Text of Confucianism Part 02

SR No.: 007676
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: James Legge
Publisher: Oxford
Publication Year: 1882
Total Pages: 2405
Language: English
Classification: Book_English
File Size: 43 MB

Page 1271

290
EPISTLES OF MÂNUSKÍHar.
11. That was through my instigation, alone and with little assistance, in the beginning; and, on account of the deficiency of warriors, the abundance of opponents, the very rapid arrival of disturbance, and the fourfold supplication for keeping away the ruin or hasty unlawful maintenance of the fires of the Mazda-worshippers, my constant distress is such that most of my time speaks of the same subjects. 12. They may leave the abundance of despondency and thoughtfulness of the bodily existence to such remedial writing of his, unto whom the pleasantly comfortable thought of an evaded (virikhtô) seizure is requisite, but there is little worldly leisure for me for writing more in this direction (hana-runtar). 13. And specially in this passing time—when, alike limited by the coming of the period of giving daily supplies to the performers of worship, and by the ever-triumphant fire and its produce ?, it was necessary for me to go to Shiraz' on account of some indispensable provision of means—the work was much and the leisure little.
From this and Ep. II, v, 14 it would appear that the priests at that time maintained a body of troops for the protection of their followers.
. That is, regarding the proper maintenance of the priesthood, which had already engaged his anxious attention during the lifetime of his father.
* The word var may either mean 'ashes' (see Sls. II, 49), alluding to clearing out the fire, or it may mean ordeal' (see Sls. XIII, 17).
• See Dd. I, 17. This name is written Shirâso once, Siraso thrice, and Sirâso four times in K35. Mânûskihar appears to have come to Shirâs on this occasion to hold a general assembly of the priests and leading members of the community, and be wrote this epistle from that city (see Ep. II, I, II; V, 10).
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