Fetching
One moment.
Fetching
One moment.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1* Paz. gadasni, both here and in Chaps. IV, 56, VIII, 122, 123, 126, XII, 64, evidently means ‘disposition, peculiarity.’- It is probably a misreading of Pahl. guzinisn, occasioned by some writer connecting the two letters sn and so converting them into a t (d). 126 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. 22. Since the harm and evil which avzse from mankind and cattle are not naturally their own, but are owing to the havoc, deceit, solicitation, avd deluding! of the fiend, (23) ¢hey are from the like vileness- of other fiends who are such as the malice, wrath, and lust? which are mingled with mankind. 24. Just as the swallowing of bitter medicine, which is mingled with poison, is not the accomplishment of happiness, but for the removal of the pain and sickness which are owing to an extraneous nature (bara gohar). 25. As of a statement which is true or false—(26) though it may be that, connected with a false statement, a righteous man is preserved from much harm, and is ruined by that which is true— (27) mostly that benefit is not from the false statement, but from the removal of the destruction and, evil which are mingled with the vile, (28) and that harm is not from the true statement, but from the evil which is mingled with the vile. 29. Also, as regards that which happens when opponents have appeared 2” order to remove each one its own competitor, (30) every one is unrestricted® zz keeping away that which is its own opponent, (31) such as light axd darkness, perfume and stench, good works and crime, erudition and . ignorance. 32. That whzch is not unrestricted is the 1 Nér. reads vy4want, which he understands to mean ‘bewildering,’ but it is doubtful if we can derive this meaning from vy4wan, ‘a waterless wilderness,’ which word occurs in Chap. XIV, 30. The original Pahlavi word can be also read either niy4z4nth, ‘ cause of longing, temptation, or nih4zAnfh, ‘intimidation.’ * Evil passions which are personified as fiends (see Mkh. XLI, 10, II). * Reading atang, instead of the similarly-written 4tik which would be the equivalent of the P4z. atfi (Sans. sakta) used by Nér. . CHAPTER III, 22-IV, 4. . 127 light to keep away stench, nor the perfume darkness; (33) but they have each separately appeared zx order to keep away their own opponent. 34. As ¢o that, too, which they say}, that in the dark night a righteous man is preserved from the lion, wolves, dogs, and robbers, (35) wAzle in the light day he becomes a captive? in their hands, (36) it is not proper to consider that as a benefit owing to darkness, nor yet as an evil owing to light. 37. Because light is created for the removal of darkness, not for the keeping away of the lion, wolf, and noxious creatures. And there are many other things which are of this nature. 38. On account of tediousness ¢hzs is collected merely as a summary; the virtue and understanding of you triumphant ones (39) are so much, that you may obtain more from revelation. Cuapter IV.
2And there are many other things which are of this nature. 38. On account of tediousness ¢hzs is collected merely as a summary; the virtue and understanding of you triumphant ones (39) are so much, that you may obtain more from revelation. Cuapter IV. 1. And as ¢o that which is asked (2) thus: ‘When I always see that all things ever arise from the celestial sphere and stars, (3) and who created this sphere, ’ then it is like that whzch those of the Virdd® religion say, that he created good and evil. 4. If Aharman 1 For the purpose of arguing that evils are sometimes advantageous, and may, therefore, form part of the design of a beneficent spirit. ? Or gréh may mean ‘a hostage.’ ® Compare Sans. viruddha, ‘ perverse, contradictory, or Pers. bulfd, ‘antiquity.’ It is possible that Muhammadanism is alluded to, as that religion is hardly ever mentioned by name in Pahlavi writings, probably from motives of policy. 128 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. created axything, how-did he become able to create the effect of these marvellous things, (5) axd why zs z¢ when they are stars by which assistance of virtue is always bestowed ? 6. If Aftharmazd and Aharman created in conference, then that way z¢ is manifest that Afhaymazd is an accomplice azd confederate, with Aharman, in the harm and evil which ever arise from the celestial sphere.’ 7. The answer is this, (8) that the ce/estzal sphere is the place of the divinities (bagh4n), who are the distributers of happiness, from which they always justly bestow their distribution of every happiness. 9. And the forms of the seven planets (star) are witches who rush below them, despoilers who are antagonistic distributers, (to) whose scriptural name is Gadfg’. 11. Zhrough the creator Athaymazd was the arrangement of these creatures and creation, methodically and sagaciously, and for the. sake of the continuance of the renovation of ¢he universe, 12. As the evil spirit was entangled in the sky, that fiend, with evil astuteness azd with lying falsehood, encompassed? axd mingled with the light, ¢ogether with the fiends of crimes of many kinds, who are those of a gloomy race, ¢Aenking thus: ‘I w2/d make these creatures. avd creation of Athaymazd extinct, or I must make ¢hem for my own.’ 13. Those luminaries, the highest of those of the * Av. gadha, a term for ‘a brigand’ which is used in conjunction with witches and other evil beings in the Srésh Yt. Had6kht, 5, 6. * Supposing that the Paz. frawast (fravast in § 16) stands for Pahl. parvast, as in Chaps. VIII, 96, 97, XIV, 73, XVI, 56, 60, 66-69, 71, 72; but as Nér. uses Sans. prasarpita, pravish/a, pravartita, samudgata, and samutpatita to translate the word, he must have assumed that it stood for frazast (Pahl. fragast, ‘sprang forth’). CHAPTER IV, 5—I9. 129
3parvast, as in Chaps. VIII, 96, 97, XIV, 73, XVI, 56, 60, 66-69, 71, 72; but as Nér. uses Sans. prasarpita, pravish/a, pravartita, samudgata, and samutpatita to translate the word, he must have assumed that it stood for frazast (Pahl. fragast, ‘sprang forth’). CHAPTER IV, 5—I9. 129 good deg, became aware, by means of omniscience, of the blemishing operation and the lies and falsehoods of the fiend, (14) azd of this too, that is, of what extent was this power of his, by which this blemishing operation and work of ruin creep on’, (15) so that, henceforth, ¢here exists no power whatever for its restoration, which is free from the complete daubing of restraint, pain, and entanglement that is inside the sky. 16. It is they?. who are sagaciously mingled by him (the good being) with the substance of the luminaries, because that fiend encompassed and was entangled with his luminaries, therefore all his powers and resources are for the purpose of not allowing the fiends of crimes of many kinds their own performance of what is desirable for them each separately ; (17) such as the fiendish venom of the noxious creatures which the four elements (zahak4n), pertaining to Afhaymazd, [keep enveloped®. 18. For if this fiendish venom of the noxious creatures] does not remain entangled [with the four elements of the bodily formations pertaining to Adharmazd}—which are water, fire, earth, and air—z¢ zs just as though they came to the sky aud spiritual existence. 19. 1 Sans. ‘ will retreat,’ as if Nér. understood the pronoun ‘his’ to refer to the good spirit, instead of the evil one; the application of the pronouns in §§ 14,15 being by no means clear in the original text. * The spiritual representatives of the luminaries, who are angels. 8 The words in brackets are omitted in AK, PB3, L23, so that §§ 17, 18, in those MSS., stand as follows:—‘ Since the fiendish venom of the noxious creatures, that the four elements pertaining to Aftharmazd—which are water, fire, earth, and air—have not entangled, is just as though they (the creatures) came to the sky and spiritual exzstence.’ [24] K 130 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. And if they attained to spirituality and a disembodied existence, it would not be possible for those creatures of Afhaymazd to avoid and escape from that demoniacal venom of theirs. 20. It would be in the grasp (gréhé)? and mingled with the breath (vad) of mankind azd the other creatures, and their restoration, support, increase, azd growth would not be possible. 21. So they? also keep those planets enveloped in light, because the fiendish venom of the noxious creatures is in the substance of ¢hose luminaries. 22. On account of that, too, the existence of somewhat of advantage is manifest from the serpent species, which are dissolving venom from the multitudes of other wild animals axd noxious creatures®. 23. So also from the planets; on account of the commingling of the inferior splendour of ¢ose luminaries, benefit is manifested by them.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
Romanised transliteration as printed by the translator, not the original script. This is what we hold.
1* Paz. gadasni, both here and in Chaps. IV, 56, VIII, 122, 123, 126, XII, 64, evidently means ‘disposition, peculiarity.’- It is probably a misreading of Pahl. guzinisn, occasioned by some writer connecting the two letters sn and so converting them into a t (d). 126 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. 22. Since the harm and evil which avzse from mankind and cattle are not naturally their own, but are owing to the havoc, deceit, solicitation, avd deluding! of the fiend, (23) ¢hey are from the like vileness- of other fiends who are such as the malice, wrath, and lust? which are mingled with mankind. 24. Just as the swallowing of bitter medicine, which is mingled with poison, is not the accomplishment of happiness, but for the removal of the pain and sickness which are owing to an extraneous nature (bara gohar). 25. As of a statement which is true or false—(26) though it may be that, connected with a false statement, a righteous man is preserved from much harm, and is ruined by that which is true— (27) mostly that benefit is not from the false statement, but from the removal of the destruction and, evil which are mingled with the vile, (28) and that harm is not from the true statement, but from the evil which is mingled with the vile. 29. Also, as regards that which happens when opponents have appeared 2” order to remove each one its own competitor, (30) every one is unrestricted® zz keeping away that which is its own opponent, (31) such as light axd darkness, perfume and stench, good works and crime, erudition and . ignorance. 32. That whzch is not unrestricted is the 1 Nér. reads vy4want, which he understands to mean ‘bewildering,’ but it is doubtful if we can derive this meaning from vy4wan, ‘a waterless wilderness,’ which word occurs in Chap. XIV, 30. The original Pahlavi word can be also read either niy4z4nth, ‘ cause of longing, temptation, or nih4zAnfh, ‘intimidation.’ * Evil passions which are personified as fiends (see Mkh. XLI, 10, II). * Reading atang, instead of the similarly-written 4tik which would be the equivalent of the P4z. atfi (Sans. sakta) used by Nér. . CHAPTER III, 22-IV, 4. . 127 light to keep away stench, nor the perfume darkness; (33) but they have each separately appeared zx order to keep away their own opponent. 34. As ¢o that, too, which they say}, that in the dark night a righteous man is preserved from the lion, wolves, dogs, and robbers, (35) wAzle in the light day he becomes a captive? in their hands, (36) it is not proper to consider that as a benefit owing to darkness, nor yet as an evil owing to light. 37. Because light is created for the removal of darkness, not for the keeping away of the lion, wolf, and noxious creatures. And there are many other things which are of this nature. 38. On account of tediousness ¢hzs is collected merely as a summary; the virtue and understanding of you triumphant ones (39) are so much, that you may obtain more from revelation. Cuapter IV.
2And there are many other things which are of this nature. 38. On account of tediousness ¢hzs is collected merely as a summary; the virtue and understanding of you triumphant ones (39) are so much, that you may obtain more from revelation. Cuapter IV. 1. And as ¢o that which is asked (2) thus: ‘When I always see that all things ever arise from the celestial sphere and stars, (3) and who created this sphere, ’ then it is like that whzch those of the Virdd® religion say, that he created good and evil. 4. If Aharman 1 For the purpose of arguing that evils are sometimes advantageous, and may, therefore, form part of the design of a beneficent spirit. ? Or gréh may mean ‘a hostage.’ ® Compare Sans. viruddha, ‘ perverse, contradictory, or Pers. bulfd, ‘antiquity.’ It is possible that Muhammadanism is alluded to, as that religion is hardly ever mentioned by name in Pahlavi writings, probably from motives of policy. 128 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. created axything, how-did he become able to create the effect of these marvellous things, (5) axd why zs z¢ when they are stars by which assistance of virtue is always bestowed ? 6. If Aftharmazd and Aharman created in conference, then that way z¢ is manifest that Afhaymazd is an accomplice azd confederate, with Aharman, in the harm and evil which ever arise from the celestial sphere.’ 7. The answer is this, (8) that the ce/estzal sphere is the place of the divinities (bagh4n), who are the distributers of happiness, from which they always justly bestow their distribution of every happiness. 9. And the forms of the seven planets (star) are witches who rush below them, despoilers who are antagonistic distributers, (to) whose scriptural name is Gadfg’. 11. Zhrough the creator Athaymazd was the arrangement of these creatures and creation, methodically and sagaciously, and for the. sake of the continuance of the renovation of ¢he universe, 12. As the evil spirit was entangled in the sky, that fiend, with evil astuteness azd with lying falsehood, encompassed? axd mingled with the light, ¢ogether with the fiends of crimes of many kinds, who are those of a gloomy race, ¢Aenking thus: ‘I w2/d make these creatures. avd creation of Athaymazd extinct, or I must make ¢hem for my own.’ 13. Those luminaries, the highest of those of the * Av. gadha, a term for ‘a brigand’ which is used in conjunction with witches and other evil beings in the Srésh Yt. Had6kht, 5, 6. * Supposing that the Paz. frawast (fravast in § 16) stands for Pahl. parvast, as in Chaps. VIII, 96, 97, XIV, 73, XVI, 56, 60, 66-69, 71, 72; but as Nér. uses Sans. prasarpita, pravish/a, pravartita, samudgata, and samutpatita to translate the word, he must have assumed that it stood for frazast (Pahl. fragast, ‘sprang forth’). CHAPTER IV, 5—I9. 129
3parvast, as in Chaps. VIII, 96, 97, XIV, 73, XVI, 56, 60, 66-69, 71, 72; but as Nér. uses Sans. prasarpita, pravish/a, pravartita, samudgata, and samutpatita to translate the word, he must have assumed that it stood for frazast (Pahl. fragast, ‘sprang forth’). CHAPTER IV, 5—I9. 129 good deg, became aware, by means of omniscience, of the blemishing operation and the lies and falsehoods of the fiend, (14) azd of this too, that is, of what extent was this power of his, by which this blemishing operation and work of ruin creep on’, (15) so that, henceforth, ¢here exists no power whatever for its restoration, which is free from the complete daubing of restraint, pain, and entanglement that is inside the sky. 16. It is they?. who are sagaciously mingled by him (the good being) with the substance of the luminaries, because that fiend encompassed and was entangled with his luminaries, therefore all his powers and resources are for the purpose of not allowing the fiends of crimes of many kinds their own performance of what is desirable for them each separately ; (17) such as the fiendish venom of the noxious creatures which the four elements (zahak4n), pertaining to Afhaymazd, [keep enveloped®. 18. For if this fiendish venom of the noxious creatures] does not remain entangled [with the four elements of the bodily formations pertaining to Adharmazd}—which are water, fire, earth, and air—z¢ zs just as though they came to the sky aud spiritual existence. 19. 1 Sans. ‘ will retreat,’ as if Nér. understood the pronoun ‘his’ to refer to the good spirit, instead of the evil one; the application of the pronouns in §§ 14,15 being by no means clear in the original text. * The spiritual representatives of the luminaries, who are angels. 8 The words in brackets are omitted in AK, PB3, L23, so that §§ 17, 18, in those MSS., stand as follows:—‘ Since the fiendish venom of the noxious creatures, that the four elements pertaining to Aftharmazd—which are water, fire, earth, and air—have not entangled, is just as though they (the creatures) came to the sky and spiritual exzstence.’ [24] K 130 SIKAND-GOMANIK VIGAR. And if they attained to spirituality and a disembodied existence, it would not be possible for those creatures of Afhaymazd to avoid and escape from that demoniacal venom of theirs. 20. It would be in the grasp (gréhé)? and mingled with the breath (vad) of mankind azd the other creatures, and their restoration, support, increase, azd growth would not be possible. 21. So they? also keep those planets enveloped in light, because the fiendish venom of the noxious creatures is in the substance of ¢hose luminaries. 22. On account of that, too, the existence of somewhat of advantage is manifest from the serpent species, which are dissolving venom from the multitudes of other wild animals axd noxious creatures®. 23. So also from the planets; on account of the commingling of the inferior splendour of ¢ose luminaries, benefit is manifested by them.
The source text as printed, transcribed diplomatically. Where the source language uses a non-Latin script that reaches us only through a Victorian romanisation, this layer is labelled transliteration, because that is what we hold.
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