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

204 HISTORY OF THE PARSTS. [ CHAP. Iv.

pally of travellers, by not giving them what they ask for or by charging for what is given them; (14) distressing parents and obstinacy ; (15) lamentation and weeping; (16) disobedience of a wife to her husband; (17) beautifying of faces and wearing the hair of others; (18) a mother nursing other children, leaving her own without milk; (19) violation of a next-of-kin marriage on the part of women; (20) walking without shoes; (21) unbelief in the religion of Ahura Mazda; (22) idol-worship.

A patient perusal of the actions enumerated above, which are considered as crimes by the Zoroastrians, will show even the casual reader that they have been denounced as deserving of punishment with a view to secure the physical, moral, and social welfare of the people. What is intended is to impress upon the mind of the believers of the Zoroastrian faith the observance of sanitation, kindness to animals, hospitality to strangers and travellers, respect to superiors, and help to the poor and needy.

Having enumerated all the crimes and evil actions which are punished in hell, we proceed to describe some virtuous and good actions which are rewarded in heaven. Dr. Haug gives the following list :—(1) liberality ; (2) piety and observance of the religious rites; (8) (khvaityodath) marriage among relatives, or, as others understand it to mean, giving one’s self

up to the cause of God and religion; (4) just govern-