Book of God's Word

So Asha, being converted, gave up all he had on earth, and went and lived with the poor, carrying the alms-bowl for one year, preaching and praying for the poor. And it came to pass that at the end of the year he had thousands of followers.

And he built altars for them, teaching them to worship the Creator; to restore the mark of circumcision; to be upright before men; to labor for the helpless and distressed, and to not do to any man that which they desire not to be done to themselves.

And these people took the name of Zarathustrians, in contradistinction to the Par’si’e’ans. Nevertheless, they were the I’huan race, and the Ghans.

And because of their religion, they could not own property, neither houses, nor lands, nor cattle, nor beasts of burden. Many of them gave themselves into servitude to the Par’si’e’ans, but many of them lived on the contributions brought by converts who had owned great possessions.

Now it so turned out, that when Asha abdicated the throne, there were many aspirants to take his place, and the COUNCIL OF THE SUN was puzzled over whom to select, so peace would remain in Oas; but they finally made Hi’ya’tseing king, because he was a great warrior, having bestowed the city’s walls and gates with more than ten thousand skulls, from the refractory tribes adjacent.

Hi’ya’tseing assumed the titles of his predecessors, chief of which were KING OF THE SUN, KING OF KINGS, and KING OF OAS, the central city of all the world; and sent his proclamations to the chief cities of Jaffeth, Shem and Ham, commanding that earth, water and fruit be sent to him from every place under the sun. And he stipulated certain presents that must be sent to him every year, among which were thousands of subjects (slaves).

Hi’ya’tseing was a man of great learning, and had traveled far and near. He knew the people and lands of the earth, and the different products of the different lands, and the number of peoples in the great cities of the world, and the number of warriors belonging to the different sub-kings under him. Besides these things he knew the stars and their places, and the constellations of cows, horses, bulls, bears, lions, fishes, and serpents, even as they had been taught in the Hyartien period among the ancients.

Hi’ya’tseing said: The Fete has made me king of the world; hence, it is right that I am king. He said: It is evident, because Asha abdicated the throne, that man must have a religion. Because I know all the rites and ceremonies of the ancients, I will give man a religion on my own account. Because Asha commanded the Zarathustrian religion to the far-off kingdoms, then Asha and Zarathustra are my enemies. Let my officers arrest Asha and Zarathustra and bring them before me. I will make an example of them.

And on the day that Asha was arrested, behold, the year of his carrying the alms-bowl was ended. Asha and Hi’ya’tseing had known each other for many years. When Asha was before the king, he said: I have nothing in this world; why, then, have you arrested me? The king said: Because you gave away your possessions, you are the most dangerous of men. I have decreed you to be put to death. Are you prepared?

Asha said: Yes, O king. And yet, because of our long acquaintance, I ask of you one favor, which is, that I be put to death according to the Panic rites, which were before the flood. And if, by chance, it is proved to you there is a God with power to release me, and he does it, then your hand shall not be raised against me? The king said: Your request is granted.

Accordingly, a wheel of uh’ga was built and Asha was bound upon it, the king having appointed a guard to watch him till he would die. But because of the king’s fear that the test might be tampered with, he caused the yogernot to be set up in his private piazza, with the uh’ga facing the Gate of Lions, so that his private attendants could also watch.

Great was the wailing and crying of the people when it was known that Asha had been decreed to death. The city of Oas became like a house of mourning and madness, and it was divided against itself, some for Asha and some for the king.

Because Asha was old, and being in view of the king all day, the king repented, but he had no power under the laws to set aside his own decree. And when the sun went down, the king went before Asha, saying: Behold, you have been on the wheel for six hours, and yet your God has not come to release you. This is a great torture, and I weep for you. If you will, therefore, slay yourself with a sword, I will have you taken down.

Asha said: I declare to you, O king, I have no pain. Whether it is my madness, or whether it is because the Gods favor me, what does it matter, since I do not suffer? Nor do I have a right to slay myself, since I did not create myself alive. Moreover, if it is the will of my Creator, Ormazd, that I die on the wheel, then it is just. If it is not His will, then He will release me. Therefore, O king, I am content.

The king said: This indifference comes from madness. And your madness has affected the City of the Sun. Have your way, then, and die!

The king returned into his palace, but the next morning he came again, making the same proposal, and receiving similar answers. And at night he came again, repeating his offer, and again being refused, he resolved to come no more.

Now on the night of the third day, Asha felt the power of I’hua’Mazda coming upon him, and he said to the guard: Behold, this night I shall be released! Make certain, therefore, that the thongs are well fastened. For, if it turns out that the Father releases me, then you will stand before the king accused of conniving at my release. Accordingly, the guard re-examined the fastenings, and sent word to the king of what Asha had said. And the king replied: No, if he is released, then I will know of a truth there is a God; nor shall one man of my guardsmen stand accused.

This they told to Asha, and Asha said: I say to you, not only one shall stand accused, but all of you. And there were one hundred of them, being two watches of fifty each; but it being the change of watch, they all heard, and they laughed in derision.

And behold, in that same moment, the thongs fell off, and I’hua’Mazda delivered Asha down from the uh’ga. And the spirit of I’hua’Mazda was in Asha, nor was Asha himself, though conscious of the things done through him.

I’hua’Mazda said: Go and say to the king: Behold, Asha is delivered by the power of his God. Then the guardsmen said: It is not morning; the king sleeps.

I’hua’Mazda said: I say to you, the king is not sleeping, but is joyful from drinking wine with his courtiers. They went then and told the king, finding that, in truth, he was not asleep. And the king commanded them to bring Asha before him, which they did.

Hi’ya’tseing said: What profit do my guardsmen have in releasing this old man? Behold, it has been said that you, Asha, had gold and silver hidden away. I know now it is true, for you bribed these guardsmen to set you free. For that reason, every man of these guardsmen shall be put to death, and their skulls mounted on the walls of Oas, and their skins tanned for leather. Away with them, you marshals; bind them till the rising sun, and at that hour hew off their heads, as I have decreed.

And now as for you, you old hypocrite and destroyer of liberty! What do you say?

Asha said: According to your promise I should now be free. There was no stipulation in your decree that I could not bribe your guardsmen. Behold, then, my wisdom! Have I not revealed to you that you cannot trust any man?

The king said: You are the wisest of men. I had hoped to hear you say your God released you, in which case I had here twelve swordsmen ready to hew off your head. But because you have shown me great craft, you shall live for a season, but only on the condition that you shall leave Oas and never return.

Then I’hua’Mazda spoke through Asha, saying: You have decreed the guardsmen to death at sunrise! Now I declare to you, O king, not one of them shall die as you have decreed. But I, I’hua’Mazda, will deliver them. Do not think that I am Asha; I am not Asha, but a spirit, the God of the I’huans. Nor will I spirit away your guardsmen by a miracle, but I will deliver them by natural means, and thus show you that I am mightier than all kings.

The king said: It cannot be that there are Gods or spirits. Is man’s judgment nothing? These things were suited to the dark ages. They frightened men to justice, and as such served a purpose. But in this enlightened age man shall know justice and wisdom by himself.

While the king was speaking, I’hua’Mazda caused the attending spirits to assume mortal form by the curtains of Arizzi, behind the king, and they made a noise, so that the king turned to look, and lo and behold, he saw them. He feared, thinking they were evil persons concealed, and he said: Robbers! Murderers! And he drew his sword and thrust at them; but they vanished! He said:

Truly you are a devil, O Asha! And he thrust his sword at Asha, but it fell from the handle. He said: You Fetes! Kill him! Kill him! And while he was thus confused, Asha walked forth out of the palace, nor would the king’s guards lay hands on him.