Blessing and Imprecation in Ancient Iranian and Middle Persian Works

Blessing and imprecation (prayer and curse) are of the main themes in religion, culture, mythology, and literature, which have appeared historically, along with each other, in pre-Islamic literature, panegyric odes, and various literary types. This descriptive-analytic study aims at studying different aspects of blessing and imprecation in pre-Islamic (ancient and middle) works. In this regard, considering the ancient Iranian works (Avesta and Achaemenid engravings), Parthian and middle Pahlavi works (Sassanid emperors and statesmen engravings, the book of Deeds of Ardeshir, Son of Papak, the book of The Memorial of Zarriran, etc.), different types of prayer and curse have been found and their roles in advancement of affairs, goals, the requesters, the requested prayer or curse, functions and their rhetorical aspects have been studied. In Avesta, these two categories, especially blessing and prayer, can be seen more in benedictory parts that are in line with religious goals, teachings, and thoughts based on which demonic creatures are cursed and the divine creatures are blessed. In Achaemenid engravings, prayers and curses aim at encouraging and sometimes deterring in terms of protection of the engravings on the one hand, and indicate the kings’ sense of patriotism due to their prayers for the land, on the other hand. There can be found no curse in the Middle era engravings but prayers have survived. The prayers, in this era, request for long life and victory over enemies. The literary functions of prayer and curse are more prevalent in this era, indicating people's emotional states in different narrative situations.