To what land to turn ; aye, whither turning shall I go? On the part of a kinsman (prince), or allied peer, none, to conciliate, give (offerings) to me (to help my cause), nor yet the throngs of labour, (not) even such as these , nor yet (still less) the evil tyrants of the province. How then shall I (establish well the Faith, and thus) conciliate Thy (grace), O Lord?

This know I, Mazda! wherefore I am thus unable to attain my wish , and why my flocks are so reduced in number, and why my following is likewise scant. Therefore I cry to Thee; behold it, Lord! desiring helpful grace for me, as friend bestows on friend. (Therefore to meet my spirit's need, and this as well) declare and teach to me the Good Mind's wealth.

When come, Great Giver! they who are the day's enlighteners , to hold the Righteous Order of the world upright, and forward pressing? When are the schemes of the saviour Saoshyants with (their) lofty revelations (to appear)? To whom for help does he (their chief) approach, who has Thy Good Mind (as his fellow-worker )? Thee, for mine exhorter and commander, Living Lord! I choose.

(But e’er these helpers come to me, all rests as yet in gloom.) The evil man is holding back those who are the bearers of the Righteous Order from progress with the Kine, (from progress with the sacred cause) within the region, or the province , he, the evil governor, endowed with evil might , consuming life with evil deeds. Wherefore, whoever hurls him from his power, O Mazda! or from life, stores for the Kine in sacred wisdom shall he make .

(Yea), he who, as ruler, treats no coming applicant with injury , as a good citizen (or nobly wise) in sacred vow and duty, and living righteously in every covenant, who, as an uncorrupted judge, discerns the wicked (that leader who, rejecting me, would keep back those who propagate the Faith), let him, (this righteous judge,) declare (the vengeance) to that (hostile ) lord, (my) kinsman. Yea, let him crush him when he sallies forth (to approach us for our harm)!

(And he who leaves him in his guilty error has my curse.) Yea, he who has the power , and will not thus (with stern reproof ) approach him, shall go to the abode of the Lie, (and) the enchainer . For he is evil who is the best one to the evil, and he is holy who is friendly to the righteous, as Thou didst fix the moral laws , O Lord!

Whom, then, as guard, O Mazda! hast Thou set me then when that wicked one still held me for his hate? Whom (had I) then but Thee, Thy Fire and Mind, Ahura! by deeds performed in which Thy Righteous rule is saved and nurtured? Therefore that spiritual power (vouchsafing me) for the (holy) Faith (its truths) declare.

And as to him who (now by evil power) delivers up my settlements to harm, let not his burning (wrath) in deeds attain me. But bearing back the (evil will and evil influence of such), let these things come (back) to him in anger. Let that to his body come which holds from welfare; but let no (help) at all (approach him, which may) keep him back from misery. (And let this happen as I speak) from (vengeful) hate, O Lord!

But who is the freely helping one who will teach me foremost how we may adore Thee, Thou the well to be invoked as in Thy deeds, the holy , bountiful Ahura? What (words) the Kine's creator spake for Thee by aid of, and to aid, the Righteous ritual Order, these words of Thine, (Thy people coming) with Thy Good Mind, are seeking now (to gain and learn from) me , O Mazda Lord!

Whoever, man or woman, shall give to me those (gifts) of life which Thou hast known as best, O Mazda! and as a holy blessing through (Thy) Righteous Order, a throne (established) with (Thy) Good Mind, (with these I shall go forth; yea, those) whom I shall (accompany and so) incite , to the homage of such as You (on earth), forth to the Judge's Bridge (itself) with all of them shall I lead on (at last).

(And they and I have every need for help, for now) the Karpan and the Kavi will join in governments to slay the life of man with evil deeds, they whom their own souls and their own conscience will becry . And when they approach there where the Judge's Bridge (extends, unlike the believing ones of God, who go so firmly forth with me as guide and helper, these shall miss their path and fall ), and in the Lie's abode for ever shall their habitation be.

(But for the penitent there is yet hope; for all our former foes shall not thus fall, as from the Kinvat Bridge to woe, for) when from among the tribes and kith of the Turanian, even among the more powerful ones of the Fryâna, those shall arise who further on the settlements of Piety with energy and zeal, with these shall Ahura dwell together through His Good Mind (in them), and to them for joyful grace deliver His commands .

Yea, he who will propitiate Zarathustra Spitâma with gifts midst men, this man is fitted for the proclamation, and to him Ahura Mazda will give the (prospered) life. And he will likewise cause the settlements to thrive in mental goodness. We think him, therefore, Your good companion to (further and maintain) Your Righteousness (and meet for Your approach).

(But where is such an one?) Whom hast thou Zarathustra ! thus a holy friend for the great (effort of the) cause? Who is it who thus desires to speak it forth? (Zarathustra answers. Aye, such an one have.) It is our Kavi Vîstâspa , the heroic; (and not he alone, but all) whom thou shalt (as in Thy prophet) meet in the assembly, O Ahura Mazda! these likewise will I call (to my attempt), and with Thy Good Mind's words.

O ye Haêkat-aspas, Spitâmas! to you will I now address my words, since ye discern the things unlawful, and the lawful, for these your actions to establish (firmly on its base) for you the Righteous Order through those which are the Lord's primeval laws.

(And to the Hvôgvas would I likewise speak.) Thou Frashaostra Hvôgva (whom I see) ; go thou (forth) with the generous helpers , with those whom we are praying for as for salvation to the land. Go thou where Piety joins hand in hand with the Righteous Order, where are the wished-for Realms of Good Mind, where Mazda in His most honoured home abides,

Where in your measured verse I will declare aloud (the praises), not in unmeasured lines, Gâmâspa Hvôgva! but songs of homage (will I weave) with ever gained Obedience in offering. (And unto Mazda) will I chant them, yea, to Him who will discern aright what things are lawful (or) unlawful (which I thus do, or utter), and with His wonder-working thoughts of Righteousness (attend).

(For) whosoever (offers) sanctity to me, to him shall be the best gifts whatsoever. Yea, of my (spirit's) wealth will I bestow on him through Thy Good Mind (which I give), but oppressions will I send on him who as oppressor will deliver us to anguish, O Mazda! desiring, as I do, to satisfy Your choice by righteous (vengeance). This is the decision of mine understanding and my will.

(Yea, this I earnestly announce.) He who from Righteousness (in mind and life) shall verily perform for me, for Zarathustra, that which is thus most helpful (for my cause) according to my earnest wish (and through my words of urgent zeal) on him shall they bestow reward(s) beyond this earth, with all the mental blessings gained through the sacred mother-kine . And these things (all) did’st Thou (Thyself) command to me, O Mazda, Thou most wise ! 134:1 The Pahlavi translator sees the usual meaning in nemôi and nemô. He also accepts kãm zãm adverbially after the constant Greek usage. 'In what land shall I establish my religion (as it is here rejected); whither with my praises (of the true God) shall I go?' The rendering is so much richer that I turn from it with great reluctance. 134:2 It is to be regretted that able scholars should so hastily change the Gâthic text here without first trying to render it as it is. This is all the more necessary, as each independent writer disputes emendations. Pairî I think ought to stand. The hvaêtu, airyaman, and verezenem are also elsewhere alluded to, as appertaining to the hostile party sometimes, and therefore not among those from among whom (parâ?) the prophet would be expelled. 134:3 Dadaitî as a third plural has long been suggested with the eagerness of discovery. Its subjects would then be khshnâus, and that implied in yâ verezenâ. But the construction is difficult thus, and it may be greatly doubted whether we had not better alter our discovery back into the singular with the Pahlavi. I am greatly confirmed in my view of the grammatical form of khshnâus by Bartholomae's decision for a nominal form. Otherwise it would be a third singular, with loss of the final dental. 134:4 Hekâ seems to be an irregular form (see Y. LVIII, 4). I can p. 135 only make an exclamatory isque = talisque of it. The Pahlavi renders freely as if some form of hi = to bind were before him (recall hôis?), or perhaps he read hakâ, rendering as = these all together, hamsâyakik; Ner. ye svasrenayo. 135:1 So the Kine complained of him in Y. XXIX, 9 as anaêsha; so also the Pahlavi, explaining akhvâstar [aîgham denman atûbânîkîh maman râî khavîtûnam]. He proceeds li amat kam ramak va amatik kam-gabrâ hômanam, explaining anaêshô as not being an îshâ-khshathra. Mâ = smâ notwithstanding position (?). 135:2 'Nim wahr' has long since circulated as a rendering for âkhsô; and with îstîm in the sense of 'prayer,' it has afforded the admirable sense 'observe, take heed of the desire of the pious.' But we have a positive proof of the meaning 'teach,' 'declare' for khsa; see Y. LXV, 9 (Wg.). So also in Y. XXVIII, 5. That Ahura possessed an îsti is clear from Y. XXXIV, 5. And if the sage could ask, 'What is your îsti (wealth)? what is your kingdom (power over possessions)?' it is certainly not strained to suppose that he could say here; 'tell me concerning your wealth,' especially as he bewails his poverty. Îsti is in antithesis to the idea expressed in kamnafshvâ and kamnânâ. So also the Pahlavi as translated by the Persian ‘hezânah. 135:3 Ukshâno would seem to be an ancient error for ushâno, as the Pahlavi translator renders as if reading ushâ in Y. L, 10, and p. 136 not ukhshâ. Otherwise 'increasers of the days' is a fine expression, but suspicious in view of the Pahlavi rendering in Y. L, 10. Ner.'s *vikâsayitryo (sic) is striking, but I cannot claim for it all that it seems to offer, as Ner. elsewhere renders forms of vakhsh by those of kas. The Persian follows the Pahlavi. 136:1 Comp. Y. XLIV, 1. 136:2 Pa in the sense of 'keeping back from welfare' as well as in that of 'protection,' a sense first taught us by the Pahlavi writers, is now at last generally acknowledged. It now, like many other suggestions of the Pahlavi, actually casts light in the rendering of the analogous Vedic word. 136:3 So the mass of MSS. with the Pahl. min fravâmisnŏ; Persian az raftan. The expression might refer to the 'going of the kine,' as representing the people in her 'path.' 136:4 Comp. Y. XXXI, 18. 136:5 Pahl. zak î pavan dûs-stahamak; Ner. dushto balâtkârî. The elements seem to be duz + hazô + bâo(= vâo). 136:6 Ush in Iranian seems to have the sense of destruction combined with it sometimes; hence aoshah, aoshisnŏ. 136:7 Kar can well mean 'attain to.' Pathmeng as = paths (so I formerly rendered) gives a far feebler sense than that indicated by the first Zendist, the Pahlavi writer. The 'wisdom' of preparing stores for the kine, even if we suppose an animal only to be meant; p. 137 is obvious. The Iranian winter was something very different from that in India. But the kine is not alluded to without a certain figurative meaning: she represents the people, and as such she cried aloud; and Zarathustra received the commission to relieve her sufferings as such. That the word hukistôis stands in the genitive should not disturb us. The 'care for the kine' was a matter of national importance, and 'wisdom' could not better be exercised than in this direction. 137:1 Or we may render 'he who as ruler does not bestow favours upon him who approaches with injury.' The hint of the Pahlavi favours this. 137:2 Hvaêtavê is here, as in Y. XXXIII, 4; Y. XXXII, 1, and the first verse of this chapter, the hostile chieftain called 'kinsman' in an aristocratic sense by Zarathustra and his group. 137:3 I compare uzûithyauska which is used of the breaking forth of water. The Pahlavi translator seems to have had some such idea 'mûn lâlâ hengîdŏ,' but with him the entire line, which divides all writers, favours the sense 'in saving him from his impiety.' Khrûnyât is a verbal form (with Bartholomae). 137:4 The Pahlavi translator sees the root is = to wish in ismanô, 'who does not willingly approach him;' or 'who does not approach desiring (and seeking?) him.' 137:5 I am gratified to see that another takes nearly this view of this line. He has 'verfolgt.' 138:1 Haêthahyâ, as a masculine, is awkward, as would be baêthahyâ, so the Pahl. (of the terrifier). A loc. of haithya may be correct, taking dâmãn also as a loc. Otherwise 'to the creatures of the Lie, and the enchainer (or terrifier).' 138:2 Or, 'as Thou didst make the souls at first.' 138:3 So with K6, K9 (Barth.). 138:4 Some render 'me' here, who seem elsewhere loath to translate thwâvant as = like thee, thee. Khshmâvatô, thwâvãs, and mavaitê, in Y. XLIV, 1, may be rendered, 'of you,' 'thou,' and 'to me.' 138:5 So the Pahlavi indicates. I have, however, elsewhere, as against tradition, rendered as if the root were dar(e)s; 'has set his eye on me for vengeance.' 138:6 One might be tempted to read tat môi dãs tvem; 'that granting me, do Thou speak forth for the faith.' 138:7 The Pahlavi translator indicates the root sâ by his rêsh; so read as alternative, 'let him not wound us.' 138:8 The meaning 'but contrariwise' has been ventured on. The indication of the Pahlavi is 'in opposing;' pavan padîrak yâmtûnisnŏ. 138:9 The Pahlavi here misses the point, and taking pâyât in its usual p. 139 sense, falls into confusion. The ancient scholars, like some of their successors, could not always believe that pâ could mean 'to hold back from good' as well as from evil. They recognised it sometimes, giving us our instruction on the subject, but not here. 139:1 Did the composer appeal to some powerful coadjutor here, or does he rhetorically express his perplexity? 139:2 Zevîstîm must equal forms of hû; but from the constant evidence of the Pahlavi to the meaning 'endearing,' one is much inclined to suggest a reading as if from zush. 139:3 Ashavanem is applied to Ahura, and cannot so well mean 'righteous' here. 'Holy' is the more proper term in this connection, while spentem is necessarily excluded from that meaning by its occurrence with ashavanem in immediate connection. 139:4 Notice that the word tashâ occurs here with no mention of wounding in the connection (see note 6 on page 6). 139:5 I am here recalled to the Pahlavi by some who rarely name it. I had rendered, 'these words are inciting me (in duty) through Thy Good Mind;' so ish often in the Veda. The Pahlavi translator, like his successors, scandalised at the difficult forms, also anticipated his successors (as elsewhere often) in getting free from the difficulty. He did what is exactly equivalent to what is now practised by scholars (sometimes too often). He rendered the text as if changed from what he could not understand to what he could understand, adhering to the right roots however, which I now follow. He knew that ishenti mâ did not mean, 'I am seeking,' but he could not credit the words before him. 139:6 We have now a suggestion which must often have presented itself to those who read the Rig-veda constantly, and that is (so p. 140 Bartholomae) that mâ may equal smâ here and often elsewhere. It is well possible, as the 's' often disappears. 140:1 Notice once more the expression, 'Thou hast known;' so in Y. XXVIII, II, the composer confides the very direction of his petitions to the discrimination of the Deity. We gain from this the true sense of peresâ nau yâ tôi ehmâ parstâ; Ahura's question and prayer are mighty when repeated by us, because He has known what is best, and what are the true dâtheng for which we should ask. 140:2 This sense corresponds admirably with the connection; Ner. utthâpayâmi. 140:3 Such as you = you as in the plural of majesty, or as referring to Ahura and His Bountiful Immortals (so often). 140:4 'Go forth.' 140:5 Or, 'with kings;' but the Pahlavi has, avŏ khûdâyîh ayûgênd mûn Kîk va Karapŏ. 140:6 So the Pahlavi indicates. Otherwise 'will harden,' or, if khraodat is read, 'will rage (against).' 140:7 Inserted to shed light on the last line; so the later Parsism. 141:1 I am again brought back to the Pahlavi, having formerly rendered 'bodies,' which I would now put in the second place. 141:2 The Pahlavi, although as usual free or erroneous as to forms, gives us the valuable hint of hengî-aît for uzgen (sic = gayen). 141:3 Here we have the clear evidence of the conversion of a border tribe. The Zarathustrians had saved some Turanian clan from plunder or annihilation, and so secured their friendship. These became known as the 'friendly people.' That true Zarathustrian piety may have arisen among them is of course possible. 141:4 It need hardly be said that this reference to Z. in the third person, does not prove that the composer was not Z. himself. One might even say that his authorship was even not less probable on this account. 141:5 Let it be noted that the Pahlavi translator gives us our first critical knowledge as to the true writing and meaning of mehmaidî; or will scholars object that he renders in the singular? Valman pavan zak î Lekûm Aharâyîh hamîshak minâm khûp hamkhâk; Ner. dhyâyâmi suddha-sakhâyam. 142:1 Shall we regard this verse as misplaced because the subject is in the second person? It is probable (as of very many verses) that it was often recited by the composer, or others, in a different connection, and perhaps originally so; but it was a happy thought for the effect to introduce it here. Let it be supposed that this and the previous verse were arranged to be spoken by another voice during the public recital. We see that the interest is much increased by the intruding strophe. 142:2 This passage may be regarded as recording the call of Vîstâspa to the holy work. Zu = hû need not always express the invocation of the gods. 142:3 Others, 'unite.' 142:4 Or, 'ye take to you the righteous character to yourselves,' as the infinitive is difficult; but in that case Khshmaibyâ becomes awkward. The translation of dâ as 'take' has long been familiar. 142:5 Obviously composed for an occasion when the several parties would be present. 143:1 Ar(e)dra seems to be especially applied, and might be left unrendered. 143:2 I see no impossibility whatever in such a rendering, literally in 'his choice-abode;' so also the Pahlavi indicates: tamman aîgh Aûharmazd pavan kâmak dên demânŏ ketrûnêd. The question is of 'going' and 'dwelling,' and the meaning 'abode' is quite in point. As to var, see îstâ khshathrâ; and compare mazdâvarâ. Aside from this, vardmãm = in blessing. 143:3 The Pahlavi again, with its followers, gives us our first hint at the general meaning here. What else can his padmân and apadmânîk mean, but the regularity, that is, the rhythm and cadence of the words? 143:4 Dâthemkâ adâthemkâ would be 'the truth and the heresy' in general. 143:5 If mantû is taken as an instrumental, (can it be an act. imper.?) vistâ might occupy the place of a preterit, but it looks far more like a participle, and might be regarded as forming a compositum with vahmeng. Supply the dat. (?) pers. pron. understood before ye. 143:6 The alteration to yaus, considered as an aorist, has long circulated, but seems now, like so many of the bolder conceptions, to be given up. Yaos is the sister word of the Vedic yós, and p. 144 shows us that some shade of sanctity may inhere in that word. The Pahlavi renders more indefinitely by 'yân' = a helpful blessing. 144:1 The Pahlavi translator, however, saw menâ, rendering avŏ li. His text may well have justified him. 144:2 Bearing; or is it 'fit to drive?' 144:3 The Pahlavi here reports another text. (SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES. Askît, in verse 18, may equal 'verily indeed.' Vahistâ, &c.= 'the best things of my wealth will I assign to him through the Good Mind.' The meaning 'wealth' seems much called for here, and if here, then in verse 2. Vasnâ in verse 19 may mean 'through grace.') Next: Yasna XLVII Sacred Texts | Zoroastrianism « Previous: The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31): The Gâthas: Yasn... Index Next: The Zend Avesta, Part III (SBE31): The Gâthas: Yasn... » Sacred Texts | Zoroastrianism