Yasnas

Yasnas, in Zoroastrianism, refers to the primary liturgical collection of texts within the Avesta, the sacred scriptures of the faith. The word yasna means worship or sacrifice in Avestan. The Yasna serves as the central component of Zoroastrian ritual, providing the prayers, hymns, and formulas recited during the main worship ceremony.

Contents and structure: The Yasna includes the Gathas, a set of hymns traditionally attributed to the prophet Zoroaster and considered the doctrinal core of Zoroastrianism. Surrounding the Gathas are additional liturgical passages, invocations to Ahura Mazda and other divine beings, and instructions for ritual practice. The text is primarily in the Avestan language, with later commentaries and translations appearing in Middle Persian (Pahlavi) and other languages.

Language, transmission, and editions: The Yasna has been transmitted in a carefully preserved liturgical tradition. While the core Gathas are ancient, the surrounding liturgical material was developed and standardized by priestly compilers over centuries. In modern times, the Yasna is still recited by Zoroastrian priests, often as part of regular worship or special ceremonies.

Ritual use and significance: The Yasna is the backbone of Zoroastrian worship, forming the basis for ritual practice and theological expression. It shapes concepts such as truth (asha) and the cosmic struggle between order and disorder. In some contexts, scholars refer to the Yasnas as a broader textual category for the entire set of liturgical materials used during the Yasna ceremony, though in practice the term most often denotes the principal liturgical text itself.

See also: Avesta, Gathas, Visparad, Vendidad, Yashts.