# Yardna
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{{Short description|Rivers in Mandaeism}}
{{For|the Israeli moshav|Yardena}}
[[File:Jordan River (5418351509).jpg|thumb|The [Jordan River](/source/Jordan_River)]]
[[File:Mandaean baptism ritual in the Karun River (2).jpg|thumb|Mandaean [masbuta](/source/masbuta) in the [Karun River](/source/Karun_River), [Ahvaz](/source/Ahvaz), [Iran](/source/Iran)]]
{{Mandaeism}}
In [Mandaeism](/source/Mandaeism), a '''yardna''' ({{langx|myz|ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡍࡀ|translit=iardna|lit=Jordan}}) or '''yardena''' ([{{IPA|jardəna}}]; {{langx|ar|یردنا}}) is a body of flowing [fresh water](/source/fresh_water) (or in {{langx|myz|ࡌࡉࡀ ࡄࡉࡉࡀ|translit=mia hiia|lit=living water}}; pronounced ''meyya heyyi'') that is suitable for ritual use as baptismal water.[''The Gnostic Bible'' (2003) (p. 810). New Seeds Books] The [masbuta](/source/masbuta) and other Mandaean rituals such as the [tamasha](/source/tamasha_(ablution)) can only be performed in a yardna. [Stagnant fresh water](/source/Water_stagnation), [brackish water](/source/brackish_water), and [seawater](/source/seawater) are not considered to be yardnas.[{{cite book|last=Gelbert|first=Carlos|title=The Mandaeans and the Jews|publisher=Living Water Books|publication-place=Edensor Park, NSW|year=2005|isbn=0-9580346-2-1|oclc=68208613}}]
Unlike in Islam, Christianity, or [Yazidism](/source/Yazidism), no earthly geographic location is exclusively considered to be [sacrosanct](/source/sacrosanctity) in Mandaeism. This is because Mandaeism does not have shrines, holy sites, or pilgrimage sites tied to specific geographical locations, since ''any'' river with flowing water can be used for religious rituals.[{{cite book|last=McGrath|first=James F.|author-link=James F. McGrath|title=Christmaker: A Life of John the Baptist|publisher=William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company|publication-place=Chicago|date=2024-06-11|isbn=978-0-8028-8400-8|url=https://www.eerdmans.com/9780802884008/christmaker/}}]
==Examples of yardnas==
Although etymologically related to the [Canaanite](/source/Canaanite_languages) word ''yarden'' ([Hebrew](/source/Hebrew_language): {{lang|he|ירדן}}), or the [Jordan River](/source/Jordan_River), a yardna in Mandaeism can refer to any flowing river.[{{cite book | last=Nasoraia | first=Brikha | title=The Mandaean Rivers Scroll (Diwan Nahrawatha): an analysis | publisher=Routledge | publication-place=London | year=2022 | isbn=978-0-367-33544-1 | oclc=1295213206 | url=https://www.routledge.com/The-Mandaean-Rivers-Scroll-Diwan-Nahrawatha-An-Analysis/Nasoraia/p/book/9780367335441}}] rivers. The [Euphrates](/source/Euphrates) is called {{Transliteration|myz|Praš [Ziwa](/source/Ziwa_(Aramaic))}} ({{lang|myz|ࡐࡓࡀࡔ ࡆࡉࡅࡀ}}; pronounced {{Transliteration|myz|Fraš Ziwa}}) in the ''[Ginza Rabba](/source/Ginza_Rabba)''.[{{cite book|last=Nasoraia|first=Brikha H.S.|author-link=Brikha Nasoraia|title=The Mandaean gnostic religion: worship practice and deep thought|publisher=Sterling|publication-place=New Delhi|year=2021|isbn=978-81-950824-1-4|oclc=1272858968}}]
In [Worcester, Massachusetts](/source/Worcester%2C_Massachusetts), United States, [Lake Quinsigamond](/source/Lake_Quinsigamond) (the source of the [Quinsigamond River](/source/Quinsigamond_River)) is used as a yardna for baptism.[{{cite web|title=Worcester branch of Mandaean faith works to plant roots|date=2014-12-12|url=https://mandaeansocietyma.org/worcester-branch-of-mandaean-faith-works-to-plant-roots/|access-date=2022-01-27}}] In [San Antonio](/source/San_Antonio) and [Austin, Texas](/source/Austin%2C_Texas), the [Guadalupe River](/source/Guadalupe_River_(Texas)) is the main yardna used.[{{cite web|last1=Busch|first1=Matthew|last2=Ross|first2=Robyn|date=18 February 2020|title=Against The Current|url=https://www.texasobserver.org/mandaeans-san-antonio-trump/|website=Texas Observer|access-date=8 November 2021}}]
In [Australia](/source/Mandaean_Australians), the [Nepean River](/source/Nepean_River) (utilized by [Wallacia Mandi](/source/Wallacia_Mandi)) and the [Georges River](/source/Georges_River) are the yardnas that are most commonly used by Mandaeans.[{{cite web | last=Smith | first=David Maurice | title=An Ancient Baptism in Sydney | website=Roads & Kingdoms | date=2015-07-30 | url=https://roadsandkingdoms.com/2015/ancient-baptism-sydney/ | access-date=2021-10-30}}] In [Sweden](/source/Mandaeans_in_Sweden), particularly during the winter, indoor pools with flowing water are used as ritual yardnas in [mandi](/source/mandi_(Mandaeism))s.[{{cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/338502405|title=Mandaeism - A religion between Sweden and the Middle East|first=Anass|last=Sedrati|date=2018|location=Stockholm|publisher=KTH Royal Institute of Technology}}]
==Heavenly counterpart==
[Piriawis](/source/Piriawis), a river in the [World of Light](/source/World_of_Light), is the [heavenly counterpart](/source/dmuta) of all ''yardnas'' on earth, which are considered by Mandaeans to be manifestations of Piriawis.[{{cite book |url=https://livingwaterbooks.com.au/product/ginza-rba/ |last1=Gelbert |first1=Carlos |title=Ginza Rba |year=2011 |publisher=Living Water Books |location=Sydney |isbn=9780958034630}}][{{cite book|last=Buckley|first=Jorunn Jacobsen|title=The Mandaeans: ancient texts and modern people|publisher=Oxford University Press|publication-place=New York|year=2002|isbn=0-19-515385-5|oclc=65198443}}]
==Sacramental water==
There are two types of sacramental water used for Mandaean rituals, namely [mambuha](/source/mambuha) ("drinking water") and [halalta](/source/halalta) ("rinsing water"). Both are drawn directly from a yardna.