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I. LEGENDS RELATING TO KERESÂSP.
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Adharmazd's showing the terrible state of the soul of Keresâsp' to Zaratust; the dismay of Zaratûst owing to that terrible state; the sorrowful speaking. of Keresâsp as regards the slaying of multitudes, for which mankind extol him, whereby abstentions from sin occurred; and the recognition of him by the creator, Adharmazd, as extinguishing his fire. The supplication of Keresåsp for the best existence from Adharmazd for those exploits when the serpent (gaz) Srôbar? was slain by him, and the violence of that adversary; when Gandarep with the golden heels was smitten by him, and the marvellousness of that fiend; when the Hunus of Vesko“, who are
by the name of some section of the Gâthas. The names thus employed are composed of the first one, two, or three words of the Yatha-ahd-vairyô, the Ashem-voha, the Yênhé-hâtām, Yas. XXVIIIXXXIV, the Yasna haptanghaiti, Yas. XLII-L, LII, LIII, which supply the twenty-two names required. When the Nask contains twenty-three fargards, as in the case of the Varstmânsar, the first fargard remains unnamed. Whether these words were used merely as names, or whether their insertion implies that the fargards of these Nasks used to be recited (somewhat like those of the Vendidad) alternately with the sections of the Gathas, can hardly be determined from our present information. It may be noted that the three Nasks (Sadkar, Varstmânsar, and Bako), whose contents are thus detailed in the Dinkard, all belong to the so-called gâsânîk or Gatha class of Nasks; but whether that term implies that they were metrical, or merely that they were connected in some way with the Gathas, is also uncertain.
1 Written Kerêsâspô, or Gerêsâspô, throughout the Pahlavi text of this paragraph. * The Srvara of Yas. IX, 34, Zamyâd Yt. 40.
The Gandarewa of Âbân Yt. 38, Râm Yt. 28, Zamyâd Yt. 41. • Reading Hund Vesko, but it is also possible to read khânodako, 'blood-producing,' which is fully applicable to these highwayrobbers. The 'Hunus in Vaềska' are mentioned in Abân Yt. 54, 57 as opponents of the warrior Tusa, but the Hunus in Zamyåd Yt. 41 have no country assigned to them.
B b 2
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