SELECTIONS OF ZADSPRAM

Translated by E. W. West, from Sacred Books of the East, volume 5, Oxford University Press, 1897.

This ninth century Pahlavi text

"consists of excerpts from the Avesta and Zand on several themes: creation, legends about Zoroaster, the formation of man (from body, life, and soul), the deeds of the hero-prophets, and the restoration of the world of good.... The Selections of Zadspram provide in the main a plain and intelligent summary of some of the fundamental legends and beliefs of the Sasanian church" (quoted from Mary Boyce, 'Middle Persian Literature', Handbuch der Orientalistik, 1. Abt., IV. Band, 2. Abschn., LFG.1, pg 42.)

Note that this text has Heterodox elements in that it draws on Zurvanite sources for its cosmology.

Chapter 1. The original state of the two spirits

Chapter 2. Ahriman assaults the good creation

Chapter 3. The soul of the primeval ox cries to Ohrmazd

Chapter 4. The reason why he was unable to destroy the primeval man for thirty years

Chapter 5. The first battle, that of the sky with Ahriman

Chapter 6. The second battle, that of the water

Chapter 7. The third battle, that of the earth

Chapter 8. The fourth battle, that of the plants

Chapter 9. The fifth battle, that of the animals

Chapter 10. The sixth battle, that of mankind

Chapter 11. The seventh battle, that of fire

Chapter 12. Two old legends of Spandarmad and of the hero Srito

Chapter 13. Parentage of Zartosht

Chapter 14. Demons try to injure him before and at his birth

Chapter 15. Five Karb brothers opposed to Zartosht and his four brothers

Chapter 16. One Karb tries to kill Zartosht five times

Chapter 17. Another foretells his glorious destiny

Chapter 18. His father disagrees with him

Chapter 19. And he disagrees with his father and the chief Karap

Chapter 20. Legends indicative of his good disposition

Chapter 21. His going to confer with Ohrmazd

Chapter 22. His conferences with the archangels

Chapter 23. Dates of conversions, births, and deaths

Chapter 24. Five dispositions of priests and ten admonitions

Chapter 25. About the three divisions of revelation