azidhak

As you can see from my name (Azidhak/Azdahak middle persian for Azi Dahaka) I have a certain interest for "Persian" mythology. I've read much about it from a lot of second-hand sources. I wondered has anyone here read the avesta? Yes I know that the original text is lost in the mists of time, but is the "new" version any good?
Haakon

Seraphim

Nope ... I never heard about it ...

azidhak

Ok it's the so called religious scripture for the zoroastrian/parsi religion.
Haakon

Seraphim

Something like Dead Sea Scrolls?

or maybe the Book of Dead from Egypt perhaps?

Sarpedon

Damn, it is boring!

Loosely paraphrased quote:

Zarathustra (aka Zoroaster): And what, o great ahura mazda, will befall those people who bury a corpse within the ground for five years, and then unearth it, divide it into sections, and burn them with fire?

Ahura Mazda: Those wretches will be taken to the 52nd level of hell where they will be incessantly flogged by the Demon Mihilizipolitus with an 8 stranded whip of fire while being poked by the Demon Aharaphratz with his 4 tined, 12 edged blade, in the pit of the neverending fire! That is what will become of those who bury a corpse in the ground for five years, and then unearth it, divide it into sections, and burn them with fire!

Basically, aside from the first section, it is a big long treatise on corpse-disposal and what will happen to you if you do it wrong. The first section is only slightly more interesting:

Then Ahura Mazda created the fair land of Yandralopul with its teeming rivers and green meadows, then Ahriman spoiled it with his counter creation of 3' tall steel toothed army ants. Then ahura mazda created the beautiful valley of Irthilondel, but Ahriman counter-created it with flaming wild boars.

or something like that. Don't waste your time, it is inane.

azidhak

Thanks for telling me about it. I've got better things to do than to read that crap. Sad though but I guess I just have to read some more commentaries and analysis instead.
Haakon