How far from the fire?  How far from the water?  How far from the consecrated bundles of Baresma?  How far from the faithful?

Ahura Mazda answered:—­

“Thirty paces from the fire, thirty paces from the water, thirty paces from the consecrated bundles of Baresma, three paces from the faithful.  Then thou shalt dig a hole, two fingers deep if the summer has come, four fingers deep if the winter and ice have come.”  How far from one another?  “One pace.”  How much is the pace?  “As much as three feet.  Then thou shalt dig three holes more, two fingers deep if the summer has come, four fingers deep if the winter and ice have come.”  How far from the former six?  “Three paces.”  What sort of paces?  “Such as are taken in walking.”  How much are those three paces?  “As much as nine feet.  Then thou shalt draw a furrow all around with a metal knife.  Then thou shalt draw twelve furrows; three of which thou shalt draw to surround and divide from the rest the first three holes; three thou shalt draw to surround and divide the first six holes; three thou shalt draw to surround and divide the nine holes; three thou shalt draw around the three inferior holes, outside the six other holes.  At each of the three times nine feet, thou shalt place stones as steps to the holes; or potsherds, or stumps, or clods, or any hard matter.  Then the man defiled shall walk to the holes; thou, O Zarathustra! shalt stand outside by the furrow, and thou shalt recite, ‘Nemaska ya armaitis izaka’; and the man defiled shall repeat, ‘Nemaska ya armaitis izaka.’  The Drug becomes weaker and weaker at every one of those words which are a weapon to smite the fiend Angra Mainyu, to smite Aeshma of the murderous spear, to smite the Mazainya fiends, to smite all the fiends.  Then thou shalt take for the gomez a spoon of brass or of lead.  When thou takest a stick with nine knots, O Spitama Zarathustra! to sprinkle the gomez from that spoon, thou shalt fasten the spoon to the end of the stick.  They shall wash his hands first.  If his hands be not washed first, he makes his whole body unclean.  When he has washed his hands three times, after his hands have been washed, thou shalt sprinkle the forepart of his skull; then the Drug Nasu rushes in front, between his brows.  Thou shalt sprinkle him in front between the brows; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the back part of the skull.  Thou shalt sprinkle the back part of the skull; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the jaws.  Thou shalt sprinkle the jaws; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right ear.  Thou shalt sprinkle the right ear; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left ear.  Thou shalt sprinkle the left ear; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right shoulder.  Thou shalt sprinkle the right shoulder; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left shoulder.  Thou shalt sprinkle the left shoulder; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the right arm-pit.  Thou shalt sprinkle the right arm-pit; then the Drug Nasu rushes upon the left arm-pit.