The Sidra ḏ-Nišmata (; Modern Mandaic: Sedrā d-Nešmāthā), also known as the Book of Souls or Book of Gadana, is a collection of Mandaean litugical prayers that constitutes the first part of the Qulasta. It is typically considered to consist of 103 prayers. The Sidra ḏ-Nišmata most likely constitutes the oldest stratum of Mandaean literature and dates to at least the 3rd century CE or earlier.
The Sidra ḏ-Nišmata contains the most important prayers used in core Mandaean rituals, namely the masbuta and masiqta.
Structure Matthew Morgenstern (in the Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon) and Majid Fandi Al-Mubaraki (2010) considers the Sidra ḏ-Nišmata to contain 103 prayers, (1998 edition: ISBN 0-9585705-1-5) which correspond to the first 103 prayers in both Mark Lidzbarski's Mandäische Liturgien (1920)Lidzbarski, Mark. 1920. Mandäische Liturgien. Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse, NF 17.1. Berlin. and E. S. Drower's Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans (1959).
The Sidra ḏ-Nišmata consists of the following sections. Each of the three parts has its own colophon. Part 1: Prayers 1–74 Prayers 1–31: masbuta liturgy Prayers 32–72: masiqta liturgy CP 73–74: the 2 "Letter" (engirta) prayers Part 2: Prayers 75–77: 3 long prayers of praise Part 3: Prayers 78–103: the "responses" (eniania)
Types of prayers Eric Segelberg (1958) lists the following types of prayers in the Sidra ḏ-Nišmata.
buta (plural form: bauata; generic Mandaic term for prayers) Prayers 1, 3, 5: prayers for the crown Prayer 7: prayer for the pandama Prayers 9–11: prayers at the river bank Prayers 22–24: prayers over the oil Prayers 25–28: buta haṭamta or "sealing prayer" Prayer 32: opening masiqta prayer Prayers 75–77: long baptismal prayers qaiamta: Prayers 56–65 pugdama (): Prayers 8, 14, 19, 34; also applies to Prayers 5, 47, 48 šrita (plural form: širiata) (loosening or deconsecrating prayers): Prayers 2, 4, 6, 31, 55 draša Prayers 21, 30, 88–90 eniana Prayers 79–81: three hymns in the beginning of the baptismal rite Prayer 82: hymn after the acts in the water Prayer 83–87: hymns said after the sealing prayers
List of prayers
Below is a list of individual prayers of the Sidra ḏ-Nišmata based on the text of Drower (1959), with additional notes from Segelberg (1958) and Buckley (2002).
Litanies in the Sidra d-Nishmata include prayers 8, 9, 25, 58, 70, 71, 77, 80, and 81.
Maṣbuta liturgy 3 sets of paired prayers for the burzinqa Prayer 1 (audio): prayer containing a creation narrative Prayer 2 (audio): šrita (loosening prayer) dedicated to Zihrun Prayer 3 (audio): prayer to Yawar Ziwa bar Nhur Hiia, Hamgai Ziwa bar Hamgagai Ziwa, Zihrun Prayer 4 (audio): šrita (loosening prayer) praising Manda d-Hayyi and the Light of Tarwan (taruan nhura) Prayer 5 (audio): prayer to Yufin-Yufafin, Eit Enṣibat Eutria, Eit Yawar bar Enṣibat Eutria Prayer 6 (audio): šrita (loosening prayer)
Prayer 7 (audio): pandama prayer Prayer 8 (audio): longer incense (riha) prayer containing a litany
"Adjutores baptismi" (adiauria ḏ-maṣbuta) prayers (audio of prayers 9–11) Prayer 9 (audio): litany Prayer 10 (audio): short prayer about the yardna Prayer 11 (audio): short prayer to Yawar Ziwa and seven manas
Prayer 12 (audio): prayer of Yur bar Barit opening up the yardna Prayer 13 (audio): descent to the yardna, attended by ʿuthria Prayer 14 (audio): margna prayer (pugdama or declaration of the margna)
Exorcism prayers Prayer 15 (audio): prayer for binding demons Prayer 16 (audio): "perfected gem" prayer Prayer 17 (audio): invocation of ʿuthria so that evil spirits would flee
Prayer 18 (audio): long prayer blessing the yardna which begins with the invocation of Piriawis (main prayer said during the maṣbuta immersion) Prayer 19 (audio): short prayer for crowning with the klila, and pronouncing ʿuthria names over the baptized person ("Manda created/called me") Prayer 20 (audio): yardna prayer beginning with a blessing of the outer door (tira baraia), for deconsecrating the yardna Prayer 21 (audio): ascent from the yardna; the prayer rejects the sun, moon, and fire as witnesses
Oil (miša) prayers Prayer 22 (audio): invocation of ʿuthria before anointing with oil Prayer 23 (audio): praising the oil Prayer 24 (audio): oil driving off evil spirits and healing illnesses
Sealing (haṭamta) prayers Prayer 25 (audio): long litany Prayer 26 (audio): short prayer sealing the baptized souls Prayer 27 (audio): prayer invoking ʿUṣar-Hai and Pta-Hai, Manda ḏ-Hiia, and Hayyi Prayer 28 (audio): prayer of healing and driving off illnesses
Prayer 29 (audio): short prayer of rising up Prayer 30 (audio): prayer about conquering the mountain, fire, and sea (draša of the maṣbuta) Prayer 31 (audio): final šrita (loosening prayer)
Masiqta liturgy Prayer 32 (audio): short opening prayer Prayer 33 (audio): mambuha prayer dedicated to the Water of Life Prayer 34 (audio): shorter incense prayer Prayer 35 (audio): long prayer ("I sought to lift my eyes" (bit mišqal ainia)) dedicated to Manda d-Hayyi, used for versatile ritual applications
Pihta prayers (Prayers 36–42 begin with "I worship, laud and praise" (sagidna šahabana u-mšabana).) (audio of prayers 36–43) Prayer 36 (audio): prayer to the Mana, Drop (Niṭufta), Šar, Pirun Prayer 37 (audio): prayer to the Cloud (Anana) Prayer 38 (audio): prayer to Yawar Ziwa Prayer 39 (audio): prayer of the šuta (declaration) of Yawar Prayer 40 (audio): prayer to ʿUṣar Prayer 41 (audio): prayer to ʿUṣar Nhur Prayer 42 (audio): prayer of the šuta (declaration) of Yawar Prayer 43 (audio): prayer to Manda ḏ-Hiia
Mambuha prayers Prayer 44 (audio): short prayer to Biriawiš Prayer 45 (audio): longer prayer
Masiqta prayers Klila prayers Prayer 46 (audio): klila prayer (nhur nhura). Almost identical to Prayer 5, except that the first two words of Prayer 46 are nhar nhura instead of nhur nhura in Prayer 5. As a result, Lidzbarski (1920) omits Prayer 46 as a duplicate of Prayer 5, although Drower (1959) and Gelbert & Lofts (2025) keep the prayer. Prayer 47 (audio): klila prayer (zhira u-mzahra) Prayer 48 (audio): oil prayer Prayer 49 (audio): prayer for the spirit and soul; Ṣauriel is invoked Prayer 50 (audio): prayer mentioning "Hamamulai" Prayer 51 (audio): investiture prayer Prayer 52 (audio): prayer invoking Yusmir Prayer 53 (audio): masiqta sealing prayer (obtaining a letter from Abatur) Prayer 54 (audio): prayer invoking Yukašar (entering the scales of Abatur) Prayer 55 (audio): short pandama loosening prayer Prayer 56 (audio): short living water prayer Prayer 57 (audio): short incense prayer Prayer 58 (audio): litany Prayer 59 (audio): short pihta prayer Prayer 60 (audio): short mambuha prayer Prayer 61 (audio): klila prayer Prayer 62 (audio): short prayer praising the Naṣoraeans Prayer 63 (audio): oil prayer Prayer 64 (audio): short prayer ("The Life dwells in its own radiance and light.") Prayer 65 (audio): raising up of souls Prayer 66 (audio): Left Ginza 3.43 Prayer 67 (audio): prayer of ascension Prayer 68 (audio): Left Ginza 3.20 Prayer 69 (audio): "go in peace" (ˁzil b-šlam) Prayer 70 (audio): litany Prayer 71 (audio): prayer of Shum (Shem), son of Noah, which contains a litany Prayer 72 (audio): prayer asking Manda ḏ-Hiia for the forgiveness of sins
Engirta prayers Prayer 73 (audio): long prayer about a sealed letter Prayer 74 (audio): short prayer about the seal and word of Kušṭa
Three long prayers Prayer 75 (audio): "Mandaic targum" bearing many similarities to Psalm 114Bancila, Ionut Daniel. Die Stellung der 114. Psalmes in Qolasta.Greenfield, Jonas Carl (1981). A Mandaic 'Targum' of Psalm 114. In: Jakob J. Petuchowski and Ezra Fleischer (eds.) Studies in Aggadah, Targum and Jewish Liturgy in Memory of Joseph Heinemann. Jerusalem: Magnes. Prayer 76 (audio): prayer of perfecting the souls Prayer 77 (audio): litany
Eniania Prayer 78 (audio): short prelude prayer Prayer 79 (audio): short myrtle prayer (placing the klila on the margna)
"Hear me" (ʿunan ab ʿunian) litanies Prayer 80 (audio): longer "hear me" litany Prayer 81 (audio): shorter "hear me" litany Prayer 82 (audio): short mambuha prayer
Maṣbuta prayers Prayer 83 (audio): short prayer about plants planted and raised by the yardna Prayer 84 (audio): short maṣbuta prayer about the baptizer Prayer 85 (audio): short maṣbuta prayer about Shilmai, Nidbai, and Anush Uthra Prayer 86 (audio): short maṣbuta prayer about the yardna Prayer 87 (audio): short maṣbuta prayer about priests Prayer 88 (audio): long prayer Prayer 89 (audio): long prayer Prayer 90 (audio): long prayer. See Gärtner (2013) for a study of the prayer comparing it with Jewish Christianity.
Masiqta prayers Prayer 91 (audio): short prayer about crossing the waters of death Prayer 92 (audio): Left Ginza 3.4 (ˁzil b-šlam bhira dakia) Prayer 93 (audio): short prayer about the Mana Prayer 94 (audio): Left Ginza 3.3 (ṭubak ṭubak nišma) Prayer 95 (audio): short prayer about Sunday, Kushta, and Zidqa (alms) Prayer 96 (audio): Left Ginza 3.2 (zidana u-mzaudana) Prayer 97: short prayer about being taken to the World of Light Prayer 98: Left Ginza 3.7 (iuma ḏ-napiq nišma) Prayer 99: prayer about the chosen ones Prayer 100: short prayer about fragrant trees Prayer 101: short prayer Prayer 102: short prayer about the building of Life Prayer 103: final masiqta prayer
References
External links
Sidra d-Nishmata (primarily based on Code Sabéen 12; CP 5–10 are from Code Sabéen 15) in transliterated format at the Comprehensive Aramaic Lexicon (Mandaic script; Hebrew transliteration)
Audio recordings of prayers Prayers recited by Rbai Rafid al-Sabti in the Netherlands Mn iardna silqit – "I rose up from the river" (Prayer 21) (RRC: AUDIO-A12) Nukraiia (Prayer 49) (RRC: AUDIO-A9) Zidana u-mzaudana (Prayer 96) (RRC: AUDIO-A22) Prayers recited by Tarmida Yuhana Nashmi in Sydney, Australia Qadmaiia nukraiia (Prelude) Zhir u-mzahar Zihrun (Prayer 2) Riha ḏ-basim (Prayer 8) ʿsir iama (Prayer 15) Manda Qran (Prayer 19) Hal hiia qadmaiia (Prayer 34) Ṭab ṭaba l-ṭaba (Prayer 72) Prayers recited by Salem Choheili in Ahvaz, Iran Bšuma d̠-hahu gabra qadmaia (Qulasta prelude and prayer 1) Kḏ ʿhablḥ iardna ḏ-mia hiia (Qulasta prayer 25) Bit mišqal ainia (Qulasta prayer 35) Bihrḥ Yukašar (Qulasta prayers 54–57) Minḥ u-mn šaruia nisqa (Qulasta prayer 67) Šal Šulta (Qulasta prayer 171)