From the Ahunavaiti Gatha of the Avesta

Yasna 29 is the second hymn of the Ahunavaiti Gatha (Yasna 28–34), the first and longest of the five Gāthā collections attributed to the prophet Zarathustra (Zoroaster). Where Yasna 28 is a prayer of approach — Zarathustra alone before Ahura Mazdā — Yasna 29 is a drama. It is the oldest surviving theodicy in any Indo-European literature: a dialogue between the Soul of the Earth, the divine principles Asha (Truth) and Vohu Manah (Good Thought), and Ahura Mazdā himself, in which creation cries out against violence and asks why it was made to suffer.

The hymn opens with the Soul of Mother Earth lamenting that anger, rapine, and aggression have overrun the world, and begging the Creator for a saviour. Asha confesses that no suitable protector can be found among mortals. Ahura Mazdā intervenes, and in the climactic eighth verse, Vohu Manah names Zarathustra Spitama as the one who alone has heard the divine commands. The Soul of the Earth protests — she wanted a mighty king, not a feeble man with songs — but ultimately accepts the prophet as her guardian. It is the founding moment of the Zoroastrian mission: the call of the reluctant prophet, chosen not for power but for truthfulness.

This translation is by Mobed Firouz Azargoshasb, published by the Council of Iranian Mobeds of North America (1988). The Avestan source text in romanised transliteration follows the English for reference and study.

Verse 1

Unto you, O Creator, the Soul of Mother Earth complained thus: Wherefore did you create me? Who gave life to me? Anger, rapine, outrage, blunder, aggression and violence are everywhere. There is no protector for me, except Thee. Therefore, reveal to me a savior who could show me a way out of this difficulty.

Verse 2

Thereupon, the Creator of Mother Earth asked Asha, who shall be Thy savior for the people of the world, so that we may be able to offer her, besides protection, fostering zeal as well. Whom do you desire, O Asha, to appoint as their Lord and Guide, so as to repel the army of evil and misguided persons and keep at abeyance the wrath and annoyance.

Verse 3

Thus made Asha reply to Ahura Mazda! The leader to be selected for people of the world should be neither unjust nor cruel, but a very kind non-inimical person. It is true that I do not recognize such a person amongst people of the world who could protect the righteous against the wicked ones. Nevertheless, I am certain that he should be the strongest of mortals unto whose call we may respond with haste.

Verse 4

Undoubtedly, Ahura Mazda is best aware of the actions performed by the daeva worshippers and their hosts in the past and of the functions which shall be performed by them in future. Since the judgment of such actions shall be made by Ahura Mazda alone, we are, therefore, satisfied with His Wishes whatever they may be.

Verse 5

The soul of creation and I, both with uplifted hands and full respect praise Ahura Mazda and appeal to Him to prevent harm from righteous and good people and their leader and to safeguard them from the attack of wicked persons and enemies.

Verse 6

Thereupon Ahura Mazda, enlivening life's web with His Wisdom, spoke thus: Is not even one capable Master nor even a single spiritual leader and Savior known by Thee who may surpass others in purity and righteousness? Was it not for this that Thou wast put in charge as Shepherd and preserver of the Creation of this World?

Verse 7

Ahura Mazda continued thus: The holy songs increasing good luck, i.e. Ahunvar, is from Ahura of-one-will with Asha. It is a song for the progress of the world and prosperity of the people inspired by Mazda. After a moment's silence, Ahura Mazda continued again: O, Vohuman, whom do you think to be the Savior who can help people and save them from going astray.

Verse 8

Ahura Mazda continued: The only one who hath listened to our commands is well known to me. He is the holy Zarathushtra Spitama. He is the only person who is eager to proclaim through his songs of praise the path of truthfulness. Therefore, sweetness of speech shall be granted to him.

Verse 9

Thereupon, the Soul of Mother Earth bewailed. Should I accept the support of a feeble man and listen to his words. In fact, I desired the aid of a strong and mighty king. When shall such a person arise and bring strong-handed succor to me?

Verse 10

O, Ahura Mazda and Asha, bestow upon them spiritual strength and power. O, Vohuman, grant mental power, cleverness and full wisdom to Zarathushtra, so that he may lead the world to peace and rest. O, Mazda, we all recognize him as Thy noblest son and best of creation, and accept him as our best leader.

Verse 11

The Soul of Mother Earth continues: when shall ye all, Asha, Vohuman and Khashathra bring your welcome steps to us? When shall, O Mazda, the Society of Magas accept your teachings? O, Lord of Life, now that a helper has come to aid us we are also ready to serve both Thee and Thine.

Colophon

Yasna 29, the second hymn of the Ahunavaiti Gatha, is the oldest surviving theodicy in any Indo-European language — a dramatic dialogue in which the Soul of Creation weeps, the divine principles deliberate, and the prophet is named. The Lament of the Soul of the Ox stands at the heart of the Zoroastrian mission: creation itself calling out against violence, and Ahura Mazdā answering not with force but with a poet. Zarathustra is chosen in verse 8 not because he commands armies but because he alone has listened. The Soul of the Earth protests — she wanted a king — and accepts him anyway. The tension between the world's need for power and the prophet's gift of truth is never resolved; it is the founding paradox of the religion.

Translation by Mobed Firouz Azargoshasb, published by the Council of Iranian Mobeds of North America (March 1988). Electronic version authorised by Mobed Mehraban Zarthoshty of Vancouver, Canada (August 1997). Reproduced for scholarly and archival purposes with attribution, per the translator's stated permissions.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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Avestan Source Text (Romanised Transliteration)

Old Avestan source text from avesta.org, based on the edition of Karl Friedrich Geldner (Avesta: The Sacred Books of the Parsis, Stuttgart, 1896). Presented here for reference, study, and verification alongside the English translation above.

Verse 1

xshmaibyâ gêush urvâ gerezhdâ kahmâi mâ thwarôzhdûm kê-mâ tashat â-mâ aêshemô hazascâ remô âhishâyâ dereshcâ tevishcâ nôit môi vâstâ xshmat anyô athâ môi sãstâ vohû vâstryâ

Verse 2

adâ tashâ gêush peresat ashem kathâ tôi gavôi ratush hyat hîm dâtâ xshayañtô hadâ vâstrâ gaodâyô thwaxshô kêm hôi ushtâ ahurem ýê dregvôdebîsh aêshemem vâdâyôit

Verse 3

ahmâi ashâ nôit sarejâ advaêshô gavôi paitî-mravat avaêshãm nôit vîduyê ýâ shavaitê âdrêñg ereshvånghô hâtãm hvô aojishtô ýahmâi zavêñg jimâ keredushâ

Verse 4

mazdå sahvârê mairishtô ýâ-zî vâverezôi pairî-cithît daêvâishcâ mashyâishcâ ýâcâ vareshaitê aipî-cithît hvô vîcirô ahurô athâ-nê anghat ýathâ hvô vasat

Verse 5

at vâ ustânâish ahvâ zastâish frînemnâ ahurâi â mê urvâ gêushcâ azyå hyat mazdãm dvaidî ferasâbyô nôit erezhejyôi frajyâitish nôit fshuyeñtê dregvasû pairî

Verse 6

at ê vaocat ahurô mazdå vîdvå vafûsh vyânayâ nôit aêvâ ahû vistô naêdâ ratush ashâtcît hacâ at zî thwâ fshuyañtaêcâ vâstryâicâ thwôreshtâ tatashâ

Verse 7

têm âzûtôish ahurô mãthrem tashat ashâ-xshathrem hushitôish gaodâyô mananghô mazdâ hvô kahmâi vîcithê ýê tãm gêush dâyât parôi-sh hadâ vâstryâ

Verse 8

âcâ môi idâ vistô ýê nê aêvô sâsñå gûshâtâ zarathushthrô spitâmô hvô nê mazdâ vashtî ashâicâ carekerethrâ srâvayenghê hyat hôi hudemêm dyâi vaxedhrahyâ

Verse 9

atcâ gêush urvâ raostâ ýê anaêshem xshãnmênê râdem vâcem neresh asûrahyâ ýêm â vasemî îshâ xshathrîm kadâ ýavâ hvô anghat ýê hôi dadat zastavat avô

Verse 10

ýûzhêm aêibyô ahurâ aogô dâtâ ashâ xshathremcâ avat vohû mananghâ ýâ husheitîsh râmãmcâ dât azêmcît ahyâ mazdâ thwãm mênghî paourvîm vaêdem

Verse 11

kudâ ashem vohucâ manô xshathremcâ at mâ mashâ ýûzhêm mazdâ frâxshnenê mazôi magâi â paitî-zânatâ ahurâ nû-nå avarê êhmâ râtôish ýûshmâvatãm

Source Colophon

Avestan text in romanised transliteration from avesta.org, the Joseph H. Peterson Encyclopaedia on Iran, based on the critical edition by Karl Friedrich Geldner (Avesta: The Sacred Books of the Parsis, 3 vols., Stuttgart, 1886–1896). The transliteration follows the avesta.org convention, consistent with the Yasna 28 source text in this archive. The Gāthās survive in manuscripts no older than the fourteenth century CE, but linguistic analysis places their composition in the second millennium BCE, contemporary with the Rigvedic hymns.

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