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III. MEANING OF KHVÊTUK-DAS.
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them a very heinous sin, through faith in this law of the good, is that which is called the most perfect and best good work of Mazda-worship."
'This, too, is declared by revelation, that Aûharmazd spoke unto Zaratust thus: "You should cause the performance of duties and good works." And Zaratust spoke thus: "Which duty and good work shall I do first?" Aûharmazd spoke thus: "Khvêtûdâd; because that duty and good work is to be performed in the foremost place of all, for, in the end, it happens through Khvêtûdâd, when all who are in the world attain unto the religion 1."
'This, too, is declared by revelation, that Zaratust spoke unto Aûharmazd thus: "In my eyes it is an evil (vado) which is performed, and it is perplexing that I should make Khvêtûdâd as it were fully current among mankind." Aûharmazd spoke thus: "In my eyes, also, it is just as in thine; but for this reason when out of everything perfect there is some miserable evil 2 for thee-it should not seem so. Do thou be diligent in performing Khvêtûdâd, and others, also, will perform it diligently.""
The unpopularity of the practice advocated could hardly be more fully admitted than in this last paragraph, nor the objection more irrationally and dogmatically disposed of. As for the numerous quotations, which the compiler of this Pahlavi Rivâyat
by the priests ('the good'). This is evidently an admission that the practice advocated was contrary to the ordinary laws of Mazdaworship itself.
'As Pahlavi writers expect them to do before the resurrection. * Reading vadŏ-î vêsht; but it may be 'something is difficult and hard' (tang va sakht).
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