0
May Ahura Mazda be rejoiced!.... Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... I confess myself a worshipper of Mazda, a follower of Zarathushtra,one who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura; For sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification unto [Havani],the holy and master of holiness.... Unto the good Waters, made by Mazda; unto the holy water-springARDVI ANAHITA; unto all waters, made by Mazda; unto all plants,made by Mazda, Be propitiation, with sacrifice, prayer, propitiation, and glorification. Yatha ahu vairyo: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness....
I.
1
Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying: 'Offerup a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this spring of mine,Ardvi Sura Anahita, the wide-expanding and health-giving, whohates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura, who is worthy ofsacrifice in the material world, worthy of prayer in the materialworld; 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
'Who makes the seed of all males pure, who makes the wombof all females pure for bringing forth, who makes all femalesbring forth in safety, who puts milk into the breasts of all femalesin the right measure and the right quality;
3
'The large river, known afar, that is as large as the wholeof the waters that run along the earth; that runs powerfully fromthe height Hukairya down to the sea Vouru-Kasha.
4
'All the shores of the sea Vouru-Kasha are boiling over, allthe middle of it is boiling over, when she runs down there, whenshe streams down there, she, Ardvi Sura Anahita, who has a thousandcells 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 fortydays, riding on a good horse.
5
'From this river of mine alone flow all the waters that spreadall over the seven Karshvares; this river of mine alone goes onbringing waters, both in summer and in winter. This river of minepurifies the seed in males, the womb in females the milk in females'breasts.
6
'I, Ahura Mazda, brought it down with mighty vigor, for theincrease of the house, of the borough of the town, of the country,to keep them, to maintain them, to look over them, to keep andmaintain them close.
7
'Then Ardvi Sura Anahita, O Spitama Zarathushtra! proceededforth from the Maker Mazda. Beautiful were her white arms, thickas a horse's shoulder or still thicker; beautiful was her ....,and thus came she, strong, with thick arms, thinking thus in herheart:
8
'"Who will praise me? Who will offer me a sacrifice,with libations cleanly prepared and well-strained, together withthe Haoma and meat? To whom shall I cleave, who cleaves unto me,and thinks with me, and bestows gifts upon me, and is of goodwill unto me?"
9
'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrificeworth being heard; I will offer up unto the holy Ardvi Sura Anahitaa good sacrifice with an offering of libations;- thus mayest thouadvise us when thou art appealed to! Mayest thou be most fullyworshipped, O Ardvi Sura Anahita! with the Haoma and meat, withthe baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with the holy spells,with the words with the deeds, with the libations, and with therightly-spoken words. 'Yenhe hatam: All those beings of whom Ahura Mazda....
II.
10
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita, the wide-expanding and health-giving,who hates the Daevas and obeys the laws of Ahura, who is worthyof sacrifice in the material world, worthy of prayer in the materialworld; 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
'Who drives forwards on her chariot, holding the reins ofthe chariot. She goes, driving, on this chariot, longing for menand thinking thus in her heart: "Who will praise me? Whowill offer me a sacrifice, with libations cleanly prepared andwell-strained, together with the Haoma and meat? To whom shallI cleave, who cleaves unto me, and thinks with me, and bestowsgifts unto me, and is of good will unto me?" 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice, worthbeing heard....
III.
12
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
13
'Whom four horses carry, all white, of one and the same color,of the same blood, tall, crushing down the hates of all haters,of the Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors,of the blind and of the deaf. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice ....
IV.
14
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
15
'Strong and bright, tall and beautiful of form, who sendsdown by day and by night a flow of motherly waters as large asthe whole of the waters that run along the earth, and who runspowerfully. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
V.
16
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
17
'To her did the Maker Ahura Mazda offer up a sacrifice tothe Airyana Vaejah, by the good river Daitya; with the Haoma andmeat, with the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with theholy spells, with the words, with the deeds, with the libations,and with the rightly-spoken words.
18
He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may bring the son ofPourushaspa, the holy Zarathushtra, to think after my law, tospeak after my law, to do after my law!"
19
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringlibations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and begging that she wouldgrant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
VI.
20
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
21
'To her did Haoshyangha, the Paradhata, offer up a sacrificeon the enclosure of the Hara, with a hundred male horses, a thousandoxen, and ten thousand lambs.
22
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita, that I may become the sovereignlord of all countries, of the Daevas and men, of the Yatus andPairikas, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and thatI may smite down two thirds of the Daevas of Mazana and of thefiends of Varena."
23
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringlibations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
VII.
24
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
25
'To her did Yima Khshaeta, the good shepherd, offer up a sacrificefrom the height Hukairya, with a hundred male horses, a thousandoxen, ten thousand lambs.
26
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may become the sovereignlord of all countries, of the Daevas and men, of the Yatus andPairikas, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and thatI may take from the Daevas both riches and welfare, both fatnessand flocks, both weal and Glory."
27
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringlibations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
VIII.
28
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
29
'To her did Azi Dahaka, the three-mouthed, offer up a sacrificein the land of Bawri, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen,and ten thousand lambs.
30
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this boon,O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may make allthe seven Karshvares of the earth empty of men."
31
'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant him that boon, althoughhe was offering libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreatingher that she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
IX.
32
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto ArdviSura Anahita....
33
'To her did Thraetaona, the heir of the valiant Athwya clan,offer up a sacrifice in the four-cornered Varena, with a hundredmale horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.
34
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome Azi Dahaka,the three-mouthed, the three-headed, the six-eyed, who has a thousandsenses, that most powerful, fiendish Druj, that demon, balefulto the world, the strongest Druj that Angra Mainyu created againstthe material world, to destroy the world of the good principle;and that I may deliver his two wives, Savanghavach and Erenavach,who are the fairest of body amongst women, and the most wonderfulcreatures in the world."
35
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringlibations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
X.
36
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto ArdviSura Anahita....
37
'To her did Keresaspa, the manly-hearted, offer up a sacrificebehind the Vairi Pisanah, with a hundred male horses, a thousandoxen, ten thousand lambs.
38
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome the golden-heeledGandarewa, though all the shores of the sea Vouru-Kasha are boilingover; and that I may run up to the stronghold of the fiend onthe wide, round earth, whose ends lie afar."
39
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringlibations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XI.
40
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sara Anahita....
41
'To her did the Turanian murderer, Frangrasyan, offer up asacrifice in his cave under the earth, with a hundred male horses,a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.
42
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may seize hold of thatGlory, that is waving in the middle of the sea Vouru-Kasha andthat belongs to the Aryan people, to those born and to those notyet born, and to the holy Zarathushtra."
43
'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
II.
44
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
45
'To her did the great, most wise Kavi Usa offer up a sacrificefrom Mount Erezifya, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen,ten thousand lambs.
46
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me, this, Ogood, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may become thesovereign lord of all countries, of the Daevas and men, of theYatus and Pairikas, of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf."
47
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringlibations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XIII.
48
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
49
'To her did the gallant Husravah, he who united the Aryannations into one kingdom, offer up a sacrifice behind the Chaechastalake, the deep lake, of salt waters, with a hundred male horses,a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.
50
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may become the sovereignlord of all countries, of Daevas and men, of the Yatus and Pairikas,of the oppressors, the blind and the deaf; and that I may havethe lead in front of all the teams and that he may not pass throughthe forest , he, the murderer, who now is fiercely striving againstme on horseback."
51
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringlibations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XIV.
52
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
53
'To her did the valiant warrior Tusa offer worship on theback of his horse, begging swiftness for his teams, health forhis own body, and that he might watch with full success thosewho hated him, smite down his foes, and destroy at one strokehis adversaries, his enemies, and those who hated him.
54
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome the gallantsons of Vaesaka, by the castle Khshathro-saoka, that stands highup on the lofty, holy Kangha; that I may smite of the Turanianpeople their fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and theirthousands, their thousands and their tens of thousands, theirtens of thousands and their myriads of myriads."
55
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringlibations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XV.
56
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
57
'To her did the gallant sons of Vaesaka offer up a sacrificein the castle Khshathro-saoka, that stands high up on the lofty,holy Kangha, with a hundred male horses, a thousand oxen, tenthousand lambs.
58
'They begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant us this, Ogood, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that we may overcomethe valiant warrior Tusa, and that we may smite of the Aryan peopletheir fifties and their hundreds, their hundreds and their thousands,their thousands and their tens of thousands, their tens of thousandsand their myriads of myriads."
59
'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant them that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XVI.
60
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
61
'The old Vafra Navaza worshipped her when the strong fiend-smiter,Thraetaona, flung him up in the air in the shape of a bird, ofa vulture.
62
'He went on flying, for three days and three nights, towardshis own house; but he could not, he could not turn down. At theend of the third night, when the beneficent dawn came dawningup, then he prayed unto Ardvi Sura Anahita, saying:
63
'"Ardvi Sura Anahita! do thou quickly hasten helpfullyand bring me assistance at once. I will offer thee a thousandlibations, cleanly prepared and well strained, along with Haomasand meat, by the brink of the river Rangha, if I reach alive theearth made by Ahura and my own house."
64
'Ardvi Sura Anahita hastened unto him in the shape of a maid,fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girdled, pure, noblyborn of a glorious race, wearing shoes up to the ankle wearinga golden...., and radiant.
65
'She seized him by the arm: quickly was it done, nor was itlong till, speeding, he arrived at the earth made by Mazda andat his own house, safe, unhurt, unwounded, just as he was before.[66. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringup libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, entreating that she wouldgrant him that boon.] 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XVII.
67
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
68
'To her did Jamaspa offer up a sacrifice, with a hundred horses,a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs, when he saw the army of thewicked, of the worshippers of the Daevas, coming from afar inbattle array.
69
'He asked of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may be as constantlyvictorious as any one of all the Aryans."
70
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringup libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XVIII.
71
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
72
'To her did Ashavazdah, the son of Pouru-dhakhshti, and Ashavazdahand Thrita, the sons of Sayuzhdri, offer up a sacrifice, witha hundred horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs, by ApamNapat, the tall lord, the lord of the females, the bright andswift-horsed.
73
'They begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant us this, Ogood, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that we may overcomethe assemblers of the Turanian Danus, Kara Asabana, and Vara Asabana,and the most mighty Duraekaeta, in the battles of this world.
74
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted them that boon, as they were offeringup libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant them that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, l will offer her a sacrifice....
XIX.
75
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
76
'Vistauru, the son of Naotara, worshipped her by the brinkof the river Vitanghuhaiti, with well-spoken words, speaking thus:
77
'"This is true, this is truly spoken, that I have smittenas many of the worshippers of the Daevas as the hairs I bear onmy head. Do thou then, O Ardvi Sura Anahita! leave me a dry passage,to pass over the good Vitanghuhaiti."
78
'Ardvi Sura Anahita hastened unto him in the shape of a maid,fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girded, pure, noblyborn of a glorious race, wearing shoes up to the ankle, with allsorts of ornaments and radiant. A part of the waters she madestand still, a part of the waters she made flow forward, and sheleft him a dry passage to pass over the good Vitanghuhaiti.[79. 'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringup libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon.] 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XX.
80
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
81
'To her did Yoishta, one of the Fryanas, offer up a sacrificewith a hundred horses, a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs onthe Pedvaepa of the Rangha.
82
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome the evil-doingAkhtya, the offspring of darkness, and that I may answer the ninety-ninehard riddles that he asks me maliciously, the evil-doing Akhtya,the offspring of darkness."
83
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringup libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXI.
84
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
85
'Whom Ahura Mazda the merciful ordered thus, saying: "Come,O Ardvi Sura Anahita, come from those stars down to the earthmade by Ahura, that the great lords may worship thee, the mastersof the countries, and their sons.
86
'"The men of strength will beg of thee swift horses andsupremacy of Glory. '"The Athravans who read and the pupils of the Athravanswill beg of thee knowledge and prosperity, the Victory made byAhura, and the crushing Ascendant.
87
'"The maids of barren womb, longing for a lord, willbeg of thee a strong husband; '"Women, on the point of bringing forth, will beg of theea good delivery. '"All this wilt thou grant unto them, as it lies in thy power,O Ardvi Sura Anahita!"
88
'Then Ardvi Sura Anahita came forth, O Zarathushtra! downfrom those stars to the earth made by Mazda; and Ardvi Sura Anahitaspake thus:
89
'"O pure, holy Zarathushtra! Ahura Mazda has establishedthee as the master of the material world: Ahura Mazda has establishedme to keep the whole of the holy creation. '"Through my brightness and glory flocks and herds and two-leggedmen go on, upon the earth: I, forsooth, keep all good things,made by Mazda, the offspring of the holy principle, just as ashepherd keeps his flock."
90
'Zarathushtra asked Ardvi Sura Anahita: "O Ardvi SuraAnahita! With what manner of sacrifice shall I worship thee? Withwhat manner of sacrifice shall I worship and forward thee? Sothat Mazda may make thee run down (to the earth), that he maynot make thee run up into the heavens, above the sun; and thatthe Serpent may not injure thee with...., with...., with....,and.... poisons."
91
'Ardvi Sura Anahita answered: "O pure, holy Spitama!this is the sacrifice wherewith thou shalt worship me, this isthe sacrifice wherewith thou shalt worship and forward me, fromthe time when the sun is rising to the time when the sun is setting.
'"Of this libation of mine thou shalt drink, thou who artan Athravan, who hast asked and learnt the revealed law, who artwise, clever, and the Word incarnate.
92
'"Of this libation of mine let no foe drink, no man fever-sick,no liar, no coward, no jealous one, no woman, no faithful onewho does not sing the Gathas, no leper to be confined.
93
'"I do not accept those libations that are drunk in myhonor by the blind, by the deaf, by the wicked, by the destroyers,by the niggards, by the...., nor any of those stamped with thosecharacters which have no strength for the holy Word. '"Let no one drink of these my libations who is hump-backedor bulged forward; no fiend with decayed teeth."
94
'Then Zarathushtra asked Ardvi Sura Anahita: "O ArdviSura Anahita! What becomes of those libations which the wickedworshippers of the Daevas bring unto thee after the sun has set?"
95
'Ardvi Sura Anahita answered: "O pure, holy Spitama Zarathushtra!howling, clapping, hopping, and shouting, six hundred and a thousandDaevas, who ought not to receive that sacrifice, receive thoselibations that men bring unto me after [the sun has set]."
96
'I will worship the height Hukairya, of the deep precipices,made of gold, wherefrom this mine Ardvi Sura Anahita leaps, froma hundred times the height of a man, while she is possessed ofas much Glory as the whole of the waters that run along the earth,and she runs powerfully. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXII.
97
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
98
'Before whom the worshippers of Mazda stand with baresma intheir hands: the Hvovas did worship her, the Naotaras did worshipher; the Hvovas asked for riches, the Naotaras asked for swifthorses. Quickly was Hvova blessed with riches an full prosperity;quickly became Vishtaspa, the Naotaride, the lord of the swiftesthorses in these countries.
99
['Ardvi Sura Anahita granted them that boon, as they wereoffering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreatingthat she would grant them that boon.] 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXIII.
100
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
101
'Who has a thousand cells and a thousand channels: the extentof each of those cells, of each of those channels, is as muchas a man can ride in forty days, riding on a good horse. In eachchannel there stands a palace, well-founded, shining with a hundredwindows, with a thousand columns, well-built, with ten thousandbalconies, and mighty.
102
'In each of those palaces there lies a well-laid, well-scentedbed, covered with pillows, and Ardvi Sura Anahita, O Zarathushtra!runs down there from a thousand times the height of a man, andshe is possessed of as much Glory as the whole of the waters thatrun along the earth, and she runs powerfully.
XXIV.
103
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
104
'Unto her did the holy Zarathushtra offer up a sacrifice inthe Airyana Vaejah, by the good river Daitya; with the Haoma andmeat, with the baresma, with the wisdom of the tongue, with theholy spells, with the speech, with the deeds, with the libations,and with the rightly-spoken words.
105
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may bring the son ofAurvat-aspa, the valiant Kavi Vistaspa, to think according tothe law, to speak according to the law, to do according to thelaw."
106
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he wasoffering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreatingthat she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXV.
107
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
108
'Unto her did the tall Kavi Vishtaspa offer up a sacrificebehind Lake Frazdanava, with a hundred male horses, a thousandoxen, ten thousand lambs.
109
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome Tathravant,of the bad law, and Peshana, the worshipper of the Daevas andthe wicked Arejat-aspa, in the battles of this world!"
110
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he was offeringup libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that shewould grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXVI.
111
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
112
'Unto her did Zairi-vairi, who fought on horseback, offerup a sacrifice behind the river Daitya, with a hundred male horses,a thousand oxen, ten thousand lambs.
113
'He begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant me this, O good,most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that I may overcome Pesho-Changhathe corpse-burier, Humayaka the worshipper of the Daevas, andthe wicked Arejat-aspa, in the battles of this world.
114
'Ardvi Sura Anahita granted him that boon, as he wasoffering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, and entreatingthat she would grant him that boon. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXVII.
115
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
116
'Unto her did Arejat-aspa and Vandaremaini offer up a sacrificeby the sea Vouru-Kasha, with a hundred male horses, a thousandoxen, ten thousand lambs.
117
'They begged of her a boon, saying: "Grant us this, Ogood, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! that we may conquerthe valiant Kavi Vishtaspa and Zairivairi who fights on horseback,and that we may smite of the Aryan people their fifties and theirhundreds, their hundreds and their thousands, their thousandsand their tens of thousands, their tens of thousands and theirmyriads of myriads."
118
'Ardvi Sura Anahita did not grant them that favor, thoughthey were offering up libations, giving gifts, sacrificing, andentreating that she should grant them that favor. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXVIII.
119
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
120
'For whom Ahura Mazda has made four horses -- the wind,the rain, the cloud, and the sleet -- and thus ever a upon theearth it is raining, snowing, hailing, and sleeting; and whosearmies are so many and numbered by nine-hundreds and thousands.
121
'I will worship the height Hukairya, of the deep precipices,made of gold, wherefrom this mine Ardvi Sura Anahita leaps, froma hundred times the height of a man, while she is possessed ofas much Glory as the whole of the waters that run along the earth,and she runs powerfully. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXIX.
122
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
123
'She stands, the good Ardvi Sura Anahita, wearing a goldenmantle, waiting for a man who shall offer her libations and prayers,and thinking thus in her heart:
124
"'Who will praise me? Who will offer me a sacrifice,with libations cleanly prepared and well-strained, together withthe Haoma and meat? To whom shall I cleave, who cleaves unto me,and thinks with me, and bestows gifts upon, me, and is of goodwill unto me?" 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
XXX.
125
'Offer up a sacrifice, O Spitama Zarathushtra! unto this springof mine, Ardvi Sura Anahita....
126
'Ardvi Sura Anahita, who stands carried forth in the shapeof a maid, fair of body, most strong, tall-formed, high-girded,pure, nobly born of a glorious race, wearing along her.... a mantlefully embroidered with gold;
127
'Ever holding the baresma in her hand, according to the rules,she wears square golden earrings on her ears bored, and a goldennecklace around her beautiful neck, she, the nobly born ArdviSura Anahita; and she girded her waist tightly, so that her breastsmay be well-shaped, that they may be tightly pressed.
128
'Upon her head Ardvi Sura Anahita bound a golden crown, witha hundred stars, with eight rays, a fine ...., a well-made crown,in the shape of a ...., with fillets streaming down.
129
'She is clothed with garments of beaver, Ardvi Sura Anahita;with the skin of thirty beavers of those that bear four youngones, that are the finest kind of beavers; for the skin of thebeaver that lives in water is the finest-colored of all skins,and when worked at the right time it shines to the eye with fullsheen of silver and gold.
130
'Here, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! I beg ofthee this favor: that I, fully blessed, may conquer large kingdoms,rich in horses, with high tributes, with snorting horses, soundingchariots, flashing swords, rich in aliments, with stores of food,with well-scented beds; that I may have at my wish the fullnessof the good things of life and whatever makes a kingdom thrive.
131
'Here, O good, most beneficent Ardvi Sura Anahita! I beg ofthee two gallant companions, one two-legged and one four-legged:one two-legged, who is swift, quickly rushing, and clever in turninga chariot round in battle; and one four-legged, who can quicklyturn towards either wing of the host with a wide front, towardsthe right wing or the left, towards the left wing or the right.
132
'Through the strength of this sacrifice, of this invocation,O Ardvi Sura Anahita! come down from those stars, towards theearth made by Ahura, towards the sacrificing priest, towards thefull boiling [milk]; come to help him who is offering up libationsgiving gifts, sacrificing, and entreating that thou wouldst granthim thy favors; that all those gallant warriors may be strong,like king Vishtaspa. 'For her brightness and glory, I will offer her a sacrifice....
133
'Yatha ahu vairya: The will of the Lord is the law of holiness.... 'I bless the sacrifice and prayer, and the strength and vigorof the holy water-spring Anahita. 'Ashem Vohu: Holiness is the best of all good.... '[Give] unto that man brightness and glory, .... give him thebright, all-happy, blissful abode of the holy Ones!'