________________
BUNDAHIS.
hist, and then Shatvairô, and then Spendarmad, and then Horvadad, and then Amerôdad'.
27. From the dark world of Aharman were Akôman and Andar, and then Sôvar, and then Näkahed, and then Tâtrêu and Zafrik2.
28. Of Adharmazd's creatures of the world, the first was the sky; the second, water; the third, earth; the fourth, plants; the fifth, animals; the sixth, mankind.
CHAPTER II. o. On the formation of the luminaries. 1. Adharmazd produced illumination between the sky and the earth, the constellation stars and those also not of the constellations 3, then the moon, and afterwards the sun, as I shall relate.
1 These five, with Vohûman and Adharmazd in his angelic capacity, constitute the seven Ameshaspends, 'undying causers of prosperity, immortal benefactors,' or archangels, who have charge of the whole material creation. They are personifications of old Avesta phrases, such as VohQ-mano, 'good thought;' Asha-vahista,
perfect rectitude;' Khshathra-vairya, desirable dominion;' Spenta-ârmaiti, 'bountiful devotion;' Haurvatâd, completeness or health ;' and Ameretâd, 'immortality.
These six demons are the opponents of the six archangels respectively (see Chap. XXX, 29); their names in the Avesta are, Akem-mano, evil thought;' Indra, Sauru, Naunghaithya, Tauru, Zairika (see Vendîdâd X, 17, 18 Sp., and XIX, 43 W.), which have been compared with the Vedic god Indra, Sarva (a name of Siva), the Nâsatyas, and Sans. tura, diseased,' and garas, decay,' respectively. For further details regarding them, see Chap. XXVIII, 7-13
8 The word akhtar is the usual term in Pahlavi for a constellation of the zodiac; but the term apâkhtar, 'away from the akhtar,' means not only 'the north,' or away from the zodiac, but also a
Digitized by Google