The Ushtavaiti Gatha is the second of the five Gathas, sixty six stanzas grouped into four songs covering Yasna 43 to 46, named for ushta ("desire"), the first word of its opening verse. Considered by many scholars the most poetically accomplished of the five, it is built largely from Zarathushtra's own questions addressed directly to Ahura Mazda, none of which the text goes on to answer, a formal feature that distinguishes it from the more instructional Ahunavaiti Gatha.
Facts
Practice
Who Performs ItClergy or ordained officiants 1 Solitary or CommunalPerformed by an officiant for a recipient 1 Origins
Attributed Author / CompilerAscribed to Zarathushtra himself 1 Use
What It Is Used ForContemplative: repeated to still or transform the mind 1 Form
Form of the Text Connections
Addressed To
Source The Hymns of ZoroasterM. L. West
Belongs to Tradition
Source The Hymns of ZoroasterM. L. West
Originates in Language
Its own text identifies it as one of the five Gathas, the Old Avestan (Gathic) corpus, more precise than its own generic avestan enum value.
Source The Hymns of ZoroasterM. L. West
Related To
Sources
1. The Hymns of Zoroaster
The Avesta
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