Sacred Texts  Zoroastrianism  Index  Previous  Next 

Pahlavi Texts, Part IV (SBE37), E.W. West, tr. [1892], at sacred-texts.com


CHAPTER XXVII.

Ganabâ-sar-nigad Nask.

1. The fourth section is miscellaneous: about a warm bath being in a house of what kind, the position of security of the fireplace, the watchfulness to be upheld there, and whatever is on the same subject. 2. About the strength that a horse has to exert for the sake of the earth, and that which is to be exerted in that mode for the sake of fire. 3. About food and other matters which may be prepared with fire, and the security of the fire in like manner. 4. About fire which, even on the road, is free from throwing away, bodily refuse 1, and dead matter 2, and from the injury and harm owing thereto; the various safeguards of fire from being given to an infidel (ag-denô) or a child; the distance of the fire from a rivulet 3; the penalty for throwing it away, or other sin as regards it; and the

p. 91

proportion of nourishment and preparation for the fire in summer, and also in winter.

5. About picketing (barâ nisâstanŏ) a horse, that is, how it is justifiable when it is in water and dust, how it is so when really in very distressing bodily refuse, and how it is so when even in bodily refuse that is tolerable. 6. About the proportion of nourishment for mankind, fire, and cattle. 7. About receiving a guest, the praise of liberality, and the grandeur of the liberal, the contempt for stinginess, and the want of the wanderer.

8. About the mode of wearing garments in a dwelling of Mazda-worshippers, even so far as a bandage of four rags for protection 1; the care of them each separately, the wages of the makers and ornamenters of each one, and whatever is on the same subject. 9. About having procured a street-keeper (kûgpânŏ) for the Mazda-worshippers, the business of the street-keeper thereof, and whatever is on the same subject.

10. About preparing in the summer a store for the winter. 11. About reaping a field of corn, the Avesta 2 for the first reaping, and having consecrated the first sheaf with the dedication (shnûman) to Aûharmazd the lord. 12. About the union of those of the good religion together, both in removing want and in union even with infidels in that which

p. 92

is not detrimental to the religion, and whatever is on the same subject. 13. About duty as regards the produce of plants and animals; first, suitable eating; and secondly, moderate eating and avoidance of profusion.

14. About possessions which belong to the nobles, and those which belong to the multitude; in what manner that which belongs to the multitude has to come into the possession of the nobles; and whatever is on the same subject. 15. About the enviousness (zigûrîh) of the beast of burden, ox, and sheep, and also of people; that is, in how many of the multitudes, each separately, it is produced; and whatever is on the same subject. 16. And also much other adjudication and information on similar intelligence.

17. Perfect is the excellence of righteousness.


Footnotes

90:1 See Chap. XIX, 3.

90:2 Any solid portion of a corpse, or carcase, of a human being, dog, or other animal.

90:3 Which might extinguish it and, thereby, render the person who had charge of the fire grievously sinful.

91:1 Reading vad-ik vand-1-î 4 lôtŏ-î pânakîh, and taking lôtŏ as equivalent to Pers. latah. We might suppose that the phrase meant 'a belt of the four strings (rûdŏ) of protection,' but the number would not correspond to the three times the sacred thread-girdle passes round the waist, nor would the material of rûdŏ, 'catgut,' be appropriate for the girdle.

91:2 The scriptural formula to be recited in its original language.


Next: Chapter XXVIII