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III. MEANING OF KHVÊTUK-DAS.
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of the demons from the body of man, and the lodgment of the blessing of the holy in the body, the wicked wizard Akhtŏ1, the enemy of the good man on account of the perplexing living which would arise from his practising Khvêtûk-das, preferred not practising Khvêtûk-das.'
The practice is also mentioned in the 287th chapter of the same book, in the following passage:-'The welfare of the aggregate of one's own limb-formations-those which exist through no labour of one's own, and have not come to the aid of those not possessing them (anafsmanân) owing to their own want of gratitude-even one of a previous formation has to eulogize suitably; and this which has come, completely establishing (spôr-nih) the Avesta, one calls equally splendid, by the most modestly comprehensive appellation of Khvêtûk-das.'
In the sixth book of the Dinkard, which professes to be a summary of the opinions of those of the primitive faith, we are told that, 'when the good work of Khvêtûk-das shall diminish, darkness will increase and light will diminish.'
In the seventh book of the Dinkard, which relates the marvels of the Mazda-worshipping religion, we are informed that it was 'recounted how-Gâyômards having passed away-it was declared secondly, as regards worldly beings, to Masyê and Masyâôê1, the first progeny of Gâyômard, by the word of Aûharmazd—that is, he spoke to them when they
1 Av. Akhtya of Âbân Yt. 82, who propounded ninety-nine enigmas to Yôistô of the Fryâns (see Dd. XC, 3).
See Dd. XCIV, 1 n.
The sole-created man (see Dd. II, 10, XXXVII, 82). See p. 402, note 1.
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