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294
EPISTLES OF MÂNOSKİHAR.
water, he propitiates animals and plants, he propitiates the righteous man?, he propitiates the righteous woman, both of them,' as in the Avestas of it :-khsh navayêiti atarem, &c.
4. When there is no purifier all the angels of the worldly existence become afflicted and dissatisfied; and religious purifiers who are intelligent are even now not to keep backward the work of purification, just as it has come to them by practice from those of the primitive faith, and are not to diminish it. 5. To change a good work properly appointed they shall not accept a law which is not right, a good work not properly appointed*; not to do the work thereof is accounted very sagacious and perfectly wise; and through your freedom from inferiority 6 the glorifying, commendation, praise, and blessing are your own. 6. For it is said that in all the work of forming and maintaining the law (dâdistâno) those of the primitive faith were very greatly particular about every single thing; and as to the whole operation of that proceeding into which they have entered, those of the primitive faith have become aware of the power which resides in true authority. 7. But, otherwise, the routine which is brought out
1 J has 'he propitiates plants,' as in Pahl. Vend. IX, 163. . Literally 'male.'
3 The initial words of which here follow their Pahlavi translation. instead of preceding it.
• J omits these six words.
* Reading a frôtarih, as in BK; K35 had originally a vartarih, pre-eminence,' as in J, but the copyist wrote afro (=aparva) over the avarta, as a correction, leaving it doubtful whether he meant afrotarîh or a parvarih, 'want of education.'
. That is, unless confirmed by the decisions of the ancients.
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