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CHAPTER IX, 6-x, 9.
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Hôrmazd. 6. And also, while he keeps the sacred thread-girdle on the waist, there is a share for him of all those duties and good works which they perform in the earth of seven regions. 7. It is like that which occurs when they are performing hamâ zôr and hamà a shol, and have put on this sacred threadgirdle on that account, or when, similarly, some one in Kasmir, or Erân-veg, or Kangdez, or the enclosure formed by Jam?, performs a good work, and we are not able to perform it with ha mâ zôr, then they and we, who wear the sacred thread-girdle on the waist, are mutually connected and equally meritorious, one with the other. 8. As no good work attains to him who does not wear a sacred thread-girdle-excepting that which he performs himself—it is therefore necessary that any one of mankind should not put it3 away from the waist on any occasion, so that the associated good works of those of the good religion may attain to him.
9. And those four knots“, with which they tie it on, are on this account, that it may give four attestations.
* These words form part of a benedictory formula which concludes certain ceremonies (see Haug’s Essays, pp. 407, 409), and the recital of them implies that the ceremony, which is a good work, has been fully and satisfactorily completed. If this good work be in excess of what is wanted to balance its performer's sins, it can be imputed to any other member of the good religion who may be in want of it, provided he wears the girdle. The MSS. have hamā for hamâ.
3 These four localities are considered to be isolated from the seven regions to some extent (see Bd. XXIX, 4), probably implying that they were supposed to contain Mazda-worshippers independent of Iranian rule, or that their position had become unknown. (See also Mkh. XXVII, 27-31, 58, 62, XLIV, 17-35, LXII, 13-19.)
8 Lp, B29 have that mankind should not put the girdle.'
• That is, two double knots, one before and the other behind (see SBE, vol. xviii, pp. 386, 387).
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