The next are the _Faramandíyah_, thus named from _Faramand_, the

disciple of _Faríraj_: he says, if any person exists, that person

knows that the elements, heavens, stars, intelligences, and souls are

the Almighty; and what people call the necessarily self-existent God

has no being, although we, through imagination (idea), suppose him to

exist; which he certainly does not. According to the testimony of the

sage _Amr Khaiam_:

“The Creator in this aged world is as a vase,

Which is internally water and externally ice;

Resign to children this trifling about infidelity and faith;

Remove from the place where God is only a letter.”

They said to him: “How dost thou prove this idea?” he answered:

“By means of the solar light we can see: but where is the sun?”

Thus, according to them, the Almighty is only an idea of the

imagination: the people of this sect are now mixed up with the

Moslems, and go about in the garb of the faithful: according to them a

person named _Kámkár_, one of the ascetics of this sect, who lived in

the reign of sultan _Mahmud of Ghiznah_,[373] composed a poetical

treatise, and compiled narratives, proofs, and revelations conformable

to his tenets; assigning to his faith a superiority over all other

systems, after this manner: that, whatever devout persons have

recorded in their respective creeds concerning the existence of God,

the greatness of the empyreal sphere, the extent of the angelic world,

or concerning paradise, hell, the bridge of judgment, the resurrection

of the dead, the interrogatory and reply,[374] the appearing before

God, the rejection of tradition, eternity, and the creation of the

world, is all correct in this creed; as all becomes evident to the

idea of their professor through the existence of idea; with respect to

which they thus express themselves: “by means of idea, they behold the

ideal.” In proof of his system, he farther says: “Self cannot be

ignorant of self.” But in truth they are ignorant of their own

identity, and understand not in what “self” consists: some of them

maintain, that the being called man and endowed with voice and speech,

is an incorporeal essence joined to the body; the relations of thought

and action resulting merely from its entrance or descent into body:

notwithstanding this principle, they differ greatly among themselves

respecting the eternity and creation of their own souls. In like

manner, some have also denied the simple uncompoundedness of the

intellectual soul, and have spoken largely against that doctrine;

consequently, as they are unacquainted with their own identity, what

can they know about the heavens, stars, intelligences, and God? and it

becomes not that one should know nothing about himself, but that he

exists not. Kámkár, in his treatise, has collected many amusing

anecdotes respecting the Samrádián sect, of which the following is an

instance: a Samradian once said to his steward: “The world and its

inhabitants have no actual existence; they merely have an ideal

being.” The servant, on hearing this, took the first favorable

opportunity to conceal his master’s horse, and when he was about to

ride, brought him an ass with the horse’s saddle. When the Samrádián

asked, “Where is the horse?” the servant replied, “Thou hast been

thinking of an idea: there was no horse in being.” The master

answered, “It is true:” he then mounted the ass, and having rode for

some time, he suddenly dismounted, and taking the saddle off the ass’s

back, placed it on the servant’s, drawing the girths on tightly; and

having forced the bridle into his mouth, he mounted him and flogged

him along vigorously. The servant, in piteous accents, having

exclaimed: “What is the meaning of this conduct?” the Samrádián

replied: “There is no such thing as a whip; it is merely ideal; thou

art only thinking of some illusion:” after which the steward repented

and restored the horse.

In another tale it is recorded that a Samrádián, having obtained in

marriage the daughter of a wealthy lawyer, she, on finding out her

husband’s creed, proposed to have some amusement at his expense. One

day the Samradian brought in a bottle of pure wine, which during his

absence she emptied of its contents and filled it up with water; when

the time for taking wine came round, she poured out water instead of

wine into a gold cup which was her own property. The Samrádián having

observed, “Thou hast given me water instead of wine,” she answered,

“It is only ideal; there was no wine in existence.” The husband then

said: “Thou hast spoken well; present me the cup, that I may go to a

neighbour’s house and bring it back full of wine.” He therefore took

out the gold cup, which he sold, and concealing the money, instead of

the gold vase brought back an earthen vessel full of wine. The wife,

on seeing this, said, “What hast thou done with the golden cup?” he

replied, “Thou art surely thinking about some ideal golden cup:” on

which the woman greatly regretted her witticism.

As to those sectaries who assert that the world exists only in idea,

the author of this work saw several in Lahore, in the year of the

Hejirah 1048, A. D. 1637. The first was _Kám Jóí_, who composed the

following distichs on _Faríraj_:

“Thou knowest that every thing is ideal,

If the Almighty has given thee illumination!

The mention even of ideality proceeds from idea;

The very idea itself is nothing more than ideal.”

It is to be noted that _Samrád_ and _Samwád_ are applied to fancy or

idea. _Ismail Sufi_, of _Ardistan_[375] has poetically expressed

himself to the same purport in what is styled the mixed Persian:

“I am about to mention something although remote from reason;

Listen carefully: but if not, mercy still awaits thee:

This world is ideal; and ideality itself is but idea:

This existence which I call ideal, that likewise is idea.”

The second person treated of in the Samrad Namah of Kámkár was _Nék

Khoy_; the third was _Shád Késh_; and the fourth, _Máhyár_: they were

all engaged in commercial pursuits, and styled Moslem or true

believers.

[373] Mahmud, the son of Sebekteghin, was the first monarch

of the dynasty of Ghiznah, the foundation of which had been

laid by his father. During a reign of 33 years (from 997 to

1030, A. D.) he made twelve expeditions to India, and

established his domination in the western part of this

country, out of which he possessed a still greater empire,

which to the north-west extended over the whole of Persia,

and was limited on the north-east by the river Oxus.――A. T.

[374] See about it hereafter the sixth chapter, which treats

of the religion of the Musulmans.

[375] Upon Ismail Sofi, see note p. 52, 53. Ardistan or

Ardastan is a town of the province called Icbal, or Persian

Irak, 36 leagues distant from Ispahan.――A. T.

THE SIXTH SECTION OF THE DABISTAN describes the tenets of the

_Khodaiyan_.――This sect are followers of _Khodádád_, a Mobed, who

lived during the decline of Jemshid’s power and the usurpation of

Zohak. Khodádád held intelligences and souls to be simple uncompounded

beings, and the stars and heavens to be the companions of God; each of

which, in proportion to its proximity to the Almighty beyond other

created beings, is so much more elevated in dignity: notwithstanding

which we are not to account any being, whether the simple uncompounded

or material, as a mediator or promoter between us and God; neither is

there any occasion for prophets, because through the medium of

reliance, the seeking out of God is attained, and we are to serve God

alone. Among those who held these opinions in Lahore, in the year of

the Hejirah 1049 (A. D. 1639) were seen _Kamus_ and _Fartúsh_, both

merchants.

THE SEVENTH SECTION OF THE DABISTAN describes the system of the

Rádíán.――The chief of this sect was _Rád Gúnah_, one of the eminently

brave, a lion-like hero, who, to beneficent acts and abstinence from

cruelty to animals, joined the dignity of knowledge; he enjoyed

distinguished honor and rank about the end of Jamshíd’s reign and the

commencement of Zohák’s usurpation: his opinion is, that God is the

same as the sun, whose bounty extends to all beings; and that the

fourth heaven, by reason of its constituting the true centre of the

seven heavens, is the seat of his glory and as his essence is pure

good, his place must also be regarded as a proof of his goodness:

besides this, his grace extends alike to all bodies, whether superior

or inferior: moreover, as the heart, which is the sovereign of the

body, is settled in the midst of the breast, such is also the rule and

custom observed by renowned princes to fix the seat of government in

the centre of their realms, so that their bounty as well as severity

may be equally extended over the whole community; and, by such a

measure, the repose of the people and the due regulations of the Rayas

may be promoted. He asserted that the spirit of the heavens, the

stars, and the three kingdoms of nature proceed from the solar spirit,

and that their bodies return to the light of his body; that is, the

virtuous return to him or some of the stars approximating to his

glory, whilst sinners remain in the elemental world. He at first

communicated these opinions secretly to his friends, but promulgated

them fearlessly during the reign of Zohák. In the year of the Hejirah

1052 (A. D. 1642), the author, whilst journeying from Panjab to Kabul,

met at the station of _Ráwal Bundí_ two persons of this creed, and

whose names were _Hormuzd_ and _Tírah Késh_, who were skilled in all

arts, abstinent, and remote from hurting any living being.

THE EIGHTH SECTION OF THE DABISTAN treats of the _Shídrangíán_

creed.――_Shídrang_, a champion of Iran, who in battle was regarded as

the acknowledged chief of the marshallers of armies, and joined

profound knowledge in science to bravery in the field, always turned

away most studiously from doing injury to the creatures of God. He

appeared about the middle of Zohák’s reign, and soothed the serpents

between the usurper’s shoulders. Shídrang unceasingly invited the

people to adopt his faith, and had many followers: he maintained that

_Khoy_ and _Manish_, “disposition and constitution” or nature, to be

God; according to his system, the state of man and other animals

resembles that of herbage, which, when scattered about or dissolved,

grows up again. A merchant, named _Píl Ázár_, who belonged to this

sect, was met by the author in Kashmir in the year of the Hejirah 1040

(A. D. 1631).

THE NINTH SECTION explains the _Paikárián_ creed.――_Paikár_ was a

virtuous sage from Iran, who appeared about the middle of Zohák’s

reign. He thus addressed his disciples: “The Almighty is the same as

fire, from the effulgence of which stars have been formed, and the

heavens from its smoke; as fire is both hot and dry, from its heat

proceeded the air, which is hot and humid; and from the humidity of

the air came water, which is cold and humid; also from the coldness of

water proceeded the earth, which is cold and dry; and from these

conjointly came the compound productions, both perfect and imperfect.”

Two individuals of this sect, _Paikár Pazhuh_ and _Jahan Navard_, who

were unequalled in drawing out astronomical tables, painting, and

inlaying, were met by the writer in the year 1059 (A. D. 1649) in

Gujarát, in the district of Panjab.

THE TENTH SECTION OF THE DABISTAN explains the _Míláníán_

system.――_Mílán_ was one of the brave champions of Iran and

contemporary with Paikár; he exhorted many people to adopt his faith,

which was as follows: “The air is the truly self-existent God, as it

is both hot and humid; from its heat proceeded fire, and from its

humidity, water; from the effulgence of fire came forth the stars;

from its smoke the heavens (as before mentioned); and from the

frigidity of water proceeded the earth.”[376] One of this sect was

_Rohám_, who passed under the designation of a draughtsman; he was in

truth a painter possessed of European skill; the hand of Bahzad[377]

and the finger of Mani,[378] who never remained long in one place. In

the year of the Hejirah 1040 (A. D. 1630) the author beheld him in

Kashmir, in the house of _Shídosh_.

[376] Vitruvius (who lived shortly before J. C.) says (I.

iv. Præf.): Thales Milesius omnium rerum principium Aquam

est professus, Heraclitus Ignem, Magorum sacerdotes, Aquam

et Ignem. As to the earth proceeding from the frigidity of

water, we read in Macrobius (In Somno Scip. I. 1) what

follows: “Terra est sicca et frigida: aqua vero frigida et

humecta est; hæc duo elementa, licet sibi et per siccum

humectumque contraria sint, per frigidum tamen commune

junguntur.”――A. T.

[377] Bahzad was a celebrated painter.

[378] In the Desátír (English transl., pp. 188, 1889) it is

stated that Mani came into Iran during the reign of

Ardeshir, and made himself notorious by curious paintings

and a new doctrine which he exhibited: he permitted the

killing of harmless animals, and forbade all intercourse

with women. After a controversy upon these two points with

the king Shapur, he was driven out of the court, and then

lapidated and torn to pieces by the people of the town.

According to Sharistani, Mani was the son of Fáten or Fater;

according to Mohammed Ben Ishak, his father was Fettak Ben

Ebi Berdsâm. He was born about the year 240 of our era, but

his birthplace is differently stated to have been in Persia,

in Babylonia, in Nishapúr, in Khorossan. He is reputed as a

learned man, as will be shewn in a subsequent note. He

appeared at the court of king Shápur, the son of Ardeshir

Babegan, but inhabited chiefly Turkistan. As a painter, he

exhibited a set of pictures, called تنگ, _artang_; or رژنگ,

_arzhank_; or ارچنگ مانی, _archang Máni_, which he said he

had brought from heaven, where he pretended to have dwelt,

whilst in reality he was concealed in a cavern during one

year. The baron Hammer Purgstal suggests that the _artang_

might have been a banner or ensign, upon which astronomical

or cabalistical figures were represented, and which the

Mongols and Buddhists used to call _Máni_ (see Jahrb. der

Lit., for April, May, June, 1840, p. 28). Máni was besides a

skilful musician, and inventor of a musical instrument,

called _âúd_ by the Arabs, _chelys_ by the Greeks. He was

put to death by order of king Bahram, the son of Hormuz,

about the year 278; by some authors his life and death are

placed later.――See about Máni, _Hyde_, pp. 282, 290, and

_Beausobre_, _Histoire critique de Manichée_.――A. T.

THE ELEVENTH SECTION describes the system of the followers of

_Álár_.――_Alar_ was a native of Iran, celebrated for his extensive

knowledge, who lived in reputation and dignity about the end of

Zohák’s reign, under whose command he distinguished himself in the

erection of forts and other architectural works. His belief was, that

God is the same as water, from the ebullition of which proceeded fire;

from the fire came forth the heavens and the stars (as before stated);

from the humidity of water proceeded the air, and from its frigidity,

the earth. To this sect belonged _Andarímán_, who was well skilled in

the management of the bow, archery, wielding the lance, horsemanship,

and other military accomplishments; he gave instructions in these

sciences to the sons of great men, in which occupation he passed his

life. In the year of the Hejirah 1040 (A. D. 1630) the author met him

in Kashmir at the house of _Shidosh_. To this sect also belonged

_Mílád_, who possessed consummate skill in writing, and was held in

great respect by men of high station: he was in truth unequalled in

the recitation of histories, the narration of stories and romantic

tales. The author enjoyed his society also in Kashmir.

THE TWELFTH SECTION treats concerning the _Shidabian_ faith.――_Shádíb_

who lived about the end of _Zohák_’s reign, was an eminent physician

of Iran, held in great estimation by nobles and princes. He maintained

that the self-existent lord is the same with the earth, from the dry

propensity of which was produced fire; and from fire the heavens and

stars, as before mentioned; from its frigidity proceeded water; from

the humidity of which was formed the air; and when the four elements

were mixed together, the three kingdoms of nature were then

manifested. The physician _Mihrán_ was also of this sect. In the year

1018 of the Hejirah (A. D. 1638) the author joined him, and travelled

in his society from Lahore to Kashmir. Among those who held these

tenets was one named _Khákí_, who followed the profession of a

merchant and possessed great wealth: him the author met in Lahore. In

that same year and in the same place, he became acquainted with a

young man named _Shír_, who excelled in writing the Nishki and Taalik

characters, and was one of the chosen followers of _Shídáb_.

THE THIRTEENTH SECTION describes the system of the _Akhshíyán_

sect.――The Mobed _Akhshí_ was by origin a Persian, possessed of great

knowledge, and full of kindness towards the creatures of God; he was

contemporary with _Shídáb_, and promulgated his sentiments openly,

inviting all men to embrace his faith: he maintained God to be the

essence of the elements; so that when people say, “God is not

visible,” this implies the elemental essence, which presents no form

to the sight; when they assert the ubiquity of God, they style that

the essence, as he is every where under his fourfold form; their

proposition of all things excepting God being perishable, means that

the elements admit of change, but that their essence remains for ever

in the same state. They hold the sun to be the source of fire and of

the other stars, such as the falling and shooting stars, comets with

tails, etc. One of those sectaries was a person named _Shídáb_, whom

the author met in the costume of a merchant, in Kashmir in the year of

the Hejirah 1040 (A. D. 1631), and from whom he heard what has now

been written, and which was partly recited out of the book of _Akshí_.

The same _Shídáb_, called also _Shams-ud-dîn_, or “the sun of faith,”

composed a treatise entitled _Rázábád_ in proof of his system, which

he demonstrated by texts of the Koran and the traditions. According to

these sectaries, which became known after the _Radiyán_, there is no

resurrection nor return to life but after this manner: the seminal

principle being derived from food, when the body of a living creature

is dissolved, it becomes grass and constitutes the food of some other

animal: as to future rewards and punishments, they enter not into the

faith or practice of this sect: their paradise consists in having fine

raiment, in carousing, riding, sensual enjoyments, and such like

pleasures, which alone they esteem the chief good; torment, according

to them, consists in being separated from such objects: however, the

founders and followers of this faith carefully avoid all kind of

cruelty towards living creatures.

According to them, intercourse with daughters, sisters, mothers,

maternal aunts, and their children is allowable;[379] as there can

exist no antipathy between the source and what is derived from it: no

degree of relationship in their opinion should be a bar to the

intercourse of the sexes: nay, on the contrary, it is highly to be

commended, as the nearer the degree of consanguinity, the greater will

be the friendship between the parties.[380] They however regard

adultery as highly criminal, unless the husband should willingly

sacrifice his wife’s honor. They in fact maintain that marriage

between any two parties, however nearly related, is perfectly

allowable if the parties agree among themselves. They also regard the

ceremonial ablutions enjoined by the law as absurd and

unnecessary.[381] They also say, that men assume a particular nature

by means of laws and institutions, and on that account regard good as

evil, and evil as good. When they desire to make a sacrificial

offering, they kill some harmless animal and count it not a foul

crime. Nay, some religionists who partake of swine’s flesh,

scrupulously avoid that of cows, and _vice versâ_. Whoever shall

appeal to the intelligence, which is the gift of God, will be

convinced that our discourse is true; that is, all we have narrated

from the fifth chapter to the present. The professors of this belief

are mixed up with the Muhammedans, and travel about under that mask,

assuming the name of true believers, but having a distinct appellation

for their peculiar creed; they are scattered over Iran and Turan,

remote from and averse to the fire-worshippers.

[379] According to Philo and to Diogenes Laertius, the

Persians used to marry their mothers and sisters. Alexander

abolished these incestuous marriages (see _Brisson_, p.

290). We know from Herodotus (I: 111) that Cambyses married

his sister Atossa. According to Strabo, the law permitted

the Magians union with their mothers. Plutarch, in the life

of Artaxerxes, relates that this king took to wife his two

daughters Atossa and Amestris; but his mother Parysatis

(_Pari-dokht_, “daughter of a fairy”), at the very time she

was engaging him to marry the first of his daughters, said

that he must, in doing so, place himself above the laws of

the country. Zoroaster, in the Zand books, recommends but

the marriages between the children of brothers and sisters

as actions deserving heaven. We observe that the author of

the Dabistan speaks here only of a particular sect, the

custom of which might have been attributed to the whole

nation of the Persians, but without sufficient foundation.

This is confirmed by the ancient tradition mentioned by

Agathius (l. 11), who says, that Ninus killed his own mother

Semiramis, because she had proposed to him an unnatural

connection with her. For this same reason, according to the

author just quoted, Artaxerxes is said to have discarded

from him with great indignation his mother Parysatis,

although he did not decline the marriage with his two

daughters.――(See _Hyde_, p. 421.)――A. T.

[380] The translation of this passage of the original text

is not, and ought not to be, literal, as the author’s

expressions are here such as an European reader would hardly

think suitable to common decency.――A. T.

[381] The same observation is also applicable to this

passage.――A. T.

THE FOURTEENTH SECTION of this chapter of the Dabistán treats of the

followers of _Zardúsht_.[382]――_Farzanah Bahram_, the son of

_Farhad_, the Yazdanian, thus relates in the _Sharistan_: The _Behdín_

sages relate, that the Almighty, on creating the holy spirit of

Zardúsht, attached it to a tree, when he commenced the creation of

contingent beings in the highest starry heavens: this signifies the

primary intellect, which is as a tree, the leaves and fruits of which

are all contingent existences; and their assertion concerning the

spirit of Zardúsht being attached to it, means that his intellectual

soul is a ray of the primary intellect, the perfections of Zardúsht

being also an effulgence proceeding from that same tree. The Mobed

_Sarúsh_, the Yazdánián, relates: “The teachers of the _Behdín_ faith

have thus said: The father of Zardúsht had a cow which went forth

every morning to the pasture: having one day come accidentally to some

trees, the fallen leaves of which had become dried up, she partook of

them, and after that occurrence, never fed on any other provender

except the withered leaves of that grove. Zardúsht’s father partook of

the milk supplied by this cow, and the influence of it being

communicated to his wife Dughduyah, she conceived _Zardúsht_.”[383]

The object of the above narrative is to show, that by eating the green

foliage, the vegetable spirit is afflicted; for which reason the cow

fed only on dry leaves, so that no injury could result to any spirit

whatever: although, in fact, the vegetable spirit is incapable of

receiving either pleasure or pain, it also shows, that unless a cow be

milked, she feels great pain in the udder, whilst, at the time of

milking, no pain ensues from the operation; also, that the Almighty

formed his prophet’s body out of milk, which in its essence implies no

injury to any living creature. This much being premised, _Zaratusht

Bahram_, a Mobed of the religion of Zardusht,[384] says: When the

world had been thrown into confusion by the wicked, and was entirely

at the mercy of the demon, God willed to raise up a prophet of an

exalted dignity, which the family of Faridun was alone worthy of

filling. In those days lived a man, by name _Purshásp_, the son of

_Patirásp_, descended from Faridun;[385] and his wife’s name was

_Doghduyah_, a virtuous matron, who was also of the family of Faridun.

These two persons were selected by the Almighty as the shells for

enclosing the pearl of Zardusht. When five months of Doghduyah’s

pregnancy had elapsed, she one night beheld in a dream her house

enveloped in a dark cloud, which concealed the splendor of the sun and

moon; and from this cloud were raining down the noxious and rapacious

creatures of earth and air; the boldest of these animals having rent

open Doghduyah’s womb, took out the infant, which he held in his

talons, and the other wild beasts gathered around him. Doghduyah in

her alarm wished to cry out, but Zardusht prevented her, saying: “the

just God befriends me; entertain no apprehensions.” She consequently

held her peace. That instant she beheld a shining mountain which

descended from heaven and rent the black cloud asunder; on which the

noxious animals began to fly away. When the mountain approached

nearer, there came forth from it a youth shining all over, bearing in

one hand a luminous branch, and in the other the volume sent by the

just God. He next hurled that volume towards the beasts, on which they

all departed from the house, excepting three; a wolf, a lion, and a

tiger: the youth then smote these with the luminous branch, so that

they were consumed by fire; after this, taking Zardusht, he restored

him to his mother’s belly, and said to her: “Fear not! grieve not! for

God himself is thy son’s guardian: this honored child shall be the

prophet of the just God!” The youth then disappeared, and Doghduyah

awaking, rose up that gloomy night, and hastening to a neighbouring

seer who was skilled in the interpretation of dreams, related her

vision.[386] The interpreter answered: “Through this sun-resembling

child, the world shall be filled with thy fame; depart, and bring

hither the calculation of thy nativity for my inspection.” She

performed his command; and the interpreter on examining it said:

“During three days keep this secret concealed from all; return hither

on the fourth day, and receive the answer to thy demands.” She did so;

and on the fourth day came to the astrologer, who smiled on beholding

her, and having carefully considered the sidereal influences, turned

to the interpretation of the dream, saying: “The night on which thou

beheldest that vision, the unborn child had completed five months and

twenty-three days; on his issuing forth to the couch of existence, his

illustrious name shall be Zardusht; by him shall the enemies of the

faith be destroyed; but they will previously oppose him in battle, and

put in practice every hostile measure; from the evil doers thou shalt

feel much affliction, such as thou didst witness from the wild beasts

of the vision.

At last victorious and rejoiced in heart thou shalt become,

And through this unborn child feel all a mother’s joy.

Next thou beheldest a youth descending from the sixth heaven with the

glittering branch of a tree; that was _Farrah-i-Izad_, ‘the splendor

of God,’ the warder of evils from thy son; the written volume in his

hand is the emblem of the prophetic office, by which he is to obtain

the victory over all foes; the three wild beasts which remained behind

are the type of a powerful evil-disposed enemy, who by wiles will

endeavour to destroy Zardusht, but who shall be finally discomfited;

and there shall be a prince to promulgate the faith: through his might

shall Zardusht become sovereign of this world and the next. O

Doghduyah! paradise is the recompense of obedience to Zardusht, and

hell is the reward of those who avert the face from him. Would to

heaven that I could live in the days of his mission, to exhibit my

zeal for his eminent dignity.” Doghduyah then said to the interpreter

and astrologer: “How hast thou found out the circumstance of the exact

period of my pregnancy?” To this he replied: “Through the power of

knowledge of the stars, and the perusal of ancient records, which give

an account of his auspicious existence.” Doghduyah, on her return

home, told this event to _Purshasp_, that he might communicate it to

_Patírasp_; on which both parents joined in praising the Almighty.

Zaradusht, on issuing forth into the abode of existence, laughed aloud

at the moment of his birth,[387] so that the women of the

neighbourhood who were there assembled heard the sound of his laugh,

and even his father, _Purshasp_,

“Said to himself, he must surely be an emanation of God,

All, with the exception of him, weep on coming into the world.”

He then gave him the name of Zaratusht,[388]

“Thus the dream-interpreter’s word was verified.”

All the women became jealous at the laugh of Zaradusht, and this

wonderful occurrence was spread abroad, until it came to the hearing

of _Darán Sarún_, the king of that region, who gloried in the practice

of magic and the worship of Ahriman. He had information of the

appearance of Zaratusht, and it was known from the historians and

astronomers that he will reveal a better religion and destroy that of

Ahriman. He therefore hastened to the pillow of Zaradusht, and

commanding him to be taken out of the cradle, and putting his hand to

his sword, prepared to cut off the child’s head; but that instant his

hand was dried up, so that he left the house in pain and affliction;

on which all the magicians and worshippers of Ahriman (the only

worship which prevailed at that time) became quite alarmed. The

magicians then formed a mountain of wood, naphtha, and sulphur, and

having set it on fire, threw into the midst of it Zaradusht, whom they

had by force taken from his father, and hastened with this

intelligence to their king: but, through the aid of God,

“The devouring flame became as water,

In the midst of which slumbered the pearl of Zardusht.”

On learning this, Zaradusht’s mother hurried to the desert, and taking

her honored son out of the embers, bore him secretly home. After many

days, when the account of his deliverance was published abroad, the

magicians, evil spirits, and demons again bore Zardusht away, and

threw him into a narrow place, a thoroughfare for the passage of oxen,

that he should be exposed to be bruised and trampled under foot.

Through the goodness of God, a powerful cow came in front, and,

standing still, took Zardusht between her fore feet, and drove off

with her horns whatever cow came in that direction: when the whole had

passed, she also went to join them; and Doghduyah, after great search,

having discovered her honored son, took him home: when this

intelligence came to Dúransarún, he commanded them to expose Zardusht

in a far narrower defile through which horses were to pass; but, owing

to divine aid, a mare advanced before the others, and standing at the

child’s head kept a strict watch over him, and Doghduyah, after

encountering great hardship, bore her fortunate offspring home. On

learning this occurrence, Dúransarún ordered persons to repair to the

dens of the ravening wolves, and having slaughtered their cubs, then

expose Zardusht in the same place, in order that the dams out of

revenge might tear him to pieces. At night, when the troop of wolves

returned to their lairs, they beheld their cubs slaughtered and

weltering in blood, and at the same time finding an infant crying out,

they all hurried towards him; the chief wolf and the boldest of them,

having rushed on to devour Zardusht, his mouth became as sewn up: at

this miracle the wolves were altogether alarmed, and seated themselves

like so many nurses around the infant’s head; at the same time there

also came two sheep from the mountain region, which applied their

teats filled with milk to the lips of Zardusht: thus the sheep and the

wolf lay down in one place. With the morning dawn, his mother, after

anxious seeking and searching, came to that frightful place, raised up

the exalted prophet, and having poured out her gratitude to God,

proceeded with exultation to her home.[389] The magicians, on hearing

this miracle, became quite despondent; they assembled to devise some

remedy, and formed a council for the purpose of deliberating, when a

celebrated magician named _Purtarúsh_ and _Parantarúsh_[390] said to

them: “Zardusht is not to be destroyed by your plans, for God

befriends him, and the angel _Far-i-Izad_ ‘the splendor of God,’ is

ever with him. Bahman (who is the same as Jabriîl) has borne Zardusht

to the presence of the Almighty; and God having imparted to him the

knowledge of all the secrets of existence, sends him forth as a

prophet. A just sovereign will co-operate with him in promulgating his

faith, and every vestige of enchanters and Deeves shall be cut off

from the earth.” The father of Zardusht said one day to _Partarúsh_:

“Give me some account of Zardusht’s star and its rise; tell me also

why he laughed at the time of his birth”. _Partarúsh_ replied: “Thy

son Zardusht is to be a chief, as all the happy spheres afford him

aid; this offspring of auspicious career will conduct the creatures of

God in the true way; promulgate the _Zandavasta_;[391] destroy the

demon and enchanters, and finally king Gushtasp shall embrace his

faith.” This announcement gave great delight to Purshasp.

At this time there lived an aged saint named _Barzinkaroos_, of

profound experience and clear discernment; this sage having come to

the house of Purshasp, entreated that he might be allowed to bring up

Zardusht, and acquire glory by his education. Purshasp consented to

this proposal, and entrusted the infant to the holy sage.

When Zardusht had attained his seventh year, Purtarush, the chief of

the magicians, came along with Duransanun to the child’s abode; and

made so great a display of enchantments, terrific, and fearful sights,

that all the people fled out of the house; but Zardusht, through the

aid of God, felt no alarm and moved not, so that the magicians went

away filled with affright and disappointment. After some time Zardusht

became ill, at which news all the magicians were greatly delighted;

their chief Partarósh came, with enchantments and medicine mixed up

with _mina_,[392] to Zardusht’s pillow and said: “The swallowing of

this medicine will render thy body tranquil and deliver thee from

pain.” The illuminated mind of Zardusht saw through the machination,

and taking the medicine from him, poured it on the ground, and at the

same time telling him about the _mina_ mixed up with the portion, said:

“Shouldst thou in a different guise conceal thy violence,

I can again recognise thee, O thou full of deceit!

Thy description is furnished to me by that God

Through whose command the world is preserved.”

The magicians consequently again returned back mortified at the

results of their wicked plot. They say that in those times they

accounted no system superior to that of magic, and that the demon held

public intercourse with persons of that class so that they obtained it

from Iblis without the intervention of enchantment.

“Mankind then praised the foul demon,

As they now do the God of purity.”

Nay, Purshásp, the father of Zardusht, followed that path; one day

having invited Duránsarún, Párántárúsh, and many more magicians to a

feast, he made the suitable arrangements, and when the repast was

ended, he said to Párántárúsh, the chief of the magicians: “Through

the excellence of enchantment, whereby our hearts are gladdened and

our necks exalted, thy noble person at this period is the spiritual

guide of all magicians.” Zardusht, being indignant at this speech,

said to his father: “Abandon this erroneous way, and turn to the faith

of God: hell must finally be the abode of magicians and enchanters.”

These words greatly incensed Purtarúsh, who replied: “Of what

consequence art thou before thy father! The intelligent of the earth,

and the great men of the habitable world dare not address such

insolence to me! Art thou not afraid of me? Dost thou not know me? For

this thy insolence I shall spread amongst mankind such calumnies and

lies respecting thy creed, that thou must remain in obscurity. What is

thy power that, without courtesy, thou darest slight my dignity!

“May thy name be more degraded than that of all other men!

May no desire of thy heart be ever accomplished!”

Zardusht replied: “O son of earth! the lie thou utterest respecting my

creed will render thyself before God and man the butt of censure: in

retaliation I shall tell, nothing but truth concerning thee, and

overpower thee by just arguments and proofs.

“By order of the righteous God’s messenger,

I shall turn thy empire upside down.”

All who were present, as well as the magicians, remained in

astonishment at such a stripling’s great intellect, so that

Párántárúsh left the house and hastened home, covered with confusion

and disgrace: that night he fell sick, and his people also being

attacked by illness at the same time, were hurried along with him to

the house of retribution.[393]

When the honored age of Zardusht had reached the fifteenth year, he

attached not his heart to this place of sojourn, neither did he set

any value on the world or its concerns: but fleeing away from wrath

and the pleasures of sense, he with pious fear labored night and day

in the service of God; wherever he found any one hungry, thirsty,

naked, or helpless, he bestowed on them food, raiment, and the needful

supplies; his piety and sincerity were consequently renowned amongst

all people, although he withdrew from the public gaze.

When he had reached the age of thirty, he directed his face towards

Iran, in company with several men and women and some of his own

relations; in the course of this journey, they came to a large expanse

of water, on which there was not a boat to be found:[394] as it is not

meet for women to expose their persons, particularly before strangers,

he became anxious about the means of taking them over in the presence

of their fellow travellers; he therefore poured out his distress

before the God of justice, entreating from him a passage over that

wide expanse of water; after which, by the order of the Almighty, he

crossed over, with his companions and relations, in such guise that

the soles of their feet only were moistened by the water; finally, in

the end of _Isfandarmaz_,[395] on the day of _Anírán_, which is the

last day of every solar month, he reached the confines of Iran. At

that period the people of Iran held a great festival at which were

assembled both high and low, and therefore Zartusht took his course to

that quarter. At night, whilst alone in some halting place, through

his enlightened spirit he beheld, in a vision, a mighty army[396]

advancing from Bactria, or the West, which from hostile motives

blocked up his road on every side; in the same place he beheld another

army coming from _Nimroz_, or “mid day,” and when both armies came to

close quarters with the sword, the Bactrian or Western troops were put

to the rout. The examiner of the vision thus interpreted it: “When

Zardusht, having been taken into the presence of God, should discover

all the mysteries of creation, that afterwards, on his return from

heaven, to promulgate the _Dínbahí_, or ‘true faith,’ the Dîvs and

Magicians, having found out his intentions, would with all expedition

make war against him. _Mizumah_,[397] the angel who attends the

servants of God, on learning this will promote the better faith, and

in consequence the _Asta va zand_ will be read with a loud voice, and

through this the demons and magicians shall be dispersed and flee

away.” On the interpretation of the dream, he hastened to the

festival, inspired with great delight.

When he had returned from the banqueting-place, he set out about the

middle of _Ardíbihist_,[398] on the _Dímihr_, the fifteenth day of

every solar month, and came to a deep, broad, and extensive water,

named _Dábatí_,[399] in the _Astawasta_; there recommending himself to

the Lord, he stepped into the water, which at first rose up to the

calf of his legs, then to his knees, waist, and finally to his neck;

which event was thus interpreted; “the division of the water into

these four portions signifies, that in nine thousand years the

_Dínbahí_, ‘the true faith,’ shall be four times renewed; the first

time by the agency of Zardusht, who was sent to promulgate the

_Bahdín_; the second by _Hushídar_; the third by _Hushídarmáh_; and

the fourth by _Sarsásh_; all four descendants from Zardusht.”

When the prophet had gained the opposite shore, he washed his person

as pure as his soul, and putting on undefiled garments, engaged in

prayer.[400] That very day, Bahman, the mightiest of the angels, (whom

the Muhammedans call Jabriel) came robed in light to Zardusht, and

having asked his name, said: “What dost thou most desire in this

world?” Zardusht having answered, “I have no desire but that of

pleasing God; my heart seeks after nothing but righteousness; and my

belief is that thou wilt guide me to do what is good:” then Bahram

replied “Arise! that thou mayest appear before God; entreat from his

Majesty whatever thou desirest, from his bounty he will return thee a

profitable answer.” Zardusht then arose, and according to Bahram’s

order shut his eyes for an instant; on opening them he found himself

in the bright empyreal, where he beheld an assemblage through whose

effulgence his shadow became visible: from that assemblage to the

next, was a distance of twenty-four paces; and also another assemblage

of beings formed of light waited on by virgins of paradise. The angels

gathered around Zardusht and warmly greeted him, pointing him out to

each other, until the honored son of Espintaman[401] came before God,

to whom with joyous heart and trembling body he addressed the prayers

of supplication. It is necessary to observe here, that the

_Báhidínian_, “believers of the eternal doctrine,” unanimously

maintain that Bahman assumed the human figure, and that Zardusht

ascended to the heavens in his elemental body; but, according to the

creed of the intelligent Abádián, the matter is thus stated: “By the

coming of Bahman in the human form and his speaking like a mortal, is

meant that the true essence of man is uncompounded and simple, not a

body nor any thing material; and that, under such a quality, that is,

uncompoundedness, he manifested himself to Zardusht; and his saying

‘close thy eyes,’ is figurative, and implies the eradication of the

attachments and darkness of the elemental body; when he thus became a

simple uncompounded existence, he arrived at the heavens styled the

‘eternal empyrean;’ the first company of angels signifies the souls on

high, and the second, the existence of the celestial intelligences;

the interrogatories addressed to him by the angels imply, that when

the soul leaves the upper world, it descends into this lower abode to

encounter wanderings and calamity; but when, by the attractive

influence of Bahman and through the energy of intelligence, it returns

on high, the angels feel delight on the occasion. He next ascended to

the world of simple uncompounded beings, and came near God; the

delight experienced by Zardusht signifies, the freedom from alarm and

fear enjoyed in that pure world; and his bodily tremor is emblematic

of the effulgence of the divine Majesty.” He then asked of the God of

justice: “Which of thy servants on earth is superior to the rest?” God

thus answered: “The righteous professor of righteousness; secondly, he

who to righteousness joins generosity and liberality, walking

unceasingly in the way of righteousness and withdrawing from evil;

thirdly, he who is friendly to fire and water, to all living and

animated beings; for man, by the knowledge and practice of this

precept, delivers himself from hell and attains to union with the

eternal paradise. O, Zardusht! whichever of my servants in this

transitory sojourn of existence practises oppression and cruelty

towards my creatures, and averts his head from obedience to my

commands, repeat thou to such this warning: that unless he desist from

rebellion, he shall dwell in hell to all eternity.” Zardusht again

asked: “O most just God, impart to me the names of the

_Amshásfands_,[402] that is, of the angels the most acceptable in thy

presence; gladden me by their names and sight; cause me to hear their

discourse; and graciously enable me to discern the impious

Ahriman,[403] who turns not to good through his evil nature; give me

power to behold the good and evil of this world, and its termination;

the effect of the revolving sphere, with the successive production of

modes or the reappearance of things.” When he had thus laid before the

Almighty the secret wishes of his heart, he received this answer: “I

am the author of good; the benevolent and the beneficent; I neither do

evil, nor enjoin it to be committed. I consent not to wickedness,

neither do I bring calamity on my creatures: evil and wickedness

belong exclusively to Ahriman. It is, however, incumbent on me to keep

in hell to all eternity the troops of Ahriman in reward for their

deeds: the ignorant only assert that I am the “author of evil.”[404]

The Almighty then made Zardusht acquainted with the celestial

revolutions and the motions of the stars, and their good and evil

influences; he also showed him paradise filled with light, angelic

nymphs, palaces, and _Amshásfands_; communicating to him at the same

time the knowledge of all mysteries, and teaching him all sciences, so

that he knew every thing from the commencement of existence to the end

of time; he likewise showed him Ahriman in the gloom of hell, who, on

beholding Zardusht cried aloud: “Turn away from the faith of God, that

thou mayest obtain all thy desires in this world.”[405]

When the Lord had thus instructed Zardusht, he beheld a mountain of

flaming fire, which at the command of God he traversed without any

injury to his person; they next poured molten brass on his guileless,

silver-like bosom, and not a single hair of his body was touched; they

next opened his stomach, and taking out all the intestines again

replaced them, on which the wound immediately closed without leaving a

vestige of the incision behind. The just God then said to Zardusht:

“Thou hast passed over the mountain of fire, and hadst thy stomach

rent open; therefore tell mankind whoever turns away from the

_Dínbahí_, ‘pure faith,’ and passes over to Ahriman, in the same

manner shall the blood of his body be poured out; he shall dwell in

the fire, and never attain to the joys of paradise. Again, the molten

brass, which on contact with thy breast became congealed like ice,

causing thee no injury, is a sign that the nation, at the suggestion

of Ahriman, will turn away from the faith; and also that when the

_Dínbahí_ shall be promulgated in the world, the high Mobed shall gird

his loins to give them battle.

“The heart of mankind was harassed with doubt,

However thou knowest this brass was but a sign;

It is therefore meet that Azarbád, the son of Márasfand,

Should impart to each individual counsel of every kind;

This molten brass he should pour on his breast,

From which no injury shall result to him.

“So that, on beholding this miracle, all mankind with heart and soul

will follow the right true road.”

After this, Zardusht asked of the God of justice: “In what manner

shall thy worshippers celebrate thy praise and what is to be their

Kiblah?” The Lord answered: “Tell all mankind that every bright and

luminous object is the effulgence of my light; at the time of

worshipping me, let them turn to that side, in order that Ahriman may

flee from them; in the world there is no existence superior to light,

out of which I have created paradise, the angelic nymphs, and all that

is pleasant, whilst hell was produced out of darkness.

“Wherever thou art, and in whichever of the two abodes,

Dost thou not perceive that either place is formed out of my light?”

Having thus taught Zardusht the _Avesta_ and the _Zand_, he said to

him: “Recite this celebrated volume to king Gushtasp, that through it

he may obtain wisdom; tell him also to attain a perfect knowledge of

me; no one should ever call me the worker of injustice; command the

Mobeds and all mankind to separate themselves from demons and

magicians.”

“Zardusht then enlarged on the praises of the Almighty Lord.”

When the prophet’s desires and purpose had been thus completely

attained, he was met on his return by the Amshásfand Bahman, the

protector and chief of the sheep, who said to him: “To thee I deliver

the sheep and all herds; tell the Mobeds, sages, and all men to guard

them well; prohibit them from putting to death calf, lamb, young

sheep, or any other quadruped, as men derive great benefits from them:

“We must never be guilty of excess in slaughter.”

“I received these flocks from the Almighty, and now accept them from

me; account not my words as unimportant, but inculcate obedience to

them on young and old:” on which Zardusht accepted the trust. The

Mobed Sarush used to say: “The Yezdanians maintain that, when Bahman

forbade the killing of young quadrupeds, he well knew it to be equally

wrong to slay the old; first, because in their youth, although they

rendered many services, they received no wages for their labor; and

secondly, in old age they produce young animals; consequently, where

Zardusht in some passages holds it lawful to slay animals, but without

committing excess; by the precept is meant, the expulsion of animal

qualities from our existence; and by avoiding excess is meant, that we

should gradually banish all vile propensities from ourselves, such as

eating to excess, which is an animal quality, but which cannot be

discontinued at once; it therefore becomes necessary to lessen the

quantity of food gradually, as stated by us under the head of the

_Sáhí Keshán_.”

After Bahman, the Amshásfand _Ardebihist_[406] coming forward, said to

Zardusht: “O accepted of God! bear from me this message to king

Gushtasp, and say to him: ‘To thee have I delivered whatever relates

to fire. Let there be suitable places of great splendor in every city

for the general worship; appoint stated times and _Hirbuds_, or

‘ministers’ for the purpose of adoration; because that light is an

emanation of the divine effulgence. Dost thou not perceive how every

thing stands in need of fire, which requires only wood from the human

race?’

“Its body apprehends not death nor the decrepitude of age,

When thou layest wood within the influence of its sphere.

“Such is its property to indicate the truth, that if thou burn

perfumes it diffuses fragrance among the assembled people: from

unpleasant odors a correspondent effect ensues; it also banishes the

affliction of cold. As fully as God hath delivered it to me, do I now

give it in charge to thee! Whoever turns away from my counsel and

advice becomes the captive of hell, and incurs the displeasure of

God.”

When Zardusht had departed from Bahman, the Amshásfand _Shahrivar_

came forward and said to him: “On thy arrival from the upper to the

lower world, tell men to furbish and polish up their arms, and always

to keep them in good order and readiness; in the day of battle let

them not quit their posts, but display heroic exertion and not resign

their post to any other.”

_Asfandármaz_ then coming forward, after many benedictions said to

Zardusht: “This is the command of the Almighty to mankind, let them

keep the earth pure, and remove blood, pollution, and dead bodies to

some uncultivated place.

“Among princes, that sovereign is by far the best

Who exerts himself to improve the face of the earth.”

When Zardusht had departed thence, _Khúrdád_ advanced, and with

benedictions thus addressed him: “To thy charge I assign all waters of

running streams, rivers, water-courses, rivulets, wells, and all

besides; say thou to mankind:

“Through water is the body of every creature maintained in life;

Through it the face of every tract and region is kept in bloom.

“Let them keep dead bodies far removed from it, and let them not

defile it with blood or any dead carcass, as the food dressed with

such water furnishes an unwholesome repast.”

_Murdád_ next came forward and said to Zardusht: “Let not men

heedlessly destroy the vegetable productions of the earth or pluck

them from their place:

“As these form the delight of both man and beast.

“Also, O prophet of God! send Mobeds around the whole country, and

appoint a wise person in every city to communicate these tidings to

all men: let them understand the _Avesta_, and bind around their waist

the zone, which is a sign of the pure faith and constancy in it, and

let them endeavor to keep the four substances (elements) undefiled:

“Out of the four elements has the body of every animal

Been composed by the supreme and just Lord:

It is therefore necessary to keep them undefiled,

Accounting them among the choice blessings of God.”

It is to be remembered that the conference of all these angels with

Zardusht was a revelation and message from God; but there was a more

transcendent dignity in this fact, that the Almighty himself addressed

Zardusht without the intervention of angels, and imparted to him the

mysteries of all that exists.[407]

Zardusht having thus obtained from God the accurate knowledge of all

mysteries, drew near this elemental world, whilst the magicians and

demons, with a dreadful host, blocked up his road; after which the

chief enchanter and the head of the demons and his host thus addressed

Zardusht: “Keep the _Avesta_ and _Zand_ concealed; thy incantation,

fraud, and artifice make no impression on us: if thou knowest us, thou

wilt turn away from such practices.” On hearing this, Zardusht recited

aloud one chapter of the _Avesta_ and _Zand_; when these sounds

reached the demons, they hid themselves under ground, and the

magicians trembled; a part of the enchanters died on the spot, and the

remainder implored for mercy.

The Mobed _Surúsh_, the Yezdánian, has been heard to say: “It is

recorded in the treatise of _Míhín Farúsh_ that, according to the

doctors of the pure faith, when Zardusht had thus obtained the victory

over the demons, and was proceeding to an interview with the great

king Gushtasp, there happened to be two oppressive and infidel kings

in his road; these Zardusht invited to adopt the pure faith and turn

away from their evil practices; but they heeded not his words, he

therefore prayed to God, and there began to blow a mighty wind, which

lifted up these two kings on high and kept them suspended in the air;

the people who came around were astonished on beholding this sight;

the birds also from every quarter of the sky flocked around the two

kings, and with beaks and talons tore off their flesh until their

bones fell to the ground.[408]

Zaratusht, the son of Bahram, says, that when Zardusht after his

victory arrived at the court of the great king Gushtasp, he called on

the name God, and then sought access to the sovereign.[409] He beheld

the first rank, composed of the grandees and champions of Iran and

other regions, standing around; and above these two ranks of sages,

philosophers, and learned men, who took precedence of each other in

proportion to their knowledge, for this great king was exceedingly

attached to men of science; he next beheld the monarch of the world

seated on a lofty throne, and his brows encircled with a costly crown:

on which Zardusht in eloquent language recited the praises of the

king.

Farzánah Bahram, the son of Farhad, of the Yazdanian sect, relates

thus in the _Sháristán_: “The doctors of the pure faith say, that when

Zardusht entered into king Gushtasp’s assembly, he held in his hand a

blazing fire which caused him no injury; he then transferred that fire

to the king’s hands, which in like manner remained unhurt; he

afterwards gave it into the hands of others and still no trace of

burning appeared; he next lay down, and ordered molten brass to be

poured on his bosom four different times: although the molten metal

came on his breast, no bodily injury resulted from it.”[410]

Zaratusht, the son of Bahram, adds: The sovereign of Iran having thus

ascertained the dignity of the prophet of the human race, addressed

him with terms of earnest affection, and ordering a chair to be

brought, placed him in front of the royal throne, above the two ranks

of the philosophers. Zardusht, agreeably to the king’s command, having

taken this seat, manifested to all the assembly the precious diamonds

of his intellectual stores. The sages and eminent men of the exterior

circles on his right and left entered on the path of controversy, but

were finally refuted, one after another. They say that on this day

thirty of the sages seated on his right, being unable to withstand the

arguments of Zardusht, bore testimony to his knowledge and truth; and

in like manner thirty of the wise men on his left were overpowered and

convinced. When such sages, who had not their equals in the seven

climates, had been thus confuted, the illustrious prince called the

prophet of the Lord into his presence, and for further conviction

questioned him on various sciences and the traditions of old; and

having received conclusive answers on all these points he was struck

with amazement. The great king therefore assigned to the prophet of

the just Lord a dwelling adjacent to his own palace, and the

philosophers departed home with afflicted hearts. During the whole

night they read over books with each other, and concerted with each

other how they might, the following morning, conduct the argument and

controversy with Zardusht; whilst the prophet of the Lord on coming to

his house, according to his custom, desisted not until morning from

acts of worship and praise. The following day, when Zardusht and the

philosophers assembled around the king, whatever the sages advanced

which was not strictly conformable to truth, Zardusht produced a

hundred arguments, both theoretical and practical, to invalidate the

assertion; and if they demanded a proof of whatever he himself

advanced, he adduced a hundred convincing demonstrations. Gushtasp

accordingly increased the dignity of the Lord’s prophet, and inquired

his name, lineage, and native city; to which questions Zardusht

returned the meet answer, and said: “O great king, to-morrow is the

day of Hormuz, or the first of the month; command the chiefs of the

military to assemble and all the philosophers to appear, that I may

reduce all to silence, as I have done this assembly, and give answers

which will dumbfound them; after which I shall execute the commission

with which I am entrusted.”

Gushtasp issued the requisite order, and they all returned home with

this agreement. Zardusht, from inclination and habit, continued in

supplication to the Lord; and the wise men said to each other: “This

stranger has twice degraded us wise men, taken away our reputation,

and obtained favor with the king:” they therefore conferred with each

other how they could most effectually oppose Zardusht and refute his

arguments.

“With this understanding each retired to his own abode,

And through anxiety not one of them slept all that night.”

On the third day, the nobles, doctors, and wise men assembled around

the king, and Zardusht also advanced into the company: although the

sages and learned men had mutually combined to confound him by

argument, they were all finally refuted. When the philosophers were no

longer able to utter a word, the superior personages gave place to

Zardusht, on which the prophet of the Lord loosed his tongue and said

to Gushtasp: “I am the envoy of the Lord the Creator of the heavens,

earth, and stars; the disinterested bestower of daily food to his

servant: he who has brought thee from non-existence into being and

made kings thy servants, has sent me to thee.” Then taking the

_Avesta_ and _Zand_ out of a case, he added: “This volume God has

given to me, and sent me forth to the human race with the commandments

named _Astawazand_, which require implicit obedience; if thou wilt

conform to the commands of God, in like manner as he has made thee

sovereign of the world, he will also make thee eternally happy in

futurity and paradise; but if thou avert the head from his command,

thou incurrest the displeasure of the just God; the foundation of thy

greatness shall be rent, and thou shalt finally become a denizen of

hell.

“Adopt no line of conduct through the suggestion of a Div.

From this time forward listen to my commands.”

The great king replied: “What proof dost thou adduce, and what miracle

dost thou perform? exhibit them, that I may instantly diffuse thy

faith over all the world.” Zardusht said: “One of my decisive proofs

and miraculous works is this volume, on once listening to which thou

shalt never more behold demon or magician: this volume contains the

mysteries of both worlds, and clearly expounds the revolutions of the

stars: there is no being in existence an account of which is not found

in this book.” The king then commanded: “Read me a section of this

heavenly volume.” Zardusht having read one chapter, Gushtasp not

feeling a full conviction, said to him: “Thou hast urged a bold suit;

but precipitancy in such an affair is by no means proper; I shall

devote some days to exploring the nature of the _Zand-Avesta_: but in

the mean time come thou hither as usual.” Zardusht then

“Returned to the house assigned him by the king.”

The enraged philosophers also came out and took counsel with each

other about slaying Zardusht. The following morning, when Zardusht

left the house to go to the king’s palace, he delivered the key of his

apartment to the king’s porter; but the philosophers so deluded this

man, that he gave up the key secretly to them; on which they opened

the door of the prophet’s apartment, and having put into bags unclean

things which they had collected, such as blood, hair, a cat’s head, a

dog’s head, dead men’s bones and the like, placed them under his

pillow, and having locked the door, gave the key back to the porter,

previously obliging him to swear to keep the matter altogether secret;

after this they went to the palace, where they beheld Zardusht seated

near the king, who was engaged in reading the _Zand-Avesta_,

“Lost in amazement at the characters and words.”

The philosophers said: “The _Zand-Avesta_ is altogether magic, and

this man is a wizard, who by force of spells has produced an

impression on thy heart, in order to bring evil and confusion all over

the world; but be not thou the wizard’s ally.” On hearing this,

Gushtasp ordered persons to repair to Zardusht’s house and make a

careful examination; they went and immediately brought before the king

whatever they found in the house, whether eatables, carpets, dresses,

clothes-bags, etc., all which they opened in the king’s presence; on

this, the talons, hair, and such like impurities, which had been

hidden there by the philosophers, were exposed to view. The king was

greatly enraged, and said to Zardusht: “This is thy magic practice.”

The prophet of the Lord being quite astonished, replied: “I have no

knowledge of these things; let his majesty inquire the particulars

from the porter.” The porter on being summoned, said: “Zardusht closed

his door, and not even wind had access to it.” The king became quite

indignant and said to Zardusht: “They have not brought these sacks

from heaven and hid them under the pillow.” In his rage he threw away

the _Avesta-Zand_, and sent Zardusht in chains to prison: there was

also a porter appointed to give him a fixed allowance and keep strict

watch. Zardusht remained in chains both day and night, the porter

bringing him daily a loaf of bread and a pitcher of water; and one

whole week passed in that manner.

They relate that Gushtasp had a royal steed called the “Black

Charger,” which the great king mounted on the day of battle:

“When, mounted on this charger’s back, he advanced to the fight,

The result of the combat terminated in victory.”

One morning at dawn, the master of the horse beheld the Black Charger

without fore or hind feet, which he saw were drawn up into his belly;

in great haste he announced this event to the sovereign of the world.

Gushtasp in great affliction hurried to the stable, summoning thither

the veterinary surgeons, physicians, and learned men, all of whom

exerted themselves in remedies and applications without any benefit

resulting from their exertions. Through grief the king partook not of

food that day, and the military were sorely afflicted. Zardusht, who

in consequence of the general mourning had not received his allowance

before evening, became hungry; when the evening had passed, the porter

came and brought the provisions, stating at the same time what had

befallen the Black Charger; on this the prophet of the Lord said to

him: “To-morrow tell the king that I can set this affair to rights.”

The next morning the porter conveyed the prophet’s message to the

king, on which orders were given to bring Zardusht into the royal

presence. This favorable intelligence having been communicated to

Zardusht, the prophet entered into a warm bath, and after ablution, on

appearing before the king, he uttered benedictions on the sovereign of

the world. Gushtasp then assigned him a place near himself, and having

explained the state of the horse, added:

“If thou be truly a prophet sent from the Lord,

Thou canst easily restore this horse to perfect health.”

Zardusht replied: “If thou wilt, O king, engage to perform four

things, thou shalt again behold the charger’s fore and hind legs.” The

king said: “I accept the conditions: what is the first?” Zardusht

replied: “Let us all repair to the Black Charger’s bed.” On arriving

there he said to the king: “Make thy heart and tongue of one accord:

utter with thy tongue and repeat with thy heart, that without doubt,

suspicion, or equivocation, I am a prophet and apostle sent from God.”

The king having agreed to this, the prophet of the Lord addressed his

petitions to the God of justice, and then rubbing with his hand the

horse’s right forefoot, it straightway came out, on which the king and

the soldiery loudly applauded the holy man.

After this, he said to the king: “Command the heroic Isfendiar to

enter into a covenant with me that he will gird up his loins to

promulgate the faith of the Lord.” The prince was not averse, and

entered into a solemn engagement; on which the apostle prayed to the

Lord until the right hind leg came out.

He then said to the great king: “Send an _Ustawar_ and an _Amin_ along

with me to the great queen _Kitábún_, in order that she may enter into

the true faith.” The king having assented, Zardusht on coming into the

king’s golden apartment thus addressed queen Kitábún: “Mighty

princess! the Lord has expressly selected thee to share the couch of

Gushtasp and to be the mother of Isfendiar. I am the Lord’s prophet

sent by him to the king: therefore adopt the pure faith.” On this the

great queen with heart and soul attached herself in sincerity to the

prophet: after which Zardusht prayed, so that the other hind leg came

out.

He then said to the king: “Now send for the porter; it is proper to

inquire of him who it was that conveyed this stuff of magical

preparation to my house.” The king summoned the chamberlain and

questioned him in a threatening tone, saying: “If thou wilt confess

the truth, thou savest thy life; but otherwise, thou shalt have thy

head under thy feet.” The treacherous chamberlain implored pardon, and

related all the particulars of the bribery and delusion practised by

the philosophers’ friends. Gushtasp was exceedingly indignant, and

ordered the four philosophers to be hanged. Zardusht then recited the

prayers taught him by the Almighty, so that the other forefoot came

out, and the swift charger stood on his legs. The sovereign of Iran

kissed the prophet’s head and face, and leading him to the throne,

seated him near himself; he also requested pardon for his sin and gave

back the prophet’s goods.[411]

The doctors of the pure faith also record, that king _Lohrasp_ and

_Zerir_, brother to Gushtasp having fallen into so violent a malady,

that the physicians in despair desisted from all attendance on them,

but having been restored to health through the prayers of Zardusht,

they adopted the pure faith.[412]

Zaratusht the son of Bahram relates: One day Zardusht, having come

into the king’s presence, he thus addressed the prophet of the Lord:

“I desire to obtain four things from God; it is therefore meet that

the prophet should request them: first, that I should behold my own

state in the next world; secondly, that in the time of conflict no

blow should make any impression on me, so that I may be able to

diffuse the true faith; thirdly, that I may know thoroughly the

mysteries of good and evil in this world; fourthly, that until the day

of judgment my spirit may remain united to my body.” Zardusht replied:

“I will entreat the Lord to grant these four wishes:

“But it is necessary that out of these four wishes

Thou shouldst implore one only for thyself:

Choose three wishes for three different persons:

That I may entreat them from the righteous Creator;

He will not confer on any one person these four gifts,

Because that person might say: ‘I am the supreme Creator.’”

The king having agreed to this, Zaratusht at the time of evening

prayer went to his house, repeated the praises of the Almighty,

entreating from him the accomplishment of the king’s desires, and lay

down in the act of adoration: in this state God showed him in a vision

that the king’s petition was granted. At dawn of day the king was

seated on his throne; Zardusht appeared in the royal presence and came

to his place; in a moment after, the king’s chamberlain entering in

great trepidation, said: “There are four terror-striking,

awe-inspiring horsemen at the door:

“Never before have I beheld horsemen of such a kind.”

The king asked of Zardusht: “Who are these persons?” but he had

scarcely done speaking before all the four horsemen dressed in green,

completely armed, of majestic port, drew near the throne; these four

cavaliers were of the number of those angels who are nearest the just

God, and are of the great Amshasfands, namely, _Bahman_,[413]

_Ardibahist_,[414] _Azarkhurdad_,[415] and _Azargushtásp_,[416] who

thus addressed the king: “We are angels and the envoys of God. The

Dispenser of justice thus declares: ‘Zardusht is my prophet, whom I

have sent to all the inhabitants of the earth; attend well to him; if

thou devote thyself to his way, thou art delivered from hell. Never

inflict pain on him; and when thou obtainest thy desires, avert not

thy head from his commands.’”

King Gushtasp, although in magnanimity immovable as mount _Alburz_,

yet through the majesty of the angels and their awful presence, fell

senseless from his throne: on recovering himself he thus addressed the

righteous Lord:

“I am the lowest of all thy servants,

And have girt up my loins to execute thy orders.”

When the Amshásfands heard this answer, they departed; and the

military, on learning this wonderful occurrence, were all assembled:

the king also, trembling all over, apologized to Zardusht:

“Thy command sits upon my soul;

My spirit is like the son of the Lord;

My body, soul, and wealth are all to thee devoted,

By order of the just and glorious Creator.”

The prophet of the Lord replied: “May good tidings ever attend thee! I

have entreated from the Almighty the completion of thy desires, and my

prayer has been granted.” Zardusht then ordered that for the purpose

of the _Yashtan-i-darún_,[417] that is, “the recitation and breathing

out of prayer,” they should make ready in an inner apartment wine,

sweet perfumes, milk, and a pomegranate; and over these he performed

_Yasht_, or “the recitation of prayers,” in a low voice, out of the

_Avesta_ and _Zand_; after this ceremony they gave Gushtasp some of

the hallowed wine, on the mere tasting of which he became insensible

and rose not up for three days: in that interval his spirit ascended

to heaven, and there beheld the celestial nymphs, their palaces,

progeny, and attendants; the blessings of paradise; the different

gradations of rank among the virtuous, and the grade reserved for

himself.

The prophet next presented to _Bishutan_[418] some of that hallowed

milk, on drinking of which he was delivered from the pangs of death

and obtained eternal life. Some of the Yezdánian doctors hold, that by

eternal life is implied the knowledge of one’s own essence and soul,

which never admit of decay; milk is also mentioned, as it constitutes

the food of children, and science is the food of spirit; on which

account they have likened science to consecrated milk. He next gave

_Jamasp_[419] some of the hallowed perfume, through the efficacy of

which universal science shed its lustre on his heart; so that, from

that very day of his existence, whatever was to come to pass until the

day of judgment was clearly comprehended by him in all its details. He

then gave one grain of the hallowed pomegranate to _Isfendiar_, who on

eating it instantly became brazen-bodied, and his frame grew so hard

that no blow could make an impression on it.

When the great king awoke from his vision, he broke out into praise

and adoration; after which he called for Zardusht, to whom he related

what he had witnessed, and commanded all men to receive the pure

faith; then, being seated on his throne, he ordered the prophet of the

Lord to recite some sections of the _Zand_ in his presence. On hearing

the _Avesta_, the demons fled and concealed themselves under the

earth. The great king next commanded that in every city the Mobeds

should attend to the observance of fire, erecting domes over it, and

keeping stated festivals and times.

ACCOUNT OF THE PRECEPTS GIVEN BY ZARDUSHT TO THE KING AND TO ALL

MANKIND.――The prophet Zardusht, having read to the king some sections

concerning the greatness and majesty of the Almighty, said to him: “As

thou hast adopted the ways of God, the joy of paradise is to be thy

portion; but he who abandons that way is hurried off to hell by

Ahriman, who feels delighted, and on making the capture says to his

victim: ‘Because thou hast abandoned the ways of God, therefore art

thou fallen into hell.’ But the just God is liberal to his servants,

and has sent me to them, saying: ‘Communicate my covenant to all

created beings, that they may abandon their perverse ways.’ I am his

prophet, sent to thee that thou mayst guide mankind to the right road;

as the final result of persevering in the way of God is the attainment

of paradise; and the retribution of devotedness to Ahriman is hell. He

moreover commanded me: ‘Say thou to mankind, if ye adopt the pure

faith, then shall paradise be your place; but if ye receive it not,

you follow the institutes of Ahriman, and hell shall be your abode.’

The several demonstrations of Zardusht and his wondrous works are to

you an abundant proof of the truth of his faith. Know also that at

first he sought the world; but finally regarded wife, children, and

relations as strangers to himself; he has moreover attained to such

perfect faith, that the king and the mendicant are the same in his

sight. He has enjoined me nothing more than this: neither has he given

me permission to be your intercessor or to entreat from him remission

of your sins: for protection extended to the evil doer is itself

criminal, and the chastisement of evil deeds is true religion: he

enjoined me also to entertain hope of his favor from my words and

deeds.”

“Look to your acts and words, for they produce their sure effect,

The same seed that people sow, such the harvest they shall reap.”

It is also expressly stated in the glorious Koran to the same

purport:[420] “On the very day when the spirit (Gabriel) and the

angels shall be ranged in their order, nobody shall speak except him

to whom the Merciful will permit it, and who will say nothing but what

is just.” In another place it is declared:[421] “Truly thou canst not

direct whomsoever thou lovest; but God will direct whomsoever he

pleases.” It is also recorded in the traditions, that the asylum of

prophecy (on whom be blessings!) said to the beautiful Fatima: “O

Fatima! fear nothing, for thou art the prophet’s daughter; perform

good works! again I say, perform good works!” He also proposed this

additional proof! “Not one of the eminent, eloquent, learned, or wise

men of the world can produce a composition which in the least

resembles the volume I have sent down; if they are able let them

declare it; but as they are unable, let them confess that this is the

voice of God: a similar statement has also been made in the divine

words of the Koran: ‘produce ye a chapter resembling it.’ Again of the

many prophets who appeared on earth, all were ignorant of future

events except Zardusht, who, in the _Zend-Avesta_, clearly expounded

whatever was to come to pass until the day of judgment, whether good

or evil.”

“Concerning kings inspired by truth, religion, and justice,

There are minute details if thou wilt call them to mind:

The names of all he has consigned to lasting fame,

Their every act and deed, whether just or unjust alike.”

Moreover no prophet, save Zardusht, bestowed in the presence of God

benedictions on the military class whose hearts were rightly affected

towards him.

“To the follower of his faith he said, if to the true believers

Thou doest good, then good shall result to thee.”

But above all he has said: “God has commanded me: ‘Say thou to mankind

they are not to abide in hell for ever; when their sins are expiated,

they are delivered out of it.’”

It is generally reported that Zardusht was of _Azarbadgán_[422] or

_Tabruz_; but those who are not _Beh-dinians_, or “true believers,”

assert, and the writer of this work has also heard from the Mobed

_Torru_ of _Busáwári_, in Gujurat, that the birth-place and

distinguished ancestors of the prophet belong to the city of

_Rai_.[423]

A Mobed has transcribed as follows from the _Avesta_ and _Zand_,[424]

when the Amshásfand Báhmán, pursuant to God’s command, had borne the

prophet Zardusht to heaven, he thus entreated of the Almighty: “Close

the door of death against me: let that be my miracle.” But the

righteous Lord replied: “If I close the gates of death against thee,

thou wilt not be satisfied; nay, thou wouldst entreat death from me.”

He then gave Zardusht something like honey, on tasting of which he

became insensible; like one in a profound sleep has visions, he became

acquainted with the mysteries of existence, clearly perceiving the

good and evil of whatever is in being; nay, he knew the number of

hairs on the sheep, and the sum of the leaves on a tree. When his

senses were restored, the Almighty asked him: “What hast thou seen?”

He answered: O supreme ruler! I beheld in hell, along with Ahriman,

many wealthy persons who had been ungrateful in this world; and I

found in the supreme paradise many persons, rich in gold and silver,

who had worshipped the Lord and been grateful to him. I moreover saw

in hell many who were eminent for wealth, but who were childless; and

many an indigent Durvesh, the father of many children, in the

enjoyment of paradise. I saw moreover a tree with seven branches,[425]

the shadow of which extended far and wide; one branch of gold, the

second of silver, the third of copper, the fourth of brass, the fifth

of tin (or lead), the sixth of steel, the seventh of mixed iron.” The

Lord then said to his prophet: “The tree with seven branches is the

series of events in the world, in which agitation arises from seven

sources through the revolution of the spheres; the first or golden

branch typifies the way and attraction by which thou hast come to my

presence and attained the prophet’s office; the second or silver

branch signifies that the great sovereign of the age shall receive thy

system of faith, and that the demons shall hide themselves in dismay;

the third or copper branch is the period of the Ashkanian kings.

“He who is not a true believer

Holds in abhorrence the pure in faith.

The great stock of fortune shall at this time

Be torn piecemeal and scattered all over the world.

“The fourth, or the branch of brass, typifies the reign of Ardashir,

the son of Sássán, who shall adorn the universe with the true faith

and reestablish the pure institutes; the people will embrace the faith

through the force of demonstration: they will pour molten copper and

brass on the breast of Arzabad, and his person shall receive no

injury. The fifth, or leaden branch is the reign of Báhrám Gor, during

which mankind will enjoy repose.

“When mankind are in the enjoyment of happiness,

Ahriman is grieved beforehand at this prosperous state.

“The sixth branch, or that of steel, is the reign of Nushirwan,

through whose equity the aged world shall be restored to youth; and

although _Mazdak_ of corrupt heart shall pursue his designs, yet will

he be unable to do any injury to the pure faith. The seventh branch,

or that of mixed iron, is emblematic of the time when the period of a

thousand years verges to its end,[426] and the royal dignity falls to

_Mazdakin_, and no respect remains to the pure faith; then a people

clothed in black, oppressors of the poor, without title, reputation,

or merit, friends to tumult and wickedness, fraudulent, hypocritical,

and deceitful, bitter of heart like aloes, with honied tongue,

traitors to bread and salt, ungrateful, speakers of falsehood, alike

building the most magnificent mansions and fond of ruined

caravansarais, seeking the ways of hell, having conspired together

will destroy the fire-temples, and turn to themselves the spirit of

the inhabitants of Iran. The sons and daughters of the nobles shall

fall into their hands, and the children of the virtuous and mighty

become their attendants: nay, this race shall make a covenant-breaker

king over them:

“That person among them obtains both power and rank,

Whose career is directed to the production of misery.

“When this millennium comes to a termination, the clouds shall mostly

appear unattended by rain; the rains not fall in their season; heats

predominate; the water of rivers be lessened; few cows or sheep be

left remaining; and men despicable in figure, small of stature, weak

in form, shall then be met with.

“The speed of the horse and the rider shall suffer diminution,

And no productive energy remain in the bosom of the sown field.”

“Men shall gird the sacred zone in secrecy, and drag on a dishonored

existence, forgetting altogether the _Náúroz_ and _the festival of

Farvardin_.[427]

“The mouth of Safandármuz shall be opened wide,

And the hidden treasures cast forth and exposed to view.”

“An evil-disposed rapacious host of Turks shall come to Iran, and

force away the crown and throne from its chieftains. O, Zardusht!

communicate these tidings to the Mobeds, that they may impart them to

the people.” Zardusht replied: “How shall the professors of the true

faith be able to perform their worship?” to which this answer was

given: “When the second millennium commences, mankind shall behold

more calamity than was witnessed in the times of Zohák and Afrasiáb;

and when that period is terminated, there will not be found any one of

the least merit among the professors of the true faith.

“From every quarter they shall prepare to assail Iran,

With their chargers’ hoofs they shall lay it waste.”

Zardusht said: “O righteous Ormuzd! after so much toil, abridgment of

life and long-protracted suffering shall not the professors of the

true faith find some intercessor; and how can discomfiture overtake

those clothed in black vestments?” The Almighty answered thus: “Pain

is not to last for ever; when the black ensign is displayed, a host

arrayed in red vestments and helmets shall come forth from the

formidable room; and the land of Khorasan be desolate by flood and

vapor; the earth shall tremble and the cultivated fields be laid

waste; Turk, Rúmite, and Arab encounter each other; and the borders of

Turan be made a wilderness by Turks, Persians, and Hindoos; the sacred

fire be borne to _Dushkhargar_, or ‘the mountainous region;’ and,

through invasions, Iran become one scene of desolation.” The prophet

then said: “O, Lord! however short the duration of this people may be,

they will surely destroy life; how then shall these wicked be

exterminated?” To which he received this answer: “The standard of an

army arises out of Khorasan, and then Hoshidar is separated from his

mother; when he arrives at the age of thirty, he will follow the

ancient mode of faith, and become sovereign of Hindustan and China; he

shall have a son of the Kaianian race, named Bahram and entitled

Hamawand, but whom his nation will call Shapur: on the birth of that

illustrious child, the stars shall drop down from heaven; and his

father pass away from this world in the month of _Aban_ and the day of

_Baud_.[428] When this son has attained twenty-one years of age, he

shall march in every direction with a numerous host, and proceeding

with his troops to Balkh and Bokhara, advance into Iran with the

armies of India and China. A man professing the good faith in the

mountain region will then exert himself, and bringing up an army from

Khorasan and Sistan, come to the aid of Iran:

“From Kishtí Duwál, Roome, and Firingstan,

From demons clothed in black, like piebald wolves.”

“Three mighty battles shall then ensue, which will render Persia the

land of mourning; after which will arise an exalted avenging prince

who shall obtain the victory. In those days a thousand women shall not

be able to find one man; and if they should perchance behold one, they

shall be filled with astonishment. When those times are come to an

end, I shall send Serósh towards Jerusalem and summon Bishutan, who

will issue forth with a company of one hundred and fifty virtuous men,

and duly perform _Yasht_, or ‘prayer,’ on which Ahriman will engage in

battle with them; but, on hearing the sound of the _Hadokht_ and the

_Ashtawazand_, the partizans of Ahriman shall flee out of Iran. A

prince, Báhrám by name, shall then ascend the throne, bring back the

sacred fire, and restore the institutions of ancient times, and the

seed of the wicked shall then be exterminated: finally, when Bishutan

beholds every thing duly arranged, he will return with royal pomp to

his own palace.”

The Mobed _Azar Khirad_ relates in his book that the _Zand_ contains

twenty-one _Nosks_, or “parts,” every _Nosk_ having a particular name

in Zand and Parsi according to the following list:[429] _Yathá_,

_Ita_, _Ahu_, _Wíría_, _Alartúsh_, _Nadar_, which they call in Arabic

_Búfastál_, and in Parsi _Favaímasíhan_. This Nosk treats of the

stars, constellations, order of the heavens, the aspects, the good and

evil influences of the heavenly bodies, and such like topics. The

other Nosks are: the _Ashád_, _Chíd_, _Hashú_, _Wankawísh_, _Wazda_,

_Mankahú_, _Sítanú_, _Nan_, _Ankahísh_, _Marzái_, _Khashar_, _Machá_,

_Ahrá_, _Ayám_, _Darkúbíú_ and _Astarám_: all the sciences are

contained in the Zand, but some are mentioned enigmatically and by way

of allusion. At present there are fourteen complete Nosks possessed by

the Dostúrs of Karman, the other seven being incomplete, as through

the wars and dissensions which prevailed in Iran some of the Nosks

have disappeared, so that, notwithstanding the greatest researches,

the Nosks have come into their hands in a defective state.

Zaratusht Báhrám, the son of _Pazhdú_, relates that, at the time of

the promulgation of the pure faith in Iran, there lived in India a

sage of profound learning, named _Jangrangháchah_,[430] whose pupil

_Jamasp_[431] had been during many years, a circumstance which

procured him great distinction. On being informed of Gushtasp’s

conversion, he wrote an epistle to the great king, to dissuade him

from the profession of the pure faith. By the king’s command, this

sage came to Iran to hold a disputation with Zardusht, who said to

him: “Listen to one Nosk of this Asta which I have received from God,

and attend to its interpretation.” Upon this, at the illustrious

prophet’s command, one of his disciples read a Nosk in which God said

thus to Zardusht: “On the promulgation of the pure faith, there shall

come from Hindustan a wise man, named _Jangrangháchah_, who will ask

thee questions, after such and such guise, the answers to which are

after this manner, thus answering all his questions:

“By this same Nosk his condition was improved,

And the answer to each question was correctly given.”

When he heard the solutions of his questions he fell from his chair,

and on recovering his senses adopted the pure faith. The prophet Sásán

the Fifth, in his select commentary on the _Dasátir_ and the

interpretation of the code of Zardusht, relates, that when Isfendiar

had promulgated the pure faith, the eminent sages of Greece dispatched

a learned man, named _Niyátús_,[432] to interrogate the prophet of the

Lord concerning the exact nature of his tenets. Gushtasp, having

assigned him an audience on a most auspicious day. this distinguished

Greek, on beholding the face of Zardusht, said: “From this face,

knowledge, sagacity, and science are manifest as the properties of a

mind so formed; and this is not the physiognomy of one who utters

falsehoods.” He then asked him concerning the moment, day, month, and

year of his birth, which being communicated by Zardusht, Niyátús

observed: “Under such a horoscope, a person of weak intellects cannot

be born.” He next questioned him concerning his food, sleep, and mode

of life, which being also explained, Niyátús added: “From this rule of

life he cannot be an impostor.” The prophet of the Lord then said to

him: “Keep in thy heart whatever thou desirest to inquire about, and

utter it not with thy tongue; as the Almighty has acquainted me with

it, and for my sake has sent me his word in this chapter relative to

these matters.” On this, one of the prophet’s disciples read to

Niyátús, out of a single chapter, all that was laid up in the noble

envoy’s breast, and whatever he was commissioned to enquire about, at

the desire of the eminent men of Greece.

The Fifth Sásán, in like manner, relates that when the report of

Jangrangháchah’s having adopted the faith was published abroad, a

sage, by name _Byásá_,[433] came from India to Iran; and the sages of

every country being assembled, pursuant to the great king’s command,

Biyása thus addressed the prophet of the Lord in the presence of all:

“O, Zardusht! in consequence of thy answers and unfolding of mysteries

to the wise Jangrangháchah, thou art accounted a true prophet. I have

besides heard of innumerable miracles performed by thee. Know that I

also, in my own country, am reckoned as one who is unequalled both in

the theoretical and practical sciences. I now hope that thou wilt

disclose the secrets which I have kept pent up in my bosom, and have

never in any manner transferred from the page of my heart to the lip:

some people tell us that the genii impart knowledge of this kind to

the worshippers of Ahriman: however if thou canst unfold all these

secrets, I shall turn to thy faith.” The prophet of the Lord said:

“Long before thy arrival, the God of purity made all known to me.” He

then recited a _Simnad_, “chapter,” which the Lord had sent down on

those subjects; in which was specified whatever was in Byása’s heart,

with the answer attached to it; after which Byása listened to the word

of God, and having made profession of the pure faith, returned to

Hindustan. It is to be remarked that the two Simnad which contain the

answers to the eminent envoy of the Greeks and the sage Byasa do not

form a part of the Astawazand, but constitute a portion of the

Desátir,[434] or of the celestial volume, in the language of which a

chapter is styled a Simnad.

Moreover, Zaratusht Báhrám thus relates concerning the account of

heaven and hell given by _Ardaiviráf_.[435] It is recorded that, when

the power of _Ardeshir Babagan_ was firmly established, he assembled

around him forty thousand virtuous Mobeds and Dustars, out of which

number he selected four thousand; of those thus selected he set apart

four hundred, who knew by heart the greater part of the Asta; of these

four hundred he again chose out forty learned doctors; and from these

he selected seven unblemished sages, equally free from mortal and

venial sins, whom he thus addressed: “Let whichever of you is able

divest himself of body, and bring us intelligence concerning heaven

and hell.” These righteous men made answer: “For such a purpose there

is required a man who from the age of seven upwards has not committed

sin.” After which these sages selected from amongst them one, named

_Ardai Viráf_,[436] whom they knew to be possessed of this excellence,

and, accompanied by the great king, they all repaired to _Azar

Khúrdád_, which was a fire-temple; having there prepared a golden

throne for _Ardai Viráf_, the forty thousand professors of the faith

performed _Yazash_, that is, recited prayers according to the

prescribed mode. Ardáiviráf, having drunk a cup of hallowed wine which

he received from the Dustur, lay down on his couch and did not arise

before the expiration of a week; his spirit, through the efficacy of

the divine word, having been separated from the body, those six

Dustúrs all the while standing around his pillow. On the eighth day

Ardáí, arising from sleep, ordered a scribe to be brought, who should

commit to writing all his words; and he thus spoke:[437] “When I fell

asleep, _Sirushi_, who is called also _Surúsh Ashú_, or _Ashú_ simply,

or ‘the Angel of paradise,’ came near. Having made my salám, I

explained the motives of my coming to the other world. He took my hand

and said: ‘Ascend three steps.’ I obeyed, and arrived at the _Chanyud

Pul_, or ‘the straight bridge of judgment’ (the sarát of the

Muhammedans). The accompanying Angel pointed me out the road, when I

beheld a bridge finer than a hair and sharper than a razor, and

strong, and its length was seven-and-thirty _rasans_, or cords.[438] I

beheld a spirit just parted from the body in a state of tranquillity;

on its arrival at the bridge of judgment, a fragrant gale came from

mid-day or the east, out of which issued forth a beautiful nymph-like

form, the like of which I never before beheld. The spirit asked her:

‘Who art thou of such surpassing beauty?’ She replied: ‘I am the

personification of thy good deeds.’

“I then saw _Mihr Ized_,[439] at whose side were standing _Rash

Rast_[440] and _Sarúsh Ized_ holding a balance in his hand, and angels

assembled around them. Now Mihr Ized is the angel whose province it is

to number and estimate people in regard to rewards and punishments.

Rash is his minister of justice and the lord of equity; and Sarúsh is

the lord of messages and the master of announcements. To these I made

my salam which they returned, and I passed over the bridge.[441]

Several spirits then appeared who addressed me affectionately; Báhmán

next appeared and said to me: ‘Come on, that I may show thee the

_Gah-i-zarin’_ (or golden place, which is the same as the celestial

throne). I proceeded with him to a beautiful throne, where I beheld

the spirit before mentioned, whose deeds were personified by a

beauteous form, with the _Ashwan_, or ‘pure spirits,’ and the

inhabitants of paradise around him, with the spirits of his relations

rejoicing as on the arrival of a long-absent traveller from his abode;

then Báhmán took his hand and brought him to a place worthy of him.

When I had proceeded a little onwards, I beheld a lofty portico, where

by order of Surúsh I addressed my prayers towards the place of God,

and my sight became darkened through the effulgence of light. Surúsh

again brought me back to the bridge of judgment, around which I beheld

a number of persons standing with folded hands. I asked: ‘Who are

those persons?’ Surúsh answered: ‘These are the weak in faith, who

remain in this state until the day of judgment: if they possessed an

additional particle of virtue, equal in weight to one of the hairs of

the eyelash, they would be relieved from this calamity.’ I then beheld

another assemblage like unto shining stars. Surush said: ‘This is the

_Satra Payah_,[442] (or the sphere of the fixed stars); in these are a

people who with all their wealth observed not the _Gítí Kharíd_[443]

(the purchase of the other world) and the _Naú Roz_ (or the festival

of the new year.)’ He next brought me to the _Máh Páyah_ (or lunar

sphere), where I beheld spirits resplendent as the moon. The angel

said: ‘this _Máh Páyah_ is also one of the spheres of paradise, in which

are those who have performed every kind of meritorious act and deed,

except observing the _Naú Roz_.’ He then conducted me to the _Khúrshíd

Páyah_ (or solar sphere) where I beheld spirits exceedingly bright,

radiant as the sun. The angel said: ‘In the solar sphere are the

persons who have observed the _Gítí Kharíd_ and the _Naú Roz_.’ At his

command, I then addressed my prayers to the _Warakt_ and

_Khurah-i-Yazdan_, or ‘light of the Almighty:’ perception and

intellect, through the effects of terror and overpowering awe, began

to flee from me; a voice, however, from which I obtained renovated

energy, came to my hearing: there was then some oil[444] given me to

drink out of a golden cup: I partook of it and found it of an

incomparable taste: they told me that it was the food of the people of

paradise. I next beheld _Ardi Behést_,[445] to whom I made my salam.

He said to me: ‘Place on the sacred fire wood free from moisture.’

Surush then bore me off to _Kurutaman_, or ‘paradise,’[446] in the

light of which I became bewildered in astonishment: I knew none of the

precious stones of which it was composed. The angels, by the command

of the Almighty, took me round every part of it. I next came to a

place where I beheld an illustrious assemblage enveloped in _Khurah_,

that is, ‘radiance and pomp.’ _Surúsh Ashir_ said: ‘These are the

spirits of the munificent and noble-minded.’ After this I saw a great

multitude in all magnificence. Surúsh explained to me: ‘These are the

spirits of all who have observed the _Naú Roz_.’ Next them I beheld an

assemblage in the enjoyment of all magnificence and happiness. Surúsh

observed: ‘These are the spirits of just princes.’ After this I beheld

blessed spirits in boundless joy and power. Surush explained: ‘These

are the Dustúrs and Mobeds: my duty is to convey that class to this

honor.’ I next beheld a company of women rejoicing in the midst of

great pomp. Surúsh Ashú and Ardibahést observed: ‘These are the

spirits of women who were obedient to their husbands.’ I then beheld a

multitude of majestic and beautiful persons, seated along with angels.

Surúsh said: ‘this class consists of Hírbuds and Mobeds, the

attendants on fire-temples, and the observers of the _Yasht_ and

_Yazisht_ of the Amshasfands.’ After these I saw an armed assemblage

in a state of the highest joy. Surúsh informed me: ‘These are the

spirits of the champions who fought in the ways of God, maintaining

their country and the husbandmen in a state of prosperity and

tranquillity.’ I next beheld a great assemblage in the enjoyment of

all delight and gladness. Surúsh observed: ‘These are the spirits of

the slayers of the _Khurástár_ (or noxious animals).’[447] After this,

I witnessed a people given up to sporting and happiness. Surush

observed: ‘These are the spirits of the husbandmen, over whom

_Safándarmuz_ is set; he consequently presides over this class, as

they have propitiated him by their acts.’ I next beheld a great

company surrounded by all the appliances of enjoyment. Surúsh said:

‘These are the spirits of shepherds.’ After this, I beheld great

numbers in a state of repose and joy, and the elemental principles of

paradise standing before them. Surúsh observed: ‘These are the heads

of families, friends to building, who have improved the world by

gardens and water-courses, and held the elements in reverence.’ I next

came to another class, endowed with prophet-like radiance, of whom

Surúsh remarked: ‘These are the spirits of _Jádóngóis_.’ By

_Jádóngóis_ is meant one who solicits money from the wealthy to

promote the way of the Lord, and who expends it on noble foundations

and holy indigent persons.

“What can I say concerning the black-eyed nymphs――the palaces,

offspring, and attendants――the drinks and viands?――any thing like

which I know not of in this elemental world.[448]

“After this Surúsh and Ardibehést, taking me out of paradise, bore me

off to behold the punishments inflicted on those in hell. First of

all, I beheld a black and gloomy river of fetid water, with weeping

multitudes falling in and drowning. Surúsh said: ‘This water is

collected from the tears shed by relatives on the death of a person;

and those who are drowning are they whose relatives, after their

death, break out into mourning, weeping, and tears.’ I next proceeded

towards the bridge of judgment, where I beheld a spirit rent from the

body, and mourning for its separation: there arose a fetid gale, out

of which issued a gloomy figure, with red eye-balls, hooked nose,

hideous lips, teeth like columns, a head like the kettle of a

minaret,[449] long talons, spear-like fangs, snaky locks, and vomiting

out smoke. The alarmed spirit having asked, ‘Who art thou?’ he

answered, ‘I am the personification of thy acts and deeds.’ On saying

this, he threw his hands around the spirit’s neck, so that his

lamentations came to the bridge of judgment, which is sharper than a

razor: on this the spirit having gone a little way with great

difficulty, at last fell into the infernal regions. I then followed

him, accompanied by Súrush and Ardibehest: our road lay through snow,

ice, storms, intense cold, mephitic exhalations, and obscurity, along

a region full of pits: into these I looked, and there beheld countless

myriads of spirits suffering tortures. They all wailed bitterly, and

the darkness was so thick that one was unable to perceive the other,

or to distinguish his lamentation: three days such punishment is equal

to nine thousand years, and the same calculation applies to the other

pits, in all of which were serpents, scorpions, stinging and noxious

creatures: whatever spirit falls into them

“Was stung by one and torn by another,

Was bit by this, and pierced by that.”

“Surúsh having taken me below, I there beheld a spirit with a human

head and serpent-like body, surrounded by many demons who were

applying the torture to his feet, and smiting him in every direction

with hatchets, daggers, and maces, whilst noxious creatures were

biting him on all sides. Surúsh observed: ‘This was a man of vile

passions.’ I next saw a woman who held in her hand a cup filled with

blood and corrupted matter; demons kept striking her with clubs and

spears until she swallowed the nauseous draught, on which they

instantly replaced a similar bowl in her hands. Surúsh remarked: ‘This

woman, whilst laboring under periodical illness, approached the

elements, of fire and water.’ I then beheld a man wailing piteously,

whose head they were scalping with a poniard: Surúsh said: ‘This was a

shedder of innocent blood.’ I next saw a man who was forced to swallow

blood and corrupted matter, with which they were continually supplying

him. The demons in the mean time tortured him, and placed a heavy

mountain on his breast: Surúsh stated this to be ‘The spirit of a

dissolute man, who seduced the wives of other men.’ After this, I

beheld a spirit weeping through hunger and thirst; so intense was his

craving, that he drank his own blood and devoured his own flesh.

Surúsh stated: ‘This is the spirit of one who observed not the

_Báj_[450] when partaking of food,’” (Báj is a rite practised by

orthodox Parsees before meat, as has been explained under the head of

banquet) “‘and who on the day of Aban[451] partook of water, fruit,

and bread, so that the angels _Khurdád_ and _Murdád_ were displeased

with him.’ I next beheld a woman suspended by her breasts and noxious

creatures falling on her. Surúsh said: ‘this is a woman who deserted

her husband and went after another man.’ I then saw a great multitude

of spirits, furiously assailed by rapacious animals and noxious

creatures. Surúsh stated thus: ‘These are persons who adopted not the

_Kashti_[452] or sacred cincture as worn by professors of the

excellent faith.’ I next beheld a woman hung up, with her tongue

protruding from the hind part of the neck. Surúsh observed: ‘This is a

woman who obeyed not her husband, and replied to him with harsh

answers and opposition.’ I then saw a man eating with a ladle the most

noxious things, of which if he took too small a portion, demons smote

him with wooden clubs. Surúsh observed: ‘this is the spirit of one who

betrayed his trust.’ I after this beheld a man hung up, surrounded by

seventy demons, who were lashing him with serpents instead of

scourges; and meanwhile the serpents kept gnawing his flesh with their

fangs. Surúsh Ashú said: ‘This is a king who extorted money from his

subjects by torture.’ I next beheld a man with wide-opened mouth and

protruding tongue,

“With serpents and scorpions covered all over,

The one lacerating with fangs, the others lashing with their tails.