________________
CHAPTER LXII, 19-35.
III
26. “The three-legged ass' sits2 amid the sea Varkash 3 ; (27) and as to water of every kind that rains on dead matter, the menstrual discharge, and other bodily refuse, when it arrives at the threelegged ass, he makes every kind clean and purified, with watchfulness.
28. 'The Hôm, which is the preparer of the dead, is grown in the sea Varkash, in that which is the deepest place; (29) and 99,999 guardian spirits of the righteous are appointed as its protection. 30. The Kar fish?, too, ever circles around it, and always keeps the frog and other noxious creatures away from it.
31. 'Gôpaftôshah8 is in Afrân-vêgô, within the region of Khvaniras'. 32. From foot to mid-body he is an ox, and from mid-body to the top he is a man. 33. And at all times he sits on the sea-shore, (34) and always performs the ceremonial of the sacred beings, and pours holy-water into the sea. 35. On account of which 10, through the pouring of that holy-water, innumerable noxious creatures in
wy.
1 A prodigious monster of benevolent character, described in Bd. XIX, I-I2; possibly some local divinity. ? L19 has 'stands,' as is also stated in Yas. XLI, 28. See Chap. XLIV, 15.
4L19 adds and pollution.' The white Hôm or Gôkarn, the tree of immortality (see Bd. XVIII, 1, XXVII, 4). It is the preparer of the dead,' because the elixir of immortality is expected to be prepared from it at the resurrection (see Bd. XXX, 25).
Those who watch over the sea Vouru-kasha (see Fravardin Yt. 59).
7 Ten such fish, of enormous size and intense watchfulness, are said to be employed to protect the Gôkarn from a lizard or frog sent by Aharman to injure it (see Bd. XVIII, 2-6). 8 See Chap. XLIV, 35n.
9 See Chap. XXVII, 40. 10 L19 omits these four words.
Digitized by Google
