The Zend-Avesta, Part I: The Vendîdâd

The Introduction provides the scholarly framework for understanding the Zend-Avesta. Darmesteter begins with the historical discovery of the Avesta in Europe, especially the efforts of Anquetil-Duperron, the subsequent debates over authenticity, and the gradual establishment of Avestan studies through comparative philology. He then explains the interpretive tension between reliance on Pahlavi tradition and comparison with Vedic Sanskrit, arguing that both methods are necessary: tradition preserves inherited religious understanding, while comparison clarifies older Indo-Iranian structures. A major part of the introduction examines the formation of the Zend-Avesta. Darmesteter discusses the traditional account that the Avesta once consisted of twenty-one Nasks, much of which was lost after Alexander, and that the surviving collection was later restored and fixed under Sassanian authority. He also analyzes the role of the Magi, the Median background of Zoroastrian priesthood, and the likelihood that the Avesta preserves priestly religious materials older than the final Sassanian redaction. The section on the origin of the Avesta religion presents Mazdeism as a development from Indo-Iranian religion. Darmesteter emphasizes the dualistic structure of Zoroastrian thought: Ahura Mazda as the good, wise, creative principle, and Angra Mainyu as the destructive principle. The discussion highlights cosmic conflict, the Amesha Spentas, demons, purity, sacrifice, sacred fire, Haoma, and eschatological hope. The translation of the Vendîdâd forms the core of the volume. The text opens with mythological materials on the lands created by Ahura Mazda and the counter-creations of Angra Mainyu, followed by the myth of Yima. The central body is largely concerned with purity law: the defilement caused by corpses, the treatment of dead matter, purification of persons, houses, roads, water, fire, clothes, vessels, and ritual implements. The text gives special importance to the Dakhma, funerary exposure, the Nasu or corpse-demon, and the Barashnum purification rite. Later portions of the Vendîdâd deal with the religious and legal status of the dog, including offences against dogs and the atonement for killing a water dog. Other sections address sexual impurity, menstruation, hair and nails, the unworthy priest, heresy, unlawful desire, Zarathustra’s confrontation with Angra Mainyu, the origin of medicine, healing invocations, waters, light, disease, and the power of the holy word. Taken as a whole, the Vendîdâd presents Zoroastrian religion as a disciplined order of cosmic purity, ritual vigilance, ethical responsibility, and resistance against demonic pollution.