From the Ahunavaiti Gatha of the Avesta

Yasna 31 is the fourth hymn of the Ahunavaiti Gatha (Yasna 28–34), the first and longest of the five Gāthā collections attributed to the prophet Zarathustra (Zoroaster). At twenty-two verses, it is the longest hymn in the Ahunavaiti Gatha and among the most theologically dense passages in the entire Avesta. Where Yasna 30 revealed the Two Spirits and their primordial choice, Yasna 31 turns inward: Zarathustra addresses Ahura Mazdā directly, asking about the nature of creation, the rewards of righteousness, and the punishments that await the wicked.

The hymn opens with a declaration that Zarathustra has been appointed as teacher to guide those deluded by falsehood. He petitions God for spiritual aid — the best path, the knowledge of past and future, the strength to overcome the followers of Druj. The theological climax comes in verses 8–11, where Zarathustra recognises Ahura Mazdā as the First and Last of creation, the Father of Vohu Manah (Good Mind), the Creator of Asha (Truth), and — crucially — the one who bestowed upon humanity the power to choose their own faith and path freely. This affirmation of free will as a divine gift echoes and deepens the teaching of Yasna 30: freedom is not merely a condition of existence but a deliberate act of God's creation.

The second half of the hymn is structured as a series of questions (verses 14–17), in which Zarathustra asks about the fates of the righteous and the wicked, the penalties for those who empower falsehood, and who shall guide the ignorant to truth. The hymn closes with a vision of moral consequence: the righteous dwell in light, the wicked in darkness, and the wise man who protects truth through thought, word, and deed is the worthiest servant of Mazdā.

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

O, Ye who art in search of knowledge, I shall now proclaim the teachings and the message which of not so far been heard by anyone. This message is not pleasing to those who destroy the world of truth through their lures of devils and incorrect teachings, but it creates joy for those who have dedicated their hearts to Mazda.

Verse 2

Since deluded by these lures, you are unable to realize the right path clearly and choose the same, therefore, Mazda Ahura appointed me as your teacher, so that both parties of good and evil may live in accord with Asha.

Verse 3

What shall Thou, O God, bestow upon us through Thy spiritual lights? What is the bliss attainable through truth and purity which has been promised to all? What order has been issued in respect of the learned ones? Explain to me, O Mazda, whole of the said facts and enlightened me with Thy inspiring words, so that I may convert all the people into the right path.

Verse 4

Do not, refuse us Thy gracious aids, O Mazda and Amesha Spentas, so that we may attain pure mind and spiritual strength through purity and truth; sincere love and humility as well and by developing the said attributes we may overcome the followers of falsehood.

Verse 5

Show me O, Almighty, the best path, so that I may decide which path is in accord with Asha. Reveal to me through good mind the recompense which befalls me, so that I may feel exalted with joy. Make me aware of everything, O Mazda Ahura, which has happened in the past or may happen in future.

Verse 6

The wise man who propagates the true religion and makes the people aware of my holy message, which leads them to perfection and immortality, shall enjoy the highest bliss. He shall, no doubt, enjoy Ahuras power too, which increases through pure mind.

Verse 7

He is the first, who through his thoughtful mind streamed forth the lights on high and with his wisdom declared the law of truth, through which He upholds the pure-minded. That light which is the light of faith do Thou, O Mazda Ahura, who art always the same, brighten in our hearts.

Verse 8

O, Lord of Life and Wisdom, when I realized Thee in my mind as the the First and the Last of Creation, then I found with my inner sight (conscience) that Thou art the Father of Vohuman, the Creator of Truth and the Supreme Judge who justifies the actions of all the living beings.

Verse 9

Thine is Armaiti; Thine is the Wisdom of Creating the world. Thou, O Mazda Ahura, hast granted to living beings the power to choose the path of good or evil, the path followed by the true leader or the one led by the person who was never a true leader. (In other words to follow the True Path and the Real Shepherd, or the False One who was not a true leader).

Verse 10

Between the above to paths mankind should select as supporter and true leader a righteous Master promoting good thought. Never may the false leader, O Mazda, share a powerful memory, even though showing to be pious outworldly.

Verse 11

Since, O Mazda, from the beginning, Thou didst create soul and body; mental power and knowledge and since Thou didst place life within the corporeal body and didst bestow to mankind the power to act, speak and guide, you wished that everyone should choose his or her own faith and path freely.

Verse 12

Therefore, every one announces his or her belief, whether false speaker or true speaker, whether lightened or unenlightened, and wherever doubt exists Armaiti i.e. faith and devotion shall appeal to the soul for guidance.

Verse 13

O, Lord, Thou art well aware of the thoughts and deeds of all in open and secret. Thou art also aware of the one who undergoes the highest penance for a small sin. Thou, O Lord, watchest everything with radiant eyes and observe them in accord with Asha.

Verse 14

I ask of the, O Lord of Life, how indeed has all happened in the past and how shall it be in the future? What recompense and punishment shall be registered in the booklet of the lives of good and evil ones, and how would be their situation and the day of resurrection.

I would us the, O Ahura, who art aware of the past and future events, what has been ordained for the righteous ones and how the false ones would be treated on the doomsday?

Verse 15

I ask the, O Lord of Life, what is the penalty of those who increase the power of the false one and the wicked person? Also, what is the penalty of those who have no other fulfillment in life, except separating the faithful people from their true shepherd.

Verse 16

I ask the, O Lord, if a man of good insight with strength of body strives earnestly for the progress of the house, city and country and for the increase of truth and righteousness, does he merge in Truth? When and how such a wish is fulfilled O, Mazda Ahura?

Verse 17

Which of the two persons; the righteous and pious or the wicked and impure ones, shall choose the best path? The wise man should explain with his knowledge the secrets to the ignorance ones. Let not the ignorant go astray. O Mazda Ahura, let Vohuman's secret (i.e. the spiritual love and pure mind) be revealed to all.

Verse 18

Let no one give ears to the words of false and the wicked ones, because such persons shall lead the home, the village, the town and the country to ruin and destruction. It is, therefore, our duty to resist such persons and repel them with spiritual weapons of purity and righteousness.

Verse 19

May the people, O Lord of Life, give ear to a wise man whose teachings are soul heating and beneficial and act according to them in their lives. May they listen to the person who is capable of spreading the religion of truth and has eloquence of speech. Through Thy radiant fire, O Lord of Wisdom, do assign the densities of both parties (the wise and the ignorant).

Verse 20

One who follows righteousness and purity (and accepts righteousness as his job) shall enjoy the light of paradise as his or her eternal abode. However, the liars and evil persons shall have to stay a very long time in darkness with woe and uneasiness. The evil thought and unworthy character of the sinful person are in truth the factors which bring about a sorrowful life and an uneasy conscience for the owner.

Verse 21

The Lord of Wisdom and Life shall, through His wisdom, perfection and inspiring power, bestow upon persons who are faithful to him in thought and deed, perfection, eternity, purity, spiritual power and strength of serving mankind.

Verse 22

O, Mazda Ahura, the wise and clever man is the person who realizes the truth and is aware of the Lord's Law by His thought. He protects the truth and purity through His spiritual power, and will neither speak nor act except in truth. He shall try his best for the spread of truth. Such a man, O Mazda, shall be faithful to Thee and shall be regarded as worthiest man for helping the people.

Colophon

Yasna 31, the fourth hymn of the Ahunavaiti Gatha, is the longest and most theologically searching of the seven hymns in this first Gāthā collection. Where Yasna 28 is a prayer of invocation, Yasna 29 a cosmic lament, and Yasna 30 the revelation of the Two Spirits, Yasna 31 is Zarathustra's direct interrogation of God — a sustained questioning of the Creator about the nature of creation, the meaning of free will, and the fates of the righteous and the wicked. Its central verse (11) declares that God created soul, body, mental power, and knowledge, and through this creation wished that every person should choose their own faith and path freely. This is the theological foundation on which the entire Zoroastrian ethic rests: the triad of good thoughts, good words, and good deeds is meaningful precisely because it is chosen, not compelled. The hymn's closing vision — the righteous in light, the wicked in darkness, and the wise protector of truth as the worthiest servant — articulates the Zoroastrian understanding of moral consequence with a directness that would echo through Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

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

tâ vê urvâtâ mareñtô agushtâ vacå sêñghâmahî aêibyô ýôi urvâtâish drûjô ashahyâ gaêthå vîmereñcaitê atcît aêibyô vahishtâ ýôi zarazdå anghen mazdâi.

Verse 2

ýezî âish nôit urvânê advå aibî-dereshtâ vah'yå at vå vîspêñg âyôi ýathâ ratûm ahurô vaêdâ mazdå ayå ãsayå ýâ ashât hacâ jvâmahî.

Verse 3

ýãm då mainyû athrâcâ ashâcâ côish rânôibyâ xshnûtem hyat urvatem cazdôñnghvadebyô tat nê mazdâ vîdvanôi vaocâ hizvâ thwahyâ ånghô ýâ jvañtô vîspêñg vâurayâ.

Verse 4

ýadâ ashem zevîm anghen mazdåscâ ahurånghô ashicâ ârmaitî vahishtâ ishasâ mananghâ maibyô xshathrem aojôñghvat ýehyâ veredâ vanaêmâ drujem.

Verse 5

tat môi vîcidyâi vaocâ hyat môi ashâ dâtâ vahyô vîduyê vohû mananghâ mêñcâ daidyâi ýehyâ-mâ ereshish tâcît mazdâ ahurâ ýâ nôit vâ anghat anghaitî vâ.

Verse 6

ahmâi anghat vahishtem ýê môi vîdvå vaocât haithîm mãthrem ýim haurvatâtô ashahyâ ameretâtascâ, mazdâi avat xshathrem hyat hôi vohû vaxshat mananghâ.

Verse 7

ýastâ mañtâ pouruyô raocêbîsh rôithwen hvâthrâ hvô xrathwâ dãmish ashem ýâ dârayat vahishtem manô, tâ mazdâ mainyû uxshyô ýê â nûrêmcît ahurâ hâmô.

Verse 8

at thwâ mêñghî pourvîm mazdâ ýezîm stôi mananghâ vanghêush patarêm mananghô hyat thwâ hêm cashmainî hêñgrabem haithîm ashahyâ dãmîm anghêush ahurem shyaothanaêshû.

Verse 9

thwôi as ârmaitîsh thwê â gêush tashâ as xratûsh manyêush mazdâ ahurâ hyat ah'yâi dadå pathãm vâstryât vâ âitê ýê vâ nôit anghat vâstryô.

Verse 10

at hî ayå fravaretâ vâstrîm ah'yâi fshuyañtem ahurem ashavanem vanghêush fshêñghîm mananghô, nôit mazdâ avâstryô davãscinâ humeretôish baxshtâ.

Verse 11

hyat nê mazdâ paourvîm gaêthåscâ tashô daênåscâ thwâ mananghâ xratûshcâ hyat astvañtem dadå ushtanem hyat shyaothanâcâ sêñghãscâ ýathrâ varenêñg vaså dâyetê.

Verse 12

athrâ vâcem baraitî mithahvacå vâ ereshvacå vâ vîdvå vâ evîdvå vâ ahyâ zeredâcâ mananghâcâ, ânush-haxsh ârmaitîsh mainyû peresâitê ýathrâ maêthâ.

Verse 13

ýâ frasâ âvîshyâ ýâ vâ mazdâ peresâitê tayâ ýê vâ kasêush aênanghô â mazishtãm ayamaitê bûjem tâ cashmêñg thwisrâ hârô aibî ashâ aibî vaênahî vîspâ.

Verse 14

tâ-thwâ peresâ ahurâ ýâ-zî âitî jêñghaticâ ýå ishudô dadeñtê dâthranãm hacâ ashâunô ýåscâ mazdâ dregvôdebyô ýathâ tå anghen hêñkeretâ hyat.

Verse 15

peresâ avat ýâ mainish ýê dregvâitê xshathrem hunâitî dush-shyaothanâi ahurâ ýê nôit jyôtûm hanare vînastî vâstryehyâ aênanghô pasêush vîrâatcâ adrujyañtô.

Verse 16

peresâ avat ýathâ hvô ýê hudânush demanahyâ xshathrem shôithrahyâ vâ dah'yêush vâ ashâ fradathâi asperezatâ thwâvãs mazdâ ahurâ ýadâ hvô anghat ýâ-shyaothanascâ.

Verse 17

katârêm ashavâ vâ dregvå vâ verenvaitê mazyô, vîdvå vîdushê mraotû mâ evîdvå aipî-dêbâvayat, zdî-nê mazdâ ahurâ vanghêush fradaxshtâ mananghô.

Verse 18

mâ-cish at vê dregvatô mãthrãscâ gûshtâ sâsnåscâ, âzî demânem vîsem vâ shôithrem vâ dah'yûm vâ âdât dushitâcâ marakaêcâ athâ îsh sâzdûm snaithishâ.

Verse 19

gûshtâ ýê mañtâ ashem ahûmbish vîdvå ahurâ erezhuxdhâi vacanghãm xshayamnô hizvô vasô thwâ âthrâ suxrâ mazdâ vanghâu vîdâtâ rãnayå.

Verse 20

ýê âyat ashavanem divamnem hôi aparem xshyô daregêm âyû temanghô dushhvarethêm avaêtâs vacô têm vâ ahûm dregvañtô shyaothanâish hvâish daênâ naêshat.

Verse 21

mazdå dadât ahurô haurvatô ameretâtascâ bûrôish â ashah'yâcâ hvâpaithyât xshathrahyâ sarô vanghêush vazdvarê mananghô ýê hôi mainyû shyaothanâishcâ urvathô.

Verse 22

cithrâ î hudånghê ýathanâ vaêdemnâi mananghâ vohû hvô xshathrâ ashem vacanghâ shyaothanâcâ haptî hvô tôi mazdâ ahurâ vâzishtô anghaitî astish!

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, Yasna 29, and Yasna 30 source texts 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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