we do not hesitate to
affirm that, in spite of the conflict of the opinions of different
scholars, and in spite of the fluctuation of systems apparently
opposed to each other, progress may be reported, and a firm hope
expressed that the essential doctrines of one of the earliest forms of
religion may in time be recovered and placed before us in their
original purity and simplicity. We begin with the Pehlevi translation
of a passage in Ya_s_na, 45:

'Thus the religion is to be proclaimed; now give an
attentive hearing, and now listen, that is, keep your ear in
readiness, make your works and speeches gentle. Those who
have wished from nigh and far to study the religion, may now
do so. For now all is manifest, that Anhuma (Ormazd)
created, that Anhuma created all these beings; that at the
second time, at the (time of the) future body, Aharman does
not destroy (the life of) the worlds. Aharman made evil
desire and wickedness to spread through his tongue.'

Professor Spiegel, in 1859, translated the same passage, of which the
Pehlevi is a running commentary rather than a literal rendering, as
follows:

'Now I will tell you, lend me your ear, now hear what you
desired, you that came from near and from afar! It is clear,
the wise (spirits) have created all things; evil doctrine
shall not for a second time destroy the world. The Evil One
has made a bad choice with his tongue.'

Next follows the translation of the passage as published by Dr. Haug
in 1862:

'All ye, who have come from nigh and far, listen now and
hearken to my speech. Now I will tell you all about that
pair of spirits how it is known to the wise. Neither the
ill-speaker (the devil) shall destroy the second (spiritual)
life, nor that man who, being a liar with his tongue,
professes the false (idolatrous) belief.'

The same scholar, in 1865, translates the same passage somewhat
differently:

'All you that have come from near and far should now listen
and hearken to what I shall proclaim. Now the wise have
manifested this universe as a duality. Let not the
mischief-maker destroy the second life, since he, the
wicked, chose with his tongue the pernicious doctrine.'

The principal difficulty in this paragraph consists in the word which
Dr. Haug translated by duality, viz. dum, and which he identifies with
Sanskrit dvam, i. e. dvandv