26. We have reason to believe that the Pahlavi versions of Avesta texts were completed in the fourth century and revised in the sixth, after the downfall of the heretic Mazdak. This may not only be clearly inferred from the traditional account of the compilation and restorations of the Avesta and Zand, preserved in Dk. IV, 21-36, and translated in S. B. E., vol. xxxvii, pp. 412-418 ; but is also in accordance with the actual condition of the Pahlavi versions of the liturgical Avesta texts. With the exception of a few interpolated passages, the whole of these Pahlavi versions might have been written, or revised, in the time of king Shahpühar II (A.D. 309-379). And the excep- tional passages mention no persons or events of a later date than the reign of king Khûsrô I (A. D. 531-578) ; being merely references to such persons as Mazdak, the heretic, and certain commentators who lived about that time.
27. If we examine the Zoroastrian legends, translated in this volume, we shall also find it difficult to discover a passage that clearly alludes to any historical personage of later date than Khüsró I, who is named in Dk. V, iii, 3; VII, vii, 26, although the compiler of the Dinkard had the traditions of 250 years of Arab rule to draw upon for facts, if he had been disposed to continue the statements of the Pahlavi. Spend Nask down to his own time. No doubt, these traditions may have intensified his denunciations of
xvili' PAHLAVI TEXTS.
the devastators in Dk. VII, vii, 29-38; viii, 4-9, but, like most Pahlavi writers, he is careful not to mention Muham- madanism. Dk. VII, vii, 33, 34 seem to refer to some particular individual of this later time ; but the references to Kaisar and Khákán, the Turkish demons with dishevelled hair, the Arab, and Shedasp6 (Theodosius?) of Arüm, may all have been taken from a Pahlavi version revised in the time of Khásró I.
28. That the original Pahlavi version was translated from an Avesta text, though many Pahlavi commentaries were intermingled, appears certain. Apart from the numerous quotations from revelation (dénó), which may be safely assumed to have had an Avesta original, there are many passages interspersed with glosses, such as the Pahlavi translators habitually used, as well as numerous sen- tences beginning with a verb, an Avesta peculiarity which generally disappears in an English translation. Regard- ing the age of this Avesta text it would be hazardous to speculate without further information than we yet possess.
29. The principal details connected with the Zoroastrian
legends which have been noticed in other Pahlavi and
Pazand texts, with references to the passages where they
occur, are as follows :—
GÓsürvan informed of the future coming of Zaratüst in Bd. IV, 4.
Z.’s genealogy and family in Bd. XXXII, 1-10.
Summary account of Z. and Zoroastrianism, from the creation to the resurrection, in Dk. VIII, xiv, 1-15.
The abode of Z.’s father, when Z. was born, was on the bank of the Dárega river (Bd. XX, 32; XXIV, r5).
150 demons were prevented from destroying Z., before his birth, by the presence of a fire in his father's house (Sls. X, 4; XII, I1; SQ XE 3).
Detailed account of the birth of Z. in Dk, IX, xxiv, 1-18.
When Z. first saw the archangels, he thought they were arch- demons (Ep. I, x, 9).
Omniscient wisdom temporarily conferred upon Z., and what he then saw (Dk. IX, viii, 1-6 ; Byt. I, 1-5; II, 5-22).
He saw the soul of Daváns tormented in hell, excepting one foot (AV. XXXII, 1-6; Sls, XII, 29; Sd. IV, 3-11).
INTRODUCTION. xix
He also saw a mortal with children and an immortal without any, and preferred the former (Dd. XXXVII, 43`.
And he beheld the terrible condition of Keresásp's soul (Dk. IX, XV, 1—4).
Advice of Aüharmasd to Zaratüst (Sd. XXV, 6-9; LXXXI, 2-16).
The demon Envy (Aresh) converses with Z. in Dk. IX, xxxi, 6—11.
Aharman tempts Z. with the promise of rooo years dominion, in Mkh. LVII, 24-29.
About Maigók-máh, in Dk. IX, xliv, 19.
Z. coming to preach to king Vistásp, in Sg. X, 64-68.
Archangels assist Z. in converting Vistásp, also the war with Argasp, in Dk. VIII, xi, 2-4.
The war of the religion with Argásp mentioned in Bd. XII, 33.
The families of Zaratüst, Hvóv, and Vistásp mentioned in Dk. VIII, xxix, 25.
About Frashóstar and Gámásp in Dk. VIII, xxxviii, 68; IX, xlii, 8, 9 ; xliv, 17, 18.
About Kaí-Vistásp, Frashóstar, PorüA4ást, Gámásp, and Hátós in Dk. IX, xlv, 3-5.
Brád-rükhsh, or Brádró-résh the Tr, mentioned as destroying
the righteous man, in Dd. LXXII, 8; Sd. IX, 5; Dk. VIII,
XXXV aa, IX, x, 3.
The last millenniums mentioned in Dk. IX, xxxix, 18; xli, 6-8.
Events in the last two millenniums, in Byt. II, 22-III, 62.
The resurrection described in Bd. XXX.
30. Beyond the frequent occurrence of the names of the chief actors in the traditions, there are not many references to the Zoroastrian legends in the extant Avesta. ‘shis is owing to the fact that three-fourths of the Avesta texts, including the Nasks specially devoted to these legends, have been lost. The chief references to them that still survive in the Avesta are as follows :—
The passing on of the kingly glory from ruler to ruler, from
Haoshyang,ha to Kava-Haosrava, from Zarathustra to Kava-
Vistáspa and the Saoshyazt, in Yt. XIX, 25-90.
The terror of the demons on hearing of the birth of Z., in Vd.
XIX, 43-47.
Z. mentioned as son of Pourushaspa in Yt. V, 18.
Verethraghna gives Z. strength, health, vigour, and keenness of
sight (Yt. XIV, 33).
XX PAHLAVI TEXTS.
References to Z.’s conference with Ahura Mazda, and his rejection of the Cemons, in Yas. XII, 5, 6.
The demons attempt to destroy Z., and to tempt him, but are repelled by recitations, in Vd. XIX, 1-10.
Commentary on the Ahunavair, in Yas. XIX.
Z. converses with Haoma, in Yas. IX, 1-16.
Fate of the soul after death revealed to Z., in Vd. XIX, 26-34.
Z. is taught various spells, in Yt. XIV, 34-38.
He prays that he may convert the queen Hutaosa, in Yt. IX, 26; XVII, 46.
References to the battle with Aregad-aspa, in Yt. V, 109, 113, 116, 117 ; IX, 30; XVII, 50, 5r.
Z.’s reply to Frashaostra regarding the ritual, in Yas. LXXI, I-II.
There are also other references to Kava-Vîstâspa, Frashaostra, Gâmâspa, Pourużistâ, Maidhyômau, the Haé£aZaspas, Spita- mas, and Saoshyazts. And the Fravashis of all the righteous persons receive homage in Yt. XIII. Of the unbelievers, the Karapans and Kavis are mentioned several times in the Gâthas and Yasts, including the Hôm Yast; and the Usikhsh once in the Gâthas.
31. So far as these references in the Avesta extend, they agree with the Pahlavi versions of the legends, and occasionally state some further particulars. We may, therefore, safely conclude that these Pahlavi versions present a fairly complete view of the Zoroastrian legends current in Sásánian times. But we have another means of testing this conclusion more fully in the Persian Zartust- námah, translated by Eastwick in the Appendix to Tke Parsi Religion, as contained in the Zand-Avasta, by John Wilson, D. D. (Bombay : 1843).
32. This Zartust-namah contains 1570 Persian couplets,
composed by Zartust Bahram Pazdü, apparently at the
ancient city of Rai, and finished on August 12, 1278. But
Eastwick's English translation was made from a good MS.
of this poem, written by Dastür Barzü Qiyámu-d-din
(=Kamdin) in 1636, belonging to the Wilson Collection
and now in the library of Lord Crawford at Wigan.
Zartust Bahrám relates how a priest of Rai, named Kai-
Káüs, son of Kai-Khusró, showed him an old Pahlavi MS.
INTRODUCTION. xxi
narrating the history of Zartust, and offered to interpret it, if he would undertake to paraphrase it, in Persian verse, for the information of others.
33. After mentioning Z.'s grandfather and father, de- scended from king Frédün, a frightful dream of his mother is related, in which she sees herself attacked by wild beasts eager for the destruction of her son, who drives them away. She relates her dream to an astrologer, who prognosticates a wonderful career for the unborn child ; but this dream is an addition to the Pahlavi texts.
34. The child is born, and laughs at birth, exciting admiration among the women and dismay among the magicians. Düránsarün, their chief, comes to see the child, and tries to kill him with a dagger; but his hand is withered, and the magicians carry off the child, who is ex- posed to death from fire, oxen, horses, and wolves, but all in vain, as his mother brings him home safe on each occasion. Another magician, named Bartarüsh, then fore- tells that Z. cannot be destroyed, and will establish a new religion ; and he repeats this to the child's father, naming Gustásp as his future protector. This narrative corresponds with Dk. VII, iii, 2-31; but then follows the addition that he was confided to the care of an old man, named Barzin- karûs, till he completed his seventh year.
35. Then Düránsarün and Bartarüsh went together to see him, and tried their magic arts upon him in vain (ibid. 32, 33). Afterwards, when Z. was sick, Bartarüsh supplied him with filthy drugs, but he threw them on the groutd, which seems to be another version of Zs. XVIII, 5, 6. Then follows a paraphrase of Dk. VII, iii, 34-48, and Zs. XX, 4, 5; XXI, 1-20, 23-27, with some additional remarks about worship and the Avesta being taught to Z. The conferences with the six archangels are more detailed than in Zs. XXII, and more ritualistic in their tendency.
36. When Z. returns to the earth, he is met by the
demons and magicians, who oppose him, but are killed or
dispersed by the utterance of an Avesta text; in which
account we have an extreme condensation of Dk. VII, iv,
36-46, 57-62. He then goes to the court of king Gustasp,
xxii PAHLAVI TEXTS. ee — where he is hospitably received by the king, surrounded by his princes and wise men. With the latter Z. enters into argument, and overcomes them all successively. This is repeated, till all the learned of the realm are vanquished in argument, in the course of three successive days.
37. Then Z. produces the Avesta and Zand, and reads
a chapter; but the king hesitates to accept it, until he
learns more about it; and Z. retires to his lodgings. In
the meantime, the wise men form a conspiracy to ruin Z.,
by secreting in his lodgings, with the connivance of his
doorkeeper, many of the impure things used by sorcerers.
The next day, while the king and Z. are examining the
Avesta, the wise men denounce Z. as a sorcerer; his
lodgings are searched, and the impurities are brought to
the king, who becomes angry and commits Z. to prison.
38. Now the king had a magnificent black horse, and when Z. had been a week in prison, this horse fell sick, and was found with its four feet drawn up to its belly. When the king was informed, he summoned his wise men, but they could suggest no remedy ; so the king and all his people remained fasting all day and lamenting, and the jailer forgot to take any food to Z. till the evening, when he told Z. about the state of the black horse.
39. Z. requested the jailer to inform the king that he could cure the horse; and the king, on hearing this the next day, releases Z., who undertakes to restore the horse’s limbs to their natural state, on receiving four solemn promises, one for the cure of each leg. Three of these promises are that the king, his son Isfendyâr (= Spend-dad), and the queen, should each undertake to accept his religion and never forsake it; and the fourth promise is that the false accusation of sorcery, made by the wise men, should be investigated.
40. After each promise Z. prays vehemently, and each limb is restored to use. While, on the confession of Z.’s doorkeeper, the wise men are convicted of fraudulent deceit, and are sent to execution. The Persian version is here à highly embellished paraphrase of Dk. VII, iv, 64-70, especially in the horse episode.
