AVESTA: KHORDA AVESTA (Book of Common Prayer) part 2

Translation by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898.) Yashts (Hymns to Ahura Mazda, the Archangels, and the Angels) ------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Ohrmazd Yasht (Hymn to Ahura Mazda) -------------------------------------- (Translated by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898.) 0. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! May Angra Mainyu be destroyed by those who do truly what is the foremost wish (of God). I praise well-thought, well-spoken, and well-done thoughts, words, and deeds. I embrace all good thoughts, good words, and good deeds; I reject all evil thoughts, evil words, and evil deeds. I give sacrifice and prayer unto you, O Amesha-Spentas! even with the fullness of my thoughts, of my words, of my deeds, and of my heart: I give unto you even my own life. I recite the 'Praise of Holiness:' 'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good. Well is it for it, well is it for that holiness which is perfection of holiness!' I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathushtra, 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; For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Savanghi and Visya], the holy and masters of holiness;

and Visya], the holy and masters of holiness; For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto the Masters of the days, of the periods of the day, of the months, of the seasons, and of the years; Unto AHURA MAZDA, bright and glorious, be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness: the riches of Vohu-Mano shall he given to him who works in this world for Mazda, and wields according to the will of Ahura the power he gave him to relieve the poor. 1. Zarathushtra asked Ahura Mazda: 'O Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! 'What of the Holy Word is the strongest? What is the most victorious? What is the most glorious? What is the most effective? 2. 'What is the most fiend-smiting? What is the best-healing? What destroyeth best the malice of Daevas and Men? What maketh the material world best come to the fulfillment of its wishes? What freeth the material world best from the anxieties of the heart?' 3. Ahura Mazda answered: 'Our Name, O Spitama Zarathushtra! who are the Amesha-Spentas, that is the strongest part of the Holy Word; that is the most victorious; that is the most glorious; that is the most effective; 4. 'That is the most fiend-smiting; that is the best-healing; that destroyeth best the malice of Daevas and Men: that maketh the material world best come to the fulfillment of its wishes;

the material world best come to the fulfillment of its wishes; that freeth the material World best from the anxieties of the heart.' 5. Then Zarathushtra said: 'Reveal unto me that name of thine, O Ahura Mazda! that is the greatest, the best, the fairest, the most effective, the most fiend-smiting, the best-healing, that destroyeth best the malice of Daevas and Men; 6. 'That I may afflict all Daevas and Men; that I may afflict all Yatus and Pairikas; that neither Daevas nor Men may be able to afflict me; neither Yatus nor Pairikas.' 7. Ahura Mazda replied unto him: 'My name is the One of whom questions are asked, O holy Zarathushtra! 'My second name is the Herd-giver 'My third name is the Strong One 'My fourth name is Perfect Holiness. 'My fifth name is All good things created by Mazda, the offspring of the holy principle. 'My sixth name is Understanding; 'My seventh name is the One with understanding. 'My eighth name is Knowledge; 'My ninth name is the One with Knowledge. 8. 'My tenth name is Weal; 'My eleventh name is He who produces weal. 'My twelfth name is AHURA (the Lord). 'My thirteenth name is the most Beneficent. 'My fourteenth name is He in whom there is no harm. 'My fifteenth name is the unconquerable One. 'My sixteenth name is He who makes the true account. 'My seventeenth name is the All-seeing One. 'My eighteenth name is the healing One. 'My nineteenth name is the Creator.

'My nineteenth name is the Creator. 'My twentieth name is MAZDA (the All-knowing One). 9. Worship me, O Zarathushtra, by day and by night, with offerings of libations well accepted I will come unto thee for help and joy, I, Ahura Mazda; the good, holy Sraosha will come unto thee for help and joy; the waters, the plants, and the Fravashis of the holy ones will come unto thee for help and joy. 10. 'If thou wantest, O Zarathushtra, to destroy the malice of Daevas and Men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, of the blind and of the deaf, of the two-legged ruffians, of the two-legged Ashemaoghas, of the four-legged wolves; 11. 'And of the hordes with the wide front, with the many spears, with the straight spears, with the spears uplifted, bearing the spear of havock; then, recite thou these my names every day and every night. 12. 'I am the Keeper; I am the Creator and the Maintainer; I am the Discerner; I am the most beneficent Spirit. 'My name is the bestower of health; my name is the best bestower of health. 'My name is the Athravan; my name is the most Athravan-like of all Athravans. 'My name is Ahura (the Lord) 'My name is Mazdau (the all-knowing). 'My name is the Holy; my name is the most Holy. 'My name is the Glorious; my name is the most Glorious. 'My name is the Full-seeing; my name is the Fullest-seeing. 'My name is the Far-seeing; my name is the Farthest-seeing.

'My name is the Far-seeing; my name is the Farthest-seeing. 13. 'My name is the Protector; my name is the Well-wisher; my name is the Creator; my name is the Keeper; my name is the Maintainer. 'My name is the Discerner; my name is the Best Discerner. 'My name is the Prosperity-producer; my name is the Word of Prosperity. 'My name is the King who rules at his will; my name is the King who rules most at his will. 'My name is the liberal King; my name is the most liberal King. 14. 'My name is He who does not deceive; my name is He who is not deceived. 'My name is the good Keeper; my name is He who destroys malice; my name is He Who conquers at once; my name is He who conquers everything; my name is He who has shaped everything. 'My name is All weal; my name is full weal; my name is the Master of weal. 15. 'My name is He who can benefit at his wish; my name is He who can best benefit at his wish. 'My name is the Beneficent One; my name is the Energetic One; my name is the most Beneficent. 'My name is Holiness; my name is the Great One; my name is the good Sovereign; my name is the Best of Sovereigns. 'My name is the Wise One; my name is the Wisest of the Wise; my name is He who does good for a long time. 16. 'These are my names. 'And he who in this material world, O Spitama Zarathushtra! shall recite and pronounce those names of mine either by day or by night; 17. 'He who shall pronounce them, when he rises up or when he

17. 'He who shall pronounce them, when he rises up or when he lays him down; when he lays him down or when he rises up; when he binds on the sacred girdle or when he unbinds the sacred girdle; when he goes out of his dwelling-place, or when he goes out of his town, or when he goes out of his country and comes into another country: 18. 'That man, neither in that day nor in that night, shall be wounded by the weapons of the foe who rushes Aeshma-like and is Druj-minded; not the knife, not the cross-bow, not the arrow, not the sword, not the club, not the sling-stone shall reach and wound him. 19. 'But those names shall come in to keep him from behind and to keep him in front, from the Druj unseen, from the female Varenya fiend, from the evil-doer bent on mischief, and from that fiend who is all death, Angra Mainyu. It will be as if there were a thousand men watching over one man. 20. '"Who is he who will smite the fiend in order to maintain thy ordinances? Teach me clearly thy rules for this world and for the next, that Sraosha may come with Vohu-Mano and help whomsoever thou pleasest." 21. 'Hail to the Glory of the Kavis! Hail to the Airyanem Vaejah! Hail to the Saoka, made by Mazda! Hail to the waters of the Daitya! Hail to Ardvi, the undefiled well! Hail to the whole world of the holy Spirit! 'Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord... 'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good....

'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... 22. 'We worship the Ahuna Vairya. We worship Asha-Vahishta, most fair, undying, and beneficent. We worship Strength and Prosperity and Might and Victory and Glory and Vigour. We worship Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious. 'Yenghe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda knows the goodness for a sacrifice [performed] in holiness, all those beings, males and females, do we worship. 23. 'Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... I bless the sacrifice and the prayer unto Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, and his strength and vigour.' (Bahman Yasht.) 24. 'O Zarathushtra! keep thou for ever that man who is friendly [to me] from the foe unfriendly [to me]! Do not give up that friend unto the stroke (of the foe), unto vexations to be borne; wish no harm unto that man who would offer me a sacrifice, be it ever so great or ever so small, if it has reached unto us, the Amesha-Spentas. 25. 'Here is Vohu-Mano, my creature, O Zarathushtra! here is Asha-Vahishta, my creature, O Zarathushtra! here is Khshathra-Vairya, my creature, O Zarathushtra! here is Spenta-Armaiti, my creature, O Zarathushtra! here are Haurvatat and Ameretat, who are the reward of the holy ones, when freed from their bodies, my creatures, O Zarathushtra! 26. 'Thou knowest this, and how it is, O holy Zarathushtra! from my understanding and from my knowledge; namely, how the world

my understanding and from my knowledge; namely, how the world first began, and how it will end. 'A thousand remedies, ten thousand remedies! 'A thousand remedies, ten thousand remedies! 'A thousand remedies, ten thousand remedies! 27. '[We worship] the well-shapen, tall-formed Strength; Verethraghna, made by Ahura; the crushing Ascendant, and Spenta-Armaiti. 28. 'And with the help of Spenta-Armaiti, break ye asunder their malice, turn their minds astray, bind their hands, make their knees quake against one another, bind their tongues. 'When, O Mazda! shall the faithful smite the wicked? When shall the faithful smite the Druj? When shall the faithful smite the wicked?' 29. Then Zarathushtra said: 'I threw you back into the earth, and by the eyes of Spenta-Armaiti the ruffian was made powerless. 30. 'We worship the powerful Gaokerena, made by Mazda; the powerful Gaokerena, made by Mazda. 31. 'We worship the memory of Ahura Mazda to keep the Holy Word. We worship the understanding of Ahura Mazda, to study the Holy Word. 'We worship the tongue of Ahura Mazda, to speak forth the Holy Word. 'We worship the mountain that gives understanding, that preserves understanding; [we worship it] by day and by night, with offerings of libations well-accepted. 32. 'We worship that creation [of Ahura's], Spenta-Armaiti; and the holy creations of that creature and of Asha [Vahishta], that are foremost in holiness.

are foremost in holiness. 'Here I take as lord and master the greatest of all, Ahura Mazda; to smite the fiend Angra Mainyu; to smite Aeshma of the wounding spear; to smite the Mazainya fiends; to smite all the Daevas and the Varenya fiends; to increase Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious; to increase the Amesha-Spentas; to increase the star Tishtrya, the bright and glorious; to increase the faithful men; to increase all the holy creatures of the beneficent Spirit. 'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... 33. Bestow on him riches... (Recite SrB5.) 'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good....' 2. Haft Amahraspand Yasht ------------------------- 0. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced!... Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathushtra, 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.... I. 1. To Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, and to the Amesha-Spentas; To Vohu-Mano; to Peace, whose breath is friendly, and who is more powerful to destroy than all other creatures; to the heavenly Wisdom, made by Mazda, and to the Wisdom acquired through the ear, made by Mazda; 2. To Asha-Vahishta, the fairest; to the much-desired Airyaman; to the instrument made by Mazda: and to the good Saoka, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy;

of love, made by Mazda and holy; To Khshathra-Vairya; to the metals; to Mercy and Charity. 3. To the good Spenta-Armaiti, and to the good Rata, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy; To Haurvatat, the master; to the prosperity of the seasons and to the years, the masters of holiness; And to Ameretat, the master; to fatness and flocks; to the plenty of corn; and to the powerful Gaokerena, made by Mazda. 4. (At the Gah Hawan): To Mithra, the lord of wide pastures and to Rama Hvastra. (At the Gah Rapithwin): To Asha-Vahishta and to Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda. (At the Gah, Uzerin): To Apam Napat, the tall lord, and to water, made by Mazda. 5. (At the Gah Aiwisruthrem): To the Fravashis of the faithful and to the females that bring forth flocks of males; to the prosperity of the seasons; to the well-shapen and tall-formed Strength; to Verethraghna, made by Ahura, and to the crushing Ascendant. (At the Gah Usahin): To the holy, devout, fiend-smiting Sraosha, who makes the world grow; to Rashnu-Razishta and to Arshtat, who makes the world grow, who makes the world increase; Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation and glorification! Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... II. 6. We sacrifice unto Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious; we sacrifice unto the Amesha-Spentas, the all-ruling, the all-beneficent. We sacrifice unto Vohu-Mano, the Amesha-Spenta; we sacrifice

We sacrifice unto Vohu-Mano, the Amesha-Spenta; we sacrifice unto Peace, whose breath is friendly, and who is more powerful to destroy than all other creatures; we sacrifice unto the heavenly Wisdom, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the Wisdom acquired through the ear, made by Mazda. 7. We sacrifice unto Asha-Vahishta, the fairest, the Amesha-Spenta; we sacrifice unto the much-desired Airyaman; we sacrifice unto the instrument made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the good Saoka, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy. We sacrifice unto Khshathra-Vairya; we sacrifice unto the metals; we sacrifice unto Mercy and Charity. 8. We sacrifice unto the good Spenta-Armaiti; we sacrifice unto the good Rata, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy. We sacrifice unto Haurvatat, the Amesha-Spenta; we sacrifice unto the prosperity of the seasons; we sacrifice unto the years, the holy and masters of holiness. We sacrifice unto Ameretat, the Amesha-Spenta; we sacrifice unto fatness and flocks; we sacrifice unto the plenty of corn; we sacrifice unto the powerful Gaokerena, made by Mazda. 9. (At the Gah Hawan): We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures; we sacrifice unto Rama Hvastra. (At the Gah Rapithwin): We sacrifice unto Asha-Vahishta and Atar, the son of Ahura Mazda. (At the Gah Uzerin): We sacrifice unto Apam Napat, the swift-horsed, the tall and shining lord, the lord of the females;

swift-horsed, the tall and shining lord, the lord of the females; we sacrifice unto the holy waters, made by Mazda. 10. (At the Gah Aiwisruthrem): We sacrifice unto the good, powerful, beneficent Fravashis of the faithful; we sacrifice unto the females who bring forth flocks of males; we sacrifice unto the prosperity of the seasons; we sacrifice unto the well-shapen, tall-formed Strength; we sacrifice unto Verethraghna, made by Mazda; we sacrifice unto the crushing Ascendant. (At the Gah Ushahin): We sacrifice unto the holy, tall-formed, fiend-smiting Sraosha; who makes the world grow, the holy an master of holiness; we sacrifice unto Rashnu-Razishta; we sacrifice unto Arshtat, who makes the world grow, who makes the world increase III. 11. Let the Yatus be crushed, O Zarathushtra! both Daevas and men. Who is he in whose house, O Spitama Zarathushtra! every Druj is destroyed, every Druj perishes, when he pronounces these words: 12. ........? 13. It is he who takes the seven Amesha-Spentas, the all-ruling, the all-beneficent, as a shield against his enemies. We worship the Law of the worshippers of Mazda; we worship the waters coming in the shape of a horse, made by Mazda. 14-15. He has renounced trespasses and faults, O Zarathustra! he has renounced all trespasses and faults, O Zarathustra! when he throws down the destroyer of Vohu-Mano and his words, with a hundred times hundredfold, with a many times manifold preaching

hundred times hundredfold, with a many times manifold preaching and smiting, and he takes away the Law of Mazda, that was carried away as a prisoner, from the hands of the [ungodly], who are destroyed by his strength. Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... 16. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... I bless the sacrifice and the prayer, the strength and vigour Of Ahura Mazda, bright and glorious, and of the Amesha-Spentas; Of Vohu-Mano; of Peace, whose breath is friendly.... Of Asha-Vahishta, the fairest; of the much-desired Airyaman.... Of Khshathra-Vairya, of the metals.... Of the good Spenta-Armaiti and of the good Rata.... Of Haurvatat, the master.... Of Ameretat, the master.... (At the Gah Hawan): Of Mithra.... (At the Gah Rapithwin): Of Asha-Vahishta.... (At the Gah Uzerin): Of the high lord Apam Napat.... (At the Gah Aiwisruthrem): Of the Fravashis of the faithful.... (At the Gah Ushahin): Of the holy, devout, fiend-smiting Sraosha, who makes the world grow; of Rashnu-Razishta and of Arshtat, who makes the world grow, who makes the world increase. Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... Give unto that man brightness and glory, give him health of body, give him sturdiness of body, give him victorious strength of body, give him full welfare of wealth, give him a virtuous offspring, give him long, long life, give him the bright, all-happy,

give him long, long life, give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones. 3. Ardwahisht Yasht ------------------- 0. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! .... Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathushtra, 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 Asha-Vahishta, the fairest; unto the much-desired Airyaman, made by Mazda, and unto the good Saoka, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy; Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... I. 1. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: 'That thou mayest increase Asha-Vahishta, O Spitama Zarathushtra! with hymns of praise, with performance of the office, with invocations, holy words, sacrifice, blessings, and adoration - once to abide in the shining luminous space, in the beautiful abodes - for the sacrifice and invocation of us, the Amesha-Spentas'.... 2. Zarathushtra said: 'Say unto me the right words, such as they are, O Ahura Mazda! that I may increase Asha-Vahishta, with hymns of praise, with performance of the office, with invocations, holy words, sacrifice, blessings, and adoration, - once to abide in the shining luminous space, in the beautiful

once to abide in the shining luminous space, in the beautiful abodes, - for the sacrifice and invocation of you, the Amesha-Spentas. 3. '.... I proclaim Asha-Vahishta: if I proclaim Asha-Vahishta, then easy is the way to the abode of the other Amesha-Spentas, which Ahura Mazda keeps with Good Thoughts, which Ahura Mazda keep with Good Words, which Ahura Mazda keeps with Good Deeds; 4. '(Easy is the way to the Garo-nmana of Ahura Mazda): the Garo-nmana is for the holy souls, and no one of the wicked can enter the Garo-nmana and its bright, wide, holy ways; (no one of them can go) to Ahura Mazda. II. 5. 'The Airyaman prayer smites down the strength of all the creatures of Angra Mainyu, of the Yatus and Pairikas. It is the greatest of spells, the best of spells, the very best of all spells; the fairest of spells, the very fairest of all spells; the fearful one amongst spells, the most fearful of all spells; the firm one amongst spells, the firmest of all spells; the victorious one amongst spells, the most victorious of all spells; the healing one amongst spells, the best-healing of all spells. 6. 'One may heal with Holiness, one may heal with the Law, one may heal with the knife, one may heal with herbs, one may heal with the Holy Word: amongst all remedies this one is the healing one that heals with the Holy Word; this one it is at will best drive away sickness from the body of the faithful: for this one

drive away sickness from the body of the faithful: for this one is the best-healing of all remedies. 7. 'Sickness fled away [before it], Death fled away; the Daeva fled away, the Daeva's counter-work fled away; the unholy Ashemaogha fled away, the oppressor of men fled away. 8. 'The brood of the Snake fled away; the brood of the Wolf fled away; the brood of the Two-legged fled away. Pride fled away; Scorn fled away; Hot Fever fled away; Slander fled away; Discord fled away; the Evil Eye fled away. 9. 'The most lying words of falsehood fled away; the Jahi, addicted to the Yatu, fled away; the Jahi, who makes one pine, fled away; the wind that blows from the North fled away; the wind that blows from the North vanished away. 10. 'He it is who smites me that brood of the Snake, and who might smite those Daevas by thousands of thousands, by ten thousands of ten thousands; he smites sickness, he smites death, he smites the Daevas, he smites the Daeva's counter-work, he smites the unholy Ashemaogha, he smites the oppressor of men. 11. 'He smites the brood of the Snake; he smites the brood of the Wolf; he smites the brood of the Two-legged. He smites Pride; he smites Scorn; he smites Hot Fever; he smites Slander; he smites Discord; he smites the Evil Eye. 12. 'He smites the most lying words of falsehood; he smites the Jahi, addicted to the Yatu; he smites the Jahi, who makes one pine. He smites the wind that blows from the North; the wind

pine. He smites the wind that blows from the North; the wind that blows from the North vanished away. 13. 'He it is who smites me that brood of the Two-legged, and who might smite those Daevas, by thousands of thousands, by ten thousands of ten thousands. Angra Mainyu, who is all death, the worst-lying of all Daevas, rushed from before him: 14. 'He exclaimed, did Angra Mainyu: "Woe is me! Here is the god Asha-Vahishta, who will smite the sickliest of all sicknesses, who will afflict the sickliest of all sicknesses; '"He will smite the deadliest of all deaths, he will afflict the deadliest of all deaths; '"He will smite the most fiendish of all fiends, he will afflict the most fiendish of all fiends; '"He will smite the most counter-working of all counter-works, he will afflict the most counter-working of all counter-works; '"He will smite the unholy Ashemaogha, he will afflict the unholy Ashemaogha; '"He will smite the most oppressive of the oppressors of men, he will afflict most oppressive of the oppressors of men. 15. '"He will smite the snakiest of the Snake's brood, he will afflict the snakiest of the Snake's brood; '"He will smite the most wolfish of the Wolf's brood, he will afflict the most wolfish of the Wolf's brood; '"He will smite the worst of the two-legged brood, he will afflict the worst of the two-legged brood; '"He will smite Pride, he will afflict Pride; '"He will smite Scorn, he will afflict Scorn;

'"He will smite Scorn, he will afflict Scorn; '"He will smite the hottest of hot fevers, he will afflict the hottest of hot fevers; '"He will smite the most slanderous of slanders, he will afflict the most slanderous of slanders; '"He will smite the most discordant of discords, he will afflict the most discordant of discords; '"He will smite the worst of the Evil Eye, he will afflict the worst of the Evil Eye. 16. '"He will smite the most lying words of falsehood, he will afflict the most lying words of falsehood; '"He will smite the Jahi, addicted to the Yatu, he will afflict the Jahi, addicted to the Yatu; '"He will smite the Jahi, who makes one pine, he will afflict the Jahi, who makes one pine; '"He will smite the wind that blows from the North, he will afflict the wind that blows from the North." 17. 'The Druj will perish away, the Druj will perish; the Druj will rush, the Druj will vanish. Thou perishest away to the regions of the North, never more to give unto death the living world of the holy spirit. 18. 'For his brightness and glory I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard, namely, unto Asha-Vahishta, the fairest - the Amesha-Spenta. Unto Asha-Vahishta, the fairest, the Amesha-Spenta, we offer up the libations, 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. 'Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda knows the

'Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda knows the goodness.... 19. 'Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... 'I bless the sacrifice and prayer and the strength and vigour of Asha-Vahishta, the fairest; of the much-desired Airyaman, made by Mazda; and of the good Saoka, with eyes of love, made by Mazda and holy. 'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... '[Give] unto that man brightness and glory, give him health of body; .... give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones.' 4. Awerdad Yasht ---------------- 0. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! .... Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathushtra, 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 Haurvatat, the master; unto the prosperity of the seasons and unto the years, the masters of holiness, Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... We sacrifice unto Haurvatat, the Amesha-Spenta; we sacrifice unto the prosperity of the seasons; we sacrifice unto the years, the holy and masters of holiness. 1. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: 'I created for the faithful the help, the enjoyments, the comforts,

created for the faithful the help, the enjoyments, the comforts, and the pleasures of Haurvatat. We unite them with him who would come up to thee as one of the Amesha-Spentas, as he would come to any of the Amesha-Spentas, Vohu-Mano, Asha-Vahishta, Khshathra-Vairya, Spenta-Armaiti, Haurvatat, and Ameretat. 2. 'He who against the thousands of thousands of those Daevas, against their ten thousands of ten thousands, against their numberless myriads would invoke the name of Haurvatat, as one of the Amesha-Spentas, he would smite the Nasu, he would smite Hashi, he would smite Bashi, he would smite Saeni, he would smite Buji. 3. 'I proclaim the faithful man as the first [of men]; if I proclaim the faithful man as the first [of men], then Rashnu Razishta, then every heavenly Yazata of male nature in company with the Amesha-Spentas will free the faithful man 4. 'From the Nasu, from Hashi, from Gashi, from Saeni, from Buji; from the hordes with the wide front, from the hordes with the many spears uplifted, from the evil man who oppresses, from the willful sinner, from the oppressor of men, from the Yatu, from the Pairika, from the straying way. 5. 'How does the way of the faithful turn and part from the way of the wicked?' Ahura Mazda answered: 'It is when a man pronouncing my spell, either reading or reciting it by heart, draws the furrows and hides there himself, [saying]: 6. '"I will smite thee, O Druj! whomsoever thou art, whomsoever

6. '"I will smite thee, O Druj! whomsoever thou art, whomsoever thou art amongst the Drujes that come in an open way, whomsoever thou art amongst the Drujes that come by hidden way, whomsoever thou art amongst the Drujes that defile by contact; whatsoever Druj thou art, I smite thee away from the Aryan countries; whatsoever Druj thou art, I bind thee; I smite thee down, O Druj! I throw thee down below, O Druj!" 7. 'He draws [then] three furrows: I proclaim him one of the faithful; he draws six furrow: I proclaim him one of the faithful; he draws nine furrows: I proclaim him one of the faithful. 8. 'The names of those (Amesha-Spentas) smite the men turned to Nasus by the Drujes: the seed and kin of the deaf are smitten, the scornful are dead, as the Zaotar Zarathushtra blows them away to woe, however fierce, at his will and wish, as many as he wishes. 9. 'From the time when the sun is down he smites them with bruising blows; from the time when the sun is no longer up, he deals deadly blows on the Nasu with his club struck down, for the propitiation and glorification of the heavenly gods. 10. 'O Zarathushtra! 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 pupil in black hair, devoted to the good law, who, devoted to the good law, holy and brave, stills all the Drujes. 11. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a

11. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard, namely, unto Haurvatat, the Amesha-Spenta. Unto Haurvatat, the Amesha-Spenta, we offer up the libations, 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. 12. 'Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... 'I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigour of Haurvatat, the master; of the prosperity of the seasons and of the years, the masters of holiness. '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.' 5. Ardui Sur Bano Yasht (Hymn to the Waters) -------------------------------------------- Translated by James Darmesteter. (From Sacred Books of the East, American Edition, 1898.) 0. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced!.... Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathushtra, 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 the good Waters, made by Mazda; unto the holy water-spring ARDVI ANAHITA; unto all waters, made by Mazda; unto all plants, made by Mazda, Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification.

Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... I. 1. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita, the wide-expanding and health-giving, who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura, who is worthy of sacrifice in the material world, worthy of prayer in the material world; the life-increasing and holy, the herd-increasing and holy, the fold-increasing and holy, the wealth-increasing and holy, the country-increasing and holy; 2. 'Who makes the seed of all males pure, who makes the womb of all females pure for bringing forth, who makes all females bring forth in safety, who puts milk into the breasts of all females in the right measure and the right quality; 3. 'The large river, known afar, that is as large as the whole of the waters that run along the earth; that runs powerfully from the height Hukairya down to the sea Vouru-Kasha. 4. 'All the shores of the sea Vouru-Kasha are boiling over, all the middle of it is boiling over, when she runs down there, when she streams down there, she, Ardvi Sura Anahita, who has a thousand cells and a thousand channels: the extent of each of those cells, of each of those channels is as much as a man can ride in forty days, riding on a good horse. 5. 'From this river of mine alone flow all the waters that spread

5. 'From this river of mine alone flow all the waters that spread all over the seven Karshvares; this river of mine alone goes on bringing waters, both in summer and in winter. This river of mine purifies the seed in males, the womb in females the milk in females' breasts. 6. 'I, Ahura Mazda, brought it down with mighty vigor, for the increase of the house, of the borough of the town, of the country, to keep them, to maintain them, to look over them, to keep and maintain them close. 7. 'Then Ardvi Sura Anahita, O Spitama Zarathushtra! proceeded forth from the Maker Mazda. Beautiful were her white arms, thick as a horse's shoulder or still thicker; beautiful was her ...., and thus came she, strong, with thick arms, thinking thus in her heart: 8. '"Who will praise me? Who will offer me a sacrifice, with libations cleanly prepared and well-strained, together with the Haoma and meat? To whom shall I cleave, who cleaves unto me, and thinks with me, and bestows gifts upon me, and is of good will unto me?" 9. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard; I will offer up unto the holy Ardvi Sura Anahita a good sacrifice with an offering of libations;- thus mayest thou advise us when thou art appealed to! Mayest thou be most fully worshipped, O Ardvi Sura Anahita! with the Haoma and meat, with the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy spells,

the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy spells, with the words with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words. 'Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda.... II. 10. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita, the wide-expanding and health-giving, who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura, who is worthy of sacrifice in the material world, worthy of prayer in the material world; the life-increasing and holy, the herd-increasing and holy, the fold-increasing and holy, the wealth-increasing and holy, the country-increasing and holy; 11. 'Who drives forwards on her chariot, holding the reins of the chariot. She goes, driving, on this chariot, longing for men and thinking thus in her heart: "Who will praise me? Who will offer me a sacrifice, with libations cleanly prepared and well-strained, together with the Haoma and meat? To whom shall I cleave, who cleaves unto me, and thinks with me, and bestows gifts unto me, and is of good will unto me?" 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice, worth being heard.... III. 12. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 13. 'Whom four horses carry, all white, of one and the same color, of the same blood, tall, crushing down the hates of all haters, of the Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors,

of the Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, of the blind and of the deaf. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice .... IV. 14. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 15. 'Strong and bright, tall and beautiful of form, who sends down by day and by night a flow of motherly waters as large as the whole of the waters that run along the earth, and who runs powerfully. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... V. 16. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 17. 'To her did the Maker Ahura Mazda offer up a sacrifice to the Airyana Vaejah, by the good river Daitya; with the Haoma and meat, with the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy spells, with the words, with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words. 18. He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may bring the son of Pourushaspa, the holy Zarathushtra, to think after my law, to speak after my law, to do after my law!" 19. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and begging that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... VI. 20. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring

20. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 21. 'To her did Haoshyangha, the Paradhata, offer up a sacrifice on the enclosure of the Hara, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, and ten thousand lambs. 22. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita, that I may become the sovereign lord of all countries, of the Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and that I may smite down two thirds of the Daevas of Mazana and of the fiends of Varena." 23. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... VII. 24. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 25. 'To her did Yima Khshaeta, the good shepherd, offer up a sacrifice from the height Hukairya, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 26. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may become the sovereign lord of all countries, of the Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and that I may take from the Daevas both riches and welfare, both fatness

I may take from the Daevas both riches and welfare, both fatness and flocks, both weal and Glory." 27. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... VIII. 28. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 29. 'To her did Azi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, offer up a sacrifice in the land of Bawri, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, and ten thousand lambs. 30. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may make all the seven Karshvares of the earth empty of men." 31. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant him that boon, although he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating her that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... IX. 32. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 33. 'To her did Thraetaona, the heir of the valiant Athwya clan, offer up a sacrifice in the four-cornered Varena, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 34. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome Azi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who has a thousand

the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who has a thousand senses, that most powerful, fiendish Druj, that demon, baleful to the world, the strongest Druj that Angra Mainyu created against the material world, to destroy the world of the good principle; and that I may deliver his two wives, Savanghavach and Erenavach, who are the fairest of body amongst women, and the most wonderful creatures in the world." 35. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... X. 36. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 37. 'To her did Keresaspa, the manly-hearted, offer up a sacrifice behind the Vairi Pisanah, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 38. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome the golden-heeled Gandarewa, though all the shores of the sea Vouru-Kasha are boiling over; and that I may run up to the stronghold of the fiend on the wide, round earth, whose ends lie afar." 39. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....

'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XI. 40. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sara Anahita.... 41. 'To her did the Turanian murderer, Frangrasyan, offer up a sacrifice in his cave under the earth, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 42. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may seize hold of that Glory, that is waving in the middle of the sea Vouru-Kasha and that belongs to the Aryan people, to those born and to those not yet born, and to the holy Zarathushtra." 43. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... II. 44. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 45. 'To her did the great, most wise Kavi Usa offer up a sacrifice from Mount Erezifya, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 46. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me, this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may become the sovereign lord of all countries, of the Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf." 47. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon.

would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XIII. 48. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 49. 'To her did the gallant Husravah, he who united the Aryan nations into one kingdom, offer up a sacrifice behind the Chaechasta lake, the deep lake, of salt waters, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 50. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may become the sovereign lord of all countries, of Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and that I may have the lead in front of all the teams and that he may not pass through the forest , he, the murderer, who now is fiercely striving against me on horseback." 51. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XIV. 52. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 53. 'To her did the valiant warrior Tusa offer worship on the back of his horse, begging swiftness for his teams, health for his own body, and that he might watch with full success those who hated him, smite down his foes, and destroy at one stroke

who hated him, smite down his foes, and destroy at one stroke his adversaries, his enemies, and those who hated him. 54. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome the gallant sons of Vaesaka, by the castle Khshathro-saoka, that stands high up on the lofty, holy Kangha; that I may smite of the Turanian people their fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thousands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands and their myriads of myriads." 55. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XV. 56. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 57. 'To her did the gallant sons of Vaesaka offer up a sacrifice in the castle Khshathro-saoka, that stands high up on the lofty, holy Kangha, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 58. 'They begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant us this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that we may overcome the valiant warrior Tusa, and that we may smite of the Aryan people their fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thousands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands

their thousands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands and their myriads of myriads." 59. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant them that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XVI. 60. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 61. 'The old Vafra Navaza worshipped her when the strong fiend-smiter, Thraetaona, flung him up in the air in the shape of a bird, of a vulture. 62. 'He went on flying, for three days and three nights, towards his own house; but he could not, he could not turn down. At the end of the third night, when the beneficent dawn came dawning up, then he prayed unto Ardvi Sura Anahita, saying: 63. '"Ardvi Sura Anahita! do thou quickly hasten helpfully and bring me assistance at once. I will offer thee a thousand libations, cleanly prepared and well strained, along with Haomas and meat, by the brink of the river Rangha, if I reach alive the earth made by Ahura and my own house." 64. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita hastened unto him in the shape of a maid, fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girdled, pure, nobly born of a glorious race, wearing shoes up to the ankle wearing a golden...., and radiant. 65. 'She seized him by the arm: quickly was it done, nor was it long till, speeding, he arrived at the earth made by Mazda and at his own house, safe, unhurt, unwounded, just as he was before.

at his own house, safe, unhurt, unwounded, just as he was before. [66. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, entreating that she would grant him that boon.] 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XVII. 67. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 68. 'To her did Jamaspa offer up a sacrifice, with a hundred horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs, when he saw the army of the wicked, of the worshippers of the Daevas, coming from afar in battle array. 69. 'He asked of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may be as constantly victorious as any one of all the Aryans." 70. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XVIII. 71. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 72. 'To her did Ashavazdah, the son of Pouru-dhakhshti, and Ashavazdah and Thrita, the sons of Sayuzhdri, offer up a sacrifice, with a hundred horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs, by Apam Napat, the tall lord, the lord of the females, the bright and swift-horsed. 73. 'They begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant us this, O

73. 'They begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant us this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that we may overcome the assemblers of the Turanian Danus, Kara Asabana, and Vara Asabana, and the most mighty Duraekaeta, in the battles of this world. 74. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted them that boon, as they were offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant them that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, l will offer her a sacrifice.... XIX. 75. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 76. 'Vistauru, the son of Naotara, worshipped her by the brink of the river Vitanghuhaiti, with well-spoken words, speaking thus: 77. '"This is true, this is truly spoken, that I have smitten as many of the worshippers of the Daevas as the hairs I bear on my head. Do thou then, O Ardvi Sura Anahita! leave me a dry passage, to pass over the good Vitanghuhaiti." 78. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita hastened unto him in the shape of a maid, fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girded, pure, nobly born of a glorious race, wearing shoes up to the ankle, with all sorts of ornaments and radiant. A part of the waters she made stand still, a part of the waters she made flow forward, and she left him a dry passage to pass over the good Vitanghuhaiti. [79. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she

up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon.] 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XX. 80. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 81. 'To her did Yoishta, one of the Fryanas, offer up a sacrifice with a hundred horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs on the Pedvaepa of the Rangha. 82. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome the evil-doing Akhtya, the offspring of darkness, and that I may answer the ninety-nine hard riddles that he asks me maliciously, the evil-doing Akhtya, the offspring of darkness." 83. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XXI. 84. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 85. 'Whom Ahura Mazda the merciful ordered thus, saying: "Come, O Ardvi Sura Anahita, come from those stars down to the earth made by Ahura, that the great lords may worship thee, the masters of the countries, and their sons. 86. '"The men of strength will beg of thee swift horses and supremacy of Glory. '"The Athravans who read and the pupils of the Athravans

'"The Athravans who read and the pupils of the Athravans will beg of thee knowledge and prosperity, the Victory made by Ahura, and the crushing Ascendant. 87. '"The maids of barren womb, longing for a lord, will beg of thee a strong husband; '"Women, on the point of bringing forth, will beg of thee a good delivery. '"All this wilt thou grant unto them, as it lies in thy power, O Ardvi Sura Anahita!" 88. 'Then Ardvi Sura Anahita came forth, O Zarathushtra! down from those stars to the earth made by Mazda; and Ardvi Sura Anahita spake thus: 89. '"O pure, holy Zarathushtra! Ahura Mazda has established thee as the master of the material world: Ahura Mazda has established me to keep the whole of the holy creation. '"Through my brightness and glory flocks and herds and two-legged men go on, upon the earth: I, forsooth, keep all good things, made by Mazda, the offspring of the holy principle, just as a shepherd keeps his flock." 90. 'Zarathushtra asked Ardvi Sura Anahita: "O Ardvi Sura Anahita! With what manner of sacrifice shall I worship thee? With what manner of sacrifice shall I worship and forward thee? So that Mazda may make thee run down (to the earth), that he may not make thee run up into the heavens, above the sun; and that the Serpent may not injure thee with...., with...., with...., and.... poisons." 91. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita answered: "O pure, holy Spitama! this is the sacrifice wherewith thou shalt worship me, this is

this is the sacrifice wherewith thou shalt worship me, this is the sacrifice wherewith thou shalt worship and forward me, from the time when the sun is rising to the time when the sun is setting. '"Of this libation of mine thou shalt drink, thou who art an Athravan, who hast asked and learnt the revealed law, who art wise, clever, and the Word incarnate. 92. '"Of this libation of mine let no foe drink, no man fever-sick, no liar, no coward, no jealous one, no woman, no faithful one who does not sing the Gathas, no leper to be confined. 93. '"I do not accept those libations that are drunk in my honor by the blind, by the deaf, by the wicked, by the destroyers, by the niggards, by the...., nor any of those stamped with those characters which have no strength for the holy Word. '"Let no one drink of these my libations who is hump-backed or bulged forward; no fiend with decayed teeth." 94. 'Then Zarathushtra asked Ardvi Sura Anahita: "O Ardvi Sura Anahita! What becomes of those libations which the wicked worshippers of the Daevas bring unto thee after the sun has set?" 95. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita answered: "O pure, holy Spitama Zarathushtra! howling, clapping, hopping, and shouting, six hundred and a thousand Daevas, who ought not to receive that sacrifice, receive those libations that men bring unto me after [the sun has set]." 96. 'I will worship the height Hukairya, of the deep precipices,

96. 'I will worship the height Hukairya, of the deep precipices, made of gold, wherefrom this mine Ardvi Sura Anahita leaps, from a hundred times the height of a man, while she is possessed of as much Glory as the whole of the waters that run along the earth, and she runs powerfully. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XXII. 97. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 98. 'Before whom the worshippers of Mazda stand with baresma in their hands: the Hvovas did worship her, the Naotaras did worship her; the Hvovas asked for riches, the Naotaras asked for swift horses. Quickly was Hvova blessed with riches an full prosperity; quickly became Vishtaspa, the Naotaride, the lord of the swiftest horses in these countries. 99. ['Ardvi Sura Anahita granted them that boon, as they were offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant them that boon.] 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XXIII. 100. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 101. 'Who has a thousand cells and a thousand channels: the extent of each of those cells, of each of those channels, is as much as a man can ride in forty days, riding on a good horse. In each channel there stands a palace, well-founded, shining with a hundred

channel there stands a palace, well-founded, shining with a hundred windows, with a thousand columns, well-built, with ten thousand balconies, and mighty. 102. 'In each of those palaces there lies a well-laid, well-scented bed, covered with pillows, and Ardvi Sura Anahita, O Zarathushtra! runs down there from a thousand times the height of a man, and she is possessed of as much Glory as the whole of the waters that run along the earth, and she runs powerfully. XXIV. 103. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 104. 'Unto her did the holy Zarathushtra offer up a sacrifice in the Airyana Vaejah, by the good river Daitya; with the Haoma and meat, with the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy spells, with the speech, with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words. 105. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may bring the son of Aurvat-aspa, the valiant Kavi Vistaspa, to think according to the law, to speak according to the law, to do according to the law." 106. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XXV. 107. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring