Sacred Books of the East. Various

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Six hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, six hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the sheep-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Seven hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seven hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the ox-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Eight hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, eight hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the man-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Nine hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, nine hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man break the field-contract, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "A thousand stripes with the Aspahê-astra, a thousand stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      If a man rise up with a weapon in his hand, it is an Âgerepta. If he brandish it, it is an Avaoirista. If he actually smite a man with malicious aforethought, it is an Aredus. Upon the fifth Aredus he becomes a Peshôtanu.

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! He that committeth an Âgerepta, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Five stripes with the Aspahê-astra, five stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the second Âgerepta, ten stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ten stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, fifteen stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteen stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fourth, thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fifth, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the sixth, sixty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, sixty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the seventh, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      If a man commit an Âgerepta for the eighth time, without having atoned for the preceding, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      If a man commit an Âgerepta, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Avaoirista, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Ten stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ten stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the second Avaoirista, fifteen stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteen stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fourth, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fifth, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the sixth, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Avaoirista for the seventh time, without having atoned for the preceding, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Avaoirista, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Fifteen stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifteen stripes with the Sraoshô-karana.

      "On the second Aredus, thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the third, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fourth, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; on the fifth, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus for the sixth time, without having atoned for the preceding, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man commit an Aredus, and refuse to atone for it, what penalty shall he pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another and hurt him sorely, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Thirty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, thirty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the second time, fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the third time, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the fourth time, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      If a man commit that deed for the fifth time, without having atoned for the preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      If a man commit that deed and refuse to atone for it, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so that the blood come, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "Fifty stripes with the Aspahê-astra, fifty stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the second time, seventy stripes with the Aspahê-astra, seventy stripes with the Sraoshô-karana; the third time, ninety stripes with the Aspahê-astra, ninety stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      If he commit that deed for the fourth time, without having atoned for the preceding, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a Peshôtanu: two hundred stripes with the Aspahê-astra, two hundred stripes with the Sraoshô-karana."

      O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a man smite another so that the blood come, and if he refuse to atone for it, what is the penalty that he shall pay?

      Ahura Mazda answered:—

      "He is a