Page:Next-of-kin Marriages in Old Iran.djvu/96

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IN OLD IRÂN.
81

From this quotation it is easy to see that here the reference is plainly to the particular supernatural Khvêtûk-dasih of Ahura Mazda and Spendârmat, and not to any practice of next-of-kin marriage among the old Irânians.

The passage in the latter part of the Eighteenth Fargard of the Varasht-mânsar Nask, evidently describes, as the heading (Symbol missingAvestan characters) actually indicates, the nature of the resurrection of the first parents of mankind, viz., Mashih and Mashyânih, their birth and union after the entire annihilation of evil, and the renovation and the reformation of the human world.

In reference to the passage in the Ravâyat, however, it may be suggested that the Pahlavi expression Khvêtûk-dasih levatman bordâr va bentman vâdûntan, as used in a couple of sentences, might well denote the exercise of the gift of communion with the Almighty, or self-devotion, in association with one's mother, daughter or sister; in a word, it must have been considered as highly commendable and meritorious that a whole

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