Sacred Books of the East/Volume 4/Fragments of the Nasks/Westergaard's Fragments

I.

WESTERGAARD'S FRAGMENTS.

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These are the fragments, nine in number, published by Westergaard in his edition of the Zend-Avesta (pp. 331-334).

I.

This formula, according to a modern Ravâyat, is recited while putting on new clothes.

1. Along with Vohu Manô, Asha Vahista, and Khshathra Vairya, pronounce thou, for the men and women of the holy Zarathustra^[1], a word of celebration and sacrifice, with a modest(?) voice.

2. Pronounce thou that word, O Zarathustra, for sacrifice and prayer unto us, the Amesha-Spentas^[2] that thereby sacrifice may accrue unto the Waters and the Plants, and unto the Fravashis of the righteous, and unto the Yazatas of the spiritual world and of this world, divine creatures, beneficent and holy.

II.

Farîdûn Yast.

The following formulas are exactly conceived in the style of the Yast formulas. The Iranian Hercules, Thraêtaona-Farîdûn, as conqueror of Azi Dahâka, is invoked against brigands.—Azi being a Serpent, Thraêtaona appeared as well in a medical as in an heroic character: his Fravashi is invoked against itch and other diseases (Yt. XIII, 131), and his name is invoked in Tavîds (talismans) against illness, fever, and poison.

1. Fravarânê. I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathustra, one who hates the DaSvas and obeys the laws of Ahura;

For sacrifice, prayer, gratification, and glorification [unto Hâlvani, &c.]

Khshnaothra. Gratification unto the Fravashi of the holy Thraêtaona, son of Âthwya.

Yathâ ahû vairyô.—The Rdspi: The wish of the Lord… (let this Zaotar proclaim it!)

The Zôt: Is the rule of Righteousness. Let the righteous man who knows it proclaim it!

2. We sacrifice unto Thraêtaona, son of Athwya, holy, master of holiness, to save the pious worshippers from the brigand, from the robber, from the Karapans^[3].

3. Yathâ ahû vairyô.

Yasnemka. I bless the sacrifice and prayer and the strength and vigour of the Fravashi of Thraêtaona, son of Athwya.

Ashem vohû. Ahmâi raêska^[4].

III.

Vîspa humata.

A prayer which it is recommended to recite every morning, after the prayer of the Hâvan-gâh, and every night before going to bed.

I. All good thoughts, all good words, all good deeds I do willingly.

All evil thoughts, all evil words, all evil deeds I do unwillingly.

2. All good thoughts, all good words, all good deeds will reach Paradise.

All evil thoughts, all evil words, all evil deeds will reach Hell.

And all good thoughts, all good words, all good deeds are the badge of the righteous for Paradise.

IV.

Glorification of the Airyama Ishyô prayer.

This fragment is the twenty-third and last Fargard of one of the Gâthic Nasks, the Varshtmânsar, which was a commentary in vulgar Zend on the Gdtha texts. Its Pahlavi translation is found in the Dinkart, IX, 46. See the Airyama Ishyô itself, Yasna LIV, Venîdâd XX, 11.

1. The Airyama Ishyô I declare, O pure Spitama, the greatest of all words ; I created it as the most triumphant of all words. That is the word that the Saosyants^[5] will pronounce.

2. Through it, I proclaim it, O Spitama, I become sovereign over my creation, I, Ahura Mazda; and through it Angra Mainyu, of the bad religion, shall lose the sovereignty over his own creation, O Spitama Zarathustra.

3. Angra Mainyu shall hide under the earth; under the earth shall the demons hide. The dead shall rise up, life shall come back to the bodies and they shall keep the breath.

V.

This fragment is composed of two series of invocations which differ only in the same manner as the Lesser Sirdza differs from the Greater one, that is to say, the first is introduced by the word Khshnaothra^[6], and the second by the word yazamaidê. These are two forms of Khshnûman for a Darûn celebrated on the Bahrâm day for the benefit of a member of the family who is travelling.

1. [Khshnaothra. Gratification] to Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious;

To the Amesha-Spentas;

To the well-shapen and tall-formed Strength;

To Verethraghna, made by Ahura, and to the crushing Ascendant;

To the Safety of the roads;

To the golden instrument^[7] and to the Saokenta mount, made by Mazda^[8];

To all the Gods.

2. We sacrifice (yazamaidê) to Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious.

We sacrifice to the Amesha-Spentas;

We sacrifice to the well-shapen and tall-formed Strength;

We sacrifice to Verethraghna, made by Ahura, and to the crushing Ascendant;

We sacrifice to the Safety of the roads;

We sacrifice to the golden instrument and to the Saokenta mount, made by Mazda;

We sacrifice to all the holy [Gods].

VI.

These are the formulas recited in the preparation of gîvâm (the milk that mixed with urvarâm and hôm makes the parâ-hôm). Those formulas are found in the Pahlavi Commentary to the Nîrangistân, § 68. The milch-goat which is going to yield the milk, is introduced into the Urvîs-gâh, whereupon the Mobed, after reciting three Khshnaothra and one Ashem vohû, pronounces the Fravarânê in the honour of the present Gâh and of the animal which is milked.

Fravarânê. I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathustra, one who hates the Daêvas, and obeys the laws of Ahura; [for sacrifice, prayer, gratification, and glorification unto Hâvani, &c.]

Khshnaothra. Gratification, for sacrifice, prayer, gratification, and glorification,

[If there is only one animal:]

To the Body of the Bull^[9], to the Soul of the Bull; to thy soul, to thee (tava), O Beneficent Bull.

Yathâ ahû vairyô. The will of the Lord, &c. …

[If there are two of them:]

To the Body of the Bull, to the Soul of the Bull; to the soul of you both (yuvâkem), O Beneficent Bulls.

Yathâ ahû vairyô…

[If there are three of them:]

To the Body of the Bull, to the Soul of the Bull; to your soul (yushmâkem), O Beneficent Bulls.

Yathâ ahû vairyô…

VII.

These are the formulas pronounced during the preparation of the holy water or Zaothra. They are found in the Pahlavi Commentary to Nîrangistân, § 48.

The Mobed, taking in hand the two Zaothra cups, recites a Khshnaothra to the waters.

1. Khshnaothra. Gratification, for sacrifice, prayer, gratification, and glorification.

To the Good Waters^[10] and to all the waters created by Mazda;

To the great Sovereign Apãm Napdâd^[11], and to the water created by Mazda;

To thee, O Ahurâni^[12], [O Water] of Ahura!

Yathâ ahû vairyô.

[He puts the two cups on the surface of the water and says:]

2. We praise thee, O Ahurini, [Water] of Ahura; we offer unto thee good sacrifices and good prayers, good offerings, offerings of assistance.

[Then he dips them, takes them up and puts them upon the Urvis-stone while he pronounces the following words:]

Yazatanãm, thwâ, ashaonãm, kukhshnîsha, usbîbarâmi, rathwaska berezatô, gâthâoska srâvayôid: 'I take thee up, may st thou gratify the holy Gods and the great Ratu.—Let him sing the Gâthas!'

VIII.

The following fragment, the text of which is most corrupt and defies translation, seems to be a curse to destroy an enemy.

1. May he perish in the year, in the month!

I, worshipper of Mazda, desire to make him perish by my spells. If a man utter them, the evildoer shall perish thereby quick and soon … May none be seized by that Drug!

2. …… when Mahrkûsha^[13] shall perish and the army of the Drug shall be thrown down and broken.

IX.

This fragment is as corrupt as the preceding one. It seems to be meant as a glorification of the Ahuna Vairya.

1. Yathâ ahû vairyô.

Give, O Mazda, the desired reward^[14],—a royalty befriending what is good^[15],—the desired reward that Religion deserves^[16].

2. Yathâ ahû vairyô. This is the Word pronounced by Mazda, the lordly Word, the Mãthra Spenta., the undestructible and unfailing; the victorious, evil-destroying, healing Word; the victorious Word pronounced by Mazda; which utters and uttered health; victorious amongst all.

3. …… In it were uttered strength, victory, health, healing, prosperity, waxing and increase, according to that word in the Gâthas: 'all that can be wished for by your loyal servants^[17].'

He who relieves the poor makes Ahura King^[18].

4^[19]. Let all the World of the Good Principle listen to this sacrifice, to this prayer, to this gratification, to this glorification!

We sacrifice to the pious Sraosha.

We sacrifice to the Great Master, Ahura Mazda …

Footnotes

1. For the faithful.
2. The Amesha-Spentas, presiding over the different regions of nature, may be supposed to furnish the substance, of animal of vegetable origin, of which clothes are made. Cf. Fragments to Vd. XVIII, 2
3. 'The blind,' those who are blind to the Law of Ahura.
4. The same formula as Yast III, 19.
5. The great saints of Mazdeism, whose virtue and merits are to bring about the decisive victory of Ahura over Angra Mainyu and the production of the resurrection.
6. Not expressed; the object is in the genitive case.
7. 'We worship, we sacrifice to' (the object being in the accusative case).
8. See Khôrshêd, Nyâyis, 8 (Zend-Avesta, part ii).
9. Gaus has become the general name of all animal species. Cf. Vd. XXI, I, n. I.
10. The waters of the present sacrifice.
11. See Yasts and Sîrôzas, p. 6, n. 1.
12. The waters of the bowl from which the priest draws water. Cf. the Guimet Zend-Avesta, i, 409, n. 2; 416.
13. Mahrkûsha, the demon who is going to send the deathly winters in prevision of which Yima is ordered to build the Var (see Vd. II, 22 and notes).
14. From Yasna XXXIV, 14 a.
15. Yasna LI, 1 a.
16. Yasna LIV, 1 (Airyama ishyô).
17. Yasna LXV, 14 (=L, 11 d).
18. The last line of the Ahuna Vairya.
19. Yasna LXX, 6-7.