Bahman Yasht 01 - Vision of the World Tree

Zand-i Wahman Yasn (Bahman Yasht), Chapter 1 Translated by E.W. West (Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 5, 1880)

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CHAPTER I.

1

As is manifest from the Sudgar (Nask): Zartosht asked for immortality from Ohrmazd. (2) Then, Ohrmazd showed the wisdom of all-knowledge unto Zartosht. (3) Through it, he saw the trunk of a tree, on which there were four branches: one of gold, one of silver, one of steel, and one of mixed iron. (4) Thereupon he considered that he saw this in a dream.

5

When he arose from sleep, he, Zartosht, spoke: “Lord of the spiritual and material existences! it seems that I saw the trunk of a tree, on which there were four branches.”

6

He, Ohrmazd, spoke to Spitaman Zartosht: “The trunk of a tree, which thou sawest, is the material existence, which I, Ohrmazd, created. (7) The four branches are the four periods which will come. (8) That of gold is that

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when I and thou will hold a conference of religion, king Vishtasp shall accept the religion, the figures of the devs shall totter, and the devs will remain from publicity into distant and concealed movements. (9) That of silver is the reign of king Ardashir the Kayanid. (10) And that of steel is the reign of Khosraw son of Kawad, of immortal soul. (11) And that of mixed iron is the evil sovereignty of the devs, having dishevelled hair, of the seed of Eshm, when thy tenth century will be at an end, O Spitaman Zartosht!”