invoked, the bestowers of victory, health, and glory.[1] Their friendship is good and lasting, and they are beautiful, health-giving, of high renown, and vanquishing in battle.[2] They are efficacious, the most beneficent, and the smiters of the arms of the tyrant foes.[3] They are girt with the blessings of piety as wide as the earth, as long as a river, and as high as the sun.[4] They are the strongest in moving onwards, the least failing wielders of weapons, the invulnerable, the shield-bearing, clad with iron helmets and weapons.[5] Their power and efficiency are simply inconceivable and beyond description.[6]
Their work. Like the higher celestial beings, the Fravashis are allotted their respective tasks in the creation of Ahura Mazda. They are the ones who stood ready for help to the godhead when the two spirits first met to create the universe.[7] It is through them that Ahura Mazda maintains the sky and the earth.[8] Ahura Mazda expressly is stated as saying that, had they not rendered him help, animals and men could not have continued to exist, because the wicked Druj would have smitten them to death, except for the guardianship of the Fravashis.[9] The waters flow, and the plants spring forth, and the winds blow through their glory.[10] Through their radiance and glory females conceive offspring, and have easy childbirth.[11] Through them it is that Ahura Mazda forms and develops the organs of the child in the womb of its mother, and protects it from death;[12] moreover, patriotic sons destined to win distinction are born unto women on their account.[13] They first gave movement to the waters that stood for a long time without flowing.[14] The trees that stood without growing began to grow, and the stars and the moon and the sun that had stood motionless, owing to the opposition of demons, received their movement through them[15] and have ever since gone along their paths of progress owing to the influence of the Fravashis.[16] They protect the river Ardvi Sura Anahita[17] and watch over the sea Vourukasha and the stars
