Denkard 7.05 - Questions and Answers with Ahura Mazda
Denkard Book 7, Chapter 5 Translated by E.W. West (Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 47, 1897)
CHAPTER 5. Events in the last thirty-five years of his life
1
About the marvellousness which is manifested from the acceptance of the religion by Vishtasp onwards till the departure (vikhezo) of Zartosht, whose guardian spirit is reverenced, to the best existence, when seventy-seven years had elapsed onwards from his birth, forty-seven onwards from his conference, and thirty-five years onwards from the acceptance of the religion by Vishtasp.
2
One marvel is this which is declared that when Zartosht chanted revelation in the abode of Vishtasp, it was manifest to the eye that it is danced to with joyfulness, both by the cattle and beasts of burden, and by the spirit of the fires which are in the abode.
3
By which, too, a great wonder is proclaimed, like this which revelation mentions thus: ‘There seemed a righteous joyfulness of all the cattle, beasts of burden, and fires of the place, and there seemed a powerfulness of every kind of well-prepared spirits and of those quitting the abode (man-hishano), “that will make us henceforth powerful through religion,” when they fully heard those words which were spoken by the righteous Zartosht of the Spitamas.‘
4
And one marvel is the provision, by Zartosht, of the achievement of ordeal, that indicator of the acquitted and incriminated for sentence by the judge, in obscure legal proceedings; of which it is said in revelation there are about (kigun) thirty-three kinds. 5. These, too, the disciples of Zartosht kept in use, after that time, until the collapse of the monarchy of Iran; and the custom of one of them is that of pouring melted metal on the breast, as in the achievement of the saintly (hu-fravardo) Aturpad son of Maraspend, through whose preservation a knowledge about the religion was diffused in the world; and of the manifestation, too, through that great wonder, this is also said, on the same subject, in the good religion, that of those many, when they behold that rite of ordeal, it convinces the wicked ones.
6
One marvel is that which is afterwards manifested, after the former captivity of Zartosht and his speaking about the religion to Vishtasp and those of the realm, such as the acceptance of the religion by Vishtasp and that which Zartosht said to him at his original arrival, as regards the declaration of a ruler’s religion, thus: ‘Thine is this disposition, and this religion which is calling (khrosako) is a property of that description which thou puttest together, O Kay Vishtasp! so that if thou wilt accept this disposition of thine, thou wilt possess this religion which exists (that is, the learning of learnings), and be the ruler that shall cause its progress; thou wilt possess in this disposition of thine, as it were, a new support (stunako), and any one will uphold thee by upholding it, as thou art the possessor of the support of this religion.’ 7. Also the victory of Vishtasp over Arjasp the Khyon and other foreigners in that awful battle, just as Zartosht explained unto Vishtasp in revelation; and much which is declared by revelation.
8
One marvel is the disclosure by Zartosht, in complete beneficence, medical knowledge, acquaintance with character, and other professional retentiveness (pishako-girukih), secretly and completely of what is necessary for legal knowledge and spiritual perception; also the indication, by revelation, of the rites for driving out pestilence (sego), overpowering the demon and witch, and disabling sorcery and witchcraft. 9. The curing of disease, the counteraction of wolves and noxious creatures, the liberating of rain, and the confining of hail, spiders, locusts, and other terrors of corn and plants and adversaries of animals, by the marvellous rites which are also relating to the worship of Hordad and Amurdad, and many other rites which were kept in use until the collapse of the monarchy of Iran; and there are some which have remained even till now , and are manifested with a trifle of marvellousness by the sacred fires. 10. And the disclosure to mankind of many running waters from marvellous streams (ardaya), and remedies for sickness which are mixed (fargardako) by well-considering physicians; many are spiritual and celestial, gaseous (vayig) and earthy; and the worldly advantage of others, too, is the praise (lafo) which ought to come to one for angelic wisdom.
11
One is the marvel of the Avesta itself, which, according to all the best reports of the world, is a compendium of all the supremest statements of wisdom.
12
One marvel is the coming of this also to Vishtasp, which the archangels announced as a recompense for accepting the religion, as he saw Peshyotan the happy ruler, that immortal and undecaying son, not wanting food, large-bodied, completely strong, fully glorious, mighty, victorious, and resembling the sacred beings; the unique splendour of Peshyotan for the sovereignty of Kangdez in yonder world, as allotted to him by the creator Ohrmazd, is manifested even through that great wonder to the multitude.