History of the Parsis : including their manners, customs, religion and present position : with coloured and other illustrations : in two volumes

CONTENTS. vil

CHAPTER IV.

THE PARSI CREED.

A book of prayers—The Vendidad—The Yasna—The Visparad—The KhordehAvesta—The five Gahs—The Nyaishes—The Yashts—Their importanceThe Afringans—The Patets—Prayers of repentance—An exhaustive list of sins—The Afrins—The prophet’s own prayer—The oldest copies of the Parsi books—Professor Westergaard’s texts—The Pehlevi languageConjectural meanings—Connected with Parthia—List of Pehlevi worksSome of the more important—The Pazand language—What is the Parsi religion ?—Zoroaster’s mission—Monotheism—Ahura Mazda—The One God—Zoroaster’s theology—The account of Herodotus—Of Dr. HaugZoroaster’s philosophy—The resurrection of the body—Zoroaster’s moral teaching—Ardeshir Babekan calls an assembly—The vision of Arda Viraf—Two foreign critics on the Parsis—Expression of regret at the decay of the old Parsireligion . : : . Pages 165-208

CHAPTER V.

MONOTHEISM AND FIRE-REVERENCE.

The Parsis are monotheists—Fire-temples—Respect for fire—The best symbol of the Almighty—The purification of fire—Nine times purified—Repudiation of idolatry—The antiquity of fire-reverence—The Roman Flamines—Bishop Meurin’s writings—Dean Prideaux on the ParsisAnquetil du Perron—Further evidence in favour of Parsi religion—The name of fire-worshippers unmerited—A poet’s opinion—Parsi fidelityFirm but not bigoted—Parsi toleration—A Parsi martyr—InnoyationsA Religious Reform Association—A successful essay—Religious booksTranslations into Gujarati—The Parsi priesthood—A hereditary profession—Educating the priests—The present “‘dasturs”—The Bareshnum ceremony—The dignity of Navar—The induction of a priest . 209-241

CHAPTER VI.

PROGRESS AND PRESENT POSITION.

Parsi qualities—The ‘‘bania””—The commerce of Bombay—Extent of Parsi enterprise— Parsi bankers—Cotton-mills—A large engine—Old Parsi weavers—The construction of railways—Parsi share in them—Parsi shipwrights—The China trade—Jews v. Parsis—‘‘ The share mania ””—Some of the staple trades—Commercial morality of Parsis—Parsi officials—‘‘ The salt of the Bombay community ”—Parsi beneyolence—Special cases—The