"As it is the Lord's will, so (is he) the ruler from purity.
(We shall receive) gifts from Vohu-mano for the works (we do) in the world for Mazda.
And (he gives) the kingdom to Ahura who protects the poor" (Av., vol. iii.—Khorda-Avesta, 2).
Certainly this is not very intelligible, but the last clause is
remarkable, as implying that the way to advance God's kingdom
on earth is to confer benefits on the poor.
Passing over a number of other prayers, we enter upon the Yashts, which are distinguished from all other parts of the Avesta by the fact that each of them is written in celebration of some particular god or genius. Ahura-Mazda, indeed, still retains his supremacy, and every Yasht begins with a formula, of which the first words are "In the name of the God Ormazd," while the first Yasht is devoted exclusively to his praise. Subject to this recognition, however, the inferior potentates are each in turn the object of panegyrics in that exaggerated style in which Oriental literature delights. We need not stop to recount the particular honors rendered to each. One Yasht, however, is sufficiently curious to merit our attention, the more so as we possess a translation of it by Burnouf.[1] It is termed the Homa Yasht, and is intended to extol the brilliant qualities of the god whose name it bears. At that period of the day which is termed Hâvani—so it begins—Homa came to find Zarathustra, who was cleaning his fire, and singing the Gâthâs. "Zarathustra asked him: 'What man art thou who in all the existing world appearest to my sight as the most perfect, with thy beautiful and immortal person?' Then Homa, the holy one, who banishes death, answered me: 'I am, O Zarathustra, Homa, the holy one, who banishes death. Invoke, O Çpitama,[2] extract me to eat me, praise me to cele-*
- ↑ In the "Journal Asiatique," 4me Serie. tom. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. I have followed it exclusively. The Homa Yasht is not formally included in the Khorda-Avesta; it forms the 9th chapter of the Yacna. But the fact that, while utterly alien to the rest of the Yacna, it is truly a Yasht—being in honor of a special personage—induced me to defer its consideration till now.
- ↑ The term Cpitama, usually coupled with the name of Zarathustra, is translated by Spiegel "holy," but is treated by Haug and Burnouf as a proper name. There are indications that it may have been the family name of the prophet. See Av., vol. iii. p. 209, n.
