432 OTHER DETAILS OF NASKS.
21. The name of the twentieth is G^ud-d^v-dad\
and that is of twenty-two subdivisions ; its explan-
ation is of causing the abstinence of mankind from
pollution, that is, from defilement, and the assault
of evil peculiarly owing to the great ; from the sight
of a menstruous woman, and the like of these, when-
ever harm and injury happen to the creation,
22. The name of the twenty-first is Hidokht,
and this is a book of thirty subdivisions ; its explan-
ation is such that the accursed devil goes far from
every one who shall recite this book together with
the Yayt, and this person becomes near unto the
sacred being, the praiseworthy and exalted, and in
such manner as he is near the sacred being in like
manner he obtains rank.
23. And the purpose of this being written is so,
that it is known to these humble individuals * in this
manner, that these books are of those tendencies,
and it has been written by those devout ones^ in
such manner that ' among us no one is able to read
the Pahlavi characters, and the interpretation of these
Nasks is in Pahlavi ; any one who does not know
the Pahlavi characters is high-priest and is not able
to demonstrate the miracles of the religion, nor that
which was written with regard to the commentary of
these Nasks/
^ P&2. ^ud is a translation of Av. vi which is merdy trans- literated by vtk m Vik-dftv-did, the original form of Vendidid.
* The priests in Ir&n who supplied this information to NarSman.
' The priests in India who had applied for the information, using the words about to be quoted.
PERSIAN RIvAyATS. 433
IV. From the RivAyat of DastOr BarzO
QiyAmu-d-d!n ^
!• The reply about the Nasks of the A vesta.
The Yathi-ahft-vairy6 is of twenty-one words, and
the Avesta is similarly ^twenty-one Nasks.
2. The name of the first Nask is St6d-ya^t, and
that book is of thirty-three compilations, that is, it
is of thirty-three subdivisions, and the description
of the Lord and the angels is in it
3. The name of the second Nask is StAdgar,
and that is of twenty-two subdivisions ; its descrip-
tion is about prayer, virtuous authority, and inter-
cession.
4. The third Nask is the Vahi^t-m&nthrah, and
that is of twenty-two subdivisions about faith and
heedfulness ; and one is reminded \&c.^ very nearly
the same as in II, 3}
5. The fourth Nask is the Bagh, and that is of
twenty-one subdivisions ; its explanation is about
the religion and its intention, and whatever the Lord
has made incumbent on mankind as to devotion and
heedfulness ; also about closing the path of Satan to
oneself, and approaching the last abode.
6. The name of the fifth book is Dvizdah-
himist, and that is of thirty-two subdivisions in
remembrance of the beginning [c&^., very nearly the
same as in II, 5].
7. The name of the sixth Nask is N4dar, and that is of thirty-five compilations about the stars
^ This Dasti^r appears to have been one of several residing at Naus&rf A.D. 16 1 4-1 646; his father's name is more usually written Qavdmu-d-dtn, and his account of the Nasks closely resembles that of Kdmah Bahrah.
[37] Ff
434 OTHER DETAILS OF NASKS.
and the disposition and life of the sky. [dtc, very
nearly the same as in II, 6 to\ Bavaf/il, and in
Persian the name of that book is Favimsa'hin, that
is, instruction arises therefrom for the modems.
8. The name of the seventh Nask is Pi^am, and
that is of twenty-two subdivisions ; its description is
about quadrupeds and how they are made lawful,
which is lawful \&c., as in II, 7, to\ for the sake of
a season-festival, and how it is necessary to perform
whatever is in a season-festival ; the expense of a
season-festival [&c., as in II, 7, to\ high-priests, and
a description of the clothing for a righteous gift,
so that they may obtain recompense in the end from
heaven.
9. The eighth Nask is the Ratu^tiyf, and that
is of fifty subdivisions ; its purport is about the
affairs of the king and obedience, cities constructed
and made magnificent, birds, animals, and fish, and
whatever is Ormazds, besides the creatures of
Aharman ; [(tv., as in II, 8].
10. The name of the ninth book is Barii-, and
that is of sixty subdivisions, and about descriptions
of kings and judges, and an investigation of their
authority ; also the relations of a peasant \&c., as in
II, 9, to\ deceit, and telling lies.
11. The name of the tenth book is Ka^kantz,
and that is of sixty subdivisions, about the advan-
tage (fajl) of natural wisdom and knowledge as
distinguished from acquired knowledge, that is, the
knowledge bom from the mother, and the knowledge
which they learn by instruction; doctrine about
purity and truth, and anything \&c., as in II, 10, to\
how it occurs.
12. The name of the eleventh Nask is Vi^t&sp,
Persian Rivayats. 435
a^nd that is of sixty compilations, but after the
calamity of Alexander, when they sought them
again, they found no more than eight subdivisions,
and those are about Gu^tdsp s acceptance \&c.^ as
in II, 1 1].
13. The name of the twelfth book is 'H^st, and
that is of twenty-two fargards in six portions. The
first portion is about knowing the Lord, may he be
honoured and glorified ! and faith in the mission of
Zaratu^ and any duties which are ordered in a
book of the religion. The second portion is about
the obedience of kings, the truth of the religion,
and complying ivith commands. The third portion
is about the promise to benefactors and their recom-
pense, the punishment of evildoers, and escaping
from hell. The fourth portion is about the mansions
of the world, agriculture and trimming trees, the
power of mankind and quadrupeds arisen therefrom,
the obedience they exercise, and whatever duty they
perform for the high-priests of the religion. The
fifth portion \&c., as in II, 1 2, t6\ the obeisances, so
that they obtain great rewards in the end.
14. The name of the thirteenth book is Sfend,
afid that is of sixty subdivisions, for the information
of people who are in want of it, and for their know-
ledge ; also for any persons who become covetous as
to virtuous actions, and proceed after the footsteps
of the learned and people of religion, and receive
advantage therefrom; and as reminders of the
celestial sphere that there is advantage from the
daily practice of them. Also about the accounts of
the evil of mankind, by the apostle Zaratu^t, about
the false speaking \&c,, as in II, 13].
15. The fourteenth Nask is the G^ira^t, and that
F f 2
436 OTHER DETAILS OF NASKS.
is of twenty-two subdivisions, for the understanding of the causes of mankind [&c.y as in II, 14].
16. The name of the fifteenth book is Baghin-
ya^t, and that is of seventeen subdivisions, in praise
of the Lord, the praiseworthy and exalted, and the
admitted angels ; also thanksgiving for the favours
due to that which he makes expedient in the religion,
and the thanksgiving for his favour lasts until one
obtains it back in the end ; likewise the appearance
of the angels, and these are nobles for the praise of
the sacred being.
17. The name of the sixteenth book is NiyAram,
and that is of fifty-four subdivisions, about decrees
as to riches, bringing abroad, and whatever is made
lawful ; obtaining deliverance from hell, performing
service, slavery, and the nature of wayfarers ; what-
ever is in the thoughts of mankind, and whatever is
in the bodies of mankind.
18. The name of the seventeenth book is As pd ram,
and that is of sixty subdivisions about rituals \&c.,
very nearly the same as in II y 1 7].
19. The name of the eighteenth Nask is Duvd-
sr6b, and that is of sixty-five subdivisions, about
robbers (duvdydn?) of human beings \&c., very
nearly the same as in II, 1 8].
20. The name of the nineteenth Nask is Askdram,
and that is of fifty-two fargards \&c., very nearly the
same as in II, 1 9].
21. The name of the twentieth Nask is Vlndid,
and that is of twenty-two subdivisions \&c., very
nearly the same as in II, 20]. And as to this book
Vlnddd, which is the twentieth book of the Nasks,
out of the twenty-one Nasks of the Avesta, we and
you are now using it in the ceremonial, and when.
Persian Rivayats. 437
after the calamity of Alexander, they sought for the
loooks again, they found a portion of each Nask, but
did not find any Nask in completeness except the
Vlnd^d which they found complete.
22. The name of the twenty-first Nask is H ddokht,
and that is of thirty subdivisions, about the manner
of bringing together and the many miracles, and
i/ieir excellences and connections ; and in this book
the accursed devil becomes cursed and becomes an-
nihilated.
23. At present, since the Nasks ^zz/^ not remained
perfect in the midst of us, it is not possible to
solemnize them^- because Alexander the Riiman ^
carried off a rough draft, in RAman characters, of
those of the twenty-one Nasks of the Avesta which
were about the stars and medicine, and repeatedly
burnt the books of the Avesta, so that the soul of
Alexander burns in hell ; and after his calamity,
every one of the high-priests, in council together,
preserved something of the Avesta in his mind,
and the aggregate has disclosed the books of the
Yasna (ya^t), Vlsperad, Vendlddd, Fravash, Khfir-
dah Avesta, Dartin, Afrlngdn, Kiddh Va^rkardan,
and Bundahi^, which they wrote correctly; as to the
remainder (tatammah) which they did not write, it
was on this account, that they did not preserve
it correctly in their minds. And the expectation,
descended from the midst of them in the court of
Ormazd and the archangels, is thus, that Var^vand,
Pesh6tan, and Hush^dar ^ will arrive in haste for
the manifestation of the religion, and the goodness
. » See Dk. Bk. IV, 24 n.
• The three chief producers of the future and final triumph of the religion (see Byt. Ill, 13-52).
438 OTHER DETAILS OF NASKS.
of the religion again assumes splendour from a new
head; the good and those of the good religion
become cheerful and happy, and the bad and wicked
become extinct and disappearing. Amen.
FROM THE DtN-VI6^IRGARD\
In the name and for the propitiation of the
creator AOharmasrflT these several commentaries
(zand) are published from revelation (d^n6).
The names of the twenty-one Nasks.
1. One is this that is Yathi, that is, the St6^-
ya^t, and the subdivisions of this Std^Z-ya^t are
thirty-three. In that Nask are the blessing and
propitiation of Aftharma^^ and the archangels, and
they are for the utterance of praise. Afiharmaa/
sends this Nask into the world, which is suitable for
every one, and whoever has committed this Nask to
memory recites it. And to every one who, beit^
a high-priest, becomes a reciter of both the Avesta
and Zand, and shall recite that Nask three times
with correctness, the archangels vjill come near ; as
to this they know it without doubt.
2. The second Nask is that which is Ah ft, the Stfi^gar, a«rf the subdivisions of that Nask are
^ A Riviyat in Pahlavi writing, but its language is more Persian than Pahlavi ; it commences with this account of the Nasks, com- bining most of the information contained in the four preceding extracts from the Persian Rivdyats. For this text the translator is indebted to a MS. written a. d. 1813 and belonging to Dastiir H6shangji Jim^spji of Poona ; a previous translation, in Haug's Essays, was from a transliteration of the same text prepared by Haug some 25 years ago.
DtN-VIGIRGARD. 439
twenty-two. In it are the giving of advice to
mankind, the performance of prayer and virtue, the
doing of good actions, intercession, producing union
among relations, and such-like topics.
3. The third is Vairyd, the Vahi^t-mdnsar, and
the subdivisions of this Nask are twenty-two. In
this is the topic of those who are becoming without
doubt as to the religion of Masfi/a-worship, causing
heedfulness, and thinking about the religion; also
the production of the benediction and attributes
(s/f&t) of the blessedness of ZaratA^t, every action
which was declared virtuous before Zarat6rt, and all
actions which have to occur after Zaratfljt until the
future existence; the benefit of his world, and
such-like topics.
4. The fourth Nask is this which is AthA, the
Bagh, and the subdivisions of that Nask are
twenty-one. In this the topic is this which is the
purpose of the religion of Ma^^/a-worship, and the
ideas which Aflharma^^/ caused to be taught unto
mankind; the exercise of reverence, heedfulness,
adjudication, and justice; the performance of the
proper duty of decision, doing good actions (kdr-1
khvalr), closing the way of Aharman into oneself,
attaining unto the spiritual existence for oneself, and
such as are like these.
5. The fifth Nask is Ratu^, the Dvizdak-
h6md5t, and the subdivisions of that Nask are
thirty-two. In that Nask are all the topics of the
spiritual existence and the heavenly state, virtue and
vileness, the material existence of this worldly state,
about the sky and about the earth, and everything
which AftharmasTflf produced and which exists in
the water, fire, and plants; human beings and
