TO THE BOUNTIFUL IMMORTALS

I would worship these with my sacrifice, those who rule aright, and who dispose of all aright, and this one especially I would approach with my praise (Ahura Mazda).  He is thus hymned in our praise-songs.  Yea, we worship in our sacrifice that deity and lord, who is Ahura Mazda, the Creator, the gracious helper, the maker of all good things; and we worship in our sacrifice Spitama Zarathustra, that chieftain of the rite.  And we would declare those institutions established for us, exact and undeviating as they are.  And I would declare forth those of Ahura Mazda, those of the Good Mind, and of Asha Vahista, and those of Khshatra-vairya, and those of the Bountiful Aramaiti, and those of Weal and Immortality, and those which appertain to the body of the Kine, and to the Kine’s soul, and those which appertain to Ahura Mazda’s Fire, and those of Sraosha the blessed, and of Rashnu the most just, and those of Mithra of the wide pastures, and of the good and holy Wind, and of the good Mazdayasnian Religion, and of the good and pious Prayer for blessings, and those of the good and pious Prayer which frees one from belying, and the good and pious Prayer for blessing against unbelieving words.  And these we would declare in order that we may attain unto that speech which is uttered with true religious zeal, or that we may be as prophets of the provinces, that we may succor him who lifts his voice for Mazda, that we may be as prophets who smite with victory, the befriended of Ahura Mazda, and persons the most useful to him, holy men who think good thoughts, and speak good words, and do good deeds.  That he may approach us with the Good Mind, and that our souls may advance in good, let it thus come; yea, “how may my soul advance in good? let it thus advance.”

PRAISE OF THE HOLY BULL

Hail, bounteous bull!  Hail to thee, beneficent bull!  Hail to thee, who makest increase!  Hail to thee, who makest growth!  Hail to thee, who dost bestow his part upon the righteous faithful, and wilt bestow it on the faithful yet unborn!  Hail to thee, whom the Gahi kills, and the ungodly Ashemaogha, and the wicked tyrant.

TO RAIN AS A HEALING POWER

“Come, come on, O clouds, from up above, down on the earth, by thousands of drops, by myriads of drops”—­thus say, O holy Zarathustra! “to destroy sickness, to destroy death, to destroy the sickness that kills, to destroy death that kills, to destroy Gadha and Apagadha.  If death come after noon, may healing come at eve!  If death come at eve, may healing come at night!  If death come at night, may healing come at dawn!  And showers shower down new water, new earth, new plants, new healing powers, and new healing.”

TO THE WATERS AND LIGHT OF THE SUN