The term Srosh Yasht refers to two different hymns in the Avesta, both of which are named after and dedicated to Sraosha, the Zoroastrian hypostasis of Obedience and Observance. The first hymn is the eleventh Yasht of the 21 Yasht collection, whereas the second hymn is formed by Yasna 57. "Hymns to Sraoša. Although there are references throughout the Avesta to Sraoša, most information is contained in two related texts, namely Yasna 57 and Yašt 11."
Overview
Srosh is the Middle Persian version of Avestan Sraosha, which is the name of the Zoroastrian divinity representing Obedience.: "Sroš [slwš M sros, N surūš] the god Obedience" It is also the name of the 17th day of the month in the Zoroastrian calendar.: "Sroš [slwš] [...] the name of the 17th day of the month" There are two different hymns in the Avesta collection which are dedicated to Sraosha and consequently both are called Srosh Yasht.: "Es sind zwei an Srauša gerichtete Yäšt vorhanden, die auch beide in der ihnen von der Überlieferung gegebenen Überschrift als Sroš Yäšt bezeichnet werden."
The first one is found in the Yasht collection, where it occupies the eleventh place. The other one forms chapter 57 of the Yasna but is also sometimes grouped into the Yasht collection as Yasht 11a. "Two Yašts are transmitted not only in the Yašt and Khorde Avesta manuscripts but also in those of the Yasna: the Srōš Yašt (Yt. 11a) constitutes chapter 57 of the Yasna and the Hōm Yašt (Yt. 20)" To distinguish the Yasht 11 from Yasna 57 (Yt. 11a), the former is sometimes called Srosh Yasht Hadoxt and the latter Srosh Yasht se shabag. "The F1 manuscript and its copies thus explicitly call the Yašt 11 Srōš yašt hādōxt, thus distinguishing it from Srōš yašt se šabag "Srōš yašt of the three nights" (Y. 57)."
Srosh Yasht Hadoxt (Yt. 11)
Both the origin of this hymn as well as its name are unclear. The Srosh Yasht Hadoxt is sometimes assumed to be derived from the Hadoxt nask, one of the volumes of the now lost Sasanian Avesta. "According to James Darmesteter (III, p. XII), six extracts of this nask have been preserved: the Fšūšō mąθra (Y. 58), the Srōšyašt hādōxt (Yt. 11) [...]" According to other sources, however, either the Srosh Yasht Hadoxt or the Srosh Yasht se shabag may have been part of Bagan yasht nask, where they may have formed its eighth chapter. Its name may also be derived from the Hadoxt ceremony, where it may once have been recited.: "Mais le nom de Hâdhôkht désigne aussi un service religieux, peutêtre identique au Evak-hômâst (voir plus bas la note 40); de sorte que notre Yasht peut être, soit le Srôsh Yasht tel qu’on le trouve dans le Nask Hâdhôkht, soit le Srôsh Yasht tel qu’on le récite dans le service Hâdhôkht."
Like many other Yashts, the text of the Srosh Yasht Hadoxt is divided into chapters, kalled Kardas. "It too is characterized by a kardag division (into 5 chapters) of its 22 stanzas" Its content is largely derived from the Srosh Yasht se shabag "it contains little information about Sraoša that is not already in Y. 57" and it is generally regarded as derivative and comparatively inferior. "By contrast, Yt. 11 shows only sporadically any metrical pattern and seems to be generally a loose compilation of diverse materials" Next to Yasht 1, the Srosh Yasht Hadoxt is the only Yasht with an old translation in Middle Persian.: "Wie die Übersicht zeigt [siehe nächste Seite], begegnen in den Mss. Pahlavi-Übersetzungen (= PÜ) jenseits von Yt 1+11 kaum vor dem 19. Jh." In today's Zoroastrian practice, the hymn is celebrated on the 17th day of the month dedicated to Sraosha. The Yasht can be performed at any time of the day except during Rapithwin.: "Voici un autre Yasht de Srôsh, qui peut se réciter tous les jours, à tout Gâh, saufle Rapitvîn"
Srosh Yasht se shabag (Y. 57; Yt. 11a)
The term Yasna refers both to the central Zoroastrian liturgy as well as of the text recited during this ritual. The standard Yasna consists of 72 chapters called haiti, and within this structure, the 57th chapter is called Srosh Yasht. "Hymns to Sraoša [...] Yasna 57" To distinguish it from the other Srosh Yasht, it is sometimes called Srosh Yasht se shabag, i.e., Srosh Yasht of the three nights, because it is recited in the funeral service of the three nights following a death.: "Srôsh est l'objet de deux Yashts : 1° celui-ci, qui fait partie du Yasna et qui est plus spécialement désigné sous le nom de Srôsh Yasht si shaba ou « Srôsh Yasht des trois nuits », parce qu’il est récité, non seulement dans le service du Yasna, mais aussi dans le service funèbre des trois nnits qui suivent le décès."
Although it is not part of the Yasht collection, the Srosh Yasht se shabag shows a number of similarities with the hymns contained therein. For example, it is divided into 13 chapters called Kardas, which is typical for many of the Yashts but not for the Yasna. "Unlike most sections of the Yasna recitation, Y. 57 is typical of the major Yašts with its 13 kardag (chapter) divisions of the 34 stanzas." Many of its stanzas also follow the octosyllabic meter, which is likewise found in many of the major Yashts. "In terms of literary style, Y. 57 is composed, for the most part, in the octosyllabic meter typical of much of the Yašts." Like the Hom Yasht of Yasna 9-11, the Srosh Yasht of Yasna 57 may be an old Yasht insertion into the Yasna liturgy.: "According to N 29.10–11 the Srōš Yašt (= Y 57) which is next to the Hōm Yašt an old Yašt-intrusion in the Yasna plays a decisive role within the liturgies" Due to this close connection of this hymn to the Yashts, it is sometimes edited jointly with them as Yasht 11a.
References Citations
Bibliography
External links Avestan text of the Srosh Yasht Hadoxt at Avesta.org based on the edition by Geldner English translation of the Srosh Yasht Hadoxt at Avesta.org based on the translation by Darmesteter Avestan text of the Srosh Yasht se shabag at Avesta.org based on the edition by Geldner English translation of the Srosh Yasht se shabag at Avesta.org based on the translation by Darmesteter