all desires, travels about without a home, and in whom all concupiscence is extinct. 416. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, leaving all longings, travels about without a home, and in whom all covetousness is extinct. 417. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who, after leaving all bondage to men, has risen above all bondage to the gods, and is free from all and every bondage. 418. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who has left what gives pleasure and what gives pain, who is cold, and free from all germs (of renewed life), the hero who has conquered all the worlds. 419. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who knows the destruction and the return of beings everywhere, who is free from bondage, welfaring (Sugata), and awakened (Buddha). 420. Him I call indeed a Brahmana whose path the gods do not know, nor spirits (Gandharvas), nor men, whose passions are extinct, and who is an Arhat (venerable). 421. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who calls nothing his own, whether it be before, behind, or between, who is poor, and free from the love of the world. 422. Him I call indeed a Brahmana, the manly, the noble, the hero, the great sage, the conqueror, the impassible, the accomplished, the awakened. 423. Him I call indeed a Brahmana who knows his former abodes, who sees heaven and hell, has reached the end of births, is perfect in knowledge, a sage, and whose perfections are all perfect. TRANSLATED BY F. MAX MUELLER. 354 ZARATHUSTRA ZARATHUSTRA (ZOROASTER) lived somewhere in Iran, at some time between the fifteenth and tenth century before Christ. Practically nothing is known of his life. To illustrate his thought and feeling, we have included the Gathas Ahunavaiti and Ustavaiti. These are sections of poetical matter sung in the midst of the Zend-Avesta. They are all very old and go back, most of them, to Zarathustra himself. GATHA AHUNAVAITI THE CALL FOR ZARATHUSTRA (HOMAGE TO YOU, O SACRED GATHAS!) 1. UNTO YOU (O Ahura and Asha!) the Soul of the Kine (our sacred herds and folk) cried aloud: For whom did ye create me, and by whom did ye fashion me? On me comes the assault of wrath, and of violent power, the blow of desolation, audacious insolence, and (thievish) might. None other pasture-giver have I than you, therefore do ye teach me good (tillage) for the fields (my only hope of welfare)! Ahura speaks. 2. Upon this the Creator of the Kine (the holy herds) asked of Righteousness: How (was) thy guardian for the Kine (appointed) |