We worship the Fravashi of the holy maid Ereda^fedhrl^, who is called Vispa-taurvairi. She is Vispa-taurvairi (the all-destroying) because she will bring him forth, who will destroy the malice of Daevas and men, to withstand the evil done by the 6*ahi*.
143. We worship the Fravashis of the holy men in the Aryan countries; We worship the Fravashis of the holy women in the Aryan countries.
We worship the Fravashis of the holy men in the Turanian countries^; We worship the Fravashis of the holy women in the Turanian countries.
We worship the Fravashis of the holy men in the Sairimyan countries*'; ^ UkhshyaZ-ereta's mother (see above, § 126); the Saddar Bun- dahij (Etudes Iraniennes, II, 209) calls her Bad, from the last part of her name (fedhri for padhri), and states that, bathing in Lake Kasava, she will become pregnant from the seed of Zara- thuj-tra, that is preserved there (see above, p. 195, note 2), and she will bring forth a son, Oshedar bamt.
^ UkhshyaZ-nemah's mother, called Vah Bad in the Saddar; she will conceive in the same way as SrutaZ-fedhri.
* Cf. Vend. XIX, 5, and Introd. IV, 39-40.
^ Gogojasp (a commentator to the Avesta) says, ' There are holy men in all religions, as appears from the words tuiryanam d^/ivyunam [We worship the Fravashis of the holy men in the Turanian countries],' (Pahl. Comm. ad Vend. Ill, end; and Vend. V, 38 [122]); cf. above, §§ 113, 123.
* The countries inherited by Sairima (Selm), the third son of A FARVARDIN YA5T. 22; We worship the Fravashis of the holy women in the Sairimyan countries.
144. We worship the Fravashis of the holy men in the Saini countries^; We worship the Fravashis of the holy women in the Saini countries.
We worship the Fravashis of the holy men in the Dahi countries^; We worship the Fravashis of the holy women in the Dahi countries.
We worship the Fravashis of the holy men in all countries; We worship the Fravashis of the holy women in all countries.
145. We worship all the good, awful, beneficent Fravashis of the faithful, from Gaya Maretan down to the victorious Saoshyaw/^ May the Fravashis of the faithful come quickly to us! May they come to our help!
146. They protect us when in distress with manifest assistance, with the assistance of Ahura Mazda and of the holy, powerful Sraosha, and with the Mathra-Spe;^ta, the all-knowing, who hates the Daevas with a mighty hate, a friend of Ahura Mazda, whom Zarathui-tra worshipped so greatly in the material world.
147. May the good waters and the plants and ThraStaona, as Turan and Iran were inherited by Tfira and Airyu. Selm's heritage was RCim, that is to say, Europa and Western Asia.
1 China (Bund. XV, 29).
2 Perhaps the Dahae (Pliny VI, 17; Aeneis VIII, 728) or Aam (Slrabo), called Ta-hia by Chinese geographers, on the south of the Oxus.
^ From the first man to the last.
2 28 YASTS AND SIROZAHS.
the Fravashis of the faithful abide down here! May you be rejoiced and well received in this house! Here are the Athravans of the countries \ thinking of good holiness. Our hands are lifted up for asking help, and for offering a sacrifice unto you, O most beneficent Fravashis!
148. We worship the Fravashis of all the holy men and holy women whose souls are worthy of sa- crifice ^, whose Fravashis are worthy of invocation.
We worship the Fravashis of all the holy men and holy women, our sacrificing to whom makes us good in the eyes of Ahura Mazda: of all of those we have heard that Zarathu^tra is the first and best, as a follower of Ahura and as a performer of the law.
149. We worship the spirit, conscience, percep- tion, soul, and Fravashi ^ of men of the primitive law ^ of the first who listened to the teaching (of Ahura), holy men and holy women, who struggled for holiness^; we worship the spirit, conscience, per- ception, soul, and Fravashi of our next-of-kin, holy men and holy women, who struggled for holiness^.
150. We worship the men of the primitive law who will be in these houses, boroughs, towns, and countries; We worship the men of the primitive law who have been in these houses, boroughs, towns, and countries; We worship the men of the primitive law who are in these houses, boroughs, towns, and countries.
151. We worship the men of the primitive law * Itinerant priests are received here.
* For the triumph of the Zoroastrian law.
in all houses, boroughs, towns, and countries, who obtained these houses, who obtained these boroughs, who obtained these towns, who obtained these coun- tries, who obtained holiness, who obtained the Mathra, who obtained the [blessedness of the] soul, who ob- tained all the perfections of goodness.
152. We worship Zarathu^tra, the lord and master of all the material world, the man of the primitive law; the wisest of all beings, the best- ruling of all beings, the brightest of all beings, the most glorious of all beings, the most worthy of sacrifice amongst all beings, the most worthy of prayer amongst all beings, the most worthy of pro- pitiation amongst all beings, the most worthy of glorification amongst all beings, whom we call well-desired and worthy of sacrifice and prayer as much as any being can be, in the perfection of his holiness, 153. We worship this earth; We worship those heavens; We worship those good things that stand between (the earth and the heavens) and that are worthy of sacrifice and prayer and are to be worshipped by the faithful man.
154. We worship the souls of the wild beasts and of the tame \ We worship the souls of the holy men and women, born at any time, whose consciences struggle, or will struggle, or have struggled, for the good.
' Daitika, Persian j^; Neriosengh has 'that go by herds,' pahkti^arin. Aidyu; the Pahlavi translation has ayyar, 'that are of help' (domesticated?); Neriosengh has misread it as suvar and translated a9vacarin. The expression daitika aidyu answers to the Persian ^bj i^, meaning all sorts of animals (see ^fitudes Iraniennes, II, 150).
2^0 YA^TS AND siROZAHS.
155. We worship the spirit, conscience, percep- tion, soul, and Fravashi of the holy men and holy women who struggle, will struggle, or have strug- gled, and teach the Law, and who have struggled for holiness.
Y^nhe hatam: All those beings to whom Ahura Mazda...Yatha ahii vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness...
156. The Fravashls of the faithful, awful and overpowering, awful and victorious; the Fravashls of the men of the primitive law; the Fravashls of the next-of-kin; may these Fravashls come satisfied into this house; may they walk satisfied through this house!
157. May they, being satisfied, bless this house with the presence of the kind AshI Vanguhl! May they leave this house satisfied! May they carry back from here hymns and worship to the Maker, Ahura Mazda, and the Amesha-Spe;nas! May they not leave this house of us, the worshippers of Mazda, complaining!
158. Yatha ahii vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness...I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of the awful, overpowering Fravashls of the faithful; of the Fravashls of the men of the primitive law; of the Fravashls of the next-of-kin.
Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good...[Give] unto that man^ brightness and glory,...give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.
^ Who shall worship the Fravashis.
BAH RAM YA^T. 23 I XIV. BAHRAM YA^'T.
Regarding Bahram (Verethraghna), the Genius of Victory, see Vend. Introd. V, 8.
This Yast can be divided into four parts: — I (§§ 1-28). An enumeration of the ten incarnations in which Verethraghna appeared to Zarathui'tra (as a wind, § 2; as a bull, § 7; as a horse, § 9; as a camel, §11; as a boar, §15; as a youth, § 17; as a raven, § 19; as a ram, § 23; as a buck, § 25; II (§§ 30-33). The powers given by Verethraghna to his wor- shipper, Zarathujtra.
III (§§ 34-46). The magical powers, ascribed to the raven's feather, of striking terror into an army and dispersing it (the raven being the seventh incarnation of Verethraghna).
IV (§§ 47-64). The glorification of Verethraghna.
o. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced!...Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good...I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zara- thujtra, one who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura; For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Havani], the holy and master of holiness...
Unto Verethraghna, made by Mazda, and unto the crushing Ascendant^; Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorifi- cation.
Yatha ahft vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness...I.
I. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathu.ytra asked Ahura Mazda: 'Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
^ Sirozah I, 20.
232 YA^-TS AND SIROZAHS.
'Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathui"tra!'
2. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him first, running in the shape of a strong, beautiful wind, made by Mazda; he bore the good Glory, made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda, that is both health and strength.
3. Then he, who is the strongest \ said unto him^: ' I am the strongest in strength; I am the most vic- torious in victory; I am the most glorious in Glory; I am the most favouring in favour; I am the best giver of welfare; I am the best- healing in health- giving.
4. ' And I shall destroy the malice of all the malicious, the malice of Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, the blind, and the deaf.
5. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard; namely, unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura. We worship Vere- thraghna, made by Ahura, with an offering of liba- tions, according to the primitive ordinances of Ahura; with the Haoma and meat, the baresma, the wisdom of the tongue, the holy spells, the speech, the deeds, the libations, and the rightly- spoken words.
'Ye«he hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda...II.
6. 'We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.'
^ Verethraghna. ^ Zarathujtra.
BAHRAM YA5T. 233 Zarathu5tra asked Ahiira Mazda: * Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: ' It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathu^tra!'
7. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the second time, running in the shape of a beautiful bull, with yellow ears and golden horns; upon whose horns floated the well-shapen Strength, and Victory, beautiful of form, made by Ahura: thus did he come, bearing the good Glory, made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda, that is both health and strength.
Then he, who is the strongest, said unto him: ' I am the strongest in strength...^ 'And I shall destroy the malice of all malicious 2' For his brightness and glory, I will ofifer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...^ III.
8. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
ZarathuJtra asked Ahura Mazda: 'Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathu^tra!'
9. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the third time, running in the shape of a white, beau- tiful horse, with yellow ears and a golden caparison; upon whose forehead floated the well-shapen Strength, and Victory, beautiful of form, made by Ahura: thus did he come, bearing the good Glory, made by Mazda, that is both health and strength.
Then he, who is the strongest, said unto him: ' I am the strongest in strength...'And I shall destroy the malice of all malicious ' For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...IV.
10. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathu^tra asked Ahura Mazda: 'Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathunra!'
11. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the fourth time, running in the shape of a burden- bearing ^ camel, sharp-toothed '\ swift...•\ stamping forwards, long-haired, and living in the abodes of men ^; 1 2. Who of all males in rut shows greatest strength and greatest fire, when he goes to his females. Of all females those are best kept whom a burden- bearing camel keeps, who has thick forelegs and large humps,...^ quick-eyed, long-headed, bright, tall, and strong; 1 3. Whose piercing look goes afar...^ even in the dark of the night; who throws white foam 1 Doubtful (vadharoi^ ^ Doubtful (dadasoij).
^? Urvato; cf. § 19. * Tame, domesticated.
^? Smarjno. ^? Haitahe.
BAHRAM YA5T. 235 alone his mouth: well-kneed, well-footed, standing with the countenance of an all-powerful master: Thus did Verethraghna come, bearing the good Glory made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda...V.
14. We sacrifice uhto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathu^tra asked Ahura Mazda: 'Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: 'It Is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spltama Zarathu^tra!'
15. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the fifth time, running In the shape of a boar, oppos- ing the foes, a sharp-toothed he-boar, a sharp-jawed boar, that kills at one stroke, pursuing, wrathful, with a dripping face\ strong, and swift to run, and rushlnof all around ^.
Thus did Verethraghna come, bearing the good Glory made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda...VI.
16. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathui-tra asked Ahura Mazda: ' Ahura Mazda.
most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Who Is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: ' It Is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spltama Zarathu^tra!'
1 Cf. Yt. X, 70. " Or better, rushing before. Cf. Yt. X, 1 27.
236 YASTS AND SiROZAHS.
17. Verethraghna,' made by Ahura, came to him the sixth time, running in the shape of a beautiful youth of fifteen, shining, clear-eyed, thin-heeled.
Thus did Verethraghna come, bearing the good Glory made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda...VIL- 18. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathui-tra asked Ahura Mazda: 'Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathu^tra! ' 19. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the seventh time, running in the shape of a raven that...^ below and...^ above, and that is the swiftest of all birds, the lightest of the fiying creatures.
20. He alone of living things, — he or none, — overtakes the flight of an arrow, however well it has been shot. He flies up joyfully at the first break of dawn, wishing the night to be no more, wishing the dawn, that has not yet come, to come ^ 21. He grazes the hidden ways^ of the mountains, he grazes the tops of the mountains, he grazes the depths of the vales, he grazes the summits ^ of the trees, listeningr to the voices of the birds.
^? Urvato, pishato.
^ The raven was sacred to Apollo. The priests of the sun in Persia are said to have been named ravens (Porphyrins). Cf. Georgica I, 45.
=* Reading vi^atavo. "Doubtful.
BAHRAM YA5T. 237 Thus did Verethraghna come, bearing the good Glory made by Mazda \ the Glory made by Mazda...VIII.
22. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathui'tra asked Ahura Mazda: ' Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: ' It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathu^tra!'
23. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the eighth time, running in the shape of a wild, beautiful ram, with horns bent rounds Thus did Verethraghna come, bearing the good Glory made by Mazda ^ the Glory made by Mazda...IX.
24. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathui-tra asked Ahura Mazda: 'Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
* Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathui^tra!'
^ The royal Glory is described flying in the shape of a raven, 2 Doubtful.
^ While Ardashir, the founder of the Sasanian dynasty, was flying from Ardavan, a beautiful wild ram ran after him and overtook him, and Ardavan understood from this that the kingly Glory had left him and had passed over to his rival (Shah Namah, Ardashir; Kar Namaki Artachshir, tr. Noeldeke, p. 45}.
2^8 YASTS AND SIROZAHS.
•vD' 25. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the ninth time, running in the shape of a beautiful, fighting buck, with sharp horns.
Thus did Verethraghna come, bearing the good Glory made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda...X.
26. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathujftra asked Ahura Mazda: 'Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Who is the best-armed of the heavenly gods?' Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is Verethraghna, made by Ahura, O Spitama Zarathu^tra!'
27. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, came to him the tenth time, running in the shape of a man, bright and beautiful, made by Mazda: he held a sword with a golden blade, inlaid with all sorts of ornaments.
Thus did Verethraghna come, bearing the good Glory made by Mazda, the Glory made by Mazda...XI.
28. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura, who makes virility, who makes death, who makes resurrection, who possesses peace, who has a free way.
Unto him did the holy Zarathu^-tra offer up a sacrifice, [asking] for victorious thinking, victorious speaking, victorious doing, victorious addressing, and victorious answering.
29. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, gave him the BAH RAM YAS-T. 239 fountains of manliness ^ the strength of the arms, the health of the whole body, the sturdiness of the whole body, and the eye-sight of the Kara fish ^ that lives beneath the waters and can measure =^ a rippling of the water, not thicker than a hair, in the Rangha whose ends lie afar, whose depth is a thou- sand times the height of a man ^.
For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...XII.
30. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura, who makes virility, who makes death, who makes resurrection, who possesses peace, who has a free way.
Unto him did the holy Zarathu^tra offer up a sacrifice, [asking] for victorious thinking, victorious speaking, victorious doing, victorious addressing, and victorious answering.
31. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, gave him the fountains of manliness, the strength of the arms, the health of the whole body, the sturdiness of the whole body, and the eye-sight of the male horse, that, in the dark of the night, in its first half ^ and through the rain, can perceive a horse's hair lying on the ground and knows whether it is from the head or from the tail *'.
1 Erezi, Pahl. gond (Old Zand-Pahlavi Dictionary, p. 11).
2 See Vendidad XIX, 42. ' Possibly, perceive.
* Cf. Yt. XVI, 7, and Bundahij XVIII, 6: 'those fish...know the scratch of a needle's point (or better hole) by which the water shall increase, or by which it is diminishing ' (tr. West).
"^ Avakhshaityau, the night before hu-vakhsha (before the time when the light begins to grow; midnight).
« Cf Yt. XVI, 10, and Bundahi^ XIX, 32: ' Regarding the Arab 240 YA^TS AND SIROZAHS.
For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...'O XIII.
32. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahiira, who makes virility, who makes death, who makes resurrection, who possesses peace, who has a free way.
Unto him did the holy Zarathu5tra sacrifice, [asking] for victorious thinking, victorious speaking, victorious doing, victorious addressing, and victorious answermg.
33. Verethraghna, made by Ahura, gave him the fountains of virility, the strength of the arms, the health of the whole body, the sturdiness of the whole body, and the eye-sight of the vulture with a golden collar ^ that, from as far as nine districts, can perceive a piece of flesh not thicker than the fist, giving just as much light as a needle gives, as the point of a needle gives 2.
For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...XIV.
34. We sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
Zarathu^tra asked Ahura Mazda: * Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
horse, they say that if, in a dark night, a single hair occurs on the ground, he sees it ' (tr. West).
1 Possibly the Gypaetus, the vautour dore, 2 ' Even from his highest flight, he (the vulture) sees when flesh the size of a fist is on the ground' (Bund. XIX, 31; tr.West). Cf. Horapollo (I, ii).
BAH RAM VAST. 24 1 * If I have a curse thrown upon me, a spell told upon me by the many men who hate me, what is the remedy for it? ' 35. Ahura Mazda answered: ' Take thou a feather of that bird with...^ feathers, the Vare;^fana, O Spitama Zarathu^-tra! With that feather thou shalt rub thy own body^ with that feather thou shalt curse back thy enemies.
36. ' If a man holds a bone of that strong bird, or a feather of that strong bird, no one can smite or turn to flight that fortunate man. The feather of that bird of birds brings him help; it brings unto him the homage of men, it maintains in him his glory.
7,y. 'Then the sovereign, the lord of countries, will no longer kill his^ hundreds, though he is a killer of men; the..."* will not kill at one stroke; he alone smites and goes forwards.
38. ' All tremble before him who holds the feather, they tremble therefore before me; all my enemies tremble before me and fear my strength and victorious force and the fierceness established in my body.
39. 'He^ carries the chariot of the lords; he carries the chariots of the lordly ones, the chariots of the sovereigns. He carried the chariot of Kavi ^ Pesho-parena. The Varew^ana is the same bird as the Vara- ghna, the raven.
2 The feather of the Varew^ana plays here the same part as the Simurgh's feather in the Shah Namah. When Riadabah's flank was opened to bring forth Rustem, her wound was healed by rubbing it with a Simurgh's feather; Rustem, wounded to death by Isfendyar, was cured in the same manner.
^ Of him who holds that feather.
*? Vaesaepa. ' That bird.
242 YAS-TS AND SIROZAHS Usa^; upon his wings runs the male horse ^ runs the burden-bearing camel, runs the water of the river.
40. ' Him rode the gallant Thraetaona, who smote Az'i Dahaka, the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who had a thousand senses; that most powerful, fiendish Dru^, that demon, baleful to the world, the strongest Dru^ that Angra Mainyu created against the material world, to destroy the world of the good principled ' For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...XV.
41. 'We sacrifice to Verethraghna, made by Ahura.
' Verethraghna confounds the glory of this house with its wealth in cattle. He is like that great bird, the Saena *; he is like the big clouds, full of water, that beat the mountains.
' For his brightness and glory, I will oflfer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...XVI.
42. *We sacrifice to Verethraghna, made by Ahura.'
Zarathu^tra asked Ahura Mazda: 'Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One!
' Where is it that we must invoke the name of Verethraghna, made by Ahura? Where is it that 1 Kai Kaus; when he tried to ascend to heaven on a throne carried by eagles (Journal Asiatique, 1 881, I, 513).
2 A metaphor to express the swiftness of the wind, of the camel, and of the rivers.
BAHRAM VAST. 243 we must praise him? That we must humbly praise him?'
43. Ahura Mazda answered: ' When armies meet together in full array, O Spitama Zarathu^tra! (ask- ing) which of the two is the party that conquers^ and is not crushed, that smites and is not smitten; 44. 'Do thou throw ^ four feathers ^ in the way. Whichever of the two will first worship the well- shapen Strength, andVerethraghna, beautiful of form, made by Mazda, on his side will victory stand.
45. ' I will bless Strength and Victory, the two keepers, the two good keepers, the two maintainers; the two who...^, the two who...^ the two who...3; the two who forgive, the two who strike off, the two who forget*.
46. 'O Zarathu^tra! let not that spell be shown to any one, except by the father to his son, or by the brother to his brother from the same womb, or by the Athravan to his pupiP. These are words that are awful and powerful, awful and assembly-ruling, awful and victorious, awful and healing; these are words that save the head that was lost and chant away the uplifted weapon.'
XVII.
47. We sacrifice to Verethraghna, made by Ahura: who goes along the armies arrayed, and goes here ^ Doubtful.
^ Or an arrow feathered with four Vare?/^ana's feathers. ' A-dhwaozen, vi-dhwaozen, fra-dhwaozen. * Amarezen, cf. ^JJo^^^T; vimarezen, cf. Yt. I, 2; fra mare- zen, cf. ^Jiy^.
244 YA^TS AND SIROZAHS.
and there asking, along with Mithra and Rashnu: ' Who is it who hes unto Mithra? Who is it who thrusts [his oath] against Rashnu^? To whom shall I, in my might, impart illness and death ^?'
48 ^ Ahura Mazda said: * If men sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Ahura, if the due sacrifice and prayer is offered unto him just as it ought to be performed in the perfection of holiness, never will a hostile horde enter the Aryan countries, nor any plague, nor leprosy, nor venomous plants, nor the chariot of a foe, nor the uplifted spear of a foe.'
49*. Zarathui-tra asked:' What is then, O Ahura Mazda! the sacrifice and invocation in honour of Verethraghna, made by Ahura, as it ought to be performed in the perfection of holiness?'
50. Ahura Mazda answered: ' Let the Aryan nations bring libations unto him; let the Aryan nations tie bundles of baresma for him; let the Aryan nations cook for him a head of cattle, either white, or black, or of any other colour, but all of one and the same colour.
51. ' Let not a murderer take of those offerings, nor a whore, nor a..., who does not sing the Gathas, who spreads death in the world and withstands the law of Mazda, the law of Zara- thui^tra.
52. ' If a murderer take of those offerings, or a whore, or a..., who does not sing the Gathis, then Verethraghna, made by Ahura, takes back his healing virtues.
s Against truth. ^ Cf. Yt. X, 108 seq.
BAHRAM YA^T. 245 53. ' Plagues will ever pour upon the Aryan na- tions; hostile hordes will ever fall upon the Aryan nations; the Aryans will be smitten by their fifties and their hundreds, by their hundreds and their thousands, by their thousands and their tens of thousands, by their tens of thousands and their myriads of myriads.'
54. There Verethraghna, made by Ahura, pro- claimed thus: ' The Soul of the Bull \ the wise creature, does not receive from man due sacrifice and prayer; for now the Daevas and the wor- shippers of the Daevas make blood flow and spill it like water; 55. 'For now the...^ Daevas and the wor- shippers of the Daevas bring to the fire the plant that is called Haperesi, the wood that is called Neme/ka^; 56. ' (Therefore) when the...- Daevas and the worshippers of the Daevas bow their backs, bend their waists, and arrange all their limbs'*, they think they will smite and smite not, they think they will kill and kill not; and then the...^ Daevas and the worshippers of the Daevas have their minds con- founded and their eyes made giddy ^' For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...^ Gojurun or Drvaspa; see Yt. IX. The destruction of any living being is an injury to Drvaspa.
"^? Vyambura.
^ The Haperesi and the N erne /k a are probably some species of green wood; it is forbidden to put green wood in the fire as it kills it, and injures the Genius of Water at the same time.
* In order to strike.
^ The general meaning of the last four clauses is that the impious are defeated.
246 YA.STS AND siROZAHS.
XVIII.
57. We sacrifice to Verethraghna, made by Ahura. I offer up Haoma, who saves one's head^; I offer up the victorious Haoma; I offer him up, the good protector; I offer up Haoma, who is a protector to my body, as a man who shall drink ^ of him shall win and prevail^ over his enemies in battle; 58. That I may smite this army, that I may smite down this army, that I may cut in pieces this army that is coming behind me.
For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...XIX.
59. We sacrifice to Verethraghna, made by Ahura. The prince and his son and his sons who are chiefs of myriads^ offer him up a bright...^ [saying]: * He is strong, and Victorious is his name; he is victorious, and Strong is his name;' 60. That I may be as constantly victorious as any one of all the Aryans^; that I may smite this army, that I may smite down this army, that I may cut in pieces this army that is coming behind me.
For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard...^? Sairi-baoghem; cf. § 46.