Asha. (repeat) Asha is good; it is best. Radiance is; radiance for the one whose Asha is for the Best Asha. Asha is good; it is best. Radiance is; radiance for the one whose Asha is for the Best Asha. We worship the Kamnamaeza chapter. We worship the Uštavaiti Gatha, aligned with Asha, as the guiding judgment of Asha. We worship the sections of the Uštavaiti Gatha. We worship those beings, male and female, whom Ahura Mazda knows to be better for worship in accordance with Asha.

46.1. To what land should I go to escape? Where should I go to escape? They separate me from household and clan. Neither the community I follow nor the land’s rulers, who are followers of the Lie, satisfy me. How, Mazda Ahura, am I to satisfy you?

46.2. I know why I am powerless, Mazda: I have few cattle, and I have few men. I lament to you. Look upon it, Ahura. Grant me the support that one friend would give another. Through Asha, reveal to me the powerful aid of Vohu Manah.

46.3. When, Mazda, will the dawns rise for the world’s upholding and advance through Asha’s powerful teachings—the understandings of the benefactors? To whose aid will one come with Vohu Manah? For my teacher I choose you, Ahura.

46.4. The follower of the Lie restrains those supporters of Asha from advancing the livestock, whether through the district or the land. He is hard to challenge and notorious for his actions. Whoever, Mazda, deprives him of Dominion or life will lead the livestock forward along the paths of good understanding.

46.5. If a powerful person shelters a weak man who comes to him, whether by obligation, through good kinship, or because of agreements, and if, as an Ashavan, he can distinguish the follower of the Lie, he should tell this to his family. But the man who will not protect him from seizure will himself fall into bondage, Mazda Ahura.

46.6. But if a man who is able does not come to that person’s aid, he will go into the bonds of the Lie. For the one who is best toward a follower of the Lie is himself a follower of the Lie, while the one who is friendly to an Ashavan is himself an Ashavan. This has been so since you established the first Daenas, Ahura.

46.7. Whom, Mazda, do you appoint as protector for someone like me when the follower of the Lie threatens to harm me? Who other than your Fire and Manah? Through their actions, Asha has grown strong, Ahura. Proclaim this teaching clearly to my Daena.

46.8. Whoever intends harm against my living world—may his actions not reach me through Fire. Instead, may the consequences return upon him with hostility and keep his body from a good life, though not from a bad life, Mazda, because of his hostility.

46.9. Who is the man who, as the first to recognize me faithfully, taught me to regard you as the greatest one worthy of invocation—the Spenta Ahura, aligned with Asha? What the Fashioner of the Cow told you through Asha and for Asha, I seek to hear from you through Vohu Manah.

46.10. Whoever—man or woman—gives me what you know to be best in existence, Mazda Ahura, namely the reward for Asha and Dominion through Vohu Manah, and those whom I shall lead in worship of those like you—with all of them I will cross the Chinvat Bridge.

46.11. The Karapans and Kavis harness mortal men to their dominions through evil actions in order to destroy existence. Their own souls and their own Daena will torment them when they come to the Chinvat Bridge. They will forever be guests in the House of the Lie.

46.12. When Asha arose among the descendants and offspring of the mighty Turanian Friyana, Armaiti caused their living world to prosper through vigorous herding. Then Vohu Manah brought them together. Ahura Mazda instructs them for their support.

46.13. The mortal who satisfies Spitama Zarathushtra with generosity will be renowned as upright. Ahura Mazda will grant him existence, and through Vohu Manah will make his living world prosper. Through Asha, we consider him a good companion.

46.14. “Zarathushtra, who is your Ashavan ally for the great gift? Who wishes to become renowned?” “It is Kavi Vishtaspa at the offering. Those whom you, Mazda Ahura, have joined with me in one purpose—I invoke with the words of Vohu Manah.”

46.15. O Haechataspas, I will tell you Spitamas how to distinguish those who uphold what is established from those who do not. Through such actions, acquire Asha for yourselves according to the primordial laws of Ahura.???

46.16. Frashaoshtra, go there with the faithful, and remain there with those whom you choose for a happy state—where Armaiti accompanies Asha, where Dominion is joined with the purposes of Vohu Manah, and where Ahura Mazda dwells in increasing prosperity.

46.17. Where I address you in measured verses, not in verses without measure, O wise Jamaspa, remain united with those praises and hear the gifts. Let Ahura Mazda, through Asha, distinguish what is established from what is not established, discerningly in his thought.

46.18. Whoever acts rightly toward me—to him, according to the best of my powers, I promise what is best through Vohu Manah. But I will oppose whoever intends opposition against us. Mazda, through Asha I satisfy your choice. This is the judgment of my understanding and thought.

46.19. Whoever, in accordance with Asha, truly carries out for Zarathushtra what is most renewing according to his will—for that victorious person there is the reward of an existence beyond death, together with all things desired. You, Mazda, who know best, have taught me this.

46.20. Happiness to the one through whom happiness comes. May Ahura Mazda, ruling as he wills, grant it to anyone. I seek lasting strength from you. Through Asha, may I uphold that strength. Give me this, Armaiti: the rewards of wealth and a life of Vohu Manah. (..) Happiness to the one through whom happiness comes. May Ahura Mazda, ruling as he wills, grant it to anyone. I seek lasting strength from you. Through Asha, may I uphold that strength. Give me this, Armaiti: the rewards of wealth and a life of Vohu Manah. Asha is good; it is best. Happiness is; happiness comes to the one whose Asha is for the best Asha. (..) Asha is good; it is best. Happiness is; happiness comes to the one whose Asha is for the best Asha. Asha is good; it is best. Happiness is; happiness comes to the one whose Asha is for the best Asha. We worship the section “Of the few possessions.” We worship the Ashavan Ushtavaiti Gatha as the model of Asha. We worship the divisions of the Ushtavaiti Gatha. Among existing beings, Ahura Mazda knows whom it is good to worship, according to Asha. We worship all such men and women.