Yasna in the context of "Avestan language"

The Gathas (/ˈɡɑːtəz, -tɑːz/) are five hymns in the Avestan language from the Zoroastrian oral tradition of the Avesta. The oldest surviving text fragment dates from 1323 CE, but they are believed by scholars to have been composed before 1000 BCE and passed down orally for centuries. They are traditionally believed to have been composed by the prophet Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) himself. They form the core of the Zoroastrian liturgy (the Yasna). They are arranged in five different modes or metres.

The Avestan term gāθā (𐬔𐬁𐬚𐬁 "hymn", but also "mode, metre") is cognate with Sanskrit gāthā (गाथा), both from the Proto-Indo-Iranian word *gaHtʰáH, from the root *gaH- "to sing".

Ahura Mazda (/əˌhʊərə ˈmæzdə/ ə-HOOR-ə MAZ-də), also known as Ormazd and Horomazes, is the principal God and sky deity in Zoroastrianism. He is the first and most frequently invoked spirit in the Yasna. The literal meanings of the words Ahura and Mazda are "lord" and "wisdom", respectively.

The first notable invocation of Ahura Mazda occurred during the Achaemenid period (c. 550–330 BC) with the Behistun Inscription of Darius the Great. Until the reign of Artaxerxes II (c. 405/404–358 BC), Ahura Mazda was worshipped and invoked alone in all extant royal inscriptions. With Artaxerxes II, Ahura Mazda was gathered into a triad of deities with Mithra and Anahita. In the Achaemenid period, the only known representation of Ahura Mazda at the royal court was an empty chariot drawn by white horses, which was used to invite Ahura Mazda to accompany the Persian army into battle.

Gharjestan (also Gharchestan, Gharshistan, Gharchegan, Garshestan) was historical region comprising large mountainous land located between Herat and Kabul. The area comprised the lands later known as Hazarajat.

Gharjistan was originally known as "Garshestan", derived from the Avestan word "Garsh" and the Persian suffix "stan". It was later Arabized to "Gharjistan". The Avestan word "Gar" meant "mountain", and was mentioned in the Yasna. The word "Giro" in Hazaragi is widely used in the mountainous regions of Gharjistan.

A mobed, mowbed, or mobad (Middle Persian: 𐭬𐭢𐭥𐭯𐭲) is a Zoroastrian cleric of a particular rank. Unlike a herbad (ervad), a mobed is qualified to serve as celebrant priest at the Yasna ceremony and other higher liturgical ceremonies. A mobed is also qualified to train other priests.

The Yasna liturgy is the most important liturgy of Zoroastrianism. It is performed daily during the Havan Gah by reciting the Yasna text. It belongs to and forms the basis of the so called Long Liturgies.

Zend or Zand (Middle Persian: 𐭦𐭭𐭣) is a Zoroastrian term for Middle Persian or Pahlavi versions and commentaries of Avestan texts. These translations were produced in the late Sasanian period.

Zand glosses and commentaries exist in several languages, including in the Avestan language itself. These Avestan language exegeses sometimes accompany the original text being commented upon, but are more often elsewhere in the canon. An example of exegesis in the Avestan language itself includes Yasna 19–21, which is a set of three Younger Avestan commentaries on the three Gathic Avestan 'high prayers' of Yasna 27. Zand also appears to have once existed in a variety of Middle Iranian languages, but of these Middle Iranian commentaries, the Middle Persian zand is the only one to survive fully, and is for this reason regarded as 'the' zand.