Avesta

The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language. It contains the liturgical and hymnal texts used in Zoroastrian worship.

Sections

• Yasna — Sacred liturgy, including the Gathas, the hymns of the prophet Zarathushtra (Zoroaster)

The Gathas

The Gathas (Yasna 28–53) are the oldest layer of the Avesta, composed by Zoroaster himself. They are characterized by their direct personal address to Ahura Mazda and their eschatological vision of world renovation (Frashokereti).

Sources

Translated by L.H. Mills, Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 31 (1886). Public domain.