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GIVES
Joosum
CHAPTER XI. Zoroaster and the Zend-Avesta. The Avesta-Zend and Pahlavi—The Magi of the Bible--The Greeks and the
Magi-Modern study by Europeans-Zoroaster-A real personage-His life in Eastern Iran-His date-Mythical developments-Marvels and miracles-Contrary opinions-The doctrines of Zoroaster-Ormuzd and Ahriman-Dualism-Importance attached to thoughts--Relation to early Aryan religion-Comparison with Vedic religion-Ahura-Zoroaster and the settled agriculturists-Attributes of Ormuzd-The name of Ormuzd - Lofty conception of the Deity-The Amesha-Spentas--The Yazatas or spiritual genii-Mithra-Vayu-Sraosha-The soul of the bull - The powers of evil-Ahriman-The daevas and druj-The Yatus, Drvants, etc.-Zoroaster magnified-The universal conflict-The Fravashis-Immortality-Future rewards and punishments-The final dissolution and
renovation. M HE Zend-Avesta 1 is the popular name of the great
1 religious book or collection of books of the Parsees, a wealthy and influential body of Indian residents (num
bering over 70,000) whose ancestral home was The Av
a. Persia, but who after the seventh century, when the Persians were overthrown by the Mohametans, took refuge in Western India and the peninsula of Guzerat. Only a few thousand descendants of the old people still keep up the ancestral worship in Persia itself, in Yezd and its neighbourhood. Properly speaking, the old collection of books is the Avesta, Zend (or "interpretation") being the name of the translation and commentary on it
1 See “Sacred Books of the East," vols. iv., V., xviii., xxiii., xxiv., xxxi. “Encyclopædia Britannica," ninth ed., articles “Persia," “Pahlavi," “Parsees," * Zend-Avesta," “ Zoroaster.” "Avesta,” translated with commentary by Prof. de Harlez, second ed. Paris, 1881. “Civilisation of the Eastern Iranians,' by Prof. Geiger, translated into English by D. P. Dastur ; London: Henry Frowde, 1886. (G.)
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