Yasht

A Yasht (Middle Persian: 𐭩𐭱𐭲, yšt') is a hymn of praise composed in the Young Avestan language and dedicated to specific Zoroastrian divinities.^[1] The term commonly applies to the collection of 21 Yashts,^[2] although it may also refer to other texts within the wider Avesta collection.^[3]

Name

The English word yasht is derived from Middle Persian 𐭩𐭱𐭲 (yšt', "prayer, worship"). In the Pahlavi literature, the word is used interchangeably with yasn. Yasht probably originated from Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬀‎ (yašta, "honored") from 𐬫𐬀𐬰‎ (yaz, "to worship, honor"). It may ultimately go back to Proto-Indo-European *yeh₂ǵ-^[4] or *Hyaǵ-.^[5]

Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬱𐬙𐬀‎ is also the origin of two other terms. First, Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬯𐬥𐬀 (yasna, act of worship), which is a general Zoroastrian term for an act of worship or specifically the Yasna ritual, and, second, Avestan 𐬫𐬀𐬰𐬀𐬙𐬀 (yazata, (being) worthy of worship), which is a general Zoroastrian term for divinity.^[6]

The 21 hymns of the Yasht collection

All the hymns of the Yasht collection "are written in what appears to be prose, but which, for a large part, may originally have been a (basically) eight-syllable verse, oscillating between four and thirteen syllables, and most often between seven and nine."^[7] Most of the yazatas that the individual Yashts praise also have a dedication in the Zoroastrian calendar. The exceptions are Drvaspa and Vanant.

Overview of the 21 Yashts^[8]

No	Name[a]	Yazata[b]	Verses	Type	Siroza
1	Ohrmazd Yasht[c]	Ahura Mazda	33	minor	1,8,15,23
2	Hapt Amahraspand Yasht[c]	Amesha Spentas	15	minor	2,4,5,7
3	Ardawahisht Yasht[c]	Asha Vahishta	19	minor	3
4	Hordad Yasht[c]	Haurvatat	11	minor	6
5	Aban Yasht[b][9]	Anahita[f][g]	132	legendary	10
6	Hwarshed Yasht	Hvare-khshaeta	7	minor	11
7	Mah Yasht	Maonghah	7	minor	12
8	Tishtar Yasht	Tishtrya	62	hymnic	13
9	Gosh Yasht[10]	Drvaspa[d]	33	legendary	14
10	Mihr Yasht[11]	Mithra	145	hymnic	16
11	Srosh Yasht	Sraosha[e]	23	hymnic	17
12	Rashn Yasht	Rashnu[e]	47	hymnic	18
13	Frawardin Yasht[12]	Fravashis	158	hymnic	19
14	Bahram Yasht	Verethragna	64	hymnic	20
15	Ram Yasht[b]	Vayu[i]	58	legendary	21, 22
16	Den Yasht[b][13]	Chista	20	legendary	24
17	Ard Yasht	Ashi[g]	62	legendary	25
18	Ashtad Yasht[b]	Khvarenah	9	minor	26
19	Zamyad Yasht	see note[b] below	97	legendary	28
20	Hom Yasht	Haoma[h]	3	minor	29
21	Vanant Yasht	Vanant	2	minor	30

The 21 yashts are used today in a wide range of liturgical practices. The can be recited by priests as well as lay people and in a diverse range of settings, like fire temples as well as in private or public spaces.^[14] They are always addressed to one specific divinity. Their liturgical use is, therefore, different from the high liturgies, like the Yasna, Vendidad or Visperad, which are always performed by several priests in a fire temple and are addressed to all Zoroastrian divinities.^[15]

Yashts in the wider Avesta

In addition to the hymns in the Yasht collection, the term Yasht is also used in Zoroastrian tradition for other texts. This includes several hymns of the Yasna liturgy that "venerate by praise". These Yashts are: the Barsom Yasht (Yasna 2), another Hom Yasht in Yasna 9–11, the Bhagan Yasht of Yasna 19–21, a hymn to Ashi in Yasna 52, another Srosh Yasht in Yasna 57, the praise of the (hypostasis of) "prayer" in Yasna 58, and a hymn to the Ahurani in Yasna 68.