1 According to the numbering of the folios of the old MS. of 1659 (brought from Persia to India in 1783) one folio, numbered 313 in Persian words, is here missing. It has not yet been found in India, and, owing to folio 312 apparently completing a sentence, and folio 314 evidently beginning a new chapter, the loss of text is hardly perceptible. It would have filled the next two pages.
2 The MS. has ‘57 years, through -90 ‘50’ being written
instead of 2^6 ‘70’; but see Chap. III, 51 which states the interval
of thirty years between his birth and conference.
74 DÍNKARD, BOOK VII.
Ais conference, and thirty-five years onwards from the acceptance of the religion by Vistásp !.
2. One marvel is this whitch zs declared that,
when Zaratüst chanted revelation in the abode of
Vistásp, 77 was manifest fo the eye that it is danced
to with joyfulness, both by the cattle and beasts of
burden, and dy the spirit of the fires which ave in
the abode. 3. By whch, too, a great wonder is
proclaimed, like this «sz revelation mentions
thus: ‘ ZZere seemed a righteous joyfulness of all
the cattle, beasts of óurden, and fires of the place,
and there seemed a powerfulness of every kind of
well-prepared spirits and of those quitting the abode
(mán-hishánó), “that will make us? henceforth
powerful through religion,” when they fully heard
those words which weve spoken by the righteous
Zaratüst of the Spitamas.’
4. And one marvel is the provision, óy Zaratist,
of the achievement of ordeal, that indicator of the
acquitted and incriminated for sentence dy the judge,
in obscure legal proceedings ; of which 7¢ is said in
revelation ¢here are about (£igün) thirty-three kinds.
5. These, too, the disciples of Zaratüst kept in use,
after that zīme, until the collapse of the monarchy of
Irán; and the custom of one of them is that of pour-
ing melted metal on the breast, as in the achieve-
ment of the saintly (hà-fravargó) Átürpàd son of
Máraspend, through whose preservation a know-
1 The contents of this chapter and the next, as far as VI, 11, may be connected with the following summary in Dk. VIII, xiv, 9 :—' Information also as /o many other things which are marvellous, and as /o a summary of the statements of these seven enquiries, which is derived from knowledge of every kind. For the seven enquiries, see Zs, XXII.
* Or, perhaps, ‘ make the abode.’
Chapter V, 2-8. 75
ledge about the religion was diffused in the world ;
and of the manifestation, too, through that great
wonder, this is also said, on the same subject, in the
good religion, that of those many, when they behold
that rite of ordeal, it convinces the wicked ones !.
6. One marvel is that which is afterwards mani-
fested, after the former captivity of Zaratüst? and
his speaking about the religion to Vistasp and those
of the realm °, such as the acceptance of the religion
by Vistásp and that which Zaratüst said to him at
Ais original arrival, as regards the declaration of
a ruler's religion, thus: ‘Thine is this disposition,
and this religion which is calling (khrósakó). is
a property of that description whzch thou puttest
together, O Kai-Vistásp! so that zf thou wilt accept
this disposition of thine, thou wilt possess this
religion which exists (that is, the learning of learn-
ings), and be the ruler that shall cause 245 progress ;
thou wall possess in this disposition of thine, as
it were, a new support (stünakó), avd any one
will uphold ¢hee by upholding 24, as thou art the
possessor of the support of this religion.’ 7. Also
the victory of Vistásp over Argásp the Khyón and
other foreigners in that awful battle‘, just as Zara-
tüst explained unto Vistásp in revelation ; and much
which is declared by revelation.
8. One marvel is the disclosure by Zaratüst, in
complete beneficence, medical knowledge, acquain-
tance with character, and other professional reten-
tiveness (pishakó-girükih), secretly and completely,
of what is necessary for legal knowledge and spiritual
‘nae. | ||| 1 2 Lu LLL ee
1 §§ 4, 5 are already translated in AV. p. 145.
2 See Chap. IV, 67-69. * See Chap. IV, 73.
* See Chap. IV, 88-90.
76 DINKARD, BOOK VII.
perception ; also the indication, by revelation, of the
rites for driving out pestilence (ségó), overpowering
the demon and witch, and disabling sorcery and
witchcraft. 9. The curing of disease, the counter-
action of wolves and noxious creatures, the liberating
of rain, and the confining of hail, spiders, locusts,
and other terrors of corn and plants and adversaries
of animals, óy the marvellous rites which are also
relating to the worship of Khüzdaz and Amivdad’,
and many other rites which weve kept in use until
the collapse of the monarchy of Iran; and there are
some which have remained even Z// now?, and are
manifested with a trifle of marvellousness by the
sacred fires. 10. And the disclosure to mankind
of many running waters from marvellous streams
(ardaya), and remedies for sickness which ave
mixed (fargazdakó) by well-considering physicians ;
many are spiritual and celestial, gaseous (váyig)
and earthy; and the worldly advantage of others,
too, is the praise (l@f5) which ought to come to one
for angelic? wisdom.
11. One is the marvel of the Avesta itself, which,
according to all the best reports of the world, is
a compendium of all the supremest statements of
wisdom.
12. One marvel is the coming of this also to
" These two archangels personify health and immortality,
respectively (see Chap. II, 19), and are supposed to have special
charge of water and plants.
* The ninth century, unless this phrase be copied from one of the sources of the Dinkard.
` The MS. has yazdánó-khiragóih which has the meaning given in the text; but this word can also be read gehánó- khiragóih, ‘worldly wisdom, though géhánó is the more usual orthography.
CHAPTER V, 9- VI, 2. By
Vistásp, which the archangels announced as a recom-
pense for accepting the religion ', as he saw Péshyó-
tan the happy ruler, that immortal and undecaying
son, not wanting food, large-bodied, completely
strong, fully glorious, mighty, victorious, and resem-
bling the sacred beings; the unique splendour of
Péshyótan for the sovereignty of Kangdez zx
yonder world, as allotted to him y the creator
Atthaymazd, is manifested even through that great
wonder to the multitude *.
CHAPTER VI.
I. About the marvellousness which is manifested
after the departure (vikhézó) of Zaratüst, whose
guardian spirit is reverenced, to the best existence,
and in the lifeZzzze of Vistásp.
2. One marvel is this which is declared by revela-
tion, about the provision of a chariot? by Sritó * of
the Visraps^; this is through a famous wonder and
1 See Chap. IV, 81.
? It is singular that nothing is stated here about the death or departure of Zaratüst, which event, according to § 1, ought to have concluded this chapter. But in Chap. III, 39, Dürásrób evidently foretells that Zaratüst will be killed by the evil eye of Brágrók-résh. In Dk. V, iii, 2, the killing of Zaratüst by Brádró-résh the Tar is merely mentioned. In Zs. XXIII, 9, it is stated that Zaratüst passes away (vidiréd6) forty-seven years after his conference and preaching to Vistásp. While the modern Persian Zaratüst-náma does not mention his death, though it speaks of Bartarüsh as his chief enemy in his younger days. But compare Chap. III, 22.
3 Pahl. ré which is written exactly like the Pahlavi ciphers for twenty-two and, no doubt, stands for Av. ratha.
4 So spelt ten times in $$ 2-11, but here Srátó. Itis also Srító in Dk. V, iii, 2.
5 Pahl. Visrapán in $$ 9, 11 and Dk. V, iii, 2; but here it is
78 DINKARD, BOOK VII.
the coming of a report about the marvellousness of
that chariot to Vistásp, Vistásps begging that
chariot from Srit6, and Sritô saying in reply to
Vistasp: “That chariot is for a righteous man, 7”
which the soul of Sritó in the lifeézme of Sritó's
body!, and that of that man in the lifeZ/;ze of his
body, come visibly together once in the worldly
existence. 3. And the soul of Srító, through the
generosity of that Srító, presents that chariot to
the eyesight of that man of righteousness; thereby
it becomes evident he had seen z/, and is told not to
actin another manner. 4. The exalted Kai-Vistasp,
as becoming from revelation more particularly aware
of this marvel about the future at that time, and for
the sake of this marvel being published to the
worldly existence (géhánigih), and of Zzs becoming
Visrap4n, and in § 7 the first letter is omitted, leaving only israpán. In Pahl. Vd. XX, 11 (Sp.) we have Srit-f je (in L4), which latter name may also be íisrapánó, though more likely to be read Sérzánó when considered by itself. It is almost certain that the person mentioned in Pahl. Vd. XX, 11 is intended to be the same as that named here in the text. But it is doubtful if this person be the Av. Thrita son of Sáyuzdri (or Sáizdri) of Yt. V, 72; XIII, 113. As the legend in the text appears to refer to the soul of Sritó, or Thrita, revisiting the world to meet Vistásp, this Sritó may have been the warrior Srító, the seventh brother, employed by Kai-Us, about 350 years earlier, to kill the frontier-settling ox of that time, but there seem to be no means of so identifying him with absolute certainty.
' This is the literal meaning of the Pahl. *mün rûbân-î Sritó pavan zindagth-f Sritó tanó, but it is not quite consistent with Srit6’s return to the earth as a spirit. The Indian copyists seem to have observed this, as they have omitted several words, so as to alter the meaning to the following :—‘ That chariot is for a man of the righteous, wth whom Srító in the life//me of that man’s body
comes visibly together, &c/ But the sentence is not quite gram- matical.
Chapter Vi, 3-9. 79
more invoking for the supremacy of the Mazda-
worshipping religion, became discernible by those of
the realm, is sought for, and is most attended.
+5. A great wonder became manifest to Vistásp
and those of the world, just as revelation mentions
thus: ‘Thereupon the archangels are letting forth
the soul of that .S72/ó from the light of the supreme
heaven, from the light on to the earth created by
Aühazmaz4 ; and the soul of Vistásp proceeded from
him into the light to meet zz. 6. Vistasp proceeded
on to the propitious south (rapitvinó); he was
producing more gain than the gainers, and he
was more inquisitive than the inquisitive; to all
whom he saw he spoke, and unto such as spoke he
listened; when he gazed at them looking simul-
taneously they stood up, azd obeisance was offered
by them unto the soul aud person of Vistásp.'
7. Immediately upon that no delay occurred until
there came on at a run—4eszdes the soul of Sritó of
the Visraps—the most horrid (agrandtüm) of
demons, from the horrid northern quarter of the
horrid destroyer (zaZár), that was himself black,
and his deeds, too, were very black. 8. And as
he comes himself, so also he grumbles Zo the soul
of Sritó thus: ‘Give a maintenance (khvárag) zo
Vistásp who is thy driver!', for the sake of good
fellowship and service, and for that, righteousness is
suitable unto a pure one; do not give zt as a thing
which is protective (that is, do not give 7/ for the
sake of worldly gratuity), bul for love of the
righteousness which is owing to the perfect exis-
tences.'
9. When those words were fully heard by Sritó of
1 This speech seems intended as veiled irony.
80 DÍNKARD, BOOK VII.
the Visraps, the early bestower (levinó-vakhsh),
he stood still and so he spoke in words thus: ' For
righteousness I give thee, O mighty Kai-Vistásp !
this chariot which is without a driver, only for love
of the righteousness which is owing to the perfect
existences. 10. As much for righteousness as is
best for righteousness, and as much for the soul as
is best for the soul, the gift of the whole was secured
(that is, its acceptance was announced as often as
three times).
11. Then that chariot became two chariots, one
spiritual and the, other worldly; in the worldly one
the exalted Kai-Vistásp travelled forth unto the
village of the Nédars? in the joyfulness of good
thoughts, and in the spiritual oze the soul of Sritó of
the Visraps travelled forth unto the best existence.
12. One marvel is this which is declared that in
fifty-seven years onwards from the acceptance of the
religion 2y Zaratüst ?, the arrival of the religion is
published in the seven regions?; and within the
life/zme of Vistásp, the circumstance (aégünóih) is
manifested by the coming of some from other regions
to Frashóstar of the Hvóbas * for enquiry aboné the
