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Pahlavi Texts, Part II — SBE Vol. 18 (trans. E. W. West, 1882)

English·1879–1910·trans. E. W. West·375 passages

The text · part 5 of 18

67. One is this, that 42s defeat in the end is manifest from his contention and aggression (pésza@arth); for the fiend is an aggressor zm an unlawful struggle, and leaving the army of Adharmazd@—subsequently the lawful defender (lakhvarzad4r)—the fiend of violence is a cause of power among those wholly unrequiting the creator zz the world*. 68. If, also, every time that he smites the creatures he is equally axd lawfully beaten once again, it is assuredly evident therefrom that, when their beating azd being beaten are on an equality together, a¢ first he whose hand was foremost was the smiter, and the backward fighter was beaten ; du¢ at last that backward fighter is the smiter, and the foremost fighter becomes beaten'; for when he is

1 K35 has altered dakhshaké, ‘token,’ into dahisn6, ‘creation,’ by changing one letter, and M14 and J have adopted the wrong reading.

® Reading 4igfn dén h4vandth Air 4s dén khadfikd. The drift of these two first reasons seems to be that the fiend, being an invader and outnumbered, must be vanquished in the end.

® Reading zak-f zér drig6 dén-i dadar bara-atégigand-i stis vahand-i nirfké-hédmandih. This phrase seems to have been generally misunderstood by copyists, as both M14 and J] have altered it into something like: ‘when the violence of the fiend is in the hand of the creator, yet even if the motive of the army is so much power.’

* M14 and J omit this clause, from ‘ dus’ to ‘ beaten.’

CHAPTER XXXVII, 66-91. IOI

beaten z# the former combat, ¢here is then a combat again, and his enemy is beaten.

69. One is this, that when the supply of weapons’, the fighting, and the ability of the contenders are equal, the supply of weapons of him who is the beginner (péstd4r) has always sooner disappeared, and, a¢ last, he is unarmed and his Opponent remains armed; and an armed man is known Zo be? victorious over him who zs unarmed, just as one fighting is triumphant ‘over ome not fighting®. 70. And a similitude of it, which is derived from the world, is even such as when each one of two furious ones (Arad) of equal strength, in a fight together, has an arrow, and each one is in fear of the other’s possession of an arrow; and one of them alone shoots 47s arrow, and makes 7¢ reach 47s opponent ; then he is without an arrow, and his opponent, fully mindful of 74, has an arrow, and becomes fearless through possession of the arrow, his own intrepidity, and the lack of arrows and complete terror of that earlier shooter. 71. And as regards mighty deeds he is successful; and though there be as much strength for the earlier fighter a successful termination is undiscoverable for him; despoiled of possession éy him who is later, avd ruined in that which is all-powerful, 47s end azd disappearance are undoubted, clear, azd manifest‘.

1 The term zén6 afzar evidently refers here to the warrior’s stock of arrows and other missiles which were to be expended in battle, so that it is analogous to the modern term ‘ammunition.’

® Mrq has yehevdnéd, ‘becomes, instead of danésté, ‘known.’

* Mrq and J omit these last four words.

‘ The argument, both in this case and the preceding one, is that even when two combatants are equal in power and resources the hasty aggressor is likely to be beaten in the end, and, therefore,

102 DADISTAN-! DINfK.

72. One is this, that owing to the previous nonappearance of the fiend, the coming forward of sickness and death unto the creatures of the sacred beings occurred when the fiend rushed zz, and he rendered the existence of men sickly; he also destroyed and put to death the progeny of animals. 73. Afterwards, through lawfully driving 42m away, sickness and death come in turn (barikiha) unto the demons, and the healthiness' of the righteous and perfect life unto the creatures of the sacred beings, as its counterpart is the great healthiness whzchk comes, more rightly rising, unto the creatures advised by the sacred beings, through united arrangement’.
74. And, in the end, a worldly similitude of the sickness and grievous, complete death for the fiends’, and of the healthiness ad intrinsic (benafsman-Aigfnth) life for the creatures of the sacred beings, is that which occurs when one of two litigants (ham-patk4r), prematurely revengeful, gives to Azs fellow-litigant an irritating poison, and himself eats wholesome flour before the later litigant gives a poison, as an antidote, to the earlier litigant, and himself eats the poison-subduing flour; after which he is cured dy the poison, and his: enemy is dead through the poison of the later flour +.

the inferiority of the fiend is still more likely to lead to his final defeat.

1 Mrq begins a fresh argument here, owing to some misunderstanding of the meaning of the sentence.

? That is, the advantage of driving away the fiend in this life is a counterpart of the blessings attained at the resurrection.

’ The word drfig4né,‘ fiends,’ is omitted in K35, but is evidently necessary to complete the sentence.

‘ This appears to be a description of ordeal by poison and the two usual modes of evading its operation. The hasty evader relies upon deceitfully substituting a wholesome powder for the

CHAPTER XXXVII, 72-78. 103

‘ This appears to be a description of ordeal by poison and the two usual modes of evading its operation. The hasty evader relies upon deceitfully substituting a wholesome powder for the

CHAPTER XXXVII, 72-78. 103

75. One is this, that Adharmacd, the creator, is a manager with omniscient wisdom, ard the contention of the fiend of scornful looks (tar nigtrisn) is through lust of defilement; of united power is the management of that creator, as existing with (hamzik)' all the vigilance in the wisdom which is in everything; and that united power is the strength of the management of heaven. 76. And of much power is the contention of the fiend, as 4zs manifold changing of will—which is hostile to the will of even his own creatures, and is through the weakness and exhausted? strength of an evil nature—is the contending power which forms his visible strength *.

77. One is this, that is, on account of the fiend’s contending ill-advisedly, however strongly the contest is adapted for the damage of his own fiendishness, and regret and bad consequences therefrom are perceptible. 78. Such as the very paralyzing‘ affliction which was appointed (nth4dd) by him poison he has to take; while the more cautious evader trusts to recognising his adversary’s poison by its taste, and selecting another poison as an antidote for both to take, so that the hasty evader suffers through his own deceit in not taking the first poison. Similarly, the fiend is supposed to suffer in the end from the death and destruction which he was the first to introduce into the world.

1 By omitting a phrase Mrq and J have: ‘and the management of the fiend of scornful looks is as z¢ were existing with,’ &c.

3 This is little more than a guess at the meaning of a word
which can be read vashakidé (compare Pers. gas and kasidan).
The whole sentence is rather uncertain.

> The argument is that this unstable power of the fiend cannot permanently stand against the consolidated strength of the creator.

* Adopting J’s reading samakgfintar, but K35 has vasmakgfintar, which may be ‘very troublesome,’ and M14 has samkintar, probably for sahmgintar, ‘ very terrible.’

p. 104

* Adopting J’s reading samakgfintar, but K35 has vasmakgfintar, which may be ‘very troublesome,’ and M14 has samkintar, probably for sahmgintar, ‘ very terrible.’

p. 104

for the creatures of the world in putting the living to death, which he ordered with violence and the hope that it wow/d be Ais greatest triumph. 79. Even that is what is so self-damaging to the same fiend that, when he puts to death him who is wicked, and he who is wicked, who is performing what is desirable for him (the fiend)—that performance of what is desirable dezng the practice of sin—is useless and goes thither where he is penitent of that seduc- ‘tion, the spirit! of the owner (shah) of the sin, whose soul is wicked ?, is righteous, in whose worldly body exist the fetters of pain and darkness; and owing to the unfettering of z¢s hands from that pain it (the spirit) is far away, and goes to heaven, which is the most fortified of fortresses. 80. Fearlessly it fights for it, even as the guardian spirit of Yim the splendid* kept away all trouble (vésam), the guardian spirit of Frédin kept away even those active in vexing‘, avd other guardian spirits of those passed away are enumerated as engaged in the defeat of many fiends.

' That is, the guardian spirit (see Chap. II, 5) which is not rendered wicked by the sin of the soul.

* The phrase min rfiban-i zak darvand is ambiguous, as it might mean ‘which is the soul of that wicked one,’ but this is not reconcileable with the context.

5 See Chap. I], 10. Yim-f shéd6 is the Yimé khshaété of Vend. IT, 43, 45, the Jamshéd of the Shahnamah. The legends here referred to are mentioned in Fravardin Yt. 130-138, where the guardian spirit of Yima is said to withstand the misfortune brought on by the demons, while that of Thraétaona (Fréd{in) withstands various diseases, and those of other heroes withstand various other evils and demons.

* Reading pavan bésh-i# kardaran, but for i& we ought probably to read az, so as to make the phrase correspond to the Av. azi-karstahé dbaéshanghé of Fravardin Yt. 131.

CHAPTER XXXVI, 79-83.° 105

81. One is this, that the most grievous severance that is owing to him (the fiend)? is the production of the mortality of the creatures, in which the afflicting (nizgdn) demon Asté-vida@? is the head of the many Ma4zinitkén demons’, 82. And the propitious creator’s developers weve thus unprovoked (anargénd) when the only person, who is called Gayémara’, was destroyed by him, and came back to the world as a man and a woman whose names were Marhaya and Marhtyéih®; and the propagation ad connection of races were through their next-of-kin marriage of a sister®*. 83. The unlucky’ fiend, while he

1 Instead of zis madam, ‘that is owing to him,’ we ought probably to read zis bar, ‘that is his production;’ the Huz. madam, which is the proper equivalent of the preposition bar, ‘on, according to,’ being wrongly used for the noun bar, ‘produce.’

2 See § 44.

83. The unlucky’ fiend, while he

2 See § 44.

® The MAzainya daéva of the Avesta (see § 44, note).

‘ The sole-created, or primeval, man from whom the whole
human race is said to have sprung (see Chap. II, 10, Bd. III, 14,
17, 19-23, XV, 1, 31).

* The progenitors of the undeformed human race, who are said to have grown up, in the manner of a plant, from the seed of the dead Gayémard (see Bd. XV, 2-5). Their names are derived from Av. mashya mashy46i, ‘the man and woman,’ but the latter form is no longer extant in the Avesta. From Av. mashya we have the Mashya of Bd. XV, 6, and the MAshya of Bd. XV, 11, 19, 20, 30. From its dialectical variant martiya in ancient Pers., which would be marethya in the Avesta (compare Av. mareta, Pers. mard), we have the Marhay4 of our text. And by transposition of the letters rt=reth=rha in these latter forms, we have the Matr6 of Bd. XV, 2 and the Maharth or Mahary4 of Bd. XV, 22, note. Other forms of these names also occur (see Chaps. LXIV, 2, LXV, 2, LXXVII, 4).

® Mrq has ‘of brother and sister,’ but the insertion of the extra word is unnecessary. Regarding khvétud4d, or next-of-kin marriage, see Chap. LXV.

T Reading 14-khagast6; the fiend is certainly ‘unlucky’ here,p. 106 increased offspring and fortune for them through death, so uplifted 42s voice in they presence, about the death of the living oves of their offspring and lineage, that /ogether with the unmeasured destructiveness of the deadly evil spirit, and the unjust contention of his through death and the conveyer of death, the sting also of birth was owing to death. 84. The repetitions of the cry were many, so that the issue (bar) of thousands and thousands of myriads from those two persons, and the multitude passed away, from a number whch is limited and a counterpart (aéd@findih) of the living people in the world, are apparent; and for the annihilation of many fiends, through death, the propitiousness of the contending power of the creator is clear and manifest.

85. One is this, that the most steadfast quality of the demon himself. is darkness, the evil of which is so complete that they shall call the demons also those of a gloomy race. 86. But such is the power in the arms azd resources of the angels, that even the first gloomy darkness in the world is perpetually subdued by the one power really originating with the sun and suitable thereto, and the world is illuminated?.

87. One is this, that the most mischievous weapon of the demons is the habit of self-deception which,

87. One is this, that the most mischievous weapon of the demons is the habit of self-deception which, as by introducing death into the world he merely increases the number of beings who pass into the other world to join his opponents in the end; but the text probably means that he is ‘inauspicious’ and wishes to bring misfortune on mankind.

1 Ast6-vidad (see § 81).

* The argument is that, as the sun is able to subdue darkness, the most constant quality of the fiend, every day, it is probable that the fiend himself will be entirely subdued in the end.

CHAPTER XXXVII, 84-90. 107

on account of rendering the soul wicked thereby, seemed to them as the greatest triumph for themselves, and a complete disaster for the angels. 88. In the great glory of the pure, true religion of the sacred beings is as much strength as is adapted to the full power of the lawlessness and much opposition of falsehood, and also to the fully accurate (arsidd) speaking which is in itself an evidence of the true speaking of every proper truth; and no truth whatever is perverted by it. 89. And the false sayings are many, and good sayings—their opponents through good statement— do not escape from their imperfect truth'; since a similitude of them is that which occurs when, concerning that which is white-coloured, the whole of the truthful speak about z¢s white colour, de¢ as ¢o the liars there are some who speak of its black colour, some of z¢s mud colour, some of z¢s blue colour, some of z¢s bran? colour, some of 7¢s red colour, and some of z¢s yellow colour. 90. And every single statement of each of the truthful is as much evidence, about those several colours of those who are liars, as even the compiled sayings of the Abraham of the Christians’, which are the word of Aim who is also called their Messiah‘, about the

1 Assuming that apdrastih stands for apdr ra4stth; it may, however, be intended for avf-rAstih, ‘want of truth.’ The meaning is that even true statements become perverted by inaccurate speakers.

* Perhaps sapfsag, ‘bran,’ may have originally been sapzag, ‘ green.’

5 Written Abréhim-f Tarsakfgan.

‘ The letter sin Masikha is here written like ai, but the word is correctly written in § gt.

p. 108

* Perhaps sapfsag, ‘bran,’ may have originally been sapzag, ‘ green.’

5 Written Abréhim-f Tarsakfgan.

‘ The letter sin Masikha is here written like ai, but the word is correctly written in § gt.

p. 108

Son of the Supreme Being’; thus, they recount that the Son, who is not less than the Father, is himself He, the Being whom they consider undying. 91. One falsehood they tell about the same Messiah is that he died, and one falsehood they tell is that he did not die; it is a falsehood for those who say he did not die, azd for those who say he did die; wherefore did he not die, when 4e zs not dead ?. and wherefore is it said he did not die, when he is mentioned as dead?? 92. Even the compilation itself is an opponent to its own words, for, though it said 4e is dead, it spoke unto one not dead; and though e is not dead, it spoke unto ome dead. 93. The proper office (g4s) of a compiler and mutilator*—through whose complete attainments the demons of like power as to the force of truth are strengthened, azd the pure, good religion of the Mazda-worshippers is itself dissipated and rendered useless for itself—is a habit (d4dd) growing with

' The phrase is barmand-i dad, literally ‘son of the created one,’ unless we assume that d4d is taken as a name of God. It is, however, quite conceivable that a priest would be reluctant to admit that a strange god could be anything better than a created being. That dad is here used as a noun, and not with the meaning of ‘gift’ or ‘law,’ appears from the subsequent phrase dadé-i amirakdé yakhsenund, ‘the created ove whom they consider undying.’

* Owing to the frequent repetitions of the same words in these phrases they are specially liable to corruption by copyists, but as they stand in K35 they can hardly be translated otherwise than as questions. M14 and J have an altered text which may be translated as follows :—‘ for whomever he did not die, when dead, he ts ag dead; for whomever it is said he died, he zs so when he is mentioned as dead;’ but this seems no improvement of the text.

5 Referring to those who compile commentaries and mutilate texts to suit their own views.

CHAPTER XXXVII, 91-95. 109

the fiend; and, as he is seen éo de victorious who overturns reliance on changeableness and similar powers, the final disruption of forces is a disruption of peculiarities (khddth vishdépisnd)*.

94. One is this, that is, even that prodigious devastation of which it is declared that it happens through the rain of Malkés?, when, through snow, immoderate cold, avd the unproductiveness of the world, most mortals die; avd even the ¢hznzs attainable by mortals are attended with threatenings of scarcity. 95. Afterwards—as among the all-wise, preconcerted remedies (pés 4#4rth) of the beneficent spirit? such a remedy was established (and ~ nihad dr) that ¢here zs one of the species of lands, that is called ‘the enclosure formed by

95. Afterwards—as among the all-wise, preconcerted remedies (pés 4#4rth) of the beneficent spirit? such a remedy was established (and ~ nihad dr) that ¢here zs one of the species of lands, that is called ‘the enclosure formed by

1 The argument is that even heterodoxy, ‘the most mischievous weapon’ of the fiend (see § 87), must fail in the end, because, like other revolutions, it relies on constant change, which implies want of permanency.

® Malkés4né, ‘of Malkés,’ is a denominative adjective derived from Chald. wipbo ‘autumnal rain.’ The deluging rain of Malkés is supposed to usher in the dreadful winter foretold to Yima in Vend. II, 46-56, when all, or nearly all, living creatures were to perish, a truly glacial epoch. In a Persian paraphrase of the Bahman Yast (see Byt. Introd. p. lix) this period of Malkés is described as follows:—‘As three hundred years have elapsed from the time of Hfishédar (Byt. III, 44-49), the period of Malkés comes on; and the winter of Malkés is such that, owing to the cold and snow which occur, out of a myriad of men in the world only one will remain, and the trees and shrubs all become withered, and the quadrupeds, whether carrying, walking, leaping, or grazing, will all utterly die. Then, by command of God, they will come from the enclosure formed by Yim, and the men and quadrupeds from that place spread over Iran, and make the world populous a second time, and it is the beginning of the millennium of Hfshédar(-méh).’

® The formation of the enclosure was ordered, as a precaution, by Aftharmagd (see Vend. II, 61-92).

p. 110

Yim!,’ through which, by orders issued by Yim the splendid and rich in flocks, the son of Vivangha?, the world is again filled—men of the best races, animals of good breeds, the loftiest trees, avd most savoury (kharegist4n6) foods, zz that manner came back miraculously for the restoration of the world; which new men are suéstituted for the former created beings, which is an upraising of the dead. 96. Likewise from that miracle is manifested the nonattainment of the evil spirit to the universal control of the glory of the creator for every purpose.

97. One is this, that—when the heterodox (dtisdinéd) Dahak‘, on whom most powerful demons and fiends in the shape of serpents are winged, escapes from the fetters of FrédQn, and, through witchcraft, remains a demon even to the demons® and

1 Reading Yim-kard var, but these words are corrupted in three different ways in the three MSS. consulted. This enclosure is said to have been in the middle of Pars in Bd. XXIX, 14.

2 Av. Vivanghau (see Bd. XXXI, 2).

8 That is, a type of the resurrection.

consulted. This enclosure is said to have been in the middle of Pars in Bd. XXIX, 14.

2 Av. Vivanghau (see Bd. XXXI, 2).

8 That is, a type of the resurrection.

‘ The Av. Azi Dah4@ka, ‘destructive serpent,’ slain by Thraétaona. In later times he was converted into a usurping king, or dynasty, the Dha‘h‘hak of the Shahnamah, who conquered Yim (Jamshéd) and, after a reign of a thousand years, was defeated by Fréd(in (Thraétaona) and fettered under Mount Dimavand ; whence he is to escape during the millennium of Hshédar-m4h to devastate the world, till he is finally slain by the hero Keresasp, who is revived for the purpose (see Bd. XXIX, 8, 9, XXXI, 6, Byt. III, 56-61).

5 That is, attached to the shoulders like wings; referring to the serpents said to have grown from the shoulders of Dahak.

* Mrq alters shéd4n, ‘demons,’ into géh4n, ‘ world,’ so as to read ‘through the demon of witchcraft remains a destroyer unto the world.’ The alteration in the Pahlavi text is small, but seems unnecessary.

CHAPTER XXXVII, 96-100. Ill

a destroyer—a mighty man wo is roused! up beforehand from the dead, and is called Keresdsp the SAmdn?, crushes that fiendishness with a club consisting of a cypress tree, and brings that Dahak through wholesome fear to the just law of the sacred beings’.

98. One is this, that these, which are adzstinct from those born and the men who have laboured together, Asté-vidad* has not obtained, nor even will obtain, for death; and through the power of immortals, and the action of the good discourses (hd-sakhunagAnth)*®, they urge on to the sacred beings ¢hose who are inquiring (kav-hémand), even to the immortality which is the renovation of the other creatures. 99. One, which ts where the mingled conflict of the meeting of good and evil occurs*, is the glorious good-yielding one of the creator which is guarded by purity, so that the fiend as not attained to injuring 7¢, since it is pronounced fo ée the uninjured ox which is called Hadhayas’, 100. Also the long life which

' Reading angés6i-aité, instead of the unintelligible angidiaitd.

® See Chap. XVII, 6.

* Dah4k and all other heinous offenders are said to undergo a special punishment for three nights at the resurrection, and are then finally purified by passing through molten metal like the rest of mankind (see Bd. XXX, 16, 20).

* See § 44.

5 Perhaps referring to the liturgical recitations.

* In the atmosphere apparently (see Bd. I, 4).

7 Written Hadhay&m here, but Hadhaydas in § rr9, Chaps. XLVIII, 34, XC, 4, and Hadhayés or Hadhay4vs in Bd. XIX, 13, XXX, 25, though always in Pazand. It is also called Sarsaok, or Srisaok, in Bd. XV, 27, XVII, 4, XIX, 13, always in Pazand, and this name is converted into Pahl. Srfivé in Zs. XI, 10.

p. 112

XLVIII, 34, XC, 4, and Hadhayés or Hadhay4vs in Bd. XIX, 13, XXX, 25, though always in Pazand. It is also called Sarsaok, or Srisaok, in Bd. XV, 27, XVII, 4, XIX, 13, always in Pazand, and this name is converted into Pahl. Srfivé in Zs. XI, 10.

p. 112

is through its all-controlling power! until they cause the end to occur, and the devourers of fires are subdued by it — deszdes the whole strength of the unboasting (afm) creatures of the beneficent spirit, after they live even without eating?—is because of the Hém that is white*® and the promoter (frashm) of perfect glory, which possesses the wholesomeness of the elixir of immortality, and through it the living become ever-living. ror. And also as many more specially pure glorious owes whose enumeration would be tedious *.

102. One is this, that the struggle of the evil one and the demons wth the creatures is not precisely the existence of varzous kinds of contest, but

It is said to be an ox which never dies till it is slaughtered at the resurrection, so that its fat may form one of the ingredients of the elixir of immortality which all men have then to taste; it is also said that mankind, in ancient times, crossed the ocean on its back, when going to settle in the other regions of the earth. From what is stated in the text it may be supposed to be some form of cloud myth, but it is not mentioned in the extant portion of the Avesta, unless ‘the ox Hadhayés’ be taken as a corruption of gAus hudhau, ‘the well-yielding ox,’ and Sarsaok as connected with Pers. srisk,‘a drop,’ and referring to showers of rain; but this is very uncertain.

1 The power of the white Hém mentioned below.

® As, it is said, they will do for ten years before Sésh4ns, the last apostle, appears to prepare for the resurrection (see Chap. XXXV, 3, Bd. XXX, 3).

5 A tree said to grow in the ocean, the juice of which is the other ingredient of the elixir of immortality; it is also called Gékarn, ‘or Gékard, Av. gaokerena, and is guarded by ten enormous fish (see Bd. XVIII, 1-3, XXVII, 4, XXX, 25).

‘ The existence of such immortal creatures, said to be intended for special use at the resurrection, is here taken as a proof of the reality of the resurrection itself, Whether the seven immortals described in Chap. XC are to be included among them is uncertain.

CHAPTER XXXVII, 101-106. 113

by natural operation and through desire of deceit}.

103. And the demon of slander (spazg), whose nature it is to make the indignation (zéhar) of the creatures pour out, one upon the other, about nothing, as he does not succeed in making z¢ pour out among the righteous’, he makes the wicked even pour z¢ out upon the wicked; azd as he does not succeed even in making z¢ pour out among the wicked, he makes a demon pour z¢ out upon a demon. 104. The impetuous assailant, Wrath (Aeshm), as he does not succeed in causing strife among the righteous, flings discord and strife amid the wicked ; azd when he does not succeed as to the strife even of the wicked, he makes the demons and fiends fight together. 105. So also the demon of greediness (426), when he does not attain, in devouring, to that of the good, mounts? by his own nature unto devouring that of the demons.
106. So also the deadly Asté-vidad* is ever an antagonistic operator; when ¢heve is no righteous one who is mortal, nor any creatures in the world, the wicked dying ove (mfrak) rides to the fiends through a death which is an antagonism of himself.

1 That is, the demons do not come into personal conflict with material creatures, but are supposed to influence their evil passions and to pervert the original laws of nature.

* M14 omits the passage from this word to the same word in § 104.

* The word s6b4ré&d%, ‘ rides, mounts,’ both here and in § 106, is possibly only a miswriting of the very similar word dibaréd6, ‘runs, rushes.’ Several words in this sentence are accidentally omitted in Mr4.

* See § 44.

5 As it is uncertain whether the ‘ dying one’ is a human being or the demon himself, it is doubtful which of them is here supposed to commit suicide. M14 and J have merely: ‘nor even among the

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p. 114

* See § 44.

5 As it is uncertain whether the ‘ dying one’ is a human being or the demon himself, it is doubtful which of them is here supposed to commit suicide. M14 and J have merely: ‘nor even among the

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p. 114

107. The means of the united forces! are means such as the wise and the high-priests ave proclaimed, that is, at the time of the renovation of the universe® being nigh, when completion 4as come to generation—those who were provided dezng born —and after they occasion freedom from generation (azerkhdnisnih), they cause men axd animals to exist, though passed away and dead. 108. All men, righteous and wicked, who continue in the world become immortal, the men are righteous whom Ast6vidad does not obtain for death by evil noosing (das-vadisn6d)? from behind, and who have completely attained to the rules of the sacred beings (yang-! yazd4n); axd the soul of the wicked, which is repentant of deceit, turns back upon the demons and fiends themselves all that previous violence of destruction and perversion, contention and blinding* which is natural to a demon, and they fight, and strike, and tear, and cause to tear, and destroy among themselves (benafsman vad creatures of the sacred beings those which are an antagonism of himself ;’ apparently connecting this section with the next. This final argument is that, as the demons by their very nature must injure their friends if they fail with their enemies, they contain within themselves the source of their own final destruction. In other words: ‘if Satan rise up against himself, and be divided, he cannot stand, but hath an end’ (Mark iii. 26).

' The army of angels of §§ 58, 64. The author, having exhausted his arguments in favour of the final triumph of the good creation, now returns to his description of the issue of the contest, which he was about to commence in § 64.

* Mr4 and J omit the following words as far as ‘ provided.’

* See Chap. XXIII, 3.

“ Or, perhaps, ‘concealment,’ as there is some doubt whether afibénidarih means ‘making unseeing, or making unseen.’

CHAPTER XXXVII, 107-112. II5

benafsman) so long as they are in hell and numerous.

* Mr4 and J omit the following words as far as ‘ provided.’

* See Chap. XXIII, 3.

“ Or, perhaps, ‘concealment,’ as there is some doubt whether afibénidarih means ‘making unseeing, or making unseen.’

CHAPTER XXXVII, 107-112. II5

benafsman) so long as they are in hell and numerous.

109. The wicked who are penitent become courageous anew as to the demon who perverts, the living occasion strength!, avd the retribution of the hellish existence of the wicked is completed, because the increase of sins?, owing to the sin which they committed, ceases. 110. They are let out from hell, though their sins are thus accumulated by the demons; they have also prepared® the spirit of sin by the three days zz molten metal‘, which drives away tears, as its name is owing to the lessening of tears®, which is all® in that which occurs when all the doers of actions for the demon of falsehood? pass through that preparation. 111. And 4e who, for three days, thus bathes (vushakéd%) his sins which are owing to the fiend, and das destroyed the filth (¢akhd) of the accumulated sins, is like ¢hose who have passed off axd turned over a burden.

112. And the impotence of sin is owing to the destroyer of the fiend by the perception of light,

1 That is, the wicked who are still living, being penitent, reinforce the host of the righteous.

8 Referring probably to the ‘ growth of sin’ mentioned in Chaps.
XI, 2, XII, 5.

* That is, ‘ purified.’

« All men are said to be purified, at the time of the resurrection, by passing through melted metal, which seems like warm milk to the righteous, but is a final torment to the wicked (see Chap. XXXII, 12,13, Bd. XXX, 19, 20).

® This would seem to allude to some Avesta name of this molten metal, which is no longer extant.

* We should probably read ham4i, ‘ever,’ instead of hamak, ‘all.’

7 Reading zfir, but it may be zér, ‘violence.’

I 2

116 DADISTAN-{ DfNfK.

who was their creator!; they (men) all see all, they all forgive, and they all are powerful as regards all things for the creator. 113. And, moreover, after the three days, when they occur, all the creatures of the good creator are purified axd pure by the perfect washing passed through, by the most amazing preparation ordained (bakht6), azd by the most complete account they render complete. 114. And they are triumphant over the fiend through their own weapons, through their own driving away of their own littleness (kAsvidarth), and the glory of the creator and that of the angels; and since he becomes exhausted in resources (dén #4r) they make Aim become extinct.

114. And they are triumphant over the fiend through their own weapons, through their own driving away of their own littleness (kAsvidarth), and the glory of the creator and that of the angels; and since he becomes exhausted in resources (dén #4r) they make Aim become extinct.

115. But previously? they are attacked, and dispersed, and subdued, and this even fully painfully and with complete experience; and they aid, through backward goodness, in the antagonism of means which are separated divergently, through scattered resources and subdued strength, like the life from the body of worldly mortals, and this, moreover, confusedly, uselessly, and unmovingly.
116. But the abode*® for the essential material existence (sti-f 4iharik6), about which ¢here is a seeking for interment‘, is not powerless, and on enquiring the wishes of such numbers® they have

1 That is, the destroyer of the fiend was the creator of the men mentioned in § 108. The reading sin4sndé, ‘perception,’ is uncertain; perhaps we ought to read ‘in the regions (divagan6) of light.’

* That is, before the purification in molten metal.

’ The ‘body,’ apparently, but this section is by no means clear.

* This must be on the part of the fiend, as burial is unlawful.

5 Perhaps the meaning is that the fiend is at length overcome by the constantly accumulating numbers of the penitent wicked.

CHAPTER XXXVII, 113-119. 117

cast Aim out; and no share whatever, zor fragment of a share, of fiendishness, zor even so much as some morsel of unpardonableness sent by fiendishness, remains in this light.

117. Those who are righteous, intelligent through their own glory of religion—which is a spirit! in the form of light—are scattered (parvandag-aitd) equally around the sky of skies, when from every single side of it ¢here arises, for the sake of margin, three ¢zmes as much space as the earth created by Atthaymazd, in the preparation of the creatures which were created by him, 118. Through his own will he again constructs the bodies of the evil creation, unlaboriously, easily, and full-gloriously, though their construction is even from the clay of Afishd4stér?, and their moisture is from the purified water of Arekdvisir® the undefiled.
119. And from that which is a good protector through him, and which is also connected wth

1 The handsome maiden who is supposed to meet the departed soul, and whose form is an embodiment of its own deeds and religion (see Chaps. XXIV, 5, XLIV, 20). Or, perhaps, the angel of religion (Din) itself, which is reverenced for its radiance and glory in Din Yt. 4.

2 A mythical mountain (see Chap. XXX, 2).

XXIV, 5, XLIV, 20). Or, perhaps, the angel of religion (Din) itself, which is reverenced for its radiance and glory in Din Yt. 4.

2 A mythical mountain (see Chap. XXX, 2).

5 The mythical source of pure water which is said to flow from Mount Albfirz into Lake Urvis on the summit of Mount Hfgar, and thence to Mount Afdsindém in the wide-formed ocean, whence it partly flows into the ocean, and partly rains upon the earth (see Bd. XIII, 1, 3-5). Much the same account of it is given in Chap. XCII, 5, only the lake is said to be on the summit of Mount Adsindém. It is the Av. Ardvi sfra of the Aban Yt., and the ‘Pahl, form ArekdvisGr = Aregdvisir may be explained as a transposition of Aredgvisfr, an ordinary mispronunciation of Ardvt stra. Modern Parsis, who consider the Pahl. k as silent (or merely a soft aspirate) after a vowel, would pronounce Aredvisir.

118 DADISTAN-! DINiK.

him, even from the Hadhayas ox’, is the strength of everlasting welfare (véhgarih) azd immortality ; and the living are again produced for the body, they have immortal life, azd they become hungerless and thirstless, undecaying azd undying, undistressed and undiseased, ever-living ad ever-beneficial.

120. After the renovation of the universe there is no demon, because ¢here is no deceit; and no fiend, because there is no falsity; ¢here is no evil spirit (angramin6), because there is no destruction ; there is no hell, because there is no wickedness; ¢here is no strife, because there is no anger; ¢here is no hatred, because there is no ill-temper (dazth); there is no pain, because there is no disease.
121. Zhere is also no Dahak?, because there is no fear; ¢here is no want, because there is no greediness ; ¢heve is no shame, because there is no deformity; ¢here is no falsehood*, because there is no desire of falsehood; there is no heterodoxy, because there are no false statements; and ¢here is no tardiness, because z¢ speaks of a dilatory (sust6) race in that which is said thus: ‘ 7ey are all those of evil thoughts, of evil words, of evil deeds, a race of all evils to be made to tear by the evil spirit.’

122. And on his (the demon’s) disappearance every evil has disappeared, on the disappearance of evil every good is perfected, and in the time of complete goodness it is not possible to occasion (andaékhtand) any pain or distress whatever, by any means, to any creature. 123. Those who are present (nunak) sufferers‘, when ¢here is a blow of

1 See § go. * See § 97.
5 Mrgq and J omit what follows, as far as ‘ heterodoxy.’

* Literally ‘ attainers to endurance.’

CHAPTER XXXVII, 120-128. 119

123. Those who are present (nunak) sufferers‘, when ¢here is a blow of

1 See § go. * See § 97.
5 Mrgq and J omit what follows, as far as ‘ heterodoxy.’

* Literally ‘ attainers to endurance.’

CHAPTER XXXVII, 120-128. 119

a fist on the body, or the point of a nail (tékh bdrak) is driven into a limb, are pained on account of the combination (ham-d4dakth) of a different nature for the purposes of the fiend in the body. 124. But at that time of no complication (ahamyakhtih), when a limb is struck upon a limb, or even such @ thing as a knife, or sword, or club, or stone, oy arrow reaches the body, ¢here is no pain or discomfort whatever corresponding to that present pain, 125. And at that time one consideration (vustd-aé) occurs, for now the pain from that beating and striking is always owing to that different nature, and on account of ther being suitable Zo 22, but at that time everything dezng of like nature and like formation ¢here is never any distress. .

126. And in that most happy time they let the sun, moon, and luminaries exist, but ¢here is no need for a return of the day and a removal of z¢s going forth (frashm)', for the world is a dispenser (vakht4r) of all light, and all creatures, too, are brilliant; those luminaries also become as it were perfectly splendid for them. 127. And every creature, too, is of like will and like power; whichever were mortals, unenvious of the welfare of all creatures, are alike joyous, and that shave of their position and pleasure rejoices ¢hem which has come to them from the glory of all ¢he existences and capabilities of him, the all-good, who is aware of all of everything through his own perfect persistence and complete resources.

128. And he allots, to the doers of good works

1 The ‘going forth’ of the day or the sun means its disappearance or going away, and is an Avesta phrase. The sun is supposed to be ‘forth’ when it is absent, not when it appears.

120 DADISTAN-{ DINiK.

and the suitable ranks, the power of a judge (dadak6), wealthiness, goodness, and the directorship (radih) of what is intended. 129. He zs the designer of what is intended, as it is said about his creatures and capability that fire is producing wind, fire is producing water, and fire is producing earth; wind is producing fire, wind is producing water, and wind is producing earth; water is producing fire, water is producing wind, and water is producing earth; earth is producing fire, earth is producing wind, and earth is producing water. 130. The spirit is both the cause of spirit and the cause of matter (stts) ; and the cause of matter, too, is also the cause of spirit, through that perpetual capability.

130. The spirit is both the cause of spirit and the cause of matter (stts) ; and the cause of matter, too, is also the cause of spirit, through that perpetual capability.

131. And, moreover, all the angels, the souls, and the guardian spirits are attending to the wishes of the glory of the creator and the commands of the creator, without trouble avd fully rejoicing, in likeness unto the forms of seas, rivers, mountains, trees, and waters!; and they have comforted and decorated the creation. 132. And the angels, souls, and guardian spirits, themselves also the constituted spirits of a former contact with life, are thereby pleased and rejoiced; eternal azd thoroughly prepared they are naturalised in that complete joy.

CuaPteR XXXVIII.

1. As ¢o the thirty-seventh question and reply, that which you ask is thus: The measure that they

All objects being supposed to be represented by guardian spirits in the other world.

CHAPTER XXXVII, 129—-XXXVIII, 4. I2I

measure good works wth dezng revealed’, how is it then when there is more, or not, done by us ?

2. The reply is this, that every thought, word, and deed whose result is joy, happiness, and commendable recompense—when a happy result is obtainable, and the exuberance (afzfind) of thought, word, and deed is important—is well-thought, wellsaid, and well-done. 3. And for him the result of whose wish for good works is conclusively joy and exaltation of soul—which are his attainment of recompense from the constantly-beneficial space’, the immortal azd unlimited, which shall never perish —there is no measure of the multitude of good works. 4. For every one by whom many are performed, and who engages in still more, appropriates the result more fully, and is more worthy ; dz¢ it is not obtained for the completion of that which is a definite measure, therefore he does not obtain still more, and it is not necessary he should; and it is, moreover, not obtained even for the completion of a limit of unlimitedness‘*.

1 They are balanced against the sins committed (see Chaps. XIII, 2-4, XXIV, 5, 6); if the good works exceed the sins by a very smal] quantity the soul is supposed to go to the ordinary heaven (vahist6), but if by a quantity sufficient to balance one unatonable sin it goes to the best existence, or supreme heaven (gar6¢dm4né, see Sls. VI, 3, 4). Mr14 and J have merely: ‘The measure for good works deing revealed.’

3 The three characteristics of good works.

® See Chaps. XXVI, 3, XXXI, 24, XXXVII, 22.

* The good works in excess of the quantity necessary for admitting the soul into the supreme heaven cannot affect the destination of the soul, but they add to its future enjoyment (see Chap. VIII, 4), and no limit can be assigned to the quantity that can be thus absorbed.

122 pApisTAn-! DINIK.

CuaPrer XXXIX.

VIII, 4), and no limit can be assigned to the quantity that can be thus absorbed.

122 pApisTAn-! DINIK.

CuaPrer XXXIX.

1. As Zo the thirty-eighth question and reply, that which you ask is thus: What are the reason and cause of tying oz the sacred thread-girdle (ksttk5)? which, when they shall tie z¢ on is said ¢o de so greatly valuable, and when they shall not tie z¢ the sin is so grievous ?

2. The reply is this, that the all-good, most spiritual of spirits, and most ruling of rulers is the creator, and there is no need of troubles for men of the poor as to any wealth ov anything, for all are his own. 3. And through his will as ruler, and allpowerful, he demands this of men, to remain properly

’ The Kfsttk (Pers. kustf) consists of a string, about the size of a stay-lace, which is first passed twice round the waist very loosely, over the sacred shirt (see Chap. XL, 2), and tied in front with a loose double knot (right-handed and left-handed), and the long ends are then passed a third time round the waist and tied again behind with a similar double knot. This string contains six strands, each consisting of twelve very fine, white, woollen threads twisted together, or seventy-two threads in all. Near each end the six strands are braided together, instead of being twisted, and for the last inch they are braided into three separate string-ends of two strands each; these string-ends, therefore, contain twenty-four threads each, and form a kind of fringed end to the string. This fringe is a sort of remembrancer, as its six strands are supposed to symbolize the six Gahanbars or season-festivals, the twelve threads in each strand symbolize the twelve months, the twenty-four threads in each string-end symbolize the twenty-four kardaks or sections of the Visparad, and the seventy-two threads in the whole string symbolize the seventy-two has or chapters of the Yasna. The girdle has to be re-tied every time the hands have been washed, which, in order to comply with the ceremonial laws, occurs many times in the day; and each time it has to be done with ceremony and a particular formula of prayer (see § 27).

CHAPTER XXXIX, I-5. I23

skirted! as a true servant not even bound—which is due to that service, and also the indication of a servant—as is seen and clearly declared in the everfixed (ham4t-d4d6) religion and belief.

CHAPTER XXXIX, I-5. I23

skirted! as a true servant not even bound—which is due to that service, and also the indication of a servant—as is seen and clearly declared in the everfixed (ham4t-d4d6) religion and belief.

4. Formerly men paid homage through the will and worship, as z¢ were more effectually, more essentially, and more suitably for the discreet; and every day spent in worship offered and homage paid they account as of the greatest use, particularly for observing the world, and understanding z¢s character.
5. And as ¢o him of whose offering of homage no worldly advantage whatever is apparent—as fruit is apparent from trees, flavour from foods, fragrance from aromatic herbs, tint (b4m) from colours, the good quality of spears from the forest, health from the patient (mélvarak4n), and decision from words —but, audibly speaking, 42s head is lowered in sign of humility—as though the head, which is uppermost in the body and in the most pre-eminent Aosz¢zon, and is lowered as far even as the sole of the foot, which is lowermost in the body, salutes? axd is placed on the ground in thought about worship and desire of paying homage—and the appearance which exists as regards himself through ¢ha¢ lowliest (kthast6) servitude is 2% accordance with that which is apparent from trees, food, and the many other worldly advantages defore recited—whoever as offered homage and such advantageous (vésisnak6) appearance

1 That is, fully clad, as going about uncovered is a sin (see Chap. XL, 4). On occasions of ceremony, and for the purpose of showing extraordinary respect, the Parsis wear an extra longskirted robe.

? Reading drfiddéd, but the orthography is unusual and the word, therefore, uncertain.

124 pApIsTAN-f piniK.

is manifest—even then that sign of humility azd servitude is what great multitudes consider the offering of homage of a man more essential for hypocrisy (shéd6)}.

6. But owing to that which Aappens when they plant a tree in the name of a sacred being? and eat the produce, and practise other worldly labour of worldly advantage, owing also to work of this kind through the doing of which they preserve all the growing crops of the whole world, and through tillage and multitudinous cultivated plots (khdstakth4) z¢ is manifest that they should meditate inwardly (dén mindyén)*% 7. A token azd sign of worship is of great use, and a great assistance (bangisn6) therein is this belt (band), which is called the Kdsttk, that is tied on the middle of the body.

8. The reasons of the assistance are numerous ; and its first assistance is this, that as zo him who— as a worshipper of the sacred beings, owing to the undeceitful (akadb4) religion whose indication is sagaciously propitiating with the purifying cup*— wears upon the body that spiritual, customary, and

1 The author is here adopting his most involved style of writing, which, in the original Pahlavi, is often hardly intelligible, and particularly apt to be misunderstood; but the object of this section seems to be to deprecate the Muhammadan practice of frequent prostrations during prayer, which are in marked contrast to the slight obeisances made by the Parsis.

2 Whether yédaté means ‘an angel,’ or ‘God,’ is here uncertain.

’ The argument is that the growth of plants is so obviously occasioned by some unseen power that it naturally leads to meditation, and then to prayer.

“ The words d4nisntkd levatman-tastik-shn4yin seem to refer to the Bareshnfim ceremony of purification, described in Vend. IX, 1-145 (see App. IV), which is a rite eminently characteristic of Magda-worship.

CHAPTER XXXIX, 6-11. 125

doctrinal indication of the sacred beings with a wisdom which is truly religion, 47s steadfastness and religious service of the sacred beings are audibly spoken thereby; even for the religious z¢ is commanded, because 2¢ is an assisting motive of beneficial high-priests and such-like submitters ¢o the commands of the religion of the sacred beings.

g. One is this, that, as the lowliest servant and greatest lord are steadily agreed, and 7¢ zs beneficial! when they (the servants) wear a belt upon the body as a sign of service—because z¢ is not the custom to grant that little at any time without guardianship —the lapse of which service is also not a beneficial lapse, then those unbound are without a token of the lord’s service.

10. One is this, that it is commanded in revelation to keep thought, word, and deed confined from sin by a belt, and just like a servant; for the sake of confinement of sins from purity of thought, whose dwelling is the heart, ove is to wear the same belt, which is the token of a servant, oz the middle of the body and before the heart; and the periodical (hangamik4n6) sight of the token and sign of confined sins, and of the constant reminder for one’s own mind, is the necessity of wearing z¢ as a belt which is very restraining from the sin in thought, word, and deed that is manifest even in experience ; which wearing of the same belt is as a reason and cause of much remembrance of much sin, that in the same way is therefore a restraint of it.

11. One is this, that the ancients acquainted with religion ave communicated these tidings (srébd)

1 Reading spenék, but it may be sazd4k, ‘seemly.’

126 DADISTAN-! DINfK.

11. One is this, that the ancients acquainted with religion ave communicated these tidings (srébd)

1 Reading spenék, but it may be sazd4k, ‘seemly.’

126 DADISTAN-! DINfK.

unto our ancestors azd to us :—‘ When the destroyer came upon the creatures, the demons and witches (parik6) especially rushed up in the earth and atmosphere, and even to just below the position of the stars; and they saw multitudes of luminaries, and also the barricade avd rampart? of the glory of the religion, and the girdle (parvand)? of the wishes and good works of all, when® it is arrayed like a brilliant ¢hvcad-girdle (kQstik), and all its luminaries are girded (parvasts) by the girdle as the girdle of the omniscient wisdom has girded the all-intelligent angels,’ 12. That great glory of the pure religion, solving doubts, became as beautiful and far-adorning as is stated in the liturgy (m4nsar) thus: ‘The star-studded girdle (ayivyah4ng4n6) of the spiritfashioned, good religion of the Mazda-worshippers*.’ 13. All the demons and fiends weve terrified by the great glory of the religion, azd zt zs said that, by the recital, practice, azd promulgation of the whole routine of the enlightened religion, all those fiends are subdued, azd the renovation of the universe is produced by the will of the patron spirits (ahv4n). 14. Likewise, on account of that terror, none of the demons and fiends, who are the mightiest of the demons, rushed upon the creatures of that uppermost third of the sky®, who are in purity and inde-

* See Chap. XXXVII, 47.

2 It is not certain that parvand signifies ‘a girdle,’ or that parvastand means ‘to gird,’ but they seem to be used in that sense here. The former word translates Av. paurvanim, ‘leading the Pleiades’ (Haug’s Essays, p. 182), in Yas. IX, 81, an epithet applied to the belt of Orion.

3 Mrq has ‘ which.’

* Quoted from Pahl. Yas. IX, 81 (see Chap. XXXVII, 48).

® See Chap. XXXVII, 24-27.

CHAPTER XXXIX, 12-17. 127

structibility. 15. And it (the girdle) is commanded in revelation for men, more particularly for upholders of the religion}, 4o de within the middle third and near to the uppermost third of the body’.

16. One zs this, that Yim the splendid, soz of Vivangha?, who in 4zs worldly career was most prosperous in worldly affairs, a keeper away of all agitations of temper‘ axd all death, and a provider of freedom from decay and exemption from death, when he was deceived by the fiend was thereby made eager for supreme sovereignty instead of the service of Athaymazd,. 17. And about his administration (d4d@4rih) of the creatures z¢ is said he himself became cut® away from radiant glory by that fiendishness*, and their cause of wandering

1 Mrgq continues as follows :—‘through that girdle (parvand) of the religion, and a thread-girdle (kQstik6), from the region of the world and religious 7” character, is put on within the middle third,’ &c.

® Some words are evidently here missing in the Pahl. text, including the first word of the next section. The reason here given for the girdle being worn round the waist, just below the uppermost third of the body, is that the impregnable barrier of heaven (of which the girdle is a counterpart) is said to be just below the uppermost third of the sky.

® See Chap. XXXVII, 80, 95.

* Reading vispd khéi-séran, but we might perhaps read vispdan sahér4n, ‘all oppressors,’ assuming that sahdér stands for Av. sAthra, a term applied to some particular tribe of another religion which was under the rule of Yim and his two predecessors (see Zamyad Yt. 26, 28, 31). Another possible reading is vispoan yékhvar4n, ‘all frosts.’

5 Assuming that khvQdak6 stands for khfidaké, but the word is uncertain.

* The particular kind of fiendishness that led Yim astray in his old age (like Solomon) was lying, that is, denial of the truth of his religion. In consequence of this apostasy the royal glory departed from him, and he allied himself to the demons in the

128 pApisTAn-{ pfNntk.

(gartnisnd) is the demon, and mankind perishes in that wandering from plain and hill-side’. 18. And his pardon originated from the fully-persistent creator; therefore he spoke azd gave advice unto his successors as to the retribution of those wo shall abandon the service of the creator; and therein is explained about the fortress of the angels’, with the many proper actions which are the strength of the fortress, and about the proportional way it is strengthened when a belt worn on the waist is ordered for men éy him—the fully glorious ruler who was lord of the world, and also in gloriousness wellbetokening the good creation—and they?® likewise order 77.

19. One is this, that just as through that reason‘, which is an appointment (padé-dahisn6) that the sacred beings decreed, the sacred thread-girdle was worn even before the coming of Zarattst the Spftaman, so after the coming of that messenger(vakhsvar) of the sacred beings, the righteous Zarattist—who enjoined the commands of the good spirits azd the exposition of the religion, with discourse praising the sacred beings and scriptures (avist4k6) about steadfastness in the good religion—the same religious girdle is put on, with a religious formula’, around

617th year of his reign, and remained in their power for most of
the remaining century of his life (see Zamy4d Yt. 31-38, Bd. XXIII,
1, XXXIV, 4).

1 Assuming that dastd stands for Pers. dast, and varfvaké for Pers. garivah; otherwise, we may read ‘from dignity and the hovel (vari#ak6), meaning that they perish from all ranks, instead of all places.

3 The rampart of heaven (see § 11).

8 His successors. * As detailed in § 18.

5 The Nirang-i Kusti (see § 27).

CHAPTER XXXIX, 18-21. 129

garivah; otherwise, we may read ‘from dignity and the hovel (vari#ak6), meaning that they perish from all ranks, instead of all places.

3 The rampart of heaven (see § 11).

8 His successors. * As detailed in § 18.

5 The Nirang-i Kusti (see § 27).

CHAPTER XXXIX, 18-21. 129

the body, over the garment of Vohfiman’. 20. Because the same intimation, relative to girding (parvandisnik) is wisdom for which the race of the religion is so justly famed that innumerable people, with the same customs ad equally proper girding, wear the sacred thread-girdle, the ceremonial belt of the religion and indication of the creator, on the middle of the body; and it becomes more destructive of the power of destruction’, more obstructive of the way to sin, and more contesting (kastaktar) the will of the demons.

21. One is this, that 4e is unwise that as not worn 2¢ when that maz has arrived in whose law no belting and no girdling® are ordered, and more perplexing and more grievous destruction is so manifested at the time, that z¢ is similar evidence to that exposition of revelation, the purport (aév4z) of whose question avd reply is spoken thus* :—‘“ O creator ! in whom is the manifestation of secretly-progressing destruction, that is, in whom is its progress*?” And Athaymazd spoke thus: “In him who is the guide of a vile religion; whoever it is who puts on a girdle

1 The sacred shirt (see Chap. XL, 2). The garment of a purified man is called Vohfiman in Vend. XIX, 76-78, 81-83 (trans. D.).

* The term seg or ség, used for ‘destruction’ here and in §§ 21-23, is the name of ‘the fiend who causes annihilation’ (see Bd. XXVIII, 26).

* It is possible that an-ayivy4g4nih may mean ‘no garmenting,’ and refer to the sacred shirt, as the previous term avibandih, ‘no belting,’ refers to the sacred thread-girdle.

* In Pahl. Vend. XVIII, 21-23, with some variations (see Haug’s Essays, p. 367).

5 Instead of rfitbAkih, ‘progress, K35 has rabanih, which might mean ‘soul-state,’ but is probably a clerical blunder.

[18] Kp. 130 at most thrice (3-tQmak) in a year’, that is, he does not wear a sacred shirt and ¢hread-girdle, and his law also is this, that it is not necessary to wear them”’—and when the law of no belting is so grievous that, when that law shall be accepted, it is observed ¢haé destruction is strengthened.