Metrical Gathas

topic posted Mon, March 17, 2008 - 10:59 AM by  Zstar
Here are two examples of the Avestan wisdom translated by Sorabjee Pestonjee Kanga in his collection entitled: The Metrical Version of the Gathas in English, Bombay, 1934.

"The man whose heart is pure uplifts the world
By strength of his good thought, good word, good deed,
He holds up high the flag of faith unfurled,
He spares no pains in preaching Mazda’s creed,
Of peaceful brotherhood he sows the seed.
Spiritual truth, the source of every bliss,
Leads him onward, and he must needs succeed,
Let all right-thinking men remember this
No chance of doing good they ever miss."
Avesta, Gatha Vohukhshathra v. 20

"Now offer up to Him your solemn songs
To the Omnipotent Lord, Who loveth all,
To Whom alone the universe belongs.
Good thought, good word, good deed, these words recall,
Their potent charm will thrive you here below;
Hereafter give you joys that never pall.
To gain His grace divine do not be slow,
Adhere to truth, the rest He will bestow."
Avesta, Gatha Ushtavaiti v.8.
posted by:
Zstar
  • Re: Metrical Gathas

    Wed, March 19, 2008 - 8:01 AM
    I really like the stanzas rhyming in the Metrical version.
    • Re: Metrical Gathas

      Wed, March 19, 2008 - 12:41 PM
      I know nothing about poetry but is there something significant about the rhyming? It seems to go:
      a
      b
      a
      b
      c
      b
      c
      c
      • Re: Metrical Gathas

        Thu, March 20, 2008 - 2:57 PM
        There probably is some term in poetry that would identify the type of rhyme but I don't know the term. The rhyme seems simple, every other line -
        world - unfurled
        deed - creed
        seed - succeed
        bliss - this
        miss - (the last one rhymes again)
        &
        songs - belongs
        all - recall
        below - slow
        pall - bestow
        (bestow rhymes with slow and pall with recall)
        These are the only two portions I have of the metrical form. The rhymes make them special to me, like more to thier original forms like Manthras.
        • Re: Metrical Gathas

          Fri, April 4, 2008 - 4:09 PM
          wernt a lot of ancient writings ment to be spoken/chanted....


          rhyming is common in a lot of old writings.


          • Re: Metrical Gathas

            Fri, April 4, 2008 - 6:28 PM
            From my understanding the rhyme of the Gathas in its original language, Old Avestan, is complete. If this was not so it would be obvious the text had been tampered with by inserting other words or portions, the accuracy of the rhyme signifies thier authenticity.
            • Re: Metrical Gathas

              Mon, April 7, 2008 - 11:06 AM
              I also don't know much about poetry. The metrical scheme is iambic pentameter, the rhythm most natural to the English language, occurring orgranically in common speech. And the poem's in translation *really* adhere to iambic, almost gratingly so. The stressed first syllables of "Spritual" and "Lead" save the first poem, in my opinion.

              I don't know if there's a name for the rhyme sheme.
              • Re: Metrical Gathas

                Tue, April 8, 2008 - 11:01 AM
                Thanks Chris, very edifying!
                • Re: Metrical Gathas

                  Tue, April 8, 2008 - 4:11 PM
                  Thanks for giving some idea about the metrical scheme - iambic pentameter. I like the compact wording of this form of translation, sometimes a translation will have more than twice the volume of English for the Old Avestan. The balance of the right word that conveys the meaning and rhymes in another language is an accomplishment in itself.

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