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

CHAP. V. | THE POET FIRDUSI. 225

The following is from Rollin’s Ancient History :“As the Magi held images in utter abhorrence, they worshipped God only under the form of fire, looking upon that, on account of its purity, brightness, activity, subtlety, fecundity, and incorruptibility, as the most perfect symbol of the Deity.”

Various Mahomedan authors have likewise freed the Parsis from the charge of worshipping the elements. The authors of the Tarikh-i-Tabril, Shah-N: ama, and Dabistan take the same view of Parsi worship as the European authors whom we have quoted.

Of these Mahomedan writers, the protest made by the great epic poet Firdusi against the charge of fire-worship is powerfully expressed in the following well-known lines :—

“ma gui ke atash parastan budand parestandegan-i-yak yazdan budand.”

i, say not, that they (the Persians) were worshippers of fire, they were worshippers of one God.

Having taken this brief survey of the religion of the Parsis as taught by our great Prophet, we will cast a glance upon the present religious condition of the Parsis.

It is remarkable how well the Parsi still loves his religion. His sacred books are written in a foreign language. They are written for him in Gujarati character, and he does not understand what he repeats

VOL. II. Q