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CHAPTER II, 20–24.
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makes the sight of the spirit of pleasure manifest, and Aharman with the wizards rushes back to darkness and gloom. 21. And that which was of steel is the reign of King Khûsrð son of Kêvåd?, when he keeps away from this religion the accursed Mazdik3, son of Båmdåd, who remains opposed to the religion along with the heterodox. 22. And that which was mixed with iron [is the reign of the demons with dishevelled hair 4 of the race of Wrath, when it is the end of the tenth hundredth winter of thy millennium), O Zaratûst the Spitâmån !'
23. Zaratûst said thus : Creator of the material world ! O propitious spirit! what token would you give of the tenth hundredth winter ?
24. Adharmazd spoke thus : 'Righteous Zaratust! I will make it clear: the token that it is the end of thy millennium, and the most evil period is coming, is that a hundred kinds, a thousand kinds, a myriad of kinds of demons with dishevelled hair, of the
* Reading vênâp (Pers. bînâb), but it may be va davâg, in which case the phrase must be translated as follows: 'when he makes the spirit of pleasure and joy manifest.'
* See Chap. I, 5. The characteristic of the steel age, like that of the tin one, was the persecution of heretics who had been tolerated by the reigning monarch's predecessor.
* Generally written Mazdak, a heretic whose teaching was very popular in the time of King Kêvâd (or Kavåd, A. D. 487-531). His doctrine appears to have been extreme socialism built upon a Mazdayasnian foundation. He was put to death by Khúsrð I, as hinted in the text. It is remarkable that none of the successors of Khûsro Nôshirvan are mentioned in the Bahman Yast, so that a Parsi, who even did not believe in the verbal inspiration of the book, might possibly consider the remainder of it as strictly prophetical.
• The passage in brackets is omitted in K20 by mistake, and is here supplied from Chap. I, 5, in accordance with the Pâz. and Pers. versions.
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