Page:History of Zoroastrianism.djvu/232

Rh country. The rulers invoke Chisti to procure peace for their countries, and the faithful pray that peace and concord may drive out discord and strife from their abodes.

The spirit of the spells. The Gathas spoke of the mānthra, the sacred formula, or inspired utterance of great spiritual potency, but did not personify it. The Avestan texts do so, however, under the name Manthra Spenta, or Holy Formula. The mānthras generally indicate the spells of magical charms in the Younger Avesta. Manthra Spenta, the embodiment of the holy spell, is invoked along with Daena, the genius of religion, and Vohu Manah's wisdom. As an angel presiding over the formulas of the faith he wards off evil, exorcises those possessed of the demons, and heals the sick; he is consequently invoked to heal the ninety-nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine diseases created by Angra Mainyu. He is efficacious and the most glorious one, and like every other angel, Manthra Spenta has his Fravashi. The twenty-ninth day of the month is sacred to him.

The potency of the spells. The collocation mānthra spenta occurs more frequently in its ordinary meaning than as the name of the angel presiding over the holy spells. The term mānthra without its appellative spenta is also freely used to designate the sacred texts. It is also used for the magical spells of various degrees of efficacy. These spells are interspersed in the Avestan texts, especially in the Yashts and the Vendidad. Their conjuring efficacy is very great. They are supposed to have inherent mysterious power of their own, and the mere recital of these magical charms produces marvellous effects. The mystical compositions, as such, are credited with some kind of spiritual efficacy, some superhuman power; and through the recitation of them man can avert the baneful influence of the demons. Such