वेदों की प्राचीनता एवं काल-निर्णय / ओरायन (लोकमान्य बाल गंगाधर तिलक - खगोलीय वैदिक शोध)

THE AVESTIC EVIDENCE. 357 habitation. There were thus sixteen creations of Ahura Mazda, and sixteen counter-creations of Angra Mainyu; and the first Fargard of the Vendidad contains a description of all these creations, and counter-creations, stating in detail how each good land was created by Ahura Mazda and how Angra Mainyu rendered it unfit for human residence by creating some evil or plague therein. The Fargard is too long to be quoted here in full; and I, therefore, borrow Muir’s abstract of the same prepared from the versions of Spiegel and Haug, inserting in some places Darmesteter’s renderings with the aid of his translation of the Vendidad in the Sacred Books of the East Series. The paragraphs are marked first accord- ing to Darmesteter, and then according to Spiegel by figures within brackets. 1, 2, (1-4):—“Ahura Mazda spake to the holy Zarathus- tra: ‘I formed into an agreeable region that which before was nowhere habitable. Had I not done this, all living things would have poured forth after Airyana Vaêjo.’” 3, 4, (5-9):—“I, Ahura Mazda, created as the first best region, Airyana Vaêjo, of the good creation, (or, accord- ing to Darmesteter, by the good river Dâitya). Then Angra Mainyu, the destroyer, formed in opposition to it, a great ser- pent and winter [or snow], the creation of the Daêvas. There are there ten months of winter, and two of summer.” 5, (13, 14):—“I, Ahura Mazda, created as the second best region, Gaû (plains), in which Sughdha is situated. Thereupon in opposition to it, Angra Mainyu, the death-deal- ing, created a wasp which is death to cattle and fields.” 6, (17, 18):—“I, etc., created as the third best region, Môuru, the mighty, the holy.” [Here, and in most of the following cases the counter- creations of Angra Mainyu are omitted.] 7, (21, 22):—“I, etc., created as the fourth best region, the fortunate Bâkhdhi, with the lofty banner.”