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Pahlavi Texts, Part IV (SBE37), E.W. West, tr. [1892], at sacred-texts.com
Varstmânsar Nask.
1. The twenty-second fargard, Vahistôisti 10, is about the perfection of the prayers 11 of the good religion, and information thereon.
2. About the glory of a family of some houses that has come to the Spîtâmas 1, even before the coming of Zaratûst; the knowledge and habit of organization and priestly authority of those arising from that family; the existence therein of houses, villages, communities, and districts; its attracting and exalting mankind, from vice to virtue, by propriety of words and actions; and it convinces those of the world even till the arrival of the good religion. 3. And this, too, that the existence of Kaî-Vistâsp—that desire of Zaratûst 2—and of Frashôstar of the Hvôbas 3, is owing to it.
4. About the praise of Pôrûkâst 4, daughter of Zaratûst, for loving the good religion with wisdom and acting by the advice of the religion, having given herself contentedly in womanly service (zanŏîh) to Zaratûst 5; her complete accomplishment
of duty and reverence for him, and, after Zaratûst, her also performing womanly service (zanîh) and reverence for Gâmâsp 1; likewise her great reward from Aûharmazd for religiousness and self-devotion (khvêsîh) to the sacred beings. 5. About the praise of Hûtôs 2 for the arising of the progress of the Mazda-worshipping religion through her, by the growth of righteousness and smiting of the primeval fiend; also the good works and advantage which have arisen in the world from her great possessions, and her equal praise and grand position here and in yonder world.
6. About the characteristics of those who are preparing the end of time and arranging its period there is this, too, namely: 'They are a manifestation of those, O Spîtâmân Zaratûst! who shall cause this renovation in the existences; they are observant, little afflictive in tormenting, and fully mindful, so that, when milk reaches them, they thoroughly digest it; they have no fear and accoutrements (afzâr), nor yet do they mention false and irreverent (anâstŏ) statements concerning those who are righteous through imploring righteousness.' 7. About the characteristics of those disturbing the end of time and opposing its period there is this, too, namely: 'They are a manifestation of those, O Spîtâmân Zaratûst! who are destroying the existences 3; they are swiftly remedied, that is, they become very quickly devoured (khâîdŏ) and are in
the torment of the vicious and grievous abode; they are not fully mindful, so that it is not possible for them to digest milk, their fear is inevitable (akâr), and they mention even false and irreverent statements concerning those who are righteous through imploring righteousness.'
8. About the craving for the fiend, the assistance of the fiend, and the gratification of the fiend by him who is an apostle of the demons, and his rendering the creatures of Aûharmazd helpless 1 even through the want of progress (anasakisnŏ) which they lament; also the confusion owing to his speaking deceitfully in the world, and the connection with him of an awful and swift death 2, and the most grievous and hellish punishment. 9. About that wicked follower and assistant of theirs in defeating righteousness, and also in destroying the greater religiousness (frêh-dênôîh) of the world and making the soul wicked in the end.
10. About the occurrence of the dissipation of the glory of him who is a well-ruling man, and the pacification (âsûdanŏ) of the creatures of the world by the sacred beings, it says this, too, namely: 'The persuader to evil 3 and the organizer of distress (veshisnŏ)—where they shall make pain and distress current in the world—are the weakener (nerefsînîdâr) and corrupter (âlâyîdâr) for the
righteous; it is the ruler that is righteous who smites them and opposes them—that is, restrains them from sin—and causes hatred for them through his will 1; that, O Aûharmazd! is this dominion of thine by which you give benefits (vehîgânŏ) to him who is justly living and poor 2.'
11. It is perfect excellence that is righteousness.
298:10 See Chap. XXII, 1 n.
298:11 See Pahl. Yas. LII, 1 a.
299:1 The family from which Zaratûst, Maîdôk-mâh, and Pôrûkâst were descended. Its name originated with Spitâma, an ancestor of Zaratûst nine generations back. Compare Chap. XXXIX, 23.
299:2 Perhaps we ought to read 'the Spîtâma Zaratûst,' substituting Spîtâmak for kâmak, 'desire,' which latter word is written on a patch by the repairer of the MS. who must have found the original word defective. See Pahl. Yas. LII, 2 C.
299:3 See Chap. XXI, 24.
299:4 See Pahl. Yas. LII, 3 a. Av. Pourukista who became the wife of Gâmâsp, prime minister of king Vistâsp.
299:5 Ibid. 4 a. It seems unlikely that zanŏîh means 'marriage' here (the term being applied to her relation both to Zaratûst and Gâmâsp), unless we were to suppose that she married Gâmâsp after her father's death, which the phrase akhar min Zaratûst, 'after Zaratûst,' might possibly imply. And if zanŏîh means merely 'womanly service' here, its Zvâris equivalent nêsmanîh, applied to the seven sisters of Ardâ Vîrâf in AV. II, 10, may also not imply marriage, which is a view already suggested in S.B.E., vol. xviii, p. 398 n.
300:1 See Pahl. Yas. LII, 4 b.
300:2 Ibid. 5 a. Av. Hutaosa, the wife of king Vistâsp, see Yt. IX, 26, XV, 35.
300:3 See Pahl. Yas. LII, 6 e.
301:1 Or it may be 'maintaining the affliction of the creatures,' if we read âzârdârîh instead of akârgârîh.
301:2 See Pahl. Yas. LII, 8 d.
301:3 Ibid. 9 a. B has avêhîh vêrenakînîdâr, but avêhîh, 'want of goodness,' ought to be dûsîh, 'evil,' which it resembles even more in appearance than in meaning, in Pahlavi letters.
302:1 See Pahl. Yas. LII, 9 c.
302:2 Ibid. 9 d. Compare Chap. XLVII, I q.