The Ashem Vohu is considered one of the basic yet most meaningful and powerful manthras in the religion. It is a lesson and praise of those who embrace Asha, not to mention a sacred blessing for the aforementioned. However, it is obviously futile to recite the Ashem Vohu on one hand and to utter falsehood and willfully deceive on the other. To do such would be to embrace Druj and become as the Daevas, spurning Asha in all its glorious forms. Asha as a term is beautiful, multi-faceted and nuanced. It is Truth, it is Being, it is Right-Working, it is Cosmic Order, it is Harmony. The Ashem Vohu is as follows:
Liturgical English Translation:
“Asha is virtuous and magnificent,
and joy upon joy is what Asha provides,
for thus is Asha Vahishta.”
Original Avestan Transliteration:
“ashem vohû vahishtem astî
ushtâ astî ushtâ ahmâi
hyat ashâi vahishtâi ashem.”
To learn how to pronounce it in Avestan, click here for a recording.
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