1 The ceremonial. * The gift. ® See Chap. LXVE, 27.
® About 140 or 1222 rfipts (see Chap. LII, 1 note). As in Chap. LXVI, the actual value of these sums of money depended upon the price of the necessaries of life in the ninth century.
° K35 repeats the negative, but whether this is a blunder, or intended to intensify the negation, is uncertain.
CHAPTER LXXXVII, 2—LXXXVIil, 7. 251
who always come to us themselves and speak thus:
‘For 350 dirhams we will always twice conduct all
the religious rites azd ceremonial with holy-water
such as ¢hose which you have always ordered before
for 400; only order us. 4. Would a needy oxe,
apart from the priestly men who always say that
they are not, be authorised, or not?
5. The reply is this, that the priest to whom
your predecessors have given a gift of 400 or 350
dirhams, for all the religious rites with holy-water,
it is proper to consider particularly virtuous and
faithful, when there is nothing else aéou¢ him, on
account of which he is otherwise. 6. A celebration
of all the religious rites with holy-water, in which
they shall use four pure animals !— and just accord-
ing to the teaching of the high-priests they present
to every’single fire from one animal azd one holy-
water—and the offering of holy-water unto the fire
whose holy-water z/ zs, and bringing it on to another
fire apart from that holy-water, and the ceremonzal
cleansing of the holy-water they maintain by agree-
ment in thy name, the superiors solemnize with
approval, faithfully, and attentively; azd the remu-
neration of 350 dirhams would be a balancing of
when they conduct the religious rite a/ the place
of undertaking 2z/, and when z¢ is undertaken as
regards a distant district ?.
7. In Arvtakhshatar-gadman %, within my memory,
1 Sheep or goats. 2 That is, it is a fair average charge.
* The Huz. form of Ardashir-khurrah, the name given by Arda- shir son of Papak, the first Sasanian king, to the city and district of Gér, subsequently called Pirfizabéd (see Néldeke’s Geschichte der Perser und Araber zur Zeit der Sasaniden, pp. 11, 19), about seventy miles south of Shiraz.
252 DADISTAN-I DINIK.
they who would accept less than 300 dirhams? for
it made a memorandum (farhdng), to keep in
remembrance ¢hat 350 dirhams for all the religious
rites performed was to be the rule declared by those
of the religion zz Avtakhshatar-gadman. 8. Like-
wise, the glorified Attr-frébag 2, sow of Farakhdzad,
who was the pre-eminent leader of those of the good
religion, decided zz the same manner. |
9. And now, too, they always conduct those rzées
which are without holy-water for 150 dirhams, or
even for 120 dirhams; and the reason of it is
the neediness of the disciples who, owing to that
need, azd in hope of obtaining more employment,
always diminish ¢hezr demands, and through deficient
remuneration always become more needy, more im-
portunate, and more moderate in desiring remune-
ration; and, in the course of the employment of
resources and requesting ¢he charge of all the
religious rites, the labour and endurance of disciple-
ship are exhausted.
10. And as éo him who undertakes to conduct all
the religious rites twice for 350 dirhams, if he de
properly working azd thoroughly reliable for the 350
dirhams whzch are always given him for the cere-
monial of all the religious rites—just like those who
would always undertake ¢hem once—and all the
religious rites are conducted and secured twice, on
1 About 105 rfipis.
* The name of an early editor of the Dinkard, whose selections from various religious writings form the fourth and fifth books of that extensive work in its present form. -He lived after the Muham-
madan conquest of Persia, and probably in the eighth century of the Christian era,
® That is, 524 or 42 rfpis.
CHAPTER LXXXVIII, 8-14. 253
account of the merit due to the continuous cere-
monial of the sacred beings it is more authorisedly
ordered of those who solemnize all the religious
rites twice’, 11. But as to 472m who would under-
take all the religious rites twice for 350 dirhams,
but is not able to conduct ¢em unless he puts to
it some of his own wealth, so that the progress may
be acceptable to him as they conduct ¢em through
repetition, he should not undertake ¢em owing to
the reasons written in another chapter of ours?,
since 2¢ ¢ends much more to neediness.
12. And more like unto the ancient sceptics
(vimanak6d) have become the disciples, among
whom disagreement axd enmity are produced, as
is written in the same writing (khadd-gfin na-
mak6)*; aud, owing to admonishing words, these
become enviousness and maliciousness unto the disci-
ples, avd trouble and disagreement less becoming
among you and more contentious about you.
13. And at the time zz which a great stipend
existed, ‘hey contended with him through whose
greatness avd abundance of stipend their conflict
was caused, one with the other, through envy; and
now, too, they aways squabble adout his deficient
stipend, by which they will tempt them, on account
of zés inadequacy, for the sake of a way for preserv-
ing life, as was shown by my metaphor in the other
chapter*. 14. When those who, through need of
employment in the rites of religion, or the recitations®
' This is also stated in Chap. LXVI, 32.
2 See Chap. LXVI, 24-26. * Ibid.
* See Chap. LXVI, 28, 29.
* It is uncertain whether these are the correct technical meanings of késh and dor.
254 DADISTAN-! DINIK.
which are its wisdom, would at once produce enmity,
and the friends of religion, are for each of two sides,
2t is important to look to the procuring of forgive-
ness, kind regards, and the progress of the elect
(pasandakAn®) in the duty of the faithful.
Chapter Lox Xc
1. As to the eighty-eighth question axzd reply,
that which you ask is thus: When a man resolves
within himself thus: ‘/z the summer! time I wed
go into Pars, and will give so much money for
the high-priesthood, on account of the fires and
other matters which are as greatly advantageous,
though he himself does not come into Pars, dz
sends the money according to his intention, ov in
-excess of it, unto the high-priests—so that he is like
the great who send in excess of that unto the high-
priests’—that, as the benefit is greater which is
more maintained, they may provide for the fires
of every kind azd other matters, is then his pro-
ceeding of sending to Pars, for that purpose, a sin,
or not?
2. The reply is this, that if his coming be in-
dispensable for the design he would undertake, then
it is indispensable for him to accomplish his own
mental undertaking ; but in suffering which is excited
and not avoidable, when /here is really no possibility
1 Assuming that haman stands for haminé. * Mr4 omits this phrase.
Chapter Lxxxix, I—Xc, 2. 255
CHAPTER XC.
1. As ¢o the eighty-ninth question avd reply, that
which you ask is thus: Who, and how many are they
who are without the religion (adinéth) dv¢ are
made immortal, and for what purpose is their im-
mortality? 2. Where is the place they, each one,
possess sovereignty, and zz the place where they
possess sovereignty are there people of the good
religion of every kind, or how are they; are ¢herc
sacred fires* and appointed worship, or how is
1 M14 adds, ‘he longs for good giving and good consideration ; important and virtuous is he when able to do it;’ but the sentence is hardly grammatical.
? Literally ‘ fires of Varahran’ (see Chap. XXXI, 7).
256 DADISTAN-f DINIK.
it; and for what purpose is each one of their sovereignties ?
1 The central one of the seven regions of the earth, which is supposed to contain all the countries best known to the Iranians, and to be as large as the other six regions put together (see Bd. XI, 2-6). The name is here corrupted into Khvanairas.
2 Ay. YOistd yO Fryananam of Abén Yt. 81, Fravardin Yt. 120, who had to explain ninety-nine enigmas propounded to him by the evil Akhtya. In P&z. this name is corrupted into Gést-f Fryané, whose explanation of thirty-three enigmas propounded by Akht the wizard, and proposal of three enigmas in his turn form the subject of a Pahlavi tale published with AV. He is not included among the immortals mentioned in Bd. XXIX, 5, 6, and Dk. (see § 8, note), but is one of those specified in Byt. II, r.
° No doubt, the Av. Ashem-yahmai-usta (‘righteousness for which be blessing’) who precedes Ydist6 in Fravardin Yt. 120. He is the Asdm-? Yamahust of Bd. XXIX, 5, who is said to reside in the district of the river Naivtak; but he is not mentioned in Dk. The names Yakhmayfisad, Fradhakhst6, and Ashavazang are written in Pazand, which accounts for their irregular spelling.
* Av. Fradhakhsti Khuzbya of Fravardin Yt. 138. In Dk.
he is said to be ruler on the Nafvtak waters, but in Bd. he is called
Parsadga Avembya residing in the plain of Pésyansai.
® Av. Ashavazdang the Pourudhakhstiyan of Aban Yt. 72, Fravardin Yt.112. He is the Ashavazd son of Pourudhakhst in Bd., and is said to rule in the plain of Pésyansai in Dk.
° The many-seeded tree, said to grow in the wide-formed ocean, and also in Airan-vég, on which the Saéna bird (simurgh) is sup- posed+to sit and shake off the seeds, which are then conveyed by the bird Aamrés to the waters gathered by Tistar, who rains them down on the earth with the water; hence the growth of fresh vege- tation when the rainy season commences (see Rashnu Yt. 17, Bd. XXVII, 2, XXIX, 5, Mkh. LXII, 37-42).
Chapter Xc, 3-6. S57
one is Gépatshah!; aud one is Peshydtant *, who is called after the Kitrav6k6-miyan6 °,
4. The reign of Gépatshah is over the land of
Gépatd *, coterminous with Airan-vég*, on the bank
(bar) of the water of the Daitth*; azd he keeps
watch over the ox Hadhayas’, through whom occurs
the complete perfection of primitive man*, 5. The
reign of Peshydétand is in Kangdez°, azd he resides
in the illustrious Kangdez which the noble Siya-
vash ?° formed through his glory, Ze who is called
the erratic youth" of the illustrious Kaydanians. |
6. And through his powerful spirit arose increase
of cultivation and the ruler Kai-Khisrdi?? among
the highest of the mountains in the countries of
* Either a title or son of Aghrérad, brother of Frastyav of Tar (see Bd. XXIX, 5, XXXI, 20-22). He is a righteous minotaur according to Mkh. LXII, 31-36.
2 Here written Patshayétand, but he is the Peshydtanfi of Chap. XXXVII, 36.
® The Xatru-miy4n river in Kangdez (see Bd. XX, 31).
* Which is a non-Aryan country according to Dk., but Bd.
(XXIX, 5) calls it ‘the land of the Saukavastan,’ and Mkh. (XLIV,
24-35, LXII, 31) places Gdpatshah in Airan-vég.
5 See Chap. XXI, 2.
6 Av. Daitya, a river which flows out of Aifrén-vég (see Bd. XX, 13).
7 See Chap. XXXVII, 99.
* Referring either to the complete peopling of the earth by emi- gration on the back of this ox in ancient times, or to the immor- tality produced at the resurrection by tasting an elixir, of which the fat of this ox is one of the ingredients.
* A settlement east of Persia formed, or fortified, by Siyavash (see Bd. XXIX, ro, Byt. III, 25).
10 See Chap. XXXVII, 36.
1 Or kang-i raftér may mean ‘jaunty youth;’ but it is evi- dently an attempt to account for the name Kangdez as ‘ the fortress of the kang (“ youth”),
” The son of Siyavash (see Chap. XXXVI, 3, Bd. XXXI, 25).
258 DADISTAN-f DINIK.
Iran and Taran; the purity of the sacred fire? of
great glory azd the recital of the liturgy exist there,
and the practice of religious rites (dind) is provided.
7. The custom, also, of him (Peshyétanf) and Zzs
companions azd coadjutors (ham-b4r), in the ap-
pointed millenniums, is the great advancement of
religion and good works in other quarters likewise *.
8. But, secondly, as Zo the whereabouts of the
places which are theirs—just like his—of which
there is no disquisition by me, this also is even
owing to my not remembering %.
* Literally ‘ fire of Varahran.’
* He is expected to be summoned by the angels to restore the. religious rites to the world, after the conflict of the nations in a future age (see Byt. III, 25-42).
In this list of the immortal rulers of ancient times, the names of Barazd and Kai-Khfisré? are substituted for those of Yésté and
Chapter Xc, 7—Xci, 4. 259
Cyuapter XCI,
1. As ¢o the ninetieth question azd reply, that
which you ask isthus: From what is the sky made,
and with what is it prepared?
2. The reply is this, that the sky is a dome
(gardtin), wide azd lofty; its inside and whole
width and boundaries (akhyakiha), besides its
material existence, are the stone of light, of all
stones the hardest! azd most beautiful; and the ©
grandeur of its spirit azd even z¢s internal bow? are
like ¢hose of mighty warriors arrayed. 3. And that
material of the sky reached unto the place where
promise-breaking words exist *, azd was without —
need of preparation; as it is said of places such as
those— where wisdom is a witness about ¢em—that
that which is not even itself a place, and its place does
not yet exist, is without need of any preparing‘.
