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


CHAPTER VIII.

1. The Radŏ-dâd-aîtag 4 contains particulars about the religious and important customs and laws to be

p. 20

enforced. 2. The reason of the worthiness and superexcellence in a sacerdotal leader, and his possession of a portion of the other authority (patîh) of a ruler also; that is, how worthiness is to be distinguished from unworthiness, and superexcellence from unworthiness, in him, namely, in the priestly chieftainship (radîh) of Khvanîras 1 and the other Legions, each separately, the first which stood aloof from the Mazda-worshippers.

3. About the demonstration and notification of the sitting together of the archangels, the ritual and appliances in the ceremonial of the sacred beings, the position and business of the Zôtis and Râspîs 2 in a ceremonial, and also all the business of the leaders in their duty, each separately and originally 3. 4. The greatness of the helpfulness (vigîdâr-dahisnîh) in good works, the kinds of helpfulness, and the proximity of Aûharmazd to the thoughts, words, and deeds of the embodied existence.

5. The excellence of righteousness is perfect.


Footnotes

19:4 Corresponding to the seventh word, kîd, in the Ahunavair, according to B. P. Riv.; but it is the eighth Nask in other Rivâyats. Radŏ-dâd-aîtag means 'concerning the habits of a priestly master,' which is a fair description of the contents of this Nask, but it is misread Ratustâî, or Ratustâîd, in the Rivâyats, which also state that it contained originally fifty kardah, or subdivisions, of which only thirteen were recovered after the time of Alexander.

20:1 Av. Hvaniratha, the central region of the earth, containing the countries best known to the Irânians, around which the other six smaller regions were supposed to be arranged.

20:2 See Chap. VII, 5.

20:3 Or 'fundamentally' (val bûn).


Next: Chapter IX