Chapter 20
Because of the destruction of Tse’gow, there were hundreds of thousands of people rendered homeless and destitute, and groups were surging about, crying out for food, or for some needful thing. I’hua’Mazda said to Zarathustra, the All Pure: The ill-fortune of mortals is the good fortune of the righteous Gods; but the good fortune of mortals is the glory of the evil Gods. Do not think because Tse’gow is burned, and the people hungry, that the Voice of the Father is out of place. Now is the time they will listen. By the loss of earthly treasures, the soul seeks for that which will endure forever.
Go, therefore, O Zarathustra, and I will go with you; and criers shall be sent out, calling the people to the valley of Tsoak’ya tonight.
So it came about, when night set in, that Zarathustra came before the people, and there were tens of thousands of them. I’hua’Mazda spoke to them, explaining the Ormazdian law.
When he was done speaking, Zarathustra took Hi’ti’us, the king’s widow; her children, and forty others, and made a crescent of them; and he stood between its horns. And to his left and right were many of his companions. Thus prepared, Zarathustra sang a song, which the I’hins had taught him in his youth.
And the drujas were ushered into the crescent, taking on sar’gis, the king among them. And the spirit of the king was softened, for they sang peace to his soul and joy forever; and presently, he awoke from his craziness, and remembered he was dead; and he rejoiced in Zarathustra, and applauded him before all the people. And likewise the spirits of darkness who were with him did the same.
Zarathustra said: Behold, I have not come in a dark age. You shall not worship any man born of woman, nor call him sacred. One only shall you worship, Who is Ormazd, the Creator, and Master over all the world. Hear now my voice to Him!
Zarathustra stretched his arms upward, full of energy, and I’hua’Mazda spoke through him, saying: Light of Light, O Father, hear Your Son! With Your Almighty Hand bless these faithful sufferers! || Hardly had these words been spoken, when there fell from the air above, fish, fruit, grains, roots, and all things good to eat, more than enough to feed the famished people for three days; and there were more than thirty thousand of them.
And all the while the sar’gis of the king looked on, and saw what had been done; and he cried out with a loud voice: Blessed are You, O Ormazd! O if only I had known You! If only I had sought to find You! || Hi’ti’us, my wife! And my blessed babes! Swear to the king, you will proclaim the I’hua’Mazdian law, forever! Swear it! Give me joy! Swear! Swear! Swear!
Then Hi’ti’us and the children held up their hands as directed by I’hua’Mazda, swearing a solemn oath to maintain the love of Ormazd and the Zarathustrian law, forever. After these, there came thousands and thousands of others, who also swore in the same way. I’hua’Mazda then took away the sar’gis, and the spirits could no longer be seen by mortals.