The Marriage of Pouruchista

—from Yasna 53 (The Gatha of Fulfillment), Zarathushtra

Translation from the Avestan by Michael Ellsworth

wahiStA iStiS srAwI zarat-uStrahya
switAmahya ya-zi-hai dAt AyaftA
artAt hacA ahurah mazdAh yawai wiswAi-A hu’ahawiyam
yai-ca-hai daban saSkan-ca dayanayAh wahwiyAh uxTA SyauTnA-ca

‘The offering was famed best of Zarathushtra,
scion of Spitama, when he gave him rewards;
[when,] together with Rightness, The Lord Giver of Wisdom [gave to him] good existentiality throughout all life
and [gave them to those] who construct and understand the words and deeds of his good Envisionment.’

at-ca-hai scantu manahah uxTAiS SyauTnAiS-ca
xSnam mazda’ah wahmAi-A fra-wrt yasnans-ca
kawA-ca wiSta’aswah zarat-uStriS switAmah fraSauStrah-ca
da’ahah rzUS paTah yAm dayanAm ahurah sauSyantah dadAt

‘And let these follow, with the words and actions of intent,
their recognition of the Giver of Wisdom, and their devotions, to ready praise:
[namely] Kavi Vishtaspa, one of Zarathushtra and a scion of Spitama, and Frashaoshtra;
the gift’s paths [are] straight, the Envisionment that the Lord gave from the one who saves!’

tam-ca-tū parucista haicat-aswānā
switāmi yazwi dugdrām zarat-uštrahya
wahauš patyasti manahah artahya mazda’as-ca tabyah dāt saram
aϑā ham-frašwa ϑwā xraϑwā swaništā aramataiš hudānū waršwa

‘O Pouruchista, scion of both Haechataspa
and Spitama, youngest daughter of Zarathushtra,
in service of Good Intent, Rightness, and the Giver of Wisdom, he [Zarathushtra] has given him [Jamaspa] to you, forging a bond.
Consider thus with your own intelligence! With this generous man, choose the holiest things of the Well-regulated Mind!’

sahwāni wazyamnabyah kanibyah mraumi
xšmabya-ca wadamānah manh-ca-I dazdwam
waidadwam dayanābiš ābyas-ca ahum yah wahauš manahah
artā-wah anyah anyam wiwāhatu tat-zi-hai hušanam ahat

‘I speak advice to the girls who marry
and to you fellows who wed; give it thought:
Seek with your Envisionment, and with your partners, an existence which is of Good Intent;
let each try to compete against another for Rightness, since for each that will be a fair prize!’