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III. MEANING OF KHVÊTÓK-DAS.
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the Musulmans the connection is a medium one!, better than that of an infidel. And Ormazd has said that by as much as the connection is nearer it is more of a good work; and they display their endeavour and effort, and give the son of a brother and daughter of a brother to each other. And just as this is said: “I establish the performer of Khêdyôdath, I establish the patrol of the country," even on this account they certainly display an endeavour.
'Query:-"How are the connections that relations form ?" Reply :-"A brother's children with a brother's children and a sister's children, and relations with one another form connections, and it is proper for them.”
'Khêdyðdath is that which is a great good work, and has fallen out of their hands, owing to the reason that there is no king of the good religion; and if it be so they will make an endeavour, and will form connections with their own, and will give the son of a brother and daughter of a brother to each other, and if not it is not proper; and every such connection as is nearer is more of a good work. And the mode they will act who are at first without a king will be an infidel one, and to form connections among themselves will be very difficult now he (the king) is a Musulman, but that which is nearer is better and more of a good work.'
1 This seems to be an allusion to some interference of the Muhammadan government with marriages of those next of kin. A similar allusion occurs in the next paragraph but one, which with most of this paragraph, is also found in M7, fols. 229b, 230 a.
* This Avesta quotation, from Visp. III, 18, 19, is as follows: huaêtvadathem âstâya, danhâurvaêsem ástâya;' and the meaning of the last term is uncertain.
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