Zihrun Raza Kasia

Contents

The contents of the DC 27 scroll are:

• Lines 1–22: Introduction
• Lines 23–190: The baptism (masbuta) of Zihrun Raza Kasia
• Lines 231–232: Illustrations, with explanations
• Lines 191–231: Esoteric content
• Lines 232–523: The masiqta of Zihrun Raza Kasia
• Lines 524–559: Colophon

The masiqta of Zihrun Razia Kasia is performed for people who have died from unclean deaths, such as during one of the minor mbaṭṭal days (inauspicious days during which all rituals are forbidden), or from snakebite, attacks by wild animals, or insect bites.

Ritual and prayer sequences

Below is the ritual and prayer sequence for both the Masiqta and Masbuta of Zihrun Raza Kasia in the Šarḥ ḏ-Zihrun Raza Kasia, as summarized in Burtea (2008). All prayer numbers, originally in Roman numerals, are from Part 1 (the Qolastā) of Mark Lidzbarski's Mandäische Liturgien (ML) unless otherwise specified (e.g., the Oxford Collection, which is Part 2 of Lidzbarski's Mandäische Liturgien, or CP, which is Drower's 1959 Canonical Prayerbook).

Masiqta of Zihrun Raza Kasia

Below is the ritual and prayer sequence for the Masiqta of Zihrun Raza Kasia as given in the text:

Summary of the prayer sequence listed above:

• 1, 3, 5, 19
• 32–34
• 75–77, 9, 35
• 46–72
• 75–77
• 32–34
• 75–77, 9, 35
• 44–49
• 91
• dabahata
• 32–34
• 75
• 75–77, 9, 35
• 36
• 36–69, 91–99, 70, 100
• 71–72
• sinner, rahmia; 30f.
• 101–103, 63, 3
• 3

Masbuta of Zihrun Raza Kasia

Below is the ritual and prayer sequence for the Masbuta of Zihrun Raza Kasia as given in the text:

Ritual preliminaries

Baptism in the river

Oil drawing

The meal for the baptized

Priestly meal

Conclusion

Summary of the entire masbuta prayer sequence listed above:

• 1, 3, 5, 19
• 8
• 71
• 79–81
• 18
• 7–8
• 85–87, 35
• 9–18
• 76
• 9, 5
• 82
• 20–24
• 8 pihta prayers
• 44–45
• 25–30
• 82–90
• 71–72
• 59–60
• 57, 72, 171
• 63

Illustrations

Zihrun Raza Kasia (DC 27) contains two large illustrations: one depicting uthras, and another one depicting plants.

Uthras

Below is an illustration of uthras in the World of Light in Zihrun Raza Kasia (DC 27). Clockwise starting from the top-center figure (standing upright): Nidbai Rba, riha ("incense"; small rectangular block to the right of Nidbai Rba), Adatan Rba, [u-]Iadatan Rba, Hibil Ziua, ašganda (priest's assistant, the only figure without a margna), Mara ḏ-Rabuta ("Father of Greatness"), Anuš Rba, Šilmai Rba.

Plants

Below is an illustration of heavenly garden with trees and plants in Zihrun Raza Kasia (DC 27). All plant names are masculine except for šušmia (sesame) and hiṭia (wheat), which are feminine [fem.]. Various kinds of plants are depicted: the date palm, fig, grape, myrtle, olive, pomegranate, quince, sesame, walnut, and wheat, along with incense.

• Left column – plants from top to bottom: šušmia [fem.] (sesame), guṭaipa (grape), amuza (walnut), rmana (pomegranate), spargla (quince)
• Middle column – sindirka (date palm tree, label at the bottom); riha (incense, label at the top)
• Right column – plants from top to bottom: ʿlana (tree), hiṭia [fem.] (wheat), zaita (olive), tinta (fig), asa (myrtle)