The Colophons of Mihrbn Kayxusr

About some corresponding dates of Prs and Hind eras

Mihrbn Kayxusr, a Prs teaching priest, at the instance of

a Prs notable of Cambay (Guj. ), hil Sangan, came to
India (probably in A. Y.2 690/ A. D. 1321), and wrote several
Avesta and Prsg manuscripts at Cambay, Thana (Mar. ),

and Navsari (Guj. ). He also copied there the

manuscripts copied by his great grand uncle Rustam Mihrbn.
His literary activities are recorded up to the Prs year 720 (+
20?) of Yazdegird.

Date equations

Four colophons of Mihrbn give the Prs rz-mh side by

side with the Hindu dates. As regards the double colophon in
Prsg and Sanskrit at the end of MK, Anklesaria noticed that
the Hindu and the Prs dates given do not correspond to each
other; moreover, he said that the language of the Sanskrit
colophon is corrupt.3 Hodivala tried to give a better reading and
understanding of the Skt. colophon4. Kuka gave a new
calculation (without success) for resolving the problem of the
glaring discrepancy in the date equations. Katrak believed that
Mihrbn being an Iranian and newly come to India cannot be
expected to have a fair knowledge of Sanskrit5; besides, he was
unfamiliar with Hindu terminology6.

We start with this controversial date equation in MK.

1 MK

1
. MU I, 356.
2
. anno Yadegirdi.
3
. Pahlavi Texts, Introduction, 7.
4
. Hodivala, 1920, The Colophons of Mihrpn Kaikhusru , 118-33.
5
. Katrak, 1980, 224.
6
. Katrak, 1980, 232.
 The Prsg colophon of Mihrbn gives the Prs date thus:
day Fravardn (19), month dar, year 691. The date equation in
the Sanskrit colophon is as under:

Savat 1377, udi Krtika 14, Wednesday: day Fravardn,

month dar, Prs year 690.

Notice that the Sanskrit colophon in MK as appears from a

strip of the folio, still sticking to ll. 7-11 of fol. 160b, contains
some Sanskrit words which are now distinct.7 For this reason, it
is supplied from JJ and SP. It is possible that the copyist of JJ
made some mistakes, mainly in transcribing the figures (for
example 690 instead of 691).

First and foremost, we have to know what calendars were

followed by Mihrbn. As we will see, he was flexible in using
Prs calendars and Hindu pacga.

The Indian era used in the colophons is Vikrama, a lunisolar

calendar, with ukla paka as the first phase of the month
(Amnta system). It begins with the month Vaikha or (owing
to the influence of the aka era) with the month of Caitra.

The two varieties of the Prs era are 365-day calendars with
days which move within the year, and they have only one month
of difference. Besides, the old custom of the Prss of Persia
was to place the five additional days of the year after the month
bn.

In the second colophon of MK, Mihrbn speaks of mh

ahrever qadm vihzagg the old moving month ahrever, that
is the old system of the Prss of Persia. It is natural that his next
colophon in the same manuscript should be according to the
same system:

rz Fravardn (19th day), mh dar (9th month, after the

month bn and the five epagomena), year 691 corresponds to
the 15th of September 1322 A.D., a Wednesday.8 The tithi, vra
(week-day), month, and year of the Vikrama era corresponding
to this date are: Krtika uddha 4 of the Vikrama year 1378

7
. Anklesaria, 7.
8
. Anklesaria, considering the month given to be henh, gives the
date thus: The day Fravardn, month dar, 690 (1) A.Y., corresponds to 10th
October 1321 (2) A.D. 7-8. But the first date is a Satuday, and the second, a
Sunday.
(1244 aka), vra 4 (and 40 ghai, and 59 pala), that is, a
Wednesday.

We conclude that Mihrbn did not make any mistake in this

date equation. The scribe of JJ, because of the bad state of the
manuscript MK, did mistake in transcribing the figures: 690
instead of 691 (as we clearly see in the Prsg colophon of
Mihrbn), udi 14 instead of udi 4. The accuracy of this date
is proved thanks to the week-day or vra mentioned in the
Sanskrit colophon: budha Wednesday.

2L4

The double colophon of L 4 is lost; and some other Prs

scribes have preserved it in their copies of the Vdvdd. The
date equation in it is as under:

Savat 1378, udi vina 14, Saturday: rz Hurdad (6th

day), mh bn, sl 692 of Yazdegird.

The more plausible year which fits this equation is 1322

A.D.9 Given the henh rzmh, 6th bn 691 (corresponding
to 28th August, 1322 A.D.) we find the tithi concurring with it
(1244 aka, 1322 A.D.) :

Tithi Vra A. D.

Mean tithi 165 0.041 M 181.041

True tithi 6.457 180.457

The required (Ujjain) mean tithi is 165th from the beginning,

that is, the ending moment of udi vina 15. Vra 0 indictes
that the tithi ended on a Saturday, corresponding to August 28.
With the corrected anomalies of the Sun and Moon, we get vra
6.457, that is, the tithi ended on a Friday (27 gh., 25 pa.),
corresponding to August 27.

Now we calculate the ending moment of udi vina 14 of

aka year 1244:

Tithi Vra A. D.

Mean tithi 164 6.057 M 180.057

9
. For the year 1323 A.D., the Hindu and Prs dates do not correspond to
each other. 6th bn 692 of the henh rzmh corresponds to 28th August
1323 A.D., a Sunday, and 6th bn of the Old rzmh to 29th July 1323.
Moreover Savat 1378 (/ aka 1245), udi vina 14 corresponds to 16th of
August 1323, a Tuesday.
 True tithi 5.667 179.667

Mean date: 1322 A.D., August 27, Friday.

Corrected date: August 26 (40 gh., 1 pa.), Thursday.

There is a slight discrepancy between these two Prs and

Hindu dates. The week-day Saturday makes sure that the prs
date is correct, and this day corresponds to vina udi 15 and
not udi 14. The mistake of one tithi is not uncommon in
Hindu dates.10

We conclude that: Mihrbn completed the manuscript of the

Vdvdd on rz Hurdad, mh bn, sl 691 after Yadegird,
corresponding to 1322 A. D., August 28, Saturday (full moon
was on 27th of August).

3K5

The double colophon of K 5 states that: Mihrbn completed

the copy of the Yasna with its Zand on rz Asmn (27th day),
mh Day, sl (the year is only found in the Skt. colophon:
692), being the 8th day of udi Mrga, of the year 1379, a
Wednesday.

The only possible date which satisfies rz Asmn, mh Day,

Mrga udi 8th, a Wednesday, in the years which Mihrbn
sojourned in India is 1322 A.D., Nov. 17.11 Indeed, this date
corresponds to:

1) rz Asmn, mh Day, sl (henh) 691 of Yazdegird;

2) Vikrama 1378 (aka 1244), tithi 248, Vra 4.323, that is,
the 8th of udi Mrgara, Wednesday (19 gh., 22 pa).

These two dates are in complete agreement with each other.

4 MK 2

A Persian note in MK 2 gives this date equation:

Savat 1379, udi Jeth 3, Monday: rz Day-ped-mihr (15th

day), month Tr, sl 692 of Yazdegird.

10
. Kuka, 390.
11
. According to Katrak the Parsi and Hindu dates correspond to 17
November 1323 A.C. 1980, 228. But Nov. 17, 1323, is a Thursday;
moreover, this day belongs to the dark fortnight (full moon occurs on Nov.
13).
 The Prs era is henh; and the Indian era Vikrama
beginning with the month of Caitra. Then we have:

1) 15th Tr 692: 1323 A.D., May 9, Monday.

2) 1323 A.D., May 9: Savat 1379 (aka 1245), udi Jyeh

3, vra 2.108 (Monday, 6 gh., 28 pa.).

As we see, the date equation preserved here does not present

any problem.12

Colophons

K5

The Avesta Codex K 5 (N 5 of the collection of the Iranian

manuscripts in the University Library of Copenhagen),
containing the Yasna with its Zand, ends with colophons in
Prsg and Sanskrit. On fol. 326v the first colophon runs as
follows:

rz asmn mh day vihzag k an dnbannag hrbedzd

mihrbn kayhusr mihrbn spendyd mihrbn
marzbn bahrm /dazk/13 rstg, cn pahlumagn mard14
styin xvbar az ahlyh ahlavdum az yazdn hn meh
ohrmazd abar styin xvnam, k- az hn v styin abar
kunam. vihzag abar sl asad navad do yazdegirdg, hn
h ohrmazdn, an dnbannag mihhrbn k mad ham andar
hindstn ahrestn /khambhyat/, <u-m> n kursag
az dast<-nibg> hrbed rustahm mihrbn nibit. az
xvandrn <> n nibg xvying ham k15 am ry pas <az>
vidurd ped petith16 yd drend, u-n ruvn gardmng
bavd.

av pat y aahe vspe anyam apatm

arahe mainy u [nasitm] danm davayasnanm
parjtm maynm frkritm.

12
. But, apparently, not for Katrak, 231-36. He supposes that udi of the
note is incorrect; besides he reads syum 30th instead of seyum 3rd.
13
. Pers. .
14
. Cf. mardn pahlum.
15
. /k/.
16
. /petitg/.
 327r
k- ast rh ahlyh. harvisp ann arhh k genng
mng dudn ud dvesnn jdg frz mardmn kirrnd
sted.

On day Asmn in the moving month Day, I, the servant of

the religion, priest by birth, Mihrbn, son of kayxusr, son of
Mihrbn, son of Spendyd, son of Mihrbn, son of Marzbn,
son of Bahrm, (of) the village of Dazk, like the best men,
recite the praise of the beneficent, the most aavan in aa among
the Yazata, the great Ahura Mazd, that is, I administer much
more praise to him, in the year 692 of Yazdegird, king of kings,
son of Ohrmazd, I, the servant of the religion, Mihrbn, who
have come to India, to the city of Cambay, have written this
book from the manuscript of priest Rustahm Mihrbn. I desire
of the readers who may read this (sacred) writing that they shall
remember us in the petit ceremony after our passing away, and
may their souls be fit for Gar.nmna!

One is the path, that of aa. The others are all non-paths.

The dan, the best (means of) destruction of the Evil Spirit,
the triumph over the Dava-worshippers, the accomplishment of
the mortals.

The next Prsg colophon17 on fol. 327v runs as follows:

frazaft ped drod ud dh ud rmin.

frazmnd n kursag az bahr <> /chil

v v
sangan kumbyatg/ nibit. x str ham az x andrn n nibg
<k> abar xvnend chil ry ped anag ruvn arzng
/drnd/. chil az xv <xvstag> uznag pedi kird, ud an
nibitr ham. az bahr <> ruvn <> h anagruvn chil
sangan, az bahr ruvn pidar xv k- vahit bahr anag
jydn ruvn gardmng bavd.

rznmag b nibsam az bahr chil kumbyatg <ud>

niygn <> h. harv k n /nibg/ xvned <ud>
/dred/ avn ahlav kunnd.

mh amurdad rz fravardn sangan chil rzag.

mh day rz fravardn chil vahman rzag.

17
. most probably in a later hand (Unvala).
 dur mh fravardn rz vahman bahrm rzag.

dur mh fravardn rz bahrm dur chil rzag.

mh tr rz anrn drag chil rzag.

mh day rz dur mln sangan rzag.

Completed in peace, joy and pleasure.

Finished. (I) have written this book for the sake of hil (son
of) Sangan of Cambay. I desire of the readers who may read this
(sacred) writing that they shall consider hil as worthy of an
immortal soul. hil paid the expenses for it from his own
money, and I have written it for the sake of the soul of the
immortal-souled (i.e., the late) hil Sangan, and for the sake of
the soul of my own father may his lot be the Best (Existence)
and his soul, immortal and eternal, fit for Gar.nmna.

I shall write down the calendar (of anniversaries) as regards

hil of Cambay and (his) ancestors. Everyone who may read
this book or may keep it, may (the Yazata) render him aavan.

Month Amurdad, day Fravardn, anniversary of Sangan

hil.

Month Day, day Fravardn, anniversary of hil Vahman.

Month dur, day Fravardn, anniversary of Vahman Bahrm.

Month dur, day Fravardn, anniversary of Bahrm dur

hil.

Month Tr, day Anrn, anniversary of Drag hil.

Month Day, day dur, anniversary of Mln Sgan.

Then follows this Sanskt colophon on fol. 328r:

.





(?)
(?)




(?)

In the year Savat 1379, on the 8th day of udi Mrga (the
bright fortnight of the month of Mrgara), on Wednesday,
(corresponding to) the Prs year 692, the month Day, the day
Asmn, today, here in the auspicious sacred place, when his
majesty Sultn ytadn was extending his kingdom, the priest
Mihiravna, of the Prs race, son of Kaikhusrava, who had
come from the country of rn-zamn, on a written letter
couched in very respectful terms, wrote this book, called the
Yasna (with its) Zand, for the merit of the Prs lord hil, son
of Sangan. May whoever may keep this book and whoever may
read it remember the fravai of the ancestors of lord hil.

J2

This manuscript of the Yasna with its Prsg version, known

as J 2 (Jamaspji M. Jamasp-Asa), is now in the possession of the
Bodleian Library. Mills notices that Mihrbn in his colophon
omitted to name any original from which the Ms. J 2 was
copied, whereas in the case of his other work, K 5, he did not
fail to state what its original was. He concludes that: The
present codex may therefore be considered as an edition (if such
an expression be allowable) rather than a copy.18

There is no Sanskt colophon. The Prsg colophon on fol.

383v runs as follows:

<rz>19 vahman mh fravardn // sl asad navad do

yazdegirdg, man dnbannag hrbedzd mihrbn kayhusrav
<> mihrbn spendyr mihrbn <> marzbn hrbed
nibit. ped yazdn kmag bavd.

<> vihzag k an dnbannag b <> bm <> hindgn

mad ham, u-m (andar) sl asad navad do yazdegirdg man
dnbannag hrbedzd mihrbn kayhusrav mihrbn
spendyd mihrbn marzbn hrbed nibit az bahr <>
chilag sangan chil vahman <> vahrm kumbyatg nibit.
xvstr ham az xvandrn n nibg k abar xvnend chil ry
ped anag ruvn arzng drnd. chil az xv <xvstag>

18
. L. H. Mills, viii.
19
. Cf. K 5.
uznag pedi kird, ud an nibitr ham. az bahr ruvn <> (h)
anagruvn chil sangan, ud az bahr ruvn pidar <> xvad
k- vahit bahr ud anag jydn ruvn gardmng bd.

On the day vahman of the month Fravardn, in the year 692

of Yazdegird, I, the servant of the religion, priest by birth,
Mihrbn kayxusr, (son of) Mihrbn, (son of) Spendyr, (son
of) Mihrbn, (son of) Marzbn the priest, have written (this
book). Deo Volonte!

<It was on the day of> the moving <month > that I, the
servant of the religion, have come to the land of India. In the
year 692 of Yazdegird, I, the servant of the religion, priest by
birth, Mihrbn kayxusr Mihrbn Spendyd Mihrbn
Marzbn the priest, have written (this book) for the sake of
hil Sangan and hil Vahman Vahrm of Cambay. I desire of
the readers of this (sacred) writing 20.

L4

Mihrbn made two copies of the Vdvdd, known as L 4 (L

4 in de Guises collection in the India Office) and K 1, out of
one manuscript signed by Rustahm Mihrbn. A transcript of
the missing colophons of L 4 is found in PB (Pt 2), Bh 11, and E
10. These colophons have nearly the same wordings as K 5.21

an dnbannag hrbedzd mihrbn kayhusrav mihrbn

spendyd n kursag juddvdd abg zand andar rz
hurdad mh bn vihzag abar sl asad navad do pas az
sl yazdegirdg, hn h ohrmazdn, yazdegird ahriyr,
nibit ham. ham ( /hamg?/) xvnnd, ud harv k
xvned,kr (pedi) framyed ud dred. amh-iz ry k nibit
xvying hem az xvandrn n nibg abar xvnend am ry ped
ydkird arzng drend. u- ped gtg tan husrav u- ped
mng ruvn ahlav bavd.

I, the servant of the religion, priest by birth, Mihrbn, son

of kayxusr, son of Mihrbn, son of Spendyd, have written
this book of Juddvdd with its Zand on day Hurdd in the
moving month bn, in the year 692 of Yazdegird, king of
kings, (a descendant of) of Ohrmazd, Yazdegird ahriyr. May
they (all) read it, and he who may read it, direct according to it

20
. Cf. K 5.
21
. Drb D. P. Sanjna (xlv-xlviii) has given these colophons from the
Ms. PB.
and preserve it. I also who have written it, desire of the readers
who may read this (sacred) writing, that they shall consider us
worthy of remembrance. May their body (person) be of good
repute in the world of life, and their soul be aavan in the world
of thought.

andar sl haftsad-vst-do prsg an dnbannag hrbedzd

mihrbn andar bm hindgn mad ham. u-m andar
ahr<estn> ngsrg n kursag az bahr chil sangan
kumbyatg nibit. xvstr ham az xvandrn n nibg (abar)
xvnend andar chil ry ped anag ruvn arzng drnd.
chil az xv xvstag uznag pedi kird, ud an nibitr ham. az
bahr <> ruvn <> h anagruvn chil sangan, ud az bahr
<> ruvn (pidar ) xvad k- vahit bahr anag ud jydn
ruvn gardmng (bavd). harv k drd ud harv k xvnd
y k framd nibitan ud y k nibit vahit bahr arzng
drnd.

av pat y aahe vspe anyam apatm: k- ast rh

ahlyh. harvisp ann arhh.

n- tis gred k<-> n ruvn grift. az-iz nn frz n tis

gred k n ruvn gred.22

am: ahlyh.

In the Prs year 722, I, the servant of the religion, priest by

birth, Mihrbn came to the land of India and wrote this book in
the city of Navsr, for the sake of hil (son of) Sangan of
Cambay. I desire of the readers who may read this (sacred)
writing that they shall consider hil as worthy of an immortal
soul. hil paid the expenses for it from his own money, and I
am the writer who (have copied) it for the sake of the soul of
him, the immortal-souled (i.e., the late) hil Sangan, and for
the sake of the soul of my own father may his lot be the Best
(Existence) and his soul, immortal and eternal, fit for
Gar.nmna. Everyone who keeps it and everyone who reads it,
he who ordered for writing it, and he who wrote it, may they be
worthy of the lot of the Best (Existence).

One is the path, that of aa. The others are all non-paths.

22
. Cf. the Avesta fragment D 3: ni cahmi zazva y ni urune zazva
ni cahmi zazu y ni urune zazu.
Cf. also MX 1.28-30.
 He has not acquired anything, who has not acquired the soul.
Likewise, from now on he does not acquire anything, who does
not acquire the soul.

Am.

The following Rznmag is appended to the second colophon

of Mihrbn23:

rznmag b nibsam az bahr <> chil kumbyatg <ud>

niygn ud xvvand<n> ry. harv k xvned ud dred avn
ahlav kunnd.

mh amurdad ud rz fravardn sangan chil rzag.

mh day ud rz fravardn chil vahman rzag.

dur mh ud fravardn rz vahman bahrm rzag.

dur mh ud fravardn rz vahrm dur chil rzag.

mh tr rz anrn drag24 chil rzag.

mh day ud rz dur mln sangan rzag.

At the end there is the following Sanskt colophon

corresponding to the first Prsg colophon:

In the year Savat 1378, on the 14th day of uddha vina,

on Saturday, (corresponding to) the Prs year 692, the month
bn, the day Hurdd, in Stambhatrtha at Navsr, when his

23
. Cf. K 5.
24
. PB.
majesty Sultn ytadn was extending his kingdom, the
spiritual preceptor Mihiravna, of the Prs race, son of the
spiritual preceptor Kaikhurava who is worthy of more esteem
who had come from the country of rn-zamn, on a written
letter (of invitation) couched in very respectful terms, wrote this
book, called the Jud-Dv-Dd (with is) Zand, for the merit of
thava hil, son of thava Sgana. May whoever may keep this
book and whoever may read it remember the fravai of the
ancestors of the ancestors of thava hil.

K1

Mihrbn completed in Cambay another copy of the

Vdvdd with its Prsg version. He copied the colophon of his
model (Rustams manuscript), and added his own colophon. The
Ms. K1 was completed by Mihrabns son, Kayxusr.
339v
an dnbannag hrbedzd mihrbn kayhusrav
mihrbn spendyd mihrbn marzbn bahrm k ped n
bm <> hindgn mad ham, u-m n peccn az dastnibg
hrbed rustahm mihrbn nibit. az bahr chil /sangan/
kumbyatg nibit. az bahr ahlyh <ud> ruvn drm ry
nibit. cn ped vihzag vinh vizrin ud kirbag mizd ud ruvn
drm ry nibit, harv k xvnd ud harv harv k drd <ud>
harv k kr azin kund <ud> harv k peccn azi kund, amh
k nibitr hem xvying az ham xvandrn n nibg abar
xvnend am ry ped vahit bahr arzng drnd [y k
framd]. nibit ham dn cn guft. anag /ruvn/ bd
hrbed kayhusrav k- framn dd ped nibitan. harv k xvnd
y ry ped anag ruvn arzng drnd. harv k n kursag
drd 340r ud harv k xvnd [chil sangan kumbyatg] ry ped
vahit bahr arzng drnd, k-m az bahr <> ahlyh drm
ry [framd] nibitan.

u-m ud ud n kursag andar rz dn mh tr abar asad-

navad-se yazdegirdg hn h ohrmazdn, yazdegird
ahriyr, nibit andar bm hindgn andar ahr<estn>
kumbyat. man dnbannag kayhusrav (nmg)dum hrbedzd
mihrbn kayhusrav n kursag rynd ud drust kird az bahr
ahlyh ruvn drm ry.
 nism dav: nignam25 dv abg dvtmagn.

av pat y aahe vspe anyam apatm: k- ast rh

ahlyh. harvisp ann arhh.

am: ahlyh.

I, the servant of the religion, priest by birth, Mihrbn, son

of kayxusr, son of Mihrbn, son of Spendyd, son of
Mihrbn, son of Marzbn, son of Bahrm who have come to
the land of India, have written this copy from the manuscript of
the teaching priest Rustahm, son of Mihrbn. I have written it
for the sake of hil (son of) Sangan of Cambay. It is written for
the sake of aa and on account of the love of the soul. As it is
written for the absolution of sins and reward of good deeds after
death (lit. move) and for the love of the soul, whoever will
read it, who will make use of it, who will keep it, who will make
a copy from it, I also who am the scribe desire of the readers of
this (sacred) writing that they shall consider us as worthy of
Heavens lot (and him who ordered it written). I have written it
just as I said. May <hil> be immortal-souled who ordered the
teaching priest Kayhusr for writing it. May whoever who shall
read it, consider him as worthy of an immortal soul. May
whoever who shall keep this book and whoever who shall read
it, consider hil Sangan of Cambay as worthy of Heavens lot,
who for the sake of aa (and) for the love (of the soul) ordered
me to write it.

I went to the land of India, in the city of Cambay, and wrote

this book (completed) on the day of Dn of the month of Tr in
the year 693 of Yazdegird, king of kings, (a descendant) of
Ohrmazd, Yazdegird ahriyr.

I, the servant of the religion, Kayxusr, son of the most

(famous) teaching priest by birth, Mihrbn, son of Kayxusr,
have arranged and adjusted this book for the sake of aa and the
love of the soul.

I scorn the Dava.

One is the path, that of aa. The others are all non-paths.

Am.

25
. Cf. Y 12.1 nigham.
 K20

K 20 comprises miscellaneous Prsg texts and some Avesta

texts with their Prsg versions. The name of the actual writer of
K 20 is unknown there is no colophon belonging to it.
However it contains three colophons belonging to the first seven
texts, that give the dates A. Y. 690, 720, 700: Ard virz nmag,
Mdayn jt fryn, col. fol. 38r; Syag nmrz, az Hdxt
Nask, az Ohrmazd Yat, Dryin xm ahrmen (ghmbr
myazd, etc.), col. fol. 51; yist n-yist, col. 74r. West infers
that the colophons must have been copied by the writer of K 20
from the original manuscripts which he was copying; and the
writer of the manuscripts, from which the articles 1-7 were
copied, was Mihrbn Kayxusr.26
38r
frazaft. frazmnd n mdayn jt fryn abg n ard
virz andar rz <> ran ud mh <> day, sl asad navad
yazdegirdg. man dnbannag hrbedzd mihrbn kayhusrav
<> mihrbn <> spendyd mihrbn marzbn az dastnibg
hrbed mihrpanhag sriyr vbr hrbed nibit. ped
yazdn km bavd.

Finished. completed this Text-book of Yt Fryn (MJF) and

this (Book of) Ard Virz (AVN) on day Ran, in month Day, in
the year 690 of Yazdegird. I, the servant of the religion, priest
by birth, Mihrbn Kayxusr Mihrbn Spendyd Mihrbn
Marzbn have written (these books) from the manuscript of the
teaching priest Mihrpanhag, son of Sriyr, son of Vehbuhr
the teaching priest. May it be according to the will of God!
51r
andar rz ran mh dur przgar sl haftsad vst prsg
andar vst yazdegird hn h ohrmazdn, man dnbannag
51v
hrbedzd mihrbn kayhusrav mihrbn spendiyd <>
mihrbn <> marzbn spendiyd mihrbn marzbn andar
hindstn ped ahrestn kumbyat nibit. <ped> yazdn
kmag bavd. harv k xvnd ud hamzd u- kr azi kund u-
peccn azi kund. amh // k nibitr hem ped nkh nm
bard, ud ped vahit bahr arzng drd. u- ped gtg tan
husrav, u- ped mng ruvn gardmng bavd. dn dd,
dndar bd!

av pat y aahe: k- ast rh k ahlyh.

26
. The Book of Ard Vrf, Introductory Essays, vii.
 (Completed) on the day of Ran, in the month of the
victorious dur, in the Prsg year 720, (still) 20 (years) to
Yazdegird, king of kings, (descendant) of Ohrmazd. I, the
servant of the religion, priest by birth, Mihrbn, son of
Kayxusr son of Mihrbn, son of Spendyd, son of Mihrbn,
son of Marzbn, // son of Spendyd, son of Mihrbn, son of
Marzbn// <son of Bahrm>, wrote (them) in India, in the city of
Cambay. May it be according to the will of God! May whoever
reads and learns it, makes use of it, and copies it, remember me,
who am the scribe, graciously, and consider me worthy of
Heavens lot! May his body (person) be of good repute in the
world of life, and his soul be aavan in the world of thought!
May it be so! May it be still more so!

One is the path, that of aa.

74r

On the day of dur, in the month of the Victorious Mihr, in

the Prs year 700, I, the servant of the religion, priest-born,
Mihrbn Kayxusr Mihrbn Marzbn, (wrote this book of the
n).

At the head of folio 83v we read thus :

Mihrbn Kayhusr. Deo volonte!

MK

The manuscript MK contains a number of Prsg texts

collected by Mihrbn from different sources.

From the colophon written at the end of the first text, a

fragment of the Parthian lore called the ydgr zerrn (or,
the hnmag Gutsp), we learn that Rustam Mihrbn copied
it from a manuscript of Dnpanh, son of durbd; and
Mihrbn Kayxusr made a copy from the manuscript of
Rustam. There is no date in this colophon.

frazaft ped drod dh ud rmin.

vahit-bahrag bavd vitsp h puhr luhrsp, anz zerr ud

bastvar ud spendiyd, ped hamvn fravard jmspn
(vitspn?), ud grmkkird puhr jmsp, pdhusr,
/pdsn?/, k xvad burd-nm hend. harvn +vspuhragn, gavn,
ud raxtrn gh /farrox/ bavd! ped vahit bmg ped
asar-rnh nim <> varzvandn. harvn abzn bavd, k
ruvn anag bavd! k dnpanh nibit d <ydgr> d
prz bavd /dn zd/ (hzd?) puhr dn drd!
farrox bavd d hazrn sln yad rz frakird! bd //
mhan ud mn, /xvstag?/ ud xr abzn bavd! k-tn xvad b
/ramed27/ /arzn?28/ (dagr?) k xvned farrox nibg, ped
/anydh/ rustahm mihrbn nm ydned k-
peccn nibitag bd.

man dbannag mihrbn kayhusrav nibit. k xvned, amh

ped nkh nm ydned. ped tandrusth ped im gtg bd, b
ped vidern tan nim <> varzvandn. /u-m/
/aburny/ az /dng dibrn/ bd ham nibitr andar
im gtg bd. veh(n) prz bavy, vattar /pazdm/
(pazdm)!

prz ud prz(ag) bavd ddr ohrmazd ! namz zardut

spitmn k vurd dn veh mazdesnn abzag <ud> ravg
<b kird> ped ayyrh vitsp h ud zerr ud spendiyd !

The next eighteen texts also are copied from the original
manuscript of Dnpanh. We learn from the colophon at the end
of the Nihin tis gtg, that Dnpanh completed these texts
(memoranda) for hzd on day Day-ped-dar, in month
Vahman, in the (Prs) year 32429. His manuscript was found in
a fire-temple at Broach30:

n ydgrh nibitag bd std ped mh vahman andar

sl sesad vst cahr rz day-ped-dur. dagr-zvd dnpanh
/durby/ dnpanh az bahr dagr-zvd shzd
dn farrox ohrmazd ry, k-n ruvn anag bavd! andar
/baruc/ bd ped takadag.

27
. ram- to rejoice.
28
. Cf. FP 26.
29
. West conjectures 624.
30
. See also Supplment persan 2044, 68-69.
 TD (/ JE) gives a different date for the manuscript of
Dnpanh, that is, month Ardvahir, day G, and the Indian
year 107731:

n ydgrh nibitag bd std ped mh urdvahit sl

hazr haftd haft hindstng rz g. dagr-zvd dn panh
durby dnpanh az bahr dagr-zvd hzd dn farrox
ohrmazd ry, k-n ruvn anag bavd! andar baruc bd
<ped> hagirdkadag nibit.

frazaft. man dnbannag kmdn hrbedzd hrbed ahriyr

hrbed nerysang hrbed samand nibit.

The colophon of Mihrbn himself is found at the end of the

codex collated by Dnyr. From it we learn that Mihrbn
Kayxusr carried with him the above manuscript to Thana, and
copied it there. It runs as follows32:

n ydgr andar rz xvard mh ahrever qadm vihzagg

sl asad navad k andar ahr tmnag ped jazrag zr, man
dnbannag mihrbn kayhusrav mihrbn hrbed nibit. d sad
ud panzh sl kr framyed! /k-
v 33
yazdn <x >, harv dn, visp jahin/ nk ud xr ped abyist
<ud> kmag frrn ravg bavd! gtg dn cn tan kmag
andar frrnh, ud mng dn cn ruvn kmag andar ahlyh.

I, the servant of the religion, Mihrbn Kayxusr, the

teaching priest, wrote this memorial in the district of Thana, the
land from which the sea has retired (/ on the sea shore), on the
day Xvard of the old moving month ahrever, in the year 691.
May you make use of it till 150 years! May he who belongs to
the Yazata, any gift (of the world) and all fortunes be good (for
him), his wealth be according to his need, and his upright will be
fulfilled! (May in) the world of life his desire of body be in
uprightness, and in the world of thought his desire of soul in
truthfulness!

Mihrbn not only copied the above-mentioned manuscript,

but also he added some more texts, writtrn from some other
manuscript(s). He completed his manuscript, now called MK
(elsewhere called J 1), in the Fire-temple at Thana. At the end
of the codex is the following colophon:
31
. See Pahlavi Texts, 83.
32
. See also Supplment persan 2044, 69.
33
. SP.
 frazmnd n nibg ped hindgn ped ahr tnag ped
taxnag (takadag) andar rz <> fravardn ud mh <>
dur vihzag abar sl asad34 navad k man dnbannag
hrbedzd mihrbn kayhusr mihrbn spendyd
mihrbn marzbn bahrm nibit. harv k xvnd ud
hamzd, u- kr azi kund, u- peccn azi kund, man k
nibitr ham ped nkh arzng drd; ud pas az vidurd ped
petitg<h> arzng drd! u- ped gtg tan husrav u- ped
mng ruvn ahlav bavd! dn bavd! dndar bavd! farrox
bavd!

n-35 tis gred k- n ruvn grift. ud az /nn/ frz n tis

gred k n ruvn gred.

ped hdxt gyg- pdg k: ohrmazd zardut guft k:

av pat y aahe vspe anyam apatm: k ast rh

ahlyh. harvisp ann arhh.

This (sacred) writing was finished in India, in the district of

Thana, in the fire-temple, on the day Fravardn, in the moving
month dar, in the year 691. I, the servant of the religion, a
teaching priest by birth, Mihrbn, son of kayxusr, son of
Mihrbn, son of Spendyd, son of Mihrbn, son of Marzbn,
son of Bahrm, wrote it. May whoever will read and study it,
and will make use of it, and will copy it, consider me, who am
the writer, worthy of bliss, and worthy of compensation after
death! May his body be of good repute in the world of life, and
his soul be aavan in the world of thought. May it be so! May it
be so even more! May it be fortunate!

He has not acquired anything, who has not acquired the

soul. Likewise, from now on he does not acquire anything, who
does not acquire the soul.

In the Hdxt there is a passage where it is revealed that:

Ahura Mazd said to Zarautra thus: One is the path, that

of aa. The others are all non-paths.

The above colophon is followed by another short colophon

and a Rznmag36:

34
. SP : haftsad.
35
. SP : n.
 rz <> day-ped-mihr mh <> tr n kursag az bahr <>
chil nibit ham. harv k dred, harv k xvned, h ry <ud>
niygn <> h ry vahit bahr arzng dred.

rznm<ag> +nibsam:

mh amurdad rz fravardn sangan chil <rzag>.

mh day rz fravardn chil vahman <rzag>.

dur mh fravardn rz vahman bahrm <rzag>.

dur mh fravardn rz bahrm dur chil <rzag>.

mh tr rz anrn drag chil <rzag>.

mh day rz dur mln sangan <rzag>.

I wrote this book for hil on the day Day-ped-mihr, in the

month Tr. May whoever keeps it and may read it, consider him
and his ancestors worthy of heavens lot. 37

MK must have contained a Sanskrit colophon. Here is the Skt

colophon taken from SP38:

In the year Savat 1377, on Wednesday, on the 14th day of

udi Krtika, (corresponding to) the day Fravardn of the month

36
. According to Anklesaria this colophon and the Rznmag following
it are possibly written by another scribe, who may have copied this Ms. for
hil, Pahlavi Texts, 168. SP omits the Rznmag.
37
. For the list of days to pray for hils ancestors see K 5.
38
. SP 150. See also Jamasp-Asana, Pahlavi Texts, 169.
dar of the Prs year 690, today, here in Thana, on the
seashore, when his majesty Sultn ytadn was extending his
kingdom, a Prs priest Mihiravna, who had come from the
country of rnzamn (Persia), on a written letter couched in
very respectful terms, wrote this book of hnmg Gutsp
and the Pandnmag durbd Mahrspendn, for the merit of
the Prs lord hil, son of Sangan. May whoever may keep this
book and may read it remember the fravai of the ancestors of
lord hila.

MK 2 (Katrak 803)39

MK 2 is a collective codex of fourteen different Avesta,

Prsg, Persian (and Urdu) texts. It includes the Hm Std (Y 9
11) with its Zand and the Sr Yat Hxt (Yt 11) and the Sr
Yat Vadi (Y 57) in Avesta with Prsg version. At the end of
the Sr Yat a colophon in Persian states that the copy of the
Sr Yat completed by Frmarz Rustam Xvard Hang
Sanjna, inhabitant of Bulsar, on day Tr, month Farvardn, year
1137. Frmarz himself has written this note in Persian after the
colophon:

The book of Yazin (/ Yasna) with Prsg version which is

(now) in the library of Dastr Jmsp-sji, (its date) is day
Day-ped-mihr, month Tr, year 692 of Yazdegird, corresponding
to the 3rd day of udi Jeth (month), Indian Savat 1379, day
Monday.

Katrak believes that the writer of the manuscript of Yazin

referred to in the above Persian note cannot be any other than
our scribe Mihrbn.40

Bibliography

The Avesta Codices K 3a, K 3b and K 1 containing portions of the

Vendidd with its Pahlavi translation and commentary, K. Barr, Copenhagen,
1941.
The Avesta Codex K5 containing the Yasna with its Pahlavi translation
and commentary, third part, K. Barr, Copenhagen, 1939.

39
. See Katrak, 1941, 187 ; 1980, 230-32.
40
. Katrak, 1980, 231.
 The Ancient Manuscript of the Yasna with its Pahlavi Translation (A.D.
1323), generally quoted on J2 and now in the possession of the Bodleian
Library, L.H. Mills, Oxford, 1893.
The Pahlavi Codices K 20 & K 20b, containing Ardgh Vrz-Nmagh,
Bundahishn, etc., A. Christensen, Copenhagen, 1931.
The Book of Ard Vrf (The Pahlavi Text prepared by Hoshangji
Jamaspji Asa), Gosht-I Fryno, and Hdokht-Nask (by M. Haug, E.W. West),
Bombay, 1872.
J.M. Jamasp-Asana, Pahlavi Texts, I, Bombay, 1897; II (B.T. Anklesaria),
Bombay, 1913.
Darab D. P. Sanjana, The Zand Javt Shda Dd, or the Pahlavi Version
of the Avesta Vendidd, Bombay, 1895.

J.C. Tavadia, Zur Pflege des iranischen Schrifttums im Mittelalter,

ZDMG, 98, 1944, 294-339.
Jamshedji M. Unvala, Collection of Colophons of Manuscripts bearing on
Zoroastrianism in some Libraries of Europe, Bombay, 1940.
Shahpurshah H. Hodivala, Studies in Parsi History, Bombay, 1920.
S.H. Hodiwala, Some Parsi-Sanscrit Colophons, Journal of the Iranian
Association, V/10, 1916, 305-26.
Mehrjibhai N. Kuka, The Date Equations in the Colophons of Mihrpn
Kaikhusro, and the calendar followed by him, Journal of the Iranian
Association, V/10, 1917, 389-94.
Jamshid C. Katrak, Oriental Treasures, Bombay, 1941.
J.C. Katrak, Mitro-Awan Kaikhusrov, his Avesta and Pahlavi
manuscripts and their colophons with date-equations, JCOI, 48, 1980, 220-
40.

Raham Asha