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SIKAND-GÜMÂNÍK VIGÂR.
co-existent destroyers and injurers, one as regards the other. 32. And with the mutual afflictiveness, destructiveness, and combativeness which are theirs, one towards the other, they afterwards also contend against the one truth co-operatively and with united strength.
33. The possession of truth is the one power of the faithful, through the singleness of truth. 34. The many kinds of falsehood, which must become confused and mutually afflicting to many, are, in the aggregate, from one source of deceitfulness. .
35. As to that, this composition is provided by me, . who am Mardân-farukh2 son of Adharmazd-dâd, as I saw in the age much religiousness and much good consideration of sects (kêshân) of many species ; (36) and I have been fervent-mindedly, at all times in my whole youthful career, an enquirer and investigator of the truth of them. 37. For the same reason I have wandered forth also to many realms and the seashore. 38. And of these compendious statements which, owing thereto 4, are an enquiry of those desiring the truth, and a collection and selection (vigidano) of
1 The heterodox religions.
* As this name has not been found elsewhere, nothing further is known about the author of this work than can be gathered from the few statements he has made in the work itself. He lived probably in the eighth or ninth century of the Christian era, as he mentions the Dînkard edited by Atûr-frôbag in Chaps. IV, 107, V, 92, IX, 1, 4, X, 57, XII, 1, and also the Rôshan commentary prepared by Atür-frôbag's son (see Chaps. X, 53, 54, XI, 213); but he does not allude to the later edition of the Dînkard, prepared by Atûr-pâd, son of Hêmîd, who was living in the latter part of the ninth century (see Bd. XXXIII, 11 n).
3 Sans. 'on. This statement is very similar to that in Mkh. I, 35. - Reading agas, instead of the similarly-written afas, and of it.' 5 Reading afas, instead of agas here.
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