Nasurai / Mandaic Glossary

The Mandaic dialect is a form of Aramaic Hebrew, the language spoken by Yeshu and Maria and other Essene Nasarenes. Many of the following words and concepts are found in the Qabbalah, but many are uniquely Nasurai and therfore of some import to those wishing to delve deeper into the details of Nasarene life under Yeshua the Messiah.

Adam Kasia - the ultimate expression of Humanity perfected and spiritualized, a crowned and anointed king-priest who received the great teaching from the highest spirits so that he himself would become redemption for his kind, who in turn, are part of his body. Adam Kasia are a sort of Pre-creation Cosmic man and ideal for all the nasoreans to come. Compare with the qabbalistic Adam Qadmon - the arcehtypal man.
Ahaba d Mania - The Giving of Garments. A form of Zidqa brikha for those who have died not wearing the ritual garment. Compare the Mormon Temple rite of "robing" performed in "Work for the dead".

Andiruna - A ritual hut built for marriage rites and the consecration of a priest. Compare the sukhot booths of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles and the ritual heirogamos huts of Egypt and other ancient cultures.

Anhura - Light.

Âsualia - the elect priests. The preservers of the Nasorean tradition, which is the cornerstone of Mandeic religiousity.

Baptism - Baptism practised by the Mandaeans are not simply rituals of cleanliness or introduction into a brotherhood, it presents the initate with "herculian" tasks, fears of the elements and powers to be confronted, and an interior landscape of the myth of the redemptive journey to be explored and made acquiantance with . But this comes across, I imagine less, when first it is introduced in a modified manner, to newborn babies. I suppose one can be safe to say that the course of a Mandaeans life starts with baptism and ends with baptism. Seen through christian eyes the Mandaeans are not only anabaptist in terms of repeating, or propagating before all, the importance of adult baptism, but serially so - in the context of sickness, sorrow, distress, before and after marriage and "confirmation", for the women even more frequently in connection with the menstrual cycle, at the introduction into the elect, as well as among the priests at all occassions, at all holy days and so on. Basically, like the moslems can go into a mosque whenever he feels like praying, but are obliged to keep his observances five times a day - so too with the Mandaeans, should they find a priest willing to fill the role as baptist. The Mandaeans also baptise their dead, which may upset certain people, but this they do since they find it is needed for the Mandaean man or woman to receive blessing and benediction on their journey, as they are believed to be trapped in bodies as long as they are not sanctified in holy immersion in the waters of life.

Brihi - Fire-Saucer.

Burzina - Turban.

Butha - Petition, prayer, a section in the Book of Devotions.

Deywa - Daiwa, a div, an evil Spirit. (note the similarity to the Parthian Daeva.)

Drabsha - A banner, standard. Also a ray of light. (the name of the sacramental banners used at different mandaean rites). This is the cross errected by miqvah pools upon which is hung the wreath and twigs and white scarf.

Dukhrana - Mention, remembrance by mentioning.

Fatira - The round unleavened sacred bread at the ritual meals for the dead. The word means also departed.

Ganzibra - Head Priest, or Bishop. Restricted to raw foods..

Gdada - White cloth to insulate contamination or protect from contamination.

Ginza Rba - - the great treasure, the main sacred scroll of the Naurai. The principal ritual text of the Mandaean religion. It contains prayers, hymns and invocations connected to the observation of the two main Mandaean rituals ; Baptism in the River Jordan (symbolising the unceasing stream of life throughout creation and in Man) and The Masiqta, a ritual of redemption and "raising up" especially celebrated in connection with death and dying.

Hallali - A ritually and racially pure Mandaean.

Hamra - Water in which white grapes or sultanas have been pressed out.

Hawan - Mortar.

Hirmiana - Ritual girdle.

Hshukha - Darkness.

Ingirtha - Letter, a message in portable form.

Jemali - A reed hut with a pent roof.

Kangana - A clary ring used as a stand or a seat.

Kaptha - Small ritual drinking bowl.

Klila - Wreath.

Kukh - Hut. (Arabic)

Kûsta - The litteral meanings of the word are truth, vow and oath, and is viewed as a principle of the Godhead bestowed on just men and women in way of salvation - and denotes also the ritual act of giving the right hand and raising the initates during the Masiqta rite - as well as the sealing of a promise, wherein are given the Aidid Quishta (Kusta) ; "the hand of honour". Compare the Masonic and Mormon Hiram grip and "Patriarchal grip".

Lofani, Laufa - Communion; a ritual meal for the dead eaten by laymen.

Malka - King, spirit of Power.

Malwasha - The religious name of the Zodiac.

Mambuha - The sacramental drink drunk in connection with the Blessed Oblation, the Masiqta and the Masbuta rituals; it can be A: sanctified river-water,
or B: a wine of made of dates and white grapes, served in a bowl from which all celebrants drink from. Mambuha is always used in connection with the eating of Pihta, always after the ingestion of the sacramental meal.

Manda - The name given to a dwelling, especially to the cult-hut.

Mandaeans, Mandee - The name derives from the worship of Manda d Hiia , the Great Life - and are a descriptive term of the general populace of the mandaean communities ; another name used in arab countries are Subba or Subbi, which means one who "immerses" in Arabian. It can also be translated as Gnostic.

Mandaic - The language used by the Mandaeans. The proper oral language of the Mandaeans, and most probably shared by all of the semittic rootrace of the Sabians, are Arameic, an Eastern dialect of Hebrew - when "Mandaic" is used it denotes the written language used in all kinds of litterature and writing by the Mandaeans, since the written testimonies of ages past are central in terms of ritual, it is justifyable to call the language "Mandaic". The Mandaeans use a simplified yet complex language of ciphers which correspond to late Sumerian, which makes every kind of sense if we look at the area in which Mandeism thrived.

Mandelta - A triple betyl.

Margna - The Ritual Staff, made of olive-wood. Willow can be substituted. Compare the fire gazzel staff of male Egyptian Neters and the water lotus staff of female Neters.

Masiqta - The Masiqta , or raising up are primarely celebrated for the service of the newly departed, and food are eaten in the name of the departed, and a priest takes his position in the participation of the rite. The most important role this ritual serve are to bestow upon the departed a spiritual garment, clean and eternal nourishment, lustration in the holy water of life and praises sung in his name to the great counsel of heaven, to which the dead soul are transported by the help of the Sun-boat. The ritual in overall resemble also the Shamanic practises of certain peoples all over the world, which reach back into the very birth of our civilisations.

Masiqta is the Mandaean sacrament which is most resemblant of the Christian Mass, it involves anointment as well as the celebration of a certain sacramental meal which is symbolic to the distribution of the vitality and divinity of the Great Adam in his race, a saviour who primarely has his work through men and women, but most of all in the Elect priests - an observance and contemplation of being one with this great being, and it being one with oneself through the ingestion of the sacred foods. It is a ritual that is resemblant of the Christian obsevance of the Eucharist on the exterior, involving the distribution and ingestion of bread and wine, but also an interior - descriptive of the redemptive dimension of participation in the mysteries.

Misra - A furrow to shut out pollution and enclose purified areas.

Mshunia Kustha - The ideal and ethereal double of the Earth, from which man was deported. Paradise.

Nasifa - Stole-like strip of white cloth or muslin, worn by the priests during ceremonies. Compare the Tibetan use of a white scarf, and the Jewish prayer shawl, or Tallit.

Nhura - Light.

Niara - Bowl, or dish.

Paisaq - Priest debarred from all priestly duties but that of performing marriage rites for women not virgin.

Pandama - The cloth which covers the lower part of the face during some parts of ritual, or at a funeral.

Panja - The five (days) before the New Year.

Parwanaia - The five intercalary days.

Pihta - Sacramental meal eaten in connection with most, if not all, sacraments celebrated by the Mandaeans. Pita bread. It is very close in terms of symbolic meaning, to the host served at the Christian Eucharist. A distribution of holy suistenance from the Godhead itself, another corollary are the symbolic meaning of the hebrew "Manna" having come from heaven. It is a doughbread of some kind, unleavened and unsalted, passed over the open flame, used for the lustration and purification of other sacramental elements, and solemnly prayed over eight times before being given to the hearers, whereas the priest or priestess eats before and after the hearers/participants.

Qania - Bottle for sacramental water. Holy water vial.

Quintha - A clay box stand.

Qauqa - A terra-cotta cube for holding incense.

Rba , Rabai - elect priest, chief intator and the ordainer of new Mandaean priests. Holds the office known as rabuta. Compare to the Jewish "rabbi".

Rahmia - Devotions, presribed preliminary ritual ablutions. Celebrated three times every day.

Rasta - The ritual dress, always white. Made of natural material. Embroidered with silver and gold thread at death.

Ratna - Modern Mandaean colloquial dialect.

Rishama - The minor daily and preliminary ritual ablutions.

Ruha - The frailer, weaker and sensual part of man`s nature, it loves spectacles, phenomena, colour, song and the pleasures of the senses; and is thus constantly in the grips of the worldly and darker powers. With the nisimta, the higher part of human`s being, it survives, according to Mandaean tradition, by the help of the death rites performed, and eventually unite and travels with it to the realms of light. This is the Ruach of the Qabbalah and the Ba of the Egyptians.

Sa - A roll or scroll fo bread used in ritual meals for the dead.

Sadra - Sacred Shirt.

Sarifa - Reed Hut.

Sharwala - drawers, leggings.

Shganda - Acolyte, servant (lit. "messenger")

Shwalia - Candidate for priesthood.

Skandola - Magical iron Signet-Ring. Has a snake, bee, lion and scorpion.

Tabutha - The sacred food at ritual meals.

Tarmida - Priest.

Tura - Mountain.

Uthra - A good Spirit. Angel.

Yalufa - A litterate person.

Yardna - Running water, river, a pool of flowing water.

Zrazta - A scroll on which a protective charm is written.

Zidqa brikha - A ritual meal for the dead.