Makaranda Madhukar Anand Mahendale Festshrift

Author(s): M A Dhaky, Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: Shardaben Chimanbhai Educational Research Centre

Page 33

Hanns-Peter Schmidt
Makaranda
The Bishop of Halvan, Mâr Barhad Bešebbâ (sixth century A.D.), has a similar version : According to Zardust, one should not cut the throat of the victim before beating it on the neck with a cudgel till it is without life so that it does not feel the pain22
In the middle Persian encyclopedic text Dēnkard (tenth century A.D.) we have the most detailed Zoroastrian testimony about the matter :
“The reason for striking cattle with a log before (applying) the knife, together with the other things which are to be done in that matter, apart from the ritual efficacy of cleansing the body from a number of demons, especially the portions of excrement and bad taste, and (apart from) preventing the unjust and ill-considered slaughter of cattle, is first pity for the beast and on this account the lessening of its fear and pain when the knife is applied to it, and the prevention of the slaughter of cattle in an illconsidered manner, impulsively and at any time when one's desire is urgent23."
In Islamic times clubbing the animal was still practised as appears from a hostile and probably distorting source, 'Abd al-Jabār:
"They have among their laws other revolting things, such as eating carrion. This is done by tying the bull tightly, and making it ascend a mountain. Then they say to it: 'We have commanded you and have warned you, but you did not do (what you were commanded to do)'Then they beat it until it is dead, and eat it. This is what they call yazdān-kust, which means ‘killed by God', and there are other foolish things which they do 24."
The same author has another version of the same, in which the animal is not beaten to death : The Magi make a cow ascend an elevated place, fetter her feet and make her roll down, saying : "Descend !" and "Don't descend !" When she has fallen and is dead, they eat her saying: "It is God who has killed her25 !"
The Muslim author has probably taken this cruelty to animals which may have occurred among uncivilized folk for standard behaviour. It is unlikely that this was ever an accepted Zoroastrian practice.
The charge that the Zoroastrians eat carrion is also voiced by Abu Sa'id