Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/352

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ZOROASTRIANISM AS TAUGHT BY PAHLAVI WORKS
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consolidating the various states of Iran into one mighty commonwealth under his sceptre, he proceeded vigorously thereupon to establish a polity in conformity with the teachings of Zoroaster which would unite his empire as Church and State. It was through Ardashir that Zoroastrianism became once more enthroned as the creed paramount, after a lapse of fully five centuries, and remained so for four centuries under the House of Sasan. The king himself, being of sacerdotal caste, strongly upheld the doctrine of the unity of the Church and the State. The two, he said, are like brother and sister; neither can flourish without the other.[1] They both are interwoven together like two pieces of brocade.[2] The Dinkart, which is the greatest of the Pahlavi works of this period, upholds the divine right of kings and states that if the temporal power of the glorious king Jamshid had been blended with the spiritual power of the supreme priest Zoroaster, the Evil Spirit would have lain low long ere this, and the Kingdom of Righteousness would have been established on earth once and forever.[3] Both of these powers will be concentrated in the final saviour, who is to enable man to gain the final victory over the Kingdom of Wickedness.[4]

Ardashir, as a pontiff-king himself, commissioned his high-priest Tansar to collect the scattered Avestan works and thus to prepare an authorized compilation of the sacred texts.[5] The enthusiasm evoked among the faithful at the restoration of their lost scriptures presents a situation seldom paralleled in history, and certainly never surpassed in the religious development of Zoroastrianism.

The revival of Zoroastrianism continues with unabating zeal. The great work inaugurated by the first of the royal House of Sasan was zealously continued by his descendants and notably by Shapur II,[6] who brought the work to completion with the help of his illustrious Dastur and premier Adarbad Mahraspand.[7] Mani's heresy was at its height during this period, and Adarbad strove hard to restore the faith of his people that was undermined by the misguided leader's heretical teachings. In order to prove the marvels of the faith, Adarbad is reported to have submitted himself to the ordeal of the molten metal and to have

  1. ↑ Masudi, tr. Barbier de Meynard, 2. 162.
  2. ↑ ShN. 6 286.
  3. ↑ Dk, vol 3, p. 175, 176.
  4. ↑ Ib., p. 176.
  5. ↑ Ib., vol. 9, p 578.
  6. ↑ A. D. 309–379.
  7. ↑ Dk., vol. 9, p. 579.
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