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YASNA LVII.
299
and those which are yet to be done (for him in times to come).
II. 5. We worship Sraosha (Obedience) the blessed and the stately, him who smites with the blow of victory, who prospers the settlements, the holy ritual lord, (6) who first spread forth the Baresman, and the three bundles, and the five bundles, and the seven bundles, and the nine, till it was heaped for us knee-high, and to the middle of the thighs !, for the Bountiful Immortals, for their worship, and their homage, and their propitiation, and their praise.
For his splendour and his glory, for his might, and the blow which smites with victory, I will worship him with the Yasna of the Yazads, with a Yasna loud intoned, him Obedience the blessed, with the consecrated waters.
III. 7. We worship Sraosha (Obedience) the blessed, the stately, who smites with the blow of victory, who furthers the settlements, the holy ritual chief.
8. Who first chanted the Gathas, the five ? Gâthas of Zarathustra, the Spitâma, the holy (with the fashion) of their metres ?, and after the well-constructed order of their words, together with the Zand which they contain, and the questions which they
Le Barsom est de cinq branches dans les Darouns ordinaires. Il est de sept branches pour le Daroun No naber, pour le Freoueschi, et pour le Gâhânbår. Il est de neuf branches pour le Daroun des Rois, et pour celui du Mobed des Mobeds (Anquetil).
* This proves that the Gâthas were greatly older than this Yast. That the Gathas were originally five seems improbable; yet they had become reduced to that number at this time.
Nom. sing. ? • Comp. tal thwa pereså, &c.; 'questions back and forth.'
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