5 The Pahlavi unvaryingly in the sense of ' mihano [-ax gfis tamman yehevune^o]; Ner. paralokanivisan. See Y. XXX, 9; XXXIII, 9; XXXIV, 6. A questioning which was lightly made would indicate a willingness to tamper with error. The Persian MS. following the Pahlavi has: An^a bang i buland an i dui%A guftar [Gana Minu] wa an ham i rast guftir [Hdrmuzd], &c. But Neryosangh is more accurate or literal: Atra bombam* karoti [antar ^agati], mithyavakta va satyavakta vi, & c.
6 Pavan zak 1 ashkarako. 7 Nihanik.
8 Thou seest even the questions and decisions of our thoughts as to matters which are simple or difficult, permitted or occult.
9 I have not followed what may yet possibly be a valuable and correct hint of tradition. I render Neryosangh: He who asks through what is open [through righteousness], or he who asks through what is secret [through sin ]; or he (also) who through, or on a'ccount of, a little sin which has been committed, commits the great one to secure a purification-; [that is, who for the sake of purification necessary on account of a little sm which has been committed, commits a greater one, in order that the first may not 48 THE. GATHAS.
48 THE. GATHAS.
14. This then I will ask Thee, O Ahura Mazda! (as 1 S eek Thy counsel once again 1 ). What events are coming now, and what events shall come in the future 2; and what prayers with debt-confessions 8 are offered with 1 the offerings of the holy? And what (are the awards), for the wicked? And how shall they be in the (final) state 5 of completion 6?
1 5. And I would ask Thee this, O Mazda! (con- cerning the coadjutor of the wicked): What is the award 7 for him who prepares the throne 8 for the evil, for the evil-doer 8, O Ahura! for him who cannot else reclaim 10 his life, not else save 11 with lawless become known], upon these two, each of them, look with thy two eyes. [Over sins and righteous actions thou art in one way, every- where and again, the Lord.] The concretes here may give the right indication.
I See verse 5. ' s Min xmdo, muxiii yamtun&fb, 6 What has come? And what is coming? * s Mun avam. 4 HaM in the Indian sense.
5 Anganftkih, the judgment; but Ner. vipakata, consummation.
• Neryosangh has as follows: Tad dvitayaw* tvatta^* pnlMami, Svlmin! yad agataw, iy&tL&a, yo* rimm dadate danebhyal *p\w~ yatmane [Hormigdaya yatM yqgyate d£tua»], ye&t, Mah^nanin! durgatiiaidbhya^; kathaa* teshazrc asti vipakata * eva« [kila, ya^ tat kunite, tasmai nidane prasadadana^ ki m bhavati, ynsk2. tat kurate, tasmaiia ki m bhavati *ti; me bruhi!] This seems to me very close, far more so than we have any right to expect as a general rule from a Parsi living in India, and only live or six centuries ago* too late for? tradition/ and too early for close criticism.
7 Roth, ‘ Ich frage — was die Strafe ist? * 8 The head of a party seems to have been plotting to introduce 10 The' Pahlavi translator, nividmedo, (otherwise niv&kine^ which I much suspect has become confused with nividinMS through a clerical blunder); Ner. iabhate. They both refer vinasti to-vid (so Justi) followed by most. Roth (Yasna XXXI, p. 1 1), £ der seln Brot nicht findet ohne Gewalthat an der Heerde/ II The Pahlavi translator sees the root han in the sense of YASNA XXXI.
49 harm to the tiller’s herd, to the pious husbandman’s flock, who speaks no word with lying, (who abjures the Lie-demon’s faith 1 )?
1 6. Yea, I would ask Thee such a thing as this: How such an one as he who, with wise action, has striven to promote (Thy holy) Rule 2 over house, and region, and province, in the Righteous Order and in truth, how he may become like Thee 3, O Great Creator, Living Lord? And when he may so be- come, (this also I would ask), and in what actions living he may so be 4?
17. And which of the (religions) is the greater (and the more prevailing 8 as to these questions which thus concern the soul?) Is it that which the acquisition, and not from ignorance of 'the sense given above. In another place, lie renders vlgid min; (see XLVII, 5.)
1 Neiyosangh may be rendered as follows: Thus I ask thee: What is for Mm who seizes upon destruction, and who provides the sovereignty for the wicked [ ], and commits that evil action, O Lord 1 from which he does not acquire life even through a bribe* (so meaning), [ ] and who is a calamity to the man who acts for herds and men removing calamities from them [ ]?
2 Roth, ‘ der die Herrschaft fiber Hof Gan mid Land sm das rechte zu fordem hat/ s Pahlavi, Lak hivand; Neryosangh, tvattulyo; Roth, ‘ ddner werth/ 4 I render the Sanskrit of Neryosangh thus (it improves on the Fahlavi): 1 ask (thee) thus: How [dost thou bestow] the sovereignty upon one when he is beneficently wise? [ ] (in the body) of Mm who, through the increase of sanctity, is no opposer (of prosperity) in provinces or villages; [that is, with him who is discharging his duty and performing acts of sanctity. He is this teacher? s teacher, he does not contend]. Thine equal, O Great Wise One, the Lord! thus is he verily, who (is such) in action, [who is thus Thine equal through activity].
5 Possibly mazyd has the sense of mazirtain chap. L, 1. There ‘ the most prevailing ’ seems to be the proper rendering, 50 THE GATHAS.
righteous believes, or the wicked 1? (Let then our questionings cease.) Let the enlightened (alone) speak to the enlightened. Let not the ignorant (fur- ther) deceive us, (high though he may lift his voice 2 ). Do Thou thyself, O Ahura Mazda! declare 3 to us (the truth) as Thy Good Mind’s full revealer.
x8. (And you, ye assembled throngs!) let not a man of you lend a hearing to Mathra, or to command of that sinner * (ignorant 5 as he is), for home, village, region, and province he would deliver to ruin 6 and death. But (fly ye to arms without hearing), and hew ye them all with the halberd 7!
1 Literally, ‘ Which of the two (creeds as) the greater does the righteous (the believing saint) or the wicked (opponent) believe? ’ 2 See verse 12.
8 Or with others { be Thou *; but the gloss of the Pahlavi transla- tion contains an explanation which may well afford the true solution as in so many instances in which he is both consciously and inadver- tently followed. It reads [aighmano bara khavithnino — ]. May we not see an az=ah in the form, or at least a separate Iranian root, as also In azda (L, 1), where the Pahlavi translator gives the same explanation admirably suited to the context.
Neryosangh: Which Is it, the pure of soul, or the wicked who teaches as the great one? [ ] The intelligent speaks to the intelli- gent [ ]. Be not thou ignorant after this; because (ignorance is) from the deceiver. Instruct us, O Great Wise One, the Lord I [ ] Furnish us with a sign through the Best Mind; [that is, make me steadfast in good conduct through the recognition of the dtn]. Such renderings may suffice to show that an examination of these ancient translations in our search for hints is imperative. Yet the practice prevails of omitting a knowledge of the Pahlavi language, on which not only the oldest translation of the Avesta, but also the irregular Sanskrit of Neryosangh, closely depends.
4 Jolly, ‘ Keiner von euch bore auf die Lieder und Gebote des Liigners/' Roth, 4 Rath und Befehle/ T Sazei saneh, 4 prepare the sabre.” It was however a two-handed weapon; see Y. LVI, 12, (4 Sp.).
The Parsi-persian MS.: Wa ma kas aedun az suma kih ft 5i YASNA Xxkl.
19* Let them hear Him who conceived, of the Righteous Order for the worlds, the (all)-wise One, O Ahura! For truthful speech He rules with absolute sway over words, and ever free of tongue (to guide us in our way 1 ). By Thy shining flame 2 (He doth guide us 8, Thine altar’s flame with its signs of decision and of grace) sent forth for the good of the strivers *.
20. (But, O ye listening men!) he who renders darwand m&nsar junawad wa Smu’htwn (sic); [kfi az Ismb' kS.a (?) Awesta wa Zand ina junawadJ, $h andar — ma^ali jahar wa deh dehad bad-raftim wa marg dn i Asmogk; aSdun (sic) 6 s&n ra sazad silaA (Again very close.)
1 So conjecturally.
2 Compare chap. XXX, 2. ‘ Behold ye the flames with the better mind;’ possibly, also chap. XXX, 1, ‘the signs in the lights seen friendly/ 3 According to the grammatical forms the agent here must be a divine being, as ye mantS. ashem ahftbi r (see verse 7) is charac- teristic of the Deity. The vocative, strange as it may seem, does not necessarily exclude Ahura, as the subject referred to in ye. Several analogous cases occur. The Deity may here however represent His prophet, as the Daevas do their worshippers in the later Avesta. Some writers force the language into a refer- ence to the human subject for the sake of the greatly to be desired simplicity.
One places Ahura in the instrumental, a case in which the Almighty seldom appears. The above translation needs no alterna- tive, as the language would be the same whoever ye refers to.
4 See note oh verse 3,.and read as alternative 5 from the two aram/ As an inferior rendering of tradition I cite Neryosangh here: The matter should be heard (taking gushta as a third singular in a subjunctive sense); [that is, a study should be made of it by him] who is even (in any degree) acquainted with the righteous design of Hormi^da for both the worlds. He is independent in the literal truth of his words, in his freedom of speech, [and his fear has no existence]. Thy brilliant fire gives the explanation to the con- tenders.. [It makes purity and impurity evident.]
52 THE GiTHAS.
the saint deceived 1, for him shall be later destruc- tion 2. Long life shall be his lot in the darkness; foul shall be his food; his speech shall bd of the lowest 3. And this, which is such a life 4 as your own, O ye vile! your (perverted) conscience through your own deeds will bring s you 6!
21. But Ahura Mazda will give both Universal Weal and Immortality 7 in the fulness of His Right- eous Order, and from himself 8 as the head 9 of Dominion (within His saints). And He will like- wise give the Good Mind’s vigorous might 10 to him who in spirit and deeds is His friend 11, (and with faith fulfils his vows 12 ).
1 1 follQw the admirable lead of the Pahlavi here, as the previous verse mentions veracity. Its indication is pavan fnfLmo, freely.
2 I differ with diffidence from the hint of the Pahlavi here (as elsewhere). It has shivan= tears, which however is free for * calamity 5 and £ sorrow/ Nom. sing.; see its position.
3 Anak rftbimih yemalelun&fo. This, placed together with such passages as XLVI, xx, XLIX, xx, and LI, 13, formed the basis for the more complete Yajt XXII 4 Others prefer ‘place/ but see ay& in line b.
5 £ Has led on * 1 6 I cite Ner.: He who betrays the pure through his fraud, may (deceit) be (also his portion) at the last; [that is, let it be so after- wards; it is in his soul]. Long is his journey, and his arrival is in darkness; and evil food and increasing lawlessness is his [ ]. Darkness is your world, O ye wicked! your in-bred deeds, and your din, are leading you on.
That Ameretata/ means more than long life is clear from amesha.
Afaj' nahman patih. The Gathic would be more literally perhaps c from His own Dominion/ * Sardarih. 10 Vazdvarih; Ner. pivaratvam.
One naturally thinks of urvatha (vratha), as having"' something of the sense of vratya. But usage compels also the sense of friend- ship. Hubschmann, Casuslehre, s. 259, ‘der durch Gesinnung und Thaten sich ihm als freund erweist/ YAS3STA XXXI.
53 22, And to the wise are these things clear as to the- one discerning with his mind (not blinded by the perverter 1 ). With Thy Good Mind and Thy (holy) Kingdom he follows the Righteous Order both in his words and his actions. And to Thee, O Ahura Mazda! such a man shall be the most helpful and vigorous being 2 (for he serves with every power 3 )!
mtvam puzzy&tmane [ ] nigam prabhutvazzz ragne * idhipatyena [ ] uttamena pivaratvaz^ manasa [-tasmai dadate], yo ni^asya adm- yam&rte$ karmazzsl mitral.
1 So according to frequent indications. s Tanh aito. Ner.: Sa te — mitram asti niveditatanuA 3 See chap. XXXIII, 14. -The Pahlavi translator renders freely as follows: Manifest things (so possibly; otherwise * manifestly J ) (are) these to (so a MS. not yet elsewhere compared) the wise when according to his understanding he disposes and reflects, [that is, he who meditates with thought upon that which his lord and dastur declares to him]. Good is the King for whom they would effect righteousness in word and deed, the man whose body is a bearer of Thee, O A&harmazd I 54 THE GATHAS.
YASNA XXXIL The Struggle is continued in the midst of Reverses.
1. The same author may well be supposed to continue. ' The first stanzas have been lost, but we observe that the subject of the section is still face to face with the Da^va party. He seems to see them -arrayed. and engaged in hostile devotions. But he is not intimidated. The friendship of Ahura is before his mind, and he expresses his desire that he and Ms colleagues may^ become, or' continue, His apostles, notwithstanding the temporal sorrows which, according to XLIII, u, we see that he clearly anticipated as the portion of those who would propagate the holy faith.
2. Mazda answers him, and through him his followers, as established in His spiritual sovereignty, accepting the devotion of their piety with commendations and implied encouragements. He whom they would “serve is supreme; they need not fear.
3. After reporting this response of Ahura, the composer turns with vehemence toward the Daevas, poetically conceived to be present as if before their adherents, who also, according to verse 1, are supposed to be in sight (or are dramatically so conceived) cele- brating their profane devotions; and he addresses them as the very seed' of Satan. Their worshippers belong to the religious false- hood and perversity. And they have persistently propagated their evil creed, which is in consequence spreading.
4* They have, so he acknowledges with grief, perverted men's minds, making them spokesmen for themselves, and in consequence deserters from the great Kindly Disposition of Ahura Mazda, and outcasts, fallen from His Understanding.
5. They have destroyed the hopes of mankind for a happy life upon earth, and for Immortality in heaven. And in this they are not only the seed of the Evil Mind personified, but his servants rallying at his word.
6. Their leader is striving energetically, so he mournfully bewails, to effect his evil ends; but it is time that he should recall the counteracting measures of Ahura. His holy doctrines are to be announced, and tl\eir authority established by the divine Khshathra, His Sovereign Power personified.
YASNA XXXII.
55 7. The composer then contemplates with religious irony the infatuated security of the wretched delinquents whom he is apos- trophising. Not a man of them knows the destruction which awaits him, and which, as he intimates, is close at hand, but Ahura, he significantly exclaims, is aware of it. And it will be proportion- ably severe. The blindness of sinners to danger seems as definite a judgment upon them in his estimate as their blindness to the truth.
8. To point his anger with an instance he names the apostate Yima, whom he supposes to have erred in first introducing the consumption of the flesh of cattle. He disavows community with him as with them all, declaring himself separate from them in Ahura’s sight.
9. He acknowledges that their leader has to a certain degree defeated his teachings, and impaired the just estimates of life which he had striven to form within the people, (or that he will do this if not checked), declaring also that he had made inroads upon Ms property, which was sacred to the holy cause. And he cries aloud to Akira and to Asha with the words of his very soul.
10. He repeats that their leader threatens to invalidate Ms teachings, blaspheming the supreme object of nature, the Sun, together with the sacred Kine, injuring the productive land, and carrying murder among the saints, 11. He utters his bitter Wail in view of attempted slaughter, and actual spiritual opposition. He points out the plots among the powerful and their illegal confiscation of inheritances, as well those of women as those of men. And he declares that his op- ponents are endeavouring to injure his adherents, as if repelled by the best spiritual qualities which an individual could possess.
12. He announces the solemn judgment of God upon it all, especially reprobating those who deal treacherously against the mystical Kine; that is, the holy herds and people, and apostrophis- ing those who prefer the Grriima above the saving and sanctifying Asha, and the Kingdom of the Lie-demon above the Divine Khshathra.
13. He declares that Grriima, an opposing chief, desired that evil kingdom in the abode of the personified Hell. And he cannot refrain from adding that he also enviously desires to share in the holy apostleship. But, as he severely rejoins, the messenger of God will hold him afar from the sight of the (Divine) Righteousness. He can have no share in the Faith.
(Here it may be noticed that we have some data for presenting THE GATHAS.
the main features of the straggle. In several instances, centring perhaps in the actual description of a battle in XLIV, 15, 16, we see traces of the closeness of the controversy. ' In XLIV, 15, the two hosts seem to be closing in regular lines for the £ holy vows themselves/ Here, on the other hand, we read of willing complaint or 5 regretful desire/ while judicial blindness is referred to over and over again under various phrases. One might suppose that the Ba^va-party were very near the Zarathmtrians in many of their religious peculiarities, but that they could not accede ' to, or understand, the dualism. After the manner of Pagans they impli- cated the Gods in their sins. (Compare the drunken Indra.) At all events a bitter and violent war of doctrines was waging with both speech and weapons. I think it looks like the struggle s of two parties 5 who each claimed. to be the proper representative of some similar form of faith, similar, of course I mean, outwardly.)
14. Deploring the establishment of the Kavls who approach with stratagems and false teachings to aid the opposing party, the composer declares that they say that the Kine herself is to be in- jured instead of blessed by the very fire-priest who kindles 1 the altar-lame.
15. He supports himself however with the hope of ultimate success, and with the prospect of his reward, when he and his fellow-labourers should be gloriously borne to heaven by Weal and Iin.mortality, the eternal two, who not only, as we see, bear saints to bliss, but also xonstitute the beatitude of heaven itself.
16. He confides all at last to Ahura, who is able to control all events, and to solve all doubts, and who will support Ms servants in bringing the wicked to vengeance by means of verbal instructions and commands. • Translation.
(That rival-monarch (thus we may supply the sense of lost verses) for whom some are plotting to secure “* sovereignty, and who, once in power, would ehver over home, village, town, and province to ram and to death 2, is active in his efforts, and offer- 1 See, however, the notes.
YASNA XXXII.
57 tug the devotions of his false religion to accomplish his ends.) i. His 1 lord-kinsman will pray 2 (as I Zara- thustra prayed), and his labouring villagers, with his (trusted) peers, and his (fellow) Daeva- worshippers s. But in my mind is the friendship 4 of Ahura Mazda, the Great Creator, the- living Lord; and Thine heralds, O Ahura 1 may we be; may we hold back 5 those who liate and who offend You!
2. To these (for whom the prophet spake) A^hura Mazda answered, ruling 6 as He does through His Good Mind (within their souls), He replied from His Sovereign Power, our good friend (as he is) through His surpassing 7 Righteousness: We have accepted 1 Some prominent teacher, representing the entire Da6va-party, is alluded to; see verses 6, 7, 9, 10.
2 Compare yasa in XXVIII, 2.
3 Or, c Ms are the Daevas but the verb yasa/ perhaps affords a sufficient expression for Daeva; yasen or he#tt may be understood.
' We may also understand the Daevas here, as the embodied Daevas, In the maimer in which the pious worshipper is called Vohu Manah. That Da6va should however be used quite simply for Da&va-worsMpper In this early composition is not.probable. In the later Avesta it Is frequent usage.
4 Or, 1 the friend; * I recoil as much as possible from abstracts, but the FaMavi has hfr-rav&kh-mamh, and Geldner admirably pro- posed brahman.
5 ' Aigtwan min Lekfim lakhvar yakhsenun§m; so the Pahlavi translation, first venturing on the meaning 4 holding back from; 9 dar in the sense of pa, which latter in Iranian can mean hold back from advantages as well as from misfortunes. High modern authority coincides with the most ancient authority on this latter point. It is apt to be a subject of scepticism with some who neglect the evidence of tradition.
® * P&van sardarih i VoMman; } Ner. svamitayam * It seems difficult to apply the meaning 4 being as a refuge ’ here; see the following 4 from His Kingdom.’
1 Lit. * glorious/ This casts light upon the expression ^anvaitfo verezo.
THE GATHAS.
your good and bountiful Piety, and we have chosen her; ours shall she be 1!
3, But you, O ye Daevas! are all a seed from the Evil Mind 2 * He who offers sacrifice 3 to You the most 4 is of the Lie-demon, and (he is a child) of per- version 6. In advance 6 (are your) deceits whereby ye are famed in the sevenfold 7 earth!
4, For ye. (are) confusing our thoughts 8, whereby men, giving forth the worst deeds, will speak 9, as of 1 Aigh Spendarmaaf Lek&m rai xapir dbshem [b&ndak minw- nih] zak i lanman aito [aighmano pavan tanti mahman yehev&na/j.
Neryosangh: To these the Great Wise (One), the Lord, answered in the lordship of the highest (best) mind; [that is, if, or since, Gvahmana had arrived, as a guest, within (their) body]; from Saharevara he answered [ ] through (their) righteousness, from the well-inclined, and through good conduct, [if truly good conduct had arrived as a guest within (their) body]. And he said:. 1 be- friend your Earth (so Aramalti was' later understood), the perfect- minded one, and. your highest one; she is mine [ ].
2 Compare Yasna XXX, 6. Where the Daevas are approached by the worst mind as they are consulting.
3 As those who offer sacrifice to these Daevas are mentioned separately, we are forced to concede a large idea to the composer. He addresses the Daevas as poetically conceived to be present, and not merely their worshippers as. in verse 1. And this must have its weight in the exegesis of other passages.
4 The Pahlavi translator has kabed. Or max for mashyd (?).
5 Or possibly arrogance, avarminirntar; Ner. apamanastaraA.
s Sathnine^ freely, but indicating the root. The word is a locative. 7 The seven karshvars, or quarters of the earth, were already known.
g I correct fro me (=man) matM (adj. nom. pi; compare yima keredusha and ma masha). 1 do so after the admirable reading of the Pahlavi translator, a s fraz minixno vdxdimd [aighal baxa frifetf, afax znmixno bara avo vinas kan/ano vanfm^/J. Ner. prakr/sh/azw mana/j — mathnati. Notice that aiixta is awkward as a masc., although I have so rendered as more personal.
* Yakhshye»t£ stood in the ancient writing used by the Pahlavi translator, as also now in some of our surviving MSS.; otherwise YASNA XXXII.
59 the Demon-gods beloved, forsaken' by the Good , Mind \ (far) astray from the understanding of the Great Creator, the Living Lord, and (far astray) from His Righteousness!
5. Therefore ye would 2 beguile mankind of happy life 3 (upon earth) and of Immortality (beyond it), since the Evil Spirit (has ruled) you with his evil mind. Yea, he has ruled 4 you, (ye) who are of the Demon-gods, and with an evil word unto action, as his ruler 5 (governs) the wicked 6!
reading vakhshewtd with Justi and most others, and mimatha with Bartholomae: 4 Ye have caused that men who produce the worst results are flourishing, loved of the DaSvas (as they are)/ But in the Casuslehre, Hiibschmann preferred 4 sie sprechen was den Devas angenehm ist/ also reading vakhshezzte (?) (page 240).
1 So the Pahlavi also indicates aran Voh&man sizd; JNer. Gvahmana^* dure* &ste.
2 Improper subjunctive; otherwise ye (have) beguiled.
3 The Pahlavi also freely Mfed amfliMn pavan hu-zivlmih.
4 Fraiieas far from necessarily means 4 gave?; £ assigned/ 4 indi- cated ^ renders it more closely. The Pahlavi has here correctly, but freely, iash ed.
8 The Pahlavi has here jalit&ih for khshayd, and in XXVIII, 8 it has pi&khsha for khshaya. I do not think that the word is an accusative there. A simple accusative does not so naturally fall to the end of the sentence in Gathic; it is generally in apposition when so situated. The nominatives tend toward the end of the sentence.
6 Ner.: It is through both of these that he is deceiving (sic, unable to follow the Pahlavi which probably renders as a second plural; see mfln lekflm) mankind in regard to prosperity and immortality, [ (saying) if it is possible to live, immortality lies in our path]. Since he is yours, O ye base-minded! O ye base Devas! he is inculcating the lowest actions [ ] of the miscreants; he says that sovereignty [is from Aharmana; (that is, 'the sovereignty) of certain ones (meaning over every one)].
The Gathic verbatim is as follows: Therefore ye beguiled (would beguile) man of-happy-life, of-immortality-and since you with-evil mind (you) who-(are)-and Daevas’ (worshippers) the evil-and spirit with an-evil (-word as concerning) action with-word (rules), by 6o THE GATHAS.
6. Full of crime (your leader) has desired to destroy 1 us, wherefore he is famed, (and his doc- trine is declared); but if this be so of these, then in the same manner, O Ahura! Thou possessest 2 (because Thou knowest) the true (teachings) in Thy memory 3. And in Thy kingdom and Thy Righteous Order I will establish Thy precepts (in Thy name) \ 7. Among these wretched beings 5 (this their leader 6 ) knows not that those things 7 which are dewhich (same) means (has-)commanded the wicked (his) ruler (nom. sing, masc.; see Y. XXVIII, 8). The nom., as in Vedic, at the end.
1 Or, Full of crime ye have striven to attain your ends (?) by those things which are reported. (If verse 5 originally preceded) tfiakhrti would naturally be regarded as a singular as paoura~a£nio is an impossible plural masculine. It might, however, be a singular used collectively. In that case we could put the verb in the plural with verse 5 in view. As to concrete or abstract, the first is obviously correct, and is also so rendered by the Pahlavi translation.
1 Vid (with the perf. vaeda) seems to occur in the Gathas in this sense. Or, ‘ Thou knowest with the Best Mind/ s Or 4 in the memorised recital;' Ner. prckdJzm kalayati.
4 Parsi-persian MS.: Bisyar kmah-varzandah kinah ‘hwahad, [kik wanah-kardn p&dafrah kfinSd], kih, guft + srfid isted [kill guft istM]; ku, kih oszn bl-jumir [kfi, padafrah pah an zaman tamam bih kunand, kih ruwin baz an tan dehad]. Zahir jumir- kunandah Hormuz d [kfi pah wanah wa kirfah.rumar- kunand]; wtn i buland agah pah Bahman [muzd d&nad; kfi an kih bayad dadan]. Pah an 1 Tu i Yuma, Hormuzd! 'hixda, an. i Sawab imtfhtan bih d&nSstuwan (sic vid); [kih Yuma padiraht tamam bih bM+ya c hni + birad, bar kas pah,n£ki aglh bih ba^adl.
5 The Pahlavi has kfnfkano.
® 1 he ^z>aetu of the first verse, the dmsasti of the ninth, &c.
The Pahiavi curiously errs with his rdshano = clear } Ner. parishphu/ataraA. It would be straining a point to call him free m interpreting what is ^ collected ' and so 4 obvious ' as £ clear.' We must, however, never forget ‘that the, supposed error of the Pahlavi is sometimes the reflex of our own (often necessary) ignorance.
Vldvau must refer ba <* to. the same subject as ahyl in the first verse, or possibly to Aka Manah, going a step further back.
YASNA XXXIX.
61 dared as victorious 1 (by his allies) are bound together for the smiting; yea, those things by which he was famed (as victorious) by his (blade of) glittering iron 2. But the utter destruction 3 of those things Thou, O Ahura Mazda! knowest 4, most surely 5!
8. Of these wretched beings 6 Yima Vtvanghiisha was famed to be; he who, desiring to content 7 our men, was eating kine’s flesh in its pieces. But from 8 (such as) these, O Ahura Mazda! in Thy discerning discrimination, am I (to be seen as distinct 9 ).
1 Possibly, ‘ which are by Thee announced as destined and proper to be smitten/ The Pahlavi has mhn zanirao amukhi£nd (sic). J6ya=jaya to jan, as akayia is to kan.
2 Compare other allusions to weapons, snaithLra, and possibly dakhshtem.
8 So also the Pahlavi, ristak and p&fefrfis.
4 Naeii/ vidvmi and va6dut6 ahi are in antithesis and emphatic.
5 A literal rendering of this difficult verse would be as follows: Of these wretches, nothing, knowing (is he that) for the smiting (dat. ja, jan; cp. form Sk. j&, jan) (are) the-collected-things, which things (as) victorious (read jay a) are declared forth, by which (things) he has been heard (of) through glittering iron, of which things Thou, O-Ahura! the rain, O- Mazda I most knowing art. Others' take s^nghaitS in the sense of £ cut’(?) and render very differently.
6 The Pahlavi has shedaan; Ner. tan dveshiwaA 7 Or £ teaching/ so the Pahlavi; Ner. samasvadayati.
8 The Pahlavi translator hits the true rendering here: 'from among these I am chosen out by Thee/ Otherwise we have a question: Am I of these? The allusion is to the fall of Yima. As to the first eating of the flesh of beasts, recall Genesis ix. 3. Some have rendered: With regard to these 1 am of Thine opinion,. O Mazda (?), 9 The Pahlavi may be rendered as follows: Among (of) these demons Yima of the Yiva^hanas is famed to have been a wicked scourge. It was he who taught men thus: Eat ye our flesh m pieces [wide as the breast, long as the arm — (or better with West, ‘in lapfuls and armfuls’)]. From among these [ ] I am chosen out by Thee, O Affharmazd! hereafter f [that is, even by Thee I am considered as good].
62 62 THE GATHAS.
9- An evil teacher (as that leader is), he will* destroy (our) doctrines, and by his teachings he will pervert the (true) understanding of life, seizing aw' (from me) my riches «, the choice and real wealth of (Thy) Good Mind. To You and to Asha, O Ahura Mazda! am I therefore crying with the voice of my spirit’s 4 (need) I *°- ^\ th “ man wil1 destr °y my doctrines (indeed, for he blasphemes the highest of creatures that live or are made). He declares that the (sacred) Kme and the Sun are the worst of things which e ye can see; and he will offer the gifts of the wicked (as priest to their Demon-gods). And at the u u T!- ParCh6 ° Ur meadows with drought, and text, the gloss however^ ' ok ( [ ' Dg ° Ur present Pahlavi means ipso facto read the Pahllv^’l^ reading Ner ‘ we b 7 no following our texts. Compare translation > or as but Sere LTTotle^no 11! ° fthe Vedic kine l Cow did not represent the ra’ 1 0n _ nectlon - The Iranian sacred 6 Read a£ leaSt not a * all directly.
for ‘y’ as often y for < v ’ ThJphf V Was miswritten of the Pahlavi translation, "* t0 ^ the word viydvtnin&f? We should’, ^ WC t0 acconnt for the Zend and Sanskrit. The lone vowel ^ TeSt ° Ur phiIolo g7 at comparison with the Indian van— v. 1S most aw ^ war( l for a stroying the means of irrigation'll ^ 1 thlnk that ’ de ‘ ‘shearing the land.’ Notice 8 tW “ g00d a mea *ing as appears, vtl p s temem (Vd in r, e. Sewbere a m <>re correct form YASNA XXXII.
63 11. Yea, these will destroy my life, for they consult with the great 1 of the wicked (enlightening themselves by their words 2 ). And they are seizing away 3 the gifts of inherited treasures 4 5 from both household-lord and from house-wife 6; (wretched men that they are), and those who will fiercely wound (my folk, repelled and in no way kindly moved) by the better mind of the holy 6.
12. (But Ahura will speak His rebuke, for) as to those doctrines which (such) men may be (basely) de- livering 7 (repelled) by the holiest action, (and galled 8 by its sacred truth) God hath said: Evil (are they! Yea, unto these He hath said it) who have slain the Kine’s life by a blessing (and have cursed her while they offered to help her 9 ), men by whom Grdimas are loved above Righteousness, and the Karpans, 1 The Pahlavi translator erroneous, or free, as to ^ikoitere^, indi- cates the proper sense of mazibfa by- pavan masai [— pavan peshpayih va paspayih— ]; but Neryosangh, xnahatiaya-pura^- saratayi.
2 Comp* XXXI, 12, 4 there high his voice lifts the truthful or liar/ 4 Riknah vindLmo.
6 Reshinend; see V, 10. The ablative of the cause, comp, asha/ haM; otherwise with Hiibschm.,- 4 Sie die Schaden nehmen mogen durch den besten heiligen Geist, O Mazda! ' (Casuslehre, s. 241.)
7 The Pahlavi translator had probably before him a text reading rashayen; he renders freely resh sraydnd. With such a text winch is far preferable to the one afforded by the MSS. we may read: Whereby (yd na). men will be opposing and retarding (literally wounding) the doctrines which (are derived) from the best (moral and ceremonial) action; but to these men Mazda declared: Evil (are ye). See the previous verse.
8 See the previous verse.
9 The Pahlavi has hu-ravakh-manih yemalelfmeL 64 THE GATHAS.
and the Throne of those who have wished 1 for th e Demon of lies (as their deity and friend 2 ).
1 3. And the Grdima will seek 3 for these things by means of his (evil) kingdom 4 in the abode of (Hell which is 6 ) the Worst Mind (who both are together) the destroyers of life, and who, O Mazda! will bewail 6 with glad but (envious) wish the message of Thy prophet. (But he will not abate with his vengeance), he will hold them afar from the sight 7 of the truth!
J 4 - hi is is Grdima 8; aye, his! And to (oppose) Thee he will establish the Kavis and (their) scheming 1 So also indicated by the Pahlavi bavihfind.
2 There is elsewhere evidence enough of a desire to encroach upon the truth.
8 So also indicated by bavihfin&/.
4 Or, 1 which kingdoms, sovereign power.’
6 Or, ‘they gladly complain;’ so also the Pahlavi: Mfin— gar- zuno kamak. The singular ^igereza/ is difficult with yaS« Many would alter the * once, and the temptation is great.