Vendidad 20

Thrita, the First Healer

Zarathustra asked Ahura Mazda: Mazda, most beneficent Spirit, Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! Who was he who first of the healers, of the wise, the happy, the wealthy, the glorious, the strong, the Paradhâtas, drove back sickness to sickness, drove back death to death; and first turned away the point of the sword and the fire of fever from the bodies of mortals?'

Ahura Mazda answered: 'Thrita it was who first of the healers, of the wise, the happy, the wealthy, the glorious, the strong, the Paradhâtas, drove back sickness to sickness, drove back death to death, and first turned away the point of the sword and the fire of fever from the bodies of mortals.

He asked for a source of remedies; he obtained it from Khshathra-Vairya, to withstand sickness and to withstand death; to withstand pain and to withstand fever; to withstand Sârana and to withstand Sârastya; to withstand Azana and to withstand Azahva; to withstand Kurugha and to withstand Azivâka; to withstand Duruka and to withstand Astairya; to withstand the evil eye, rottenness, and infection which Angra Mainyu had created against the bodies of mortals.

'And I Ahura Mazda brought down the healing plants that, by many hundreds, by many thousands, by many myriads, grow up all around the one Gaokerena.

All this do we achieve; all this do we order; all these prayers do we utter, for the benefit of the bodies of mortals';

'To withstand sickness and to withstand death; to withstand pain and to withstand fever; to withstand Sârana and to withstand Sârastya; to withstand Azana and to withstand Azahva; to withstand Kurugha and to withstand Azivâka; to withstand Duruka and to withstand Astairya; to withstand the evil eye, rottenness, and infection which Angra Mainyu has created against the bodies of mortals.

'To thee, O Sickness, I say avaunt! to thee, O Death, I say avaunt! to thee, O Pain, I say avaunt! to thee, O Fever, I say avaunt! to thee, O Evil Eye, I say avaunt! to thee, O Sârana, I say avaunt! and to thee, O Sârastya, I say avaunt! to thee, O Azana, I say avaunt! and to thee, O Azahva, I say avaunt! to thee, O Kurugha, I say avaunt! and to thee, O Azivâka, I say avaunt! to thee, O Duruka, I say avaunt! and to thee, O Astairya, I say avaunt!

'Give us, O Ahura, that powerful sovereignty, by the strength of which we may smite down the Drug! By its might may we smite the Drug!

'I drive away Ishirê and I drive away Aghûirê; I drive away Aghra and I drive away Ughra; I drive away sickness and I drive away death; I drive away pain and I drive away fever; I drive away Sârana and I drive away Sârastya; I drive away Azana and I drive away Azahva; I drive away Kurugha and I drive away Azivâka; I drive away Duruka and I drive away Astairya; I drive away the evil eye, rottenness, and infection which Angra Mainyu has created against the bodies of mortals.

'I drive away all manner of sickness and death, all the Yâtus and Pairikas, and all the wicked Gainis.

'A Airyamâ ishyo. May the vow-fulfilling Airyaman come here, for the men and women of Zarathustra to rejoice, for Vohu-mano to rejoice; with the desirable reward that Religion deserves. I solicit for holiness that boon that is vouchsafed by Ahura!

May the vow-fulfilling Airyaman smite all manner of sickness and death, all the Yâtus and Pairikas, and all the wicked Gainis.'