Pahlavi Texts, Part IV: Contents of the Nasks — SBE Vol. 37 (trans. E. W. West, 1892)
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The translator’s English as printed (E. W. West). The original-language text is not held; names are romanised as the translator printed them.
2. This, too, that ‘thou art come to the supreme heaven (garédm4n)°5, O righteous Zaratdst! thou
2 See Chap. V, rn.
? See Pahl. Yas. XXVIII, o.
S Ibid. 1 b. 4 Ibid. rc. 5 Ibid. 4a.
CHAPTER XXVII, 3—XXVIII, 4. 225
art aware of the deeds, O Zaratist! which were practised by those in the bodily existence, and which still they practise, and the sacred beings have placed upon mankind acquiring the power of good works.’ 3. And about the wonderfulness of the supreme heaven ¢here zs this, too, that whoever is in that abode is not any one ¢hat passes away after Azs birth ; at the time of the renovation of the universe the supreme heaven is lowered down to the star station !, the earth dezng up to there, and Vohdman ? is summoned for every purpose to the conference, and, when they call him, Mit76’s® investigation as regards the existence of righteousness is on the spot ; through the coming of that archangel * of true statements for assistance, and through the co-operation of the other archangels and Srésh? the righteous, is the overpowering of the vexing of distressers °; and the assistance of the archangels for Zaratdst was when he went forth for disabling the vicious law of Iran. 4. Concerning Zaratdst ¢here zs this, too, in the words of Adharymazd, that is: ‘ Thou art our own, O Zaratist! and this liberality ¢o thee is ours ; anything one gives to thee is given by him éo us;’ also the announcement to Zaratdst, and the bringing of him to Vistasp® for his assistance and likewise the strength’ of his sovereignty for him.
1 The lowest grade of heaven (see Sls. VI, 3 n).
* See Bk. VIII, Chap. IX, 3 for both angels.
® See Bk. VIII, Chap. XLIV, 16.
* Vohdiman. 5 See Pahl. Yas. XXVIII, 6c.
* See Bk. VIII, Chap. XI, 1; and compare Pahl. Yas. XXVIII, 6b, 7 b,c.
7 So in K, but B has ‘a/so his announcement on Jeg brought to Vistasp, and ZaratQst was an assistance to him and the strength, &c.’
p. 236
5. The discipleship and veneration of Frashéstar! also, and the laudation of Frashéstar for making the religion progressive and for z¢s true transmission in the words of Adhaymazd; also the whole righteousness of those whom Frashéstar attracted to the religion.
6. About the laudation of Zaratist ¢here zs this, too, that is: ‘Zou ar¢ not astray from us, neither in life, nor in enquiry, nor 2” openly announcing, even when demonstrating? the religion to others, nor in anything whatever, O Spitaman! from us who are archangels ; and the donation of benefit to supplicants is the food, and the clothing for us, who are in the ceremonial of the sacred beings, is unworn (asddakS) 8 the religion to others, nor in anything whatever, O Spitaman! from us who are archangels ; and the donation of benefit to supplicants is the food, and the clothing for us, who are in the ceremonial of the sacred beings, is unworn (asddakS) 8
7. About guarding a friend, managing an unfriendly Zerson, and affording a person shelter for the sake of protection, justice, and rectitude‘; also the unworthy condition of that man who, requiring to perform those duties and good works that are important, shall perform those that are trivial. 8. And this, too, that is: ‘Thou art likewise aware, and thou also understandest it, O righteous Zaratdst! through the sagacity of my wisdom, which was the first among existences *, and which is also so unto the last existence.’
9. Righteousness is excellence ¢haé zs perfect.
1 See Bk. VIII, Chap. XXXVIII, 68, and compare Pahl. Yas.
XXVIII, 8 b, c.
3 K has ‘ when thou wouldst demonstrate.’
5 See Pahl. Yas. XXVIII, roc.
‘ Ibid. 11a. 5 Ibid. 11 ¢.
CHAPTER XXVIII, 5—-XXIX, 2. 237
CHAPTER X XIX.
Varstmdnsar Nask.
1. The sixth fargard, Khshmaiby4}, is about the complaint of Gés-airvan ? to Adhaymazd, when she sat at the creation in the assembly of the archangels, as regards the abundant disease and misery which she saw spiritually woudd come upon her in a bodily existence, through beating, slaughtering, and wounding, stealing, plundering, and presenting, dy him of vicious actions azd worse desires, as a bribe to him who is an evil-ruling villain (mar), and the operation thereof: the bad ownership, wrongful investigation, false evidence, and making captive (vardak6), dy him who is wrathful azd oppressive through greed and envy, from the warm cowshed and the effective and diligent guardianship of the herd’s dog (pasfis-hafrv6), to that which is a cold and hastily-constructed place; ov 6) him who is seeking meat wz¢h a merciless hand through making her distantly separated from fer young. 2. Also their explanation and extenuation (k4stan6) %, and the causing of misery of many kinds thereby, ‘ which is no affliction to them when the wind that is cold 4, or even that which is hot, comes upon me; wich is no affliction to them when, the untimely offspring of
* See Chap. VI, rn; it is here written khshmafba (B) and khshm4fbé (K) in Pahlavi.
2 See Chap. XV, 3; Pahl. Yas. XXIX, 1.
* Or it may be ‘ fining and beating,’ as K has kfistané.
‘ Bhas ‘ when some of that which is cold,’ writing attd for vadd
in this first clause, and amat min for amatam in the first and third clauses.
p. 238
2 See Chap. XV, 3; Pahl. Yas. XXIX, 1.
* Or it may be ‘ fining and beating,’ as K has kfistané.
‘ Bhas ‘ when some of that which is cold,’ writing attd for vadd
in this first clause, and amat min for amatam in the first and third clauses.
p. 238
my womb éeng cast away, they slaughter me; and is no affliction to them when the serpent, the leech (khun-gard!) ', or even the foulest of noxious creatures gnaws me.’ 3. And the petition of Gés-afrvan was thus: ‘Do not appoint me to a worldly exestence and that awful misery, ov, if thou appointest me to a worldly exzstence, produce it for me without life (afzOstantha), so that I may be without feeling and may want that distressing ? pain; #¢ 2s created for the mighty, through whose assistance there is a capability of affording protection 4o me, even though the Kat and Karap $ exist.’
4. And, ¢ogether with the just complaint of Gésafrvan, and the compassion of the archangels as to that complaint, ¢/eve zs then the creation of the creatures, among whom the greatest and best‘ is mankind, for fighting ad subduing the destroyer, even though joined together with a complaint of wounding and affliction like¢hat of Gés-ahrvan,and Gés-aiirvan arose with greater judiciousness than an absence of creation even with freedom from disturbance by the Kats 5; on account of the necessity of preparing for the living of mankind through the assistance of cattle, Gés-atrvan was produced for the material bodily existence and assistance of mankind. 5. And, on account of little feeling for her worldly misery, the breeding (mAyinidand) of cattle was the arraying
? Doubtful. ® K has ‘ill-passing.’
8 See Bk. VIII, Chap. XXXV, 13 n.
‘ B has ‘of whom the best.’
* The obnoxious tribe, or class, mentioned in § 3. After the word ‘ affliction’ K completes the clause to this point as follows :—‘ just as Gés-afirvan arose with greater judiciousness than an absence of creation even with an adversity of the primitive tendency.’
CHAPTER XXIX, 3-9. 239
of strife ; the advancement of the Mazda-worshipping religion of Zaratist in the world dy Gés-adrvan, on the production of Zaratdst for the assistance of cattle; ad the preservation of cattle and other good creations through complete satisfaction a¢ the progress of the religion.
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