32-42

Background information
from Drower

Various sections
of the Canonical Prayerbook

Copyists

BOOK OF SOULS Prayers 1-31

MASIQTA Prayers 32-72

The Letter ('ngirta) Prayer 73

COLOPHON #74

HYMNS OF PRAISE Prayers 75-77

The Responses ('niania) Prayers 78-103

The Rusma (Daily Ablution Prayers)--Prayer 104

ASIET MALKIA Prayer 105

Rahmia (Daily Devotional Prayers)--Prayers 106-168

     Colophon 169

    Tab Taba Ltabia (the full Commemoration prayer forthe dead and living--Prayer 170

     Hymns of Praise--Prayers 171-172

     Sumhata (The Names)--Prayers 173-176

     Little New Year's Feast Prayer--Prayer 177

     Prayers for honoring the crown--Prayer 178

    Hymns of marriage and a new priest (including the series Kt Azil Bhira Dakia-- Prayer 179-198

     Colophon 199

    Prayers 200-283

   Colophon 284

     Prayers 285-304

    Coronation Prayers and hymns (including two for myrtle)-- Prayers 305-328

      Colophon 329

BANNER HYMNS Prayers 330- 347

    Blessed Oblation Prayers and Hymns--Prayers 348- 374

Blessings on the chief celebrant after Blessed Oblation--                     Prayers 375-381

    Myrtle prayers and hymns--Prayers 382-385

     Various prayers 386-409

     Prayer of Yahia--Prayer 410

     Odd hymns--411- 412

THE CANONICAL PRAYERBOOK
OF THE MANDAEANS

The Masiqta

Prayers 32 - 42

Prayers 43 - 53

Prayers 54 - 64

Prayers 65 - 72

Prayers 32-72

32

In the name of the Great Life

May there be healing for me, Adam-Yuhana son of Mahnush!
Strengthened, enhanced was the great mystery of radiance, light and glory dwelling on the mouth of the First Life, for from It came forth Manda-d-Hiia (Knowledge-of-Life). For he knew and interpreted the thoughts of the First Life and perceived that they are wondrous.

And Life be praised!

[Recite this prayer and hold thy stole for the masiqta.]

33

In the name of the Life!

Water of Life art thou! Thou art come from the Place which is life-giving and art poured forth from the House of Life.

(At thy) coming, Water-of-Life, from the House of Life, the good come and refresh themselves, (but) the wicked are discomfited and the children of (this) world abashed and say "Is there (not?) room for us in the Place of Light? For those that seek (ask) of it find, and those who speak of it are heard".

We have sought and found and we have spoken and been heard in thy presence, Manda-d-Hiia, lord of healings. As water when poured out falleth on the earth, so (too) so doth evil fall abased before good. As the water falleth on the earth, so shall their sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes be loosed from those who love the name of Truth (Kušta ) and from the souls of this masiqta, and from (the souls of) our fathers, teachers, brothers and sisters who have departed the body, and those who (still) live in the body And say "Established is Life (or "the living") in Its (their) dwelling".

And Life is victorious.

[This is the mambuha prayer]

34

Hail to the First Life before Whom none existed, the Sublime from worlds of light, the Ineffable which is above all works ; to the Ancient Radiance and the Great Primal Light, the Life which emanated from Life and the Truth that was of old, from the beginning. Hail the ancient, lofty, esoteric and guarded father of 'uthras. Hail Yuzataq, Gnosis of Life, Source of Life; He who unveileth the silence , giveth hope and keepeth the prayers of the spirits and souls of righteous and believing men into the Place of Light. Hail to the life of sincere and believing men who have come to their end and departed the body, and hail to those who are stiff alive in the body. May the gate of sin be barred to them and the gate of light be open for them. May they be knit together in the communion of Life in which there is no separation.

Pray ye from there for us and we will pray from here for you. All fruits wither: all sweet odours pass away, but not the fragrance of Gnosis of Life, which cometh not to an end nor passeth away for an age of ages and for world without end. May the souls of this masiqta rise up without sin, trespass, folly, stumbling and mistake unto the Place of Light and to the Enduring Abode.

And Life be praised!

[Read this ordinance for the incense and cast it on the fire. Then recite the prayers for the masiqta.]

35

In the name of the Life!

I sought to lift my eyes, shoulders and arms towards the Place which is all life, radiance and glory, the place where which is all life, radiance, light and glory; a place where they who seek of it find, those who speak of it are heard and to those who ask of it, it is given them, day by day and hour by hour. This hour I address to thee, my Lord, Manda-d-Hiia, a vital petition, large and not small, for this congregation of people who have bent their knees to the ground and stretched forth their hands to the intermediate and upper (worlds). They have forsaken images, pictures and idols of clay, gods (made) of blocks of wood , and vain rites, and have testified to the name of the great, strange (sublime) Life. To them the gate of sin is closed and for them the gate of life is open. May our request, our prayer and our humble submission rise before the supreme Life which is above all works.
Before thee (in thy sight) all hands are thieving, all lips have lied. Water is in the jordan. Before thee (in thine eyes), Manda-d-Hiia, no man is clean : we are slaves who are all sin, and thou a lord who art all mercy. When thou art with us, who shall conquer us and if thou justifiest us who will convict us? Judge us not after the fashion of earthly courts of law ; despise us not for our follies and associate us not with the false rites practised by the worlds and generations.

The worlds thrust hard at us, but we fell not. Backed by the Truth which is thine own, we have perfect confidence.

Establish life, and wilt thou not establish human beings? Thou hast spoken to us in thy Word and hast commanded us with thy command "Ask on earth and I will supply you with heavenly fruit : ask from below, (from) reed , swamp and mud, and I will supply you from the lofty heavens. Make supplication with the fleshly right hand, and I will bring you (what ye asked) with the right hand of Kušta .

The first (generations) sought and found: let those that come after seek, and they will find. Seek and find for yourselves, for your friends, for your friends' friends and for those who love the great Family of Life. Your eyes shall not turn away from me unsatisfied.''

Thou art the father of all the 'uthras, the Support which is all light, the Vine which is all Life and the great Tree which is all things. For Thou knowest hearts, understandest minds and searchest out consciences (even) in the nethermost hells of darkness. Like a servant lying prostrate before Thee, our eyes are lifted to Thee, our lips give Thee praise and blessing seven hours of the day and the three watches of the night.

Those who seek of Him find, and to those who ask of Him it will be given. For to him that standeth at a closed door Thou wilt open the closed door. In the Place of Light Thou wilt wipe away and remove from us our sins, trespasses, follies, stumblings and mistakes and wilt cast them into the hells of the earth and the nethermost limbos of darkness. Thou wilt raise us up as sinless and not as guilty, as virtuous and not as vicious before thee, Manda-d-Hiia.

The good behold and are refreshed: the wicked are discomfited and the children of (this) world abashed. And they say "Is there no place for me in the Place of Light, since those who seek therefrom find, and ask thereof and it is given them?"

We beseech thee to let some of thy radiance, thy light and thy glory rest upon us. Thou art the Healer above all means of healing, a Raiser-up above (all) that raiseth up, a Radiance above all radiancies and a light above all lights. For thou openest doors of truth and revealest mysteries and wisdom and showest forth mighty deeds in Jerusalem. Thou confinest demons and devils and frightenest away the gods from their high places. Great is thy name and praised is thy name! Thou art the counterpart of the Life, for thou wast in existence before all. Thou art the Vine, for thou wast in the Ether above heaven and above the earth. When worlds came into being and creations were called forth, thou didst hold in thy grasp the worlds and generations. Thou hast laid down a road for sincere and believing men to the Place of Life. (Though) spirits and souls sit (here) as guilty, (yet) by thy name they shall rise as innocent, (thy name of) Yuzataq-Manda-d-Hiia. To support the hands of good people, thou wilt be (bring?) healing of life to the souls of this masiqta Life is established in its indwellings

and Life is victorious.

[This prayer is good for all occasions: (it may be used) on occasion for the Rahmia (daily office), or for the masiqta, or for baptism and for all purificatory rites. For the masiqta, after thou hast recited over the pandamta, "water of prayer" and the ordinance for the incense, pray "We have acknowledged", "Praises"(#), "To Thee"(#), "Lifting eyes" and "I sought to raise my eyes". And prepare the pihta, mambuha and klila (wreath) and set them out for the masiqta. And recite the ordnance for the oil, (placed) in something clean : in a glass or tin cup when washed and cleansed. And recite the masiqta.]

36

In the name of the Life!

I worship, laud and praise that great, secret, First Mana who abode for nine hundred and ninety-nine thousand myriads of years alone in his own Abode - for no Companion came to him ; (none existed) save that great, secret, First Mana. For he came into existence therein and developed therein.
Then I worship, laud and praise that great, occult, First Drop who emanated from Him. They existed, (but) She abode for four hundred and forty-four thousand myriads of years in Her own Abode, alone, for She had no consort.

Then I worship, laud and praise Pirun, that great occult first Vine from whom there emanated eight hundred and eighty eight thousand myriads of 'uthras.

From Them and from those 'uthras proceeded one 'uthra, whose name is the Great Countenance of Glory who is (at once) less than his brethren and more venerable than his parents. Manda-d-Hiia, the well-prepared 'uthra, divulged and revealed and said "Any Nasoraean man who sitteth to recite "Established is the First Life" and breaketh bread will receive condemnation from the House of Life,"

And I am established, in the light of Life and Life is victorious.

37

I worship, laud, and praise that Occult, great First Cloud of Life, with whom in secret, he broke bread and gave thereof in secret to the Occult Life and to the Mighty First Life.

And Life if victorious.

38

I have worshipped and praised Yawar-Ziwa, who arose and praised that great mighty Mana at whose right and left hand there stand four hundred and forty-four thousand myriads of 'uthras. A thousand myriads of 'uthras, sons of light, worship and laud the rays of his Radiance.
He arose and broke bread in secret and gave thereof to the sons of men and establisheth his Abode in secret.

And Life is victorious.

39

I worship, laud and praise that secret saying which Yawar pronounced secretly. He made it known, and divulged and established a Life-ray therein. Radiance and light came and dwelt at his right and glory and resplendence dwelt at his left. And the 'uthras en- treated the Life that they might behold the Likeness of Yawar-Ziwa in their own glory.
Yawar-Ziwa the vigilant 'uthra divulged and revealed and said "Sixty-four sins daily will be forgiven a Nasoraean man who repeats this secret saying, in the Great Place of Life and the Lasting Abode".

And Life is praised.

40

I have worshipped and praised 'Usar, who broke bread for the hidden first 'uthras, so that they (find) rest in their hearts.

The holy 'uthras stood in their dwellings and praise the mighty Life in its Dwelling, adorable in Its radiance and wondrous in Its light.
I worshipped and praised that supreme First Vine, for within it is its Sap : its leaves are 'uthras and its tendrils rays of light. 'Uthras sit in its shade. And within the great first Cloud of Light there came into existence, within the Treasure-of-Light there was generated, the Secret Mana.

And Life be praised.

41

I worshipped and praised Treasure-of-Light, the great Awaker (yawar) of Life, who broke bread in the Hidden and gave (thereof) to the Mighty First Life in Its Dwelling. I praised the seven mystic precious and preserved manas who derived existence from Their Place and were transplanted from Their Treasure-house. I worshipped and praised the mighty First Life that transported Itself from Its Place, transferred itself from its own Treasurehouse in which it came into existence, was developed, dwelt and was established; and (whereof) It discoursed and wherein It had gloried.
It praiseth and speaketh, "Every Nasoraean who reciteth these secret sayings will seek and find, will speak and be heard seven times daily. And seven sins will be forgiven him in the great Place of Light and Eternal Abode."

And Life be praised!

42

I worship, laud and praise that first secret Word which Yawar imparted in secret. He expounded and explained it and established therein that which is living, Rays (of his light). And Yawar said "Enlightenment and praise have come to pass". And Yawar came and his glory rested upon his own škinta. Radiance and Light came and were established before him : Glory and Enlightenment came and dwelt at his right hand. And the 'uthras ask the Life to behold the appearance of Yawar-Ziwa in their (its?) radiance, and to commend the prayer and praise which they pronounced to Shilmai and Nidbai, the 'uthras who are the two messengers of Manda-d-Hiia
Yawar hath said, "Every Nasoraean who repeateth this secret prayer seven times daily, seven sins a day shall be forgiven him. And Life abideth in its Dwelling".

Life is victorious.