The Srosh Yasht Hadoxt, also known as Srosh Yasht, is the 11th hymn in the Yashts. It is named after and dedicated to Sraosha, the Zoroastrian hypostasis of Obedience and Observance. It must not be confused with the Srosh Yasht se shabag, which is also called Srosh Yasht and also dedicated to the same divinity.: "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."
Name
The Srosh Yasht Hadoxt is named after Sraosha, the Avestan name of the Zoroastrian divinity representing Obedience, whose name in Middle Persian became Srosh.: "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" In the sources, this hymn is sometimes called Srosh Yasht or Srosh Yasht Hadoxt.: "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 origin of this hymn is unclear. According to the information provided in one of the oldest manuscripts, it is 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, was part of Bagan yasht nask, where it 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."
Within the Yasht collection
Within the collection of 21 Yasht, the Srosh Yasht is the 11th hymn and with 22 verses, it is of average length. 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." It shares a number of similarities with Yasht 8, Yasht 10, Yasht 12, Yasht 13 and Yasht 14, a group which is known as the Hymnic Yashts. "The second, 'hymnic' group comprises the six hymns Yt. 8 (Tištar; see TIŠTRYA), 10 (see MIHR YAŠT), 11 (Srōš), 12 (see RAŠN YAŠT), 13 (see FRAWARDĪN YAŠT) and 14 (Bahrām)"
Structure and content 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" It does, however, not feature the frashna, i.e., the text is not framed as a consultation of Ahura Mazda by Zarathustra. Its content is dedicated to the praise of Sraosha. Most of the material is 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." Regardless, it is one of the most popular hymns. "Other common hymns are Yašts 2 (Haft Ameshaspend), 3 (Ardibehešt), 11 (Srōš), and 14 (Bahirām)."
Ritual use If the Srosh Yasht Hadoxt was indeed derived from the Bagan yasht nask, it may have been once part of the Bagan Yasn. This liturgy is no longer performed, but according to the information in the Nerangestan, this was a so-called intercalation ceremony. This means that its chapters would have been inserted into the Yasht i Visperad during the Staota Yasnya. 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."
Editions and translations There is no edition which is specifically dedicated to the Srosh Yasht. Instead, the hymn has been edited and translated as part of the wider Avesta or Yasht collection. It was included in both Westergaard's and Geldner's edition of the Avesta. Darmester provided a translation both into English and French, whereas Lommel provided a translation into German.
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