Zend Avesta Part 01

This document is the first part of "The Sacred Books of the East," edited by F. Max Müller, and contains The Zend-Avesta, Part 1: The Vendidad, translated by James Darmesteter. The text provides a comprehensive translation of the Vendidad, a significant Zoroastrian scripture, alongside extensive introductory and explanatory material.

Here's a breakdown of the key content and themes:

Introduction by James Darmesteter: The introduction is a scholarly exploration of the Zend-Avesta and its history, covering:

• Discovery and Interpretation: It details the historical efforts to find, translate, and understand the sacred texts of Zoroastrianism, highlighting the contributions of various scholars like Anquetil Duperron, Sir William Jones, and Eugène Burnouf. It discusses the challenges of deciphering the language and the debates surrounding the authenticity of the texts.
• Formation of the Zend-Avesta: Darmesteter explains the complex process of how the Avesta, as we know it, was formed from twenty-one Nasks, and how much of it has been lost over time due to conquests and other historical events. He outlines the different groups of Nasks and their respective contents.
• Influences and Elements: The introduction delves into the potential influences on Zoroastrianism from other ancient religions and cultures, including Brahmanical, Buddhist, Greek, and Jewish elements. It explores the historical context of the Parthian period and its impact on the religious thought of the time.
• Age and Growth of the Avesta: Darmesteter discusses the dating of different parts of the Avesta, distinguishing between pre-Alexandrian and post-Alexandrian texts, and examining the linguistic evolution of the Zend language.
• The Vendidad: A dedicated section discusses the structure and content of the Vendidad itself, noting its primary focus on laws of purification, along with its mythical and legal aspects. It highlights the peculiar organizational structure of the Vendidad, attributing it to its question-and-answer format and the scattering of related prescriptions across different chapters.

Translation of the Vendidad: The Vendidad is presented in its entirety, divided into twenty-two Fargards (chapters), each dealing with specific religious, legal, and mythical topics. The content is rich and detailed, covering a wide range of subjects related to Zoroastrian practices and beliefs:

• Fargard I: Enumerates sixteen perfect lands created by Ahura Mazda and sixteen opposing plagues created by Angra Mainyu, offering insights into the geography and theological opposition within the religion.
• Fargard II: Contains the myths of Yima (Yima), the first mortal king, who is given the task of nourishing and watching over Ahura Mazda's creation. It includes his refusal to be a preacher of the religion and his subsequent building of the Vara, a refuge from a catastrophic winter, which is presented as a Zoroastrian parallel to the Noahic flood narrative.
• Fargards III-XII: These Fargards extensively detail laws and regulations concerning purity and impurity, particularly in relation to the disposal of the dead (Nasu). They cover:
  • How long the earth remains unclean.
  • Penalties for defiling the ground with dead matter.
  • Purification of various substances (water, fire, wood, corn, vessels, clothing, the cow) when defiled by the dead.
  • The treatment of women during menstruation and after childbirth (especially stillborn children).
  • The concept of purity and the laws for regaining it.
  • The defiling power of Nasu based on the dignity of the deceased.
  • The crucial role of the dog, particularly the "four-eyed dog" (Sag-did), in purification rituals.
  • The proper methods for disposing of corpses, including the use of Dakhmas (Towers of Silence).
  • The concept of "partial death" (e.g., hair and nail cuttings) and their purification.
  • The prescribed penalties for various offenses, often described in terms of physical punishment (stripes) or fines.
  • The specific case of the "unclean" state of women during their menses and after childbirth.
  • The practices and duties of physicians, including their probation and fees.
  • The special procedures for purifying the house and the paths traversed by a corpse.
  • Laws forbidding unlawful lusts.
  • The purification of fire and earth when defiled.
  • The "nine nights' Barashnom," a significant purification ritual.
• Fargard IV: Focuses on contracts and outrages, outlining classifications of contracts, penalties for breach of contract, definitions of assault (agerepta, avaoirista, aredus), and penalties for various forms of violence, including manslaughter. It also touches upon the sanctity of wealth, marriage, and physical well-being, and the heinousness of false oaths.
• Fargard XIII and XIV: These Fargards are dedicated to the dog, detailing its holiness, the penalties for its murder, its duties, proper food, and how to handle mad or diseased dogs. It also outlines the severe atonement required for killing a water-dog.
• Fargard XV: Deals with sins and unlawful unions, including attempts to procure miscarriage and the obligations of illegitimate fathers. It also discusses the proper treatment of pregnant bitches.
• Fargard XVI: Further elaborates on women's uncleanness during sickness and related laws.
• Fargard XVII: Addresses the impurity of hair and nails after they are separated from the body and the necessary rituals for their purification.
• Fargard XVIII: Discusses unworthy priests, enticers to heresy, and the holiness of the cock. It outlines sins that lead to demonic offspring and the evil caused by the Gahi (prostitute), as well as atonement for intercourse with a Dashtân woman.
• Fargard XIX: Recounts the struggle between Zarathustra and Angra Mainyu, including the demon Buiti's attempt to kill the prophet and the powerful role of the Ahuna Vairya prayer. It also includes instructions on purifying man and clothes, promoting creation, and the fate of souls after death.
• Fargard XX: Introduces Thrita as the originator of medicine, detailing the healing properties of plants and the various forms of healing (knife, herbs, spells).
• Fargard XXI: Contains hymns and prayers to waters and light (sun, moon, stars) as healing powers, and spells against diseases.
• Fargard XXII: Describes Angra Mainyu creating numerous diseases, and Ahura Mazda's application for healing through the Holy Word (Mathra Spenta) and Airyaman.

Fragments of the Nasks: Following the translation of the Vendidad, the volume includes several sections of "Fragments of the Nasks," which are remnants of the lost books of the Avesta. These fragments are categorized as:

• Westergaard's Fragments
• Zend Fragments in the Zend-Pahlavi Farhang
• Zend Fragments quoted in the Pahlavi Commentary of the Yasna
• Zend Fragments quoted in the Pahlavi Commentary of the Vendidad
• Tahmuras' Fragments
• The Erpatistan and Nirangistan
• Sundry Fragments
• Aogemaidê

These fragments provide glimpses into other Zoroastrian texts and traditions, offering further details on rituals, laws, myths, and theological concepts that were not fully preserved in the extant Nasks.

Overall Significance: This volume is a foundational text for understanding Zoroastrianism, particularly its legal and ritualistic aspects as preserved in the Vendidad. Darmesteter's translation, coupled with his scholarly introduction and notes, provides a crucial resource for anyone studying ancient Iranian religions, comparative mythology, and the history of religious thought. The detailed breakdown of laws concerning purity, the disposal of the dead, social conduct, and religious observance offers a unique window into the worldview of Zoroastrianism.