Construction Analysis of “Srōš Bāǰ”: The Opening Part of the Zoroastrian Prayer

Abstract

The present study examines the structure of Srōš Bāǰ Avesta, which forms the first part of the Zoroastrian prayer, in order to determine its different parts and how to construct it. The Zoroastrian prayer was created by Zoroastrian religious leaders, and over time Zoroastrian religious leaders added things to it or subtracted things from it. In this research, it will be determined from which part of the Avesta each part of Srōš bāǰ was taken and which parts were made by Zoroastrian religious leaders and included in this Avesta. In this article, both Iranian Srōš Bāǰ and Indian Srōš Bāǰ will be examined and analyzed in order to determine the structure of each one from which part of the Avesta it is taken from. Based on the findings of this research, Indian Srōš Bāǰ has parts of Avesta that Iranian Srōš Bāǰ does not have. Also, Indian Srōš Bāǰ has two parts in Pārsī Gujarātī language and Iranian Srōš Bāǰ has a part in Persian language. The results obtained from this research show that Pārsīs of India read Srōš Bāǰ in a different way at the beginning of their prayers, and Pārsī religious leaders have added parts to it to complete Srōš Bāǰ.The author of this article is one of the Iranian Zoroastrians and is fully acquainted with the prayers of the Pārsīs of India and the Pārsī Gujarātī language.