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370
IZADS

Meat viands are the special feature of the sacred feast during the Pahlavi period. The Pahlavi treatise Shayast-la-Shayast explains what particular parts of a slaughtered animal are to be specifically dedicated to the various divinities in ceremonies. The angel Hom's right to receive the tongue, jaw, and left eye, recognized by the Avestan scriptures, remains still undisputed.[1] The head and neck, shoulders and thighs, loin and belly, kidneys and lungs, liver and spleen, legs and tail, heart and entrails are all distributed among several different beings; until at last the tailbone falls to the lot of the august Farohar of Zaratusht, and the great archangels have to content themselves merely with the residue.[2] Decomposed meat is not to be consecrated to any angel;[3] nor is any meat at all to be used in any ceremony for the first three days after the death of a person, but milk, cheese, fruit, eggs, and preserves are to be consecrated instead.[4] It is stated that if the relations of the deceased person were to consecrate and eat fresh meat within three days after his death, another death might perchance occur in the family.[5] Yet on the fourth day they may slaughter a goat or a sheep.[6] A short formula is to be recited by the man who slaughters this animal.[7] It is desirable that the head of a slaughtered animal should be consecrated before being eaten; but if it is not possible to consecrate the head, one kidney at least must necessarily be consecrated.[8]

In our treatment of the Izads individually, which we shall now undertake, we shall deal only with those that are discussed at any great length in the Pahlavi works.

Srosh

His activity. The whole earth, or more especially, Arzah and Savah, two of the zones, are the abode of Srosh.[9] Three times every night he comes to the world.[10] According to the Pahlavi texts, precisely as was recorded above for the Avestan scriptures, the cock and dog are his associates in routing the demons.[11] He helps the man who in the midst of temptations

  1. ↑ SLS. 11. 4, 6.
  2. ↑ SLS. 11. 4.
  3. ↑ SLS. 10. 34.
  4. ↑ SLS. 17. 2; Sd. 78. 1.
  5. ↑ Sd. 78. 2.
  6. ↑ SLS. 17. 5.
  7. ↑ Antia, Pāzend Texts, p. 178.
  8. ↑ Sd. 34. 4–6.
  9. ↑ Mkh. 62. 25.
  10. ↑ SLS. 13. 43.
  11. ↑ Bd 19. 33.
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