Yavisht i Friyan

This digital edition copyright © 1996 by Joseph H. Peterson. All rights reserved.

Translated by E. W. West, from Haug & West, The Book of Arda Viraf, Bombay, London, 1872, repr 1971.

This text is a Pahlavi retelling of a tale dating to Avesta times. Cf. Aban Yasht, 81 and Vd19.4.

CHAPTER 1.

1.

May this tale of Yavisht i Friyan be fortunate through the assistance of God.

2.

They say that, at the time when Akht, the sorcerer, with an army of seven myriads, went to the city of Enigma-expounders, (3) he also shouted thus: I will make the city of Enigma-expounders a beaten track for elephants. 4. And when he came thither, he also demanded a man that had not been negligent of the law of God from fifteen years of age; (5) and he asked him an enigma. 6. Everyone who was not able to solve it, was also seized and slain by him.

7.

And afterwards, in that city of Enigma-expounders, was a man, Marspend by name, (8) and he said to Akht, the sorcerer, thus: Make not the city of Enigma-expounders a beaten track for elephants, and slay not these innocent people; (9) for in this city of Enigma-expounders, there is a man, Yavisht i Friyan by name, who has not been negligent of the law from fifteen years of age; (10) and each enigma of those which thou askest him, he will explain to thee.

11.

Then Akht, the sorcerer, sent a message to Yavisht i Friyan, (12) thus: Come up to my residence, so that I may ask thee thirty and three enigmas; (13) and if thou givest no answer, or you say thus: 'I know not', then I will slay thee immediately.

14.

And Yavisht i Friyan came to the residence of Akht, the sorcerer; (15) and because Akht, the sorcerer, had the dead matter of men under the carpet, he went not in. 16. And he sent a message to Akht, the sorcerer, (17) thus: You have the dead matter of men under the carpet; (15) and when I come in, the archangels [the seven Amesha Spentas] are with me, in that place where the dead matter of men exists, and into which I come; (19) then my archangels withdraw from protecting me, (20) and afterwards I shall not be able to explain those enigmas which thou askest me.

21.

Then Akht, the sorcerer, ordered them to carry away that carpet and covering, and to bring and lay a new carpet; (22) and he also spoke, in his request to Yavisht i Friyan, (23) thus: Come, sit upon this covering and cushion, and truly explain the enigma which I ask thee.

24.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Felon and wicked tyrant! I sit not upon this cushion; for in this cushion is the dead matter of men; (25) and with me are the angels and archangels; they are my protection; (26) and if I shall sit upon this cushion, then my spirits withdraw from protecting me; (27) consequently it will not be possible for me to explain the enigmas which thou askest me.

28.

And after Akht, the sorcerer, ordered them to carry away that cushion, and bring a new one, (29) Yavisht i Friyan sat upon that new cushion.

CHAPTER 2.

1.

The first enigma Akht, the sorcerer, asked Yavisht i Friyan, was this: (2) Is the paradise in the world good, or that which is in heaven?

3.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery whilst living, felon and wicked tyrant! and fall to hell when dead; (4) for the paradise which is in the world, is better than that which is in heaven. 5. And a token of it is this, that anyone who performs no duty, nor good work, in the world, meets not there with censure therefrom. 6. And a second token for thee is this, that if thou shalt do, in the world, anything which is not virtuous, then thou comest not, through it, to the good paradise.

7.

And Akht, the sorcerer, as soon as he heard those words, became confounded, (8) as though a man who performs a Yasht, had become stupefied. 9. And so he said thus: It is a misfortune for me, Akht the sorcerer, owing to thee, Yavisht i Friyan, that thou art victorious over me. 10. As a strong man over the strongest man, and a strong horse over the strongest horse, and a strong bull over the strongest bull, as the sky over the earth, thou art predominant. 11. For I have slain, through this enigma, nine hundred Magian men, (12) who had so much performed their worship of God, that on account of drinking so much hom-juice, all their bodies had become yellow. 13. I also slew the nine daughters of Spitama, although through glorifying the religion, they obtained a crown, inlaid with gold and pearls, from the rulers. 14. When I asked them, and they said that the paradise which is in heaven is good, (15) I said thus: As you deem it good, so also it is well that you go to that good paradise. 16. And I took and slew them.

17.

The second enigma he asked, was this: What is that thing, of the creatures of Ohrmazd, which sits on its posteriors higher than it stands on foot?

18.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (19) for that is a dog.

20.

The third enigma he asked, was this: What is that, of the creatures of Ohrmazd, which walks and plants no footstep?

21.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (22) for that is a sparrow which walks and plants no footstep.

23.

The fourth enigma he asked, was this: What is that thing, of the creatures of Ohrmazd, whose tooth is horny, and horn fleshy?

24.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (25) for they call that a cock, the bird of Srosh the pious; (26) and when it crows, it keeps away the misfortunes of life from the creatures of Ohrmazd.

27.

The fifth enigma he asked, was this: Is a small knife good, or little eating?

28.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (29) for a small knife is better than little eating; (30) since it is proper to cut and collect the barsom with a small knife; (31) and little eating reaches not to the belly, and if it reaches, it produces wind.

32.

The sixth enigma he asked, was this: What is full? and what is that which is half full? and what is that which is never full?

33.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (34) for that which is full is fame which is powerful here, and when it shall pass away, the soul is pious; (35) that which is half full is indigent misery whose life is wretched, and when it shall die, the soul is pious; (36) and that which is empty, which is never full, is that misery whose life is wretched, and when it shall die, the soul is wicked.

37.

The seventh enigma he asked, was this: What is that thing which men wish to conceal, and it is not possible for them to conceal it?

38.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (39) for that is old age which no one is able to conceal; (40) for old age is self-evident.

41.

The eighth enigma he asked, was this: Which is that living man who sees Asti-vihad [the demon of death] and dies, and his wish is so that he may go back to the living; (42) and again also he sees Asti-vihad and will die, and it appears to him easy?

43.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (44) for that is the man who has performed no worship and has drunk no hom-juice; (45) and a second is that man who has come to the time of marriage, and has not married a wife; (46) and a third is that man who has not honored a living soul, and has not given alms, and has not performed the worship of God, and of his alms to the good man he said thus: 'I give, and he has not given; (47) and when he dies, his wish is so that he may go back to the living; (48) and again also he dies, and sees Asti-vihad, and it appears to him easy.

49.

The ninth enigma he asked, was this: In how many months do the elephant and the horse and the camel and the ass and the cow and the sheep and woman and the dog and the pig and the cat give birth?

50.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (51) for the elephant gives birth in three years, and the horse and camel and ass give birth in twelve months, and the cow and woman give birth in nine months, and the sheep gives birth in five months, and the dog and pig give birth in four months, and the cat gives birth in forty days.

52.

The tenth enigma he asked, was this: Which man lives in more pleasure and more comfort?

53.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (54) for that man lives in more pleasure and more comfort, who is more unalarmed and contented and more wealthy.

55.

The eleventh enigma he asked, was this: What is that thing which, in the world, is like unto Ohrmazd and the archangels [Amahraspandan]?

56.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (57) for, in the world, a ruler is like unto Ohrmazd and the archangels [Amahraspandan]; (58) and the abode of rulers is like the resplendent Garothman; (59) and the ministers of rulers are like unto the archangels, (60) and are in the residence of kings, like unto that constellation which they call Parviz [Av. Paurvanya = Pleides]; (61) other men, when they are industrious and skillful, are like unto the other small stars which are in the sky.

62.

The twelfth enigma he asked, was this: Of food, which is the more agreeable and more savory?

63.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (64) for of food, that is the more savory and more agreeable, which is acquired by means of honest exertion, and duties and good works consume it again and possess it.

65.

The thirteenth enigma he asked, was this: Which is the one? and which the two? and which the three? and which the four? and which the five? and which the six? and which the seven? and which the eight? and which the nine? and which are the ten?

66.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (67) for the One is the good sun, which keeps the whole world illumined; (68) and the Two are the inhaling and exhaling of the breath; (69) and the Three are the good thoughts and good words and good deeds; (70) and the Four are water and earth and trees and beasts; (71) and the Five are the five good Kayanians; (72) and the Six are the six times of the Gahambars; (73) and the Seven are the seven archangels [Amahraspandan]; (74) and the Eight are the eight good celebrities; (75) and the Nine are the nine openings in the bodies of men; (76) and the Ten are the ten fingers on the hands of men.

CHAPTER 3.

1.

The twenty and third enigma he asked, was this: What is the colder?

2.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (3) for it is not so as thou thinkest, but so as I know; (4) and it is thus thou thinkest, that the snow is colder which remains on the mountain, and the sun never warms it; (5) but it is not so as thou thinkest, for the mind of a wicked man is colder. 6. And a token of it is this, that thou, Akht the sorcerer, hast a brother who is wicked; (7) and as many handfuls of poison as reside in his heart, thou art not able to melt, not with the sun and not with the fire; (8) and when I take it in the palm of my hand, it will melt.

9.

Then Akht, the sorcerer, ordered them to bring and slay his own brother, and to take away the poison from the heart; (10) but he was not able to melt it, not with the sun and not with the fire; (11) and Yavisht i Friyan took it up in the palm of the hand, and melted it.

12.

The twenty and fourth enigma he asked, was this: What is the hotter?

13.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (14) for the palm of the hand of a pious man is the hotter; (15) and a token of it for thee is this, that it was not possible to melt thy brother's poison not with the sun and not with the fire; (16) but when taken up in the palm of my hand, it melted away.

17.

The twenty and fifth enigma he asked, was this: What is good when it goes down? and what is good when it is chilled? and what is good when it shall die?

18.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayest thou be in misery ... (19) for water is good which goes down; and fire is good which is chilled; and a felon and wicked tyrant, like thee, is good who shall die. 20. Since, if water goes not down, and fire cools not, and a felon and wicked tyrant, like thee, dies not, (21) then so the whole world would be full of water and fire, and full of felons and wicked tyrants, like thee, and it would not be possible to preserve the world.

22.

The twenty and sixth enigma he asked, was this: What is heavier than a mountain? (23) and what is sharper than a steel knife? (24) and what is sweeter than honey? (25) and what is fatter than the tail of a sheep? (26) and what is more liberal than the liberal? (27) and what is juster than the just?

28.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (29) for falsehood and irreverence are heavier than a mountain; (30) and the tongues of men are sharper than a steel knife; (31) and a child of fortune is sweeter than honey, for its father and mother; (32) and the earth and rain of Spandarmad are fatter than the tail of a sheep; (33) and Tishtar, the angel [Yazad], is more liberal than the liberal; (34) and juster than the just is Vayo the good, who is no favorer of any person, and takes no bribe, and has justice for the lord and the slave, one with the other.

35.

The twenty and seventh enigma he asked, was this: Which foot is the better and handsomer? (36) because of the many feet which I have seen, her foot is the handsomest and best which I have seen, who is Hu-parsh, thy sister and my wife.

37.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (38) for the foot of Water [Aban Yazad, i.e. Ardvi Sura Anahita] is handsomer and better. 39. And a token of it for thee is this, that there where Water places a foot, vegetation will grow; (40) and there where Hu-parsh places a foot, will be dry.

41.

The twenty and eighth enigma he asked, was this: Whence is the great pleasure of women?

42.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (43) for it is not so as thou thinkest, but so as I know; (44) for it is thus thou thinkest, that the great pleasure of women is from various kinds of dress and seemly housewifery, when they have them. 45. However, it is not so; the great pleasure of women is from being with their own husbands.

46.

Akht the sorcerer said thus: You speak false, and through this enigma I will slay thee; (47) now come along, I will go unto Hu-parsh, to her who is thy sister and my wife, (48) and she never told a lie, nor tells it, and by her word I will abide.

49.

Yavisht i Friyan was acquiescent; and Akht the sorcerer, with Yavisht i Friyan, went into the presence of Hu-parsh; (50) and they also spoke thus: Sit down, and explain this enigma truly. 51. Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Is the great pleasure of women from dress of various kinds and seemly housewifery, when they have them? (52) or is there great pleasure from being with their own husbands?

53.

Then Hu-parsh thought thus: A dilemma indeed has come to me, which thing is the felon and wicked tyrant, the sorcerer, as he will not cease till he shall slay me; (54) and since if I speak false, then he will slay my brother, and I shall become wicked, and so it will be well that I speak true; (55) and moreover, if I speak false, I shall be wicked myself, and he will destroy the law and religion and custom; but when he slays me through truth, I shall be more pious. 56. And she covered over her head with a veil, and spoke out (57) thus: The great pleasure of women is from dress of various kinds and seemly housewifery; (58) but when they are without cohabitation, they are in pain and uneasiness, and those pleasures are nothing whatever but pain and discomfort; (59) and when they have cohabitation, then they are in greater pleasure.

60.

And afterwards, Akht the sorcerer, when he heard those words, became angry, and slew Hu-parsh at once. 61. And the soul of Hu-parsh went at once to Garothman [Heaven]; (62) and it cried thus: Good am I; hitherto I have been pious, and now I am still more pious; (63) but evil art thou, Akht the sorcerer; hitherto thou hast been wicked, and now thou hast become still more wicked.

64.

The twenty and ninth enigma he asked, was this: What is that which has ten feet, and three heads, and six eyes, and six ears, and two tails, and three pair of testicles, and two hands, and three noses, and four horns, and three backs, and the life and preservation of the whole world comes from it?

65.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (66) for it is thus declared by the religion, that when the call of nature arises, it is not the custom to explain the enigma they ask.

67.

And Akht, the sorcerer, said thus: Go and sit down in a neighboring place, and attend to the call of nature, and come again quickly, and truly explain the enigma; (68) for if you speak false, or if you say thus; 'I know not', then l will slay thee at once.

69.

And Yavisht i Friyan went out, and sat down upon a stone; (70) and he thought in his mind thus: A dilemma indeed has come to me, which this felon and wicked tyrant, and which ceases not till he shall slay; (71) for if those who are living, and moreover those who are dead, become living again, had to explain this enigma, they would not be able.

72.

Afterwards, Ohrmazd the lord, sent Neryosang the angel [Yazad], with a message to Yavisht i Friyan, (73) and he said to him thus: Give the answer of the enigma, which is this: 'It is a yoke of oxen, with 'a man who performs ploughing and tillage'. 74. And Yavisht i Friyan, as he heard a voice and then saw no one, was doubtful; (75) and he thought, in his mind, thus: Nay but if they be Ahriman and the demons, and their desire and wish be this, that they shall slay me; (76) and if I give this enigma such an answer, then that felon and wicked tyrant will slay me.

77.

And afterwards, Neryosang the angel came near to Yavisht i Friyan (78) and he said-thus: Fear not, for I am Neryosang the angel [Yazad], I am sent to thee, (79) and it is said by him who is Ohrmazd, the lord, thus: 'Give the answer of this enigma; for the enigma is a yoke 'of oxen, with a man who performs tillage'. 80. And Yavisht i Friyan, when he heard those words, then became extremely joyful. 81. Immediately he went into the presence of Akht the sorcerer, and said (82) thus: Lo! felon and wicked tyrant, the answer of this enigma is this: 'for this is a yoke of oxen, with a man who performs ploughing 'for cultivation'.

83.

And Akht, the sorcerer, when he heard those words, at once became confounded, and remained confounded three days and nights. 84. And after three days and nights, he returned to consciousness, and said to Yavisht i Friyan, (85) thus: The enigmas are thine, Yavisht i Friyan, who puttedst trust in Ohrmazd, the lord, who comes immediately to thy support and assistance.

86.

The thirtieth enigma he asked, was this: Which horse is the better?

87.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (88) for the male horse which is extolled, and with a pedigree, is good; when they ought to keep it with the horses of royalty.

89.

The thirty and first enigma he asked, was this: What is that which is dry and will not burn? and what is that which damp and will burn?

90.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (91) for that is dust which is dry and burns not, and it is grease which is damp and will burn.

92.

The thirty and second enigma he asked, was this: Which king is good?

93.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayst thou be in misery ... (94) for that king is the better who is the more merciful, and is excellent wisdom and knowledge, and he is fond of the creation.

95.

The thirty and third enigma he asked, was this: How many riches are there for thee, Yavisht i Friyan?

96.

Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Mayest thou be in misery ... (97) for there are three riches for me: one is that which I eat; and one, that which I wear; and one, that which I give to the poor and worthy.

CHAPTER 4.

1.

Afterwards, Yavisht i Friyan said thus: The thirty and three enigmas, asked me by thee, are all truly explained; (2) now I ask thee three enigmas; if thou givest no answer, I will slay thee immediately. 3. And Akht, the sorcerer, said thus: Ask, so that I may explain.

4.

And Yavisht i Friyan said thus: How much is the value of the seed of one cubit of land? 5. And the second he asked was this: How much is the value of the ploughing of one ox? 6. And the third he asked was this: How much is the value of the duty and good work of one next-of-kin marriage [kwetodas]?

7.

Akht, the sorcerer, knew not, and he said thus: The call of nature arises, and it is not the custom to explain the enigma they ask. 8. Yavisht i Friyan said thus: Go and sit down in a neighboring place, and attend to the call of nature, and come again quickly, and truly explain these three enigmas; (9) for if you say thus: 'I know not,' then I will slay thee immediately.

10.

Akht, the sorcerer, through sorcery, rushed into hell; (11) and he shouted to Ahriman thus: Accursed! how much is the value of the seed of one cubit of land? (12) and second, thus: how much is the value of the ploughing of one oxen? (13) and third, how much is the value of the duty and good work of a next-of kin marriage?

14.

The accursed Ahriman shouted to Akht, the sorcerer, thus: I am not able to answer these enigmas of thine; (15) for, if I shall speak, my creatures will all depart, with the demons and demonesses and witches; (16) and I have not more friendship for thee than for my own creatures. 17. Should I give thee the answer of these enigmas which thou hast asked me, (18) all my creatures will become inefficient, and nothing whatever of opposition will remain, (19) owing to the efficiency which will come upon the creatures of Ohrmazd; and the resurrection of the dead and the future body would occur immediately. 20. Go and put forth thy neck; it is not a breach of promise, though he preserves the enigma; (21) and when the time has arrived, it is not possible to avert it; (22) for thy place is hell, and thy punishment is more severe than that of all the wicked.

23.

And Akht, the sorcerer, rushed up from hell hopeless, and was brought, for his destruction, into the presence of Yavisht i Friyan. 24. And Akht, the sorcerer, said to Yavisht i Friyan (25) thus: The enigmas are thine, Yavisht i Friyan, with whom have been Ohrmazd and the archangels; that which thou hast not known, they have said for thee; (26) but I, whose trust rested on Ahriman and the demons, asked three enigmas of Ahriman and the demons, and for me they have given no answer.

27.

And after that, Yavisht i Friyan destroyed Akht the sorcerer at once with the nirang (religious formula) of the barsom-gathering knife, and destroyed the demoness in his body.

5. Postscript

1.

Whoever shall read this tale together with his servants, and shall say one Yatha-ahu-vairyo at the end, the good work, in his soul, is such as though tbey should kill a snake with the nirang of the Avesta; (3) the spiritual life, in his soul, is such as when he offers up the prayers of the recited Gathas for three years; (4) and there was a Dastur who said, that there is no spiritual life at the end of one year's sin of non-worship.

5.

Completed in health, pleasure and joy. 6. May Akht, the sorcerer, be destroyed, with all the demons and demonesses and sorcerers and witches.

6. Colophons

1.

Completed and ended this tale of Yavisht i Friyan, with this Arda Viraf, on the day of Amurdad, the month Shahrewar, the Parsi year 618 [= 18 July, 1249 C.E.]; (2) written by me, the servant of the religion, Rustom son of Mihrban, son of Marzaban, son of Dahishyar, the Herbad, from the handwriting of Herbad Mihrpanah, son of Sroshyar of Nishapur, the Herbad. 3. May it be with the will of God.

4.

Completed and ended this Arda Viraf, and this tale of Yavisht i Friyan, on the day of Frawardin, the month Vohuman, the year 766 of Yazdegird [= 20 November, 1397 C.E.], king of kings, son of Ohrmazd; (5) written by me, the servant of the religion, the Herbad's son, the teacher Peshyotan, son of Ram, son of Kamdin, son of Shahriyar, son of Bahram, son of the Mobad Hormazdyar, son of the Herbad Ramyar; and from the handwriting of the Herbad Rustam, son of Mihrban. 6. May it be with the will of God; and it is from the city of Bhroch.