The Philosophy : Core Concepts

The Ashem Vohu prayer (aṣ̌əm vohū, ,Uhov ,mvCa) is likely the most important prayer in Zoroastrianism today as well as one of the four core manthras in Zoroastrianism. Alongside the common slogan of Good thoughts, words, and deeds, it is often considered to be the motto of Zoroastrianism, reminding the practitioner that they should be righteous for its own sake, rather than any external reward. The Ashem Vohu, in truth, circulates around the concept of Asha, a term most accurately meaning the ideal ordering of existence intended by Ahura Mazda, but which also contains the connotations of Rightness and Truth. The prayer succinctly tells the reciter that Asha is the best thing in existence and that the one who seeks after it will be rewarded with true happiness and contentment. In short, seek to do the right thing solely because it is the right thing to do, the joy you feel in response is its own reward.

While often called a prayer, it is more properly understood as a manthra (mąθra ,arq&m), which in Zoroastrianism are short, metrical texts intended to develop the thoughts and intellect of the people who study them, typically on a particular idea or concept. In this sense, most Zoroastrian manthras, including the Ashem Vohu, encode multiple different truths within, allowing a diversity of interpretations and applications. Unlike the Yatha Ahu, which was composed by Zarathushtra himself, the Ashem Vohu is anonymous in its composition, likely being composed by early Zoroastrians as a reminder of their core religious responsibility: the doing of the good and the iterative perfection of existence. A simple translation can be seen below:

,Itsa ,mv!ihaW ,UhoW ,mvCa
,iAmha ,A!u ,Itsa ,A!u
.,mvCa ,iA!ihaW ,iACa ,Tayh

aṣ̌əm vohū vahištəm astī
uštā astī uštā ahmāi
hiiat̰ aṣ̌āi vahištāi aṣ̌əm

Rightness is the best good
It is joy; the joy for the one that does
The Right for the sake of the Best Rightness

Breakdown
The meaning of the Ashem Vohu is dependent on a couple key words. Firstly, the term Asha, or Aṣ̌a, requires some discussion. The form Aṣ̌a is a late recitational version of the earlier form Arta, which is closely related to the Sanskrit term Ṛta. All these terms carry a literal meaning of ‘how (everything) has been set into place’, although the actual meaning is the underlying order of the universe which determines how all things function. Due to this, Aṣ̌a is often translated as ‘Cosmic Order’ or ‘the Order (of existence)’, both of which get closer to the meaning of the word. The second key word, ušta, has long been debated. The term has previously been taken to mean ‘radiant happiness’ or ‘illumination’ by modern Zoroastrian writers. However, most linguists derive it from the root vas- ‘to wish, desire’, although their translations vary. In my view, it is likely derived from the past participle -ta (ušta), meaning something like ‘a state of having one wishes fulfilled’, therefore ‘joy’ or ‘contentment’.

With these terms in mind, we can take a closer look at the meaning:

aṣ̌əm vohū vahištəm astī
aṣ̌əm ‘Asha’ vohū ‘the good’ vahištəm ‘best’ astī ‘it is’
‘the Asha is the best good’

The meaning here is apparent. Asha, being the very laws of our universe, is in fact the best good… a statement which means that it both is, and contains within itself, the highest and most ideal principles, ideas, and concepts in reality. It also holds within it the possibility of a better way of being, of a better universe, or, in the personal, a potential for a better realization of any object or type of action. This short saying, in its totality, serves as a reminder that, despite the many issues in our world, there is a source of ultimate perfection and goodness at the core of being, that, when properly realized, would serve as a model for us to improve and perfect the world.

uštā astī uštā ahmāi
uštā ‘joy’ astī ‘it is’ uštā ‘joy’ ahmāi ‘for he/she/it’
It is joy; joy for that one

Here, the thought of the previous line is continued, further qualifying that Asha is joy and that it brings joy to those who seek after it. These two reflections of ushta are in harmony with each. Firstly, Asha is ushta in itself, both a sense of joy and a state of everything being as it is truly wished, and secondly, Asha brings joy for those that seek after it, as well as those who seek joy for themselves and the people around them. Asha is, in this way—and all others—not a single idea or thing, but the potential of a wholly ideal and perfected existence where all life would be in harmony, existing as the best and most joyful version of itself, where all existence would be as is wished. This is what these two statements of ushta mean.

hiiat̰ aṣ̌āi vahištāi aṣ̌əm
hiiat̰ ‘that which’ aṣ̌āi vahištāi ‘for the Best Asha’ aṣ̌əm ‘Asha’
That which (is like/enacts/etc) Asha, for the sake of the Best Asha

Here, the manthra says multiple things at once. Firstly, it is stating that happiness comes to the one who does the right thing for the right sake, that being, one who seeks to act in accord with Asha. This means more than just being righteous, as it instead encourages one to seek to be the best version of themselves and to live and behave in an ideal way for themselves and for all around them. Secondly, the manthra is reaffirming that Asha is the perfect and ideal laws of the universe (Asha Vahishta), and therefore it establishes that Asha is self-existent, existing for its own sake and serving as the basis by which existence can be made ideal. Finally, this line, and the manthra as a whole, is stating that those who seek to actualize Asha in themselves and the world around them would see life become ideal, joyful, and harmonious.

With this, we get the following translation:

The Order [of existence] is the best good,
It is joy. Joy for the one
That (actualizes) the Order for the sake of the Best Order [of existence]

Interpretation
There are multiple overlapping meanings to this manthra. The first, which should be evident at this point, is the notion of being good for the sake of being good. This is the simplest and most apparent reading at first glance. The Ashem Vohu tells us that doing the right thing, being good, and engaging in the betterment of the world is its own reward, and brings true happiness. However, while this meaning is useful, the truth often with Zoroastrianism is that the reasons, justifications, and solutions for doing the right thing go much deeper than just doing good for its own sake, although such a sentiment is certainly present in the manthra.

In a deeper sense, this manthra serves as a reminder that the fundamental ordering of reality is truly good, the highest and best of all existence, and that evil only exists as an impermanent aberration against the intended ordering of reality. In this way, the Ashem Vohu can be an affirmation when life is going well and a reminder in times of strife. This last usage, in moments of despair or pain, reminds us there is a better ordering of life, a more ideal way things could be, even if that isn’t the case now. Moreover, the Ashem Vohu also tells us that within Asha is contained the best things of existence, that is, that the ideal, or best actualized, version of any thing, situation, group, or society is embedded within Asha. And so, if one wishes to do good, right a wrong, or improve any part of existence, they are to look to Asha, seek to understand its workings (at least in the respective context), and thereby find the best way to accomplish this.

Thus, does the Ashem Vohu function as an invocation to seek to understand Asha and see it fulfilled in the material world. Such is the most basic responsibility for any Zoroastrian, to understand the ideal version of any thing or situation, and to see it realized in the world, thus working towards the gradual perfection of the universe, Frasho.Kereti. As such, the Ashem Vohu teaches us that regardless of whatever happiness we seek from attaining our wishes—be they for our life, for goals to accomplish, or aspects of our life to improve—our true happiness would come from turning to Asha and seeking to see it actualized in the world. 

Pronunciation and Recitation
With a more comprehensive understanding of this manthra, one is now ready to learn and memorize the prayer, if they so wish. The proper pronunciation of Avestan is rather difficult, but for the average learner, it is best to learn this manthra in a way that feels natural to them. The letter š and ṣ̌ can be pronounced like sh. v in Avestan is always pronounced like English ‘w’. āi is pronounced like English eye, albeit a bit longer, and ə is best pronounced like the short ‘uh’ in up, function or like e in pen, lend. 

As for ways to recite, it can be sung, recited, or chanted, although it is best to learn it as a recitation first. Later, one can find examples of it being sung online or compose their own melody. As for the recitation, it is in three lines of classic Avestan octosyllabic meter (8 syllables), albeit the first line has 9 syllables. As such, it is rather easy to get the rhythm of the prayer through a few attempts. 

,Itsa ,mv!ihaW ,UhoW ,mvCa
,iAmha ,A!u ,Itsa ,A!u
.,mvCa ,iA!ihaW ,iACa ,Tayh

aṣ̌əm vohū vahištəm astī (9)
uštā astī uštā ahmāi (8)     
hiiat̰ aṣ̌āi vahištāi aṣ̌əm (8)