The Vispa Humata Prayer

Prayer forms the mainstay of our Mazdayasni Zarathushti religion and reciting the ‘Vispa Humata’ prayer blesses our lives with good health, wisdom, abundance and joy. In the Avestan language, ‘Vispa’ means ‘all’. 

The Vispa Humata prayer is composed of simple words of the Avestan language, which help us comprehend it easily. The verbatim English translation would be, “All good thoughts, All good words, All good deeds I do willingly. All evil thoughts, all evil words, all evil deeds I do unwillingly. All good thoughts, All good words, All good deeds will take my soul to Paradise. All evil thoughts, all evil words, all evil deeds will take my soul to Hell.” 

All good thoughts, good words, good deeds are the identification of the Ashavans (or holy people) for Paradise. The word ‘Ashavan’ is broken down as – ‘Asho’ meaning righteous and holy; and ‘Van’ meaning person.

The Vispa Humata is to be prayed after praying the Khorshed and Meher Nyaish. It is one of the ‘Farazyat’ (obligatory) prayers which one should pray to start the new day, with salutation and prayer (Bandagi) devoted to Ahura Mazda. After the Kusti ritual, it is mandatory to pray Jasa Me Avanghe Mazda, the Sarosh Baj, including the complete Havan Geh, Khorshed and Meher Nyaish and thereafter one should pray a very potent prayer ‘Vispa Humakhta’ thrice. 

The Khorshed and Meher Nyaish and Vispa Humakhta can be prayed in the Havan Geh, Rapithwin Geh, or the Biji Havan Geh, and the Uzerin Geh because there is sunlight during these three Gehs. It is most important to recite our ‘Farazyat’ prayers in the Havan Geh to ensure that we remain immune to the evil forces of ‘Dushmata, Duzukhta, Duzuvarashta’. Applying our prayers in all aspects of our daily life enables us to achieve Vahishtem Ashum, leading a righteous Zoroastrian life of wisdom, honesty, integrity and compassion. Wisdom is most important for us to understand when any evil form is trying to entice or trap us. This is how our soul is escorted to the best existence which is Garothman.

‘Humata, Hukhta, Hvarashta’ means ‘Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds’. ‘Manashni, Gavashni, Kunashni’ are verbal nouns which signify our actions of ‘Thinking only Humata (Good Thoughts), Speaking only Hukhta(Good Words), and Performing only Hvarashta (Good Deeds).’
Only by imbibing the Divine Energies of the Universe, can we achieve lasting happiness in our human form and ensure a place in Garothman for our souls, after mortality ceases.