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Pahlavi Texts, Part V
Marvels of Zoroastrianism
Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 47
translated by E.W. West
[1897]
This is part V of the Sacred Books of the East Pahlavi Texts translation. It is the shortest one in
the series, a slight 233 pp., about half of most other SBE volumes. SBE 47 contains translations
of a number of very late Zoroastrian texts, some prophetic in nature, others providing clues to the
chronology of the religion. As such, the texts here, the Dinkard and Selections of Zad-Sparam,
make interesting reading. They will be of use both to scholars looking for information about the
development of Zoroastrianism, and those looking for non-traditional books of prophecy. West
concludes that the traditional date of the birth of Zoroaster corresponds to 660 BCE; more
recently, 628 BCE has been proposed, so the former date probably isn't so far off. He also
computes the timetable of Zoroastrian prophecy: don't get too excited, though, the end of the
world isn't until 2398, so we still have about four centuries left.
PRODUCTION NOTES: This volume proved a tough job. As the title page notes, I worked on it
between 2002 and 2007, when my STML technology was mature enough to allow me to finish it
in a reasonable timeframe.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
INTRODUCTION
Abbreviations used in this volume
ix
xlviii
MARVELS OF ZOROASTRIANISM.
DÎNKA.RD, BOOK VII.
Chap.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
Descent of the glorious destiny
Parentage of Zaratûst
His birth, childhood, and youth till his conference
His missions to the Karaps, and Vistâsp's conversion
Events in the last thirty-five years of his life
Further events till the death of Vistâsp
" " till end of Sâsânian monarchy
" " till end of Zaratûst's millennium
Aûshêdar's millennium
Aûshêdar-mâh's millennium
Sôshâns and the renovation
3
17
35
50
73
77
82
94
107
112
116
1.
2.
3.
4.
DÎNKARD, BOOK V.
Kaî-Loharâsp at Jerusalem, and descent of the religion.
Parentage, birth, and life of Zaratûst. Future apostles
Events after Vistâsp's conversion and in later times
Descent of the Irânians. The tribe having a Gyêmarâ
119
122
126
127
12.
13.
14.
15.
SELECTIONS OF ZÂD-SPARAM.
Two old legends of Spendarmad and of the hero Srîtô
Parentage of Zaratûst
Demons try to injure him before and at his birth
Five Karap brothers opposed to Zaratûst and his four brothers
133
138
140
143
16.
CHAP.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
One Karap tries to kill Zaratûst five times
p. viii
144
PAGE
Another foretells his glorious destiny
His father disagrees with him
And he disagrees with his father and the chief Karap
Legends indicative of his good disposition
His going to confer with Aûharmazd
His conferences with the archangels
Dates of conversions, births, and deaths
Five dispositions of priests and ten admonitions
INDEX
ERRATUM
Transliteration of Oriental Alphabets adopted for the Translations of the
Sacred Books of the East
147
148
149
151
154
159
163
167
171
182
183
INTRODUCTION.
1. IN the summary account of the Spend Nask, given in the eighth book of the Dînkard, chapter
XIV, it is stated in § 4 (see S.B.E., vol. xxxvii, p. 32) that many marvels, owing to Zaratûst, are
published therein, 'just as there are some which, collected and selected, are noticed by the
Dînkard manuscript.' This statement evidently refers to the seventh book of the Dînkard, which
contains the legendary history of Zaratûst and his religion, related as a series of marvels
extending from the creation to the resurrection of mankind. A much briefer account of some of
the same details occurs at the beginning of the fifth book of the Dînkard, and appears to have
been abridged from a compilation which was either derived partially from a foreign source, or
prepared for the use of foreign proselytes. A third compilation of similar legends is found among
the Selections of Zâd-sparam. And a careful translation of these three Pahlavi Texts constitutes
the Marvels of Zoroastrianism contained in this volume.
2. As the extent of Dk. VII is about 16,000 Pahlavi words (without allowing for one folio lost), it
probably contains about four-fifths of the details included in the Spend Nask, the Pahlavi
version, of which has been estimated, in S.B.E., vol. xxxvii, p. 469, to extend to 20,500 words. It
says very little about Zaratûst's conferences with the sacred beings (mentioned in Dk. VIII, xiv,
5, 6), and gives no description of the other world and the way thither (as reported ibid. 8). But it
probably contains many verbatim extracts from other parts of the Pahlavi version of the Spend
Nask, which appear, however, to have been previously collected in the Exposition of the Good
Religion, an older MS. than the Dînkard, which is quoted as an authority in Dk. VII, i, 2.
p. x
3. This seventh book commences with a detailed statement of the descent of the glorious ruling
dynasty from the primeval man Gâyômard, through his descendants, the Pêsdâdian and Kayânian
rulers, to Kaî-Vistâsp. Among the individuals, rarely mentioned elsewhere, are the sacred being
Hadish (the protector of homesteads in the Visperad), Vâêgered the brother of king Hôshâng,
Pâtakhsrôbô king of the Arabs, and Aôshnar the chancellor of Kai-Ûs. Zaratûst and the three
millennial apostles are also mentioned, but the contents of this first chapter are probably derived
from the
Kitradâd
Nask (see Dk. VII, xiii, 20) and from Yt. XIX, 25-93.
4. Chapter II begins the legendary history of Zaratûst with the descent of his glory, from the
presence of Aûharmazd to the house in which Zaratûst's mother was about to be born; and,
alarmed at her radiance, the Kavîgs and Karaps, or ruling priests of the district, oblige her father
to send her away to another valley, where Pôrûshâspô resided, to whom she was afterwards
married; and several legends are related, in which both the archangels and archdemons are active
agents, which lead on to the birth of Zaratûst, thirty years before the end of the ninth millennium
of the universe, and his complete genealogy is given.
5. Chapter III begins with his laughing at birth, and describes the ill-will of the Karaps, or priests
of those times, and their many attempts to destroy him during his childhood, till he openly defied
them at the age of seven. At the end of the ninth millennium, when he was thirty years old, as he
was bringing Hôm-water out of the fourth effluent of the Dâîtî river, he met the archangel
Vohûmanô who had come to invite him to a conference with Aûharmazd, about which no details
are given.
6. Chapter IV, however, proceeds to mention that, in two years, he returned from his first
conference, by order of Aûharmazd, to preach his religion to the Kîgs and Karaps in the presence
of their ruler, Aûrvâîtâ-dang the Tûr. They seem to have listened attentively till he advocated
Khvêtûkdas, when they demanded his death, and
p. xi
were supported by the Tûr's brother; but the Tûr's son, who presided, remonstrated with them,
and Aûrvâîtâ-dang himself protected him, but refused to be converted. Zaratûst was afterwards
sent to demand slaves and horses from Vêdvoîst, a rich Karap, who refused them arrogantly; he
also went to Parshad-gau in Sagastân and cured his bull with Hôm-water, whereupon Parshad-
gau joined him in worship, but not in public. Zaratûst repulsed the demons as in Vd. XIX, 1-4;
he is then tempted by a Karap in the form of Spendarmad, whom he also repulses. And he is
finally sent to the court of Vistâsp, where he is relentlessly opposed by the Kîgs and Karaps who
obtained his imprisonment, during which he is saved from starvation by a miracle; then some of
the sacred beings arrive to assist him, and Vistâsp is at last converted, twelve years after the
coming of the religion when Zaratûst went to his first conference with Aûharmazd.
7. Chapter V refers to the marvels of the last thirty-five years of Zaratûst's life, after Vistâsp's
conversion, but says nothing about his own death, except that he departed to the best existence at
the age of seventy-seven. It mentions the establishment of ordeals of thirty-three kinds, the
victory of Vistâsp over Argâsp the Khyôn, the useful works and advice of Zaratûst, the
compilation of the Avesta, and the birth of Pêshyôtan, the immortal ruler of Kangdez.
8. Chapter VI continues this account of marvels till the death of Vistâsp, which occurred forty-
three years later. The legends related are about the presentation of a heavenly chariot to Vistâsp
by the soul of an old hero Sritô who had been killed about 350 years before; and regarding the
coming of two high-priests from the southern regions of the earth, ten years after the departure of
Zaratûst, to enquire about the religion.
9. Chapter VII relates the marvels occurring after the death of Vistâsp until the end of the
sovereignty of Irân; mentioning king Vohûmanô, who was a grandson of Vistâsp, the high-priest
Sênôv
who lived throughout the second century of the religion, the devastator Alexander the
Great, the four successive high-priests who restore orthodoxy
p. xii
in the fifth and sixth centuries of the religion, the apostate Rashn-rêsh of about the same period,
king Artakhshatar the founder of the Sâsânian dynasty, his chancellor Tanvasar, Atûrpâd-î
Mâraspendân and his son surnamed Avarethrabau, with an anonymous arch-apostate of their

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