Tuesday, April 28, 2026 · 天火 · tianmu.org
Qolasta
✦ ─── ⟐ ─── ✦
Texts
The Qolasta — Baptismal Hymns, Prayers LXXVIII–XCPrayers LXXVIII-XC of the Mandaean Qolasta — The Baptismal Hymns. Part Four opens with thirteen liturgical songs and hymns sung during the canonical baptism. These are the actual hymns cross-referenced throughout the rubrics of Parts One through Three. Includes the Myrtle Wreath Song, the great Hear Me litany, the Plants of the Jordan, the Baptizer's Declaration, the Jordan as Witness, the Warning Against Alteration, and the New Disciple — a sustained narrative of sacred commerce where the soul trades in wages and alms, brighter than sun and moon.The Qolasta — Death Mass Hymns, Prayers XCI–CIIIPrayers XCI-CIII of the Mandaean Qolasta — The Death Mass Hymns. The second half of Part Four completes the Songs and Hymns for the Baptism and Death Mass with thirteen funerary songs accompanying the soul's ascent after death. Includes the Acquittal of the Soul, the Departure from the body, the Armour of the Soul (a litany of the planets' assault on each body part — heart, eyes, mouth, hands, knees, feet — and the Life's rescue), the Day of Departure (Ruha in mourning, the Seven frozen, the escort with garments of radiance), and the Rest of the Souls.The Qolasta — Hymns of the Mass, Prayers LXVII–LXXPrayers LXVII–LXX of the Mandaean Qolasta — the Hymns of the Mass: the escort of the ascending soul, the interrogation, the farewell of the body, and the blessing of the deadThe Qolasta — The Baptism, Prayer XXXI and the Closing RubricsGood Works Translation of the closing rubrics, Prayer XXXI, the Baptismal Ordo, and the Priestly Covenant with Manuscript Colophon — the final section of Part One (The Baptism) of the Mandaean Qolasta, from Classical MandaicThe Qolasta — The Baptism, Prayers I–IVThe opening baptismal prayers of the Mandaean Qolasta — the canonical prayer book of the last surviving Gnostic religion. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Baptism, Prayers IX–XIVPrayers IX through XIV of the Mandaean Qolasta — the great veneration, the cosmic baptism, the petition, the opening of the Jordan, the descent into the water, and the prayer of the staff. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Baptism, Prayers V–VIIIPrayers V through VIII of the Mandaean Qolasta — the third headband cycle, the pasdama prayer, and the great incense litany. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Baptism, Prayers XV–XXPrayers XV through XX of the Mandaean Qolasta — the binding of the sea, the trembling of demons, the great Jordan's cosmic origin, the baptismal rubric with its secret naming litany, the wreath of Manda, and the blessing of the Jordan. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Baptism, Prayers XXI–XXIVPrayers XXI through XXIV of the Mandaean Qolasta — the dialogue poem of the witnesses (rejecting sun, moon, and fire; accepting the sacraments), the confession of the Name, the adjuration of the oil with its polemic against Christ and Astarte, and the healing oil of the First Life with its resurrection formula. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Baptism, Prayers XXV–XXXGood Works Translation of Qolasta Prayers XXV–XXX, the post-communion and catechetical sequence of the Mandaean canonical baptism, from Classical MandaicThe Qolasta — The Cosmic Invocation, Prayer LXXVIPrayer LXXVI of the Mandaean Qolasta — The Cosmic Invocation. An extended praise of the great Name of the Life, the promise of eschatological reward for the faithful, the almsgiving teaching, the boasting prohibition, and the divine reciprocity: Before your words, my words shall go. The second of the Three Prayers for the Baptism and Death Mass.The Qolasta — The Death Mass, Prayers XLIX–LXVIPrayers XLIX–LXVI of the Mandaean Qolasta — the Death Mass proper: the Great Ascent of the soul, the farewell communion, and the complete strengthening sequenceThe Qolasta — The Death Mass, Prayers XXXII–XXXVPrayers XXXII–XXXV of the Mandaean Qolasta — the opening of the Death Mass: the pasdama, living water, funerary incense, and the great supplication for the deadThe Qolasta — The Death Mass, Prayers XXXVI–XLVIIIPrayers XXXVI–XLVIII of the Mandaean Qolasta — the Pihta prayers, Mambuha prayers, wreath prayers, and oil prayer of the Death MassThe Qolasta — The Great Benediction and Forgiveness, Prayers LXXI–LXXIIPrayers LXXI–LXXII of the Mandaean Qolasta — the Great Benediction of Sham bar Na, a sustained litany blessing every station of the divine hierarchy, and the Forgiveness prayer recited at every Mandaean ceremonyThe Qolasta — The Great Confession, Prayer LXXVPrayer LXXV of the Mandaean Qolasta — The Great Confession. A cosmic theophany: the divine Life appears, the Jordan turns back, the mountains leap like deer, the cedars of Lebanon break, Rūhā screams from the depths. The longest prayer in the Qolasta, opening Part Three.The Qolasta — The Great Doxology, Prayer LXXVIIPrayer LXXVII of the Mandaean Qolasta — The Great Doxology. The third and final of the Three Prayers for the Baptism and Death Mass. A cosmic roll call of the divine hierarchy from the First Life through twenty stations of Uthras, messengers, and hidden Adams, each praised with the fourfold litany To praise, to venerate, to glorify, to bless. Includes anti-Christian polemic and culminates in a sevenfold benediction of the Name.The Qolasta — The Letter and the Sealing, Prayers LXXIII–LXXIVPrayers LXXIII–LXXIV of the Mandaean Qolasta — The Letter, a poem of the soul's divine passport ascending through cosmic stations, and the Sealing formulaThe Qolasta — The Oil Anointing ManualThe complete Mandaean priestly manual for the oil-anointing of the dying — twelve sections of liturgical instruction including ceremony, prayers, the mythological origin (Bihram son of Adam anointing his mother Eve), a manuscript transmission colophon, and Hibil-Ziwa’s declaration on priestly dutyThe Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers I–IXThe opening prayers of the Oxford Collection — a second manuscript tradition of the Mandaean Qolasta, containing the daily liturgy and the Sunday Prayer for Healing. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers L–LVPrayers L through LV of the Oxford Collection — the complete Saturday liturgical set, completing the weekly cycle. The Pillar in the Storm — a stone pillar standing firm while storms pass. The pomegranate and the wine jug — gleaming outside but rotten within, or plain without but full of wine. The vine on the Jordan's shore. The fragrance of the mountains and the parable of the planting. The zither of Kushta played three times — each playing opens a cosmic door, transforms the wicked, raises the fallen. The Sabbath gives way to Sunday. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers LVI–LIXPrayers LVI through LIX and the Manuscript Colophon of the Oxford Collection — the post-liturgical prayers that close the First Book. Prayer LVI is the great Mandaean soul-drama: the divine stranger exiled in the world of wickedness, for whom all creation was made, and who is promised garments of radiance and rescue by the Life itself. The Seven whisper about him twice — first with hostility, then with awe. The cosmos was spread for his sake. Prayers LVII through LIX are short liturgical supplements: the Uthras' joy in the treasure, a brief supplication, and the strengthening petition where the individual stands upon the Aether of Life and seeks forgiveness. The Manuscript Colophon traces the chain of copyists from Adam Zahrūn back through seven named scribes to the autograph of Baiwai and the Thesaurus of the village of Tib. This completes the entire First Book of the Oxford Collection. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers X–XIVPrayers X through XIV of the Oxford Collection — the dawn prayer, the blessing of the name, the great litany of the Vine, the dialogue of the disciples, and the dramatic coming of Manda d-Hayye. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers XLIV–XLIXPrayers XLIV through XLIX of the Oxford Collection — the complete Friday liturgical set. The Story of Mirjai — a woman rejects the Jewish Law for Manda d-Hayye, stamps dust upon her feet, and curses the elders of Jerusalem. The Gate of the Eggs opens. A soul pours out her bag of misdeeds before the Lord. The great fish tear the casting net and escape; the ungrown remain under the lead. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers XV–XXVPrayers XV through XXV of the Oxford Collection — the Sunday and Monday liturgical sets, including the Day of Manda d-Hayye, the Voice of Living Water, the cascading Fruit and Tree, the Cloud and the Planter with the most explicit anti-Christ polemic in the Mandaean liturgy, the Man of Proven Righteousness persecuted by all the worlds, and the cosmogonic Day of the Eggs. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers XXVI–XXXIIPrayers XXVI through XXXII of the Oxford Collection — the complete Tuesday liturgical set and the opening of the next day. The divine gift-bringer brings life against death and joy against darkness. The eyes of truth confront the eyes of lies. The great poem of the fragrance that resurrects the dead. The mountain of darkness commanded to shine. A voice in heaven and thunder in the house of stars. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, First Book, Prayers XXXIII–XLIIIPrayers XXXIII through XLIII of the Oxford Collection — the complete Wednesday and Thursday liturgical sets. The hidden Sprout speaks and the Great Life answers. Mount Carmel's twelve vines fail to recognize the divine visitor. The Uthras resemble radiance and do not lie; the planets lie and shall perish. Cosmic theophany — earth trembles, seas dry, mountains buckle. The poor man's grieving heart seeks relief from the Seven. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, Fourth BookThe banner liturgy of the Mandaean Qolasta — twenty prayers tracing the complete ritual life of the sacred banner from spreading to folding, plus the 1529 CE Collection Colophon. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, Second BookThe complete vestment ceremony of the Mandaean Qolasta — thirty-one prayers and rubrics recited during priestly investiture and the wedding, recounting when Manda d-Hayye first received each sacred garment. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.The Qolasta — The Oxford Collection, Third BookThe commissioning prayers of the Mandaean Qolasta — twenty prayers in which the great Life sends forth the Chosen, Pure One to create the light-cosmos, establish the Jordans, and receive his final title as the Orderer of Orderings. First free independent English translation from Classical Mandaic.