# Vendidad — Chapter 15

*Exported from [Holy-Writings.com](https://www.holy-writings.com/) on 2026-06-18 — 1 clipping.*

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> Source: Avesta.org. The Vendidad, Chapter 15, translation: L.H. Mills / J. Darmesteter (Sacred Books of the East, 1880-1887), Avesta.org. License: Public domain (translation predates 1928).
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> AVESTA: VENDIDAD (English): Fargard 15.
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> AVESTA: VENDIDAD (English): Fargard 15. Regarding certain sins and obligations.
> 
> This digital edition prepared by Joseph H. Peterson, 1995; updated Jul 4, 2001.
> 
> Translated by James Darmesteter (From Sacred Books of the East,
> American Edition, 1898.)
> 
> I (1-8). On five sins the commission of which makes the sinner
> a Peshotanu.
> 
> II a (9-12). On unlawful unions and attempts to procure miscarriage.
> 
> II b (13-19). On the obligations of the illegitimate father towards
> the mother and the child.
> 
> III (20-45). On the treatment of a bitch big with young.
> 
> IV (46-51). On the breeding of dogs.
> 
> FARGARD 15. Regarding certain sins and obligations
> 
> I.
> 
> Notes:
> 
> 1. How many are the sins that men commit and that, being committed
> and not confessed, nor atoned for, make their committer a Peshotanu1?
> 
> 1. That is to say: he shall receive two hundred strokes with the
> Aspahe-ashtra or the Sraosho-charana; or pay three hundred istirs.
> 
> 2. Ahura Mazda answered: 'There are five such sins, O holy Zarathushtra!
> It is the first of these sins that men commit when a man teaches
> one of the faithful another faith, another law2, a lower doctrine,
> and he leads him astray with a full knowledge and conscience of
> the sin: the man who has done the deed becomes a Peshotanu.
> 
> 2. The Commentary has, 'that is, a creed that is not ours.'
> 
> 3. 'It is the second of these sins when a man gives bones too
> hard or food too hot to a shepherd's dog or to a house-dog;
> 
> 4. 'If the bones stick in the dog's teeth or stop in his throat;
> or if the food too hot burn his mouth or his tongue, he may come
> to grief thereby; if he come to grief thereby, the man who has
> done the deed becomes a Peshotanu3.
> 
> 3. He who gives too hot food to a dog so as to burn his throat is
> margarzan (guilty of death); he who gives bones to a dog so as
> to tear his throat is margarzan (Gr. Riv. 639).
> 
> 5. 'It is the third of these sins when a man smites a bitch big
> with young or affrights her by running after her, or shouting
> or clapping with the hands;
> 
> 6. 'If the bitch fall into a hole, or a well, or a precipice,
> or a river, or a canal, she may come to grief thereby; if she
> come to grief thereby, the man who has done the deed becomes a
> Peshotanu4.
> 
> 4. If a bitch is big with young [pregnant -JHP] and a man shouts or throws stones
> at her, so that the whelps come to mischief and die, he is margarzan
> (Gr. Riv. 639).
> 
> 7. 'It is the fourth of these sins when a man has intercourse
> with a woman who has the whites or sees the blood, the man that
> has done the deed becomes a Peshotanu5.
> 
> 5. [i.e. during menstruation. -JHP]
> See Vd16.14 seq.
> 
> 8. 'It is the fifth of these sins when a man has intercourse
> with a woman quick with child6, whether the milk has already come
> to her breasts or has not yet come: she may come to grief thereby;
> if she come to grief thereby7, the man who has done the deed becomes
> a Peshotanu.
> 
> 6. When she has been pregnant for four months and ten days, as
> it is then that the child is formed and a soul is added to its
> body (Anquetil II, 563).
> 
> 7. Or better; 'if the child die.' 'If a man come to his wife [during
> her pregnancy] so that she is injured and bring forth a still-born
> child, he is margarzan' (Old Riv. 115 b).
> 
> IIa.
> 
> 9. 'If a man come near unto a damsel, either dependent on the
> chief of the family or not dependent, either delivered [unto a
> husband] or not delivered8, and she conceives by him, let her
> not, being ashamed of the people, produce in herself the menses,
> against the course of nature, by means of water and plants9.
> 
> 8. 'Whether she has a husband in the house of her own parents
> or has none; whether she has entered from the house of her own
> parents into the house of a husband [depending on another chief
> of family] or as not' (Comm.)
> 
> 9. By means of drugs. [i.e. abortion -JHP]
> 
> 10. 'And if the damsel, being ashamed of the people, shall produce
> in herself the menses gainst the course of nature, by means of
> water and plants, it is a fresh sin as heavy [as the first]10.
> 
> 10. 'It is a tanapuhr sin for her: it is sin on sin' (the first
> sin being to have allowed herself to be seduced), Comm. 'If there
> has been no sin in her (if she has been forced), and if a man,
> knowing her shame, wants to take it off her, he shall call together
> her father, mother, sisters, brothers, husband, the servants,
> the menials, and the master and the mistress of the house, and
> he shall say, "This woman is with child by me, and I rejoice
> in it;" and they shall answer, "We know it, and we
> are glad that her shame is taken off her;" and he shall support
> her as a husband does' (Comm.)
> 
> 11. 'If a man come near unto a damsel, either dependent on the
> chief of the family or not dependent, either delivered [unto a
> husband] or not delivered, and she conceives by him, let her not,
> being ashamed of the people, destroy the fruit in her womb.
> 
> 12. 'And if the damsel, being ashamed of the people, shall destroy
> the fruit in her womb, the sin is on both the father and herself,
> the murder is on both the father and herself; both the father
> and herself shall pay the penalty for wilful murder11.
> 
> 11. For baodhô-varshta; see Vd7.38.
> 
> IIb.
> 
> 13. 'If a man come near unto a damsel, either dependent on the
> chief of the family or not dependent, either delivered [unto a
> husband] or not delivered, and she conceives by him, and she says,
> "I have conceived by thee;" and he replies, "Go
> then to the old woman12 and apply to her for one of her drugs,
> that she may procure thee miscarriage;"
> 
> 12. The nurse (Framji) or the midwife.
> 
> 14. 'And the damsel goes to the old woman and applies to her for
> one of her drugs, that she may procure her miscarriage; and the
> old woman brings her some Banga, or Shaeta, a drug that kills
> in the womb or one that expels out of the womb13, or some other
> of the drugs that produce miscarriage and [the man says], "Cause
> thy fruit to perish!" and she causes her fruit to perish;
> the sin is on the head of all three, the man, the damsel, and
> the old woman.
> 
> 13. Banga is bang or mang, a narcotic made from hempseed,
> ahaêta is another sort of narcotic.
> 
> 15. 'If a man come near unto a damsel, either dependent on the
> chief of the family or not dependent, either delivered [unto a
> husband] or not delivered, and she conceives by him, so long shall
> he support her, until the child be born.
> 
> 16. 'If he shall not support her, so that the child comes to grief14,
> for want of proper support, he shall pay for it the penalty for
> wilful murder.'
> 
> 14. And dies.
> 
> 17. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If she be near
> her time, which is the worshipper of Mazda that shall support
> her?
> 
> 18. Ahura Mazda answered: 'If a man come near unto a damsel, either
> dependent on the chief of the family or not dependent, either
> delivered [unto a husband] or not delivered, and she conceives
> by him, so long shall he support her, until the child be born15.
> 
> 15. §18 = § 15.
> 
> 19. 'If he shall not support her16 ....
> 
> 'It lies with the faithful to look in the same way after every
> pregnant female, either two-footed or four-footed, two-footed
> woman or four-footed bitch.'
> 
> 16. The sentence is left unfinished: Framji fills it with the words
> in § 16, 'so that the child,' &c. It seems as if §§
> 17, 18 were not part of the original text, and as if § 17
> were a mere repetition of § 20, which being wrongly interpreted
> as referring to a woman would have brought about the repetition
> of § 15 as an answer. See § 20.
> 
> III.
> 
> 20. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If (a bitch17)
> be near her time, which is the worshipper of Mazda that shall
> support her?
> 
> 17. The subject is wanting in the text: it is supplied from the
> Commentary and from the sense. [i.e. in heat -JHP]
> 
> 21. Ahura Mazda answered: 'He whose house stands nearest, the
> care of supporting her is his18; so long shall he support her,
> until the whelps be born.
> 
> 18. The bitch is lying on the high road: the man whose house has
> its door nearest shall take care of her. If she dies, he shall
> carry her off [to dispose of the body according to the law]. One
> must support her for at least three nights: if one cannot support
> her any longer, one entrusts her to a richer man' (Comm. and Framji).
> 
> 22. 'If he shall not support her, so that the whelps come to grief,
> for want of proper support; he shall pay for it the penalty for
> wilful murder.'
> 
> 23. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a bitch be
> near her time and be lying in a stable for camels, which is the
> worshipper of Mazda that shall support her?
> 
> 24. Ahura Mazda answered: 'He who built the stable for camels
> or whoso holds it19, the care of supporting her is his; so long
> shall he support her, until the whelps be born.
> 
> 19. 'In pledge or for rent' (Framji).
> 
> 25. 'If he shall not support her, so that the whelps come to grief,
> for want of proper support, he shall pay for it the penalty for
> wilful murder.'
> 
> 26. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a bitch be
> near her time and be lying in a stable for horses, which is the
> worshipper of Mazda that shall support her?
> 
> 27. Ahura Mazda answered: 'He who built the stable for horses
> or whoso holds it, the care of supporting her is his; so long
> shall he support her, until the whelps be born.
> 
> 28. 'If he shall not support her, so that the whelps come to grief,
> for want of proper support, he shall pay for it the penalty for
> wilful murder.'
> 
> 29. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a bitch be
> near her time and be lying in a stable for oxen, which is the
> worshipper of Mazda that shall support her?
> 
> 30. Ahura Mazda answered: 'He who built the stable for oxen or
> whoso holds it, the care of supporting her is his; so long shall
> he support her, until the whelps be born.
> 
> 31. 'If he shall not support her, so that the whelps come to grief,
> for want of proper support, he shall pay for it the penalty for
> wilful murder.'
> 
> 32. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a bitch be
> near her time and be lying in a sheep-fold, which is the worshipper
> of Mazda that shall support her?
> 
> 33. Ahura Mazda answered: 'He who built the sheepfold or whoso
> holds it, the care of supporting her is his; so long shall he
> support her, until the whelps be born.
> 
> 34. 'If he shall not support her so that the whelps come to grief,
> for want of proper support, he shall pay for it the penalty for
> wilful murder.'
> 
> 35. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a bitch be
> near her time and be lying on the earth-wall20,
> which is the worshipper of Mazda that shall support her?
> 
> 20. The wall around the house.
> 
> 36. Ahura Mazda answered: 'He who erected the wall or whoso holds
> it, the care of supporting her is his; so long shall he support
> her, until the whelps be born.
> 
> 37. 'If he shall not support her, so that the whelps come to grief,
> for want of proper support, he shall pay for it the penalty for
> wilful murder.'
> 
> 38. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a bitch be
> near her time and be lying in the moat21, which is the worshipper
> of Mazda that shall support her?
> 
> 21. The moat before the earth-wall.
> 
> 39. Ahura Mazda answered: 'He who dug the moat or whoso holds
> it, the care of supporting her is his; so long shall he support
> her, until the whelps be born.
> 
> 40. 'If he shall not support her, so that the whelps come to grief,
> for want of proper support, he shall pay for it the penalty for
> wilful murder.'
> 
> 41. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If a bitch be
> near her time and be lying in the middle of a pasture-field, which
> is the worshipper of Mazda that shall support her?
> 
> 42. Ahura Mazda answered: 'He who sowed the pasture-field or whoso
> holds it, the care of supporting her is his; [so long shall he
> support her, until the whelps be bo If he shall not support her,
> so that the whelps come to grief, for want of proper support,
> he shall pay for it the penalty for wilful murder.]
> 
> 43. 'He shall take her to rest upon a litter of nemovanta or of
> any foliage fit for a litter; so long shall he support her, until
> the young dogs are capable of self-defence and self-subsistence.'
> 
> 44. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! When are the
> dogs capable of self-defence and self-subsistence?
> 
> 45. Ahura Mazda answered: 'When they
> are able to run about in a circuit of twice seven
> houses around22. Then they may be let loose,
> whether it be winter or summer.
> 
> 'Young dogs ought to be supported for six
> months23, children for seven years24.
> 
> 'Atar25, the son of Ahura Mazda, watches as well
> (over a pregnant bitch) as he does over a woman.'
> 
> 22. Probably the distance of one yujyeshti; see Vd8.17.
> 
> 23. Catulos sex mensibus primis dum corrohorentur emitti non
> oportet... (Columella, De re agraria, VII, 12).
> 
> 24. The age when they are invested with the kusti and sudre, and
> become members of the Zoroastrian community.
> 
> 25. 'When a woman becomes pregnant in a house, it is necessary to
> make an endeavor so that there may be a continual fire in that
> house, and to maintain a good watch over it. And, when the child
> becomes separate from the mother, it is necessary to burn a lamp
> for three nights and days -- if they burn a fire it would be better -- so
> that the demons and fiends may not be able to do any damage and
> harm; because, when a child is born, it is exceedingly delicate
> for those three days'
> (Saddar 16; West,
> Pahlavi Texts, III, 277).
> 
> IV.
> 
> 46. O Maker of the material world, thou Holy One! If worshippers
> of Mazda want to have a bitch so covered that the offspring shall
> be one of a strong nature, what shall they do?
> 
> 47. Ahura Mazda answered: 'They shall dig a hole in the earth,
> in the middle of the fold half a foot deep if the earth be hard,
> half the height of a man if the earth be soft.
> 
> 48. 'They shall first tie up [the bitch] there, far from children
> and from the Fire, the son of Ahura Mazda26, and they shall watch
> by her until a dog comes there from anywhere; then another again,
> and then a third again27, each being kept apart from the former,
> lest they should assail one another.
> 
> 26. 'From children, lest she shall bite them; from the fire, lest
> it shall hurt her' (Comm.)
> 
> 27. Cf. Justinus III, 4: maturiorem futuram conceptionem rati, si
> eam singulae per plures viros experirentur.
> 
> 49.28 'The bitch being thus covered by three dogs, grows big with
> young, and the milk comes to her teats and she brings forth a
> young one that is born from several dogs.'
> 
> 28. The text of this and the following clause is corrupt, and the
> meaning is doubtful.
> 
> 50. If a man smite a bitch who has been covered by three dogs,
> and who has already milk, and who shall bring forth a young one
> born from several dogs, what is the penalty that he shall pay?
> 
> 51. Ahura Mazda answered: 'Seven hundred stripes with the Aspahe-astra,
> seven hundred stripes with the Sraosho-charana.'
> 
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> — *Vendidad — Chapter 15 — L.H. Mills / James Darmesteter (1880-1887) (Public domain (Sacred Books of the East, 1880-1887))*