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62
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DÂDISTÂN-I DînîK.
the light of dawn and the period of Aůshahin ?, because the mountain Aůshdâstâr? is mentioned in the propitiation of the angel Åstad. 3. With Åstâd is the propitiation of the period of Aushahin 3, and she is the ruler of glory of that time when the account occurs; the souls are in the light of the dawn of Aushahin when they go to the account; their passage (vidâr) is through the bright dawn.
4. One sacred cake, which is in propitiation of the good Vâêo, is, moreover, on this account: whereas the bad Vâêo is a despoiler and destroyer, even so the good Vâê is a resister (kûkhshidâr), and likewise encountering the bad Vâê; he is also a diminisher (viza dâr) of his abstraction of life,
One of the five periods of the day and night, extending from midnight until the stars disappear in the dawn, or, as some say, until all the fixed stars disappear except four of the first magnitude (see Bd. XXV, 9, Sls. XIV, 4-6).
? Called Ushi-darena in the Avesta, and identified with some mountain in Sagastan in Bd. XII, 15. It is mentioned in the dedicatory formula of Astâd (see Sir. 26), and its name is evidently here supposed to mean 'the holder of dawn,' an appropriate term for a lofty mountain to the eastward.
9 Both Rashnû and Astâd are blessed in the prayers appointed for the Aushahîn period of the day.
• The glory of the Aryans' is lauded in the Aståd Yast.
• The spirit of air, or angel Râm, who receives and protects the good soul on its way to the other world (see Chap. XXVIII, 2, 5).
• Identified with Astô-vidâd, the demon of death, in Bd. XXVIII, 35, but Pahl. Vend. V, 25, 31 makes him a separate demon, who conveys away the bound soul, which would identify him with the demon Vizarêsh of Vend. XIX, 94, Bd. XXVIII, 18. There is very little doubt, however, that the Pahlavi translator of Vend. V misunderstood the Avesta, which merely says that 'Asto-vidhôtu binds him, Vayô conveys him bound,' referring probably to the good Vae who receives the parting soul; and Pahl. Vend. V, 31 admits that this was the opinion of some.
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