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FARGARD IV.
Ahura Mazda answered: His sin makes his Nabânazdistas 1 answerable for three hundred (years)?
6 (26). O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the hand-contract, how many are involved in his sin ?
Ahura Mazda answered: His sin makes his Nabånazdistas answerable for six hundred (years) $.'
7 (28). O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the sheep-contract, how many are involved in his sin ?
Ahura Mazda answered: His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for seven hundred (years) 4'
8 (30). O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the ox-contract, how many are involved in his sin ?
Ahura Mazda answered : ‘His sin makes his Nabânazdistas answerable for eight hundred (years).'
The next of kin to the ninth degree. • See $ 11. This passage seems to have puzzled tradition. The Commentary says, 'How long, how many years, has one to fear for the breach of a word-contract ?—the Nabânazdistas have to fear for three hundred years ;' but it does not explain farther the nature of that fear; it only tries to reduce the circle of that liability to narrower limits : 'only the son born after the breach is liable for it; the righteous are not liable for it; when the father dies, the son, if righteous, has nothing to fear from it.' And finally, the Ravâels leave the kinsmen wholly aside; the penalty falling entirely upon the real offender, and the number denoting only the duration of his punishment in hell: "He who breaks a word-contract, his soul shall abide for three hundred years in hell' (Gr. Rav. 94).
* See $ 12. "His soul shall abide for six hundred years in hell' (Gr. Rav. I. 1.)
• See $ 13. His soul shall abide for seven hundred years in hell' (Gr. Rav. I. 1.)
See $ 14. His soul shall abide for eight hundred years in hell.'
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