We have collected references to such passages as can be termed prayers and classified them under the headings: Supplicatory, Confessional, Devotional, Benedictory, Imprecatory, and Exorcising prayers. We shall now turn to these.
Supplicatory prayers. The faithful pray unto the Amesha Spentas and ask them to extend their protection, as they say they do not see others than the archangels who can take them under their protection.[1] The Yazatas are asked to grant something greater and better and nobler than what their supplicant asks.[2] Haoma is asked to keep his votaries far from harm,[3] and give them foreknowledge of thieves and murderers and wolves for their safety.[4] It is prayed that Sraosha and Ashi may dwell in the house in which Haoma is the honoured guest and that Ashi may give joy there.[5] Haoma is implored to bestow upon his praisers the healing remedies and victory over their enemies.[6] He is further asked to give bodily health and long life,[7] courage and victory[8] that the righteous may be the courageous smiters of falsehood and malice.[9] In the end, the divinity of the sacrificial plant is asked to give the shining, all happy abode of the righteous.[10] Mithra is besought to give swiftness to the teams of his worshippers, strength to their own bodies so that they may watch successfully their enemies and smite them,[11] and also the demons and sorcerers and fairies and those that are seeingly blind and hearingly deaf.[12] Those that have not lied unto the angel of truth ask him to free them from distress and to give them riches and strength, victory and happiness, name and fame[13] and joy.[14] Sraosha is asked by his invokers to grant strength to their horses and soundness of body and strength to themselves, so that they may be able to defeat the jealous and inimical.[15] He is asked to protect them in both the worlds from the onslaughts of the demons of wrath and death.[16] The fire is asked to give abundant well-being, abundant sustenance, and abundant life, together with knowledge, holiness, a ready tongue, spiritual understanding, and comprehensive, great, and imperish-
