Sûdkar Nask.
1. The sixteenth fargard, Spentâ-mainyû [1], is about effecting the bridge_-judgment_ of sinners, as declared by revelation. 2. About performing the ceremony (yastô) for a man and a woman, and it is ordered for the woman before the man; the fitness for the supreme heaven (garôdmânîkîh) arisen through the liturgy (yastô) to be recited itself, or through purchasing heaven in the worldly existence [2].
3. About the immunity of the soul from hell through the righteousness of having respectfully given a horse of a good race, the land of a cultivated field, or a virtuous woman, to a righteous man; and also the woman who gives herself in marriage to [ p. 205 ] the righteous man; and that liberal good work increases from time to time [3], and from day to day.
4. About the bridge penalty of him who is a mourner (navînîdâr) and _self-_wounder in the three nights after a death, and how it is as though they who are living should again pour melted ore on a human being. 5. About the punishment for a woman who gives herself in marriage to a righteous man, and comes away [4] from him; such as when a hedgehog [5] should be constantly going in and coming out by her sexual organ; and the cutting off of her way from the best existence. 6. About the non-deliverance of a soul of the wicked from hell till the future existence. 7. About the punishment of the wicked there is this, too, it is as though a sheep which is alive should be remaining tied by the legs, head downwards, and there should be a specific exudation of its toes through running at the nose [6].
8. About the Gâthas for an ordeal [7] of the spiritual existence, which is concealed in every mode, being without a footing (apâ-pâstakŏ), as it were, for him who is a righteous chanter of the Gâthas.
9. The excellence of righteousness is perfect.
(204:2) The first two words of the first hâ of the third Gâtha (Yas. XLVII, 1), which are converted into the Pahlavi appellation Spendmaîtŏ. ↩︎
(204:3) By providing for the performance of the proper ceremonies for the benefit of one’s own soul. ↩︎
(205:1) Pahl. vidanâânag vidanâânag, a hybrid equivalent of zamânak zamânak (see Bk. VIII, Chap. XXXV, 6 n). ↩︎
(205:2) B has ‘relapses.’ ↩︎
(205:3) Compare AV. LXX. ↩︎
(205:4) Pahl. afas angûstô zahîh-1-i mâyagânîk pavan vînîk-tag aê. For mâyagânîk, ‘specific’ (which occurs, however, in Bk. VIII, Chap. XX, 166), we can read mâsânîk, ‘tumerous or coagulating,’ or we may consider it equivalent to mûyisnîk, ‘lamentable.’ ↩︎
(205:5) Compare the reference to the ordeal by fire in Pahl. Yas. XLVI, 6; the earlier part of the chapter is also somewhat of a homily upon the references to the wicked and righteous in the same hâ. ↩︎