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Drabsha

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Mandaean drabsha, symbol of the Mandaean faith
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The drabsha[1][2] (Classical Mandaic: ࡃࡓࡀࡁࡔࡀ, romanized: drabša; Modern Mandaic: drafšā[3]) or darfash (Persian: درفش) is the symbol of the Mandaean faith. It is typically translated as 'banner'.[4]

Etymology

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The Mandaic term drabša is derived from the Middle Persian word drafš, which means 'banner or standard; a flash of light; sunrise'. In Mandaic, drabša can also mean 'a ray or beam of light'.[5]

An uncommon variant spelling is drapša, which may have been the original spelling.[6]

Description and symbolism

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The drabša is a banner in the shape of a cross made of two branches of olive wood fastened together and half covered with a piece of white cloth traditionally made of pure silk, and seven branches of myrtle. The drabša white silk banner is not identified with the Christian cross. Instead, the four arms of the drabsha symbolize the four corners of the universe, while the pure silk cloth represents the Light of God (Hayyi Rabbi).[7] The seven branches of myrtle represent the seven days of creation.[8][9] The drabsha is viewed as a symbol of light and the light of the sun, moon and stars is envisaged to shine from it.[10] It may be of pre-Christian origin and used originally to hang a prayer shawl during immersion in the river (masbuta).[10]

In Mandaean manuscripts

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Mandaean manuscripts often contain descriptions and illustrations of named drabšia. The most common names for drabšia are Shishlameil, Shishlam, and Bihram. The following drabšia names are mentioned in various Mandaean manuscripts:[11]

Qulasta

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In E. S. Drower's version of the Qulasta, prayers 330–347 (corresponding to Part 4 of Mark Lidzbarski's Oxford Collection) are dedicated to the drabša. In many of these prayers, which mention the unfurling of drabshas, individual drabshas have given names.[12]

  • Šišlamiel (various prayers)
  • Šašlamiel (prayer 347)
  • Manhariel (prayer 334)
  • Pirun (prayer 333) (also the name of a gufna)
  • Zihrun (prayers 332, 340, 341, 374)

Drabsha prayer

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During Parwanaya, the buta drabša (Qulasta prayers CP 337–339 = Oxford Collection 4.8–11) is recited by Mandaean laypeople, who repeat the prayer after a priest as they put klilas onto the drabsha. Below is a transliteration of the prayer based on Lidzbarski (1920), which was originally transcribed using the Hebrew alphabet.[13] The English translation below is partially based on Gelbert & Lofts (2025) and has been revised.[14]

Mandaic transliteration English translation

b-šuma ḏ-hiia rbia

dna dna
ziuak malka ḏ-ˁutria
u-ata ˁl ˁutria u-ˁl škinata
dna ˁutria u-škinata
ḏ-hiziuia l-ziuak
kulhun birkta b-dilak barkia
birkta barkia b-dilak
u-miaqrilak ˁutria aminṭul ḏ-anat
mn ˁdẖ ḏ-malka huit

malka birkak b-birkta rabtia
u-l-dilia hibil ziua ˁhablia
ˁhablia l-dilia hibil ziua
l-manhirinun
l-almia u-l-malkia
u-l-iardnia u-l-škinata kulhun
mn riš b-riš

hibil birkak b-birkta rabtia
u-l-adam kasia iahbak
adam birkak b-birkta rabtia
u-l-bhiria zidqa iahbak
iahbak l-bhiria zidqa
l-manhirinun u-l-mitaqninun l-dmauatun
mn riš b-riš

bhiria zidqa qam[a] ˁl l-igraihun
u-b-iaminun l-igṭuk
u-l-iardna ḏ-mia hiia asgun
u-tirṣuk l-midna ziuak ˁl iardna
mia u-ziuak b-hdadia mitkarkia[b]
mia u-ziuak mitkarkia b-hdadia
u-ˁl šilmai u-nidbai mitauzipia[c]
halin hinun bhiria zidqa ḏ-ˁl iardna masgin
b-ziuak dilak minihria anat
naṭrinun u-qaiminun
u-asiq maṣbutaihun l-riš
u-hiia zakin

In the name of Hayyi Rabbi.

It has shone forth! It has shone forth!
Your radiance, king of uthras.
It came upon the uthras and shkintas.
It shone forth upon the uthras and shkintas,
when they beheld your radiance.
All of them spoke a blessing upon you.
The uthras spoke a blessing upon you,
and honored you because you have emerged
through the hand of a king.

The king has blessed you with a great blessing,
and he gave it to me, Hibil Ziwa.
He gave it to me, Hibil Ziwa,
in order to give light
to the worlds, to the kings,
to the yardnas, and to the shkintas, and all
for ever and ever.

Hibil blessed you with a great blessing
and gave you to Adam Kasia.
Adam blessed you with a great blessing
and gave you to the Chosen Righteous.
He gave you to the Chosen Righteous
in order to enlighten and brighten their counterparts
for ever and ever.

The Chosen Righteous stood on their feet
and took you with their right hands.
And they went to the Yardna of Living Water
and set you up so that your radiance might shine forth upon the yardna.
Water and your radiance bind one another.
Water and your radiance bind one another,
and they added themselves to Shilmai and Nidbai.
These, the Chosen Righteous who go to the yardna,
they enlighten through your radiance.
Guard them and strengthen them
and make their maṣbuta successful.
And Life is victorious.

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See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ After qam ('to stand') is pronounced, there is a brief pause in the prayer as a circle of worshippers, originally in squatting positions circled around the base of the drabsha, stand up to place the klilas that they were holding on the top of the drabsha.
  2. ^ Root: KRKL 'to encompass, bind' (Drower & Macuch 1963, A Mandaic dictionary)
  3. ^ Root: YZP 'to borrow, lend, be added' (Drower & Macuch 1963, A Mandaic dictionary)

References

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  1. ^ Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2002). The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-515385-5. OCLC 65198443.
  2. ^ Drower, Ethel Stefana (1937). The Mandaeans of Iraq and Iran. Oxford at the Clarendon Press.
  3. ^ Gelbert, Carlos (2011). Ginza Rba. Sydney: Living Water Books. ISBN 9780958034630.
  4. ^ Van Rompay, Sandi (2010). "The Symbolism of the Drabša in the Mandaean Illustrated Manuscripts: The Drabša of Radiance". ARAM Periodical. 22: 263–310. doi:10.2143/ARAM.22.0.2131041.
  5. ^ Drower, E. S. (2020). The Secret Adam: A Study of Nasoraean Gnosis. Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock. ISBN 978-1-5326-9763-0. OCLC 1149751154.
  6. ^ Segelberg, Eric (1958). Maṣbuta: Studies in the Ritual of Mandaean Baptism. Uppsala: Almqvist and Wiksell.
  7. ^ Mite, Valentinas (14 July 2004). "Iraq: Old Sabaean-Mandean Community is Proud of Its Ancient Faith". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 4 November 2021.
  8. ^ Holy Spirit University of Kaslik - USEK (27 November 2017). "Open discussion with the Sabaeans Mandaeans". YouTube. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  9. ^ Sly, Liz (16 November 2008). "'This is one of the world's oldest religions, and it is going to die.'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
  10. ^ a b Mandaean Awareness and Guidance Board (28 May 2014). "Mandaean Beliefs & Mandaean Practices". Mandaean Associations Union. Retrieved 10 November 2021.
  11. ^ van Rompaey, Sandra (2024). Mandaean Symbolic Art. Turnhout: Brepols. ISBN 978-2-503-59365-4.
  12. ^ Drower, E. S. (1959). The Canonical Prayerbook of the Mandaeans. Leiden: E. J. Brill.
  13. ^ Lidzbarski, Mark. 1920. Mandäische Liturgien. Abhandlungen der Königlichen Gesellschaft der Wissenschaften zu Göttingen, phil.-hist. Klasse, NF 17.1. Berlin.
  14. ^ Gelbert, Carlos; Lofts, Mark J. (2025). The Qulasta. Edensor Park, NSW: Living Water Books. ISBN 978-0-6487954-3-8.
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