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DÂDISTÂN-I DİNİK.
demons of life have also overwhelmed with sin those of the wicked who are deceived by the demons and have fled from the contest. 29. But they shall not let the fiend fully in, owing to the luminaries of the resplendent one, during the allotted time when the demons' punishing and the repentance of the wicked are accomplished.
30. And he appointed for the middle third the creatures of the world separated from the world and the spiritual existence; and among those creatures 3 were produced for them the managing man as a guardian of the creatures, and the deciding wisdom as an appliance of man; and the true religion, the best of knowledge was prepared by him. 31. And that third is for the place of combat and the contest of the two different natures; and in the uppermost part of the same third is stationed by him the light of the brilliant sun and moon and glorious stars, and they are provided by him that they may watch the coming of the adversary, and revolve around the creatures. 32. All the sacred ceremonies of the distant earth (bûm), the light, the abundant rains, and the good angels vanquish
1 Probably referring to the five fiends, or demonesses, which are the special embodiments of each man's evil passions, and are thus detailed in Mkh. XLI, 9-11:-'That man is the stronger who is able to contend with his own fiends, and who keeps these five fiends, in particular, far from his body, which are such as avarice, wrath, lust, disgrace, and discontent.'
2 Reading fîsardako, but the word is doubtful. This central region of the sky would seem to be the place of the 'ever-stationary,' if it do not include the earth itself, which is not quite clear, owing to the obscure style of the author.
3 While in the world.
• The beneficent and evil spirits.
B
Reading venâpênd, but the word is doubtful.
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