CHAPTER I_Sacred Books of the East

SACRED BOOKS OF THE EAST

Including Selections from the Vedic Hymns, Zend-Avesta, Dhammapada,

Upanishads, the Koran, and the Life of Buddha, with Critical and

Biographical Sketches by Epiphanius Wilson, A.M.

1900

CONTENTS

VEDIC HYMNS

Introduction

To the Unknown God

To the Maruts

To the Maruts and Indra

To Indra and the Maruts

To Agni and the Maruts

To Rudra

To Agní and the Maruts

To Vâyu

Indra and Agastya: A Dialogue

To Soma and Rudra

To Rudra

To Vâta

THE ZEND-AVESTA

Introduction

Discovery of the Zend-Avesta

The Creation

Myth of Yima

The Earth

Contracts and Outrages

Uncleanness

Funerals and Purification

Cleansing the Unclean

Spells Recited During the Cleansing

To Fires, Waters, Plants

To the Earth and the Sacred Waters

Prayer for Helpers

A Prayer for Sanctity and its Benefits

To the Fire

To the Bountiful Immortals

Praise of the Holy Bull

To Rain as a Healing Power

To the Waters and Light of the Sun

To the Waters and Light of the Moon

To the Waters and Light of the Stars

THE DHAMMAPADA

Introduction

CHAPTER

I.--The Twin-Verses

II.--On Earnestness

III.--Thought

IV.--Flowers

V.--The Fool

VI.--The Wise Man

VII.--The Venerable

VIII.--The Thousands

IX.--Evil

X.--Punishment

XI.--Old Age

XII.--Self

XIII.--The World

XIV.--The Buddha--The Awakened

XV.--Happiness

XVI.--Pleasure

XVII.--Anger

XVIII.--Impurity

XIX.--The Just

XX.--The Way

XXI.--Miscellaneous

XXII.--The Downward Course

XXIII.--The Elephant

XXIV.--Thirst

XXV.--The Bhikshu

XXVI.--The Brâhmana

THE UPANISHADS

Introduction

KAUSHÍTAKI-UPANISHAD.--

The Couch of Brahman

Knowledge of the Living Spirit

Life and Consciousness

SELECTIONS FROM THE KORAN

Introduction

Mohammed and Mohammedanism

Chapter I.----Entitled, the Preface

Chapter II.---Entitled, the Cow

Chapter III.--Entitled, the Family of Imran

Chapter IV.---Entitled, Women

Chapter V.----Entitled, the Table

LIFE OF BUDDHA

Introduction

CHAPTER I.--

The Birth

Living in the Palace

Disgust at Sorrow

Putting Away Desire

Leaving the City

CHAPTER II.--

The Return of Kandaka

Entering the Place of Austerities

The General Grief of the Palace

The Mission to Seek the Prince

CHAPTER III.--

Bimbisara Râga Invites the Prince

The Reply to Bimbisara Râga

Visit to Ârada Udrarama

Defeats Mara

O-wei-san-pou-ti (Abhisambodhi)

Turning the Law-wheel

CHAPTER IV.--

Bimbisara Râga Becomes a Disciple

The Great Disciple Becomes a Hermit

Conversion of the "Supporter of the Orphans and Destitute"

Interview Between Father and Son

Receiving the Getavana Vihara

Escaping the Drunken Elephant and Devadatta

The Lady Âmra Sees Buddha

CHAPTER V.--

By Spiritual Power Fixing His Term of Years

The Differences of the Likkhavis

Parinirvana

Mahaparinirvana

Praising Nirvana

Division of the Sariras

VEDIC HYMNS

Translation by F. Max Müller.

INTRODUCTION

The Vedic Hymns are among the most interesting portions of Hindoo

literature. In form and spirit they resemble both the poems of the

Hebrew psalter and the lyrics of Pindar. They deal with the most

elemental religious conceptions and are full of the imagery of nature.

It would be absurd to deny to very many of them the possession of the

truest poetic inspiration. The scenery of the Himalayas, ice and snow,

storm and tempest, lend their majesty to the strains of the Vedic poet.

He describes the storm sweeping over the white-crested mountains till

the earth, like a hoary king, trembles with fear. The Maruts, or

storm-gods, are terrible, glorious, musical, riding on strong-hoofed,

never-wearying steeds. There is something Homeric, Pindaric in these

epithets. Yet Soma and Rudra are addressed, though they wield sharp

weapons; and sharp bolts, i.e., those of the lightning, are spoken of as

kind friends. "Deliver us," says the poet, "from the snare of Varuna,

and guard us, as kind-hearted gods." One of the most remarkable of these

hymns is that addressed to the Unknown God. The poet says: "In the

beginning there arose the Golden Child. As soon as he was born he alone

was the lord of all that is. He established the earth and this heaven."

The hymn consists of ten stanzas, in which the Deity is celebrated as

the maker of the snowy mountains, the sea and the distant river, who

made fast the awful heaven, He who alone is God above all gods, before

whom heaven and earth stand trembling in their mind. Each stanza

concludes with the refrain, "Who is the God to whom we shall offer

sacrifice?"

We have in this hymn a most sublime conception of the Supreme Being, and

while there are many Vedic hymns whose tone is pantheistic and seems to

imply that the wild forces of nature are Gods who rule the world, this

hymn to the Unknown God is as purely monotheistic as a psalm of David,

and shows a spirit of religious awe as profound as any we find in the

Hebrew Scriptures.

It is very difficult to arrive at the true date of the Vedas. The word

Veda means knowledge, and is applied to unwritten literature. The Vedas

are therefore the oldest Sanscrit writings which exist, and stand in the

same class with regard to Hindoo literature as Homer does with regard to

Greek literature. Probably the earliest Vedas were recited a thousand

years before Christ, while the more recent of the hymns date about five

hundred before Christ. We must therefore consider them to be the most

primitive form of Aryan poetry in existence.

There is in the West a misunderstanding as to the exact meaning of

"Vedic" and "Sanscrit"; for the latter is often used as if it were

synonymous with Indian; whereas, only the later Indian literature can be

classed under that head, and "Vedic" is often used to indicate only the

Vedic Hymns, whereas it really denotes Hymns, Bráhmanas, Upanishads, and

Sutras; in fact, all literature which orthodox Hindoos regard as sacred.

The correct distinction then between the Vedic and the Sanscrit writings

is that of holy writ and profane literature.

E.W.

VEDIC HYMNS

TO THE UNKNOWN GOD

In the beginning there arose the Golden Child. As soon as born, he alone

was the lord of all that is. He established the earth and this

heaven:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He who gives breath, he who gives strength, whose command all the bright

gods revere, whose shadow is immortality, whose shadow is death:--Who is

the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He who through his might became the sole king of the breathing and

twinkling world, who governs all this, man and beast:--Who is the God to

whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He through whose might these snowy mountains are, and the sea, they say,

with the distant river; he of whom these regions are indeed the two

arms:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He through whom the awful heaven and the earth were made fast, he

through whom the ether was established, and the firmament; he who

measured the air in the sky:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer

sacrifice?

He to whom heaven and earth, standing firm by his will, look up,

trembling in their mind; he over whom the risen sun shines forth:--Who

is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

When the great waters went everywhere, holding the germ, and generating

light, then there arose from them the breath of the gods:--Who is the

God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

He who by his might looked even over the waters which held power and

generated the sacrifice, he who alone is God above all gods:--Who is the

God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

May he not hurt us, he who is the begetter of the earth, or he, the

righteous, who begat the heaven; he who also begat the bright and mighty

waters:--Who is the God to whom we shall offer sacrifice?

Pragâpati, no other than thou embraces all these created things. May

that be ours which we desire when sacrificing to thee: may we be lords

of wealth!

TO THE MARUTS[1]

Come hither, Maruts, on your chariots charged with lightning, resounding

with beautiful songs, stored with spears, and winged with horses! Fly to

us like birds, with your best food, you mighty ones! They come

gloriously on their red, or, it may be, on their tawny horses which

hasten their chariots. He who holds the axe is brilliant like

gold;--with the tire of the chariot they have struck the earth. On your

bodies there are daggers for beauty; may they stir up our minds as they

stir up the forests. For yourselves, O well-born Maruts, the vigorous

among you shake the stone for distilling Soma. Days went round you and

came back, O hawks, back to this prayer, and to this sacred rite; the

Gotamas making prayer with songs, pushed up the lid of the cloud to

drink. No such hymn was ever known as this which Gotama sounded for you,

O Maruts, when he saw you on golden wheels, wild boars rushing about

with iron tusks. This comforting speech rushes sounding towards you,

like the speech of a suppliant: it rushed freely from our hands as our

speeches are wont to do.

Let us now proclaim for the robust host, for the herald of the powerful

Indra, their ancient greatness! O ye strong-voiced Maruts, you heroes,

prove your powers on your march, as with a torch, as with a sword! Like

parents bringing a dainty to their own son, the wild Maruts play

playfully at the sacrifices. The Rudras reach the worshipper with their

protection, strong in themselves, they do not fail the sacrificer. For

him to whom the immortal guardians have given fulness of wealth, and who

is himself a giver of oblations, the Maruts, who gladden men with the

milk of rain, pour out, like friends, many clouds. You who have stirred

up the clouds with might, your horses rushed forth, self-guided. All

beings who dwell in houses are afraid of you, your march is brilliant

with your spears thrust forth. When they whose march is terrible have

caused the rocks to tremble, or when the manly Maruts have shaken the

back of heaven, then every lord of the forest fears at your racing, each

shrub flies out of your way, whirling like chariot-wheels. You, O

terrible Maruts, whose ranks are never broken, favorably fulfil our

prayer! Wherever your glory-toothed lightning bites, it crunches cattle,

like a well-aimed bolt. The Maruts whose gifts are firm, whose bounties

are never ceasing, who do not revile, and who are highly praised at the

sacrifices, they sing their song for to drink the sweet juice: they know

the first manly deeds of the hero Indra. The man whom you have guarded,

O Maruts, shield him with hundredfold strongholds from injury and

mischief--the man whom you, O fearful, powerful singers, protect from

reproach in the prosperity of his children. On your chariots, O Maruts,

there are all good things, strong weapons are piled up clashing against

each other. When you are on your journeys, you carry the rings on your

shoulders, and your axle turns the two wheels at once. In their manly

arms there are many good things, on their chests golden chains, flaring

ornaments, on their shoulders speckled deer-skins, on their fellies

sharp edges; as birds spread their wings, they spread out splendors

behind. They, mighty by might, all-powerful powers, visible from afar

like the heavens with the stars, sweet-toned, soft-tongued singers with

their mouths, the Maruts, united with Indra, shout all around. This is

your greatness, O well-born Maruts!--your bounty extends far, as the

sway of Aditi. Not even Indra in his scorn can injure that bounty, on

whatever man you have bestowed it for his good deeds. This is your

kinship with us, O Maruts, that you, immortals, in former years have

often protected the singer. Having through this prayer granted a hearing

to man, all these heroes together have become well known by their

valiant deeds. That we may long flourish, O Maruts, with your wealth, O

ye racers, that our men may spread in the camp, therefore let me achieve

the rite with these offerings. May this praise, O Maruts, this song of

Mândârya, the son of Mâna, the poet, ask you with food for offspring for

ourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn, with quickening rain!

III

For the manly host, the joyful, the wise, for the Maruts bring thou, O

Nodhas, a pure offering. I prepare songs, like as a handy priest, wise

in his mind, prepares the water, mighty at sacrifices. They are born,

the tall bulls of heaven, the manly youths of Rudra, the divine, the

blameless, pure, and bright like suns; scattering raindrops, full of

terrible designs, like giants. The youthful Rudras, they who never grow

old, the slayers of the demon, have grown irresistible like mountains.

They throw down with their strength all beings, even the strongest, on

earth and in heaven. They deck themselves with glittering ornaments for

a marvellous show; on their chests they fastened gold chains for beauty;

the spears on their shoulders pound to pieces; they were born together

by themselves, the men of Dyu. They who confer power, the roarers, the

devourers of foes, they made winds and lightnings by their powers. The

shakers milk the heavenly udders, they sprinkle the earth all round with

milk. The bounteous Maruts pour forth water, mighty at sacrifices, the

fat milk of the clouds. They seem to lead about the powerful horse, the

cloud, to make it rain; they milk the thundering, unceasing spring.

Mighty they are, powerful, of beautiful splendor, strong in themselves

like mountains, yet swiftly gliding along;--you chew up forests, like

wild elephants, when you have assumed your powers among the red flames.

Like lions they roar, the wise Maruts, they are handsome like gazelles,

the all-knowing. By night with their spotted rain-clouds and with their

spears--lightnings--they rouse the companions together, they whose ire

through strength is like the ire of serpents. You who march in

companies, the friends of man, heroes, whose ire through strength is

like the ire of serpents, salute heaven and earth! On the seats on your

chariots, O Maruts, the lightning stands, visible like light.

All-knowing, surrounded with wealth, endowed with powers, singers, men

of endless prowess, armed with strong rings, they, the archers, have

taken the arrow in their fists. The Maruts who with the golden tires of

their wheels increase the rain, stir up the clouds like wanderers on the

road. They are brisk, indefatigable, they move by themselves; they throw

down what is firm, the Maruts with their brilliant spears make

everything to reel. We invoke with prayer the offspring of Rudra, the

brisk, the pure, the worshipful, the active. Cling for happiness-sake to

the strong company of the Maruts, the chasers of the sky, the powerful,

the impetuous. The mortal whom ye, Maruts, protected, he indeed

surpasses people in strength through your protection. He carries off

booty with his horses, treasures with his men; he acquires honorable

wisdom, and he prospers. Give, O Maruts, to our lords strength glorious,

invincible in battle, brilliant, wealth-acquiring, praiseworthy, known

to all men. Let us foster our kith and kin during a hundred winters.

Will you then, O Maruts, grant unto us wealth, durable, rich in men,

defying all onslaughts?--wealth a hundred and a thousand-fold, always

increasing?--May he who is rich in prayers come early and soon!

Sing forth, O Kanvas, to the sportive host of your Maruts, brilliant on

their chariots, and unscathed,--they who were born together,

self-luminous, with the spotted deer, the spears, the daggers, the

glittering ornaments. I hear their whips, almost close by, when they

crack them in their hands; they gain splendor on their way. Sing forth

the god-given prayer to the wild host of your Maruts, endowed with

terrible vigor and strength. Celebrate the bull among the cows, for it

is the sportive host of the Maruts; he grew as he tasted the rain. Who,

O ye men, is the strongest among you here, ye shakers of heaven and

earth, when you shake them like the hem of a garment? At your approach

the son of man holds himself down; the gnarled cloud fled at your fierce

anger. They at whose racings the earth, like a hoary king, trembles for

fear on their ways, their birth is strong indeed: there is strength to

come forth from their mother, nay, there is vigor twice enough for it.

And these sons, the singers, stretched out the fences in their racings;

the cows had to walk knee-deep. They cause this long and broad unceasing

rain to fall on their ways. O Maruts, with such strength as yours, you

have caused men to tremble, you have caused the mountains to tremble. As

the Maruts pass along, they talk together on the way: does anyone hear

them? Come fast on your quick steeds! there are worshippers for you

among the Kanvas: may you well rejoice among them. Truly there is enough

for your rejoicing. We always are their servants, that we may live even

the whole of life.

To every sacrifice you hasten together, you accept prayer after prayer,

O quick Maruts! Let me therefore bring you hither by my prayers from

heaven and earth, for our welfare, and for our great protection; the

shakers who were born to bring food and light, self-born and

self-supported, like springs, like thousandfold waves of water, aye,

visibly like unto excellent bulls, those Maruts, like Soma-drops, which

squeezed from ripe stems dwell, when drunk, in the hearts of the

worshipper--see how on their shoulders there clings as if a clinging

wife; in their hands the quoit is held and the sword. Lightly they have

come down from heaven of their own accord: Immortals, stir yourselves

with the whip! The mighty Maruts on dustless paths, armed with brilliant

spears, have shaken down even the strong places. O ye Maruts, who are

armed with lightning-spears, who stirs you from within by himself, as

the jaws are stirred by the tongue? You shake the sky, as if on the

search for food; you are invoked by many, like the solar horse of the

day. Where, O Maruts, is the top, where the bottom of the mighty sky

where you came? When you throw down with the thunderbolt what is strong,

like brittle things, you fly across the terrible sea! As your conquest

is violent, splendid, terrible, full and crushing, so, O Maruts, is your

gift delightful, like the largess of a liberal worshipper,

wide-spreading, laughing like heavenly lightning. From the tires of

their chariot-wheels streams gush forth, when they send out the voice of

the clouds; the lightnings smiled upon the earth, when the Maruts shower

down fatness. Prisni brought forth for the great fight the terrible

train of the untiring Maruts: when fed they produced the dark cloud, and

then looked about for invigorating food. May this praise, O Maruts, this

song of Mândârya, the son of Mâna, the poet, ask you with food for

offspring for ourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn, with

quickening rain!

The Maruts charged with rain, endowed with fierce force, terrible like

wild beasts, blazing in their strength, brilliant like fires, and

impetuous, have uncovered the rain-giving cows by blowing away the

cloud. The Maruts with their rings appeared like the heavens with their

stars, they shone wide like streams from clouds as soon as Rudra, the

strong man, was born for you, O golden-breasted Maruts, in the bright

lap of Prisni. They wash their horses like racers in the courses, they

hasten with the points of the reed on their quick steeds. O golden-jawed

Maruts, violently shaking your jaws, you go quick with your spotted

deer, being friends of one mind. Those Maruts have grown to feed all

these beings, or, it may be, they have come hither for the sake of a

friend, they who always bring quickening rain. They have spotted horses,

their bounties cannot be taken away, they are like headlong charioteers

on their ways. O Maruts, wielding your brilliant spears, come hither on

smooth roads with your fiery cows whose udders are swelling; being of

one mind, like swans toward their nests, to enjoy the sweet offering. O

one-minded Maruts, come to our prayers, come to our libations like Indra

praised by men! Fulfil our prayer, like the udder of a barren cow, and

make the prayer glorious by booty to the singer. Grant us this strong

horse for our chariot, a draught that rouses our prayers, from day to

day, food to the singers, and to the poet in our homesteads luck,

wisdom, inviolable and invincible strength. When the gold-breasted

Maruts harness the horses to their chariots, bounteous in wealth, then

it is as if a cow in the folds poured out to her calf copious food, to

every man who has offered libations. Whatever mortal enemy may have

placed us among wolves, shield us from hurt, ye Vasus! Turn the wheels

with burning heat against him, and strike down the weapon of the impious

fiend, O Rudras! Your march, O Maruts, appears brilliant, whether even

friends have milked the udder of Prisni, or whether, O sons of Rudra,

you mean to blame him who praises you, and to weaken those who are

weakening Trita, O unbeguiled heroes. We invoke you, the great Maruts,

the constant wanderers, at the offering of the rapid Vishnu; holding

ladles and prayerful we ask the golden-colored and exalted Maruts for

glorious wealth. The Dasagvas carried on the sacrifice first; may they

rouse us at the break of dawn. Like the dawn, they uncover the dark

nights with the red rays, the strong ones, with their brilliant light,

as with a sea of milk. With the morning clouds, as if with glittering

red ornaments, these Maruts have grown great in the sacred places.

Streaming down with rushing splendor, they have assumed their bright and

brilliant color. Approaching them for their great protection to help us,

we invoke them with this worship, they whom Trita may bring near, like

the five Hotri priests for victory, descending on their chariot to help.

May that grace of yours by which you help the wretched across all

anguish, and by which you deliver the worshipper from the reviler, come

hither, O Maruts; may your favor approach us like a cow going to her

calf!

VII

I come to you with this adoration, with a hymn I implore the favor of

the quick Maruts. O Maruts, you have rejoiced in it clearly, put down

then all anger and unharness your horses! This reverent praise of yours,

O Maruts, fashioned in the heart, has been offered by the mind, O gods!

Come to it, pleased in your mind, for you give increase to our worship.

May the Maruts when they have been praised be gracious to us, and

likewise Indra, the best giver of happiness, when he has been praised.

May our lances through our valor stand always erect, O Maruts! I am

afraid of this powerful one, and trembling in fear of Indra. For you the

offerings were prepared--we have now put them away, forgive us! Thou

through whom the Mânas see the mornings, whenever the eternal dawns

flash forth with power, O Indra, O strong hero, grant thou glory to us

with the Maruts, terrible with the terrible ones, strong and a giver of

victory. O Indra, protect thou these bravest of men, let thy anger be

turned away from the Maruts, for thou hast become victorious together

with those brilliant heroes. May we have an invigorating autumn, with

quickening rain!

VIII

O Maruts, that man in whose dwelling you drink the Soma, ye mighty sons

of heaven, he indeed has the best guardians. You who are propitiated

either by sacrifices or from the prayers of the sage, hear the call, O

Maruts! Aye, the powerful man to whom you have granted a sage, he will

live in a stable rich in cattle. On the altar of this strong man Soma is

poured out in daily sacrifices; praise and joy are sung. To him let the

mighty Maruts listen, to him who surpasses all men, as the flowing

rain-clouds pass over the sun. For we, O Maruts, have sacrificed at many

harvests, through the mercies of the storm-gods. May that mortal be

blessed, O chasing Maruts, whose offerings you carry off. You take

notice either of the sweat of him who praises you, ye men of true

strength, or of the desire of the suppliant. O ye of true strength, make

this manifest with might! strike the fiend with your lightning! Hide the

hideous darkness, destroy every tusky fiend. Make the light which we

long for!

Endowed with exceeding vigor and power, the singers, the never

flinching, the immovable, the impetuous, the most beloved and most

manly, have decked themselves with their glittering ornaments, a few

only, like the heavens with the stars. When you have seen your way

through the clefts, like birds, O Maruts, on whatever road it be, then

the clouds on your chariots trickle everywhere, and you pour out the

honey-like fatness for him who praises you. At their racings the earth

shakes, as if broken, when on the heavenly paths they harness their deer

for victory. They the sportive, the roaring, with bright spears, the

shakers of the clouds have themselves glorified their greatness. That

youthful company, with their spotted horses, moves by itself; hence it

exercises lordship, invested with powers. Thou indeed art true, thou

searchest out sin, thou art without blemish. Therefore the manly host

will help this prayer. We speak after the kind of our old father, our

tongue goes forth at the sight of the Soma: when the singers had joined

Indra in deed, then only they took their holy names;--these Maruts,

armed with beautiful rings, obtained splendors for their glory, they

obtained rays, and men to celebrate them; nay, armed with daggers,

speeding along, and fearless, they found the beloved domain of the

Maruts.

What then now? When will you take us as a dear father takes his son by

both hands, O ye gods, for whom the sacred grass has been trimmed? Where

now? On what errand of yours are you going, in heaven, not on earth?

Where are your cows sporting? Where are your newest favors, O Maruts?

Where the blessings? Where all delights? If you, sons of Prisni, were

mortals, and your praiser an immortal, then never should your praiser be

unwelcome, like a deer in pasture grass, nor should he go on the path of

Yama. Let not one sin after another, difficult to be conquered, overcome

us; may it depart together with greed. Truly they are terrible and

powerful; even to the desert the Rudriyas bring rain that is never dried

up. The lightning lows like a cow, it follows as a mother follows after

her young, when the shower of the Maruts has been let loose. Even by day

the Maruts create darkness with the water-bearing cloud, when they

drench the earth. Then from the shouting of the Maruts over the whole

space of the earth, men reeled forward. Maruts on your strong-hoofed,

never-wearying steeds go after those bright ones, which are still locked

up. May your fellies be strong, the chariots, and their horses, may your

reins be well-fashioned. Speak forth forever with thy voice to praise

the Lord of prayer, Agni, who is like a friend, the bright one. Fashion

a hymn in thy mouth! Expand like the cloud! Sing a song of praise.

Worship the host of the Maruts, the terrible, the glorious, the musical.

May they be magnified here among us.

Let your voice-born prayers go forth to the great Vishnu, accompanied by

the Maruts, Evayâmarut, and to the chasing host, adorned with good

rings, the strong, in their jubilant throng, to the shouting power of

the Maruts. O Maruts, you who are born great, and proclaim it yourselves

by knowledge, Evayâmarut, that power of yours cannot be approached by

wisdom, that power of theirs cannot be approached by gift or might; they

are like unapproachable mountains. They who are heard with their voice

from the high heaven, the brilliant and strong, Evayâmarut, in whose

council no tyrant reigns, the rushing chariots of these roaring Maruts

come forth, like fires with their own lightning. The wide-striding

Vishnu strode forth from the great common seat, Evayâmarut. When he has

started by himself from his own place along the ridges, O ye striving,

mighty Maruts, he goes together with the heroes, conferring blessings.

Impetuous, like your own shout, the strong one made everything tremble,

the terrible, the wanderer, the mighty, Evayâmarut; strong with him you

advanced self-luminous, with firm reins, golden colored, well armed,

speeding along. Your greatness is infinite, ye Maruts, endowed with full

power, may that terrible power help, Evayâmarut. In your raid you are

indeed to be seen as charioteers; deliver us therefore from the enemy,

like shining fires. May then these Rudras, lively like fires and with

vigorous shine, help, Evayâmarut. The seat of the earth is stretched out

far and wide, when the hosts of these faultless Maruts come quickly to

the races. Come kindly on your path, O Maruts, listen to the call of him

who praises you, Evayâmarut. Confidants of the great Vishnu, may you

together, like charioteers, keep all hateful things far, by your

wonderful skill. Come zealously to our sacrifice, ye worshipful, hear

our guileless call, Evayâmarut. Like the oldest mountains in the sky, O

wise guardians, prove yourselves for him irresistible to the enemy.

XII

O Syâvâsva, sing boldly with the Maruts, the singers who, worthy

themselves of sacrifice, rejoice in their guileless glory according to

their nature. They are indeed boldly the friends of strong power; they

on their march protect all who by themselves are full of daring. Like

rushing bulls, these Maruts spring over the dark cows, and then we

perceive the might of the Maruts in heaven and on earth. Let us boldly

offer praise and sacrifice to your Maruts, to all them who protect the

generation of men, who protect the mortal from injury. They who are

worthy, bounteous, men of perfect strength, to those heavenly Maruts who

are worthy of sacrifice, praise the sacrifice! The tall men, coming near

with their bright chains, and their weapon, have hurled forth their

spears. Behind these Maruts there came by itself the splendor of heaven,

like laughing lightnings. Those who have grown up on earth, or in the

wide sky, or in the realm of the rivers, or in the abode of the great

heaven, praise that host of the Maruts, endowed with true strength and

boldness, whether those rushing heroes have by themselves harnessed

their horses for triumph, or whether these brilliant Maruts have in the

speckled cloud clothed themselves in wool, or whether by their strength

they cut the mountain asunder with the tire of their chariot; call them

comers, or goers, or enterers, or followers, under all these names, they

watch on the straw for my sacrifice. The men watch, and their steeds

watch. Then, so brilliant are their forms to be soon, that people say,

Look at the strangers! In measured steps and wildly shouting the gleemen

have danced towards the cloud. They who appeared one by one like

thieves, were helpers to me to see the light. Worship, therefore, O

seer, that host of Maruts, and keep and delight them with your voice,

they who are themselves wise poets, tall heroes armed with

lightning-spears. Approach, O seer, the host of Maruts, as a woman

approaches a friend, for a gift; and you, Maruts, bold in your strength,

hasten hither, even from heaven, when you have been praised by our

hymns. If he, after perceiving them, has approached them as gods with an

offering, then may he for a gift remain united with the brilliant

Maruts, who by their ornaments are glorious on their march. They, the

wise Maruts, the lords, who, when there was inquiry for their kindred,

told me of the cow, they told me of Prisni as their mother, and of the

strong Rudra as their father. The seven and seven heroes gave me each a

hundred. On the Yamunâ I clear off glorious wealth in cows, I clear

wealth in horses.

XIII

Those who glance forth like wives and yoke-fellows, the powerful sons of

Rudra on their way, they, the Maruts, have indeed made heaven and earth

to grow; they, the strong and wild, delight in the sacrifices. When

grown up, they attained to greatness; the Rudras have established their

seat in the sky. While singing their song and increasing their vigor,

the sons of Prisni have clothed themselves in beauty. When these sons of

the cow adorn themselves with glittering ornaments, the brilliant ones

put bright weapons on their bodies. They drive away every adversary;

fatness streams along their paths;--when you, the powerful, who shine

with your spears, shaking even what is unshakable by strength--when you,

O Maruts, the manly hosts, had yoked the spotted deer, swift as thought,

to your chariots;--when you had yoked the spotted deer before your

chariots, hurling thunderbolt in the fight, then the streams of the

red-horse rush forth: like a skin with water they water the earth. May

the swiftly-gliding, swift-winged horses carry you hither! Come forth

with your arms! Sit down on the grass-pile; a wide seat has been made

for you. Rejoice, O Maruts, in the sweet food. Strong in themselves,

they grew with might; they stepped to the firmament, they made their

seat wide. When Vishnu saved the enrapturing Soma, the Maruts sat down

like birds on their beloved altar. Like heroes indeed thirsting for

fight they rush about; like combatants eager for glory they have striven

in battles. All beings are afraid of the Maruts; they are men terrible

to behold, like kings. When the clever Tvashtar had turned the

well-made, golden, thousand-edged thunderbolt, Indra takes it to perform

his manly deeds; he slew Vritra, he forced out the stream of water. By

their power they pushed the well aloft, they clove asunder the rock,

however strong. Blowing forth their voice the bounteous Maruts

performed, while drunk of Soma, their glorious deeds. They pushed the

cloud athwart this way, they poured out the spring to the thirsty

Gotama. The Maruts with beautiful splendor approach him with help, they

in their own ways satisfied the desire of the sage. The shelters which

you have for him who praises you, grant them threefold to the man who

gives! Extend the same to us, O Maruts! Give us, ye heroes, wealth with

valiant offspring!

XIV

Who are these resplendent men, dwelling together, the boys of Rudra,

also with good horses? No one indeed knows their births, they alone know

each other's birthplace. They plucked each other with their beaks; the

hawks, rushing like the wind, strove together. A wise man understands

these secrets, that Prisni, the great, bore an udder. May that clan be

rich in heroes by the Maruts, always victorious, rich in manhood! They

are quickest to go, most splendid with splendor, endowed with beauty,

strong with strength. Strong is your strength, steadfast your powers,

and thus by the Maruts is this clan mighty. Resplendent is your breath,

furious are the minds of the wild host, like a shouting maniac. Keep

from us entirely your flame, let not your hatred reach us here. I call

on the dear names of your swift ones, so that the greedy should be

satisfied, O Maruts, the well-armed, the swift, decked with beautiful

chains, who themselves adorn their bodies. Bright are the libations for

you, the bright ones, O Maruts, a bright sacrifice I prepare for the

bright. In proper order came those who truly follow the order, the

bright born, the bright, the pure. On your shoulders, O Maruts, are the

rings, on your chests the golden chains are fastened; far-shining like

lightnings with showers, you wield your weapons, according to your wont.

Your hidden splendors come forth; spread out your powers, O racers!

Accept, O Maruts, this thousandfold, domestic share, as an offering for

the house-gods. If you thus listen, O Maruts, to this praise, at the

invocation of the powerful sage, give him quickly a share of wealth in

plentiful offspring, which no selfish enemy shall be able to hurt. The

Maruts, who are fleet like racers, the manly youths, shone like Yakshas;

they are beautiful like boys standing round the hearth, they play about

like calves who are still sucking. May the bounteous Maruts be gracious

to us, opening up to us the firm heaven and earth. May that bolt of

yours which kills cattle and men be far from us! Incline to us, O Vasus,

with your favors. The Hotri priest calls on you again and again, sitting

down and praising your common gift, O Maruts. O strong ones, he who is

the guardian of so much wealth, he calls on you with praises, free from

guile. These Maruts stop the swift, they bend strength by strength, they

ward off the curse of the plotter, and turn their heavy hatred on the

enemy. These Maruts stir up even the sluggard, even the vagrant, as the

gods pleased. O strong ones, drive away the darkness, and grant us all

our kith and kin. May we not fall away from your bounty, O Maruts, may

we not stay behind, O charioteers, in the distribution of your gifts.

Let us share in the brilliant wealth, the well-acquired, that belongs to

you, O strong ones. When valiant men fiercely fight together, for

rivers, plants, and houses, then, O Maruts, sons of Rudra, be in battles

our protectors from the enemy. O Maruts, you have valued the praises

which our fathers have formerly recited to you; with the Maruts the

victor is terrible in battle, with the Maruts alone the racer wins the

prize. O Maruts, may we have a strong son, who is lord among men, a

ruler, through whom we may cross the waters to dwell in safety, and then

obtain our own home for you. May Indra then, Varuna, Mitra, Agni, the

waters, the plants, the trees of the forest be pleased with us. Let us

be in the keeping, in the lap of the Maruts; protect us always with your

favors.

Sing to the company of the Maruts, growing up together, the strong among

the divine host: they stir heaven and earth by their might, they mount

up to the firmament from the abyss of Nirriti. Even your birth was with

fire and fury, O Maruts! You, terrible, wrathful, never tiring! You who

stand forth with might and strength; everyone who sees the sun, fears at

your coming. Grant mighty strength to our lords, if the Maruts are

pleased with our praise. As a trodden path furthers a man, may they

further us; help us with your brilliant favors. Favored by you, O

Maruts, a wise man wins a hundred, favored by you a strong racer wins a

thousand, favored by you a king also kills his enemy: may that gift of

yours prevail, O ye shakers. I invite these bounteous sons of Rudra,

will these Maruts turn again to us? Whatever they hated secretly or

openly, that sin we pray the swift ones to forgive. This praise of our

lords has been spoken: may the Maruts be pleased with this hymn. Keep

far from us, O strong ones, all hatred, protect us always with your

favors!

XVI

Come hither, do not fail, when you march forward! Do not stay away, O

united friends, you who can bend even what is firm. O Maruts,

Ribhukshans, come hither on your flaming strong fellies, O Rudras, come

to us to-day with food, you much-desired ones, come to the sacrifice,

you friends of the Sobharis. For we know indeed the terrible strength of

the sons of Rudra, of the vigorous Maruts, the liberal givers of rain.

The clouds were scattered, but the monster remained, heaven and earth

were joined together. O you who are armed with bright rings, the tracts

of the sky expanded, whenever you stir, radiant with your own splendor.

Even things that cannot be thrown down resound at your race, the

mountains, the lord of the forest--the earth quivers on your marches.

The upper sky makes wide room, to let your violence pass, O Maruts, when

these strong-armed heroes display their energies in their own bodies.

According to their wont these men, exceeding terrible, impetuous, with

strong and unbending forms, bring with them beautiful light. The arrow

of the Sobharis is shot from the bowstrings at the golden chest on the

chariot of the Maruts. They, the kindred of the cow, the well-born,

should enjoy their food, the great ones should help us. Bring forward, O

strongly-anointed priests, your libations to the strong host of the

Maruts, the strongly advancing. O Maruts, O heroes, come quickly hither,

like winged hawks, on your chariot with strong horses, of strong shape,

with strong naves, to enjoy our libations. Their anointing is the same,

the golden chains shine on their arms, their spears sparkle. These

strong, manly, strong-armed Maruts, do not strive among themselves; firm

are the bows, the weapons on your chariot, and on your faces are

splendors. They whose terrible name, wide-spreading like the ocean, is

the one of all that is of use, whose strength is like the vigor of their

father, worship these Maruts, and praise them! Of these shouters, as of

moving spokes, no one is the last; this is theirs by gift, by greatness

is it theirs. Happy is he who was under your protection, O Maruts, in

former mornings, or who may be so even now. Or he, O men, whose

libations you went to enjoy; that mighty one, O shakers, will obtain

your favors with brilliant riches and booty. As the sons of Rudra, the

servants of the divine Dyu, will it, O youths, so shall it be. Whatever

liberal givers may worship the Maruts, and move about together as

generous benefactors, even from them turn towards us with a kinder

heart, you youths! O Sobhari, call loud with your newest song the young,

strong, and pure Maruts, as the plougher calls the cows. Worship the

Maruts with a song, they who are strong like a boxer, called in to

assist those who call for him in all fights; worship them the most

glorious, like bright-shining bulls. Yes, O united friends, kindred, O

Maruts, by a common birth, the oxen lick one another's humps. O ye

dancers, with golden ornaments on your chests, even a mortal comes to

ask for your brotherhood; take care of us, ye Maruts, for your

friendship lasts forever. O bounteous Maruts, bring us some of your

Marut-medicine, you friends, and steeds. With the favors whereby you

favor the Sindhu, whereby you save, whereby you help Krivi, with those

propitious favors be our delight, O delightful ones, ye who never hate

your followers. O Maruts, for whom we have prepared good altars,

whatever medicine there is on the Sindhu, on the Asiknî, in the seas, on

the mountains, seeing it, you carry it all on your bodies. Bless us with

it! Down to the earth, O Maruts, with what hurts our sick

one--straighten what is crooked!

XVII

Full of devotion like priests with their prayers, wealthy like pious

men, who please the gods with their offerings, beautiful to behold like

brilliant kings, without a blemish like the youths of our hamlets--they

who are gold-breasted like Agni with his splendor, quick to help like

self-harnessed winds, good leaders like the oldest experts, they are to

the righteous man like Somas, that yield the best protection. They who

are roaring and hasting like winds, brilliant like the tongues of fires,

powerful like mailed soldiers, full of blessings like the prayers of our

fathers, who hold together like the spokes of chariot-wheels, who glance

forward like victorious heroes, who scatter ghrita like wooing youths,

who chant beautifully like singers, intoning a hymn of praise, who are

swift like the best of horses, who are bounteous like lords of chariots

on a suit, who are hastening on like water with downward floods, who are

like the manifold Angiras with their numerous songs. These noble sons of

Sindhu are like grinding-stones, they are always like Soma-stones,

tearing everything to pieces; these sons of a good mother are like

playful children, they are by their glare like a great troop on its

march. Illumining the sacrifice like the rays of the dawn, they shone

forth in their ornaments like triumphant warriors; the Maruts with

bright spears seem like running rivers, from afar they measure many

miles. O gods, make us happy and rich, prospering us, your praisers, O

Maruts! Remember our praise and our friendship, for from of old there

are always with you gifts of treasures.

XVIII

O Indra, a thousand have been thy helps accorded to us, a thousand, O

driver of the bays, have been thy most delightful viands. May thousands

of treasures richly to enjoy, may goods come to us a thousandfold. May

the Maruts come towards us with their aids, the mighty ones, or with

their best aids from the great heaven, now that their furthest steeds

have rushed forth on the distant shore of the sea; there clings to the

Maruts one who moves in secret, like a man's wife,[2] and who is like a

spear carried behind, well grasped, resplendent, gold-adorned; there is

also with them Vâk,[3] like unto a courtly, eloquent woman. Far away the

brilliant, untiring Maruts cling to their young maid, as if she belonged

to them all; but the terrible ones did not drive away Rodasi, for they

wished her to grow their friend. When the divine Rodasi with dishevelled

locks, the manly-minded, wished to follow them, she went, like Sûryâ,[4]

to the chariot of her servant, with terrible look, as with the pace of a

cloud. As soon as the poet with the libations, O Maruts, had sung his

song at the sacrifice, pouring out Soma, the youthful men placed the

young maid in their chariot as their companion for victory, mighty in

assemblies. I praise what is the praiseworthy true greatness of those

Maruts, that the manly-minded, proud, and strong one drives with them

towards the blessed mothers. They protect Mitra and Varuna from the

unspeakable, and Aryaman also finds out the infamous. Even what is firm

and unshakable is being shaken; but he who dispenses treasures, O

Maruts, has grown in strength. No people indeed, whether near to us, or

from afar, have ever found the end of your strength, O Maruts! The

Maruts, strong in daring strength, have, like the sea, boldly surrounded

their haters. May we to-day, may we tomorrow in battle be called the

most beloved of Indra. We were so formerly, may we truly be so day by

day, and may the lord of the Maruts be with us. May this praise, O

Maruts, this song of Mândârya, the son of Mâna, the poet, ask you with

food for offspring for ourselves! May we have an invigorating autumn,

with quickening rain!

XIX

Who knows their birth? or who was of yore in the favor of the Maruts,

when they harnessed the spotted deer? Who has heard them when they had

mounted their chariots, how they went forth? For the sake of what

liberal giver did they run, and their comrades followed, as streams of

rain filled with food? They themselves said to me when day by day they

came to the feast with their birds: they are manly youths and blameless;

seeing them, praise them thus; they who shine by themselves in their

ornaments, their daggers, their garlands, their golden chains, their

rings, going on their chariots and on dry land. O Maruts, givers of

quickening rain, I am made to rejoice, following after your chariots, as

after days going with rain. The bucket which the bounteous heroes shook

down from heaven for their worshipper, that cloud they send along heaven

and earth, and showers follow on the dry land. The rivers having pierced

the air with a rush of water, went forth like milk-cows; when your

spotted deer roll about like horses that have hasted to the

resting-place on their road. Come hither, O Maruts, from heaven, from

the sky, even from near; do not go far away! Let not the Rasâ, the

Anitabhâ, the Kubhâ, the Krumu, let not the Sindhu delay you! Let not

the marshy Sarayu prevent you! May your favor be with us alone! The

showers come forth after the host of your chariots, after the terrible

Marut-host of the ever-youthful heroes. Let us then follow with our

praises and our prayers each host of yours, each troop, each company. To

what well-born generous worshipper have the Maruts gone to-day on that

march, on which you bring to kith and kin the never-failing seed of

corn? Give us that for which we ask you, wealth and everlasting

happiness! Let us safely pass through our revilers, leaving behind the

unspeakable and the enemies. Let us be with you when in the morning you

shower down health, wealth, water, and medicine, O Maruts! That mortal,

O men, O Maruts, whom you protect, may well be always beloved by the

gods, and rich in valiant offspring. May we be such! Praise the liberal

Maruts, and may they delight on the path of this man here who praises

them, like cows in fodder. When they go, call after them as for old

friends, praise them who love you, with your song!

You have fashioned this speech for the brilliant Marut-host which shakes

the mountains: celebrate then the great manhood in honor of that host

who praises the warm milk of the sacrifice, and sacrifices on the height

of heaven, whose glory is brilliant. O Maruts, your powerful men came

forth searching for water, invigorating, harnessing their horses,

swarming around. When they aim with the lightning, Trita shouts, and the

waters murmur, running around on their course. These Maruts are men

brilliant with lightning, they shoot with thunderbolts, they blaze with

the wind, they shake the mountains, and suddenly, when wishing to give

water, they whirl the hail; they have thundering strength, they are

robust, they are ever-powerful. When you drive forth the nights, O

Rudras, the days, O powerful men, the sky, the mists, ye shakers, the

plains, like ships, and the strongholds, O Maruts, you suffer nowhere.

That strength of yours, O Maruts, that greatness extended as far as the

sun extends its daily course, when you, like your deer on their march,

went down to the western mountain with untouched splendor. Your host, O

Maruts, shone forth when, O sages, you strip, like a caterpillar, the

waving tree. Conduct then, O friends, our service to a good end, as the

eye conducts the man in walking. That man, O Maruts, is not overpowered,

he is not killed, he does not fail, he does not shake, he does not drop,

his goods do not perish, nor his protections, if you lead him rightly,

whether he be a seer or a king. The men with their steeds, like

conquerors of clans, like Aryaman, the Maruts, carrying waterskins, fill

the well; when the strong ones roar, they moisten the earth with the

juice of sweetness. When the Maruts come forth this earth bows, the

heaven bows, the paths in the sky bow, and the cloud-mountains with

their quickening rain. When you rejoice at sunrise, O Maruts, toiling

together, men of sunlight, men of heaven, your horses never tire in

running, and you quickly reach the end of your journey. On your

shoulders are the spears, on your feet rings, on your chests golden

chains, O Maruts, on your chariot gems; fiery lightnings in your fists,

and golden headbands tied round your heads. O Maruts, you shake the red

apple from the firmament, whose splendor no enemy can touch; the hamlets

bowed when the Maruts blazed, and the pious people intoned their

far-reaching shout. O wise Maruts, let us carry off the wealth of food

which you have bestowed on us; give us, O Maruts, such thousandfold

wealth as never fails, like the star Tishya from heaven! O Maruts, you

protect our wealth of excellent men, and the seer, clever in song; you

give to the warrior a strong horse, you make the king to be obeyed. O

you who are quickly ready to help, I implore you for wealth whereby we

may overshadow all men, like the sky. O Maruts, be pleased with this

word of mine, and let us speed by its speed over a hundred winters!

XXI

The chasing Maruts with gleaming spears, the golden-breasted, have

gained great strength, they move along on quick, well-broken

horses;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed. You have

yourselves, you know, acquired power; you shine bright and wide, you

great ones. They have even measured the sky with their strength;--when

they went in triumph, the chariots followed. The strong heroes, born

together, and nourished together, have further grown to real beauty.

They shine brilliantly like the rays of the sun;--when they went in

triumph, the chariots followed. Your greatness, O Maruts, is to be

honored, it is to be yearned for like the sight of the sun. Place us

also in immortality;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed.

O Maruts, you raise the rain from the sea, and rain it down, O yeomen!

Your milch-cows, O destroyers, are never destroyed;--when they went in

triumph, the chariots followed. When you have joined the deer as horses

to the shafts, and have clothed yourselves in golden garments, then, O

Maruts, you scatter all enemies;--when they went in triumph, the

chariots followed. Not mountains, not rivers have kept you back,

wherever you see, O Maruts, there you go. You go even round heaven and

earth;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed. Be it old, O

Maruts, or be it new, be it spoken, O Vasus, or be it recited, you take

cognizance of it all;--when they went in triumph, the chariots followed.

Have mercy on us, O Maruts, do not strike us, extend to us your manifold

protection. Do remember the praise, the friendship;--when they went in

triumph, the chariots followed. Lead us, O Maruts, towards greater

wealth, and out of tribulations, when you have been praised. O

worshipful Maruts, accept our offering, and let us be lords of

treasures!

XXII

O Agni, on to the strong host of the Maruts, bedecked with golden chains

and ornaments. To-day I call the folk of the Maruts down from the light

of heaven. As thou, Agni, thinkest in thine heart, to the same object my

wishes have gone. Strengthen thou these Maruts, terrible to behold, who

have come nearest to thy invocations. Like a bountiful lady, the earth

comes towards us, staggering, yet rejoicing; for your onslaught, O

Maruts, is vigorous, like a bear, and fearful, like a wild bull. They

who by their strength disperse wildly like bulls, impatient of the yoke,

they by their marches make the heavenly stone, the rocky mountain cloud

to shake. Arise, for now I call with my hymns the troop of these Maruts,

grown strong together, the manifold, the incomparable, as if calling a

drove of bulls. Harness the red mares to the chariot, harness the ruddy

horses to the chariots, harness the two bays, ready to drive in the

yoke, most vehement to drive in the yoke. And this red stallion too,

loudly neighing, has been placed here, beautiful to behold; may it not

cause you delay on your marches, O Maruts; spur him forth on your

chariots.

We call towards us the glorious chariot of the Maruts, whereon there

stands also Rodasî, carrying delightful gifts, among the Maruts.

I call hither this your host, brilliant on chariots, terrible and

glorious, among which she, the well-born and fortunate, the bounteous

lady, is also magnified among the Maruts.

XXIII

O Rudras, joined by Indra, friends on golden chariots, come hither for

our welfare! This prayer from us is acceptable to you like the springs

of heaven to a thirsty soul longing for water. O you sons of Prisni, you

are armed with daggers and spears, you are wise, carrying good bows and

arrows and quivers, possessed of good horses and chariots. With your

good weapons, O Maruts, you go to triumph! You shake the sky and the

mountains for wealth to the liberal giver; the forests bend down out of

your way from fear. O sons of Prisni, you rouse the earth when you, O

terrible ones, have harnessed the spotted deer for triumph! The Maruts,

blazing with the wind, clothed in rain, are as like one another as

twins, and well adorned. They have tawny horses, and red horses, they

are faultless, endowed with exceeding vigor; they are in greatness wide

as the heaven. Rich in rain-drops, well adorned, bounteous, terrible to

behold, of inexhaustible wealth, noble by birth, golden-breasted, these

singers of the sky have obtained their immortal name. Spears are on your

two shoulders, in your arms are placed strength, power, and might. Manly

thoughts dwell in your heads, on your chariots are weapons, and every

beauty has been laid on your bodies. O Maruts, you have given us wealth

of cows, horses, chariots, and heroes, golden wealth! O men of Rudra,

bestow on us great praise, and may I enjoy your divine protection! Hark,

O heroes, O Maruts! Be gracious to us! You who are of great bounty,

immortal, righteous, truly listening to us, poets, young, dwelling on

mighty mountains, and grown mighty.

XXIV

I praise now the powerful company of these ever-young Maruts, who drive

violently along with quick horses; aye, the sovereigns are lords of

Amrita the immortal. The terrible company, the powerful, adorned with

quoits on their hands, given to roaring, potent, dispensing treasures,

they who are beneficent, infinite in greatness, praise, O poet, these

men of great wealth! May your water-carriers come here to-day, all the

Maruts who stir up the rain. That fire which has been lighted for you, O

Maruts, accept it, O young singers! O worshipful Maruts, you create for

man an active king, fashioned by Vibhvan; from you comes the man who can

fight with his fist, and is quick with his arm, from you the man with

good horses and valiant heroes. Like the spokes of a wheel, no one is

last, like the days they are born on and on, not deficient in might. The

very high sons of Prisni are full of fury, the Maruts cling firmly to

their own will. When you have come forth with your speckled deer as

horses on strong-fellied chariots, O Maruts, the waters gush, the

forests go asunder;--let Dyu roar down, the bull of the Dawn. At their

approach, even the earth opened wide, and they placed their own strength

as a husband the germ. Indeed they have harnessed the winds as horses to

the yoke, and the men of Rudra have changed their sweat into rain. Hark,

O heroes, O Maruts! Be gracious to us! You who are of great bounty,

immortal, righteous, truly listening to us, poets, young, dwelling on

mighty mountains, and grown mighty.

XXV

They truly tried to make you grant them welfare. Do thou sing praises to

Heaven, I offer sacrifice to the Earth. The Maruts wash their horses and

race to the air, they soften their splendor by waving mists. The earth

trembles with fear from their onset. She sways like a full ship, that

goes rolling. The heroes who appear on their marches, visible from afar,

strive together within the great sacrificial assembly. Your horn is

exalted for glory, as the horns of cows; your eye is like the sun, when

the mist is scattered. Like strong racers, you are beautiful, O heroes,

you think of glory, like manly youths. Who could reach, O Maruts, the

great wise thoughts, who the great manly deeds of you, great ones? You

shake the earth like a speck of dust, when you are carried forth for

granting welfare. These kinsmen are like red horses, like heroes eager

for battle, and they have rushed forward to fight. They are like

well-grown manly youths, and the men have grown strong, with streams of

rain they dim the eye of the sun. At their outbreak there is none among

them who is the eldest, or the youngest, or the middle: they have grown

by their own might, these sons of Prisni, noble by birth, the boys of

Dyaus; come hither to us!

Those who like birds flew with strength in rows from the ridge of the

mighty heaven to its ends, their horses shook the springs of the

mountain cloud, so that people on both sides knew it. May Dyaus Aditi

roar for our feast, may the dew-lighted Dawns come striving together;

these, the Maruts, O poet, the sons of Rudra, have shaken the heavenly

bucket cloud, when they had been praised.

[Footnote 1: The Maruts are the "Storm-Gods".]

[Footnote 2: The lightning.]

[Footnote 3: The voice of thunder.]

[Footnote 4: The dawn.]

TO THE MARUTS AND INDRA

The Prologue

The sacrificer speaks:

To what splendor do the Maruts all equally cling, they who are of the

same age, and dwell in the same nest? With what thoughts?--from whence

are they come? Do these heroes sing forth their own strength, wishing

for wealth? Whose prayers have the youths accepted? Who has turned the

Maruts to his own sacrifice? By what strong desire may we arrest them,

they who float through the air like hawks?

The Dialogue

The Maruts speak:

From whence, O Indra, dost thou come alone, thou who art mighty? O lord

of men, what has thus happened to thee? Thou greetest us when thou

comest together with us. Tell us then, thou with thy bay horses, what

thou hast against us!

Indra speaks:

The sacred songs are mine, the prayers; sweet are the libations! My

strength rises, my thunderbolt is hurled forth. They call for me, the

hymns yearn for me. Here are my horses, they carry me hither.

The Maruts speak:

From thence, in company with our strong friends, having adorned our

bodies, we now harness our fallow deer with all our might;--for, Indra,

according to custom, thou hast come to be with us.

Indra speaks:

Where, O Maruts, was that custom with you, when you left me alone in the

killing of Ahi? I indeed am terrible, powerful, strong,--I escaped from

the blows of every enemy.

The Maruts speak:

Thou hast achieved much with us as companions. With equal valor, O hero!

let us achieve then many things, O thou most powerful, O Indra! whatever

we, O Maruts, wish with our mind.

Indra speaks:

I slew Vritra, O Maruts, with Indra's might, having grown powerful

through my own vigor; I, who hold the thunderbolt in my arms, have made

these all-brilliant waters to flow freely for man.

The Maruts speak:

Nothing, O mighty lord, is strong before thee: no one is known among the

gods like unto thee. No one who is now born comes near, no one who has

been born. Do what thou wilt do, thou who art grown so strong.

Indra speaks:

Almighty strength be mine alone, whatever I may do, daring in my heart;

for I indeed, O Maruts, am known as terrible: of all that I threw down,

I, Indra, am the lord.

O Maruts, now your praise has pleased me, the glorious hymn which you

have made for me, ye men!--for me, for Indra, for the joyful hero, as

friends for a friend, for your own sake, and by your own efforts.

Truly, there they are, shining towards me, bringing blameless glory,

bringing food. O Maruts, wherever I have looked for you, you have

appeared to me in bright splendor: appear to me also now!

The Epilogue

The sacrificer speaks:

Who has magnified you here, O Maruts? Come hither, O friends, towards

your friends. Ye brilliant Maruts, welcoming these prayers, be mindful

of these my rites. The wisdom of Mânya has brought us hither, that he

should help as the poet helps the performer of a sacrifice: turn hither

quickly! Maruts, on to the sage! the singer has recited these prayers

for you. May this your praise, O Maruts, this song of Mândârya, the son

of Mâna, the poet, bring offspring for ourselves with food. May we have

an invigorating autumn, with quickening rain.

TO INDRA AND THE MARUTS

Those who stand around him while he moves on, harness the bright red

steed; the lights in heaven shine forth. They harness to the chariot on

each side his two favorite bays, the brown, the bold, who can carry the

hero. Thou who createst light where there was no light, and form, O men!

where there was no form, hast been born together with the dawns.

Thereupon they (the Maruts), according to their wont, assumed again the

form of new-born babes, taking their sacred name. Thou, O Indra, with

the swift Maruts, who break even through the stronghold, hast found even

in their hiding-place the bright ones. The pious singers have, after

their own mind, shouted towards the giver of wealth, the great, the

glorious Indra. Mayest thou, host of the Maruts, be verily seen coming

together with Indra, the fearless: you are both happy-making, and of

equal splendor. With the beloved hosts of Indra, with the blameless,

hasting (Maruts), the sacrificer cries aloud. From yonder, O traveller,

Indra, come hither, or from the light of heaven; the singers all yearn

for it;--or we ask Indra for help from here, or from heaven, or from

above the earth, or from the great sky.

TO AGNI[5] AND THE MARUTS

Thou art called forth to this fair sacrifice for a draught of milk; with

the Maruts come hither, O Agni! No god indeed, no mortal, is beyond the

might of thee, the mighty one; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They

who know of the great sky, the Visve Devas without guile; with those

Maruts come hither, O Agni! The strong ones who sing their song,

unconquerable by force; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They who

are brilliant, of terrible designs, powerful, and devourers of foes;

with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! They who in heaven are enthroned as

gods, in the light of the firmament; with the Maruts come hither, O

Agni! They who toss the clouds across the surging sea; with the Maruts

come hither, O Agni! They who shoot with their darts across the sea with

might; with the Maruts come hither, O Agni! I pour out to thee for the

early draught the sweet juice of Soma; with the Maruts come hither, O

Agni!

[Footnote 5: Agni is the "God of Fire."]

TO RUDRA[6]

We offer these prayers to Rudra, the strong, whose hair is braided, who

rules over heroes that he may be a blessing to man and beast, that

everything in this our village may be prosperous and free from disease.

Be gracious to us, O Rudra, and give us joy, and we shall honor thee,

the ruler of heroes, with worship. What health and wealth father Manu

acquired by his sacrifices, may we obtain the same, O Rudra, under thy

guidance. O bounteous Rudra, may we by sacrifice obtain the good-will of

thee, the ruler of heroes; come to our clans, well-disposed, and, with

unarmed men, we shall offer our libation to thee. We call down for our

help the fierce Rudra, who fulfils our sacrifice, the swift, the wise;

may he drive far away from us the anger of the gods; we desire his

good-will only. We call down with worship the red boar of the sky, the

god with braided hair, the blazing form; may he who carries in his hand

the best medicines grant us protection, shield, and shelter! This speech

is spoken for the father of the Maruts, sweeter than sweet, a joy to

Rudra; grant to us also, O immortal, the food of mortals, be gracious to

us and to our kith and kin! Do not slay our great or our small ones, our

growing or our grown ones, our father or our mother, and do not hurt our

own bodies, O Rudra! O Rudra, hurt us not in our kith and kin, nor in

our own life, not in our cows, nor in our horses! Do not slay our men in

thy wrath: carrying libations, we call on thee always. Like a shepherd,

I have driven these praises near to thee; O father of the Maruts, grant

us thy favor! For thy good-will is auspicious, and most gracious, hence

we desire thy protection alone. Let thy cow-slaying and thy man-slaying

be far away, and let thy favor be with us, O ruler of heroes! Be

gracious to us, and bless us, O god, and then give us twofold

protection. We have uttered our supplication to him, desiring his help;

may Rudra with the Maruts hear our call. May Mitra, Varuna, Aditi, the

River, Earth, and the Sky, grant us this!

[Footnote 6: Rudra is the "Father of the Maruts."]

TO RUDRA

O father of the Maruts, let thy favor come near, and do not deprive us

of the sight of the sun; may the hero (Rudra) be gracious to our horse,

and may we increase in offspring, O Rudra! May I attain to a hundred

winters through the most blissful medicines which thou hast given! Put

away far from us all hatred, put away anguish, put away sickness in all

directions! In beauty thou art the most beautiful of all that exists, O

Rudra, the strongest of the strong, thou wielder of the thunderbolt!

Carry us happily to the other shore of our anguish, and ward off all

assaults of mischief. Let us not incense thee, O Rudra, by our worship,

not by bad praise, O hero, and not by divided praise! Raise up our men

by thy medicines, for I hear thou art the best of all physicians. He who

is invoked by invocations and libations, may I pay off that Rudra with

my hymns of praise. Let not him who is kind-hearted, who readily hears

our call, the tawny, with beautiful cheeks, deliver us to this wrath!

The manly hero with the Maruts has gladdened me, the suppliant, with

more vigorous health. May I without mischief find shade, as if from

sunshine, may I gain the favor of Rudra! O Rudra, where is thy softly

stroking hand which cures and relieves? Thou, the remover of all

heaven-sent mischief, wilt thou, O strong hero, bear with me? I send

forth a great, great hymn of praise to the bright tawny bull. Let me

reverence the fiery god with prostrations; we celebrate the flaring name

of Rudra. He, the fierce god, with strong limbs, assuming many forms,

the tawny Rudra, decked himself with brilliant golden ornaments. From

Rudra, who is lord of this wide world, divine power will never depart.

Worthily thou bearest arrows and bow, worthily, O worshipful, the

golden, variegated chain; worthily thou cuttest every fiend here to

pieces, for there is nothing indeed stronger than thou, O Rudra. Praise

him, the famous, sitting in his chariot, the youthful, who is fierce and

attacks like a terrible lion. And when thou hast been praised, O Rudra,

be gracious to him who magnifies thee, and let thy armies mow down

others than us! O Rudra, a boy indeed makes obeisance to his father who

comes to greet him: I praise the lord of brave men, the giver of many

gifts, and thou, when thou hast been praised, wilt give us thy

medicines. O Maruts, those pure medicines of yours, the most beneficent

and delightful, O heroes, those which Manu, our father, chose, those I

crave from Rudra, as health and wealth. May the weapon of Rudra avoid

us, may the great anger of the flaring one pass us by. Unstring thy

strong bows for the sake of our liberal lords, O bounteous Rudra, be

gracious to our kith and kin. Thus, O tawny and manly god, showing

thyself, so as neither to be angry nor to kill, be mindful of our

invocations, and, rich in brave sons, we shall magnify thee in the

congregation.

TO AGNI AND THE MARUTS

I implore Agni, the gracious, with salutations, may he sit down here,

and gather what we have made. I offer him sacrifice as with racing

chariots; may I, turning to the right, accomplish this hymn to the

Maruts. Those who approached on their glorious deer, on their easy

chariots, the Rudras, the Maruts--through fear of you, ye terrible ones,

the forests even bend down, the earth shakes, and also the mountain

cloud. At your shouting, even the mountain cloud, grown large, fears,

and the ridge of heaven trembles. When you play together, O Maruts,

armed with spears, you run together like waters. Like rich suitors the

Maruts have themselves adorned their bodies with golden ornaments; more

glorious for glory, and powerful on their chariots, they have brought

together splendors on their bodies. As brothers, no one being the eldest

or the youngest, they have grown up together to happiness. Young is

their clever father Rudra, flowing with plenty is Prisni, always kind to

the Maruts. O happy Maruts, whether you are in the highest, or in the

middle, or in the lowest heaven, from thence, O Rudras, or thou also, O

Agni, take notice of this libation which we offer. When Agni, and you,

wealthy Maruts, drive down from the higher heaven over the ridges, give

then, if pleased, you roarers, O destroyers of enemies, wealth to the

sacrificer who prepares Soma-juice. Agni, be pleased to drink Soma with

the brilliant Maruts, the singers, approaching in companies, with the

men, who brighten and enliven everything; do this, Agni, thou who art

always endowed with splendor.

TO VÂYU

Come hither, O Vâyu, thou beautiful one! These Somas are ready, drink of

them, hear our call! O Vâyu, the praisers celebrate thee with hymns,

they who know the feast-days, and have prepared the Soma. O Vâyu, thy

satisfying stream goes to the worshipper, wide-reaching, to the

Soma-draught. O Indra and Vâyu, these libations of Soma are poured out;

come hither for the sake of our offerings, for the drops of Soma long

for you. O Indra and Vâyu, you perceive the libations, you who are rich

in booty; come then quickly hither! O Vâyu and Indra, come near to the

work of the sacrificer, quick, thus is my prayer, O ye men! I call

Mitra, endowed with holy strength, and Varuna, who destroys all enemies;

who both fulfil a prayer accompanied by fat offerings. On the right way,

O Mitra and Varuna, you have obtained great wisdom, you who increase the

right and adhere to the right; These two sages, Mitra and Varuna, the

mighty, wide-ruling, give us efficient strength.

TO VÂYU

O Vâyu, may the quick racers bring thee towards the offerings, to the

early drink here, to the early drink of Soma! May the Dawn stand erect,

approving thy mind! Come near on thy harnessed chariot to share, O Vâyu,

to share in the sacrifice! May the delightful drops of Soma delight

thee, the drops made by us, well-made, and heaven-directed, yes, made

with milk, and heaven-directed. When his performed aids assume strength

for achievement, our prayers implore the assembled steeds for gifts,

yes, the prayers implore them. Vâyu yokes the two ruddy, Vâyu yokes the

two red horses, Vâyu yokes to the chariot the two swift horses to draw

in the yoke, the strongest to draw in the yoke. Awake Purandhi (the

morning) as a lover wakes a sleeping maid, reveal heaven and earth,

brighten the dawn, yes, for glory brighten the dawn. For thee the bright

dawns spread out in the distance beautiful garments, in their houses, in

their rays, beautiful in their new rays. To thee the juice-yielding cow

pours out all treasures. Thou hast brought forth the Maruts from the

flanks, yes, from the flanks of heaven. For thee the white, bright,

rushing Somas, strong in raptures, have rushed to the whirl, they have

rushed to the whirl of the waters. The tired hunter asks luck of thee in

the chase; thou shieldest by thy power from every being, yes, thou

shieldest by thy power from powerful spirits. Thou, O Vâyu, art worthy

as the first before all others to drink these our Somas, thou art worthy

to drink these poured-out Somas. Among the people also who invoke thee

and have turned to thee, all the cows pour out the milk, they pour out

butter and milk for the Soma.

INDRA AND AGASTYA[7]: A DIALOGUE

Indra: There is no such thing to-day, nor will it be so to-morrow. Who

knows what strange thing this is? We must consult the thought of

another, for even what we once knew seems to vanish.

Agastya: Why dost thou wish to kill us, O Indra? the Maruts are thy

brothers; fare kindly with them, and do not strike us in battle.

The Maruts: O Brother Agastya, why, being a friend, dost thou despise

us? We know quite well what thy mind was. Dost thou not wish to give to

us?

Agastya: Let them prepare the altar, let them light the fire in front!

Here we two will spread for thee the sacrifice, to be seen by the

immortal.

Agastya: Thou rulest, O lord of treasures; thou, lord of friends, art

the most generous. Indra, speak again with the Maruts, and then consume

our offerings at the right season.

[Footnote 7: Agastya is a worshipper of Indra.]

TO SOMA AND RUDRA

Soma and Rudra, may you maintain your divine dominion, and may the

oblations reach you properly. Bringing the seven treasures to every

house, be kind to our children and our cattle. Soma and Rudra, draw far

away in every direction the disease which has entered our house. Drive

far away Nirriti, and may auspicious glories belong to us! Soma and

Rudra, bestow all these remedies on our bodies. Tear away and remove

from us whatever evil we have committed, which clings to our bodies.

Soma and Rudra, wielding sharp weapons and sharp bolts, kind friends, be

gracious unto us here! Deliver us from the snare of Varuna, and guard

us, as kind-hearted gods!

TO RUDRA

Offer ye these songs to Rudra whose bow is strong, whose arrows are

swift, the self-dependent god, the unconquered conqueror, the

intelligent, whose weapons are sharp--may he hear us! For, being the

lord, he looks after what is born on earth; being the universal ruler,

he looks after what is born in heaven. Protecting us, come to our

protecting doors, be without illness among our people, O Rudra! May that

thunderbolt of thine, which, sent from heaven, traverses the earth, pass

us by! A thousand medicines are thine, O thou who art freely accessible;

do not hurt us through our kith and kin! Do not strike us, O Rudra, do

not forsake us! May we not be in thy way when thou rushest forth

furiously. Let us have our altar and a good report among men--protect us

always with your favors!

TO VÂTA

Now for the greatness of the chariot of Vâta. Its roar goes crashing and

thundering. It moves touching the sky, and creating red sheens, or it

goes scattering the dust of the earth. Afterwards there rise the gusts

of Vâta, they go towards him, like women to a feast. The god goes with

them on the same chariot, he, the king of the whole of this world. When

he moves on his paths along the sky, he rests not even a single day; the

friend of the waters, the first-born, the holy, where was he born,

whence did he spring? The breath of the gods, the germ of the world,

that god moves wherever he listeth; his roars indeed are heard, not his

form--let us offer sacrifice to that Vâta!

TO VÂTA

May Vâta waft medicine, healthful, delightful to our heart; may he

prolong our lives! Thou, O Vâta, art our father, and our brother, and

our friend; do thou grant us to live! O Vâta, from that treasure of the

immortal which is placed in thy house yonder, give us to live!

I magnify Agni, the Purohita, the divine ministrant of the sacrifice,

the Hotri priest, the greatest bestower of treasures. Agni, worthy to be

magnified by the ancient Rishis and by the present ones--may he conduct

the gods hither. May one obtain through Agni wealth and welfare day by

day, which may bring glory and high bliss of valiant offspring. Agni,

whatever sacrifice and worship thou encompassest on every side, that

indeed goes to the gods. May Agni the thoughtful Hotri, he who is true

and most splendidly renowned, may the god come hither with the gods.

Whatever good thou wilt do to thy worshipper, O Agni, that work verily

is thine, O Angiras. Thee, O Agni, we approach day by day, O god who

shinest in the darkness; with our prayer, bringing adoration to thee who

art the king of all worship, the guardian of Rita, the shining one,

increasing in thy own house. Thus, O Agni, be easy of access to us, as a

father is to his son. Stay with us for our happiness.

We implore with well-spoken words the vigorous Agni who belongs to many

people, to the clans that worship the gods, whom other people also

magnify. Men have placed Agni on the altar as the augmenter of strength.

May we worship thee, rich in sacrificial food. Thus be thou here to-day

gracious to us, a helper in our striving for gain, O good one! We choose

thee, the all-possessor, as our messenger and as our Hotri. The flames

of thee, who art great, spread around; thy rays touch the heaven. The

gods, Varuna, Mitra, Aryaman, kindle thee, the ancient messenger. The

mortal, O Agni, who worships thee, gains through thee every prize. Thou

art the cheerful Hotri and householder, O Agni, the messenger of the

clans. In thee all the firm laws are comprised which the gods have made.

In thee, the blessed one, O Agni, youngest god, all sacrificial food is

offered. Sacrifice then thou who art gracious to us to-day and

afterwards, to the gods that we may be rich in valiant men. Him, the

king, verily the adorers approach reverentially. With oblations men

kindle Agni, having overcome all failures. Destroying the foe, they

victoriously got through Heaven and Earth and the waters; they have made

wide room for their dwelling. May the manly Agni, after he has received

the oblations, become brilliant at the side of Kanva; may he neigh as a

horse in battles. Take thy seat; thou art great. Shine forth, thou who

most excellently repairest to the gods. O Agni, holy god, emit thy red,

beautiful smoke, O glorious one! Thou whom the gods have placed here for

Manu as the best performer of the sacrifice, O carrier of oblations,

whom Kanva and Medhyâtithi, whom Vrishan and Upastuta have worshipped,

the winner of prizes. That Agni's nourishment has shone brightly whom

Medhyâtithi and Kanva have kindled on behalf of Rita. Him do these

hymns, him do we extol. Fill us with wealth, thou self-dependent one,

for thou, O Agni, hast companionship with the gods. Thou art lord over

glorious booty. Have mercy upon us; thou art great. Stand up straight

for blessing us, like the god Savitri, straight a winner of booty, when

we with our worshippers and with ointments call thee in emulation with

other people. Standing straight, protect us by thy splendor from evil;

burn down every ghoul. Let us stand straight that we may walk and live.

Find out our worship among the gods. Save us, O Agni, from the sorcerer,

save us from mischief, from the niggard. Save us from him who does us

harm or tries to kill us, O youngest god with bright splendor! As with a

club smite the niggards in all directions, and him who deceives us, O

god with fiery jaws. The mortal who makes his weapons very sharp by

night, may that impostor not rule over us. Agni has won abundance in

heroes. Agni and the two Mitras have blessed Medhyâtithi. Agni has

blessed Upastuta in the acquirement of wealth. Through Agni we call

hither from afar Turvasa, Yadu, and Ugradeva. May Agni, our strength

against the Dasyu, conduct hither Navavâstva, Brihadratha, and Turvîti.

Manu has established thee, O Agni, as a light for all people. Thou hast

shone forth with Kanva, born from Rita, grown strong, thou whom the

human races worship. Agni's flames are impetuous and violent; they are

terrible and not to be withstood. Always burn down the sorcerers, and

the allies of the Yâtus, every ghoul.

III

We choose Agni as our messenger, the all-possessor, as the Hotri of this

sacrifice, the highly wise. Agni and Agni! again they constantly invoked

with their invocations, the lord of the clans, the bearer of oblations,

the beloved of many. Agni, when born, conduct the gods hither for him

who has strewn the sacrificial grass; thou art our Hotri, worthy of

being magnified. Awaken them, the willing ones, when thou goest as

messenger, O Agni. Sit down with the gods on the Barhis. O thou to whom

Ghrita oblations are poured out, resplendent god, burn against the

mischievous, O Agni, against the sorcerers. By Agni Agni is kindled, the

sage, the master of the house, the young one, the bearer of oblations,

whose mouth is the sacrificial spoon. Praise Agni the sage, whose

ordinances for the sacrifice are true, the god who drives away sickness.

Be the protector, O Agni, of a master of sacrificial food who worships

thee, O god, as his messenger. Be merciful, O purifier, unto the man who

is rich in sacrificial food, and who invites Agni to the feast of the

gods. Thus, O Agni, resplendent purifier, conduct the gods hither to us,

to our sacrifice and to our food. Thus praised by us with our new

Gâyatra hymn, bring us wealth of valiant men and food. Agni with thy

bright splendor be pleased, through all our invocations of the gods,

with this our praise.

With reverence I shall worship thee who art long-tailed like a horse,

Agni, king of worship. May he, our son of strength, proceeding on his

broad way, the propitious, become bountiful to us. Thus protect us

always, thou who hast a full life, from the mortal who seeks to do us

harm, whether near or afar. And mayest thou, O Agni, announce to the

gods this our newest efficient Gâyatra song. Let us partake of all booty

that is highest and that is middle; help us to the wealth that is

nearest. O god with bright splendor, thou art the distributor. Thou

instantly flowest for the liberal giver in the wave of the river, near

at hand. The mortal, O Agni, whom thou protectest in battles, whom thou

speedest in the races, he will command constant nourishment: Whosoever

he may be, no one will overtake him, O conqueror Agni! His strength is

glorious. May he, known among all tribes, win the race with his horses;

may he with the help of his priests become a gainer. O Garâbodha!

Accomplish this task for every house: a beautiful song of praise for

worshipful Rudra. May he, the great, the immeasurable, the

smoke-bannered, rich in splendor, incite us to pious thoughts and to

strength. May he hear us, like the rich lord of a clan, the banner of

the gods, on behalf of our hymns, Agni with bright light. Reverence to

the great ones, reverence to the lesser ones! Reverence to the young,

reverence to the old! Let us sacrifice to the gods, if we can. May I

not, O gods, fall as a victim to the curse of my better.

I press on for you with my prayer to the all-possessing messenger, the

immortal bearer of offerings, the best sacrificer. He, the great one,

knows indeed the place of wealth, the ascent to heaven; may he conduct

the gods hither. He, the god, knows how to direct the gods for the

righteous worshipper, in his house. He gives us wealth dear to us. He is

the Hotri; he who knows the office of a messenger, goes to and fro,

knowing the ascent to heaven. May we be of those who have worshipped

Agni with the gift of offerings, who cause him to thrive and kindle him.

The men who have brought worship to Agni, are renowned as successful by

wealth and by powerful offspring. May much-desired wealth come to us day

by day; may gains arise among us. He, the priest of the tribes, the

priest of men, pierces all hostile powers by his might as with a tossing

bow.

He has brought down the wisdom of many a worshipper, he who holds in his

hand all manly power. Agni has become the lord of treasures, he who

brought together all powers of immortality. All the clever immortals

when seeking did not find the calf though sojourning round about us. The

attentive gods, wearying themselves, following his footsteps, stood at

the highest, beautiful standing-place of Agni. When the bright ones had

done service to thee, the bright one, Agni, with Ghrita through three

autumns, they assumed worshipful names; the well-born shaped their own

bodies. Acquiring for themselves the two great worlds, the worshipful

ones brought forward their Rudra-like powers. The mortal, when beings

were in discord, perceived and found out Agni standing in the highest

place. Being like-minded they reverentially approached him on their

knees. Together with their wives they venerated the venerable one.

Abandoning their bodies they made them their own, the one friend waking

when the other friend closed his eyes. When the worshipful gods have

discovered the thrice seven secret steps laid down in thee, they

concordantly guard with them immortality. Protect thou the cattle and

that which remains steadfast and that which moves. Knowing, O Agni, the

established orders of human dwellings, distribute in due order gifts

that they may live. Knowing the ways which the gods do, thou hast become

the unwearied messenger, the bearer of oblations. They who knew the

right way and were filled with good intentions, beheld from heaven the

seven young rivers and the doors of riches. Saramâ found the strong

stable of the cows from which human clans receive their nourishment. The

Earth has spread herself far and wide with them who are great in their

greatness, the mother Aditi, for the refreshment of the bird, with her

sons who have assumed all powers of their own dominion, preparing for

themselves the way to immortality. When the immortals created the two

eyes of heaven, they placed fair splendor in him. Then they rush down

like streams let loose. The red ones have recognized, O Agni, those

which are directed downwards.

VII

Forward goes your strength tending heavenward, rich in offerings, with

the ladle full of ghee. To the gods goes the worshipper desirous of

their favor. I magnify with prayer Agni who has knowledge of prayers,

the accomplisher of sacrifice, who hears us, and in whom manifold wealth

has been laid down. O Agni, may we be able to bridle thee the strong

god; may we overcome all hostile powers. Agni, inflamed at the

sacrifice, the purifier who should be magnified, whose hair is

flame--him we approach with prayers. With his broad stream of light the

immortal Agni, clothed in ghee, well served with oblations, is the

carrier of offerings at the sacrifice. Holding the sacrificial ladles,

performing the sacrifice they have with right thought, pressingly

brought Agni hither for help. The Hotri, the immortal god goes in front

with his secret power, instigating the sacrifices. The strong is set at

the races. He is led forth at the sacrifices, the priest, the

accomplisher of sacrifice. He has been produced by prayer, the excellent

one. I have established him, the germ of beings, forever the father of

Daksha. I have laid thee down, the excellent one, with the nourishment

of Daksha, O thou who art produced by power, O Agni, thee the

resplendent one, O Usig. The priests, eager to set to work the Rita,

kindle with quick strength Agni the governor, him who crosses the

waters. I magnify the child of vigor at this sacrifice, who shines under

the heaven, the thoughtful Agni. He who should be magnified and adored,

who is visible through the darkness, Agni, the manly, is kindled. Agni,

the manly, is kindled, he who draws hither the gods like a horse. The

worshippers rich in offerings magnify him. We the manly ones will kindle

thee the manly god, O manly Agni, who shinest mightily.

VIII

Produce thy stream of flames like a broad onslaught. Go forth impetuous

like a king with his elephant, thou art an archer; shoot the sorcerers

with thy hottest arrows. Thy whirls fly quickly. Fiercely flaming touch

them. O Agni, send forth with the ladle thy heat, thy winged flames;

send forth unfettered thy firebrands all around. Being the quickest,

send forth thy spies against all evildoers. Be an undeceivable guardian

of this clan. He who attacks us with evil spells, far or near, may no

such foe defy thy track. Rise up, O Agni! Spread out against all foes!

Burn down the foes, O god with the sharp weapon! When kindled, O Agni,

burn down like dry brushwood, the man who exercises malice against us.

Stand upright, strike the foes away from us! Make manifest thy divine

powers, O Agni! Unbend the strong bows of those who incite demons

against us. Crush all enemies, be they relations or strangers. He knows

thy favor, O youngest one, who makes a way for a sacred speech like

this. Mayest thou beam forth to his doors all auspicious days and the

wealth and the splendor of the niggard. Let him, O Agni, be fortunate

and blessed with good rain, who longs to gladden thee with constant

offerings and hymns through his life in his house. May such longing ever

bring auspicious days to him. I praise thy favor; it resounded here. May

this song, which is like a favorite wife, awaken for thee. Let us

brighten thee, being rich in horses and chariots. Mayest thou maintain

our knightly power day by day. May the worshipper here frequently of his

own accord approach thee, O god who shinest in darkness, resplendent day

by day. Let us worship thee sporting and joyous, surpassing the splendor

of other people. Whoever, rich in horses and rich in gold, approaches

thee, O Agni, with his chariot full of wealth--thou art the protector

and the friend of him who always delights in showing thee hospitality.

Through my kinship with thee I break down the great foes by my words.

That kinship has come down to me from my father Gotama. Be thou

attentive to this our word, O youngest, highly wise Hotri, as the friend

of our house. May those guardians of thine, infallible Agni, sitting

down together protect us, the never sleeping, onward-pressing, kind,

unwearied ones, who keep off the wolf, who never tire. Thy guardians, O

Agni, who seeing have saved the blind son of Mamatâ from distress--He

the possessor of all wealth has saved them who have done good deeds. The

impostors, though trying to deceive, could not deceive. In thy

companionship we dwell, protected by thee. Under thy guidance let us

acquire gain. Accomplish both praises, O thou who art the truth! Do so

by thy present power, O fearless one! May we worship thee, O Agni, with

this log of wood. Accept the hymn of praise which we recite. Burn down

those who curse us, the sorcerers. Protect us, O god who art great like

Mitra, from guile, from revilement, and from disgrace.

Bright, flaming, like the lover of the Dawn,[8] he has, like the light

of the sky, filled the two worlds of Heaven and Earth which are turned

towards each other. As soon as thou wert born thou hast excelled by thy

power of mind; being the son of the gods thou hast become their father.

Agni is a worshipper of the gods, never foolish, always discriminating;

he is like the udder of the cows; he is the sweetness of food. Like a

kind friend to men, not to be led astray, sitting in the midst, the

lovely one, in the house; like a child when born, he is delightful in

the house; like a race-horse which is well cared for, he has wandered

across the clans. When I call to the sacrifice the clans who dwell in

the same nest with the heroes, may Agni then attain all divine powers.

When thou hast listened to these heroes, no one breaks those laws of

thine. That verily is thy wonderful deed that thou hast killed, with thy

companions, all foes; that, joined by the heroes, thou hast accomplished

thy works. Like the lover of the Dawn, resplendent and bright, of

familiar form: may he thus pay attention to this sacrificer. Carrying

him they opened by themselves the doors of heaven. They all shouted at

the aspect of the sun.

Like unto excellent wealth, like unto the shine of the sun, like unto

living breath, like unto one's own son, like unto a quick takvan Agni

holds the wood, like milk, like a milch cow, bright and shining. He

holds safety, pleasant like a homestead, like ripe barley, a conqueror

of men; like a Rishi uttering sacred shouts, praised among the clans;

like a well-cared-for race-horse, Agni bestows vigor. He to whose flame

men do not grow accustomed, who is like one's own mind, like a wife on a

couch, enough for all happiness. When the bright Agni has shone forth,

he is like a white horse among people, like a chariot with golden

ornaments, impetuous in fights. Like an army which is sent forward he

shows his vehemence, like an archer's shaft with sharp point. He who is

born is one twin; he who will be born is the other twin--the lover of

maidens, the husband of wives. As cows go to their stalls, all that

moves and we, for the sake of a dwelling, reach him who has been

kindled. Like the flood of the Sindhu he has driven forward the

downward-flowing waters. The cows lowed at the sight of the sun.

The Hotri goes forward in order to fulfil his duty by his wonderful

power, directing upwards the brightly adorned prayer. He steps towards

the sacrificial ladles which are turned to the right, and which first

kiss his foundation. They have greeted with shouts the streams of Rita

which were hidden at the birthplace of the god, at his seat. When He

dwelt dispersed in the lap of the waters, he drank the draughts by the

power of which he moves. Two beings of the same age try to draw that

wonderful shape towards themselves, progressing in turns towards a

common aim. Then he is to be proclaimed by us like a winner in a

contest. The charioteer governs all things as if pulling in the reins of

a draught-horse. He whom two beings of the same age serve, two twins

dwelling together in one common abode, the gray one has been born as a

youth by night as by day, the ageless one who wanders through many

generations of men. The prayers, the ten fingers stir him up. We, the

mortals, call him, the god, for his protection. From the dry land he

hastens to the declivities. With those who approached him he has

established new rules. Thou indeed, O Agni, reignest by thy own nature

over the heavenly and over the terrestrial world as a shepherd takes

care of his cattle. These two variegated, great goddesses striving for

gloriousness, the golden ones who move crookedly, have approached thy

sacrificial grass. Agni! Be gratified and accept graciously this prayer,

O joy-giver, independent one, who art born in the Rita, good-willed one,

whose face is turned towards us from all sides, conspicuous one, gay in

thy aspect, like a dwelling-place rich in food.

[Footnote 8: The sun.]

SELECTIONS FROM THE ZEND-AVESTA

Translation by James Darmestetter

INTRODUCTION

The study of religion, like the study of poetry, brings us face to face

with the fundamental principles of human nature. Religion, whether it be

natural religion or that which is formulated in a book, is as universal

as poetry, and like poetry, existed before letters and writing. It is

only in a serious and sympathetic frame of mind that we should approach

the rudest forms of these two departments of human activity. A general

analysis of the "Zend-Avesta" suggests to us the mind of the Persian

sage Zarathustra, or Zoroaster, fixed upon the phenomena of nature and

life, and trying to give a systematized account of them. He sees good

and evil, life and death, sickness and health, right and wrong, engaged

in almost equal conflict. He sees in the sun the origin of light and

heat, the source of comfort and life to man. Thus he institutes the

doctrine of Dualism and the worship of Fire. The evil things that come

unexpectedly and irresistibly, he attributes to the Devas: the help and

comfort that man needs and often obtains by means which are beyond his

control, he attributes to the "Holy Immortal Ones," who stand around the

Presence of Ormuzd. As he watches the purity of the flame, of the limpid

stream, and of the sweet smelling ground, he connects it with the moral

purity which springs from innocence and rectitude, and in his code it is

as reprehensible to pollute the fire by burning the dead, or the stream

by committing the corpse to its waves, or the earth by making it a

burial-place, as it is to cheat or lie or commit an act of violence. The

wonders of Nature furnish abundant imagery for his hymns or his

litanies, and he relies for his cosmogony on the faint traditions of the

past gathered from whatever nation, and reduced into conformity with his

Dualistic creed.

"Zend-Avesta" is the religious book of the Persians who professed the

creed of Zarathustra, known in classic and modern times as Zoroaster.

Zoroaster is to be classed with such great religious leaders as Buddha

and Mohammed. He was the predecessor of Mohammed and the worship and

belief which he instituted were trampled out in Persia by the forces of

Islam in the seventh century of our era. The Persian Zoroastrians fled

to India, where they are still found as Parsis on the west coast of

Hindostan. The religion of Zoroaster was a Dualism. Two powerful and

creative beings, the one good the one evil, have control of the

universe. Thus, in the account of the creation, the two deities are said

to have equal though opposite share in the work. This is indicated by

the following passage--

The third of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda

(Ormuzd) created, was the strong, holy Môuru (Merv).

Thereupon came Angra Mainyu (Ahriman), who is all death, and he

counter-created plunder and sin.

This constant struggle of the two divinities with their armies of good

and bad spirits formed the background of Zoroastrian supernaturalism.

The worship of the Persians was the worship of the powers of Nature, and

especially of fire, although water, earth, and air, are also addressed

in the litanies of the "Zend-Avesta." The down-falling water and the

uprising mist are thus spoken of in one passage:--

As the sea (Vouru-kasha) is the gathering place of the waters,

rising up and going down, up the aërial way and down the earth,

down the earth and up the aërial way: thus rise up and roll

along! thou in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made the

aërial way.

The sun is also invoked:--

Up! rise up and roll along! thou swift-horsed Sun, above Hara

Berezaiti, and produce light for the world.

The earth was considered to be polluted by the burial of the dead, who

are to be exposed in high places to be devoured by the birds of the air

and swept away by the streams into which the rain should wash their

remains. But the principal subjects of Zoroaster's teaching was the

struggle between Ormuzd and Ahriman and their hosts "The Holy Immortal

Ones" and the Devas, or evil spirits. This is the basis of all the

activities of the world and, according to Zoroaster, is to result in a

triumph of the good.

Zoroaster taught that the life of man has two parts, that on earth and

that beyond the grave. After his earthly life each one should be

punished or rewarded according to his deeds.

The "Zend-Avesta" cannot be dated earlier than the first century before

our era. It consists of four books, of which the chief one is the

Vendîdâd; the other three are the liturgical and devotional works,

consisting of hymns, litanies, and songs of praise, addressed to the

Deities and angels of Goodness.

The Vendîdâd contains an account of the creation and counter-creation of

Ormuzd and Ahriman, the author of the good things and of the evil things

in the world. After this follows what we may call a history of the

beginnings of civilization under Yima, the Persian Noah. The revelation

is described as being made directly to Zoroaster, who, like Moses,

talked with God. Thus, in the second fargard, or chapter, we read:--

Zarathustra (Zoroaster) asked Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd):--

"O Ahura Mazda (Ormuzd), most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the

material world, thou Holy One! Who was the first mortal, before

myself, Zarathustra, with whom thou, Ahura Mazda, didst

converse, whom thou didst teach the religion of Ahura, the

Religion of Zarathustra?"

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The fair Yima, the good shepherd, O holy Zarathustra! he was

the first mortal before thee, Zarathustra, with whom I, Ahura

Mazda, did converse, whom I taught the Religion of Ahura, the

Religion of Zarathustra. Unto him, O Zarathustra, I, Ahura

Mazda, spake, saying: 'Well, fair Yima, son of Vîvanghat, be

thou the Preacher and the bearer of my Religion!' And the fair

Yima, O Zarathustra, replied unto me, saying: 'I was not born, I

was not taught to be the preacher and the bearer of thy

Religion.'"

The rest of the Vendîdâd is taken up with the praises of agriculture,

injunctions as to the care and pity due to the dog, the guardian of the

home and flock, the hunter and the scavenger. It includes an elaborate

code of ceremonial purification, resembling on this point the Leviticus

of the Bible, and it prescribes also the gradations of penance for sins

of various degrees of heinousness.

E.W.

DISCOVERY OF THE ZEND-AVESTA

The "Zend-Avesta" is the sacred book of the Parsis; that is to say, of

the few remaining followers of that religion which reigned over Persia

at the time when the second successor of Mohammed overthrew the

Sassanian dynasty (A.D. 642), and which has been called Dualism, or

Mazdeism, or Magism, or Zoroastrianism, or Fire-worship, according as

its main tenet, or its supreme God, or its priests, or its supposed

founder, or its apparent object of worship has been most kept in view.

In less than a century after their defeat, most of the conquered people

were brought over to the faith of their new rulers, either by force, or

policy, or the attractive power of a simpler form of creed. But many of

those who clung to the faith of their fathers, went and sought abroad

for a new home, where they might freely worship their old gods, say

their old prayers, and perform their old rites. That home they found at

last among the tolerant Hindoos, on the western coast of India and in

the peninsula of Guzerat. There they throve and there they live still,

while the ranks of their co-religionists in Persia are daily thinning

and dwindling away.[9]

As the Parsis are the ruins of a people, so are their sacred books the

ruins of a religion. There has been no other great belief in the world

that ever left such poor and meagre monuments of its past splendor. Yet

great is the value which that small book, the "Avesta," and the belief

of that scanty people, the Parsis, have in the eyes of the historian and

theologian, as they present to us the last reflex of the ideas which

prevailed in Iran during the five centuries which preceded and the seven

which followed the birth of Christ, a period which gave to the world the

Gospels, the Talmud, and the Qur'ân. Persia, it is known, had much

influence on each of the movements which produced, or proceeded from,

those three books; she lent much to the first heresiarchs, much to the

Rabbis, much to Mohammed. By help of the Parsi religion and the

"Avesta," we are enabled to go back to the very heart of that most

momentous period in the history of religious thought, which saw the

blending of the Aryan mind with the Semitic, and thus opened the second

stage of Aryan thought.

Inquiries into the religion of ancient Persia began long ago, and it was

the old enemy of Persia, the Greek, who first studied it. Aristotle,

Hermippus, and many others wrote of it in books of which, unfortunately,

nothing more than a few fragments or merely the titles have come down to

us. We find much valuable information about it, scattered in the

accounts of historians and travellers, extending over ten centuries,

from Herodotos down to Agathias and Procopius (from B.C. 450 to A.D.

550). The clearest and most faithful account of the Dualist doctrine is

found in the treatise _De Iside et Osiride_, ascribed to Plutarch. But

Zoroastrianism was never more eagerly studied than in the first

centuries of the Christian era, though without anything of the

disinterested and almost scientific curiosity of the earlier times.

Religious and philosophic sects, in search of new dogmas, eagerly

received whatever came to them bearing the name of Zoroaster. As Xanthos

the Lydian, who is said to have lived before Herodotos, had mentioned

Zoroastrianism, there came to light, in those later times, scores of

oracles, styled "Oracula Chaldaïca sive Magica," the work of

Neo-Platonists who were but very remote disciples of the Median sage. As

his name had become the very emblem of wisdom, they would cover with it

the latest inventions of their ever-deepening theosophy. Zoroaster and

Plato were treated as if they had been philosophers of the same school,

and Hierocles expounded their doctrines in the same book. Proclus

collected seventy Tetrads of Zoroaster and wrote commentaries on them;

but we need hardly say that Zoroaster commented on by Proclus was

nothing more or less than Proclus commented on by himself. Prodicus, the

Gnostic, possessed secret books of Zoroaster; and, upon the whole, it

may be said that in the first centuries of Christianity, the religion of

Persia was more studied and less understood than it had ever been

before. The real object aimed at, in studying the old religion, was to

form a new one.

Throughout the Middle Ages nothing was known of Mazdeism but the name of

its founder, who from a Magus was converted into a magician and master

of the hidden sciences. It was not until the Renaissance that real

inquiry was resumed. The first step was to collect all the information

that could be gathered from Greek and Roman writers. That task was

undertaken and successfully completed by Barnabé Brisson. A nearer

approach to the original source was made in the following century by

Italian, English, and French travellers in Asia. Pietro della Valle,

Henry Lord, Mandelslo, Ovington, Chardin, Gabriel du Chinon, and

Tavernier, found Zoroaster's last followers in Persia and India, and

made known their existence, their manners, and the main features of

their belief to Europe. Gabriel du Chinon saw their books and recognized

that they were not all written in the same language, their original holy

writ being no longer understood except by means of translations and

commentaries in another tongue.

In the year 1700, a professor at Oxford, Thomas Hyde, the greatest

Orientalist of his time in Europe, made the first systematic attempt to

restore the history of the old Persian religion by combining the

accounts of the Mohammedan writers with "the true and genuine monuments

of ancient Persia." Unfortunately the so-called genuine monuments of

ancient Persia were nothing more than recent Persian compilations or

refacimenti. But notwithstanding this defect, which could hardly be

avoided then, and a distortion of critical acumen, the book of Thomas

Hyde was the first complete and true picture of modern Parsîism, and it

made inquiry into its history the order of the day. A warm appeal made

by him to the zeal of travellers, to seek for and procure at any price

the sacred books of the Parsis, did not remain ineffectual, and from

that time scholars bethought themselves of studying Parsîism in its own

home.

Eighteen years later, a countryman of Hyde, George Boucher, received

from the Parsis in Surat a copy of the Vendîdâd Sâda, which was brought

to England in 1723 by Richard Cobbe. But the old manuscript was a sealed

book, and the most that could then be made of it was to hang it by an

iron chain to the wall of the Bodleian Library, as a curiosity to be

shown to foreigners. A few years later, a Scotchman, named Fraser, went

to Surat, with the view of obtaining from the Parsis, not only their

books, but also a knowledge of their contents. He was not very

successful in the first undertaking, and utterly failed in the second.

In 1754 a young man, twenty years old, Anquetil Duperron, a scholar of

the _École des Langues Orientales_ in Paris, happened to see a

fac-simile of four leaves of the Oxford Vendîdâd, which had been sent

from England, a few years before, to Etienne Fourmont, the Orientalist.

He determined at once to give to France both the books of Zoroaster and

the first European translation of them. Too impatient to set off to wait

for a mission from the government which had been promised to him, he

enlisted as a private soldier in the service of the French East India

Company; he embarked at Lorient on February 24, 1755, and after three

years of endless adventures and dangers through the whole breadth of

Hindostan, at the very time when war was waging between France and

England, he arrived at last in Surat, where he stayed among the Parsis

for three years more. Here began another struggle, not less hard, but

more decisive, against the same mistrust and ill-will which had

disheartened Fraser; but he came out of it victorious, and prevailed at

last on the Parsis to part both with their books and their knowledge. He

came back to Paris on March 14, 1764, and deposited on the following day

at the _Bibliothèque Royale_ the whole of the "Zend-Avesta," and copies

of several traditional books. He spent ten years in studying the

material he had collected, and published in 1771 the first European

translation of the "Zend-Avesta."

A violent dispute broke out at once, as half the learned world denied

the authenticity of this "Avesta," which it pronounced a forgery. It was

the future founder of the Royal Asiatic Society, William Jones, a young

Oxonian then, who opened the war. He had been wounded to the quick by

the scornful tone adopted by Anquetil towards Hyde and a few other

English scholars: the "Zend-Avesta" suffered for the fault of its

introducer, Zoroaster for Anquetil. In a pamphlet written in French,

with a _verve_ and in a style which showed him to be a good disciple of

Voltaire, William Jones pointed out, and dwelt upon, the oddities and

absurdities with which the so-called sacred books of Zoroaster teemed.

It is true that Anquetil had given full scope to satire by the style he

had adopted: he cared very little for literary elegance, and did not

mind writing Zend and Persian in French; so the new and strange ideas he

had to express looked stranger still in the outlandish garb he gave

them. Yet it was less the style than the ideas that shocked the

contemporary of Voltaire. His main argument was that books, full of such

silly tales, of laws and rules so absurd, of descriptions of gods and

demons so grotesque, could not be the work of a sage like Zoroaster, nor

the code of a religion so much celebrated for its simplicity, wisdom,

and purity. His conclusion was that the "Avesta" was a rhapsody of some

modern Guebre. In fact, the only thing in which Jones succeeded was to

prove in a decisive manner that the ancient Persians were not equal to

the _lumières_ of the eighteenth century, and that the authors of the

"Avesta" had not read the "Encyclopédie."

Jones's censure was echoed in England by Sir John Chardin and

Richardson, in Germany by Meiners. Richardson tried to give a scientific

character to the attacks of Jones by founding them on philological

grounds. That the "Avesta" was a fabrication of modern times was shown,

he argued, by the number of Arabic words he fancied he found both in the

Zend and Pahlavi dialects, as no Arabic element was introduced into the

Persian idioms earlier than the seventh century; also by the harsh

texture of the Zend, contrasted with the rare euphony of the Persian;

and, lastly, by the radical difference between the Zend and Persian,

both in words and grammar. To these objections, drawn from the form, he

added another derived from the uncommon stupidity of the matter.

In Germany, Meiners, to the charges brought against the newly-found

books, added another of a new and unexpected kind, namely, that they

spoke of ideas unheard of before, and made known new things. "Pray, who

would dare ascribe to Zoroaster books in which are found numberless

names of trees, animals, men, and demons, unknown to the ancient

Persians; in which are invoked an incredible number of pure animals and

other things, which, as appears from the silence of ancient writers,

were never known, or at least never worshipped, in Persia? What Greek

ever spoke of Hôm, of Jemshîd, and of such other personages as the

fabricators of that rhapsody exalt with every kind of praise, as divine

heroes?"

Anquetil and the "Avesta" found an eager champion in the person of

Kleuker, professor in the University of Riga. As soon as the French

version of the "Avesta" appeared, he published a German translation of

it, and also of Anquetil's historical dissertations. Then, in a series

of dissertations of his own, he vindicated the authenticity of the Zend

books. Anquetil had already tried to show, in a memoir on Plutarch, that

the data of the "Avesta" fully agree with the account of the Magian

religion given in the treatise on "Isis and Osiris." Kleuker enlarged

the circle of comparison to the whole of ancient literature.

In the field of philology, he showed, as Anquetil had already done, that

Zend has no Arabic elements in it, and that Pahlavi itself, which is

more modern than Zend, does not contain any Arabic, but only Semitic

words of the Aramean dialect, which are easily accounted for by the

close relations of Persia with Aramean lands in the time of the

Sassanian kings. He showed, lastly, that Arabic words appear only in the

very books which Parsi tradition itself considers modern.

Another stanch upholder of the "Avesta" was the numismatologist Tychsen,

who, having begun to read the book with a prejudice against its

authenticity, quitted it with a conviction to the contrary. "There is

nothing in it," he writes, "but what befits remote ages, and a man

philosophizing in the infancy of the world. Such traces of a recent

period as they fancy to have found in it, are either due to

misunderstandings, or belong to its later portions. On the whole there

is a marvellous accordance between the 'Zend-Avesta' and the accounts of

the ancients with regard to the doctrine and institutions of Zoroaster.

Plutarch agrees so well with the Zend books that I think no one will

deny the close resemblance of doctrines and identity of origin. Add to

all this the incontrovertible argument to be drawn from the language,

the antiquity of which is established by the fact that it was necessary

to translate a part of the Zend books into Pahlavi, a language which was

growing obsolete as early as the time of the Sassanides. Lastly, it

cannot be denied that Zoroaster left books which were, through

centuries, the groundwork of the Magic religion, and which were

preserved by the Magi, as shown by a series of documents from the time

of Hermippus. Therefore I am unable to see why we should not trust the

Magi of our days when they ascribe to Zoroaster those traditional books

of their ancestors, in which nothing is found to indicate fraud or a

modern hand."

Two years afterwards, in 1793, was published in Paris a book which,

without directly dealing with the "Avesta," was the first step taken to

make its authenticity incontrovertible. It was the masterly memoir by

Sylvestre de Sacy, in which the Pahlavi inscriptions of the first

Sassanides were deciphered for the first time and in a decisive manner.

De Sacy, in his researches, had chiefly relied on the Pahlavi lexicon

published by Anquetil, whose work vindicated itself thus--better than by

heaping up arguments--by promoting discoveries. The Pahlavi inscriptions

gave the key, as is well-known, to the Persian cuneiform inscriptions,

which were in return to put beyond all doubt the genuineness of the Zend

language.

Tychsen, in an appendix to his Commentaries, pointed to the importance

of the new discovery: "This," he writes, "is a proof that the Pahlavi

was used during the reign of the Sassanides, for it was from them that

these inscriptions emanated, as it was by them--nay, by the first of

them, Ardeshîr Bâbagân--that the doctrine of Zoroaster was revived. One

can now understand why the Zend books were translated into Pahlavi.

Here, too, everything agrees, and speaks loudly for their antiquity and

genuineness."

About the same time Sir William Jones, then president of the Royal

Asiatic Society, which he had just founded, resumed in a discourse

delivered before that society the same question he had solved in such an

off-hand manner twenty years before. He was no longer the man to say,

"_Sied-il à un homme né dans ce siècle de s'infatuer de fables

indiennes?_" and although he had still a spite against Anquetil, he

spoke of him with more reserve than in 1771. However, his judgment on

the "Avesta" itself was not altered on the whole, although, as he

himself declared, he had not thought it necessary to study the text. But

a glance at the Zend glossary published by Anquetil suggested to him a

remark which makes Sir William Jones, in spite of himself, the creator

of the comparative grammar of Sanscrit and Zend. "When I perused the

Zend glossary," he writes, "I was inexpressibly surprised to find that

six or seven words in ten are pure Sanscrit, and even some of their

inflexions formed by the rules of the Vyácaran, as yushmácam, the

genitive plural of yushmad. Now M. Anquetil most certainly, and the

Persian compiler most probably, had no knowledge of Sanscrit, and could

not, therefore, have invented a list of Sanscrit words; it is,

therefore, an authentic list of Zend words, which has been preserved in

books or by tradition; it follows that the language of the Zend was at

least a dialect of the Sanscrit, approaching perhaps as nearly to it as

the Prácrit, or other popular idioms, which we know to have been spoken

in India two thousand years ago." This conclusion, that Zend is a

Sanscrit dialect, was incorrect, the connection assumed being too close;

but it was a great thing that the near relationship of the two languages

should have been brought to light.

In 1798 Father Paulo de St. Barthélemy further developed Jones's remark

in an essay on the antiquity of the Zend language. He showed its

affinity with the Sanscrit by a list of such Zend and Sanscrit words as

were least likely to have been borrowed, viz., those that designate the

degrees of relationship, the limbs of the body, and the most general and

essential ideas. Another list, intended to show, on a special topic, how

closely connected the two languages are, contains eighteen words taken

from the liturgic language used in India and Persia. This list was not

very happily drawn up, as out of the eighteen instances there is not a

single one that stands inquiry; yet it was a happy idea, and one which

has not even yet yielded all that it promised. His conclusions were that

in a far remote antiquity Sanscrit was spoken in Persia and Media, that

it gave birth to the Zend language, and that the "Zend-Avesta" is

authentic: "Were it but a recent compilation," he writes, "as Jones

asserts, how is it that the oldest rites of the Parsis, that the old

inscriptions of the Persians, the accounts of the Zoroastrian religion

by the classical writers, the liturgic prayers of the Parsis, and,

lastly, even their books do not reveal the pure Sanscrit, as written in

the land wherein the Parsis live, but a mixed language, which is as

different from the other dialects of India as French is from Italian?"

This amounted, in fact, to saying that the Zend is not derived from the

Sanscrit, but that both are derived from another and older language. The

Carmelite had a dim notion of that truth, but, as he failed to express

it distinctly, it was lost for years, and had to be rediscovered.

The first twenty-five years of this century were void of results, but

the old and sterile discussions as to the authenticity of the texts

continued in England. In 1808 John Leyden regarded Zend as a Prácrit

dialect, parallel to Pali; Pali being identical with the Magadhi dialect

and Zend with the Sauraseni. In the eyes of Erskine, Zend was a Sanscrit

dialect, imported from India by the founders of Mazdeism, but never

spoken in Persia. His main argument was that Zend is not mentioned among

the seven dialects which were current in ancient Persia according to the

Farhang-i Jehangiri, and that Pahlavi and Persian exhibit no close

relationship with Zend.

In Germany, Meiners had found no followers. The theologians appealed to

the "Avesta," in their polemics, and Rhode sketched the religious

history of Persia after the translations of Anquetil.

Erskine's essay provoked a decisive answer from Emmanuel Rask, one of

the most gifted minds in the new school of philology, who had the honor

of being a precursor of both Grimm and Burnouf. He showed that the list

of the Jehangiri referred to an epoch later than that to which Zend must

have belonged, and to parts of Persia different from those where it must

have been spoken; he showed further that modern Persian is not derived

from Zend, but from a dialect closely connected with it; and, lastly, he

showed what was still more important, that Zend was not derived from

Sanscrit. As to the system of its sounds, Zend approaches Persian rather

than Sanscrit; and as to its grammatical forms, if they often remind one

of Sanscrit, they also often remind one of Greek and Latin, and

frequently have a special character of their own. Rask also gave the

paradigm of three Zend nouns, belonging to different declensions, as

well as the right pronunciation of the Zend letters, several of which

had been incorrectly given by Anquetil. This was the first essay on Zend

grammar, and it was a masterly one.

The essay published in 1831 by Peter von Bohlen on the origin of the

Zend language threw the matter forty years back. According to him, Zend

is a Prácrit dialect, as it had been pronounced by Jones, Leyden, and

Erskine. His mistake consisted in taking Anquetil's transcriptions of

the words, which are often so incorrect as to make them look like

corrupted forms when compared with Sanscrit. And, what was worse, he

took the proper names in their modern Parsi forms, which often led him

to comparisons that would have appalled Ménage. Thus Ahriman became a

Sanscrit word ariman, which would have meant "the fiend"; yet Bohlen

might have seen in Anquetil's work itself that Ahriman is nothing but

the modern form of Angra Mainyu, words which hardly remind one of the

Sanscrit ariman. Again, the angel Vohu-manô, or "good thought," was

reduced, by means of the Parsi form Bahman, to the Sanscrit bâhumân, "a

long-armed god."

At length came Burnouf. From the time when Anquetil had published his

translation, that is to say during seventy years, no real progress had

been made in knowledge of the Avesta texts. The notion that Zend and

Sanscrit are two kindred languages was the only new idea that had been

acquired, but no practical advantage for the interpretation of the texts

had resulted from it. Anquetil's translation was still the only guide,

and as the doubts about the authenticity of the texts grew fainter, the

authority of the translation became greater, the trust reposed in the

"Avesta" being reflected on to the work of its interpreter. The Parsis

had been the teachers of Anquetil; and who could ever understand the

holy writ of the Parsis better than the Parsis themselves? There was no

one who even tried to read the texts by the light of Anquetil's

translation, to obtain a direct understanding of them.

About 1825 Eugène Burnouf was engaged in a course of researches on the

geographical extent of the Aryan languages in India. After he had

defined the limits which divide the races speaking Aryan languages from

the native non-brahmanical tribes in the south, he wanted to know if a

similar boundary had ever existed in the northwest; and if it is outside

of India that the origin of the Indian languages and civilization is to

be sought for. He was thus led to study the languages of Persia, and,

first of all, the oldest of them, the Zend. But as he tried to read the

texts by help of Anquetil's translation, he was surprised to find that

this was not the clue he had expected. He saw that two causes had misled

Anquetil: on the one hand, his teachers, the Parsi dasturs, either knew

little themselves or taught him imperfectly, not only the Zend, but even

the Pahlavi intended to explain the meaning of the Zend; so that the

tradition on which his work rested, being incorrect in itself, corrupted

it from the very beginning; on the other hand, as Sanscrit was unknown

to him and comparative grammar did not as yet exist, he could not supply

the defects of tradition by their aid. Burnouf, laying aside tradition

as found in Anquetil's translation, consulted it as found in a much

older and purer form, in a Sanscrit translation of the Yasna made in the

fifteenth century by the Parsi Neriosengh in accordance with the old

Pahlavi version. The information given by Neriosengh he tested, and

either confirmed or corrected, by a comparison of parallel passages and

by the help of comparative grammar, which had just been founded by Bopp,

and applied by him successfully to the explanation of Zend forms. Thus

he succeeded in tracing the general outlines of the Zend lexicon and in

fixing its grammatical forms, and founded the only correct method of

interpreting the "Avesta." He also gave the first notions of a

comparative mythology of the "Avesta" and the "Veda," by showing the

identity of the "Vedic Yama" with the "Avesta Yima," and of Traitâna

with Thraêtaona and Ferìdûn. Thus he made his "Commentaire sur le Yasna"

a marvellous and unparalleled model of critical insight and steady good

sense, equally opposed to the narrowness of mind which clings to matters

of fact without rising to their cause and connecting them with the

series of associated phenomena, and to the wild and uncontrolled spirit

of comparison, which, by comparing everything, confounds everything.

Never sacrificing either tradition to comparison or comparison to

tradition he knew how to pass from the one to the other, and was so

enabled both to discover facts and to explain them.

At the same time the ancient Persian inscriptions at Persepolis and

Behistun were deciphered by Burnouf in Paris, by Lassen in Bonn, and by

Sir Henry Rawlinson in Persia. Thus was revealed the existence, at the

time of the first Achaemenian kings, of a language closely connected

with that of the "Avesta," and the last doubts as to the authenticity of

the Zend books were at length removed. It would have required more than

an ordinary amount of scepticism to look still upon the Zend as an

artificial language, of foreign importation, without root in the land

where it was written, and in the conscience of the people for whom it

was written, at the moment when a twin language, bearing a striking

likeness to it in nearly every feature, was suddenly making itself heard

from the mouth of Darius, and speaking from the very tomb of the first

Achaemenian king. That unexpected voice silenced all controversies, and

the last echoes of the loud discussion which had been opened in 1771

died away unheeded.

[Footnote 9: A century ago, it is said, they still numbered nearly

100,000 souls; but there now remain no more than 8,000 or 9,000,

scattered in Yazd and the surrounding villages. Houtum-Schindler gave

8,499 in 1879; of that number there were 6,483 in Yazd, 1,756 in Kirmân,

150 in Teherân.]

SELECTIONS FROM THE ZEND-AVESTA

THE CREATION[10]

Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathustra, saying:--

"I have made every land dear to its people, even though it had no charms

whatever in it: had I not made every land dear to its people, even

though it had no charms whatever in it, then the whole living world

would have invaded the Airyana Vaêgô. The first of the good lands and

countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the Airyana Vaêgô, by the

Vanguhi Dâitya. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he

counter-created the serpent in the river and Winter, a work of the

Devas. There are ten winter months there, two summer months; and those

are cold for the waters, cold for the earth, cold for the trees. Winters

fall there, the worst of all plagues. The second of the good lands and

countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the plain which the

Sughdhas inhabit. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he

counter-created the locust, which brings death unto cattle and plants.

The third of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created,

was the strong, holy Môuru. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all

death, and he counter-created plunder and sin. The fourth of the good

lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the beautiful

Bâkhdhi with high-lifted banners. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is

all death, and he counter-created the ants and the ant-hills. The fifth

of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was

Nisâya, that lies between Môuru and Bâkhdhi. Thereupon came Angra

Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the sin of unbelief.

The sixth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created,

was the house-deserting Harôyu. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all

death, and he counter-created tears and wailing. The seventh of the good

lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Vaêkereta, of the

evil shadows. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he

counter-created the Pairika Knâthaiti, who clave unto Keresâspa. The

eighth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created,

was Urva of the rich pastures. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all

death, and he counter-created the sin of pride. The ninth of the good

lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Khnenta which the

Vehrkânas inhabit. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he

counter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the unnatural

sin. The tenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda,

created, was the beautiful Harahvaiti. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who

is all death, and he counter-created a sin for which there is no

atonement, the burying of the dead. The eleventh of the good lands and

countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the bright, glorious

Haêtumant. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he

counter-created the evil work of witchcraft. And this is the sign by

which it is known, this is that by which it is seen at once: wheresoever

they may go and raise a cry of sorcery, there the worst works of

witchcraft go forth. From there they come to kill and strike at heart,

and they bring locusts as many as they want. The twelfth of the good

lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Ragha of the

three races. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he

counter-created the sin of utter unbelief. The thirteenth of the good

lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the strong, holy

Kakhra. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he

counter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the cooking of

corpses. The fourteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura

Mazda, created, was the four-cornered Varena, for which was born

Thraêtaona, who smote Azi Dahâka. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is

all death, and he counter-created abnormal issues in women and barbarian

oppression. The fifteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura

Mazda, created, was the Seven Rivers. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who

is all death, and he counter-created abnormal issues in women and

excessive heat. The sixteenth of the good lands and countries which I,

Ahura Mazda, created, was the land by the sources of the Rangha, where

people live who have no chiefs. Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all

death, and he counter-created Winter, a work of the Devas. There are

still other lands and countries, beautiful and deep, longing and asking

for the good, and bright."

[Footnote 10: This chapter is an enumeration of sixteen perfect lands

created by Ahura Mazda, and of as many plagues created in opposition by

Angra Mainyu. Many attempts have been made, not only to identify these

sixteen lands, but also to draw historical conclusions from their order

of succession, as representing the actual order of the migrations and

settlements of the old Iranian tribes. But there is nothing in the text

to support such wide inferences. We have here nothing more than a

geographical description of Iran, seen from the religious point of

view.]

MYTH OF YIMA

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

"O Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world,

thou Holy One! Who was the first mortal, before myself, Zarathustra,

with whom thou, Ahura Mazda, didst converse, whom thou didst teach the

Religion of Ahura, the Religion of Zarathustra?"

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The fair Yima, the good shepherd, O holy Zarathustra! he was the first

mortal, before thee, Zarathustra, with whom I, Ahura Mazda, did

converse, whom I taught the Religion of Ahura, the Religion of

Zarathustra. Unto him, O Zarathustra, I, Ahura Mazda, spake, saying:

'Well, fair Yima, son of Vîvanghat, be thou the preacher and the bearer

of my Religion!' And the fair Yima, O Zarathustra, replied unto me,

saying: 'I was not born, I was not taught to be the preacher and the

bearer of thy Religion.' Then I, Ahura Mazda, said thus unto him, O

Zarathustra, 'Since thou dost not consent to be the preacher and the

bearer of my Religion, then make thou my world increase, make my world

grow: consent thou to nourish, to rule, and to watch over my world.' And

the fair Yima replied unto me, O Zarathustra, saying: 'Yes! I will make

thy world increase, I will make thy world grow. Yes! I will nourish, and

rule, and watch over thy world. There shall be, while I am king, neither

cold wind nor hot wind, neither disease nor death.' Then I, Ahura Mazda,

brought two implements unto him: a golden seal and a poniard inlaid with

gold. Behold, here Yima bears the royal sway! Thus, under the sway of

Yima, three hundred winters passed away, and the earth was replenished

with flocks and herds, with men and dogs and birds and with red blazing

fires, and there was room no more for flocks, herds, and men. Then I

warned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fair Yima, son of Vîvanghat, the earth

has become full of flocks and herds, of men and dogs and birds and of

red blazing fires, and there is room no more for flocks, herds, and

men.' Then Yima stepped forward, in light, southwards, on the way of the

sun, and afterwards he pressed the earth with the golden seal, and bored

it with the poniard, speaking thus: 'O Spenta Ârmaiti, kindly open

asunder and stretch thyself afar, to bear flocks and herds and men.' And

Yima made the earth grow larger by one-third than it was before, and

there came flocks and herds and men, at their will and wish, as many as

he wished. Thus, under the sway of Yima, six hundred winters passed

away, and the earth was replenished with flocks and herds, with men and

dogs and birds and with red blazing fires, and there was room no more

for flocks, herds, and men. And I warned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fair

Yima, son of Vîvanghat, the earth has become full of flocks and herds,

of men and dogs and birds and of red blazing fires, and there is room no

more for flocks, herds, and men.'

"Then Yima stepped forward, in light, southwards, on the way of the sun,

and afterwards he pressed the earth with the golden seal, and bored it

with the poniard, speaking thus: 'O Spenta Ârmaiti, kindly open asunder

and stretch thyself afar, to bear flocks and herds and men.' And Yima

made the earth grow larger by two-thirds than it was before, and there

came flocks and herds and men, at their will and wish, as many as he

wished. Thus, under the sway of Yima, nine hundred winters passed away,

and the earth was replenished with flocks and herds, with men and dogs

and birds and with red blazing fires, and there was room no more for

flocks, herds, and men. And I warned the fair Yima, saying: 'O fair

Yima, son of Vîvanghat, the earth has become full of flocks and herds,

of men and dogs and birds and of red blazing fires, and there is room no

more for flocks, herds, and men.' Then Yima stepped forward, in light,

southwards, on the way of the sun, and afterwards he pressed the earth

with the golden seal, and bored it with the poniard, speaking thus: 'O

Spenta Ârmaiti, kindly open asunder and stretch thyself afar, to bear

flocks and herds and men.' And Yima made the earth grow larger by

three-thirds than it was before, and there came flocks and herds and

men, at their will and wish, as many as he wished."

THE EARTH

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first place

where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place

whereon one of the faithful steps forward, O Spitama Zarathustra! with

the log in his hand, the Baresma in his hand, the milk in his hand, the

mortar in his hand, lifting up his voice in good accord with religion,

and beseeching Mithra, the lord of the rolling country-side, and Râma

Hvâstra." O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the

second place where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It

is the place whereon one of the faithful erects a house with a priest

within, with cattle, with a wife, with children, and good herds within;

and wherein afterwards the cattle continue to thrive, virtue to thrive,

fodder to thrive, the dog to thrive, the wife to thrive, the child to

thrive, the fire to thrive, and every blessing of life to thrive." O

Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the third place

where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place

where one of the faithful sows most corn, grass, and fruit, O Spitama

Zarathustra! where he waters ground that is dry, or drains ground that

is too wet." O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the

fourth place where the Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It

is the place where there is most increase of flocks and herds." O Maker

of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the fifth place where the

Earth feels most happy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the place where

flocks and herds yield most dung."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the first place

where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the

neck of Arezûra, whereon the hosts of fiends rush forth from the burrow

of the Drug." O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the

second place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered:

"It is the place wherein most corpses of dogs and of men lie buried." O

Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the third place

where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is the

place whereon stand most of those Dakhmas on which the corpses of men

are deposited." O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is

the fourth place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda

answered: "It is the place wherein are most burrows of the creatures of

Angra Mainyu." O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is

the fifth place where the Earth feels sorest grief? Ahura Mazda

answered: "It is the place whereon the wife and children of one of the

faithful, O Spitama Zarathustra! are driven along the way of captivity,

the dry, the dusty way, and lift up a voice of wailing."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the first that

rejoices the Earth with greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is he

who digs out of it most corpses of dogs and men." O Maker of the

material world, thou Holy One! Who is the second that rejoices the Earth

with greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is he who pulls down most

of those Dakhmas on which the corpses of men are deposited. Let no man

alone by himself carry a corpse. If a man alone by himself carry a

corpse, the Nasu rushes upon him. This Drug Nasu falls upon and stains

him, even to the end of the nails, and he is unclean, thenceforth,

forever and ever." O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What

shall be the place of that man who has carried a corpse alone? Ahura

Mazda answered: "It shall be the place on this earth wherein is least

water and fewest plants, whereof the ground is the cleanest and the

driest and the least passed through by flocks and herds, by the fire of

Ahura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the

faithful." O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How far from

the fire? How far from the water? How far from the consecrated bundles

of Baresma? How far from the faithful? Ahura Mazda answered: "Thirty

paces from the fire, thirty paces from the water, thirty paces from the

consecrated bundles of Baresma, three paces from the faithful. There, on

that place, shall the worshippers of Mazda erect an enclosure, and

therein shall they establish him with food, therein shall they establish

him with clothes, with the coarsest food and with the most worn-out

clothes. That food he shall live on, those clothes he shall wear, and

thus shall they let him live, until he has grown to the age of a Hana,

or of a Zaurura, or of a Pairista-khshudra. And when he has grown to the

age of a Hana, or of a Zaurura, or of a Pairista-khshudra, then the

worshippers of Mazda shall order a man strong, vigorous, and skilful, to

cut the head off his neck, in his enclosure on the top of the mountain:

and they shall deliver his corpse unto the greediest of the

corpse-eating creatures made by the beneficent Spirit, unto the

vultures, with these words: 'The man here has repented of all his evil

thoughts, words, and deeds. If he has committed any other evil deed, it

is remitted by his repentance: if he has committed no other evil deed,

he is absolved by his repentance, forever and ever.'" O Maker of the

material world, thou Holy One! Who is the third that rejoices the Earth

with greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is he who fills up most

burrows of the creatures of Angra Mainyu." O Maker of the material

world, thou Holy One! Who is the fourth that rejoices the Earth with

greatest joy? Ahura Mazda answered: "It is he who sows most corn, grass,

and fruit, O Spitama Zarathustra! who waters ground that is dry, or

drains ground that is too wet. Unhappy is the land that has long lain

unsown with the seed of the sower and wants a good husbandman, like a

well-shapen maiden who has long gone childless and wants a good husband.

He who would till the earth, O Spitama Zarathustra! with the left arm

and the right, with the right arm and the left, unto him will she bring

forth plenty of fruit: even as it were a lover sleeping with his bride

on her bed; the bride will bring forth children, the earth will bring

forth plenty of fruit. He who would till the earth, O Spitama

Zarathustra! with the left arm and the right, with the right arm and the

left, unto him thus says the Earth: 'O thou man! who dost till me with

the left arm and the right, with the right arm and the left, here shall

I ever go on bearing, bringing forth all manner of food, bringing corn

first to thee.' He who does not till the Earth, O Spitama Zarathustra!

with the left arm and the right, with the right arm and the left, unto

him thus says the Earth: 'O thou man! who dost not till me with the left

arm and the right, with the right arm and the left, ever shalt thou

stand at the door of the stranger, among those who beg for bread; the

refuse and the crumbs of the bread are brought unto thee, brought by

those who have profusion of wealth.'"

O maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What is the food that

fills the Religion of Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is sowing corn again and again, O Spitama Zarathustra! He who sows

corn, sows righteousness: he makes the Religion of Mazda walk, he

suckles the Religion of Mazda; as well as he could do with a hundred

man's feet, with a thousand woman's breasts, with ten thousand

sacrificial formulas. When barley was created, the Devas started up;

when it grew, then fainted the Devas' hearts; when the knots came, the

Devas groaned; when the ear came, the Devas flew away. In that house the

Devas stay, wherein wheat perishes. It is as though red hot iron were

turned about in their throats, when there is plenty of corn. Then let

people learn by heart this holy saying: 'No one who does not eat, has

strength to do heavy works of holiness, strength to do works of

husbandry, strength to beget children. By eating every material creature

lives, by not eating it dies away.'"

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the fifth that

rejoices the Earth with greatest joy?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is he who kindly and piously gives to one of the faithful who tills

the earth, O Spitama Zarathustra! He who would not kindly and piously

give to one of the faithful who tills the earth, O Spitama Zarathustra!

Spenta Ârmaiti will throw him down into darkness, down into the world of

woe, the world of hell, down into the deep abyss."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in the

earth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shall

not disinter it within half a year, what is the penalty that he shall

pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Five hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, five hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in the

earth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shall

not disinter it within a year, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall bury in the

earth either the corpse of a dog or the corpse of a man, and if he shall

not disinter it within the second year, what is the penalty for it? What

is the atonement for it? What is the cleansing from it?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"For that deed there is nothing that can pay, nothing that can atone,

nothing that can cleanse from it; it is a trespass for which there is no

atonement, forever and ever."

When is it so?

"It is so, if the sinner be a professor of the Religion of Mazda, or one

who has been taught in it. But if he be not a professor of the Religion

of Mazda, nor one who has been taught in it, then his sin is taken from

him, if he makes confession of the Religion of Mazda and resolves never

to commit again such forbidden deeds.

"The Religion of Mazda indeed, O Spitama Zarathustra! takes away from

him who makes confession of it the bonds of his sin; it takes away the

sin of breach of trust; it takes away the sin of murdering one of the

faithful; it takes away the sin of burying a corpse; it takes away the

sin of deeds for which there is no atonement; it takes away the worst

sin of usury; it takes away any sin that may be sinned. In the same way

the Religion of Mazda, O Spitama Zarathustra! cleanses the faithful from

every evil thought, word, and deed, as a swift-rushing mighty wind

cleanses the plain. So let all the deeds he doeth be henceforth good, O

Zarathustra! a full atonement for his sin is effected by means of the

Religion of Mazda."

CONTRACTS AND OUTRAGES[11]

"He that does not restore a loan to the man who lent it, steals the

thing and robs the man. This he doeth every day, every night, as long as

he keep in his house his neighbor's property, as though it were his

own."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How many in number are thy

contracts, O Ahura Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They are six in number, O holy Zarathustra. The first is the

word-contract; the second is the hand-contract; the third is the

contract to the amount of a sheep; the fourth is the contract to the

amount of an ox; the fifth is the contract to the amount of a man; the

sixth is the contract to the amount of a field, a field in good land, a

fruitful one, in good bearing. The word-contract is fulfilled by words

of mouth. It is cancelled by the hand-contract; he shall give as damages

the amount of the hand-contract. The hand-contract is cancelled by the

sheep-contract; he shall give as damages the amount of the

sheep-contract. The sheep-contract is cancelled by the ox-contract; he

shall give as damages the amount of the ox-contract. The ox-contract is

cancelled by the man-contract; he shall give as damages the amount of

the man-contract. The man-contract is cancelled by the field-contract;

he shall give as damages the amount of the field-contract."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

word-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for three hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

hand-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for six hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

sheep-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for seven hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

ox-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for eight hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

man-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for nine hundred years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

field-contract, how many are involved in his sin?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for a thousand years."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

word-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Three hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, three hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

hand-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Six hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, six hundred stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

sheep-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Seven hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seven hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

ox-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Eight hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, eight hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

man-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Nine hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, nine hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the

field-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

If a man rise up with a weapon in his hand, it is an Âgerepta. If he

brandish it, it is an Avaoirista. If he actually smite a man with

malicious aforethought, it is an Aredus. Upon the fifth Aredus he

becomes a Peshôtanu.

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! He that committeth an

Âgerepta, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Five stripes with the Aspahê-astra, five stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana; on the second Âgerepta, ten stripes with the

Aspahê-astra, ten stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, fifteen

stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteen stripes with the Sraoshô-karana;

on the fourth, thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana; on the fifth, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra,

fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the sixth, sixty stripes with

the Aspahê-astra, sixty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the seventh,

ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

If a man commit an Âgerepta for the eighth time, without having atoned

for the preceding, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

If a man commit an Âgerepta, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty

shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an

Avaoirista, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Ten stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ten stripes with the Sraoshô-karana;

on the second Avaoirista, fifteen stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteen

stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, thirty stripes with the

Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fourth,

fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana; on the fifth, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra,

seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the sixth, ninety stripes

with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an

Avaoirista for the seventh time, without having atoned for the

preceding, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an

Avaoirista, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus,

what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Fifteen stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteen stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana.

"On the second Aredus, thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty

stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, fifty stripes with the

Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fourth,

seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana; on the fifth, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra,

ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus

for the sixth time, without having atoned for the preceding, what

penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus,

and refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another and

hurt him sorely, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana; the second time, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra,

fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the third time, seventy stripes

with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the

fourth time, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

If a man commit that deed for the fifth time, without having atoned for

the preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

If a man commit that deed and refuse to atone for it, what is the

penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so

that the blood come, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana; the second time, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra,

seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the third time, ninety stripes

with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

If he commit that deed for the fourth time, without having atoned for

the preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so

that the blood come, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is the

penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so

that he break a bone, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana; the second time, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra,

ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

If he commit that deed for the third time, without having atoned for the

preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so

that he break a bone, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is the

penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so

that he give up the ghost, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

If he commit that deed again, without having atoned for the preceding,

what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so

that he give up the ghost, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is the

penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana.

"And they shall thenceforth in their doings walk after the way of

holiness, after the word of holiness, after the ordinance of holiness.

"If men of the same faith, either friends or brothers, come to an

agreement together, that one may obtain from the other either goods, or

a wife, or knowledge, let him who desires goods have them delivered to

him; let him who desires a wife receive and wed her; let him who desires

knowledge be taught the holy word, during the first part of the day and

the last, during the first part of the night and the last, that his mind

may be increased in intelligence and wax strong in holiness. So shall he

sit up, in devotion and prayers, that he may be increased in

intelligence: he shall rest during the middle part of the day, during

the middle part of the night, and thus shall he continue until he can

say all the words which former Aêthra-paitis have said.

"Before the boiling water publicly prepared, O Spitama Zarathustra! let

no one make bold to deny having received from his neighbor the ox or the

garment in his possession.

"Verily I say it unto thee, O Spitama Zarathustra! the man who has a

wife is far above him who lives in continence; he who keeps a house is

far above him who has none; he who has children is far above the

childless man; he who has riches is far above him who has none. And of

two men, he who fills himself with meat receives in him Vohu Manô much

better than he who does not do so; the latter is all but dead; the

former is above him by the worth of an Asperena, by the worth of a

sheep, by the worth of an ox, by the worth of a man. This man can strive

against the onsets of Astô-vidhôtu; he can strive against the

well-darted arrow; he can strive against the winter fiend, with thinnest

garment on; he can strive against the wicked tyrant and smite him on the

head; he can strive against the ungodly fasting Ashemaogha.

"On the very first time when that deed has been done, without waiting

until it is done again, down there the pain for that deed shall be as

hard as any in this world: even as if one should cut off the limbs from

his perishable body with knives of brass, or still worse; down there the

pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: even as if one

should nail his perishable body with nails of brass, or still worse;

down there the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world:

even as if one should by force throw his perishable body headlong down a

precipice a hundred times the height of a man, or still worse; down

there the pain for that deed shall be as hard as any in this world: even

as if one should by force impale his perishable body, or still worse;

down there the pain for this deed shall be as hard as any in this world:

to-wit, the deed of a man, who, knowingly lying, confronts the

brimstoned, golden, truth-knowing water with an appeal unto Rashnu and a

lie unto Mithra."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! He who, knowingly lying,

confronts the brimstoned, golden, truth-knowing water with an appeal

unto Rashnu and a lie unto Mithra, what is the penalty that he shall

pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Seven hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seven hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

[Footnote 11: This chapter is the only one in the Vendîdâd that deals

with legal subjects.]

UNCLEANNESS[12]

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Here is a man watering a

corn-field. The water streams down the field; it streams again; it

streams a third time; and the fourth time, a dog, a fox, or a wolf

carries some Nasu into the bed of the stream: what is the penalty that

this man shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"There is no sin upon a man for any Nasu that has been brought by dogs,

by birds, by wolves, by winds, or by flies. For were there sin upon a

man for any Nasu that might have been brought by dogs, by birds, by

wolves, by winds, or by flies, how soon all this material world of mine

would be only one Peshôtanu, bent on the destruction of righteousness,

and whose soul will cry and wail! so numberless are the beings that die

upon the face of the earth."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Does water kill?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Water kills no man: Astô-vîdhôtu binds him, and, thus bound, Vayu

carries him off; and the flood takes him up, the flood takes him down,

the flood throws him ashore; then birds feed upon him. When he goes

away, it is by the will of Fate he goes."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Does fire kill?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Fire kills no man: Astô-vîdhôtu binds him, and, thus bound, Vayu

carries him off; and the fire burns up life and limb. When he goes away,

it is by the will of Fate he goes."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If the summer is past and

the winter has come, what shall the worshippers of Mazda do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"In every house, in every borough, they shall raise three rooms for the

dead."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How large shall be those

rooms for the dead?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Large enough not to strike the skull of the man, if he should stand

erect, or his feet or his hands stretched out: such shall be, according

to the law, the rooms for the dead. And they shall let the lifeless body

lie there, for two nights, or for three nights, or a month long, until

the birds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow,

and the wind to dry up the earth. And as soon as the birds begin to fly,

the plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow, and the wind to dry up

the earth, then the worshippers of Mazda shall lay down the dead on the

Dakhma, his eyes towards the sun. If the worshippers of Mazda have not,

within a year, laid down the dead on the Dakhma, his eyes towards the

sun, thou shalt prescribe for that trespass the same penalty as for the

murder of one of the faithful; until the corpse has been rained on,

until the Dakhma has been rained on, until the unclean remains have been

rained on, until the birds have eaten up the corpse."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Is it true that thou,

Ahura Mazda, seizest the waters from the sea Vouru-kasha with the wind

and the clouds? That thou, Ahura Mazda, takest them down to the corpses?

that thou, Ahura Mazda, takest them down to the Dakhmas? that thou,

Ahura Mazda, takest them down to the unclean remains? that thou, Ahura

Mazda, takest them down to the bones? and that then thou, Ahura Mazda,

makest them flow back unseen? that thou, Ahura Mazda, makest them flow

back to the sea Pûitika?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is even so as thou hast said, O righteous Zarathustra! I, Ahura

Mazda, seize the waters from the sea Vouru-kasha with the wind and the

clouds. I, Ahura Mazda, take them to the corpses; I, Ahura Mazda, take

them down to the Dakhmas; I, Ahura Mazda, take them down to the unclean

remains; I, Ahura Mazda, take them down to the bones; then I, Ahura

Mazda, make them flow back unseen; I, Ahura Mazda, make them flow back

to the sea Pûitika. The waters stand there boiling, boiling up in the

heart of the sea Pûitika, and, when cleansed there, they run back again

from the sea Pûitika to the sea Vouru-kasha, towards the well-watered

tree, whereon grow the seeds of my plants of every kind by hundreds, by

thousands, by hundreds of thousands. Those plants, I, Ahura Mazda, rain

down upon the earth, to bring food to the faithful, and fodder to the

beneficent cow; to bring food to my people that they may live on it, and

fodder to the beneficent cow.

"This is the best, this is the fairest of all things, even as thou hast

said, O pure Zarathustra!"

With these words, the holy Ahura Mazda rejoiced the holy Zarathustra:

"Purity is for man, next to life, the greatest good, that purity, O

Zarathustra, that is in the Religion of Mazda for him who cleanses his

own self with good thoughts, words, and deeds."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! This Law, this

fiend-destroying Law of Zarathustra, by what greatness, goodness, and

fairness is it great, good, and fair above all other utterances?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"As much above all other floods as is the sea Vouru-kasha, so much above

all other utterances in greatness, goodness, and fairness is this Law,

this fiend-destroying Law of Zarathustra. As much as a great stream

flows swifter than a slender rivulet, so much above all other utterances

in greatness, goodness, and fairness is this Law, this fiend-destroying

Law of Zarathustra. As high as the great tree stands above the small

plants it overshadows, so high above all other utterances in greatness,

goodness, and fairness is this Law, this fiend-destroying Law of

Zarathustra. As high as heaven is above the earth that it compasses

around, so high above all other utterances is this Law, this

fiend-destroying Law of Mazda. Therefore, he will apply to the Ratu, he

will apply to the Srao-shâ-varez; whether for a draona-service that

should have been undertaken and has not been undertaken; or for a draona

that should have been offered up and has not been offered up; or for a

draona that should have been intrusted and has not been intrusted. The

Ratu has power to remit him one-third of his penalty: if he has

committed any other evil deed, it is remitted by his repentance; if he

has committed no other evil deed, he is absolved by his repentance

forever and ever."

How long shall the piece of ground lie fallow whereon dogs or men have

died?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A year long shall the piece of ground lie fallow whereon dogs or men

have died, O holy Zarathustra! A year long shall no worshipper of Mazda

sow or water that piece of ground whereon dogs or men have died; he may

sow as he likes the rest of the ground; he may water it as he likes. If

within the year they shall sow or water the piece of ground whereon dogs

or men have died, they are guilty of the sin of 'burying the dead'

towards the water, towards the earth, and towards the plants."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If worshippers of Mazda

shall sow or water, within the year, the piece of ground whereon dogs or

men have died, what is the penalty that they shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They are Peshôtanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If worshippers of Mazda

want to till that piece of ground again, to water it, to sow it, and to

plough it, what shall they do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They shall look on the ground for any bones, hair, dung, urine, or

blood that may be there."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If they shall not look on

the ground for any bones, hair, dung, urine, or blood that may be there,

what is the penalty that they shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They are Peshôtanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on

the ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the top

joint of the little finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to

the ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on

the ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the top

joint of the fore-finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the

ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on

the ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as the top

joint of the middle finger, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to

the ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on

the ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as a finger

or as a rib, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the ground, what

penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on

the ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as two

fingers or as two ribs, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the

ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two

hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on

the ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as an

arm-bone or as a thigh-bone, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to

the ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Four hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, four hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on

the ground a bone of a dead dog, or of a dead man, as large as a man's

skull, and if grease or marrow flow from it on to the ground, what

penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Six hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, six hundred stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw on

the ground the whole body of a dead dog, or of a dead man, and if grease

or marrow flow from it on to the ground, what penalty shall he pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a worshipper of Mazda,

walking, or running, or riding, or driving, come upon a corpse in a

stream of running water, what shall he do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Taking off his shoes, putting off his clothes, while the others wait, O

Zarathustra! he shall enter the river, and take the dead out of the

water; he shall go down into the water ankle-deep, knee-deep,

waist-deep, or a man's full depth, till he can reach the dead body."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If, however, the body be

already falling to pieces and rotting, what shall the worshipper of

Mazda do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He shall draw out of the water as much of the corpse as he can grasp

with both hands, and he shall lay it down on the dry ground; no sin

attaches to him for any bone, hair, grease, dung, urine, or blood, that

may drop back into the water."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water in

a pond does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, and

pollution?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Six steps on each of the four sides. As long as the corpse has not been

taken out of the water, so long shall that water be unclean and unfit to

drink. They shall, therefore, take the corpse out of the pond, and lay

it down on the dry ground. And of the water they shall draw off the

half, or the third, or the fourth, or the fifth part, according as they

are able or not; and after the corpse has been taken out and the water

has been drawn off, the rest of the water is clean, and both cattle and

men may drink of it at their pleasure, as before."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water in

a well does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, and

pollution?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"As long as the corpse has not been taken out of the water, so long

shall that water be unclean and unfit to drink. They shall, therefore,

take the corpse out of the well, and lay it down on the dry ground. And

of the water in the well they shall draw off the half, or the third, or

the fourth, or the fifth part, according as they are able or not; and

after the corpse has been taken out and the water has been drawn off,

the rest of the water is clean, and both cattle and men may drink of it

at their pleasure, as before."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of a sheet of

snow or hail does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection, and

pollution?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Three steps on each of the four sides. As long as the corpse has not

been taken out of the water, so long shall that water be unclean and

unfit to drink. They shall, therefore, take the corpse out of the water,

and lay it down on the dry ground. After the corpse has been taken out,

and the snow or the hail has melted, the water is clean, and both cattle

and men may drink of it at their pleasure, as before."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What part of the water of

a running stream does the Drug Nasu defile with corruption, infection,

and pollution?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Three steps down the stream, nine steps up the stream, six steps

across. As long as the corpse has not been taken out of the water, so

long shall the water be unclean and unfit to drink. They shall,

therefore, take the corpse out of the water, and lay it down on the dry

ground. After the corpse has been taken out and the stream has flowed

three times, the water is clean, and both cattle and men may drink of it

at their pleasure, as before."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Can the Haoma that has

been touched with Nasu from a dead dog, or from a dead man, be made

clean again?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It can, O holy Zarathustra! If it has been prepared for the sacrifice,

there is to it no corruption, no death, no touch of any Nasu. If it has

not been prepared for the sacrifice, the stem is defiled the length of

four fingers: it shall be laid down on the ground, in the middle of the

house, for a year long. When the year is past, the faithful may drink of

its juice at their pleasure, as before."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Whither shall we bring,

where shall we lay the bodies of the dead, O Ahura Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"On the highest summits, where they know there are always corpse-eating

dogs and corpse-eating birds, O holy Zarathustra! There shall the

worshippers of Mazda fasten the corpse, by the feet and by the hair,

with brass, stones, or clay, lest the corpse-eating dogs and the

corpse-eating birds shall go and carry the bones to the water and to the

trees."

If they shall not fasten the corpse, so that the corpse-eating dogs and

the corpse-eating birds may go and carry the bones to the water and to

the trees, what is the penalty that they shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They shall be Peshôtanus: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra,

two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Whither shall we bring,

where shall we lay the bones of the dead, O Ahura Mazda?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The worshippers of Mazda shall make a receptacle out of the reach of

the dog, of the fox, and of the wolf, and wherein rain-water cannot

stay. They shall make it, if they can afford it, with stones, plaster,

or earth; if they cannot afford it, they shall lay down the dead man on

the ground, on his carpet and his pillow, clothed with the light of

heaven, and beholding the sun."

[Footnote 12: This chapter deals chiefly with uncleanness arising from

the dead, and with the means of removing it from men and things.]

FUNERALS AND PURIFICATION

If a dog or a man die under a hut of wood or a hut of felt, what shall

the worshippers of Mazda do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"They shall search for a Dakhma, they shall look for a Dakhma all

around. If they find it easier to remove the dead, they shall take out

the dead, they shall let the house stand, and shall perfume it with

Urvâsna or Vohú-gaona, or Vohú-kereti, or Hadhâ-naepata, or any other

sweet-smelling plant. If they find it easier to remove the house, they

shall take away the house, they shall let the dead lie on the spot, and

shall perfume the house with Urvâsna, or Vohú-gaona, or Vohú-kereti, or

Hadhâ-naêpata, or any other sweet-smelling plant."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If in the house of a

worshipper of Mazda a dog or a man happens to die, and it is raining, or

snowing, or blowing, or it is dark, or the day is at its end, when

flocks and men lose their way, what shall the worshippers of Mazda do?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The place in that house whereof the ground is the cleanest and the

driest, and the least passed through by flocks and herds, by the fire of

Ahura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the

faithful."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How far from the fire? How

far from the water? How far from the consecrated bundles of Baresma? How

far from the faithful?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Thirty paces from the fire; thirty paces from the water; thirty paces

from the consecrated bundles of Baresma; three paces from the

faithful;--on that place they shall dig a grave, half a foot deep if the

earth be hard, half the height of a man if it be soft; they shall cover

the surface of the grave with ashes or cow-dung; they shall cover the

surface of it with dust of bricks, of stones, or of dry earth. And they

shall let the lifeless body lie there, for two nights, or three nights,

or a month long, until the birds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the

hidden floods to flow, and the wind to dry up the earth. And when the

birds begin to fly, the plants to grow, the hidden floods to flow, and

the wind to dry up the earth, then the worshippers of Mazda shall make a

breach in the wall of the house, and two men, strong and skilful, having

stripped their clothes off, shall take up the body from the clay or the

stones, or from the plastered house, and they shall lay it down on a

place where they know there are always corpse-eating dogs and

corpse-eating birds. Afterwards the corpse-bearers shall sit down, three

paces from the dead, and the holy Ratu shall proclaim to the worshippers

of Mazda thus: 'Worshippers of Mazda, let the urine be brought here

wherewith the corpse-bearers there shall wash their hair and their

bodies.'"

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which is the urine

wherewith the corpse-bearers shall wash their hair and their bodies? Is

it of sheep or of oxen? Is it of man or of woman?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is of sheep or of oxen; not of man nor of woman, except a man or a

woman who has married the next-of-kin: these shall therefore procure the

urine wherewith the corpse-bearers shall wash their hair and their

bodies."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Can the way, whereon the

carcasses of dogs or corpses of men have been carried, be passed through

again by flocks and herds, by men and women, by the fire of Ahura Mazda,

by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the faithful?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It cannot be passed through again by flocks and herds, nor by men and

women, nor by the fire of Ahura Mazda, nor by the consecrated bundles of

Baresma, nor by the faithful. They shall therefore cause a yellow dog

with four eyes,[13] or a white dog with yellow ears, to go three times

through that way. When either the yellow dog with four eyes, or the

white dog with yellow ears, is brought there, then the Drug Nasu flies

away to the regions of the north, in the shape of a raging fly, with

knees and tail sticking out, droning without end, and like unto the

foulest Khrafstras. If the dog goes unwillingly, O Spitama Zarathustra,

they shall cause the yellow dog with four eyes, or the white dog with

yellow ears, to go six times through that way. When either the yellow

dog with four eyes, or the white dog with yellow ears, is brought there,

then the Drug Nasu flies away to the regions of the north, in the shape

of a raging fly, with knees and tail sticking out, droning without end,

and like unto the foulest Khrafstras. If the dog goes unwillingly, they

shall cause the yellow dog with four eyes, or the white dog with yellow

ears, to go nine times through that way. When either the yellow dog with

four eyes, or the white dog with yellow ears, has been brought there,

then the Drug Nasu flies away to the regions of the north, in the shape

of a raging fly, with knees and tail sticking out, droning without end,

and like unto the foulest Khrafstras. An Âthravan shall first go along

the way and shall say aloud these victorious words: 'Yathâ ahû

vairyô:--The will of the Lord is the law of righteousness. The gifts of

Vohu-manô to the deeds done in this world for Mazda. He who relieves the

poor makes Ahura king. What protector hast thou given unto me, O Mazda!

while the hate of the wicked encompasses me? Whom but thy Âtar and

Vohu-manô, through whose work I keep on the world of righteousness?

Reveal therefore to me thy Religion as thy rule! Who is the victorious

who will protect thy teaching? Make it clear that I am the guide for

both worlds. May Sraosha come with Vohu-manô and help whomsoever thou

pleasest, O Mazda! Keep us from our hater, O Mazda and Spenta Ârmaiti!

Perish, O fiendish Drug! Perish, O brood of the fiend! Perish, O

creation of the fiend! Perish, O world of the fiend! Perish away, O

Drug! Rush away, O Drug! Perish away, O Drug! Perish away to the regions

of the north, never more to give unto death the living world of

Righteousness!' Then the worshippers of Mazda may at their will bring by

those ways sheep and oxen, men and women, and Fire, the son of Ahura

Mazda, the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and the faithful. The

worshippers of Mazda may afterwards prepare meals with meat and wine in

that house; it shall be clean, and there will be no sin, as before."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw

clothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover the

feet, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Four hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, four hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw

clothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover both

legs, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Six hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, six hundred stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man shall throw

clothes, either of skin or woven, upon a dead body, enough to cover the

whole body, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with the

Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man, by force,

commits the unnatural sin, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Eight hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, eight hundred stripes with

the Sraoshô-karana."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man voluntarily

commits the unnatural sin, what is the penalty for it? What is the

atonement for it? What is the cleansing from it?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"For that deed there is nothing that can pay, nothing that can atone,

nothing that can cleanse from it; it is a trespass for which there is no

atonement, forever and ever."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who is the man that is a

Deva? Who is he that is a worshipper of the Devas? that is a male

paramour of the Devas? that is a female paramour of the Devas? that is a

wife to the Deva? that is as bad as a Deva? that is in his whole being a

Deva? Who is he that is a Deva before he dies, and becomes one of the

unseen Devas after death?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The man that lies with mankind as man lies with womankind, or as woman

lies with mankind, is the man that is a Deva; this one is the man that

is a worshipper of the Devas, that is a male paramour of the Devas, that

is a female paramour of the Devas, that is a wife to the Deva; this is

the man that is as bad as a Deva, that is in his whole being a Deva;

this is the man that is a Deva before he dies, and becomes one of the

unseen Devas after death: so is he, whether he has lain with mankind as

mankind, or as womankind."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Shall the man be clean who

has touched a corpse that has been dried up and dead more than a year?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"He shall. The dry mingles not with the dry. Should the dry mingle with

the dry, how soon all this material world of mine would be only one

Peshôtanu, bent on the destruction of righteousness, and whose soul will

cry and wail! so numberless are the beings that die upon the face of the

earth."

[Footnote 13: A dog with two spots above the eyes.]

CLEANSING THE UNCLEAN

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

O most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! To

whom shall they apply here below, who want to cleanse their body defiled

by the dead?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"To a pious man, O Spitama Zarathustra! who knows how to speak, who

speaks truth, who has learned the Holy Word, who is pious, and knows

best the rites of cleansing according to the law of Mazda. That man

shall fell the trees off the surface of the ground on a space of nine

Vibâzus square; in that part of the ground where there is least water

and where there are fewest trees, the part which is the cleanest and

driest, and the least passed through by sheep and oxen, and by the fire

of Ahura Mazda, by the consecrated bundles of Baresma, and by the

faithful."

How far from the fire? How far from the water? How far from the

consecrated bundles of Baresma? How far from the faithful?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Thirty paces from the fire, thirty paces from the water, thirty paces

from the consecrated bundles of Baresma, three paces from the faithful.

Then thou shalt dig a hole, two fingers deep if the summer has come,

four fingers deep if the winter and ice have come." How far from one

another? "One pace." How much is the pace? "As much as three feet. Then

thou shalt dig three holes more, two fingers deep if the summer has

come, four fingers deep if the winter and ice have come." How far from

the former six? "Three paces." What sort of paces? "Such as are taken in

walking." How much are those three paces? "As much as nine feet. Then

thou shalt draw a furrow all around with a metal knife. Then thou shalt

draw twelve furrows; three of which thou shalt draw to surround and

divide from the rest the first three holes; three thou shalt draw to

surround and divide the first six holes; three thou shalt draw to

surround and divide the nine holes; three thou shalt draw around the

three inferior holes, outside the six other holes. At each of the three

times nine feet, thou shalt place stones as steps to the holes; or

potsherds, or stumps, or clods, or any hard matter. Then the man defiled

shall walk to the holes; thou, O Zarathustra! shalt stand outside by the

furrow, and thou shalt recite, 'Nemaskâ yâ ârmaitis izâkâ'; and the man

defiled shall repeat, 'Nemaskâ yâ ârmaitis izâkâ.' The Drug becomes

weaker and weaker at every one of those words which are a weapon to

smite the fiend Angra Mainyu, to smite Aeshma of the murderous spear, to

smite the Mâzainya fiends, to smite all the fiends. Then thou shalt take

for the gômêz a spoon of brass or of lead. When thou takest a stick with

nine knots, O Spitama Zarathustra! to sprinkle the gômêz from that

spoon, thou shalt fasten the spoon to the end of the stick. They shall

wash his hands first. If his hands be not washed first, he makes his

whole body unclean. When he has washed his hands three times, after his

hands have been washed, thou shalt sprinkle the forepart of his skull;

then the Drug Nasu rushes in front, between his brows. Thou shalt

sprinkle him in front between the brows; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon

the back part of the skull. Thou shalt sprinkle the back part of the

skull; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the jaws. Thou shalt sprinkle the

jaws; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right ear. Thou shalt sprinkle

the right ear; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left ear. Thou shalt

sprinkle the left ear; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right

shoulder. Thou shalt sprinkle the right shoulder; then the Drug Nasu

rushes upon the left shoulder. Thou shalt sprinkle the left shoulder;

then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right arm-pit. Thou shalt sprinkle

the right arm-pit; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left arm-pit. Thou

shalt sprinkle the left armpit; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the

chest. Thou shalt sprinkle the chest; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the

back. Thou shalt sprinkle the back; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the

right nipple. Thou shalt sprinkle the right nipple; then the Drug Nasu

rushes upon the left nipple. Thou shalt sprinkle the left nippíe; then

the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right rib. Thou shalt sprinkle the right

rib; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left rib. Thou shalt sprinkle

the left rib; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right hip. Thou shalt

sprinkle the right hip; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left hip.

Thou shalt sprinkle the left hip; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the

sexual parts. Thou shalt sprinkle the sexual parts. If the unclean one

be a man, thou shalt sprinkle him first behind, then before; if the

unclean one be a woman, thou shalt sprinkle her first before, then

behind; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right thigh. Thou shalt

sprinkle the right thigh; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left thigh.

Thou shalt sprinkle the left thigh; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the

right knee. Thou shalt sprinkle the right knee; then the Drug Nasu

rushes upon the left knee. Thou shalt sprinkle the left knee; then the

Drug Nasu rushes upon the right leg. Thou shalt sprinkle the right leg;

then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left leg. Thou shalt sprinkle the

left leg; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right ankle. Thou shalt

sprinkle the right ankle; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left ankle.

Thou shalt sprinkle the left ankle; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the

right instep. Thou shalt sprinkle the right instep; then the Drug Nasu

rushes upon the left instep. Thou shalt sprinkle the left instep; then

the Drug Nasu turns round under the sole of the foot; it looks like the

wing of a fly. He shall press his toes upon the ground and shall raise

up his heels; thou shalt sprinkle his right sole; then the Drug Nasu

rushes upon the left sole. Thou shalt sprinkle the left sole; then the

Drug Nasu turns round under the toes; it looks like the wing of a fly.

He shall press his heels upon the ground and shall raise up his toes;

thou shalt sprinkle his right toe; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the

left toe. Thou shalt sprinkle the left toe; then the Drug Nasu flies

away to the regions of the north, in the shape of a raging fly, with

knees and tail sticking out, droning without end, and like unto the

foulest Khrafstras. And thou shalt say these victorious, most healing

words: 'The will of the Lord is the law of righteousness. The gifts of

Vohu-manô to deeds done in this world for Mazda. He who relieves the

poor makes Ahura king. What protector hadst thou given unto me, O Mazda!

while the hate of the wicked encompasses me? Whom, but thy Âtar and

Vohu-manô, through whose work I keep on the world of Righteousness?

Reveal therefore to me thy Religion as thy rule! Who is the victorious

who will protect thy teaching? Make it clear that I am the guide for

both worlds. May Sraosha come with Vohu-manô and help whomsoever thou

pleasest, O Mazda! Keep us from our hater, O Mazda and Spenta Ârmaiti!

Perish, O fiendish Drug! Perish, O brood of the fiend! Perish, O world

of the fiend! Perish away, O Drug! Rush away, O Drug! Perish away, O

Drug! Perish away to the regions of the north, never more to give unto

death the living world of Righteousness.'

"Afterwards the man defiled shall sit down, inside the furrows, outside

the furrows of the six holes, four fingers from those furrows. There he

shall cleanse his body with thick handfuls of dust. Fifteen times shall

they take up dust from the ground for him to rub his body, and they

shall wait there until he is dry even to the last hair on his head. When

his body is dry with dust, then he shall step over the holes containing

water. At the first hole he shall wash his body once with water; at the

second hole he shall wash his body twice with water; at the third hole

he shall wash his body thrice with water. Then he shall perfume his body

with Urvâsna, or Vohû-gaona, or Vohû-kereti, or Hadhâ-naêpata, or any

other sweet-smelling plant; then he shall put on his clothes, and shall

go back to his house. He shall sit down there in the place of infirmity,

inside the house, apart from the other worshippers of Mazda. He shall

not go near the fire, nor near the water, nor near the earth, nor near

the cow, nor near the trees, nor near the faithful, either man or woman.

Thus shall he continue until three nights have passed. When three nights

have passed, he shall wash his body, he shall wash his clothes with

gômêz and water to make them clean. Then he shall sit down again in the

place of infirmity, inside the house, apart from the other worshippers

of Mazda. He shall not go near the fire, nor near the water, nor near

the earth, nor near the cow, nor near the trees, nor near the faithful,

either man or woman. Thus shall he continue until six nights have

passed. When six nights have passed, he shall wash his body, he shall

wash his clothes with gômêz and water to make them clean. Then he shall

sit down again in the place of infirmity, inside the house, apart from

the other worshippers of Mazda. He shall not go near the fire, nor near

the water, nor near the earth, nor near the cow, nor near the trees, nor

near the faithful, either man or woman. Thus shall he continue, until

nine nights have passed. When nine nights have passed, he shall wash his

body, he shall wash his clothes with gômêz and water to make them clean.

He may thenceforth go near the fire, near the water, near the earth,

near the cow, near the trees, and near the faithful, either man or

woman.

"Thou shalt cleanse a priest for a blessing of the just. Thou shalt

cleanse the lord of a province for the value of a camel of high value.

Thou shalt cleanse the lord of a town for the value of a stallion of

high value. Thou shalt cleanse the lord of a borough for the value of a

bull of high value. Thou shalt cleanse the master of a house for the

value of a cow three years old. Thou shalt cleanse the wife of the

master of a house for the value of a ploughing cow. Thou shalt cleanse a

menial for the value of a draught cow. Thou shalt cleanse a young child

for the value of a lamb. These are the heads of cattle--flocks or

herds--that the worshippers of Mazda shall give to the man who has

cleansed them, if they can afford it; if they cannot afford it, they

shall give him any other value that may make him leave their houses well

pleased with them, and free from anger. For if the man who has cleansed

them leave their houses displeased with them, and full of anger, then

the Drug Nasu enters them from the nose of the dead, from the eyes, from

the tongue, from the jaws, from the sexual organs, from the hinder

parts. And the Drug Nasu rushes upon them even to the end of the nails,

and they are unclean thenceforth forever and ever. It grieves the sun

indeed, O Spitama Zarathustra! to shine upon a man defiled by the dead;

it grieves the moon, it grieves the stars. That man delights them, O

Spitama Zarathustra! who cleanses from the Nasu the man defiled by the

dead; he delights the fire, he delights the water, he delights the

earth, he delights the cow, he delights the trees, he delights the

faithful, both men and women."

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What shall be his reward,

after his soul has parted from his body, who has cleansed from the Nasu

the man defiled by the dead?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The welfare of Paradise thou canst promise to that man, for his reward

in the other world."

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! How shall I fight against

that Drug who from the dead rushes upon the living? How shall I fight

against that Nasu who from the dead defiles the living?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Say aloud those words in the Gâthas that are to be said twice. Say

aloud those words in the Gâthas that are to be said thrice. Say aloud

those words in the Gâthas that are to be said four times. And the Drug

shall fly away like the well-darted arrow, like the felt of last year,

like the annual garment of the earth."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man who does not know

the rites of cleansing according to the law of Mazda, offers to cleanse

the unclean, how shall I then fight against that Drug who from the dead

rushes upon the living? How shall I fight against that Drug who from the

dead defiles the living?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Then, O Spitama Zarathustra! the Drug Nasu appears to wax stronger than

she was before. Stronger then are sickness and death and the working of

the fiend than they were before."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! What is the penalty that

he shall pay?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"The worshippers of Mazda shall bind him; they shall bind his hands

first; then they shall strip him of his clothes, they shall cut the head

off his neck, and they shall give over his corpse unto the greediest of

the corpse-eating creatures made by the beneficent Spirit, unto the

vultures, with these words: 'The man here has repented of all his evil

thoughts, words, and deeds. If he has committed any other evil deed, it

is remitted by his repentance; if he has committed no other evil deed,

he is absolved by his repentance forever and ever.'"

Who is he, O Ahura Mazda! who threatens to take away fulness and

increase from the world, and to bring in sickness and death?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"It is the ungodly Ashemaogha, O Spitama Zarathustra! who in this

material world cleanses the unclean without knowing the rites of

cleansing according to the law of Mazda. For until then, O Spitama

Zarathustra! sweetness and fatness would flow out from that land and

from those fields, with health and healing, with fulness and increase

and growth, and a growing of corn and grass."

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! When are sweetness and

fatness to come back again to that land and to those fields, with health

and healing, with fulness and increase and growth, and a growing of corn

and grass?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Sweetness and fatness will never come back again to that land and to

those fields, with health and healing, with fulness and increase and

growth, and a growing of corn and grass, until that ungodly Ashemaogha

has been smitten to death on the spot, and the holy Sraosha of that

place has been offered up a sacrifice for three days and three nights,

with fire blazing, with Baresma tied up, and with Haoma prepared. Then

sweetness and fatness will come back again to that land and to those

fields, with health and healing, with fulness and increase and growth,

and a growing of corn and grass."

SPELLS RECITED DURING THE CLEANSING

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda:--

O Ahura Mazda! most beneficent Spirit, maker of the material world, thou

Holy One! How shall I fight against that Drug who from the dead rushes

upon the living? How shall I fight against that Drug who from the dead

defiles the living?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"Say aloud those words in the Gâthas that are to be said twice. 'I drive

away Angra Mainyu from this house, from this borough, from this town,

from this land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from

the very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of the

house, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the

lord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness. I drive

away the Nasu, I drive away direct defilement, I drive away indirect

defilement, from this house, from this borough, from this town, from

this land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from the

very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of the

house, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the

lord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness.'"

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which are those words in

the Gâthas that are to be said thrice?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"'I drive away Indra, I drive away Sauru, I drive away the Deva

Naunghaithya from this house, from this borough, from this town, from

this land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from the

very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of the

house, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the

lord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness. I drive

away Tauru, I drive away Zairi, from this house, from this borough, from

this town, from this land; from the very body of the man defiled by the

dead, from the very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the

master of the house, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the

town, from the lord of the land; from the whole of the holy world.'"

O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Which are those words in

the Gâthas that are to be said four times?

Ahura Mazda answered:--

"These are the words in the Gâthas that are to be said four times, and

thou shalt four times say them aloud: 'I drive away Aêshma, the fiend of

the murderous spear, I drive away the Deva Akatasha, from this house,

from this borough, from this town, from this land; from the very body of

the man defiled by the dead, from the very body of the woman defiled by

the dead; from the master of the house, from the lord of the borough,

from the lord of the town, from the lord of the land; from the whole of

the world of Righteousness. I drive away the Varenya Devas, I drive away

the Wind-Deva, from this house, from this borough, from this town, from

this land; from the very body of the man defiled by the dead, from the

very body of the woman defiled by the dead; from the master of the

house, from the lord of the borough, from the lord of the town, from the

lord of the land; from the whole of the world of Righteousness.'"

TO FIRES, WATERS, PLANTS

We worship thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! We worship the fire

Berezi-savangha (of the lofty use), and the fire Vohu-fryâna (the good

and friendly), and the fire Urvâ-zista (the most beneficial and most

helpful), and the fire Vâzista (the most supporting), and the fire

Spenista (the most bountiful), and Nairya-sangha the Yazad of the royal

lineage, and that fire which is the house-lord of all houses and

Mazda-made, even the son of Ahura Mazda, the holy lord of the ritual

order, with all the fires. And we worship the good and best waters

Mazda-made, holy, all the waters Mazda-made and holy, and all the plants

which Mazda made, and which are holy. And we worship the Mâthra-spenta

(the bounteous word-of-reason), the Zarathustrian law against the Devas,

and its long descent. And we worship Mount Ushi-darena which is

Mazda-made and shining with its holiness, and all the mountains shining

with holiness, and of abundant glory, and which Mazda made. And we

worship the good and pious prayer for blessings, and these waters and

these lands, and all the greatest chieftains, lords of the ritual order;

and I praise, invoke, and glorify the good, heroic, bountiful Fravashis

of the saints, those of the house, the Vîs, the Zantuma, the Dahvyuma,

and the Zarathustrôtema, and all the holy Yazads!

TO THE EARTH AND THE SACRED WATERS

And now we worship this earth which bears us, together with Thy wives, O

Ahura Mazda! yea, those Thy wives do we worship which are so desired

from their sanctity. We sacrifice to their zealous wishes, and their

capabilities, their inquiries, and their wise acts of pious reverence,

and with these their blessedness, their full vigor and good portions,

their good fame and ample wealth. O ye waters! now we worship you, you

that are showered down, and you that stand in pools and vats, and you

that bear forth our loaded vessels, ye female Ahuras of Ahura, you that

serve us in helpful ways, well forded and full-flowing, and effective

for the bathings, we will seek you and for both the worlds! Therefore

did Ahura Mazda give you names, O ye beneficent ones! when He who made

the good bestowed you. And by these names we worship you, and by them we

would ingratiate ourselves with you, and with them would we bow before

you, and direct our prayers to you with free confessions of our debt. O

waters, ye who are productive, and ye maternal ones, ye with heat that

suckles the frail and needy before birth, ye waters that have once been

rulers of us all, we will now address you as the best, and the most

bountiful; those are yours, those good objects of our offerings, ye long

of arm to reach our sickness, or misfortune, ye mothers of our life!

PRAYER FOR HELPERS

And now in these Thy dispensations, O Ahura Mazda! do Thou wisely act

for us, and with abundance with Thy bounty and Thy tenderness as

touching us; and grant that reward which Thou hast appointed to our

souls, O Ahura Mazda! Of this do Thou Thyself bestow upon us for this

world and the spiritual; and now as part thereof do Thou grant that we

may attain to fellowship with Thee, and Thy Righteousness for all

duration. And do Thou grant us, O Ahura! men who are righteous, and both

lovers and producers of the Right as well. And give us trained beasts

for the pastures, broken in for riding, and for bearing, that they may

be in helpful companionship with us, and as a source of long enduring

vigor, and a means of rejoicing grace to us for this. So let there be a

kinsman lord for us, with the laborers of the village, and so likewise

let there be the clients. And by the help of those may we arise. So may

we be to You, O Ahura Mazda! holy and true, and with free giving of our

gifts.

A PRAYER FOR SANCTITY AND ITS BENEFITS

I pray with benedictions for a benefit, and for the good, even for the

entire creation of the holy and the clean; I beseech for them the

generation which is now alive, for that which is just coming into life,

and for that which shall be hereafter. And I pray for that sanctity

which leads to prosperity, and which has long afforded shelter, which

goes on hand in hand with it, which joins it in its walk, and of itself

becoming its close companion as it delivers forth its precepts, bearing

every form of healing virtue which comes to us in waters, appertains to

cattle, or is found in plants, and overwhelming all the harmful malice

of the Devas, and their servants who might harm this dwelling and its

lord, bringing good gifts, and better blessings, given very early, and

later gifts, leading to successes, and for a long time giving shelter.

And so the greatest, and the best, and most beautiful benefits of

sanctity fall likewise to our lot for the sacrifice, homage,

propitiation, and the praise of the Bountiful Immortals, for the

bringing prosperity to this abode, and for the prosperity of the entire

creation of the holy, and the clean, and as for this, so for the

opposition of the entire evil creation. And I pray for this as I praise

through Righteousness, I who am beneficent, those who are likewise of a

better mind.

TO THE FIRE

I offer my sacrifice and homage to thee, the Fire, as a good offering,

and an offering with our hail of salvation, even as an offering of

praise with benedictions, to thee, the Fire, O Ahura Mazda's son! Meet

for sacrifice art thou, and worthy of our homage. And as meet for

sacrifice, and thus worthy of our homage, mayest thou be in the houses

of men who worship Mazda. Salvation be to this man who worships thee in

verity and truth, with wood in hand, and Baresma ready, with flesh in

hand, and holding too the mortar. And mayest thou be ever fed with wood

as the prescription orders. Yea, mayest thou have thy perfume justly,

and thy sacred butter without fail, and thine andirons regularly placed.

Be of full-age as to thy nourishment, of the canon's age as to the

measure of thy food, O Fire, Ahura Mazda's son! Be now aflame within

this house; be ever without fail in flame; be all a-shine within this

house; be on thy growth within this house; for long time be thou thus to

the furtherance of the heroic renovation, to the completion of all

progress, yea, even till the good heroic millennial time when that

renovation shall have become complete. Give me, O Fire, Ahura Mazda's

son! a speedy glory, speedy nourishment, and speedy booty, and abundant

glory, abundant nourishment, abundant booty, an expanded mind, and

nimbleness of tongue for soul and understanding, even an understanding

continually growing in its largeness, and that never wanders, and long

enduring virile power, an offspring sure of foot, that never sleeps on

watch, and that rises quick from bed, and likewise a wakeful offspring,

helpful to nurture, or reclaim, legitimate, keeping order in men's

meetings, yea, drawing men to assemblies through their influence and

word, grown to power, skilful, redeeming others from oppression, served

by many followers, which may advance my line in prosperity and fame, and

my Vîs, and my Bantu, and my province, yea, an offering which may

deliver orders to the Province as firm and righteous rulers. And mayest

thou grant me, O Fire, Ahura Mazda's Son! that whereby instructors may

be given me, now and for evermore, giving light to me of Heaven, the

best life of the saints, brilliant, all glorious. And may I have

experience of the good reward, and the good renown, and of the long

forecasting preparation of the soul. The Fire of Ahura Mazda addresses

this admonition to all for whom he cooks the night and morning meal.

From all these, O Spitama! he wishes to secure good care, and healthful

care as guarding for salvation, the care of a true praiser. At both the

hands of all who come by me, I, the Fire, keenly look: What brings the

mate to his mate, the one who walks at large, to him who sits at home?

We worship the bounteous Fire, the swift-driving charioteer. And if this

man who passes brings him wood brought with sacred care, or if he brings

the Baresma spread with sanctity, or the Hadhâ-naêpata plant, then

afterwards Ahura Mazda's Fire will bless him, contented, not offended,

and in its satisfaction saying thus: May a herd of kine be with thee,

and a multitude of men, may an active mind go with thee, and an active

soul as well. As a blest soul mayest thou live through thy life, the

nights which thou shall live. This is the blessing of the Fire for him

who brings it wood well dried, sought out for flaming, purified with the

earnest blessing of the sacred ritual truth. We strive after the flowing

on of the good waters, and their ebb as well, and the sounding of their

waves, desiring their propitiation; I desire to approach them with my

praise.

TO THE BOUNTIFUL IMMORTALS

I would worship these with my sacrifice, those who rule aright, and who

dispose of all aright, and this one especially I would approach with my

praise (Ahura Mazda). He is thus hymned in our praise-songs. Yea, we

worship in our sacrifice that deity and lord, who is Ahura Mazda, the

Creator, the gracious helper, the maker of all good things; and we

worship in our sacrifice Spitama Zarathustra, that chieftain of the

rite. And we would declare those institutions established for us, exact

and undeviating as they are. And I would declare forth those of Ahura

Mazda, those of the Good Mind, and of Asha Vahista, and those of

Khshatra-vairya, and those of the Bountiful Âramaiti, and those of Weal

and Immortality, and those which appertain to the body of the Kine, and

to the Kine's soul, and those which appertain to Ahura Mazda's Fire, and

those of Sraosha the blessed, and of Rashnu the most just, and those of

Mithra of the wide pastures, and of the good and holy Wind, and of the

good Mazdayasnian Religion, and of the good and pious Prayer for

blessings, and those of the good and pious Prayer which frees one from

belying, and the good and pious Prayer for blessing against unbelieving

words. And these we would declare in order that we may attain unto that

speech which is uttered with true religious zeal, or that we may be as

prophets of the provinces, that we may succor him who lifts his voice

for Mazda, that we may be as prophets who smite with victory, the

befriended of Ahura Mazda, and persons the most useful to him, holy men

who think good thoughts, and speak good words, and do good deeds. That

he may approach us with the Good Mind, and that our souls may advance in

good, let it thus come; yea, "how may my soul advance in good? let it

thus advance."

PRAISE OF THE HOLY BULL

Hail, bounteous bull! Hail to thee, beneficent bull! Hail to thee, who

makest increase! Hail to thee, who makest growth! Hail to thee, who dost

bestow his part upon the righteous faithful, and wilt bestow it on the

faithful yet unborn! Hail to thee, whom the Gahi kills, and the ungodly

Ashemaogha, and the wicked tyrant.

TO RAIN AS A HEALING POWER

"Come, come on, O clouds, from up above, down on the earth, by thousands

of drops, by myriads of drops"--thus say, O holy Zarathustra! "to

destroy sickness, to destroy death, to destroy the sickness that kills,

to destroy death that kills, to destroy Gadha and Apagadha. If death

come after noon, may healing come at eve! If death come at eve, may

healing come at night! If death come at night, may healing come at dawn!

And showers shower down new water, new earth, new plants, new healing

powers, and new healing."

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE SUN

"As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up

and going down, up the aërial way and down the earth, down the earth and

up the aerial way: thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and

growing Ahura Mazda made the aerial way. Up! rise up and roll along!

thou swift-horsed Sun, above Hara Berezaiti, and produce light for the

world, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, if thou art to abide in

Garô-nmânem, along the path made by Mazda, along the way made by the

gods, the watery way they opened. And the Holy Word shall keep away the

evil. Of thee, O child! I will cleanse the birth and growth; of thee, O

woman! I will make the body and the strength pure; I make thee rich in

children and rich in milk; rich in seed, in milk, in fat, in marrow, and

in offspring. I shall bring to thee a thousand pure springs, running

towards the pastures that give food to the child."

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE MOON

As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up

and going down, up the aërial way and down the earth, down the earth and

up the aërial way: Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and

growing Ahura Mazda made the earth. Up! rise up, thou Moon, that dost

keep in thee the seed of the bull; rise up above Hara Berezaiti, and

produce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! rise up there, if

thou art to abide in Garô-nmânem, along the path made by Mazda, along

the way made by the gods, the watery way they opened. And the Holy Word

shall keep away the evil: Of thee, O child! I will cleanse the birth and

growth; of thee, O woman! I will make the body and the strength pure; I

make thee rich in children and rich in milk; rich in seed, in milk, in

fat, in marrow, and in offspring. I shall bring to thee a thousand pure

springs, running towards the pastures that give food to the child.

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE STARS

As the sea Vouru-kasha is the gathering place of the waters, rising up

and going down, up the aërial way and down the earth, down the earth and

up the aërial way: Thus rise up and roll along! thou in whose rising and

growing Ahura Mazda made everything that grows. Up! rise up, ye deep

Stars, that have in you the seed of waters; rise up above Hara

Berezaiti, and produce light for the world, and mayest thou, O man! rise

up there, if thou art to abide in Garô-nmânem, along the path made by

Mazda, along the way made by the gods, the watery way they opened. Thus

rise up and roll along! ye in whose rising and growing Ahura Mazda made

everything that rises. In your rising, away will the Kahvuzi fly and

cry; away will the Ayêhi fly and cry; away will the Gahi, who follows

the Yâtu, fly and cry.

THE DHAMMAPADA

Translation by F. Max Müller

INTRODUCTION

The "Dhammapada," or "Path to Virtue," is one of the most practical

ethical hand-books of Buddhism. It is included in the canon of

Buddhistic Scriptures, and is one of the Eastern books which can be read

with delight to-day by those who are classed as general readers. It is

divided into twenty-six chapters, and the keynote of it is struck by the

sentence "The virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy in

the next; he is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he

has done; he is still more happy when going on the good path." The first

step in the "good path" is earnestness, for as the writer says,

"Earnestness is the path of immortality (Nirvana), thoughtlessness the

path of death; those who are in earnest do not die, those who are

thoughtless are as if dead already." Earnestness, in this connection,

evidently means the power of reflection, and of abstracting the mind

from mundane things. There is something very inspiring in the sentence,

"When the learned man drives away vanity by earnestness, he, the wise,

climbing the terraced heights of wisdom, looks down upon the fools: free

from sorrow he looks upon the sorrowing crowd, as one that stands on a

mountain looks down upon them that stand upon the plain." This reminds

us of Lucretius,

"How sweet to stand, when tempests tear the main,

On the firm cliff, and mark the seaman's toil!

Not that another's danger soothes the soul,

But from such toil how sweet to feel secure!

How sweet, at distance from the strife, to view

Contending hosts, and hear the clash of war!

But sweeter far on Wisdom's height serene,

Upheld by Truth, to fix our firm abode;

To watch the giddy crowd that, deep below,

Forever wander in pursuit of bliss;

To mark the strife for honors, and renown,

For wit and wealth, insatiate, ceaseless urged,

Day after day, with labor unrestrained."

It is curious to see the atheistic Epicurean and the devout Buddhist

meeting on a common ground. But the beauties of the "Dhammapada" can

only be realized by a careful study of this charming work. We would

point out, for instance, in the chapter on Flowers, what is a piece of

golden advice to all readers of books: "The disciple will find out the

plainly shown path of virtue, as a clever man finds the right flower."

Neither the date nor the authorship of the "Dhammapada" is known, but

there is conclusive evidence that this canon existed before the

Christian era. Many scholars agree in ascribing its utterances to Buddha

himself, while others are of the opinion that it is a compilation made

by Buddhist monks from various sources.

E.W.

THE DHAMMAPADA

CHAPTER I

THE TWIN-VERSES

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on

our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts

with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of

the ox that draws the carriage.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on

our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts

with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never

leaves him.

"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me"--in those who

harbor such thoughts hatred will never cease.

"He abused me, he beat me, he defeated me, he robbed me"--in those who

do not harbor such thoughts hatred will cease.

For hatred does not cease by hatred at any time: hatred ceases by

love--this is an old rule.

The world does not know that we must all come to an end here; but those

who know it, their quarrels cease at once.

He who lives looking for pleasures only, his senses uncontrolled,

immoderate in his food, idle, and weak, Mâra (the tempter) will

certainly overthrow him, as the wind throws down a weak tree.

He who lives without looking for pleasures, his senses well controlled,

moderate in his food, faithful and strong, him Mâra will certainly not

overthrow, any more than the wind throws down a rocky mountain.

He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed himself

from sin, who disregards also temperance and truth, is unworthy of the

yellow dress.

But he who has cleansed himself from sin, is well grounded in all

virtues, and endowed also with temperance and truth: he is indeed worthy

of the yellow dress.

They who imagine truth in untruth, and see untruth in truth, never

arrive at truth, but follow vain desires.

They who know truth in truth, and untruth in untruth, arrive at truth,

and follow true desires.

As rain breaks through an ill-thatched house, passion will break through

an unreflecting mind.

As rain does not break through a well-thatched house, passion will not

break through a well-reflecting mind.

The evil-doer mourns in this world, and he mourns in the next; he mourns

in both. He mourns and suffers when he sees the evil result of his own

work.

The virtuous man delights in this world, and he delights in the next; he

delights in both. He delights and rejoices, when he sees the purity of

his own work.

The evil-doer suffers in this world, and he suffers in the next; he

suffers in both. He suffers when he thinks of the evil he has done; he

suffers more when going on the evil path.

The virtuous man is happy in this world, and he is happy in the next; he

is happy in both. He is happy when he thinks of the good he has done; he

is still more happy when going on the good path.

The thoughtless man, even if he can recite a large portion of the law,

but is not a doer of it, has no share in the priesthood, but is like a

cow-herd counting the cows of others.

The follower of the law, even if he can recite only a small portion of

the law, but, having forsaken passion and hatred and foolishness,

possesses true knowledge and serenity of mind, he, caring for nothing in

this world or that to come, has indeed a share in the priesthood.