exist to enable us to determine them with any accuracy. These questions will, probably, ever remain questions. The safest course for a writer upon these problems is to imitate the Pahlavist and endorse the frequently repeated phrase he employs whenever confronted with any insoluble question; am lā roshan, 'I do not know.'
The birth of Zaratusht. Long before the advent of Zaratusht, King Yima forewarns the demons that he will come to fight them.[1] A marvellous ox, in the reign of Kaus, likewise, foretells the coming of revelation through Zaratusht.[2] Preparations are made in heaven for bringing about the birth of the prophet. The Kingly Glory descends upon earth and enters the house in which lives the woman who is destined to give birth to the prophet-child. It mingles with her when she is boin. Owing to the Glory that has descended upon her, she is surrounded by a luminous light. The demons mislead her father into the belief that she is bewitched. The father thereupon sends her away to the clan of the Spitamas. When she came of age she married Pourushasp.[3] The demons struggle at every step to bring harm upon them, but are baffled in their vile attempts by the intervention of the heavenly beings. Vohuman, Artavahisht, Khurdad, and Amardad miraculously bring about the mingling of the Glory, spirit, and body of the child in the womb of the mother.[4] For three nights did a hundred and fifty demons rush to the house where Dughdo lived and they struggled to destroy the child in her womb, but owing to the fire burning in her abode they failed in their foul purpose,[5] For three nights before the birth of the child, the village of Pourushasp became all luminous and people marvelled at it.[6] The struggle between the powers of light and darkness continues, marvels and wonders take place one after another, a divine light flashes forth from the house and in the midst of universal joy, the child is born, laughing outright at birth.[7]
- ↑ Dk. SBE., vol. 47, bk. 7. 2. 59-61, p. 31.
- ↑ Zsp. 12. 12, 15, 16; Dk., SBE., vol. 47, bk. 7. 2. 62, 64, 67, p. 31-33.
- ↑ Zsp. 13. 4; Dk., SBE., vol. 37, bk. 8. 14. 1, p. 31; vol. 47, bk. 7. 2. 2-10, p. 17-19; Jackson, Zoroaster, p. 24.
- ↑ Dk. SBE., vol. 47, bk. 7. 2. 22-55, p. 23-30; Jackson, ib., p. 24, 25.
- ↑ SLS. 10. 4.
- ↑ Dk., SBE., vol. 47, bk. 7. 2. 56-58, p. 30, 31.
- ↑ Zsp. 14. 12, 16; Dk., SBE., vol. 37, bk. 8. 14. 2; 9. 24. 1-10, p. 31, 226-229; vol. 47, bk. 5. 2. 2, 5, p. 122, 123; bk. 7. 3. 2, 3, 25, p. 35, 41; Jackson, ib., p. 27.
