Pahlavi Texts, Part IV: Contents of the Nasks — SBE Vol. 37 (trans. E. W. West, 1892)

21. Righteousness is perfect excellence.

1 Sls, XIX, 14 has ‘ thirteen.’

2 So in both MSS., but x ayéz, ‘or,’ is more probable than
190 aévakd, ‘and one.’

5 See Bk. VIII, Chap. I, 7.

CHAPTER II, IO-—IV, I. 175

CuHapter IIT3
Stdkar Nask.

1. The second fargard, Ashem-voht 4, is about the praise of righteousness which is the reward of the religion, and the want of praise at the bridge of judgment owing to enmity (paty4nth) to righteousness.

2. Of righteousness perfect is the excellence.

CuapTer IV,
Sadkar Nask.
1. The third fargard, Yénhé-hatam 3, is about

? This chapter is omitted in K by mistake.

2 This second sacred formula is recited by the Parsis even oftener than the Ahunavair, and consists of twelve Avesta words, as follows :—

Ashem voh@ vahistem astt, usta asti; usta ahméi hyad ashi vahistai ashem. This may be translated as follows :—‘ Righteousness is the best good, a blessing it is; a blessing Je to that which zs righteousness to perfect rectitude.’

But the Pahlavi version explains it as follows :—‘ Righteousness is perfect excellence [righteousness of any excellence 2s good]. Happy is that righteousness and happy also that virtuous man who zs a causer of righteousness, the righteousness that is perfect [that is, he shall accomplish duty and good works].’

* This third formula is chiefly recited at the end of most of the h4s in the Yasna, and consists of fifteen Avesta words, as follows :—

Yénhé hatâm dad, yésné paiti, vanghé mazdau ahur6é vaétha, ashéd haéé, yaunghaméa, task tausk4 yazamaidé.

This may be translated as follows:—‘Of whatever male of thep. 176 the formation of mankind by slow increase, and, when they live on for fifty! years, ther slowly becoming dust; the coming of death even ¢o him who is very pleasantly living, as regards mankind, at the climax (bar{nd) of his life; and the happiness of the worldly exzstence is given only to the worthy, on account of ¢heiy love of righteousness; the rest are passed by*. 2. And also this, that he who is produced by the demons, ov is proceeding to the existences, therefore, Ahuramazda was better cognizant, through righteousness in worship, and of whatever females, both those males and those females we reverence.’

The Pahlavi version explains it as follows :— Whoever of those existing is thus in worship as regards a good Jezng [that is, shall celebrate a ceremonial for that good Jeng who is Aflharmagd the lord], Aflharmagd is aware of z/, owing to the accompaniment of righteousness [and de:ng acquainted with the reward and recompense of whatever are, severally, the duty and good works that any one has performed, he grants them]. I reverence those of the assembly, males and females [the archangels ; because the male of them are good, and the female of them].’

The Pahlavi translator evidently read vanghé in the first line of the text, as printed above, and not in the second, as in the present MSS.

I reverence those of the assembly, males and females [the archangels ; because the male of them are good, and the female of them].’

The Pahlavi translator evidently read vanghé in the first line of the text, as printed above, and not in the second, as in the present MSS.

1 So in K, but B has ‘seventy.’ The text seems to allude to the beginning of old age, of which three grades are mentioned in the Avesta (Vend. III, 19, 20): the hané, zaururé, and pairistakhshudré. The Pahlavi version defines the age of each grade, but the ciphers given are corrupted in the MSS. extant. The Far. Oim, p. 5, Il. 9, 10, gives fifty years as the age of the zarm4n (Av. zaururé), seventy years as that of the h4n (Av. han6), and ninety years as that of the p4dfrand-shfsar (Av. pairistakhshudré); but whether this arrangement of the ages is compatible with the different order of these epithets in the Avesta is doubtful, though it shows that old age was considered to begin at the age of fifty years.

3 Reading saâi-aitd according to K, though the word can also be read segt-aftd, ‘are ruined ;’ in B it can be read gadafgtaitd, ‘are impoverished.’

CHAPTER IV, 2-V, 6. 177

demons, ov has committed falsehood, is the opulent person who gives nothing to a worthy supplicant. 3. Righteousness is perfect excellence.

CuHarTER V.
Stdkar Nask.

1. The fourth fargard, Yanim-man6}, is about where a gradual development (dér-zahtsnth) of that which is for the future existence is best ; and, secondly, that which occurs now when the wisdom, instructed eloquence, diligence, and energetic effort, which are the utilizers of life, are with one, and these five misusers of 7¢—greediness, want of energy, indolence, defilement, and illicit intercourse—are not with one. 2. This, too, that these five defects existed zz Dahak?, and owing to that, moreover, Frédfin? is irritated with 42m, and smites him in revenge for Yim °.

3. About the heinousness of these four vices, which are drunkenness, knavish companionship, apostasy, and selfishness, and the grievous results therefrom. 4. And this, too, that Yim drove away these four vices from the world, and then was able to prepare immortality. 5. About avoidance of him who, through any statement, is producing a thief as an orator (4khfin), and of acquiescence with a hasty unoratorical statement of a companion. 6. And this, too, that 4e who propagates very evil commands in the world gives stout-heartedness to the fiend.

1 The first two words of the introduction to the first Gatha (Yas.
XXVIII, 0), here written yanfman6ké in Pahlavi.
2 See Bk. VIII, Chap. XIII, 8. 5 Ibid. § 6.

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p. 178

And this, too, that 4e who propagates very evil commands in the world gives stout-heartedness to the fiend.

1 The first two words of the introduction to the first Gatha (Yas.
XXVIII, 0), here written yanfman6ké in Pahlavi.
2 See Bk. VIII, Chap. XIII, 8. 5 Ibid. § 6.

[37] N

p. 178

7. About the clamour of a poor distressed one fora perfect remedy, and the repelling derangement (lakhv4r-pafshirisnth), unacceptableness, unblessedness, and want of Gatha lore of the distresser arisen from the clamour of the distressed one. 8. About the connection of satisfying distress on true and reasonable complaint, and the reasonable complaining of true complainers, by him who as been an inferior judge, and gradually up to the highest adjudicator who is Athaymazd.

9. The excellence of righteousness is perfect.

CuaptTer VI.
Sidkar Nask.

1. The fifth fargard, Khshmaiby4 ', is about the forgetfulness of a father for a son, a son for a father, a brother for a brother, a friend for a friend, a husband (m4npat6) for a wife (n4rik), and a wife for a husband in a measurable time, through excess and festivity (khang); and the unforgetfulness of the spirit of the Gathas for so many reciters and chanters of the Gathas. 2. About the complaint of the spirit of the Gathas when a high-priest, although priest of the country-folk (dehtg4n6), passes away in an out-district *, and the body of that man does not come back to his own land ; whatever is relating to that, azd, besides that, what is to be born in that

1 The first word of the second hA of the first Gatha (Yas.
XXIX, 1), here written khshm64ibé (B) and khshmAfbé (K) in
Pahlavi. :

* Reading afizdéhfkth (from Av. uzdahvyu); in Sls. IX, 2, 3, where this passage is evidently referred to, this word has been erroneously read afisd@yakth and translated ‘ idolatry.’

p. 179

land, and the oppressiveness of apostates which arises. 3. About the superior power of the spirit of the Gathas, avd also that of liberality, in preserving the soul from hell.

4. Excellence that zs perfect is righteousness.

CuaptTer VII.
Stdkar Nask.

1. The sixth fargard, Ad-t4-vakhshya}, is about the perfection of the five excellences: the first through righteousness, the second through virtuous offspring, the third through land producing vegetation, the fourth through flocks of sheep, and the fifth through training in industry. 2. About the distribution of fortune to the diligent; and of destitution to the indolent. 3. About the acquirement of fortune singly sitting, two-fold even walking, three-fold hastening, four-fold even running, five-fold even carrying on a horse, six-fold even driving on a road, seven-fold by understanding legal proceedings, eight-fold by good protection even of wealth, nine-fold by intelligence and diligence in the cultivation of land, and ten-fold by providing the teaching of the bounteous texts *.