able wisdom.[1] Moreover, he is asked to give manly valour, which is ever afoot, sleeplessness, watchfulness, offspring that gives support, ruling over the region, belonging to the assembly, thoroughly developed, of good intellect, that may further his house, village, town, and country, and the renown of the country.[2] Weal and immortality are the other boons that are asked from the fire.[3] Good reward and good renown and fulfilment of one's wishes now and forever and the shining, all-happy abode of the righteous are asked from the fire of Ahura Mazda.[4] Ardvi Sura is invoked to grant heroic sons of innate wisdom that may further one's house, village, town, country, and the religion of the country.[5] The waters of Ardvi Sura are asked to give riches and virtuous offspring that may not wish ill of any one;[6] and they are asked to give radiance and glory, soundness and vigour of body, wise offspring, happiness, and life longer than long.[7] The Zaotar or the sacrificer asks the waters on behalf of those that have participated in the sacrifice to imbue friends and pupils, teachers and learned men and women, youths and maidens and workmen and all Mazdayasnians with the wisdom to follow the path of truth.[8] The shining, all happy abode of the righteous is the last coveted boon that the waters are asked to grant.[9]
Confessional prayers. In the Confession of Faith the believer proclaims himself a Mazdayasnian Zoroastrian, an invoker of the Amesha Spentas; he ascribes everything good in this world to Ahura Mazda and he confesses that he is against the daevas.[10] He declares that the religion to which he belongs is the greatest and the best and fairest among all the existing religions.[11] He puts his faith in Ahura Mazda.[12] As a true Mazdayasnian, he bases his conduct of life upon good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, and renounces evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.[13] He further emphasizes that he belongs to good thoughts and not to evil thoughts, to good words and not to evil words, to good deeds and not to evil deeds, to religious obedience and not to heresy, to righteousness and not to wicked-
