Herbad
Encyclopedia
Hērbad is a title given to Zoroastrian
priests of minor orders.
In the present-day, hērbad is the lowest rank in the Zoroastrian priesthood, and is granted following the basic navar ceremony that marks the beginning of theological training. Unlike a mobed or dastur
, a herbad may not be the celebrant of a Yasna
service. He may however assist. A herbad may also not officiate at a recitation of the Vendidad
. This task is reserved for priests of higher grade.
Amongst lay Zoroastrians, the three terms are used interchangeably. Unlike mobed but like dastur, herbad may be adopted as a professional title in a persons name.
denotes a priestly teacher whose students (aethrii) would be taught to recite the sacred texts. By the 2nd century CE, the term had however come to refer to a clergyman who taught religious subjects, and the term appears to have commanded greater prestige than it does today. In the late 3rd century inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht, the high-priest Kartir
refers to himself as herbad. There is some evidence that suggest that already by the 6th century, herbads performed advanced theological tasks, including translations and interpretation of Avestan texts. The 10th century Denkard
refers to the high-priest Tansar - who in legend is attributed with the collation of the Avesta - as herbad.
Following the collapse of the Sassanid state
in the 6th century, after which Zoroastrianism began to be supplanted by Islam
, the increasingly impoverished Zoroastrian communities found it difficult to support a priesthood known only for their scholarship. By the 9th century, there was an active rivalry between these scholar-priests and ritual priests, with each group underbidding the other in their attempts to secure an income. For Zoroastrian laypersons, the distinction between the two groups was at best theoretical and by the 10th century, the term herbad had lost most associations of scholarship and eventually came to refer to priests that had no theological authority. Beyond this distinction, the terms herbad, mobad and dastur were used interchangeably.
In the 16th century, the Rivayat epistles encouraged the Indian Zoroastrians to distinguish between priests who were capable of officiating at a Vendidad
reading and those who weren't. This injunction led to the reinstatement of a hierarchy, with herbads at the lowest rung on the ladder. Above these were the mobads
, denoting priests who had completed their training. In India, the mobads have a dastur as their superior. This is effectively an administrative rank and denotes a director of a fire temple
. A dastur is however also the highest religious instance for the community that worships at that temple.
Zoroastrianism
Zoroastrianism is a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of prophet Zoroaster and was formerly among the world's largest religions. It was probably founded some time before the 6th century BCE in Greater Iran.In Zoroastrianism, the Creator Ahura Mazda is all good, and no evil...
priests of minor orders.
In the present-day, hērbad is the lowest rank in the Zoroastrian priesthood, and is granted following the basic navar ceremony that marks the beginning of theological training. Unlike a mobed or dastur
Dastur
A dastūr is a Zoroastrian high priest who has authority in religious matters and ranks higher than a Mobad or Herbad.In modern usage the term dastūr refers mostly to Parsi priests in India.-References:...
, a herbad may not be the celebrant of a Yasna
Yasna
Yasna is the name of the primary liturgical collection of texts of the Avesta as well as the name of the principal Zoroastrian act of worship at which those verses are recited. The Yasna, or Izeshne, is primarily the name of the ceremony in which the entire book is recited and appropriate...
service. He may however assist. A herbad may also not officiate at a recitation of the Vendidad
Vendidad
The Vendidad or Videvdat is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. However, unlike the other texts of the Avesta, the Vendidad is an ecclesiastical code, not a liturgical manual.-Name:...
. This task is reserved for priests of higher grade.
Amongst lay Zoroastrians, the three terms are used interchangeably. Unlike mobed but like dastur, herbad may be adopted as a professional title in a persons name.
History of the term
Middle Persian herbad (Pahlavi ʼyhlpt) derives from Avestan aethrapaiti, which in the AvestaAvesta
The Avesta is the primary collection of sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, composed in the Avestan language.-Early transmission:The texts of the Avesta — which are all in the Avestan language — were composed over the course of several hundred years. The most important portion, the Gathas,...
denotes a priestly teacher whose students (aethrii) would be taught to recite the sacred texts. By the 2nd century CE, the term had however come to refer to a clergyman who taught religious subjects, and the term appears to have commanded greater prestige than it does today. In the late 3rd century inscription at the Ka'ba-ye Zartosht, the high-priest Kartir
Kartir
Kartir Hangirpe was a highly influential Zoroastrian high-priest of the late 3rd century CE and served as advisor to at least three Sassanid emperors....
refers to himself as herbad. There is some evidence that suggest that already by the 6th century, herbads performed advanced theological tasks, including translations and interpretation of Avestan texts. The 10th century Denkard
Denkard
The Dēnkard or Dēnkart is a 10th century compendium of the Mazdaen Zoroastrian beliefs and customs. The Denkard is to a great extent an "Encyclopedia of Mazdaism" and is a most valuable source of information on the religion...
refers to the high-priest Tansar - who in legend is attributed with the collation of the Avesta - as herbad.
Following the collapse of the Sassanid state
Sassanid Empire
The Sassanid Empire , known to its inhabitants as Ērānshahr and Ērān in Middle Persian and resulting in the New Persian terms Iranshahr and Iran , was the last pre-Islamic Persian Empire, ruled by the Sasanian Dynasty from 224 to 651...
in the 6th century, after which Zoroastrianism began to be supplanted by Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
, the increasingly impoverished Zoroastrian communities found it difficult to support a priesthood known only for their scholarship. By the 9th century, there was an active rivalry between these scholar-priests and ritual priests, with each group underbidding the other in their attempts to secure an income. For Zoroastrian laypersons, the distinction between the two groups was at best theoretical and by the 10th century, the term herbad had lost most associations of scholarship and eventually came to refer to priests that had no theological authority. Beyond this distinction, the terms herbad, mobad and dastur were used interchangeably.
In the 16th century, the Rivayat epistles encouraged the Indian Zoroastrians to distinguish between priests who were capable of officiating at a Vendidad
Vendidad
The Vendidad or Videvdat is a collection of texts within the greater compendium of the Avesta. However, unlike the other texts of the Avesta, the Vendidad is an ecclesiastical code, not a liturgical manual.-Name:...
reading and those who weren't. This injunction led to the reinstatement of a hierarchy, with herbads at the lowest rung on the ladder. Above these were the mobads
Mobad
A mobed or mobad is a Zoroastrian cleric of a particular rank. Unlike a herbad , a mobed is qualified to serve as celebrant priest at the Yasna ceremony. A mobed is also qualified to train other priests....
, denoting priests who had completed their training. In India, the mobads have a dastur as their superior. This is effectively an administrative rank and denotes a director of a fire temple
Fire temple
A fire temple in Zoroastrianism is the place of worship for Zoroastrians. Zoroastrians revere fire in any form. In the Zoroastrian religion, fire , together with clean water , are agents of ritual purity...
. A dastur is however also the highest religious instance for the community that worships at that temple.