AVESTA LANGUAGE - Heritageinstitute
1TEACH YOURSELFAVESTALANGUAGE(A beginner’s guide for learning theSCRIPT, GRAMMAR & LANGUAGEof the Zoroastrian scriptural texts)ByDr. Ervad Ramiyar Parvez KaranjiaJune 2005
2TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction.4I. THE AVESTAN ALPHABET . 51. A brief account of the Avestan texts.52. The Alphabets (1). 73. The Alphabets (2). 94. The Alphabets (3). 115. The Alphabets (4). 136. Phonetic divisions of the Alphabets.167. Rules for placement of letters. 18II. SANDHI. 201. Vowel Sandhi.202. Consonantal Sandhi. 23III. ROOTS & THEIR GRADATIONS. 261. Roots. 262. Vowel Gradation (Guna and Vraddhi).29IV. NOUNS .311. Primary and Secondary Nouns.31V. ADJECTIVES . 331. Simple and Derivative Adjectives . 332. Degrees of Adjectives. 33VI. PARTICIPLES.351. Present Participle. 352. Future Participle.353. Perfect Participle. 354. Past Participle .36VII. GENDERS.38VIII DECLENSIONS.401. General Case Terminations.402. Vowel Bases.42Bases ending in Masculine . 422. Bases ending in Neuter. 433. Bases ending in Masculine. 44Bases ending in Feminine. 455. Bases ending in Masculine.476. Bases ending in Feminine. 487. Bases ending in Neuter. 498. Bases ending in Masculine. 499. Bases ending in Feminine. 5010. Bases ending in Neuter.503. CONSONANTAL BASES . 511. Bases ending in ( ) Masculine .512. Bases ending in ( ) Feminine .513. Bases ending in ( ) Neuter.534. Bases ending in Masculine . 535. Bases ending in Feminine .54
36. Bases ending in ( ) Neuter .547. Bases ending in Masculine.568. Bases ending in ( ) Masculine . 569. Bases ending in ( ) Masculine. 5710. Bases ending in ( ) Neuter .57IX. PRONOUNS.59X. NUMERALS.63XI. COMPOUNDS. 65XII. VERBS. 671. Ten Classes of Conjugation. 672. Conjugational Tenses and Moods. 701. Present Tense. 702. Imperfect Tense.733. Imperative Mood.764. Potential Mood.783. Non-conjugational Tenses and Moods.811. Future Tense.812. Perfect Tense.813. Aorist Tense. 824. Precative or Benedictive Mood :.82Subjunctive Mood.83XIII. DERIVATIVE VERBS. 851. Frequentative or Intensive verb .852. Desiderative Verb. 853. Denominative or Nominal Verb.864. Causal Verb.865. Incohative Verb .87XIV PARTICLES. 881. Adverbs. 882. Prepositions.893. Conjunctions. 904. Prefixes. 90XV. SOME GENERAL RULES. 921. Formation of Words and Sentences. 922. Syntax. 933. Reduplication. 934. Insertion of redundant letters. 945. Strong and Weak forms. 95XVI. TRANSLATION.96Avesta to English. 96English to Avesta. 97Specimen Translation of a text –SAROSH BĀJ.99QUESTION BANK . 111KEY TO EXERCISES.115
4IntroductionThe genesis of this book dates back to June 1978, when late Dasturji Dr. HormazdyarKayoji Mirza gave us a small handwritten file containing the essence of AvestanGrammar, in our very first Avestan class, and asked us to copy it in our own hands. Thisbook is a gradual development from that file and a result of the experience andunderstanding gathered during the 20 years of teaching the Avestan language.This book has been prepared in the format of ‘Teach Yourself’ bookS. Each Chapter isdivided into lessons which can be considered a unit. Extensive exercises have beenprovided at the end of each chapter along with the keys to most of the exercises at theend, with the view that a student may be able to learn the language without much helpfrom a tutor. However, the reader may find this book different from other ‘TeachYourself’ books, because Avesta is exclusively a language of the scriptures and is notused as a language for communications.This book is specifically meant for beginners who want to have a basic knowledge of thelanguage and understand the basic Avestan scriptures. It is not meant for scholars or thosewho want to pursue higher studies in this language. Grammatical rules have beensimplified. Wherever there are more than one options, only the most frequently usedoption has been included. Those who want to study the grammar in greater detail mayrefer to other books and study materials like “A Practical Grammar of the Avestalanguage” by Kavasji Edalji Kanga (Bombay, 1891), “An Avesta Grammar in comparisonwith Sanskrit” by A.V.Williams Jackson (Stuttgart, 1892) and “Avestan Language III.The Grammar of Avestan” by Karl Hoffmann in Encyclopaedia Iranica III.This book has been under preparation since the past five years. It was and is being used asa sourcebook cum workbook for teaching Avesta script and grammar to beginners at SirJamshedjee Jeebhoy Zarthoshtee and Mullan Feroze Madressas. Modifications wereincorporated into the book taking into account the views and suggestions from students.Model Question papers are also provided at the end for those want to evaluate themselvesmidway and at the completion of the course.In this book, footnotes have been used with a very specific purpose. Most footnotes givesinformation which is not basic to learning the language and without which the student cando in the initial stage of learning the language. This information may be useful at a laterstage. Footnotes also provide alternative and many a times modern versions ofgrammatical terminologies.I hope that this book will fill a much felt void and enable people to learn the Avestanscript, grammar and language.Ramiyar Parvez KaranjiaDadar, Mumbai.June 2005.
5I. THE AVESTAN ALPHABET1. A brief account of the Avestan textsZoroastrians regularly come in touch with their Avestan texts, when they recite them asdaily prayers or when priests pray them in rituals and ceremonies. These texts werehanded down by oral tradition from generation to generation since very ancient times.They were composed in absolute prehistory when the art of reading and writing had notyet been adequately developed.The Iranian historical traditions regarding the ancient Zoroastrian scriptures andtransmission of the Avesta texts, are recorded in the Dēnkard. On the basis of thisaccount, we can formulate a succinct account of the transmission of Avestan texts.According to the Dēnkard there were two copies of the Avesta during the Achaemeniantimes. After Alexander’s invasion and conquest of Iran in 330 B.C., the Avestan textsgreatly damaged. The Parthian Emperor Vologases (Valkhash) I (51–77 A.C.) orderedthe collection of the scattered fragments of the Avesta. However, it seems that theattempt was not successful.Thereafter Sasanian Emperor Artakhshir Pāpakān (226-241 A.C.), instructed DasturTansar to collect the Avestan texts and prepare a standard edition. This work wascompleted under the guidance of Dastur Adarbad Marespand during the reign of EmperorShapur II (309-379). The Avestan texts were re-gathered in 21 Volumes called Nasks.The Avestan texts suffered destruction once again when the Arabs invaded andconquered Iran in 641 A. C. Out of 21 Avesta Nasks, 20 Nasks were in existence till the9th century. A summary of 19 Nasks, based on their Pahlavi translations, is found in theVIII and IX books of the Dēnkard. After the 9th century, most of the Avestan Nasks andtheir Pahlavi translations have been irretrievably lost.The Extant Avestan textsThe Avestan texts, as they exist at present, consist of compositions by prophetZarathushtra and his immediate disciples. They may be divided as follows:(1) The Yasna (including the Gathas), (2) The Visparad, (3) The Vidēvdād (Vandidad),(4) ,The Khordeh Avesta (including the Yashts) (5) Fragments of some lost Nasks.1Origin of the Avestan scriptAvesta is the oldest Iranian language in existence. It pre-dates the times of prophetZarathushtra. Though the Avestan language is very ancient, it had no script of its own asit was orally transmitted from generation to generation.2Though attempts were made to commit Avestan texts into writing during the Arshkanian /Parthian times (250BC-226 AC), it was not till the middle of the Sasanian period that thescript was formulated. The Avestan script that we use today was developed either in the5th century A.C. during the reign of the Sasanian king Cosroes II (Khushru Purviz), or in1Fragments have been preserved in the commentaries given in Pahlavi translations, colophons ofmanuscripts, Avesta-Pahlavi Frahang and other Pahlavi works.2According to tradition preserved in the Ardā Wirāz Nāmag, Dēnkard and other Pahlavi texts, prophetZarathushtra had the scriptures committed to some form of writing on cow-hides, which were thendeposited in the Royal Archives.
6the 4 century during the reign of Shapur II (309-379 A.C.). This script is also known asthe Dīn Dabireh “the script for religious (purposes)”thIndian and Iranian StylesThere is a slight variance in the way some of the letters of the Avestan script were writtenby scribes in Iran and India. The Iranian scribes wrote in a more ornamental way. Theirletters had a greater flourish and a curve at the end. The Indian scribes preferred to keepthe letters simple using straight strokes. In this book the Iranian style has been used.Special features of the Avestan script1) Letters of the Avestan alphabet are written from right to left.2) The direction of writing for each letter and their relative positions should be noted.3) Often, more than one letter represent a certain sound. The use of such letters dependson their placements in the word.4) Each Avesta letter has been given an equivalent for purposes of transcription. Most ofthese are from the English alphabet, but some are from Greek alphabet, and some arespecial characters. By and large the system of Hoffmann has been adopted.5) Every complete Avesta word is followed with a dot (which looks like a ‘full stop’ ofthe English). This dot is called a word-separator. 6) Three dots (which look like the abbreviation for ‘because’ in English).are used toindicate the end of a sentence or a paragraph. Sometimes three small circles used in thesame way, also indicate the end of a paragraph.
72. The Alphabets (1)Avesta letter (Iranian style) Transcription Pronunciation aa - as in across āa - as in father ii - as in it īī - as in feet uu - as in put ūoo - as in shoot kk - as in kite xkh - as in Khan 1x kh - as in khyal 2 khv - as in khvāb gg - as in girl 3gh - as in GhanaThe consonants in Avestan script, do not have vowel sounds inherent in them, and hencecannot stand by themselves. A consonant always needs to be followed by a vowel todepict a full sound. Thus:123It is used before the letter ‘y’.It is a combination of two Pahlavi letters ‘x’ and ‘v’This sign is similar to the Greek letter gamma.
8 ka kā ki kī ku kūExercise:1. Practice the following:a q A 2. Write the following in Avestan script. Speak as you write:gagāgu a ākixixākū
93. The Alphabets (2)Avesta letterTranscriptionPronunciation oo- ōo - as in go ea - as in made 1ēay - as in way 2tt - as in ten 3 t - as in put 4th - dd - as in day 5dh - as in adhere pp - as in pan ff - as in fan bb - as in batas in moreas in bathExercise:12345It is used as final vowel in Gathas and in the diphthong combination ’aē’.It is used at the beginning and middle of words.It is used at the end of words or when followed byThis sign is similar to the Greek letter theta.This sign is similar to the Greek letter delta. ‘k’ or ‘b’
101. Practice the following: T 2.Write the following in Avestan script. Speak as you write:
114. The Alphabets (3)Avesta letterTranscriptionPronunciation 1 2e - as in red 3 e - as in red 4 r ere - as in beret cch - as in chair jj - as in jam nn - as in nut 5 n as in grunt mm - as in man ng - as in song 6 ng - as in playing rr - as in run hh - as in hen1Generally replaces ‘a’ when followed by final ‘m’ and ‘n’. It is also used as the final vowel after ‘r’.2This sign is similar to an inverted ‘e’.3It is generally used as final vowel, especially in Gathas4This cluster of three letters, is treated as one sound in Avesta.5Used instead of ‘n’ when followed by a guttural or dental consonant.6It generally follows an ‘i’ ( )
12Avesta letterTranscriptionPronunciation 1ww - as in waterExercise:1. Practice the following: «2. Transcribe the following into Avestan script. Speak as you write: 3. Transcribe the following in Roman script. Speak as you write: 1 It generally follows ‘ ’ and ‘ ’.
135. The Alphabets (4)Avesta letterTranscriptionPronunciation ow - as in cow an - as in France s - as in sit 1 sh - as in harsh 2 sh - as in ashame 3 sh - as in Shyam zz - as in zebra zh - as in azure 4yy - as in lawyer 5yY - as in year 6vv - as in save 7vv - as in verse1It is used at the end of words and also when followed by ‘c’ and ‘t’ .It is used in the beginning and within a word.3It is used in the beginning and within a word, only before the letter ‘y’.24It is used only in the middle of words. Hence it is known as medial ‘y’.It is used only in the beginning of words. Hence it is known as initial ‘y’.6It is used only in the middle of words. Hence it is known as medial ‘v’.7It is used only in the beginning of words. Hence it is known as initial ‘v’.5
14Self study:1. Transcribe the following in Roman script. Speak as you write: 2. Transcribe the following in Avestan script. Speak as you write:ya ā ahū vairyō a ā ratu a ā ci hacā,va h u dazdā mana hō yao anan m a h u mazdāi,x a r mcā ahurāi ā yim dr gubyō dada vāstār m. § « « § Exercise:1. Practice the following: 2. Give the transcriptions of the following letters in Roman script.
153. Transcribe the following in Roman script. Speak as you write: 4. Transcribe the following in Avestan script. Speak as you write:k v r r m jā wā pōi s hā yōi h tīci rā mōi d m ahūmbī ratūm ci dīa hōi vohū srao ō ja tū mana hāmazdā ahmāi yahmāi va ī kahmāicī .
166. Phonetic divisions of the AlphabetsThe Avesta alphabet has 50 characters, divided into two groups - 15 Vowels and 35Consonants. These letters are divided into various phonetic divisions as under :15 VOWELSSimple Vowels:ShortGutteral Long Palatal Labial Cerebral -----Diphthongs:Diphthong is a vowel, the sound of which is a originally a combination of the sound oftwo simple vowels.ShortLong Special Vowels: 35 eral / Palatal -Dental / - Nasal ; ; ; ; Sibilant ; ; ;Semi-vowel or Liquid ;Aspiration Bi-labial Labial ; ; ; ; ; -
17Ligatures ; Exercise:1. Give the transcripts and phonetic divisions of the following letters:Av. letterTranscriptPhonetic division 2. Give the consonants of the following phonetic lSemi-Vowel
187. Rules for placement of letters x is used before the letter ‘y’. Eg: “country” t is used at the beginning and in middle of words. Eg: “body”is used at the end of words or when followed by ‘k’ or ‘b’. Egs: “then” ; “teaching”. generally replaces ‘a’ when followedEgs: and ‘n’.Eg:“O Creator”is generally used as final vowel, especially in Gathas. Eg: ‘m’“body.”It is also used as the final vowel after ‘r’. Eg: by final “my”.is used instead of ‘n’ when followed by a guttural or dental consonant. “evil” ; “how many ?” generally follows an ‘i’. Eg: w generally follows ‘ ’ and “country”‘ ’. Eg: “timely”. is used at the end of words and when followed by ‘c’ and ‘t’ .Egs: “best” ; “the mountain”. is used only within a word. Eg: “dawn”. is used within a word, and only before the letter ‘y’. Eg: “blessed”. y is used only in the middle of words. Hence it is known as medial ‘y’. y is used only in the beginning of words. Hence it is known as initial ‘y’. v is used only in the middle of words. Hence it is known as medial ‘v’. v is used only in the beginning of words. Hence it is known as initial ‘v’.
19Self study:Correct the following spellings:IncorrectCorrectIncorrectCorrect Exercise:1. Correct the spellings:
20II. SANDHIIn Avesta, nouns, adjectives, participles and other parts of speech are formed by addingcertain suffixes to roots. Such nouns and adjectives are refrred to as crude forms.Terminations have to be added to them before they can be used in a sentence. In theprocess of adding these terminations and suffixes, two letters of different words comeinto contact, and as per certain rules either one or both of them undergo a change. Thischange is known as Euphony or Sandhi. Thus, Sandhi is a combination of two or morevowels or consonants resulting in a changed form.1Depending on the letters coming in contact, there are primarily two types of Sandhi:1) Vowel Sandhi, in which both the letters are vowels.2) Consonantal Sandhi, in which both the letters are consonants.When one of the letters is a vowel and the other a consonant, no change takes place.1. Vowel SandhiThere are four types of Vowel Sandhi :A. DIRGHA SANDHI,B. GUNA SANDHI,C. VRADDHI SANDHID. ANTARGATA SANDHI.A. DIRGHA SANDHI is a combination of two similar simple vowels resulting in a longvowel: Examples:“driving away” “having healthy horses” “we gave” “a field” “ a tree”2 “ I poured down” “good word” 1However, in exceptional cases, the rules of vowel Sandhi, do not apply. This is called Pragrihya. Eg: . “then, thereupon.”2The underlined letters indicate the letters involved in Sandhi and their result.
21B. GUNA SANDHI is the combination of two dissimilar vowels, the first one of which is and the second is one of the simple vowels: / / Examples: “neither, not here” “Hādokht (Nask)” “to go towards” 1C VRADDHI SANDHI: It is the combination of two dissimilar vowels of which, the firstone is : / / / / Examples:“for Mazda” “for Ahura” “comes towards” D. ANTARGATA SANDHI is the combination of two dissimilar vowels, resulting in aconsonant. Only the first vowel undergoes a change. The second vowel remains constant: 1It is a Proper Noun, name of one of the 21 Nasks (Volumes) of ancient Avestan scriptures. Literally theword means “accompanied by the word”.
22Examples:“speaking thus”“opposing” “Spityura” (King Jamshed’s brother) “for the holy (lady)” “from the body” “greatly beloved” “meanness”“time” “with the cow/bull” “of the cows/bulls”“pain, affliction” Exercise:1. Fill in the blanks : “indeed, surely” “speaking in accordance” “gone near” “and the women” “for the world” “to be old” “silvern” “spoke forth” 2. Which Vowel Sandhis involvea. Similar Vowels :b. Dissimilar Vowels :
232. Consonantal SandhiWhen, in the formation of a word, two particular types of consonants come together, thefirst consonant undergoes a change, as per certain rules. Some of the rules are:Rule 1:When / / / / / are added to unaspirate Guttural, Palatal andLabial consonants, the latter change to their corresponding aspirate forms. If theconsonant does not have a corresponding aspirate form, it change to / / / / / Asp. Consonant / / / / / Unasp. consonantExamples:“poured” “divided; apportioned” Rule 2:When any dental consonant is followed byWhen any dental consonant is followed byto , the preceding consonant changes to . or , the preceding consonant changes / / / / / / / / / / Examples:“dead” “truth” “offering”“gift” Rule 3:When the last letter of the first word isword/termination is , changes to Example: ,and the firs
language" by Kavasji Edalji Kanga (Bombay, 1891), "An Avesta Grammar in comparison with Sanskrit" by A.V.Williams Jackson (Stuttgart, 1892) and "Avestan Language III. . these are from the English alphabet, but some are from Greek alphabet, and some are special characters. By and large the system of Hoffmann has been adopted.
Preface to the English Edition of the Khordeh Avesta-Bā-Māyeni The oldest Zoroastrian religious scripture, as preserved at present, is known as the Avesta. A section of this Avesta is known as the "Khordeh-Avesta' which means the "Smaller (i.e. Selected) Avesta". This is the book of daily prayers of the Zoroastrians.
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THE ZEND-AVESTA PART I THE VENDIDAD TRANSLATED BY JAMES DARMESTETER Sacred Books of the East, Volume 4. Oxford University Press, 1880. {scanned at sacred-texts.com January-May/2001} {p. vii} CONTENTS. CHAPTER INTRODUCTION. P I. THE DISCOVERY OF THE ZEND-AVESTA II. THE INTERPRETATION OF THE ZEND-AVESTA x
THE ZEND-AVESTA PART I THE VENDIDAD TRANSLATED BY JAMES DARMESTETER INTRODUCTION. CHAPTER I. THE DISCOVERY OF THE ZEND-AVESTA. THE Zend-Avesta is the sacred book of the Parsis, that is to say, of the few remaining followers of that religion which feigned over Persia at the time when the second successor of Mohammed overthrew theFile Size: 1MBPage Count: 458
1.Zend Avesta is a corrupt form of Chhanda Avastha. 2.At least sixty percent of the words in Zend Avesta are of pure Sanskritic origin. 3.There is grammatic similarity in the language of the Vedas and the Avesta. 4.The corruption of Sanskrit words has followed a particular pattern.For
The English edition of Ervad Kangaji’s popular classic was first printed in 1993. Unfortunately, the printed edition has since become very scarce. Ten years later, it was digitised and put on the avesta.org web site through the tireless efforts of Ervad Soli Dastur. It quickly became one of the most
Antia, lecturer in Zend Avesta, at the Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy Zarthoshti Madressâ. This volume is the result of Ervad Antia's work. The Trustees offer their best thanks to Ervad . end of Avesta prayers, are, one may say, unallowed Pahlavi texts with some modifications here and there due to the later changes in the form of some words. There is
How to Transform your Basic Blues Riffs One of the features that makes the blues so fun to play is that the basic structure of a standard blues progression (the so-called ‘twelve bar’) isn’t all that complex. This simplicity makes this structure perfect to ‘embellish’ the chords and riffs we play. There are a lot of options to use these embellishments, but let’s first start with .
