Mandaean religious formula
Text of the bshuma
The bshuma as seen on a pulpit at Ganzibra Dakhil Mandi in Liverpool, New South Wales , Australia
The bshuma written in the Persian alphabet on a Mandaean gravestone in Ahvaz , Iran. On top, the inscription reads بشمیهون اد هیی ربی (b-šumaihun ḏ-hiia rbia ). The second line reads: لوفا و ارواها اد هیی (laufa u-ruaha ḏ-hiia ; "May laufa (communion) and a renewal of Life") و شاوق هطایی (u-šabiq haṭaiia ; "and forgiveness of sins")
In Mandaeism , the bshuma (Classical Mandaic : ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀ , romanized: b-šuma , lit. 'in the name [of]') is a religious formula that is often written at the beginnings of chapters in Mandaean texts and prayers .[ 1] [ 2] The Islamic equivalent is the basmala .
The full form of the bshuma is "In the name of Hayyi Rabbi " (Classical Mandaic : ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡓࡁࡉࡀ , romanized: b-šumaihun ḏ-hiia rbia , lit. 'In the names of the Great Life'; modern Mandaic pronunciation: /biʃˈmeihon əd-ˈheiji ˈrɑbbi/; Arabic : باسم الحي العظيم , bism al-Ḥayy al-ʿAẓīm ).[ 3]
A simpler version is ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ (b-šuma ḏ-hiia ; modern Mandaic pronunciation: /ˈbiʃmɑd-ˈheiji/), which literally translates to "In Life's name."[ 4]
At the ends of Mandaean prayers and texts, the following formulas are often recited to conclude the prayer or text.[ 4]
"And Hayyi is victorious" (Classical Mandaic: ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡊࡉࡍ , romanized: u-hiia zakin )
"And praise be to Hayyi" (Classical Mandaic: ࡅࡌࡔࡀࡁࡉࡍ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ , romanized: u-mšabin hiia )
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