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Pahlavi Texts, Part V: Marvels of Zoroastrianism (SBE47), E.W. West, tr. [1897], at sacred-texts.com
1. About the selectness and perfection of the race of Irân, that is, how the destroyer and the mingling of defects came into the creation, first into the distribution of the race [of mankind] 8 from the children of Sîyâmak 9, and good intellect, good disposition,
proper affection, proper praise, proper modesty, observance of hope, liberality, truth, generosity, good friendship, and other capability, glory, and proper duty are more particularly included for Fravâk 1, and again altered for frontier peoples.
2. Such-like goodness and glory, again, through selection from a promiscuous origin—even till the coming on of various new contaminations, from the demons, among the children of Fravâk—were for Hâôshâng and Vâêgered 2, as Hâôshâng through superior glory was ruler of the world, and Vâêgered through provincial government (dahyûkânîh) became the cultivator and cherisher of the world; and their well-destined descendants 3 aggrandized the race of the monarchs among the well-born provincial governors (dahyûkân).
3. In union, such-like glory and goodness proceeded, mutually connected, in various ages as settled by the annals (mâdîgân), and the frontiers of Atûr 4 are penetrated; also in various annals there were in succession such men as Tâkhmôrup, Yim, Frêdûn the Âspîgân, and Aîrîk of Irân, the progenitor of Mânûs, Mânûs-khvârnar, and Mânûskîhar 5.
4. And, besides including this one, who was a monarch of superior glory, and other monarchs such as are also in the same race 6, the Kayâns 7 were
chosen. 5. Even thus, as regards the Kayâns, the annals have always to consider him who is monarch as the right one, who is a fellow-descendant of the lineage, and in whom the glory is residing.
6. The creator Aûharmazd has informed Nêryôsang 1, his own reminder, that a similar instance is the supreme Zaratûstship, and the glory of the religion due to the same; also many other reasons, which are recountable, are declared in the Avesta, indications known only to an Irânian person of the best lineage. 7. And this, too, he has said, namely: 'Great glory and goodness of this description are appropriatable by the same race, and are even now 2 visibly manifest.'
8,. About what are the requirements of the tribe of those who call this really their Gyêmarâ and how they are effected by our acquaintance with revelation, that is, by much recitation of it; only, several occasions (yâvar 1-kand) are necessary in these times. 9. Also action and precaution are possible for them, and among the actions and precautions one is to assume more especially law and custom, and whatever was perverted by us and again made true; and, as to those taught, several persons who are intellectual, seeking means, and friends of the soul, have come to teach complete delusions to them; also for the same tribe and whomever it is proper to teach, when it is necessary for them, even a worldly
priestly authority is guiding for that same tribe, because he has come 1.
127:1 Ardashîr Pâpakân (AD. 226-241), the founder of the Sâsânian dynasty.
127:2 Son of Mâraspend, and prime minister of Shahpûhar II (AD. 309-379).
127:3 Anôshêrvân (AD. 531—578).
127:4 A son of Vistâsp and immortal ruler of Kangdez, see Dk. VII, iv, 81.
127:5 See Chap. II, 15.
127:6 See Chap. II, 12.
127:7 This was the original Avesta prepared by order of Vistâsp, as stated in the last chapter of Dk. III, § 3 (see S.B.E., vol. xxxvii, p. xxxi).
127:8 B omits the words in brackets.
127:9 Son of Masyê, called Sâmak in Dk. VII, i, 15.
128:1 Son of Sîyâmak; he was progenitor of the fifteen undeformed races of mankind (see Bd. XV, 26, 30, 31).
128:2 Dk. VII, i, 16-18.
128:3 K43 has 'children.'
128:4 Probably Assyria; but it is possible to read atval as Ar. atval, and to translate 'ancient frontiers.'
128:5 For the foregoing names see Dk. VII, i, 19-30; ii, 70.
128:6 Such as Aûzôbô in Dk. VII, i, 31.
128:7 From Kaî-Kobâd to Kai-Khûsrô, as stated in Dk. VII, i, 33-40.
129:1 The usual messenger of Aûharmazd, see Dk. VII, iv, 84, 85.
129:2 B has 'even anew,' by writing kevan backwards, which converts the word into navak. From Chap. I, 7 to this point, the compiler could have found very little of his materials in a Jewish MS., excepting such as had been recently obtained from Persian sources.
130:1 It would seem that the tribe professed a different religion, but one that bore some resemblance to the Parsi faith in certain essential particulars. The remaining five-sixths of Dk. V are devoted to a miscellaneous collection of religious subjects, resembling a Rivâyat.