Pahlavi Texts, Part I — SBE Vol. 5 (trans. E. W. West, 1880)
English·1879–1910·trans. E. W. West·388 passages
The text · part 17 of 18
As will be seen from the notes, these details about shadows were probably compiled at Yazd in Persia, as they are suitable only for that latitude.
* Reading &yad-ae (a very rare form), or it may be intended for h6manfe, ‘should it be,’ but it is written in both MSS. exactly like the two ciphers for the numeral 5. Mulla Firfz in his Avigeh Din, p. 279 seq., takes 5 khadQk p4f as implying that the shadow is under the sole of the foot, or the sun overhead ; but neither this reading, nor the more literal ‘ one-fifth of a foot,’ can be reconciled with the other measures; though if we take 5 as standing for pangak, ‘the five éoes or sole,’ we might translate as follows: ‘When the sun is at Cancer, ‘he shadow is the sole of one foot of the man.’
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one foot and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Leo z¢ is two feet; when the sun is at Virgo z¢ is two feet and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Virgo z¢ is three feet and a half; a¢ Libra z¢ is four! feet and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Libra z¢ is five feet and a half?; a¢ Scorpio it is six feet and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Scorpio #¢ is seven® feet and a half; a¢ Sagittarius z¢ is eight feet and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Sagittarius 27 is nine feet and a half; a¢ Capricornus z¢ is ten feet, at the fifteenth of Capricornus z¢ is nine* feet and a half; a¢ Aquarius 2z¢ is eight ° feet and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Aquarius z¢ is seven feet and a half; a¢ Pisces z¢ is six feet and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Pisces z¢ is five feet and a half; a¢ Aries z¢ is four feet and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Aries z¢ is three feet and a half; @¢ Taurus z¢ is two feet and a half, at the fifteenth of Taurus z¢ is two feet; a¢ Gemini z¢ is one foot and a half, a¢ the fifteenth of Gemini tt is one foot ®.
1 Kao has ‘three’ by mistake.
2 M6 omits ‘ and a half’ by mistake.
* Kao has ‘ six’ by mistake.
* Both MSS. omit one cipher, and have only ‘six,’ but the shadow must be the same here as at the fifteenth of Sagittarius.
® Both MSS. have ‘seven,’ which is clearly wrong.
* It is obvious that, as the length of a man’s shadow depends upon the height of the sun, each of these observations of his noonday shadow determines the altitude of the sun at noon, and is, therefore, a rude observation for finding the latitude of the place, provided we know the ratio of a man’s foot to his stature. According to Bund. XXVI, 3 a man’s stature is eight spans (vitast), and according to Farh. Okh. p. 41 a vitast is twelve finger-breadths, and a foot is fourteen (see Bund. XXVI, 3, note), so that a man’s stature of eight spans is equivalent to 6$ feet. Assuming this to have been the ratio adopted by the observer, supposing the obliquity of the ecliptic to have been 23° 35’ (as it
CHAPTER XXI, 3-6. 399
3. The midday shadow is written!, may z¢s end be good !
4. I write the indication of the Adzértn (afternoon)? pertod of the day; may it be well and fortunate by the help of God (yazd4n)!
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3. The midday shadow is written!, may z¢s end be good !
4. I write the indication of the Adzértn (afternoon)? pertod of the day; may it be well and fortunate by the help of God (yazd4n)!
5. When the day is at a maximum (pavan afztind), azd the sun comes unto the head® of Cancer, and one’s shadow becomes six feet and two parts‘, he makes z¢ the Afizérin period (g4s). 6.
was about a.pD. 1000), and calculating the latitude from each of the thirteen different lengths of shadow, the mean result is 32° 1’ north latitude, which is precisely the position assigned to Yazd (the head-quarters of the small remnant of Zoroastrians in Persia) on some English maps, though some foreign maps place it 15” or 20° farther south. With regard to the rough nature of this mode of observation it may be remarked that, as the lengths of the shadows are noted only to half a foot, there is a possible error of a quarterfoot in any of them; this would produce a possible error of 2° 4’ in the midsummer observation of latitude, and of 39’ in the midwinter one; or a mean possible error of 1° 22’ in any of the observations; so that the possible error in the mean of thirteen observations is probably not more than 6’, and the probable error is even less, provided the data have been assumed correctly.
1 Reading nipist, but only the first and last letters are legible in M6, and the middle letter is omitted in K20.
* See Bund. XXV, 9.
8 The word sar, ‘head,’ usually means ‘the end,’ but it must be here taken as ‘the beginning ;’ perhaps, because the zodiacal signs are supposed to come head-foremost.
* What portion of a foot is meant by bahar, ‘ part,’ is doubtful. It can hardly be a quarter, because ‘two quarters’ would be too clumsy a term for ‘a half” But it appears from §§ 5-7 that the shadow, necessary to constitute the Afizérin period, is taken as increasing uniformly from six feet and two parts to fourteen feet and two parts, an increase of eight feet in six months, or exactly one foot and one-third per month, as stated in the text. And, deducting this monthly increase of one foot and one-third from the seven and a half feet shadow at the end of the first month, we have six feet and one-sixth remaining for the shadow at the
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And, deducting this monthly increase of one foot and one-third from the seven and a half feet shadow at the end of the first month, we have six feet and one-sixth remaining for the shadow at the
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Every thirty days it always increases one foot and one-third, therefore about every ten days the reckoning is always half a foot’, and when the sun is at the head of Leo the shadow is seven? feet and a half. 7. In this series every zodzacal constellation is treated alike, and the months alike, until the sun comes unto the head of Capricornus, and the shadow becomes fourteen feet and two parts. 8. In Capricornus it diminishes again a foot and onethird’; azd from there where it turns back, because of the decrease of the night and increase of the day, it always diminishes one foot amd one-third every one of the months, ad about every ten days the reckoning is always half a foot, until it comes back to six feet and two parts; every zodzacal constellation being treated alike, and the months alike +.
beginning of the month. Hence we may conclude that the ‘ two parts’ are equal to one-sixth, and each ‘part’ is one-twelfth of a foot.
‘ Meaning that the increase of shadow is to be taken into account as soon as it amounts to half a foot, that is, about every ten days. Practically, half a foot would be added on the tenth and twentieth days, and the remaining one-third of a foot at the end of the month.
* Both MSS. have ‘eight,’ but this would be inconsistent with the context, as it is impossible that ‘six feet and two parts’ can become ‘eight feet and a half’ by the addition of ‘one foot and one-third,’ whatever may be the value of the ‘two parts’ of a foot.
5 Both MSS. have 3 yak-1 pif, instead of p&f 3 yak-1.
* This mode of determining the beginning of the afternoon period is not so clumsy as it appears, as it keeps the length of that period exceedingly uniform for the six winter months with some increase in the summer time. In latitude 32° north, where the longest day is about 13 hours 56 minutes, and the shortest is 10 hours 4 minutes, these observations of a man’s shadow make the afternoon period begin about 3# hours before sunset at mid-
CHAPTER XXI, 7—XXII, 7. 40I
Cuapter XXII}
1. May Adharmazd give ¢hee the august rank and throne of a champion *!
2. May Vohdman give thee wisdom! may the benefit of knowing VohQman® be good thought, and mayest thou be acting well, that is, saving the soul!
3. May Ardavahist, the beautiful, give thee understanding and intellect!
4. May Shatvatré grant thee wealth from every generous one!
5. May Spendarmad grant thee praise through the seed of ¢ky body! may she give thee as wife a woman from the race of the great!
6. May Horvadad grant thee plenty and prosperity !
7. May Amerédad grant thee herds of four-footed beasts / summer, diminishing to 23 hours at the autumnal equinox, and then remaining very nearly constant till the vernal equinox.
may she give thee as wife a woman from the race of the great!
6. May Horvadad grant thee plenty and prosperity !
7. May Amerédad grant thee herds of four-footed beasts / summer, diminishing to 23 hours at the autumnal equinox, and then remaining very nearly constant till the vernal equinox.
' These last two chapters are found written upon some folios which have been added to the beginning of M6; but, though not belonging to that MS. originally, they are still very old. The first of these two chapters has not been found elsewhere ; it is an elaborate benediction, in which the writer calls down, upon some one, a series of blessings from each of the thirty archangels and angels whose names are given to the days of the Parsi month in the order in which they here stand (compare the same names in Bund. XXVII, 24).
* The meaning of the word p4drég or pAdrang (which occurs also in §§ 12, 26, and appears to be a title) may be guessed from the following passage in the Yadkar-i Zartrén, or Vistasp-shahnaémak: Pavan har ragm va padrazm-i lak pirédg va véh padrég sem ydityfint-ae, ‘in every attack and counter-attack of thine mayest thou bring away the title of conqueror and good champion!’
5 The reading is uncertain.
(5) pd
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8. May Diné always secure! ¢hee the support of the creator Adharmazd!
g. May the light of the sublime Ataré? hold thy throne in heaven!
10. May Av4n grant thee wealth from every generous one!
11. May Khar hold thee without mystery aad doubt among the great and ¢ky compeers (hambudtk4n)!
12. May M&h give thee an assistant, who is the assistant of champions!
13. May Tistar hold thee a traveller in the countries of the seven regions!
14. Gésdrvan the archangel ® is the protection of four-footed Jdeasts.
15. May Diné always remain for ¢hee as the support of the creator Adharmazd!
16. May Mitré be thy judge, who shall wish thy existence 4o de vigorous!
18. May Rashnf be thy conductor® to the resplendent heaven!
1 This verb is doubtful ; here and in § 23 it is netrfin4d, ‘ may she guard,’ but in § 15 it is ketrfin4d, ‘ may she remain.’
* Bars Atard, ‘the sublime fire,’ seems to be a personification of the fire Berezi-savang of Bund. XVII, 1, 3, the Supremelybenefiting of SZS. XI,-1, 6.
5 She is usually called an angel. Either the verb is omitted in this section, or it is not a blessing ; and the same may be said of §§ 20, 25.
‘ These are the three fiends, As, Aeshm, and Nty4z (see Bund. XXVIII, 15-17, 26, 27).
* It is very possible that the verb should be yehabfnéd,
CHAPTER XXII, 8-27. 403
19. May Fravardin give thee offspring, which may .bear the name of ¢hy race!
20. Vahrdm the victorious is the stimulator of the warlike.
XXVIII, 15-17, 26, 27).
* It is very possible that the verb should be yehabfnéd,
CHAPTER XXII, 8-27. 403
19. May Fravardin give thee offspring, which may .bear the name of ¢hy race!
20. Vahrdm the victorious is the stimulator of the warlike.
21. May Ram, applauding the life of a praiser of the persistent! lord, keep thee perfect (aspar), that is, living three hundred years 2, undying and undecaying unto the end of ¢hy days!
22. May V4d bring thee peace® from the resplendent heaven!
23. May Diné always secure ¢hee the support of the creator Adharmazd !
24. May Dind become thy guest in thy home and dwelling!
25. Arshisang, the beautiful, is the resplendent glory of the Kay4ns.
26. May Astdd be thy helper, who is the assistant of champions !
27. May Asm4n bless thee with all skill and wealth !
instead of yehevfin4d, in which case we should have ‘ give thee a passport.’
1 The meaning of khvapar (Av. Avdpara) is by no means certain; it is an epithet of Afharmazd, angels, and spirits, and is then often assumed to mean ‘protecting ;’ but it is also a term applied to the earth and offspring ; perhaps ‘self-sustaining ’ would suit both its etymology and its various applications best, but the root par has many other meanings.
2 That is, two great cycles. It is usual for the copyists of Pahlavi MSS. to wish, in their colophons, that the persons for whom the MSS. are written, whether themselves or others, may retain the MSS. for a hundred and fifty years before leaving them to their children; which period is mentioned because it is supposed to constitute a great cycle of the moon and planets.
5 Written drfid instead of drfd.
Dd2
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28. May Zamyéad destroy for thee the demon and fiend out of thy dwelling!
29. May Maraspend hold thee a throne in the resplendent heaven!
30. May Aniran the immortal, with every kind of all wealth, become thy desire! the horses of God (yazd4n)? who shall come that he may go, and thou mayest obtain a victory.
31. May destiny give thee a helper! he is the guardian of the ce/estial sphere for all these archangels whose names I have brought forward; may he be thy helper a¢ all times, in every good work and duty !
32. Homage to Srit* the teacher! may he live long! may he be prosperous z# the land! may Azs be every pleasure and joy, axd every glory of the Kay4ns, through the will of the persistent Adharmazd !
CuHaPTeR XXIII.
o. In the name of God and the good creation be health °! 1. Adharmazd is more creative, Vohiman is more
* Both nouns are in the plural, and both verbs in the singular. Anfran is a personification of Av. anaghra raodau, ‘the beginningless lights,’ or fixed stars (which, however, are said to have been created by Aflharmazd in Bund. II, 1), and these stars appear to have been considered as horses of the angels (Bund. VI, 3, SZS. VI, 1). There are several uncertain phrases in §§ 30-32.
anaghra raodau, ‘the beginningless lights,’ or fixed stars (which, however, are said to have been created by Aflharmazd in Bund. II, 1), and these stars appear to have been considered as horses of the angels (Bund. VI, 3, SZS. VI, 1). There are several uncertain phrases in §§ 30-32.
* This would appear to be the name of the person to whom the benediction is addressed, as it can hardly be meant for the ancient hero Thrita, the Athrat of Bund. XXXI, 27, and the Srité of SZS. XI, 10, note.
’ Two versions of this chapter, detailing the qualities of the
CHAPTER XXII, 28—XxIIl, 4. 405
embellished ?, Ardavahist is more brilliant?, Shatvaird is more exalted *, Spendarmad is more fruitful‘, Horvadad is moister, Amerédad is fatter °. 2. Din-pa-Ataré is just like Adharmazd?, Atar6 is hotter *, Avan is more golden®, Khir is more obser- . vant?®, M4h is more protective ", Tir is more liberal, Gés is swifter!?. 3. Din?’-pa-Mitré is just like Afharmazd, Mitrd is more judicial, Srésh is more vigorous, Rashn is more just, Fravardin is more powerful, Vahram is more victorious, Ram is more pleasing, Vad is more fragrant. 4. Din-pa-Dindé is just like AQharmazd, Diné is more valuable, Ard ' is more beautiful, Astad is purer, Asm4n is more lofty, Zamy4d is more conclusive, Maraspend is more thirty angels and archangels, are extant; one in M6, which has lost §§ 3-5, and the other in a very old MS. in the library of the high-priest of the Parsis at Bombay. This latter, being complete, is here taken as the text, while the variations of M6, which occur in nearly every epithet, are given in the notes. Which version is the oldest can hardly be ascertained with certainty from the state of the MSS. M6 omits this opening benediction.
1 M6 has ‘ more nimble.’
2 M6 has ‘more discriminative.’
5 M6 has ‘more active.’
* M6 has ‘more complete.’
® M6 has ‘ fatter.’
* M6 has ‘more fruitful.’
7 M6 has ‘ Dinéd is more desirous.’
* M6 has ‘more heating.’
® Referring perhaps to the golden channels (Bund. XIII, 4, 5) through which the water of Arédvivsiir (a title of the angel Avan, ‘ waters’) is supposed to flow. M6 has ‘more glittering.’
0 M6 has ‘more embellished.’
"1 M6 has varp4ntar, the meaning of which is uncertain.
1 M6 has ‘ more listening.’ .
13 The version in M6 ends here; the next folio being lost.
™ The same as Arshisang (see Bund. XXII, 4).
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conveying the religion, Antran is the extreme of exertion and listening '. 5. May it be completed in peace and pleasure !
1 M6 has ‘ more listening.’ .
13 The version in M6 ends here; the next folio being lost.
™ The same as Arshisang (see Bund. XXII, 4).
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conveying the religion, Antran is the extreme of exertion and listening '. 5. May it be completed in peace and pleasure !
1 The reading of both these nouns is uncertain. The days of the Parsi month, which bear the names of these thirty angels, are divided, it will be observed, into four nearly equal divisions, resembling weeks, which are here separated in §§ 1-4. The first weekly period begins with a day dedicated to A@harmazd, and called by his own name ; and each of the three other weekly periods also begins with a day dedicated to Aiharmazd, but called by the name of Din, ‘ religion,’ with the name of the following day added as a cognomen. The first week, therefore, consists of the day Afiharmazd followed by six days named after the six archangels respectively (see Bund. I, 23, 26). The second week consists of the day Din-with- Ataré followed by six days named after the angels of fire, waters, the sun, the moon, Mercury, and the primeval ox. The third week consists of the day Din-with-Mitré followed by seven days named after the angels of solar light, obedience, and justice, the guardian spirits, and the angels of victory, pleasure, and wind. And the fourth week consists of the day Dinwith-Diné followed by seven days named after the angels of religion, righteousness, rectitude, the sky, the earth, the liturgy, and the fixed stars.
eel =
INDEX.
OBSERVATIONS.
1, The references in this index are to the pages of the introduction, and to the chapters and sections of the translations; the chapters being denoted by the larger ciphers.
2. References to passages which contain special information are given in parentheses.
3. Though different forms of the same name may occur in the translations, only one form is usually given in the index, to which the references to all forms are attached ; except when the forms differ so much as to require to be widely separated in the index.
4. Pahlavi forms are always given in preference to Pazand and Persian, when only one is mentioned; but where only a Pazand form occurs it is printed in italics, as Pazand orthography is usually corrupt. In all such italicised names any letters, which would elsewhere be italic, are printed in roman type.
5. Abbreviations used are :—Av. for Avesta word; Bd. for Bundahis ; Byt. for Bahman Yast; ch. for chapter of Visparad; com. for commentator and commentary; Gug. for Gugarati; Huz. for Huzviris; Int. for Introduction ; lun. man. for lunar mansion; m. for mountain ; meas. for measure; n for foot-note; Pahl. for Pahlavi; Paz. for Pazand; Pers. for Persian; r. for river; Sl. for Shayast 18-shayast ; trans. for translation; wt. for weight ; zod. for zodiacal constellation ; Zs. for Selections of Zad-sparam.
INDEX.
ABAN, angel, Byt. 2, 59n. See Avan.
Ab-istadah lake, Bd. 22, 5n.
for Pahlavi; Paz. for Pazand; Pers. for Persian; r. for river; Sl. for Shayast 18-shayast ; trans. for translation; wt. for weight ; zod. for zodiacal constellation ; Zs. for Selections of Zad-sparam.
Death, accidental, SI. 10, 32; on a bedstead, SI. 3, 13; 17, 14; on a bridge, S]. 2, 20; on a carpet, Sl. 2, 101; on a cloth, SI. 2, 123 on the ground, SI. 2, 14-16; in a hall, SI. 2, 45; in a house, SI. 2, 38-44; ina jar, SI. 2, 31; on a roof, SI. 2,18, 21; in a room, Sl. 2, 22; when seated, Sl. 2, 24; by strangulation, Sl. 2, 23; 17, 13; on a tree, SI. 3, 25-29; in a vessel, Sl. 9, 7; in a wilderness, SI. 2, 47. ‘