^ For forty years, according to the Bundahij (XXXIV, 4); for thirty years, according to Firdausi.
Z AMY AD YAST. 293 turned Into the shape of a horse, all around the earth from one end to the other, for thirty years \ For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...VII.
30. We sacrifice unto the awful kingly Glory, made by Mazda...31. That clave unto the bright Yima, the good shepherd, for a long time -, while he ruled over the seven Karshvares of the earth, over the Daevas and men, the Yatus and Pairikas, the oppressors, the blind, and the deaf; 32. He who took from the Daevas both riches and welfare, both fatness and flocks, both weal and Glory ^; In whose reign both aliments* were never failing for feeding creatures, flocks and men were undying, waters and plants were undrying; 33. In whose reign there was neither cold wind nor hot wind, neither old age nor death, nor envy made by the Daevas ^, in the times before his lie, before he beean to have delight in words of falsehood and untruth.
34. But when he began to find delight in words of falsehood and untruth ^ the Glory was seen to flee away from him in the shape of a bird. When his Glory had disappeared, then the great '^ Yima 1 Cf. Yt. XV, 12, and notes.
2 For six hundred and sixteen years and six months (Bundahij XXXIV, 4).
' See Yt.V, 26, text and note.
* Food and drink. ' Cf Yt. XV, 16.
^ He pretended to be a god (Firdausi).
■^ Doubtful: fraejta.
A Khshaeta, the good shepherd, trembled and was in sorrow before his foes ^; he was confounded, and laid him down on the ground.
35. The first time^ when the Glory departed from the bright Yima, the Glory went from Yima, the son of Vivangha;^^, in the shape of a Varaghna bird ^ Then Mithra seized that Glory, Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, whose ear is quick to hear, who has a thousand senses. We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of all countries, whom Ahura Mazda has created the most glorious of all the gods in the heavens.
36. The second time when the Glory departed from the bright Yima, the Glory went from Yima, the son of Vivangha/?/, in the shape of a Varaghna bird.
Then Thraetaona seized that Glory, he, the heir of the valiant Athwya clan, who was the most victorious of all victorious men next to Zarathurtra; 37. Who smote Az'i Dahaka, the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who had a thousand senses, that most powerful, fiendish Dru^, that demon baleful to the world, the strongest Dru^ that Angra Mainyu created against the material world, to destroy the world of the good principle ^ ^ Az'i Dahaka and his followers.
'^ The Glory is described as departing three limes, because it is threefold, according as it belongs to the king considered as a priest, a warrior, or a husbandman. In that threefold character it is identical with Adar Froba, Adar Gushasp, and Adar Biarzin Mihr (p. 7, notes).
^ A raven, one of the incarnations of the Genius of Victory ZAMYAD VAST. 295 2,S. The third time when the Glory departed from the bright Yima, that Glory went from Yima, the son of Vivanghawi', in the shape of a Varaghna bird.
Then the manly-hearted Keresaspa^ seized that Glory; he who was the sturdiest of the men of strength, next to Zarathu5tra, for his manly courage.
39. For Manly Courage clave unto him. We worship Manly Courage, firm of foot, unsleeping, quick to rise, and fully awake, that clave unto Keresaspa; 40. Who killed the snake Srvara, the horsedevouring, men-devouring, yellow, poisonous snake, over which yellow poison flowed a thumb's breadth thick. Upon him Keresaspa was cooking his food in a brass vessel: at the time of noon, the fiend felt the heat, and stood upon his feet: he rushed from under the brass vessel and upset the boiling w^ater: the manly-hearted Keresaspa fell back affrighted^; 41. Who killed the golden-heeled Ga;^darewa, that was rushing with open jaws, eager to destroy the living world of the good principle ^; Who killed the brood of Pathana, all the nine'*; ' See V, 37 (pp. 62-63, and notes); XIII, 136; XV, 27.
^ Cf. Yasna IX, 11 (34-39). This tale belongs to the widespread cyclus of the island-whale (a whale whose back is mistaken by sailors for an island; they land upon it, cook their food there, and the monster, awaked by the heat, flies off and carries them away: see Arabian Nights, Seventy-first Night; Baba Bathra, 5).
* Known in the Minokhired (XXVII, 50) as 'the wolf Kapo^/' (perhaps 'the blue wolf,' as INIr. West suggests), 'which they also call Pfhan.' Those nine sons of Pathana were nine highwaymen (the very word Pathana seems to have that meaning): their defeat is told by Keresaspa in a Pahlavi Rivayat as follows: ' I have slain the highwaymen who were so big in body that, when they were and the brood of Nivika, and the brood of Da^tayana; Who killed the golden-crowned Hitaspa\ and Vareshava, the son of Dana ^, and Pitaona, attended by many Pairikas ^; 42. Who killed Arezo-shamana, him of the manly courage, who was strong, well-beloved ^ hail, energetically rushing, fully awake, never falling back — ^; 43. Who killed Snavidhaka, him who killed with his nails, the stone-handed: thus did he exclaim to all around: ' I am an infant still, I am not yet of age: if I ever grow of age, I shall make the earth a wheel, I shall make the heavens a chariot; 44. ' I shall bring down the Good Spirit from the shining Garo-nmana; I shall make the Evil Spirit rush up from the dreary Hell. They will carry my walking, people considered in this way, that " below them are the stars and moon, and below them moves the sun at dawn, and the water of the sea reaches up to their knees," And I reached up to their legs, and they were smitten on the legs by me; they fell, and the hills on the earth were shattered by them' (West, Pahlavi Texts, II, 376). Keresaspa's Fravashi, accordingly, is invoked against thieves (Yt. XIII, 136). Perhaps the assimilation of the wolf Kap6«/ with P^han is merely a guess of the author of ihe Minokhired.
^ The murderer of Keresaspa's brother, Urvakhshaya (Yt.
^ Doubtful: danayana. Varesha is the Pahlavi name of a bird of prey (Bund. XIV, 30), which might induce us to identify Vareshava with the gigantic bird Kamak, 'which overshadowed the earth and kept off the rain till the rivers dried up' (West, 1.1. 378), and whose destruction was one of the feats of Keresaspa.
^ Like the Pairika Knfithaiti, who clave to Keresaspa (Vend. I, ^ The rest of the sentence is obscure, and the text seems to be corrupt.
ZAMYAD VAST. 297 chariot, both the Good Spirit and the Evil One, unless the manly-hearted Keresaspa kill me.'
The manly-hearted Keresaspa killed him, his life went away, his spirit vanished \ For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...
45. We sacrifice unto the awful Glory, that cannot be forcibly seized'^, made by Mazda...46. For which the Good Spirit and the Evil One did struggle with one another^: for that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized ^ they flung each of them their darts most swift.
The Good Spirit flung a dart, and so did Vohu-Mano, and Asha-Vahi^ta and Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda.
The Evil Spirit flung a dart, and so did Akem-Mano^, and Aeshma of the wounding spear, and A^i Dahaka and Spityura, he who sawed Yima in twain ^ 1 Snavidhaka reminds one vividly of the Titanic Olus and Ephialtes (Odyssea XI, 308): ' Such were they youths! Had they to manhood grown, Almighty Jove had trembled on his throne: But ere the harvest of the beard began To bristle on the chin, and promise man, His shafts Apollo aim'd.' (Pope.) ^ The sacerdotal Glory; see p. n, note 6, cf. § 53. ^ When it had departed from Yima.
* Bad Thought, the demoniac counterpart of Vohu-Mano (Vend. Introd.IV, 34).
^ Spityura was a brother of Yima's (Bund. XXXI, 3: ' Spitur was he who, with Dahak, cut up Yim,' ibid. 5, tr. West). Nothing more is known of him, though he appears to have played a great part in the original Yima legend, and to have stood to his brother in the same relation as Barmayfan and Katayun to Feridun, or 47. Then forward came Atar ^ the son of Ahura Mazda, thinking thus in his heart: ' I want to seize that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized.'
But A^i Dahaka, the three-mouthed, he of the evil law, rushed on his back, thinking of extinguishing it: 48. 'Here give it up to me-, O Atar, son of Ahura Mazda: if thou seizest that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, I shall rush upon thee, so that thou m.ayest never more blaze on the earth made by Ahura and protect the world of the good principle.'
And Atar took back his hands, as the instinct of life prevailed, so much had A^'i affrighted him.
49. Then Az\, the three-mouthed, he of the evil law, rushed forward, thinking thus in his heart: * I want to seize that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized.'
But Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda, advanced behind him, speaking in these words: 50. 'There give it up to me^ thou three-mouthed A^-i Dahaka. If thou seizest that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, then I will enter thy hinder part, I will blaze up in thy jaws, so that thou mayest never more rush upon the earth made by Mazda and destroy the world of the good principle.'
Then Az\ took back his hands, as the instinct of life prevailed, so much had Atar affrighted him.
51. That Glory swells up and goes to the sea Shagad to Rustam. Firdausi does not mention him, and makes Dahak himself saw Gemshid.
^ Adar Froba (the Glory of the Priest) is meant here: ' when they sawed Yim, Adar Froba saved his Glory from the hand of Dahak' (Bund. XVII, 5; Etudes Iraniennes, II, 70, 84).
2 Doubtful.
ZAMYAD VAST. 299 Vouru-Kasha. The swift-horsed Son of the Waters^ seizes it at once: this is the wish of the Son of the Waters, the swift-horsed: ' I want to seize that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, down to the bottom of the sea Vouru-Kasha, in the bottom of the deep rivers.'
52. We sacrifice unto the Son of the Waters, the swift-horsed, the tall and shining lord, the lord of females; the male god, who helps one at his appeal; who made man, who shaped man ^, a god who lives beneath waters, and whose ear is the quickest to hear when he is worshipped.
53. 'And whosoever of you, O men,' — thus said Ahura Mazda, — ' O holy Zarathu^tra! shall seize that Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, he has the gifts ^ of an Athravan ^; whosoever shall long for the illumination of knowledge, he has the gifts of an Athravan; whosoever shall long for fulness of knowledge, he has the gifts of an Athravan; 54. 'And Riches will cleave unto him, giving him full welfare, holding a shield before him, powerful, rich of cattle and garments; and Victory will cleave unto him, day after day; and likewise Strength, that smites more than a year. Attended by that Victory, he will conquer the havocking hordes; attended by that Victory, he will conquer all those who hate him.'
For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...^ Apam Napa/; see p. 6, note i.
^ An allusion to old myths on the igneous origin of life (Ormazd et Ahriman, § 78). 3 Doubtful.
A * As that Glory is the one that belongs to the Athravan.
A IX.
55. We sacrifice unto the awful Glory, that cannot be forcibly seized, made by Mazda...56. Which the Turanian ruffian Frangrasyan tried to seize in the sea Vouru-Kasha. He stripped himself naked, wishing to seize that Glory that belongs to the Aryan nations, born and unborn, and to the holy Zarathui^tra \ But the Glory escaped, the Glory fled away, the Glory changed its seat, and an arm of the sea Vouru-Kasha was produced, namely, that lake that is called Lake Husravah ^ 57^ Then the most crafty Turanian Frangrasyan rushed out of the sea Vouru-Kasha, O Spitama Zarathui'tra! thinking evil thoughts: '...^ I have not been able to conquer the Glory that belongs to the Aryan nations, born and unborn, and to the holy Zarathui'tra.
58. ' Then I will defile all corn and liquors^ as to greatness, goodness, and fairness.'
— 'Ahura Mazda will come against thee, ever eager to create new creatures '\' Then the most crafty Turanian Frangrasyan rushed down into the sea Vouru-Kasha, O Spitama Zarathui-tra!
^ See Etudes Iraniennes, II, 227; of. § 82. ^ ' Lake Husru is within fifty leagues (parasang) of Lake A^e/^ast' (Lake Urumiah, Bund. XXII, 8, tr. West).
* Itha itha yathana ahmai.
^ Tarshu/^a khshudra/^a, translated dhanyani madhuni/^a (Sansk. tr. to Afrigan Gahambar, § 1 2). Afrasyab was charged with having laid Iran waste by filling up or conducting away rivers (Hamzah Ispahensis, p. 34; cf. Bund. XXI, 6).
* This looks like an answer to Afrasyab's threats.
ZAMYAD YAST. 3OI 59. A second time he stripped himself naked, wishing to seize that Glory that belongs to the Aryan nations, born and unborn, and to the holy Zarathiutra. But the Glory escaped, the Glory fled away, the Glory changed its seat, and an arm of the sea Vouru-Kasha was produced, namely, that lake that is called Lake Vanghazdrt;u \ 60 ^. Then the most crafty Turanian Frangrasyan rushed out of the sea Vouru-Kasha, O Spitama Zarathui-tra! thinking evil thoughts: '...M have not been able to conquer the Glory that belongs to the Aryan nations, born and unborn, and to the holy ZarathuJtra.
61. 'Then I will defile all corn and liquors, as to greatness, goodness, and fairness.'
— 'Ahura Mazda will come against thee, ever eager to create new creatures.'
Then the most crafty Turanian Frangrasyan rushed down into the sea Vouru-Kasha.
62. A third time he stripped himself naked, wishing to seize the Glory that belongs to the Aryan nations, born and unborn, and to the holy Zarathui-tra. But the Glory escaped, the Glory fled away, the Glory changed its seat, and an arm was produced in the sea Vouru-Kasha, namely, the water that is called Aw^-danva.
63 ^ Then the most crafty Turanian Frangrasyan rushed out of the sea Vouru-Kasha, O Spitama Zarathujtra! thinking evil thoughts: *...M have ' The situation of that lake is not stated. ^ Cf. §§ 57, 63.
' Itha itha yathana ahmai avatha itha yathana ahmai.
" Itha itha yathana ahmai avatha itha yathana ahmai avoya itha yathana ahmai.
not been able to conquer the Glory that belongs to the Aryan nations, born and unborn, and to the holy Zarathui-tra!'
64. He was not able to seize the Glory that belongs to the Aryan nations, born and unborn, and to the holy Zarathui^tra.
For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...X.
65. We sacrifice unto the awful Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, made by Mazda...66. That cleaves unto him ^ who grows up there, where lies Lake Kasava ^, along with the Haetuman^^ river; there where stands Mount Ushidh^u*, surrounded by waters, that run from the mountain.
67. It^ runs unto him, it flows and swells unto him, bringing good pastures and fine horses, bringing plenty, full of glory; with beauty and weal; powerful and friendly, rich of pastures, prolific and golden. It runs unto him, it flows and swells unto him, bright and glorious, making the white...^ grow, smiting away all plagues.
68. And there comes with him a horse's strength, there comes wath him a camel's strength, there ^ That is to say, to any one who...The Kavis or Kings of Iran are meant: Lake Kasava was supposed to be ' the home of the Kayan race' (Bund. XXI, 7). The Kavis are enumerated in the following clauses (§§ 7 1 seq.).
^ The present Zarah or Hamian sea in Seistan.
* The seat of the ^z'areno; see p. 33, note i, p. 287, note 5, and Introduction to Yt. XVIII.
® The water of the rivers in which the Glory lies, and in the midst of which the Kavi has been nourished.
*? Varemij-.
comes with him a man's strength, there comes with him the kingly Glory: and there is in him, O holy Zarathu^tra! so much of kingly Glory as might extinguish at once all the non-Aryan nations.
69. And then (through it) living creatures may keep away^ hunger and death, living creatures (may keep away) cold and heat^ Such is the kingly Glory, the keeper of the Aryan nations and of the five kinds of animals ^ made to help the faithful and the Law of the worshippers of Mazda.
For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...XI.
70. We sacrifice unto the awful kingly Glory, made by Mazda...71. That clave unto Kavi Kavata, and unto Kavi Aipivohu, and unto Kavi Usadha, and unto Kavi Arshan, and unto Kavi Pisina, and unto Kavi Byarshan, and unto Kavi Syavarshan^; 72. So that they were all of them brave, all of them strong, all of them healthful, all of them wise, all of them happy in their wishes, all of them powerful kings.
For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...XII.
73. We sacrifice unto the awful kingly Glory, made by Mazda...74^ That clave unto Kavi Husravah for the wellshapen Strength, for the Victory made by Ahura, for the crushing Ascendant; for the righteousness of the law, for the innocence of the law, for the unconquerable power of the law; for the extermination of the enemies at one stroke; 75. And for the vigour of health, for the Glory made by Mazda, for the health of the body, and for a good, virtuous offspring, wise, chief in assemblies, bright, and clear-eyed, that frees [their father] from the pangs [of hell], of good intellect; and for that part in the blessed world that falls to wisdom and to those who do not follow impiety; 76. And for a dominion full of splendour, for a long, long life, and for all boons and remedies; 77. So that king Husravah [had the lead] all along the long race, and he could not pass through the forest, he\ the murderer, who was fiercely striving against him on horseback; the lord Kavi Husravah prevailed over all; he put in bonds Frangrasyan and Keresavazda ^, to avenge the murder of his father Syavarshana, a man, and of Aghraeratha, a semi-man ^ For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...78. We sacrifice unto the awful kingly Glory, made by Mazda...79. That clave unto the holy Zarathu^tra, so that he thought according to the Law, spake according ^ Aurvasara; see Yt. XV, 32; cf. Yt. V, 50 (where the words all along the long race have been omitted in the translation). The words have the lead here have been supplied from Yt. V, 50: the text here has two words, tarn keresem, of which both the reading and the meaning are doubtful.
^ Keresavazda, the Karsivaz of Firdausi, the brother of Afrasyab and the murderer of Syavarshana: he was put to death by Husravah in company with his brother (£tudes Iraniennes, to the Law, and did according to the Law; so that he was the holiest in hoHness in all the living world, the best-ruling in exercising rule, the brightest in brightness, the most glorious in glory, the most victorious in victory.
80. At his sight the Daevas rushed away; at his sight the (demoniac) malices were extinguished; at his sight the (7ainis ^ drew back their ways from the mortals and, lamenting^ and wailing, laid violent hands on the Daevas.
81. And that one prayer, the AhunaVairya, which the holy Zarathui-tra sang and repeated four times, with a song that waxed louder and louder, drove back all the Daevas beneath the earth, and took oif from them sacrifice and prayer ^ 82. It was it, the Glory of Zarathui'tra, that the Turanian ruffian Frangrasyan tried to seize to rule over all the Karshvares; round about the seven Karshvares did that ruffian Frangrasyan rush, trying to seize the Glory of Zarathui^tra \ But that Glory escaped to hidden inlets of the sea^; and there those two*' made my will" roll on^; they entered my will, as it was my wish, Ahura Mazda's, and as it was the wish of the Law of Mazda.
For its brightness and glory, I will offer ii a sacrifice...' SeeVend. XX, 10.
^ Doubtful. Perhaps: and lamenting and wailing the Daevas left off injuring.
^ Zarathujtra and Vijtaspa(?); cf. §§ 84-87.
^ Meaning my law. » Cf. Yt. XIII, 89, note 5.
306 YAi'TS AND SIROZAHS XIV.
83. We sacrifice unto the awful kingly Glory, made by Mazda...84. That clave unto king Vi^taspa, so that he thought according to the Law, spake according to the Law, and did according to the Law; so that he professed that Law, destroying his foes and causing the Daevas to retire.
85 \ Who, driving the Dru^ before him ^ sought wide room for the holy religion; who, driving the Dru^ before him, made wide room for the holy religion; who made himself the arm and support of this law of Ahura, of this law of Zarathurtra; S6. Who took her, standing bound, from the hands of the Hunus, and established her to sit in the middle [of the world], high ruling, never falling back, holy, nourished with plenty of cattle and pastures, blessed with plenty of cattle and pastures.
87. The valiant king VUtaspa conquered all enemies, Tathrava;^^' of the evil law, Peshana, the worshipper of the Daevas, and the fiendish wicked Are^a/-aspa and the other wicked Zfz/yaonas ^.
For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...XV.
88. We sacrifice unto the awful kingly Glory, made by Mazda...89*. That will cleave unto the victorious Saoshya;z/ and his helpers ^ when he shall restore the ZAMYAD YAiS-T. 3O7 world, which will (thenceforth) never grow old and never die, never decaying and never rotting, ever living and ever increasing, and master of its wish, when the dead will rise, when life and immortality will come, and the world will be restored at its wish; 90. When the creation will grow deathless, — the prosperous creation of the Good Spirit, — and the Dru^ shall perish, though she may rush on every side to kill the holy beings; she and her hundredfold brood shall perish, as it is the will of the Lord.
For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...XVI.
91. We sacrifice unto the awful kingly Glory, made by 92. When AstvaZ-ereta ^ shall rise up from Lake Kasava -, a friend of Ahura Mazda, a son of Vispataurvairi ^, knowing the victorious knowledge.
It was that Glory that Thraetaona bore with him when A^'i Dahaka was killed*; 93. That Frangrasyan, the Turanian, bore when Drv«u° was killed, when the Bull was killed''; That king Husravah bore when Frangrasyan, the Turanian, was killed "^; ^ Saoshya;//; cf. Yt. XIII, 129.
=> See Yt. XIII, 142. " Cf. § 36. ' Or 'the demon.'
® This Hne is in contradiction with w^hat we know of the Frangrasyan legend, unless the text is corrupt and the name of Frangrasyan has been introduced here by mistake (for Keresaspa?). Yet it may allude to brighter sides, unknown to us, of the Turanian hero: the Bull (gauj) may be his brother Aghraeratha, the Bull-man (Gopatishah); see p. 114, note 7.
That king Vt^t^spa bore, when he victoriously maintained HoHness against the host of the fiends and took off the Dru^ from the world of the good principle ^ 94. He ^, with the eye of intelligence ", shall look down upon all the creatures of the Paei'i^ "*, her of the evil seed: he shall look upon the whole living world with the eye of plenty, and his look shall deliver to immortality the whole of the living creatures.
95. And there shall his friends ^ come forward, the friends of AstvaZ-ereta, who are fiend-smiting, well-thinking, well-speaking, well-doing, following the good law, and whose tongues have never uttered a word of falsehood.
Before them shall Aeshma of the wounding spear, who has no Glory, bow and flee; he shall smite the most wicked Dru^, her of the evil seed, born of darkness.
96. Akem-Mano '^ smites, but Vohu-Mano shall smite him; the Word of falsehood smites, but the Word of truth shall smite it. Haurvata/ and Amereta/' shall smite both hunofer and thirst: Haurvata/ and Amereta/ shall smite the evil hunger and the evil thirst. The evil-doing Angra Mainyu bows and flees, becoming powerless.
For its brightness and glory, I will offer it a sacrifice...97. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness...^ Cf. § 84. 2 Saoshyaw/. ' Cf. Yt. I, 28.
' The Genii of the waters and of the plants (cf. Vend. Introd.
ZAMYAD YA^T. 309 I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of Mount Ushi-darena, made by Mazda, the seat of holy happiness; of the kingly Glory, made by Mazda; of the Glory that cannot be forcibly seized, made by Mazda \ Ashem Vohia: Holiness is the best of all good...[Give] unto that man ^ brightness and glory,...give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.
^ Cf §0. 2 Who sacrifices to the kingly Glory.
XX. VAN ANT VAST.
This Yast ought to follow immediately after the Tir Yajt, as it is derived from the same Sirozah formula; the one in which Ti.ftrya is invoked along with Vana«/ and Haptoiriwga (Sirozah, § 13). It is a mere supplement to that Yajt. On Vana«/, see p. 97, note 6.
o. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced 1...Ashem Vohfi: Holiness is the best of all good...I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathujtra, one who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura; For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Havani], the holy and master of holiness...Unto the star Vana;^/, made by Mazda, Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification.
Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness...1. We sacrifice unto the star Vana;//, made by Mazda, the holy and master of holiness.
I will sacrifice unto Vanan^, strong, invoked by his own name ^ healing, in order to withstand the accursed and most fiDul Khrafstras ^ of the most abominable Angra Mainyu.
2. Yatha ahij vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness...I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of the star Vana;//, made by Mazda.
Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good...[Give] unto that man^ brightness and glory,...give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.
^ The reptiles and other Ahrimanian creatures (Vendidad, Introd. V, 11) which are destroyed by the rain (Bund. VII, 7). ^ Who sacrifices to Vanaw/.
XXI AND XXII. YA^-T FRAGMENTS.
These two Yajts or Ya^t fragments are known among the Parsis as the Hadhokht Nask, though their context does not correspond to any part of the description of that Nask as given in the Dinkart (West, Pahlavi Texts, I, 224, note 8). A Pahlavi translation of these Ya^ts has been edited by Haug and West (The Book of Arda Viraf, p. 269 seq.).
XXI. YA^'T FRAGMENT.
Yajt XXI is a eulogy of the AshemVohu prayer, the value of which rises higher and higher, according as the circumstances under which it is being recited are of greater importance.
1. Zarathu^tra asked Ahura Mazda: 'O Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' What is the only word in which is contained the glorification of all good things, of all the things that are the offspring of the good principle?'
2. Ahura Mazda answered: ' It is the praise of Holiness \ O Spitama Zarathu^tra!
3. ' He who recites the praise of Holiness\ in the fulness of faith and with a devoted heart, praises me, Ahura Mazda; he praises the waters, he praises the earth, he praises the catde, he praises the plants, he praises all good things made by Mazda, all the things that are the offspring of the good principle.
4. ' For the reciting of that word of truth, O Zarathu^tra! the pronouncing of that formula, the Ahuna Vairya, increases strength and victory in one's soul and piety.
' Asha: the Ashem Vohu..
C!T2 YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
5. ' For that only recital of the praise of Holiness is worth a hundred khshnaothras of the beings of Holiness \ when delivered while going to sleep, a thousand when delivered after eating, ten thousand when delivered during cohabitation, or any number when delivered in departing this life.'
6. ' What is the one recital of the praise of Holiness that is worth ten others in greatness, goodness, and fairness? ' 7. Ahura Mazda answered: ' It is that one, O holy Zarathu-ytra! that a man delivers when eating the gifts of Haurvata/ and Amereta/^ at the same time professing good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, and rejecting evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.'
8. ' What is the one recital of the praise of Holiness that is worth a hundred others in greatness, goodness, and fairness? ' 9. Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is that one, O holy Zarathui'tra! that a man delivers while drinking of the Haoma strained for the sacrifice, at the same time professing good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, and rejecting evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.'
10. 'What is the one recital of the praise of Holiness that is worth a thousand others In greatness, goodness, and fairness? ' 11. Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is that one, O holy Zarathui-tra! that a man delivers when starting * A hundred times the formula: 'Be propitiation (khshnaothra) unto N,..., the holy and master of holiness' (cf p. i, note 2). - Eating or drinking (see Vendidad, Introd. IV, 33).
YAST FRAGMENT. 3 I up from his bed or going to sleep again, at the same time professing good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, and rejecting evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.'
12. 'What is the one recital of the praise of Holiness that is worth ten thousand others in greatness, goodness, and fairness? ' 13. Ahura Mazda answered: ' It is that one, O holy Zarathu^tra! that a man delivers when waking up and rising from sleep, at the same time professing good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, and rejecting evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.'
14. 'What is the one recital of the praise of Holiness that is worth this Karshvare of ours, /z^iyaniratha \ with its cattle and its chariots, without its men, in greatness, goodness, and fairness? ' 15. Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is that one, O holy Zarathu^tra! that a man delivers in the last moments of his life, at the same time professing good thoughts, good words, and good deeds, and rejecting evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds.'
16. 'What is the one recital of the praise of Holiness that is worth all that is between the earth and the heavens, and this earth, and that luminous space, and all the good things made by Mazda, that are the offspring of the good principle in greatness, goodness, and fairness?'
17. Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is that one, O holy Zarathu5tra! that a man delivers to renounce evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds ^.'
^ In a conversion, or in the recital of the penitential prayers.
314 YA5TS AND siRdZAHS.
YA^-T XXII.
This Ya^t is a description of the fate that attends the soul of the righteous (§§ 1-18) and the soul of the wicked (§§ 19-37) after death. They spend the first three nights (the sadis or sidos; of. Commentaire du Vendidad, XIII, 55) amongst the highest enjoyments or pains; they are then met by their own conscience in the shape of a beautiful heavenly maiden (or a fiendish old woman ^), and are brought in four steps up to heaven or down to hell, through the three paradises of Good -Thought, Good -Word, and Good-Deed, or the three hells of Evil -Thought, Evil -Word, and Evil-Deed: there they are praised and glorified by Ahura, or rebuked and insulted by Angra Mainyu, and fed with ambrosia or poison.
Similar developments are to be found in Ya^t XXIV, 53-65; Arda Viraf XVII; Minokhired II, 123-194.
I.
1. Zarathiutra asked Ahura Mazda: 'O Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' When one of the faithful departs this life, where does his soul abide on that nio^ht? ' Ahura Mazda answered: 2, * It takes its seat near the head, singing the Uj-tavaiti Gatha ^ and proclaiming happiness: " Happy is he, happy the man, whoever he be, to whom Ahura Mazda gives the full accomplishment of his wishes!" On that nio-ht his soul tastes^ as O much of pleasure as the whole of the living world can taste.'
^ The name of the second Gatha, which begins with the word ujta: the words in the text, 'Happy the man...,' are its opening line (Yaj-na XLII, i).
^ Literally, sees, perceives.
VAST XXII. 315 3. — ' On the second night where does his soul abide?'
4. Ahura Mazda answered: 'It takes its seat near the head, singing the U^tavaiti Gatha and proclaiming happiness: " Happy is he, happy the man, whoever he be, to whom Ahura Mazda gives the full accomplishment of his wishes!" On that night his soul tastes as much of pleasure as the whole of the living world can taste.'
5. — 'On the third night where does his soul abide?'
6. Ahura Mazda answered: 'It takes its seat near the head, singing the U^tavaiti Gatha and proclaiming happiness: " Happy is he, happy the man, whoever he be, to whom Ahura Mazda gives the full accomplishment of his wishes!" On that night his soul tastes as much of pleasure as the whole of the livins: world can taste.'
7. At the end^ of the third night, when the dawn appears, it seems to the soul of the faithful one as if it were brought amidst plants and scents: it seems as if a wind were blowing from the region of the south, from the regions of the south, a sweetscented wind, sweeter-scented than any other wind in the world.
8. And it seems to the soul of the faithful one as if he were inhaling that wind with the nostrils, and he thinks: 'Whence does that wind blow, the sweetestscented wind I ever inhaled with my nostrils?'
9. And it seems to him as if his own conscience were advancing to him in that wind, in the shape of a maiden fair, bright, white-armed, strong, tall- ^Thraojta: in Pahlavi roijman.
'^l6 YA5TS AND SIROZAHS.
formed, high -standing, thick-breasted, beautiful of body, noble, of a glorious seed ^ of the size of a maid in her fifteenth year, as fair as the fairest things in the world.
10. And the soul of the faithful one addressed her, asking: ' What maid art thou, who art the fairest maid I have ever seen? '