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

107. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 108. 'Unto her did the tall Kavi Vishtaspa offer up a sacrifice behind Lake Frazdanava, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 109. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome Tathravant, of the bad law, and Peshana, the worshipper of the Daevas and the wicked Arejat-aspa, in the battles of this world!" 110. '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.... XXVI. 111. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 112. 'Unto her did Zairi-vairi, who fought on horseback, offer up a sacrifice behind the river Daitya, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 113. 'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome Pesho-Changha the corpse-burier, Humayaka the worshipper of the Daevas, and the wicked Arejat-aspa, in the battles of this world. 114. '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.

that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XXVII. 115. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 116. 'Unto her did Arejat-aspa and Vandaremaini offer up a sacrifice by the sea Vouru-Kasha, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs. 117. 'They begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant us this, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that we may conquer the valiant Kavi Vishtaspa and Zairivairi who fights on horseback, 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 and their myriads of myriads." 118. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant them that favor, though they were offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she should grant them that favor. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XXVIII. 119. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 120. 'For whom Ahura Mazda has made four horses -- the wind, the rain, the cloud, and the sleet -- and thus ever a upon the earth it is raining, snowing, hailing, and sleeting; and whose armies are so many and numbered by nine-hundreds and thousands. 121. 'I will worship the height Hukairya, of the deep precipices,

121. '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.... XXIX. 122. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 123. 'She stands, the good Ardvi Sura Anahita, wearing a golden mantle, waiting for a man who shall offer her libations and prayers, and thinking thus in her heart: 124. "'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?" 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... XXX. 125. 'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita.... 126. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita, who stands carried forth in the shape of a maid, fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girded, pure, nobly born of a glorious race, wearing along her.... a mantle fully embroidered with gold; 127. 'Ever holding the baresma in her hand, according to the rules, she wears square golden earrings on her ears bored, and a golden

she wears square golden earrings on her ears bored, and a golden necklace around her beautiful neck, she, the nobly born Ardvi Sura Anahita; and she girded her waist tightly, so that her breasts may be well-shaped, that they may be tightly pressed. 128. 'Upon her head Ardvi Sura Anahita bound a golden crown, with a hundred stars, with eight rays, a fine ...., a well-made crown, in the shape of a ...., with fillets streaming down. 129. 'She is clothed with garments of beaver, Ardvi Sura Anahita; with the skin of thirty beavers of those that bear four young ones, that are the finest kind of beavers; for the skin of the beaver that lives in water is the finest-colored of all skins, and when worked at the right time it shines to the eye with full sheen of silver and gold. 130. 'Here, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! I beg of thee this favor: that I, fully blessed, may conquer large kingdoms, rich in horses, with high tributes, with snorting horses, sounding chariots, flashing swords, rich in aliments, with stores of food, with well-scented beds; that I may have at my wish the fullness of the good things of life and whatever makes a kingdom thrive. 131. 'Here, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! I beg of thee two gallant companions, one two-legged and one four-legged: one two-legged, who is swift, quickly rushing, and clever in turning a chariot round in battle; and one four-legged, who can quickly

a chariot round in battle; and one four-legged, who can quickly turn towards either wing of the host with a wide front, towards the right wing or the left, towards the left wing or the right. 132. 'Through the strength of this sacrifice, of this invocation, O Ardvi Sura Anahita! come down from those stars, towards the earth made by Ahura, towards the sacrificing priest, towards the full boiling [milk]; come to help him who is offering up libations giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that thou wouldst grant him thy favors; that all those gallant warriors may be strong, like king Vishtaspa. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice.... 133. 'Yatha ahu vairya: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... 'I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigor of the holy water-spring Anahita. '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!' 6. Khwarshed Yasht (Hymn to the Sun) ------------------------------------ 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 undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun;

Unto the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun; Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... 1. We sacrifice unto the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun. When the light of the sun waxes warmer, when the brightness of the sun waxes warmer, then up stand the heavenly Yazatas, by hundreds and thousands: they gather together its Glory, they make its Glory pass down, they pour its Glory upon the earth made by Ahura, for the increase of the world of holiness, for the increase of the creatures of holiness, for the increase of the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun. 2. And when the sun rises up, then the earth, made by Ahura, becomes clean; the running waters become clean, the waters of the wells become clean, the waters of the sea become clean, the standing waters become clean; all the holy creatures, the creatures of the Good Spirit, become clean. 3. Should not the sun rise up, then the Daevas would destroy all the things that are in the seven Karshvares, nor would the heavenly Yazatas find any way of withstanding or repelling them in the material world. 4. He who offers up a sacrifice unto the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun - to withstand darkness, to withstand the Daevas born of darkness, to withstand the robbers and bandits, to withstand the Yatus and Pairikas, to withstand death that creeps in unseen - offers it

Pairikas, to withstand death that creeps in unseen - offers it up to Ahura Mazda, offers it up to the Amesha-Spentas, offers it up to his own soul. He rejoices all the heavenly and worldly Yazatas, who offers up a sacrifice unto the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun. 5. I will sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who has a thousand ears, ten thousand eyes. I will sacrifice unto the club of Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, well struck down upon the skulls of the Daevas. I will sacrifice unto that friendship, the best of all friendships, that reigns between the moon and the sun. 6. For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard, namely, unto the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun. Unto the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun 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. Yenghe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda.... 7. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... I bless the sacrifice and the invocation, and the strength and vigour of the undying, shining, swift-horsed Sun. 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. 7. Mah Yasht (Hymn to the Moon)

7. Mah Yasht (Hymn to the Moon) ------------------------------- 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 Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull; unto the only-created Bull and unto the Bull of many species; Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... 1. Hail to Ahura Mazda! Hail to the Amesha-Spentas! Hail to the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull! Hail to thee when we look at thee! Hail to thee when thou lookest at us! 2. How does the moon wax? How does the moon wane? For fifteen days does the moon wax; for fifteen days does the moon wane. As long as her waxing, so long is the waning; as long as her waning, so long is the waxing. 'Who is there but thee who makes the moon wax and wane?' 3. We sacrifice unto the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull, the holy and master of holiness. Here I look at the moon, here I perceive the moon; here I look at the light of the moon, here I perceive the light of the moon. The Amesha-Spentas stand up holding its glory; the Amesha-Spentas stand up, pouring its glory upon the earth, made by Mazda.

stand up, pouring its glory upon the earth, made by Mazda. 4. And when the light of the moon waxes warmer, golden-hued plants grow on from the earth during the spring. We sacrifice unto the new moons, the full moons, and the Vishaptathas. We sacrifice unto the new moon, the holy and master of holiness; We sacrifice unto the full moon, the holy and master of holiness; We sacrifice unto the Vishaptatha, the holy and master of holiness. 5. I will sacrifice unto the Moon, that keeps in it the seed of the Bull, the liberal, bright, glorious, water-giving, warmth-giving, wisdom-giving, wealth-giving, riches-giving, thoughtfulness-giving, weal-giving, freshness-giving, prosperity-giving, the liberal, the healing. 6. For its brightness and glory, I will offer unto it a sacrifice worth being heard, namely, unto the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull. Unto the Moon that keeps in it the seed of the Bull, 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. Yenghe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda.... 7. 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 the Moon, that keeps in it the seed of the Bull, and of the only-created Bull, and of the Bull of many species. Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.

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. 8. Tishtar Yasht (Hymn to the Star Sirius) ------------------------------------------ (Tishtrya is the angel (Yazad) of the star Sirius. Tishtrya also presides over the fourth month and the thirteenth day of each month. Sirius also directs the rain.) 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 Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, and unto the powerful Satavaesa, made by Mazda, who pushes waters forward, Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... [[1]] 1. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: 'We worship the lordship and mastership [of Tishtrya], whereby he protects the Moon, the dwelling, the food, when my glorious stars come along and impart their gifts to men. I will sacrifice unto the star Tishtrya, that gives the fields their share [of waters]. 2. 'We offer up libations unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, that gives happy dwelling and good dwelling; the white,

star, that gives happy dwelling and good dwelling; the white, shining, seen afar, and piercing; the health-bringing, loud-snorting, and high, piercing from afar with its shining, undefiled rays; and unto the waters of the wide sea, the Vanguhi of wide renown, and the species of the Bull, made by Mazda, the awful kingly Glory, and the Fravashi of the holy Spitama Zarathushtra. 3. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard, namely, unto the star Tishtrya. 'Unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, 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.... [[2]] 4. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, who is the seed of the waters, powerful, tall, and strong, whose light goes afar; powerful and highly working, through whom the brightness and the seed of the waters come from the high Apam Napat. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[3]] 5. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star; for whom long flocks and herds and men, looking forward for him and deceived in their hope: "When shall we see him rise up, the bright and glorious star Tishtrya? When will the springs run with waves as thick as a horse's size and still thicker? Or will

with waves as thick as a horse's size and still thicker? Or will they never come?" 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[4]] 6. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star; who flies, towards the sea Vouru-Kasha, as swiftly as the arrow darted through the heavenly space, which Erekhsha, the swift archer, the Arya amongst the Aryas whose arrow was the swiftest, shot from Mount Khshaotha to Mount Hvanvant. 7. 'For Ahura Mazda gave him assistance; so did the waters and the plants; and Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, opened a wide way unto him. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[5]] 8. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, that afflicts the Pairikas, that vexes the Pairikas, who, in the shape of worm-stars, fly between the earth and the heavens, in the sea Vouru-Kasha, the powerful sea, the large-sized, deep sea of salt waters. He goes to its lake in the shape of a horse, in a holy shape; and down there he makes the waters boil over, and the winds flow above powerfully all around. 9. 'Then Satavaesa makes those waters flow down to the seven Karshvares of the earth, and when he has arrived down there, he stands, beautiful, spreading ease and joy on the fertile countries (thinking in himself): "How shall the countries of the Aryas grow fertile?" 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth

'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[6]] 10. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, who spoke unto Ahura Mazda, saying: "Ahura Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! 11. '"If men would worship me with a sacrifice in which I were invoked by my own name, as they worship the other Yazatas with sacrifices in which they are invoked by their own names, then I should have come to the faithful at the appointed time; I should have come in the appointed time of my beautiful, immortal life, should it be one night, or two nights, or fifty, or a hundred nights." 12. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya; 'We sacrifice unto the rains of Tishtrya. 'We sacrifice unto the first star; we sacrifice unto the rains of the first star. 'I will sacrifice unto the stars Haptoiringa, to oppose the Yatus and Pairikas. 'We sacrifice unto Vanant, the star made by Mazda; for the well-shapen strength, for the Victory, made by Ahura, for the crushing Ascendant, for the destruction of what distresses us, for the destruction of what persecutes us. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, whose eye-sight is sound. 13. 'For ten nights, O Spitama Zarathushtra! Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, mingles his shape with light, moving in the shape of a man of fifteen years of age, bright, with clear eyes, tall, full of strength, strong, and clever.

tall, full of strength, strong, and clever. 14. 'He is active as the first man was; he goes on with the strength of the first man; he has the virility of the first man. 15. 'Here he calls for people to assemble, here he asks, saying: "Who now will offer me the libations with the Haoma and the holy meat? To whom shall I give wealth of male children, a troop of male children, and the purification of his own soul? Now I ought to receive sacrifice and prayer in the material world, by the law of excellent holiness." 16. 'The next ten nights, O Spitama Zarathushtra! the bright and glorious Tishtrya mingles his shape with light, moving in the shape of a golden-horned bull. 17. 'Here he calls for people to assemble, here he asks, saying: "Who now will offer me the libations with the Haoma and the holy meat? To whom shall I give wealth of oxen, a herd of oxen, and the purification of his own soul? Now I ought to receive sacrifice and prayer in the material world, by the law of excellent holiness." 18. 'The next ten nights, O Spitama Zarathushtra! the bright and glorious Tishtrya mingles his shape with light, moving in the shape of a white, beautiful horse, with golden ears and a golden caparison. 19. 'Here he calls for people to assemble, here he asks, saying: "Who now will offer me the libations with the Haoma and the holy meat? To whom shall I give wealth of horses, a troop of horses,

holy meat? To whom shall I give wealth of horses, a troop of horses, and the purification of his own soul? Now I ought to receive sacrifice and prayer in the material world, by the law of excellent holiness." 20. 'Then, O Spitama Zarathushtra! the bright and glorious Tishtrya goes down to the sea Vouru-Kasha in the shape of a white, beautiful horse, with golden ears and a golden caparison. 21. 'But there rushes down to meet him the Daeva Apaosha, in the shape of a dark horse, black with black ears, black with a black back, black with a black tail, stamped with brands of terror. 22. 'They meet together, hoof against hoof, O Spitama Zarathushtra! the bright and glorious Tishtrya and the Daeva Apaosha. They fight together, O Spitama Zarathushtra! for three days and three nights. And then the Daeva Apaosha proves stronger than the bright and glorious Tishtrya, he overcomes him. 23. 'And Tishtrya flees from the sea Vouru-Kasha, as far as a Hathra's length. He cries out in woe and distress, the bright and glorious Tishtrya: "Woe is me, O Ahura Mazda! I am in distress, O Waters and Plants! O Fate and thou, Law of the worshippers of Mazda! Men do not worship me with a sacrifice in which I am invoked by my own name, as they worship the other Yazatas with sacrifices in which they are invoked by their own names. 24. '"If men had worshipped me with a sacrifice in which I had been invoked by my own name, as they worship the other Yazatas

I had been invoked by my own name, as they worship the other Yazatas with sacrifices in which they are invoked by their own names, I should have taken to me the strength of ten horses, the strength of ten camels, the strength of ten bulls, the strength of ten mountains, the strength of ten rivers." 25. 'Then I, Ahura Mazda, offer up to the bright and glorious Tishtrya a sacrifice in which he is invoked by his own name, and I bring him the strength of ten horses, the strength of ten camels, the strength of ten bulls, the strength of ten mountains, the strength of ten rivers. 26. 'Then, O Spitama Zarathushtra! the bright and glorious Tishtrya goes down to the sea Vouru-Kasha in the shape of a white, beautiful horse, with golden ears and golden caparison. 27. 'But there rushes down to meet him the Daeva Apaosha in the shape of a dark horse, black with black ears, black with a black back, black with a black tail, stamped with brands of terror. 28. 'They meet together, hoof against hoof, O Spitama Zarathushtra! the bright and glorious Tishtrya, and the Daeva Apaosha; they fight together, O Zarathushtra! till the time of noon. Then the bright and glorious Tishtrya proves stronger than the Daeva Apaosha, he overcomes him. 29. 'Then he goes from the sea Vouru-Kasha as far as a Hathra's length: "Hail!" cries the bright and glorious Tishtrya. "Hail unto me, O Ahura Mazda! Hail unto you, O waters and

"Hail unto me, O Ahura Mazda! Hail unto you, O waters and plants! Hail, O Law of the worshippers of Mazda! Hail will it be unto you, O lands! The life of the waters will flow down unrestrained to the big-seeded corn fields, to the small-seeded pasture-fields, and to the whole of the material world!" 30. Then the bright and glorious Tishtrya goes back down to the sea Vouru-Kasha, in the shape of a white, beautiful horse, with golden ears and a golden caparison. 31. 'He makes the sea boil up and down; he makes the sea stream this and that way; he makes the sea flow this and that way: all the shores of the sea Vouru-Kasha are boiling over, all the middle of it is boiling over. 32. 'And the bright and glorious Tishtrya rises up from the sea Vouru-Kasha, O Spitama Zarathushtra! the bright and glorious Satavaesa rises up from the sea Vouru-Kasha; and vapours rise up above Mount Us-hindu, that stands in the middle of the sea Vouru-Kasha. 33. 'Then the vapours push forward, in the regular shape of clouds; they go following the wind, along the ways which Haoma traverses, the increaser of the world. Behind him travels the mighty wind, made by Mazda, and the rain, and the cloud, and the sleet, down to the several places, down to the fields, down to the seven Karshvares of the earth. 34. 'Apam Napat, O Spitama Zarathushtra! divides the waters amongst the countries in the material world, in company with the mighty

the countries in the material world, in company with the mighty wind, the Glory, made by the waters, and the Fravashis of the faithful. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[7]] 35. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, who from the shining east, moves along his long winding course, along the path made by the gods, along the way appointed for him the watery way, at the will of Ahura Mazda, at the will of the Amesha-Spentas. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[8]] 36. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, whose rising is watched by men who live on the fruits of the year, by the chiefs of deep understanding; by the wild beasts in the mountains, by the tame beasts that run in the plains; they watch him, as he comes up to the country for a bad year, or for a good year, (thinking in themselves): "How shall the Aryan countries be fertile?" 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[9]] 37. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, swift-flying and swift-moving, who flies towards the sea Vouru-Kasha, as swiftly as the arrow darted through the heavenly space, which Erekhsha, the swift archer, the Arya amongst the Aryas whose arrow was the swiftest, shot from Mount Khshaotha to Mount Hvanvant. 38. 'Ahura Mazda gave him assistance, and the Amesha-Spentas and

38. 'Ahura Mazda gave him assistance, and the Amesha-Spentas and Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, pointed him the way: behind him went the tall Ashish Vanguhi and Parendi on her light chariot: always till, in his course, he reached Mount Hvanvant on the shining waters. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[10]] 39. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, who afflicts the Pairikas, who destroys the Pairikas, that Angra Mainyus flung to stop all the stars that have in them the seed of the waters. 40. 'Tishtrya afflicts them, he blows them away from the sea Vouru-Kasha; then the wind blows the clouds forward, bearing the waters of fertility, so that the friendly showers spread wide over, they spread helpingly and friendly over the seven Karshvares. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[10]] 41. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, for whom long the standing waters, and the running spring-waters, the stream-waters, and the rain-waters: 42. '"When will the bright and glorious Tishtrya rise up for us? When will the springs with a flow and overflow of waters, thick as a horse's shoulder, run to the beautiful places and fields, and to the pastures, even to the roots of the plants, that they may grow with a powerful growth?" 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth

'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[10]] 43. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, who washes away all things of fear, who stunts the growth of all ...., and brings health to all these creations, being most beneficent, when he has been worshipped with a sacrifice and propitiated, rejoiced, and satisfied. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[10]] 44. 'I will sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, whom Ahura Mazda has established as a lord and overseer above all stars, in the same way as he has established Zarathushtra above men; whom neither Angra Mainyu, nor the Yatus and the Pairikas, nor the men Yatus can deliver unto death, nor can all the Daevas together prevail for his death. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[10]] 45. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, to whom Ahura Mazda has given a thousand senses, and who is the most beneficent amongst the stars that have in them the seed of the waters: 46. 'Who moves in light with the stars that have in them the seed of the waters: he, from the sea Vouru-Kasha, the powerful sea, the large-sized, deep, and salt of waters, goes to all the lakes, and to all the beautiful caves, and to all the beautiful channels, in the shape of a white, beautiful horse, with golden ears and

in the shape of a white, beautiful horse, with golden ears and a golden caparison. 47. 'Then, O Spitama Zarathushtra! the waters flow down from the sea Vouru-Kasha, mother-like, friendly, and healing: he divides them amongst these countries, being most beneficent, when he has been worshipped with a sacrifice and propitiated rejoiced, and satisfied. 'For his brigbtness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[10]] 48. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, for whom long all the creatures of Spenta-Mainyu, those that live under the ground, and those that live above the ground; those that live in the waters, and those that live on dry land; those that fly, and those that run in the plains; and all those that live within this boundless and endless world of the holy Spirit. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[10]] 49. 'We sacrifice unto Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, the healthful, wise, happy, and powerful, who is the lord of a thousand boons, and grants many boons to that man who has pleased him, whether begging or not begging for them. 50. 'I, O Spitama Zarathushtra! have created that star Tishtrya as worthy of sacrifice, as worthy of prayer, as worthy of progitiation, as worthy of glorification as myself, Ahura Mazda; 51. 'In order to withstand, to break asunder, to afflict, to drive

51. 'In order to withstand, to break asunder, to afflict, to drive back the malice of that Pairika Duzyairya, whom evil-speaking people call Huyairya. 52. 'Had I not created that star Tishtrya as worthy of sacrifice, as worthy of prayer, as worthy of propitiation, as worthy of glorification as myself, Ahura Mazda; 53. 'In order to withstand, to break asunder, to afflict, to drive back the malice of that Pairika Duzyairya, whom evil-speaking people call Huyairya; 54. 'Then all day long, all night long, that Pairika Duzyairya would wage war against this material world of mine, wanting to extinguish its life, and she goes on, rushing upon and around it. 55. 'But the bright and glorious Tishtrya keeps that Pairika in bonds, with twofold bonds, with threefold bonds, that cannot be overcome, with bonds all over the body: it is as if there were a thousand men keeping one man in bonds, a thousand men of those who are the strongest in strength. 56. 'If the Aryan countries, O Spitama Zarathushtra! would perform in honour of the bright and glorious Tishtrya the due sacrifice and invocation, just as that sacrifice and invocation ought to be performed in the perfection of holiness; never should a hostile horde enter these Aryan countries, nor any plague, nor leprosy, nor venomous plants, nor the chariot of a foe, nor the uplifted spear of a foe.' 57. Zarathushtra asked: 'What is then, O Ahura Mazda! the sacrifice

57. Zarathushtra asked: 'What is then, O Ahura Mazda! the sacrifice and invocation in honour of the bright and glorious Tishtrya, as it ought to be performed in the perfection of holiness?' 58. Ahura Mazda answered: 'Let the Aryan nations bring libations unto him; let the Aryan nations tie bundles of baresma for him; let the Aryan nations cook for him a head of cattle, either white, or black, or of any other colour, but all of one and the same colour. 59. 'Let not a murderer take of these offerings, nor a whore, nor a .... who does not sing the Gathas, who spreads death in the world and withstands the law of Mazda, the law of Zarathushtra. 60. 'If a murderer take of these offerings, or a whore, or a .... who does not sing the Gathas, who spreads death in the world and withstands the law of Mazda, the law of Zarathushtra, then the bright and glorious Tishtrya takes back his healing virtues. 61. 'Plagues will ever pour upon the Aryan nations; hostile hordes will ever fall upon the Aryan nations; the Aryans will be smitten, by their fifties and their hundreds, by their hundreds and their thousands, by thetr thousands and their tens of thousands, by their tens of thousands and their myriads of myriads. 62. '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 Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, and of the powerful

of Tishtrya, the bright and glorious star, and of the powerful Satavaesa, made by Mazda, who pushes waters forward. '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.' 9. Drvasp Yasht --------------- 0. May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced! May Angra Mainyu be afflicted!.... 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, satisfaction, and glorification unto Havani, the holy and master of holiness. Unto the powerful Drvaspa, 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.... [[1]] 1. We sacrifice unto the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy, who heeps the flocks in health, the herds in health, the grown-up (cattle) in health, the young ones in health; who watches well from afar, with a wide-spread and long-continued welfare-giving friendship; 2. Who yokes teams of horses, who makes her chariot turn and its wheels sound, fat and glistening, strong, tall-formed, weal-possessing, health-giving, powerful to stand and powerful to turn for assistance to the faithful. 3. To her did Haoshyangha, the Paradhata, offer up a sacrifice

3. To her did Haoshyangha, the Paradhata, offer up a sacrifice on the enclosure of the Hara, the beautiful height, made by Mazda, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, and ten thousand lambs, and with an offering of libations: 4. 'Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Drvaspa! that I may overcome all the Daevas of Mazana; that I may never fear and bow through terror before the Daevas, but that all the Daevas may fear and bow in spite of themselves before me, that they may fear and flee down to darkness.' 5. The powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda, the holy Drvaspa, the maintainer, granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. 6. For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard; I will offer her a sacrifice well performed, namely, unto the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy. We offer up libations to the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy; we offer her 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. Yenghe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda.... [[2]] 7. We offer up a sacrifice unto the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy, who keeps the flocks in health.... Who yokes teams of horses .... for assistance to the faithful. 8. To her did Yima Khshaeta, the good shepherd, offer up a sacrifice

8. 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, and with an offering of libations: 9. 'Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Drvaspa! that I may bring fatness and flocks down to the world created by Mazda; that I may bring immortality down to the world created by Mazda; 10. 'That I may take away both hunger and thirst, from the world created by Mazda; that I may take away both old age and death, from the world created by Mazda; that I may take away both hot wind and cold wind, from the world created by Mazda, for a thousand years.' 11. The powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda, the holy Drvaspa, the maintainer, granted him that boon, as he was offering lipbations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would grant him that boon. For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[3]] 12. We offer up a sacrifice unto the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy, who keeps the flocks in health.... Who yokes teams of horses .... for assistance to the faithful. 13. 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, and with an offering of libations: 14. 'Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Drvaspa! that

14. 'Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Drvaspa! that I may overcome Azhi Dahaka, 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, Savanghavack and Erenavach, who are the fairest of body amongst women, and the most wonderful creatures in the world.' 15. The powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda, the holy Drvasya, the maintainer, 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 worth being heard.... [[4]] 16. We offer up a sacrifice unto the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy, who keeps flocks in health.... Who yokes teams of horses .... for assistance to the faithful. 17. To her did Haoma offer up a sacrifice, Haoma, the enlivening, the healing, the beautiful, the lordly, with golden eyes, upon the highest height of the Haraiti Bareza. He begged of her a boon saying: 18. 'Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Drvaspa! that I may bind the Turanian murderer Franghrasyan, that I may drag him bound, that may bring him bound unto king Husravah, that king Husravah may kill him, behind the Chaechasta lake, the deep lake

Husravah may kill him, behind the Chaechasta lake, the deep lake of salt waters, to avenge the murder of his father Syavarshana, a man, and of Aghraeratha, a semi-man.' 19. The powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda, the holy Drvaspa, the maintainer, granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that she would give him that boon. For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[5]] 20. We offer up a sacrifice unto the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy, who keeps the flocks in health.... Who yokes teams of horses .... for assistance to the faithful. 21. To her did the gallant Husravah, he who united the Arya 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, and an offering of libations: 22. 'Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Drvaspa! that I may kill the Turanian murderer, Franghrasyan, behind the Chaechasta lake, the deep lake of salt waters, to avenge the murder of my father Syavarshana, a man, and of Aghraeratha, a semi-man.' 23. The powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda, the holy Drvaspa, the maintainer, 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 worth

For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[6]] 24. We offer up a sacrifice unlo the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy, who keeps the flocks in health.... Who yokes teams of horses .... for assistance to the faithful, 25. To 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. He begged of her a boon, saying: 26. 'O good, most beneficent Drvaspa! grant me this boon, that I may bring the good and noble Hutaosa to think according to the law, to speak according to the law, to do according to the law, that she may spread my Mazdean law and make it known, and that she may bestow beautiful praises upon my deeds.' 27. The strong Drvaspa, made by Mazda, the holy Drvaspa, the maintainer, 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 wiII offer her a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[7]] 28. We offer up a sacrifice unto the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy, who keeps the flocks in health.... Who yokes teams of horses .... for assistance to the faithful. 29. To her did the tall Kavi Vistaspa offer up a sacrifice behind

29. To her did the tall Kavi Vistaspa offer up a sacrifice behind the waters of the river Daitya, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs, and with an offering of libations: 30. 'Grant me this boon, O good, most beneficent Drvaspa! that I may put to flight Ashta-aurvant, the son of Vispa-thaurvo-asti, the all-afflicting, of the brazen helmet, of the brazen armour, of the thick neck, behind whom seven hundred camels ....; that I may put to flight the Hvyaona murderer, Arejat-aspa; that I may put to flight Darshinika, the worshipper of the Daevas; 31. And that I may smite Tathravant of the bad law; that I may smite Spinjaurushka, the worshipper of the Daevas; and that I may bring unto the good law the nations of the Varedhakas and of the Hvyaonas; and that I may smite of the Huyaona nations 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. 32. The strong Drvaspa, made by Mazda, the holy Drvaspa, the maintainer, 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 worth being heard; I will offer her a sacrifice well performed, namely, unto the powerful Drvaspa made by Mazda and holy. We offer up libations to the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy; we

libations to the powerful Drvaspa, made by Mazda and holy; we offer her 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. 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 the powerful Drvaspa, 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. 10. Mihr Yasht (Hymn to Mithra) ------------------------------- 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 Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who has a thousand ears, ten thousand eyes, a Yazata invoked by his own name, and unto Rama Hvastra, Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... [[1]] 1. Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: 'Verily, when I created Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, O Spitama! I created him as worthy of sacrifice, as worthy of prayer as myself

created him as worthy of sacrifice, as worthy of prayer as myself Ahura Mazda. 2. 'The ruffian who lies unto Mithra brings death unto the whole country, injuring as much the faithful world as a hundred evil-doers could do. Break not the contract, O Spitama! neither the one that thou hadst entered into with one of the unfaithful, nor the one that thou hadst entered into with one of the faithful who is one of thy own faith. For Mithra stands for both the faithful and the unfaithful. 3. 'Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, gives swiftness to the horses of those who lie not unto Mithra. 'Fire, the son of Ahura Mazda, gives the straightest way to those who lie not unto Mithra. 'The good, strong, beneficent Fravashis of the faithful give a virtuous offspring to those who lie not unto Mithra. 4. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer unto him a sacrifice worth being heard, namely, unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures. 'We offer up libations unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who gives a happy dwelling and a good dwelling to the Aryan nations. 5. 'May he come to us for help! May he come to us for ease! May he come to us for joy! May he come to us for mercy! May he come to us for health! May he come to us for victory! May he come to us for good conscience! May he come to us for bliss! he, the awful and overpowering, worthy of sacrifice and prayer, not to be deceived anywhere in the whole of the material world, Mithra, the lord

anywhere in the whole of the material world, Mithra, the lord of wide pastures. 6. 'I will offer up libations unto him, the strong Yazata, the powerful Mithra, most beneficent to the creatures: I will apply unto him with charity and prayers: I will offer up a sacrifice worth being heard unto him, Mithra, the lord ofwide pastures, 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. 'Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda.... [[2]] 7. 'We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who is truth-speaking, a chief in assemblies, with a thousand ears, well-shapen, with ten thousand eyes, high, with full knowledge, strong, sleepless, and ever awake; 8. 'To whom the chiefs of nations offer up sacrifices, as they go to the field, against havocking hosts, against enemies coming in battle array, in the strife of conflicting nations. 9. 'On whichever side he has been worshipped first in the fulness of faith of a devoted heart, to that side turns Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, with the fiend-smiting wind, with the cursing thought of the wise. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[3]] 10. 'We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, .... sleepless, and ever awake. 11. 'Whom the horsemen worship on the back of their horses, begging

11. 'Whom the horsemen worship on the back of their horses, begging swiftness for their teams, health for their own bodies, and that they may watch with full success those who hate them, smite down their foes, and destroy at one stroke their adversaries, their enemies, and those who hate themn, 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[4]] 12. 'We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, .... sleepless, and ever awake; 13. 'Who first of the heavenly gods reaches over the Hara, before the undying, swift-horsed sun; who, foremost in a golden array, takes hold of the beautiful summits, and from thence looks over the abode of the Aryans with a beneficent eye. 14. 'Where the valiant chiefs draw up their many troops in array; where the high mountains, rich in pastures and waters, yield plenty to the cattle; where the deep lakes, with salt waters, stand; where wide-flowing rivers swell and hurry towards Ishkata and Pouruta, Mouru and Haroyu, the Gava-Sughdha and Hvairizem; 15. 'On Arezahi and Savahi, on Fradadhafshu and Vidadhafshu, on Vourubareshti and Vourujareshti, on this bright Karshvare of Hvaniratha, the abode of cattle, the dwelling of cattle, the powerful Mithra looks with a health-bringing eye; 16. 'He who moves along all the Karshvares, a Yazata unseen, and brings glory; he who moves along all the Karshvares, a Yazata unseen, and brings sovereignty; and increases strength for victory

unseen, and brings sovereignty; and increases strength for victory to those who, with a pious intent, holily offer him libations. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[5]] 17. 'We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, .... sleepless, and ever awake; 'Unto whom nobody must lie, neither the master of a house, nor the lord of a borough, nor the lord of a town, nor the lord of a province. 18. 'If the master of a house lies unto him, or the lord of a borough, or the lord of a town, or the lord ofa province, then comes Mithra, angry and offended, and he breaks asunder the house, the borough, the town, the province; and the masters of the houses, the lords of the boroughs, the lords of the towns, the lords of the provinces, and the foremost men of the provinces. 19. 'On whatever side there is one who has lied unto Mithra, on that side Mithra stands forth, angry and offended, and his wrath is slow to relent. 20. 'Those who lie unto Mithra, however swift they may be running, cannot overtake; riding, cannot ....; driving, cannot ..... The spear that the foe of Mithra flings, darts backwards, for the number of the evil spells that the foe of Mithra works out. 21. 'And even though the spear be flung well, even though it reach the body, it makes no wound, for the number of the evil spells that the foe of Mithra works out. The wind drives away the spear

that the foe of Mithra works out. The wind drives away the spear that the foe of Mithra flings, for the number of the evil spells that the foe of Mithra works out. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[6]] 22. 'We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, .... sleepless, and ever awake; 'Who takes out of distress the man who has not lied unto him, who takes him out of death. 23. 'Take us out of distress, take us out of distresses, O Mithra! as we have not lied unto thee. Thou bringest down terror upon the bodies of the men who lie unto Mithra; thou takest away the strength from their arms, being angry and all-powerful; thou takest the swiftness from their feet, the eye-sight from their eyes, the hearing from their ears. 24. 'Not the wound of the well-sharpened spear or of the flying arrow reaches that man to whom Mithra comes for help with all the strength of his soul, he, of the ten thousand spies, the powerful, all-seeing, undeceivable Mithra. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[7]] 25. 'We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, .... sleepless, and ever awake; 'Who is lordly, deep, strong, and weal-giving; a chief in assemblies, pleased with prayers, high, holily clever, the incarnate Word, a warrior with strong arms; 26. 'Who breaks the skulls of the Daevas, and is most cruel in

26. 'Who breaks the skulls of the Daevas, and is most cruel in exacting pains; the punisher of the men who lie unto Mithra, the withstander of the Pairikas; who, when not deceived, establisheth nations in supreme strength; who, when not deceived, establisheth nations in supreme victory; 27. 'Who confounds the ways of the nation that delights in havoc, who turns away their Glory, takes away their strength for victory, blows them away helpless, and delivers them unto ten thousand strokes; he, of the ten thousand spies, the powerful, all-seeing, undeceivable Mithra. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[8]] 28. 'We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, .... sleepless, and ever awake; 'Who upholds the columns of the lofty house and makes its pillars solid; who gives herds of oxen and male children to that house in which he has been satisfied; he breaks to pieces those in which he has been offended, 29. 'Thou, O Mithra! art both bad and good to nations; thou, O Mithra! art both bad and good to men; thou, O Mithra! keepest in thy hands both peace and trouble for nations. 30. 'Thou makest houses large, beautiful with women, beautiful with chariots, with well-laid foundations, and high above their groundwork; thou makest that house lofty, beautiful with women, beautiful with chariots, with well-laid foundations, and high above its groundwork, of which the master, pious and holding libations

above its groundwork, of which the master, pious and holding libations in his hand, offers thee a sacrifice, in which thou art invoked by thy own name and with the proper words. 31. 'With a sacrifice, in which thou art invoked by thy own name, with the proper words will I offer thee libations, O powerful Mithra! 'With a sacrifice, in which thou art invoked by thy own name, with the proper words will I offer thee libations, O most beneficent Mithra! 'With a sacrifice, in which thou art invoked by thy own name, with the proper words will I offer thee libations, O thou undeceivable Mithra! 32. 'Listen unto our sacrifice, O Mithra! Be thou pleased with our sacrifice, O Mithra! Come and sit at our sacrifice! Accept our libations! Accept them as they have been consecrated! Gather them together with love and lay them in the Garo-nmana! 33. 'Grant us these boons which we beg of thee, O powerful god I in accordance with the words of revelation, namely, riches, strength, and victory, good conscience and bliss, good fame and a good soul; wisdom and the knowledge that gives happiness, the victorious strength given by Ahura, the crushing Ascendant of Asha Vahishta, and conversation (with God) on the Holy Word. 34. 'Grant that we, in a good spirit and high spirit, exalted in joy and a good spirit, may smite all our foes; that we, in a good spirit and high spirit, exalted in joy and a good spirit,

a good spirit and high spirit, exalted in joy and a good spirit, may smite all our enemies; that we, in a good spirit and high spirit, exalted in joy and a good spirit, may smite all the malice of Daevas and Men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, the blind, and the deaf. 'For his brightness and glory, I will offer him a sacrifice worth being heard.... [[9]] 35. 'We sacrifice unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, .... sleepless, and ever awake; 'Victory-making, army-governing, endowed with a thousand senses; power-wielding, power-possessing, and all-knowing; 36. 'Who sets the battle a going, who stands against (armies) in battle, who, standing against (armies) in battle, breaks asunder the lines arrayed. The wings of the columns gone to battle shake, and he throws terror upon the centre of the havocking host. 37. 'He can bring and does bring down upon them distress and fear; he throws down the heads of those who lie to Mithra, he takes off the heads of those who lie unto Mithra. 38. 'Sad is the abode, unpeopled with children, where abide men who lie unto Mithra, and, verily, the fiendish killer of faithful men. The grazing cow goes a sad straying way, driven along the vales of the Mithradrujes: they stand on the road, letting tears run over their chins. 39. 'Their falcon-feathered arrows, shot from the string of the well-bent bow, fly towards the mark, and hit it not, as Mithra,

well-bent bow, fly towards the mark, and hit it not, as Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, angry, offended, and unsatisfied, comes and meets them. 'Their spears, well whetted and sharp, their long spears fly from their hands towards the mark, and hit it not, as Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, angry, offended, and unsatisfied, comes and meets them. 40. 'Their swords, well thrust and striking at the heads of men, hit not the mark, as Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, angry, offended, and unsatisfied, comes and meets them. 'Their clubs, well falling and striking at the heads of men, hit not the mark, as Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, angry, offended, and unsatisfied, comes and meets them. 41. 'Mithra strikes fear into them; Rashnu strikes a counter-fear into them; the holy Sraosha blows them away from every side towards the two Yazatas, the maintainers of the world. They make the ranks of the army melt away, as Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, angry, offended, and unsatisfied, comes and meets them. 42. 'They cry unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, saying: "O Mithra, thou lord of wide pastures! here are our fiery horses taking us away, as they flee from Mithra; here are our sturdy arms cut to pieces by the sword, O Mithra!" 43. 'And then Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, throws them to the ground, killing their fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thousands and their tens of thousands,