honour of Hvare Khshaeta or the sun and Mithra, as also in the Yasht dedicated to Mithra,[1] the order is reversed and we have then Mithra-Ahura. He is yet the sublimest goal of human aspiration. The best of all sacrifices and invocations are those of Mazda.[2]
The faithful acknowledge their indebtedness to Ahura Mazda and devoutly offer to him their homage and sacrifice.[3] They worship him with the very life of the body,[4] and they long to reach him through the medium of fire, through the Good Mind, through Righteousness, and through the deeds and words of wisdom, as well as through good thoughts, good words, and good deeds.[5] Ahura Mazda, in fact, is implored to be their very life and limb in both the worlds.[6] It is through the Best Righteousness that the true in heart aspire to behold the Lord, to approach him, and to associate with him.[7] The attainment of the companionship and the Kingdom of Ahura Mazda is the pious wish of the supplicant.[8]
Mazda's titles. The Yasna sacrifice opens with the praise of Ahura Mazda and enumerates the following divine titles: maker, radiant, glorious, the greatest, the best, the most beautiful, the most firm, the most wise, of the most perfect form, the highest in righteousness, possessed of great joy, creator, fashioner, nourisher, and the Most Holy Spirit.[9] He is all-pervading. There is no conceivable place where he is not. Closer than the nose is to the ears, or the ears are to the mouth, is he to all that which the corporeal world thinks, speaks, and does.[10] He is the greatest temporal and spiritual lord.[11] He is the absolute ruler.[12] He is the most mighty and righteous.[13] He is benevolent.[14] He is the maker, the most holy, the most wise, and the best one to answer when questioned.[15] His is the omniscient wisdom.[16] He is undeceivable.[17] He is omniscient and never sleeping.[18] Radiant and glorious are the most frequent epithets with which the texts open the invocation to the divinity.
- ↑ Ny. 1. 7; 2. 7, 12; Yt. 10. 113, 145.
- ↑ TdFr. 28.
- ↑ Ys. 13. 5.
- ↑ Ys. 37. 3.
- ↑ Ys. 36. 1, 4, 5.
- ↑ Ys. 41. 3.
- ↑ Ys. 60. 12.
- ↑ Ys. 40. 2; 41. 2, 5, 6.
- ↑ Ys. 1. 1.
- ↑ TdFr. 58, 59.
- ↑ Ys. 27. 1; Vsp. 11. 21.
- ↑ Ys. 21. 3.
- ↑ Ys. 56. 1.
- ↑ Ys. 38. 4.
- ↑ Vd. 18. 7, 13. 66.
- ↑ Vsp. 19. 1.
- ↑ Yt. 12. 1.
- ↑ Yt. 12. 1; Vd. 19. 20, 26.
