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VENDÎDÂD.
'Invoke, O Zarathustra ! this creation of mine, who am Ahura Mazda.'
15 (50). Zarathustra imitated my words from me, (and said): 'I invoke the holy creation of Ahura Mazda.
'I invoke Mithra', the lord of the rolling countryside, a god armed with beautiful weapons, with the most glorious of all weapons, with the most victorious of all weapons.
I invoke the holy, well-formed Sraosha?, who wields a club in his hand, to bear upon the heads of the fiends 3
16 (54). 'I invoke the most glorious Holy Word.
I invoke the sovereign Heaven, the boundless Time, and Vayu, whose action is most high.
'I invoke the mighty Wind, made by Mazda, and Spenta (Armaiti), the fair daughter of Ahura Mazda.
I invoke the good Religion of Mazda, the fienddestroying Law of Zarathustra.'
III. 17 (58). Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda : 0 Maker of the good world, Ahura Mazda! With what manner of sacrifice shall I worship, with what manner of sacrifice shall I make people worship this creation of Ahura Mazda *?'.
18 (60). Ahura Mazda answered: 'Go, O Spitama
1 See p. 23, n. 1.
See Farg. XVIII, 14, note.
Cf. Farg. XVIII, 22 seq.; Yasna LVII, 19 seq.; Yasht XI. • The sacrifice intended is a sacrifice to nature. The Baresman, as representative of the vegetal nature, receives the zaothralibations, which are representative of the fertilizing rains.
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