May God the Wise Lord be glorified! . . .

Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good. . . .

I confess myself a worshipper of God, a follower of the messenger Zarathushtra, one who hates the devils and obeys the laws of God;

For devotion, prayer, thanksgiving, and glorification unto God, the holy and master of holiness. . . .

For the good Waters, made by God; for the holy water-spring Ardvi Anahita; for all waters, made by God; for all plants, made by God;

Be thanksgiving, with devotion, prayer, thanksgiving, and glorification.

Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness. . . .

I.

1 God the Wise Lord spoke unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita, the wide-expanding and health-giving, which hates the devils and obeys the laws of God, which is worthy of thanksgiving in the material world, worthy of prayer in the material world; the life-increasing and holy, the herd-increasing and holy, the fold-increasing and holy, the wealth-increasing and holy, the country-increasing and holy;

2 "Which makes the seed of all males pure, which makes the womb of all females pure for bringing forth, which makes all females bring forth in safety, which puts milk into the breasts of all females in the right measure and the right quality;

3 "The large river, known afar, that is as large as the whole of the waters that run along the earth; that runs powerfully from the height Hukairya down to the sea Vouru-Kasha.

4 "All the shores of the sea Vouru-Kasha are boiling over, all the middle of it is boiling over, when it runs down there, when it streams down there, this Ardvi Sura Anahita, which has a thousand cells and a thousand channels: the extent of each of those cells, of each of those channels is as much as a man can ride in forty days, riding on a good horse.

5 "From this river of Mine alone flow all the waters that spread all over the seven regions; this river of Mine alone goes on bringing waters, both in summer and in winter. This river of Mine purifies the seed in males, the womb in females, the milk in females' breasts.

6 "I, God the Wise Lord, brought it down with mighty vigour, for the increase of the house, of the borough, of the town, of the country, to keep them, to maintain them, to look over them, to keep and maintain them close.

7 "Then Ardvi Sura Anahita, O Spitama Zarathushtra, proceeded forth from the Maker, God. Beautiful and strong it came, like a mighty river, thick as a horse's shoulder or still thicker, a blessing to the world.

8 "Who will give thanks to God for it? Who will offer to God, in thanks for it, libations cleanly prepared and well-strained, together with the Haoma-drink and meat? Upon whom shall its blessings rest, but on him who is of good will and bestows gifts?

9 "For the brightness and glory of this spring, His sign, I will offer to God a sacrifice worth being heard; I will offer up to God a good sacrifice with an offering of libations in thanks for the holy Ardvi Sura Anahita; thus mayest Thou advise us when Thou art appealed to! Mayest Thou, O God, be most fully worshipped, with the Haoma-drink and meat, with the sacred twigs, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy prayers, with the words, with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words.

"Yenghe hatam: All those beings of whom God the Wise Lord knows the goodness. . . .

II.

10 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita, the wide-expanding and health-giving, which hates the devils and obeys the laws of God, which is worthy of thanksgiving in the material world, worthy of prayer in the material world; the life-increasing and holy, the herd-increasing and holy, the fold-increasing and holy, the wealth-increasing and holy, the country-increasing and holy;

11 "Which rushes forward like a chariot, held by the reins of the driver. It goes, driving on, longing to bring good to men, awaiting those who will say: 'Who will give thanks to God for this? Who will offer to God, in thanks for it, libations cleanly prepared and well-strained, together with the Haoma-drink and meat? Upon whom shall its blessings rest, but on him who is of good will and bestows gifts?'

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice, worth being heard. . . .

III.

12 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

13 "Which flows like a chariot that four horses carry, all white, of one and the same colour, of the same blood, tall, crushing down the hates of all haters, of the devils and men, of the sorcerers and witches, of the oppressors, of the blind and of the deaf.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

IV.

14 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

15 "Strong and bright, tall and beautiful of form, which sends down by day and by night a flow of motherly waters as large as the whole of the waters that run along the earth, and which runs powerfully.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

V.

16 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

17 "For this did the Maker, God the Wise Lord, make this offering in thanks, in the Airyana Vaejah, by the good river Daitya; with the Haoma-drink and meat, with the sacred twigs, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy prayers, with the words, with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words.

18 "He willed a boon, saying: 'Let it be, through the beneficent waters, that I bring the son of Pourushaspa, the holy Zarathushtra, to think after My law, to speak after My law, to do after My law!'

19 "And God granted that boon, as the libations were offered, the gifts were given, the sacrifice was made, and the boon was asked.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

VI.

20 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

21 "For this did Haoshyangha, the Paradhata, offer up a sacrifice to God on the enclosure of the Hara, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, and ten thousand lambs.

22 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may become the sovereign lord of all countries, of the devils and men, of the sorcerers and witches, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and that I may smite down two thirds of the devils of Mazandaran and of the fiends of Varena.'

23 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

VII.

24 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

25 "For this did Yima the Radiant, the good shepherd, offer up a sacrifice to God from the height Hukairya, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

26 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may become the sovereign lord of all countries, of the devils and men, of the sorcerers and witches, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and that I may take from the devils both riches and welfare, both fatness and flocks, both weal and glory.'

27 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

VIII.

28 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

29 "Azi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, offered up a sacrifice in the land of Babylon, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, and ten thousand lambs.

30 "He begged a boon, saying: 'Grant me this boon, that I may make all the seven regions of the earth empty of men.'

31 "God did not grant him that boon, although he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that it be granted him.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

IX.

32 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

33 "For this did Thraetaona, the heir of the valiant Athwya clan, offer up a sacrifice to God in the four-cornered Varena, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

34 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may overcome Azi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who has a thousand senses, that most powerful, fiendish Falsehood, that demon, baleful to the world, the strongest Falsehood that Satan created against the material world, to destroy the world of the good principle; and that I may deliver his two captives, Savanghavak and Erenavak, who are the fairest of body amongst women, and the most wonderful creatures in the worlds.'

35 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

X.

36 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

37 "For this did Keresaspa, the manly-hearted, offer up a sacrifice to God behind the Vairi Pisanah with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

38 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may overcome the golden-heeled Gandarewa, though all the shores of the sea Vouru-Kasha are boiling over; and that I may run up to the stronghold of the fiend on the wide, round earth, whose ends lie afar.'

39 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XI.

40 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

41 "For this did the Turanian murderer, Franghrasyan, offer up a sacrifice in his cave under the earth, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

42 "He begged a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, that I may seize hold of that Glory that is waving in the middle of the sea Vouru-Kasha and that belongs to the Aryan people, to those born and to those not yet born, and to the holy Zarathushtra.'

43 "God did not grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XII.

44 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

45 "For this did the great, most wise King Usa offer up a sacrifice to God from Mount Erezifya, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

46 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may become the sovereign lord of all countries, of the devils and men, of the sorcerers and witches, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf.'

47 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XIII.

48 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

49 "For this did the gallant Husravah, he who united the Aryan nations into one kingdom, offer up a sacrifice to God behind the Chaechasta lake, the deep lake of salt waters, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

50 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may become the sovereign lord of all countries, of devils and men, of the sorcerers and witches, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and that I may have the lead in front of all the teams, and that he may not pass through the forest, he, the murderer, who now is fiercely striving against me on horseback.'

51 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XIV.

52 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

53 "For this did the valiant warrior Tusa offer a sacrifice to God on the back of his horse, begging swiftness for his teams, health for his own body, and that he might watch with full success those who hated him, smite down his foes, and destroy at one stroke his adversaries, his enemies, and those who hated him.

54 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may overcome the gallant sons of Vaesaka, by the castle Khshathro-saoka, that stands high up on the lofty, holy Kangha; that I may smite of the Turanian people their fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thousands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands and their myriads of myriads.'

55 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XV.

56 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

57 "For this did the gallant sons of Vaesaka offer up a sacrifice in the castle Khshathro-saoka, that stands high up on the lofty, holy Kangha, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

58 "They begged a boon, saying: 'Grant us this, that we may overcome the valiant warrior Tusa, and that we may smite of the Aryan people their fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thousands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands and their myriads of myriads.'

59 "God did not grant them that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XVI.

60 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

61 "The old Vafra Navaza prayed to God for this, when the strong fiend-smiter, Thraetaona, flung him up in the air in the shape of a bird, of a vulture.

62 "He went on flying, for three days and three nights, towards his own house; but he could not, he could not turn down. At the end of the third night, when the beneficent dawn came dawning up, then he prayed unto God, saying:

63 "'O God! do Thou quickly hasten helpfully and bring me assistance at once. I will offer Thee a thousand libations, cleanly prepared and well strained, along with the Haoma-drink and meat, by the brink of the river Rangha, if I reach alive the earth made by God and my own house.'

64 "God sent help unto him, His angel in the shape of a maid, fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girded, pure, nobly born of a glorious race, wearing shoes up to the ankle, and radiant.

65 "She seized him by the arm: quickly was it done, nor was it long till, speeding, he arrived at the earth made by God and at his own house, safe, unhurt, unwounded, just as he was before.

66 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XVII.

67 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

68 "For this did Gamaspa offer up a sacrifice to God, with a hundred horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs, when he saw the army of the wicked, of the worshippers of the devils, coming from afar in battle array.

69 "He asked of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may be as constantly victorious as any one of all the Aryans.'

70 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XVIII.

71 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

72 "For this did Ashavazdah, the son of Pourudhakhshti, and Ashavazdah and Thrita, the sons of Sayuzhdri, offer up a sacrifice to God, with a hundred horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs, beside the tall, bright, swift-flowing waters.

73 "They begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant us this, O good, most beneficent God, that we may overcome the assemblers of the Turanian Danus, Kara Asabana, and Vara Asabana, and the most mighty Duradhaosha, in the battles of this world.'

74 "And God granted them that boon, as they were offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant them that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XIX.

75 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

76 "Vistauru, the son of Naotara, prayed to God for this by the brink of the river Vitanghuhaiti with well-spoken words, speaking thus:

77 "'This is true, this is truly spoken, that I have smitten as many of the worshippers of the devils as the hairs I bear on my head. Do Thou then, O God, leave me a dry passage, to pass over the good Vitanghuhaiti.'

78 "God sent help unto him, His angel in the shape of a maid, fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girded, pure, nobly born of a glorious race, wearing shoes up to the ankle, with all sorts of ornaments, and radiant. By His command a part of the waters stood still, a part of the waters flowed forward, and a dry passage was left him to pass over the good Vitanghuhaiti.

79 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XX.

80 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

81 "For this did Yoishta, one of the Fryanas, offer up a sacrifice to God, with a hundred horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs, on the Padhanapa of the Rangha.

82 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may overcome the evil-doing Akhtya, the offspring of darkness, and that I may answer the ninety-nine hard riddles that he asks me maliciously, the evil-doing Akhtya, the offspring of darkness.'

83 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXI.

84 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

85 "God the Wise Lord, the merciful, ordered thus, saying: 'Come, O blessed waters, come from those stars down to the earth made by God, that the great lords may give thanks to God for thee, the masters of the countries, and their sons.

86 "'The men of strength will beg of God, in thanks for thee, swift horses and supremacy of Glory.

"'The teachers who read, and the pupils of the teachers, will beg of God, in thanks for thee, knowledge and prosperity, Victory, and the crushing Ascendant.

87 "'The maids of barren womb, longing for a lord, will beg of God, in thanks for thee, a strong husband;

"'Women, on the point of bringing forth, will beg of God, in thanks for thee, a good delivery.

"'All this will God grant unto them, as it lies in His power.'

88 "Then the blessed waters came forth, O Zarathushtra, down from those stars to the earth made by God; and the angel appointed over the waters spoke thus:

89 "'O pure, holy Zarathushtra! God the Wise Lord has established thee as the master of the material world: God the Wise Lord has established me, by His leave, to keep the whole of the holy creation.

"'Through the brightness and glory that God has given, flocks and herds and two-legged men go on upon the earth; by His command I keep all good things, made by God, the offspring of the holy principle, just as a shepherd keeps his flock.'

90 "Zarathushtra asked God: 'O God! With what manner of offering shall I give thanks for this blessing? With what manner of offering shall I give thanks and forward it? So that Thou mayest make the waters run down to the earth, that Thou mayest not make them run up into the heavens, above the sun; and that the Serpent may not injure them with his poisons.'

91 "God answered: 'O pure, holy Spitama! this is the offering wherewith thou shalt give thanks, this is the offering wherewith thou shalt give thanks and forward it, from the time when the sun is rising to the time when the sun is setting.

"'Of this libation of Mine thou shalt drink, thou who art a teacher, who hast asked and learnt the revealed law, who art wise, clever, and a bearer of the Word.

92 "'Of this libation of Mine let no foe drink, no man fever-sick, no liar, no coward, no jealous one, no one who has turned away from the Gathas.

93 "'I do not accept those libations that are drunk in My name by the wicked, by the destroyers, by the niggards, nor any of those who have no strength for the holy Word.

94 "Then Zarathushtra asked God: 'O God! What becomes of those libations which the wicked worshippers of the devils bring unto Thee after the sun has set?'

95 "God answered: 'O pure, holy Spitama Zarathushtra! howling, clapping, hopping, and shouting, six hundred and a thousand devils, who ought not to receive that sacrifice, receive those libations that men bring after the sun has set.'

96 "I give thanks to God for the height Hukairya, of the deep precipices made of gold, wherefrom this blessed stream of Mine leaps, from a hundred times the height of a man, while it is possessed of as much Glory as the whole of the waters that run along the earth, and it runs powerfully.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXII.

97 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

98 "Before it the worshippers of God stand with the sacred twigs in their hands: the Hvovas gave thanks to God for it, the Naotaras gave thanks to God for it; the Hvovas asked for riches, the Naotaras asked for swift horses. Quickly was Hvova blessed with riches and full prosperity; quickly became Vishtaspa, the Naotaride, the lord of the swiftest horses in these countries.

99 "And God granted them that boon, as they were offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant them that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXIII.

100 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

101 "Which has a thousand cells and a thousand channels: the extent of each of those cells, of each of those channels, is as much as a man can ride in forty days, riding on a good horse. In each channel there stands a palace, well-founded, shining with a hundred windows, with a thousand columns, well-built, with ten thousand balconies, and mighty.

102 "In each of those palaces there lies a well-laid, well-scented bed, covered with pillows; and this blessed stream, O Zarathushtra, runs down there from a thousand times the height of a man, and it is possessed of as much Glory as the whole of the waters that run along the earth, and it runs powerfully.

XXIV.

103 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

104 "For this did the holy Zarathushtra offer up a sacrifice to God in the Airyana Vaejah, by the good river Daitya; with the Haoma-drink and meat, with the sacred twigs, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy prayers, with the speech, with the deeds, with the libations, and with the rightly-spoken words.

105 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may bring the son of Aurvataspa, the valiant King Vishtaspa, to think according to the law, to speak according to the law, to do according to the law.'

106 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXV.

107 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

108 "For this did the tall King Vishtaspa offer up a sacrifice to God behind Lake Frazdanava with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

109 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may overcome Tathravant, of the bad law, and Peshana, the worshipper of the devils, and the wicked Arejat-aspa, in the battles of this world!'

110 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXVI.

111 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

112 "For this did Zairi-vairi, who fought on horseback, offer up a sacrifice to God behind the river Daitya, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

113 "He begged of God a boon, saying: 'Grant me this, O good, most beneficent God, that I may overcome Peshu-Changhan the corpse-burier, Humayaka the worshipper of the devils, and the wicked Arejat-aspa, in the battles of this world.'

114 "And God granted him that boon, as he was offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He would grant him that boon.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXVII.

115 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

116 "Arejat-aspa and Vandaremaini offered up a sacrifice by the sea Vouru-Kasha, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.

117 "They begged a boon, saying: 'Grant us this, that we may conquer the valiant King Vishtaspa and Zairivairi who fights on horseback, and that we may smite of the Aryan people their fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thousands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands and their myriads of myriads.'

118 "God did not grant them that favour, though they were offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that He should grant them that favour.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXVIII.

119 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

120 "For which God the Wise Lord has made four horses, the wind, the rain, the cloud, and the sleet; and thus ever upon the earth it is raining, snowing, hailing, and sleeting; and whose hosts are so many, numbered by nine-hundreds and thousands.

121 "I give thanks to God for the height Hukairya, of the deep precipices, made of gold, wherefrom this blessed stream of Mine leaps, from a hundred times the height of a man, while it is possessed of as much Glory as the whole of the waters that run along the earth, and it runs powerfully.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXIX.

122 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

123 "It stands, the good blessed stream, like one wearing a golden mantle, waiting for a man who shall offer libations and prayers to God in thanks for it, saying:

124 "'Who will give thanks to God for this? Who will offer to God, in thanks for it, libations cleanly prepared and well-strained, together with the Haoma-drink and meat? Upon whom shall its blessings rest, but on him who is of good will and bestows gifts?'

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

XXX.

125 "Offer up a thanksgiving, O Spitama Zarathushtra, for this spring of Mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita. . . .

126 "In a vision, the blessed waters are seen carried forth in the shape of a maid, fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girded, pure, nobly born of a glorious race, wearing a mantle fully embroidered with gold;

127 "Ever holding the sacred twigs in her hand, according to the rules, she wears square golden earrings on her ears, and a golden necklace around her beautiful neck, she, the nobly born.

128 "Upon her head is bound a golden crown, with a hundred stars, with eight rays, a well-made crown, with fillets streaming down.

129 "She is clothed with garments of beaver, with the skin of thirty beavers of those that bear four young ones, that are the finest kind of beavers; for the skin of the beaver that lives in water is the finest-coloured of all skins, and when worked at the right time it shines to the eye with full sheen of silver and gold.

130 "Here, O good, most beneficent God! I beg of Thee this favour: that I, fully blessed, may conquer large kingdoms, rich in horses, with high tributes, with snorting horses, sounding chariots, flashing swords, rich in aliments, with stores of food, with well-scented beds; that I may have at my wish the fulness of the good things of life and whatever makes a kingdom thrive.

131 "Here, O good, most beneficent God! I beg of Thee two gallant companions, one two-legged and one four-legged: one two-legged, who is swift, quickly rushing, and clever in turning a chariot round in battle; and one four-legged, who can quickly turn towards either wing of the host with a wide front, towards the right wing or the left, towards the left wing or the right.

132 "Through the strength of this offering, of this invocation, O God, send down Thy blessing of waters from those stars, towards the earth made by Thee, towards the offering priest, towards the full boiling milk; send help to him who is offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that Thou wouldst grant him Thy favours; that all those gallant warriors may be strong, like King Vishtaspa.

"For the brightness and glory of this spring, I will offer unto God a sacrifice. . . .

133 "Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness. . . .

"I bless the devotion and prayer to God, and I give thanks for the strength and vigour of the holy water-spring Anahita, His sign.

"Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good. . . .

"O God, give unto that man brightness and glory, . . . give him the bright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy ones!"