Sidra d-Nishmata explained

The Sidra ḏ-Nišmata (myz|ࡎࡉࡃࡓࡀ ࡖࡍࡉࡔࡌࡀࡕࡀ|lit=Book of Souls; Modern Mandaic: Sedrā d-Nešmāthā^[1]), also known as the Book of Souls or Book of Gadana, is a collection of Mandaean litugical prayers that constitutes the first part of the Qulasta. It most likely constitutes the oldest stratum of Mandaean literature and dates to at least the 3rd century CE or earlier.^[2]

The Sidra ḏ-Nišmata contains the most important prayers used in core Mandaean rituals, namely the masbuta and masiqta.^[3]

Structure

Majid Fandi Al-Mubaraki (2010) considers the Sidra ḏ-Nišmata to contain 103 prayers,^[4] which correspond to the first 103 prayers in both Mark Lidzbarski's Mandäische Liturgien (1920)^[5] and E. S. Drower's Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans (1959).^[6]

The Sidra ḏ-Nišmata consists of the following sections:^[2]

• Part 1: Prayers 1–74
  • Prayers 1–31: masbuta liturgy
  • Prayers 32–72: masiqta liturgy
  • CP 73–74: the 2 "Letter" (engirta) prayers
• Part 2: Prayers 75–77: 3 long prayers of praise
• Part 3: Prayers 78–103: the "responses" (eniania)

Types of prayers

Eric Segelberg (1958) lists the following types of prayers in the Sidra ḏ-Nišmata.^[7]

• buta (plural form: bauata; generic Mandaic term for prayers)
  • Prayers 1, 3, 5: prayers for the crown
  • Prayer 7: prayer for the pandama
  • Prayers 9–11: prayers at the river bank
  • Prayers 22–24: prayers over the oil
  • Prayers 25–28: buta hatamta or "sealing prayer"
  • Prayer 32: opening masiqta prayer
  • Prayers 75–77: long baptismal prayers
• qaiamta: Prayers 56–65
• pugdama : Prayers 8, 14, 19, 34; also applies to Prayers 5, 47, 48
• šrita (plural form: širiata) (loosening or deconsecrating prayers): Prayers 2, 4, 6, 31, 55
• draša
  • Prayers 21, 30, 88–90
• eniana
  • Prayers 79–81: three hymns in the beginning of the baptismal rite
  • Prayer 82: hymn after the acts in the water
  • Prayer 83–87: hymns said after the sealing prayers

List of prayers

See also: List of Qulasta prayers. Below is a list of individual prayers of the Sidra ḏ-Nišmata based on the text of Drower (1959),^[6] with additional notes from Segelberg (1958)^[7] and Buckley (2002).^[3]

Maṣbuta liturgy

• 3 sets of paired prayers for the burzinqa
  • Prayer 1

prayer containing a creation narrative

• • Prayer 2

šrita (loosening prayer) dedicated to Zihrun

• • Prayer 3

prayer to Yawar Ziwa bar Nhur Hiia, Hamgai Ziwa bar Hamgagai Ziwa, Zihrun

• • Prayer 4

šrita (loosening prayer)

• • Prayer 5

prayer to Yufin-Yufafin, Eit Enṣibat Eutria, Eit Yawar bar Enṣibat Eutria

• • Prayer 6

šrita (loosening prayer)

• Prayer 7

pandama prayer

• Prayer 8

longer incense (riha) prayer containing a litany

• "Adjutores baptismi" (adiauria ḏ-maṣbuta) prayers
  • Prayer 9

litany

• • Prayer 10

short prayer about the yardna

• • Prayer 11

short prayer to Yawar Ziwa and seven manas

• Prayer 12

prayer of Yur bar Barit opening up the yardna

• Prayer 13

descent to the yardna, attended by ʿuthria

• Prayer 14

margna prayer (pugdama or declaration of the margna)

• Exorcism prayers
  • Prayer 15

prayer for binding demons

• • Prayer 16

"perfected gem" prayer

• • Prayer 17

invocation of ʿuthria so that evil spirits would flee

• Prayer 18

long prayer blessing the yardna which begins with the invocation of Piriawis (main prayer said during the maṣbuta immersion)

• Prayer 19

short prayer for crowning with the klila, and pronouncing ʿuthria names over the baptized person ("Manda created/called me")

• Prayer 20

yardna prayer beginning with a blessing of the outer door (tira baraia), for deconsecrating the yardna

• Prayer 21

ascent from the yardna; the prayer rejects the sun, moon, and fire as witnesses

• Oil (miša) prayers
  • Prayer 22

invocation of ʿuthria before anointing with oil

• • Prayer 23

praising the oil

• • Prayer 24

oil driving off evil spirits and healing illnesses

• Sealing (haṭamta) prayers
  • Prayer 25

long litany

• • Prayer 26

short prayer sealing the baptized souls

• • Prayer 27

prayer invoking ʿUṣar-Hai and Pta-Hai, Manda ḏ-Hiia, and Hayyi

• • Prayer 28

prayer of healing and driving off illnesses

• Prayer 29

short prayer of rising up

• Prayer 30

prayer about conquering the mountain, fire, and sea (draša of the maṣbuta)

• Prayer 31

final šrita (loosening prayer)

Masiqta liturgy

• Prayer 32

short opening prayer

• Prayer 33

mambuha prayer dedicated to the Water of Life

• Prayer 34

shorter incense prayer

• Prayer 35

long prayer ("I sought to lift my eyes"), used for versatile ritual applications

• Pihta prayers
  • Prayer 36

prayer to the Mana, Drop (Niṭufta), Šar, Pirun

• • Prayer 37

prayer to the Cloud (Anana)

• • Prayer 38

prayer to Yawar Ziwa

• • Prayer 39

prayer to the šuta (declaration) of Yawar

• • Prayer 40

prayer to ʿUṣar

• • Prayer 41

prayer to ʿUṣar Nhur

• • Prayer 42

prayer to the šuta (declaration) of Yawar

• • Prayer 43

prayer to Manda ḏ-Hiia

• Mambuha prayers
  • Prayer 44

short prayer to Biriawiš

• • Prayer 45

longer prayer

• Masiqta prayers
  • Klila prayers
    • Prayer 46

klila prayer (nhur nhura)

• • • Prayer 47

klila prayer (zhira u-mzahra)

• • Prayer 48

oil prayer

• • Prayer 49

prayer for the spirit and soul; Ṣauriel is invoked

• • Prayer 50

prayer mentioning "Hamamulai"

• • Prayer 51

investiture prayer

• • Prayer 52

prayer invoking Yusmir

• • Prayer 53

masiqta sealing prayer (obtaining a letter from Abatur)

• • Prayer 54

prayer invoking Yukašar (entering the scales of Abatur)

• • Prayer 55

short pandama loosening prayer

• • Prayer 56

short living water prayer

• • Prayer 57

short incense prayer

• • Prayer 58

litany

• • Prayer 59

short pihta prayer

• • Prayer 60

short mambuha prayer

• • Prayer 61

klila prayer

• • Prayer 62

short prayer praising the Naṣoraeans

• • Prayer 63

oil prayer

• • Prayer 64

short prayer ("The Life dwells in its own radiance and light.")

• • Prayer 65

raising up of souls

• • Prayer 66

Left Ginza 3.43

• • Prayer 67

prayer of ascension

• • Prayer 68

Left Ginza 3.20

• • Prayer 69

"go in peace"

• • Prayer 70

litany

• • Prayer 71

prayer of Shum (Shem), son of Noah, which contains a litany

• • Prayer 72

prayer asking Manda ḏ-Hiia for the forgiveness of sins

Engirta prayers

• Prayer 73

long prayer about a sealed letter

• Prayer 74

short prayer about the seal and word of Kušṭa

Three long prayers

• Prayer 75

"Mandaic targum" bearing many similarities to Psalm 114

• Prayer 76

prayer of perfecting the souls

• Prayer 77

litany

Eniania

• Prayer 78

short prelude prayer

• Prayer 79

short myrtle prayer (placing the klila on the margna)

• "Hear me" (ʿunan ab ʿunian) litanies
  • Prayer 80

longer "hear me" litany

• • Prayer 81

shorter "hear me" litany

• Prayer 82

short mambuha prayer

• Maṣbuta prayers
  • Prayer 83

short prayer about plants planted and raised by the yardna

• • Prayer 84

short maṣbuta prayer about the baptizer

• • Prayer 85

short maṣbuta prayer about Shilmai, Nidbai, and Anush Uthra

• • Prayer 86

short maṣbuta prayer about the yardna

• • Prayer 87

short maṣbuta prayer about priests

• • Prayer 88

long prayer

• • Prayer 89

long prayer

• • Prayer 90

long prayer

• Masiqta prayers
  • Prayer 91

short prayer about crossing the waters of death

• • Prayer 92

Left Ginza 3.4

• • Prayer 93

short prayer about the Mana

• • Prayer 94

Left Ginza 3.3

• • Prayer 95

short prayer about Sunday, Kushta, and Zidqa (alms)

• • Prayer 96

Left Ginza 3.2

• • Prayer 97

short prayer about being taken to the World of Light

• • Prayer 98

Left Ginza 3.7

• • Prayer 99

prayer about the chosen ones

• • Prayer 100

short prayer about fragrant trees

• • Prayer 101

short prayer

• • Prayer 102

short prayer about the building of Life

• • Prayer 103

final masiqta prayer

External links

Audio recordings of prayers

• Prayers recited by Rbai Rafid al-Sabti in the Netherlands
  • Mn iardna silqit – "I rose up from the river" (Prayer 21) (RRC: AUDIO-A12)
  • Nukraiia (Prayer 49) (RRC: AUDIO-A9)
  • Zidana u-mzaudana (Prayer 96) (RRC: AUDIO-A22)
• Prayers recited by Tarmida Yuhana Nashmi in Sydney, Australia
  • Qadmaiia nukraiia (Prelude)
  • Zhir u-mzahar Zihrun (Prayer 2)
  • Riha ḏ-basim (Prayer 8)
  • iama (Prayer 15)
  • Manda Qran (Prayer 19)
  • Hal hiia qadmaiia (Prayer 34)
  • Ṭab ṭaba l-ṭaba (Prayer 72)

Notes and References

1. Book: Häberl, Charles . The Book of Kings and the Explanations of This World: A Universal History from the Late Sasanian Empire . Liverpool . Liverpool University Press . 2022 . 978-1-80085-627-1.
2. Book: Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen. The great stem of souls: reconstructing Mandaean history. Gorgias Press. Piscataway, N.J. 2010. 978-1-59333-621-9.
3. Book: Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen. The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. Oxford University Press. New York. 2002. 0-19-515385-5. 65198443.
4. Book: Al-Mubaraki, Majid Fandi . Mubaraki . Brian . 2010 . Qulasta - Sidra d Nishmata / Mandaean Liturgical Prayer Book (Book of Souls) (volume 1) . Luddenham, New South Wales . 9781876888145. (1998 edition: ISBN 0-9585705-1-5)
5. Lidzbarski, Mark. 1920. Mandäische Liturgien. Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse, NF 17.1. Berlin.
6. Book: Drower, E. S.. The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. E. J. Brill. 1959. Leiden.
7. Book: Segelberg, Eric . Eric Segelberg . 1958 . Maṣbūtā: Studies in the Ritual of Mandaean Baptism . Uppsala . Almqvist and Wiksell.