Vendidad 01 - Sixteen Perfect Lands
Avesta, Vendidad Fargard 1 Translated by James Darmesteter (Sacred Books of the East, Vol. 4, 1880)
FARGARD 1. Sixteen perfect lands created by Ahura Mazda, and
as many plagues created by Angra Mainyu.
1
Ahura Mazda spake unto Spitama Zarathushtra, saying:
I have made every land dear (to its people), even though it had no charms whatever in it: had I not made every land dear (to its people), even though it had no charms whatever in it, then the whole living world would have invaded the Airyana Vaeja.
2
The first of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the Airyana Vaeja, by the Vanguhi Daitya.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the serpent in the river and Winter, a work of the Daevas.
-
Clause 2 in the Vendidad Sada is composed of Zend quotations in the Commentary that illustrate the alternative process of creation: ‘First, Ahura Mazda would create a land of such kind that its dwellers might like it, and there could be nothing more delightful. Then he who is all death would bring against it a counter-creation.’
-
Airyanem Vaeja, Iran-Vej, is the holy land of Zoroastrianism: Zarathushtra was born and founded his religion there (Bund. 20.32; 32.3): the first animal couple appeared there (Bund. 14.4; Zadspram, 9.8). From its name, ‘the Iranian seed,’ it seems to have been considered as the original seat of the Iranian race. It has been generally supposed to belong to Eastern Iran, like the provinces which are enumerated after it, chiefly on account of the name of its river, the Vanguhi Daitya, which was in the Sassanian times (as Veh) the name of the Oxus. But the Bundahish distinctly states that Iran-Vej is ‘bordering upon Adarbajan’ (29.12); now, Adarbaijan is bordered by the Caspian Sea on the east, by the Rangha provinces on the west, by Media proper on the south, and by Arran on the north. The Rangha provinces are out of question, since they are mentioned at the end of the Fargard (verse 20), and the climatic conditions of Iran-Vej with its long winter likewise exclude Media and suit Arran, where the summer lasts hardly two months (cf. § 4, note 6). The very name agrees, as the country known as Arran seems to have been known to the Greeks as `Ariania (Stephanus Byz.), which brings it close to our Airyanem. On the Vanguhi Daitya, see following note.
-
The Vanguhi Daitya, belonging to Arran, must be the modern Aras (the classic Araxes). The Aras was named Vanguhi, like the Oxus, but distinguished from it by the addition Daitya, which made it ‘the Vanguhi of the Law’ (the Vanguhi by which Zarathushtra received the Law).
-
‘There are many Khrafstras in the Daitik, as it is said, The Daitik full of Khrafstras’ (Bund. 20.13). Snakes abound on the banks of the Araxes (Morier, A Second Journey, p. 250) nowadays as much as in the time of Pompeius, to whom they barred the way from Albania to Hyrcania (Plut.)
-
Arran (Karabagh) is celebrated for its cold winter as well as for its beauty. At the Naoroz (first day of spring) the fields still lie under the snow. The temperature does not become milder before the second fortnight of April; no flower is seen before May. Summer, which is marked by the migration of the nomads from the plain to the mountains, begins about the 20th of June and ends in the middle of August.
3
There are ten winter months there, two summer months; and those are cold for the waters, cold for the earth, cold for the trees. Winter falls there, the worst of all plagues. [Hum 35: “Ten are there the winter months, two the summer months, and even then [in summer] the waters are freezing, the earth is freezing, the plants are freezing; there is the center of winter, there is the heart of winter, there winter rushes around, there (occur) most damages caused by storm.”]
4
The second of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the plain which the Sughdhas inhabit.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death,
and he counter-created the locust, which brings death unto cattle and plants.
5
The third of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the strong, holy Mouru.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created plunder and sin.
6
The fourth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the beautiful Bakhdhi with high-lifted banner.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the ants and the ant-hills.
7
The fifth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Nisaya, that lies between the Mouru and Bakhdhi.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the sin of unbelief.
8
The sixth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the house-deserting Haroyu.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created tears and wailing.
9
The seventh of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Vaekereta, of the evil shadows.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the Pairika Knathaiti, who claves unto Keresaspa.
10
The eighth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Urva of the rich pastures.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the sin of pride.
11
The ninth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Khnenta which the Vehrkanas inhabit.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the unnatural sin.
12
The tenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the beautiful Harahvaiti.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the burying of the dead.
13
The eleventh of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the bright, glorious Haetumant.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the evil work of witchcraft.
14
And this is the sign by which it is known, this is that by which it is seen at once: wheresoever they may go and raise a cry of sorcery, there the worst works of witchcraft go forth. From there they come to kill and strike at heart, and they bring locusts as many as they want.
15
The twelfth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was Ragha of the three races.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created the sin of utter unbelief.
16
The thirteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the strong, holy Chakhra.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death,
and he counter-created a sin for which there is no atonement, the cooking of corpses.
17
The fourteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the four-cornered Varena, for which was born Thraetaona, who smote Azi Dahaka [Zohak].
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created abnormal issues in women, and barbarian oppression.
18
The fifteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the Seven Rivers.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created abnormal issues in women, and excessive heat.
19
The sixteenth of the good lands and countries which I, Ahura Mazda, created, was the land by the sources (?) of the Rangha, where people live who have no chiefs.
Thereupon came Angra Mainyu, who is all death, and he counter-created Winter, a work of the Daevas.
20
There are still other lands and countries, beautiful and deep, longing and asking for the good, and bright. [Hum2 54: lands and regions, beautiful,deep, esteemed, brilliant and bright.]
Home Contents Prev vd1sbe Next Avestan Glossary