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come down to the sacrifice,^[1] and accept the prayers and offerings of pious men, if performed with accuracy; but they do not grace the ceremony with their august presence when it is performed by impious persons, and with faulty recitals.^[2] They dwell in the man over whom wisdom has full sway,^[3] and those men alone who are blessed with superior wisdom are under their protection.^[4] Three times every day they form an assembly in the fire-temples and shed good works and righteousness around for the advantage of the devout votaries that frequent the sacred places.^[5] It is the will and pleasure of Ormazd that mankind shall propitiate them, and Zaratusht is commissioned to exhort mankind so to do.^[6] Ormazd further tells the prophet that the recital of their names is good, the sight of them is better, but to carry out their commands is best.^[7] Man should be quick to speak the truth, ever thinking that the invisible archangels are standing by his side to watch him.^[8] Ormazd confers with them in regard to creating Zaratusht on earth, and they help the godhead in this great work.^[9] They rout the demons,^[10] and join naturally in lending assistance to Tishtar in his struggle with Aposh.^[11] They successfully conduct Zaratusht through the three ordeals in heaven—the first by fire, the second by molten metal, and the third by the knife. All the symbolic bearing of these tests they explain to him as the veritable trials to prove the steadfastness of the faithful when called upon in troublous times to vindicate the truth of the religion.^[12]

The thirty days of the month are presided over by seven Amshaspands and twenty-three Izads. Each Amshaspand takes three or four Izads as his hamkārs, co-workers, to accomplish certain functions. Ormazd, for example, takes Depadar, Depmihr, and Depdin, to rout the accursed Ahriman. Vohuman has Mohor, Gosh and Ram for his comrades to smite the cruel Eshm.