Let not anger enslave me, Ahura Mazda

Aeshma, the Demon of Wrath, is the impetuous assailant of man. He stirs up strife and hostility and spreads discord and disturbances. Anger breeds vindictiveness and revenge.

When anger puts man out of his wits, he is all on fire with excitement. He flies to anger, flings prudence to the winds and forgets himself. His eyes flash frantic fury, his teeth gnash, his breast flames with fierce passions, his heart leaps to his throat, his lips utter unspeakable words, and, in his unbridled rage, he does unnamable deeds. Fierce of face, he looks beastly and brutish. His anger shows him to others in bad form. It makes him ridiculous in their sight. He loses his self-dignity.

He repents, when his fit of temper cools and he returns to reason and is once again in his sober mood. But even though he may give his life itself he cannot recall the fiery words he spoke nor retrieve the wrong he did. Anger hurts him more than one against whom he ventilated his angry feelings.

Help me, Ahura Mazda, to bear with circumstances that provoke my anger. Give me patience and forbearance even under provocation. Let me forget offences committed by my neighbor against me. Teach me to forgive, as I would be forgiven. Enable me to take words of violence with equanimity. Let me not dwell upon the wrong done me. Let not harsh words of my opponent rankle in my heart. Let me disarm his anger by my affable disposition.

Let me not be out of humor. Let me not wax wrath with anyone. Help me not to speak or do anything until the heat of my excitement is cooled and my anger has subsided. Let the fire of my anger be extinguished before it begins to burn. Help me to bridle my passion. Save me from the weakness of ill temper and help me to put a curb on it. Enable me to control my movements and let me always have a grip over myself.

Keep me always in the best of tempers. Give me the calm repose of mind and a meek and mild spirit and a serene and unruffled temper, that I may master my anger, control it and conquer it and rule it, Ahura Mazda.

This page was last updated on Tuesday, August 01, 2000.