ĀոƎմ&Dz; (Mid. Pers ܰɲ&Dz;), one of the eight Zoroastrian priests (ratu) necessary for performance of the yasna ritual. As the name indicates, his primary function was to tend to (lit., “augment,” vaxš-) the sacred fire (ٲ). According to Nirangistan 73 he also had to cleanse three sides of the fire altar; and he made response to the zaotar during the ritual in the same way that, in more recent times, the ī has answered to the ō. The station of the ٰə&Dz; within the sacrificial area was the southwest corner and facing the fire. The ٰə&Dz; is today reckoned as one of the “invisible” priests, his functions having been taken over by the ī.
Bibliography:
AirWb., cols. 318f.
Avesta, tr. Darmesteter, I, pp. lxxi, 453; III, pp. 129, 131, 133.
D. D. P. Sanjana, Nirangistan, fol. 155 b.4-12.
J. J. Modi, Ceremonies, pp. 316-19.
Search terms:
| آتروخش | atravakhsh | aatravakhsh |
(W. W. Malandra)
Originally Published: December 15, 1987
Last Updated: August 17, 2011
This article is available in print.
Vol. III, Fasc. 1, p. 17
