The first hearers and first teachers of the Daēnā

‘We worship here the ahu (‘existence, life’), the daēnā, the baoδah (‘consciousness’), the urvan (‘soul’), and the fravaṣi of the Truthful men and women, the first teachers, the first to hear the teachings, who have won for (the sake of) Truth.

We worship here the ahu, the daēnā, the baoδah, the urvan, and the fravaṣi of the Truthful closest relatives, male and female, who have won for Truth.

We worship the first teachers of the houses, of the villages, of the districts, and of the countries, who were (before).

We worship the first teachers of the houses, of the villages, of the districts, and of the countries, who will be (after).

We worship the first teachers of the houses, of the villages, of the districts, and of the countries, who are (now).

We worship the first teachers of the houses, of the villages, of the districts, and of the countries, who won for (their) house, who won for (their) village, who won for (their) district, who won for (their) country, and who won for Truth, who won for the Formula, who won for (their) Souls, who won for the good through all good (things).’

‘We worship Zaraθuštra, the ahu and ratu of the whole corporeal existence, the first teacher, the best giver of gifts among those who exist, the best ruler among those who exist, the wealthiest among those who exist, the most fortunate among those who exist, the most worthy of worship among those who exist, the most worthy of receiving prayer among those who exist, the most worthy of being satisfied among those who exist, the most praised among those who exist, the man who has been proclaimed as “worshipped”, “the worthy of worship”, and the “worthy of receiving prayer”, as to anyone among those who exist (the formula) “according to Aṣa Vahišta” (can be told).’

‘That man, O Maiδyōi.måŋha Spitama, assumes for himself that [power (xšaθra)], recognising himself through (his) religion (daēnā), (he) who, wishing to obtain existence, memorizes (/recites) the laws of Mazdā (viz., Avesta), through the actions of the living the better (existence).’

‘We worship the aṣi and fravaṣi of the truthful Maidyōi.måŋha, son of Ārāstya, who first heard (as an ally) to Zaraθuštra, Formulas and teachings.’

az Ārāstī Medyōmāh zād. Zardušt ka-š dēn āvurd, nazdist andar Ērānvēz frāz yašt (X) Medyōmāh dēn aziš pedīrift.

‘Of Ārāstya was Maidyōi.måŋha born. When Zaraθuštra brought the daēnā, he first consecrated it in Airyana Vaējah (the homeland of the Aryans). Maidyōi.måŋha (first) received the daēnā from him.’

‘Kavi Vīštāspa, through the power of the maga, reached that (knowledge), along the paths of good thought, the knowledge which he thought through truth, (i.e.) “Mazdā Ahura (is) Spǝṇta (mainyu)” in order thus to declare (it) to us, as desired.’

‘Zaraθuštra, the truthful one, worshipped her (= Anāhitā) in the Airyana Vaējah of the Vaŋvhī Dāityā (river) with haoma blended with milk, with barǝsman, with the marvellous power of the tongue and with the thought formula (/Avesta formula), with speech and action, with libations, and with plainly pronounced words. Thus he implored her: Give me that boon, O good, very strong Arǝdvī Sūrā Anāhitā, that I shall induce the son of Aurva.aspa, the valiant Kavi Vīštāspa, to think according to the daēnā, to speak according to the daēnā, to act according to the daēnā. She gave him then that boon, Arǝdvī Sūrā Anāhitā, giver of boons to the one who offers libations together with (barǝsman), who is nimble, who worships (her, and) implores (her favours).’

‘Zaraθuštra, the truthful one, worshipped her (Drvāspā) in the Airyana Vaējah of the Vaŋvhī Dāityā (river), with haoma (mixed) with milk (and) with barǝsman, with the marvellous power of the tongue and with the sacrificial formula, with speech and action and libations, and with plainly pronounced words. Thus he implored her (to give) that boon: Give me that boon, O good, very strong Drvāspā, that I shall induce the good, noble Hutaosā to think according to the Daēnā, to speak according to the Daēnā, to act according to the Daēnā, who may believe in and be acquainted with my Daēnā Māzdayasni, who may provide a good reputation for my community. She gave him then that boon, Drvāspā, very strong, given (/placed) by Mazdā, truthful, protectress, giver of boons to the one who offers libations, who is nimble, who worships (her, and) implores (her favours).’

u-t ō hāvištīh rased X ud X ud Sēn ud Kay Vištāsp ud Frašōštar ud Jāmāsp ī āškārag-varz ud kāmag-cāšīdār.

‘(Among) your disciples will be: Maidyōi.måŋha, Paršat̰.gu, Saēna, Kavi Vīštāspa, Frašaoštra, and Jāmāspa fulfilling his duty (haiθyāvarǝz-) and teaching at will (*vasō.caša-).’

ēk abdīh ī xvad abestāg ī ped hamāg pahlum ēvāzīh gēhān hangirdīgīh ī visp dānāgīh gōbišnān abardum.

‘One wonder is the Avesta itself, which, as a language, is better than all the vernacular languages, and as a compendium of all knowledge, is superior to (other) discourses.’

ristag kunišn nišānīhā andar āvām āvām ō pēdāgīh mad ud rased, ēd cē Zāmāsp az hān ī Zardušt hamōg be guft, ud ast ī nibišt, jumā abestāg ud zand ī ped gāv pōstīhā ud zarr nibišt ēstād ped ganz ī xvadāyān dāšt. dahyubedān dastvarān aziš būd ī vēš pecēn kird, pas ō-z kam-āgāhān ud vināhīdārān-z aziš ast ī mad būd ī jud-dādestānīh jud-vēnišnīh abar burd.

‘The signs of the acts and the sects that, in each period of the past and future, were said by Jāmāspa from the teachings of Zaraθuštra, and some were written (by him), and together with the Avesta and Zand which were written on ox hides with gold (golden ink), were preserved in the Royal Treasury. There were certain provincial rulers (daήhu.paiti-) and religious authorities (ratu-) who procured many copies of them; later, some of these fell into the hands of people with little knowledge and also corruptors who introduced discord and heterodoxy into them.’

(M644) abar abdīh ī pēdāgīhist az pedīriftan frāz ī Vištāsp dēn dā vihēz ī yašt-farvahr Zardušt ō hān ī pahlum oxān, ka uzīd ēstād /az/ zāyišnīh frāz 77 sāl, ud az hampursagīh frāz 47 sāl, ud az pedīriftan ī Vištāsp dēn frāz 35 sāl.

‘About the wonders that were revealed from the time Vīštāspa accepted the religion until the departure of Zaraθuštra, of the consecrated fravaṣi, to the best existence (Av. vahišta- ahu-), when seventy-seven years had elapsed from his birth, forty-seven from the conference, and thirty-five years from the acceptance of the religion by Vīštāspa.’

(M 814) u-š be zad hend pērōzgar ī tagīg Frēdōn do-srišoyag hān ī māzandar deh, ud ēk-srišoyag bē mad zad ud vēmār. ud nē-z pas, Spitāmān Zardušt, kē māzandar deh abar ēn kišvar ī Xvanirah raft hend. u-šān nē ped abar-menišnīh-iz menīd kū šavem bē az hān kē ēdōn nām būd hend Spitōiš Uspąsnaoš ud Ǝrǝzrāspahe Uspąsnao kē tazīd hend ped xrad-xvāyišnīh, ud raft hend abar Frašōštar ī Hvōgva.

‘The victorious and valiant Θraētaona smashed two-thirds of those of the country of the more-giants and one-third (of them) came (to him) smashed and sick. And never, afterwards, O Spitama Zaraθuštra, have they who are of the country of the giants travelled to the continent of Xvaniraθa, nor have even imagined, arrogantly, that «we shall go (there)», except those (two) whose names are Spitōiš Uspąsnaoš and Ǝrǝzrāspahe Uspąsnaoš, who hurried, in search of wisdom (*xratu.īšti-), to Frašaoštra of the Hvōgva.’

(M 648) ēk ēd ī pēdāg ped 57 sāl ī az pedīriftan ī Zardušt dēn frāz bē-rasišnīh ī dēn ped haft kišvar pēdāg andar zīndagīh ī Vištāsp. ēdōn-š pēdāgīhist ped madan ī az <bē->kišvar ped dēn-xvāyišnīh ō Frašōštar ī Hvōvān. cōn dēn gōbed kū: «do kē ēdōn nām bavend (X ud X) kē tazīd hend ped xrad-xvāyišnīh ī abar ō Frašōštar ī Hvōvān.»

‘One is this that is revealed: Fifty seven years after Zaraθuštra accepted the daēnā, the coming forth of the daēnā in the seven continents was manifested during the lifetime of Vištāspa. Thus it was manifested by the coming of [some] from [other] continents in search of the daēnā to Fǝrašaoštra of the Hvōgva (brother of Jāmāspa), as the Daēnā says: “Two whose names are thus, Spiti (Spitōiš gen.) and Ǝrǝzrāspa (Ǝrǝzrāspahe gen.), have hastened, in search of wisdom, unto Fǝrašaoštra of the Hvōgva.”’

(M 411) Vištāsp šāh ka az kārezār ī abāg Arzāsp pardaxt būd ō sarxvadāyān abar pedīriftan ī dēn, frēstag ud nibēgīhā ī az vispāgāhīh pēsīd, mazdesn dēn, ped vas ēvēnag abzār ud frahang; ud būd ī /hamōzegār/ frahād /-uzvān/ /muvmard/ abāg frēstīd. /Spitōg/ ud Arzāsp ud abārīg ī (M 412) az bē Xvanirah ped dēnpursišnīh ō Frašōštar āmad hend, spurr-āgāhīhā visē kird.

‘Once king Vīštāspa got through the war with Arǝja.aspa, he sent to the chief rulers regarding the acceptance of the religion, messengers and books belonging to the Mazdayasnian religion (i.e., the Avesta) which was written about all knowledge, through instruments and instructions of many kinds, and he sent with them some teaching priests with bound tongues (Av. hitō.hizvah-). Spiti, Ǝrǝzrāspa and others from outside Xvaniraθa came to Frašaoštra to ask about the Religion, and he despatched them with complete information.’

(M 649) abar abdīh ī pēdāgīhist pas az Vištāsp dā hanzaftan ī ērān xvadāyīh. abar xvadāyān ud dastvarān nām cōn-š zamānagīhā āvāmīhā ī pas ō ārāstārān ī dēn ud gēhān rasīd ud sāstār-z ahlemōγ ī (M 650) andar āvām āvām ō višuftārīh ī dēn ud xvadāyīh ud gēhān padīd … hend. cōn az xvadāyān Vahman ī Spendyādān ī-š andar abestāg ēn-z abar gōbed kū: «Vahman ī rāst ī hanzamankirdārdum az mazdesnān.»

‘About the wonders that were manifested after [the time of] Vīštāspa until the coming to an end of the kingdom of the Aryans. About the names of the (good) rulers and high-priests who arrived thereafter, at times and epochs, as directors of the daēnā and world; also of the (bad) rulers and heretics who appeared at various epochs, for the disturbance of the daēnā and kingdom and world. Such as Vohumanah son of Spǝṇtōδāta among the kings about whom it is said in the Avesta this: «Vohumanah, the straight, the most efficient in challenging among the Mazdayasnians.»’

az Zardušt zād sē pus … ēk Isadvāstar, ud ēk Urvadatnar, ud ēk Vurucihr (Xvaršēdcihr). cōn Isadvāstar āsrōn mubedān mubed būd, ped sad-sālagīh ī dēn bē vidurd.

‘Of Zaraθuštra were born three sons … one Isat̰.vāstra, one Urvatat̰.nara , and one Vouru.ciθra. As Isat̰.vāstra was priest and the chief of the Magi, who passed away in the hundredth-year of the daēnā.’

saēnahe ahūm.stūtō aṣaonō fravaṣīm yazmaide yō paoiryō satō.aēθryō fraxštata paiti āva zǝmā …

‘We worship the fravaṣi of truthful Saēna, son of Ahūm.stūt, who first stood forth upon this earth with a hundred students.’

… utayūtōiš vit̰kavōiš ziγrōiš saēnahe aṣaonō fravaṣīm yazamaide frō.hakafrahe mǝrǝzišmyehe saēnanąm fravaṣīm yazamaide …

‘We worship the fravaṣi of truthful Utayūti, son of Vit̰kavi, son of Ziγri, son of Saēna. We worship the fravaṣi of truthful Frō.hakafra, son of Mǝrǝzišmya, of the Saēna family.’

az dastvarān cōn-š Šēn (= Sēn) cōn-š ēn-z abar gōbed kū: ēsad-sālag baved dēn ka Šēn zāyed, ud dvēst-sālag ka be videred. hān-z fradum mazdesn būd kē ped ē-sad-hāvištīh frāz raved abar ēn zamīg.

‘Such as Saēna among the high-priests, as about him it is said this: «The daēnā becomes a hundred years old when Saēna is born, and two hundred years when he passes away. He was also the first Mazdyasnian who walked forth upon this earth with a hundred disciples.»’

(M 650) az dastvarān Ǝrǝzu ī-š vizārišn ī nām abēzag-gōbišn, ud Srūtō.spāda ī-š vizārišn ī nām srūd-abzōnīg, Zrayaŋhå ī-š vizārišn ī nām zreh-ox, ud Spǝṇtō-xratvå ī-š vizārišn ī nām abzōnīg-xrad. cōn-š ēn-z abar gōbed kū: pēdāgīh tō ōy āškāragīh daxšag-iz gōbem ka ēd ī tō dēn ī mazdesnān ×si-sad sālag baved andar ēn asn šab baved ox ī astumand ped mar pēdāgīh vēnend abāxtar ud star-z. ud kē-z man ō sadōzim ped-meyān-menišnīh sīh zimestān ī meyān ī mard hend ahlav Ǝrǝzu ud hān sē ī did. avēšān hend az astān ahlōdum ī andar hān zamānag avēšān abar rattum [dastvarān] ud ēn-z kū: avēšān kē ped panzum ud šašum sadozim dēn ī mazdesnān stāyend, avēšān nē kas ruvān būzend bē kē ped rasišn ī ×cahār [vizārišn kū: ped dastvarīh <ī> ēn cahār kas ēstend: Ǝrǝzu ud Srūtō.spāδå ud Zrayaŋhå ud Spǝṇtō.xratvå] kē ped mānsr xvāhend menišn gōbišn kunišn avēšān harv cahār.

(M 651) ud Rašnaoš ahlemōγ ī hān zamānag, cōn-šān andar Rašnaoš vas ud ēn-z abar gōbed kū: az hān ī avēšān bēšīdārīh bišt hend harvisp kē hend Spennāg Mēnōg dām ō avēšān mardān emēdagēnend Ǝrǝzu ud hān sē ī did.

‘Of the high-priests (are) Ǝrǝzu (Ǝrǝzvå) and (his brother) Srūtō.spāda, Zrayaŋha and (his brother) Spǝṇtō.xratu. As it is said about them: «I reveal to you the signs that will appear when this Mazdayasnian Religion becomes three hundred years old. In this [time], with the appearance of the bad man (Av. mairya-), the day becomes night, and the osseous existence (/people) can see the planets and stars. Those who are ready to think of me, in this century, for thirty winters, they are the truthful men Ǝrǝzu and those three others. They are the most truthful of those who exist, in that time, the best models [the most authoritative].» This also: «Those who praise the Mazdayasnian Religion in the fifth and sixth century, no persons save their souls, except those who (are saved) by these four [this means: they follow the authority of these four: Ǝrǝzu and Srūtō.spāda and Zrayaŋha and Spǝṇtō.xratu] who seek their thoughts, words and deeds through the sacred Formula [all four of them].»

‘And (Rašnu-, Rašnaoš) is the heretic of that time. As it is said against Rašnaoš (or, in a book about Rašnaoš) many things, and this also: «All who are creatures of Spǝṇta Mainyu suffer by his malice, Ǝrǝzu and those three others make them hopeful.»’