Chapter 25
Zarathustra, the All Pure, divided the people, leading his followers away from the others, taking them into good places of delight. After that, he looked back with compassion, and he said to I’hua’Mazda:
What about those who will not accept the Ormazdian law? I’hua’Mazda answered him, saying: Behold, your arms are full! Let the dead have dominion with the dead. Not only this generation, but many that come after you, will not be alive to the Ormazdian law.
Zarathustra apportioned his people into cities, villages and families, but over all of them he appointed Yus’avak as Chief, one of his companions who came with him from Oas.
And when Yus’avak was established, Zarathustra and his companions traveled farther, and came to the city of Ne’ki’ro, kingdom of Aboatha, king of twelve generations through his forefathers, whose title was, ABOATHA, SON OF UZZA, SON OF NIMROD, SON OF THE HOUSE OF TUS’IANG, WHO WAS DESCENDED FROM BEFORE THE WORLD WAS!
Ne’ki’ro was a walled city, but the Zarathustrians gained entrance without paying tribute, because the law thus favored strangers. Aboatha, in his youth, had traveled among the Par’si’e’ans, and knew the language; and when Zarathustra was before him, speaking in the Oas’an tongue, the king inquired his business, and how long he intended to stay, adding that he, Aboatha, had received the tablets of the Ormazdian law, with the interpretations, from the King of the Sun, Asha; and that he had desired to see Zarathustra.
Zarathustra said: I came to establish the Ormazdian law. In the name of the All Light I will blunt the edge of the sword and the spear. Until I have fulfilled the commandments upon me, I shall remain within your city. I come in the Person of I’hua’Mazda to address things you have read in the holy book.
The king said: My city is not large; yet I have more scalps and skulls, for the size of my city, than any other king in the world. But know, O man, I am a philosopher. Many of my people are also learned people. Hear me, then, and if you have a greater philosophy than I have, I will not only bequeath to you the public skulls and scalps, to be your treasures forever, but I will also give my skull and scalp into your hand, as the most valuable treasure in the Jaffeth’an empire.
Zarathustra said: Though you set great value on skulls and scalps, because they are the product of labor, yet they are of no value to me, or to the Father in heaven. Neither have I any philosophy for you, nor for the Father’s begotten. To accept His will; to be servant to Him, by doing good to others, comprise the whole of the law, by which all men may be made to rejoice in their creation.
The king said: Do not think I am like other men. I am not like other men. At the start of all things, there were SEVEN and NINE things. I was one of them. By division, we created all there is in heaven and earth. I have divided myself seven thousand and seven millions, and nine thousand and nine millions of times. One-seventh and one-ninth of all there are of created things is my very self. Tell me, then, have you as great a philosophy as this?
Zarathustra said: O the folly of men before You, O Ormazd! They run after that which flatters self, seeing their fellows going down in death, and they do not raise their hands to lift them up! I tell you, O king, your poorest slave that brings out of the earth food for two men, has a greater philosophy than yours! He who can rule over his own self-conceit, who does not speak of himself, gives a better philosophy of himself than you have. He who has not yet risen from his mother’s breast, has more treasures to give than you have obtained with all your philosophy. Before three days have passed by, the city’s skulls and scalps will be burned to dust. Nor will your philosophy help you to stop the hand of I’hua’Mazda.
The king said: Do you propose to battle my army with this handful of men? Zarathustra said: I have spoken. There is no value in discoursing with any man who has an opinion to establish, nor is man’s opinion of value to raise up the souls of men. Bring, therefore, your army, and command them to fall upon me and mine!
The king said: You have no weapons; do not think that I battle with men who use their tongues, like women!
Zarathustra said: Why boast? Your soldiers will turn and flee when you bring them against me!
The king turned away then, and ordered his officers to bring soldiers to dispatch Zarathustra and his companions, and to hang their skulls and scalps on the walls. Zarathustra and his companions went into the king’s garden, and formed in an altar. When the sun had set, and evening came, the king’s soldiers, more than ten thousand, came upon them.
I’hua’Mazda had great power, because of Zarathustra’s faith, and he spoke with a loud voice, saying: Light of Your Light, O Ormazd! Build me here a wall of fire! And behold, there fell from heaven curtains of fire, till a great wall stood between the two peoples; nor would any soldier throw a spear or sling a stone; and many of them broke and fled.
When the king saw Zarathustra’s power, he feared for his kingdom; and being undecided about what course to pursue, he went into his palace. Then Zarathustra and his companions came out of the garden, but the light extended up above Zarathustra’s head like a pillar of fire. I’hua’Mazda spoke to some who were nearest, saying:
Run quickly and call the soldiers back, saying to them they shall be my soldiers, and I will give them the weapons of the Creator. So the messengers ran and brought many of them back. I’hua’Mazda commanded them to gather the skulls and scalps from the city walls, and from the gates, and go and burn them; and the soldiers did these things.
The next day after they were consumed, I’hua’Mazda began to preach, explaining the Ormazdian law; and he gained many followers. The king had tried by all means to gather his soldiers together, but no one obeyed him. After that, Zarathustra went to him, saying: If you are one-seventh and one-ninth of all things, who do you think I am?
The king said: They say you are a very Creator! But, in my opinion, you are only a magician. You cannot do anything real; which is why I was hoping you would come before me. Know, then, your end has come! With that, the king struck at Zarathustra; but the king’s sword was broken into pieces, and had no effect.
The king had two trained cheetahs, large as the largest lions, and he ordered them to be set loose upon Zarathustra. And it was done; but, lo and behold, the cheetahs came and licked his hands. But the king was hardened, and would not believe. I’hua’Mazda called the king to come near.
When the king approached, I’hua’Mazda said to him: I am not your enemy, but the enemy of evil; I have not come to take your kingdom. In a few days I shall leave this place. So, your kingdom would be worthless to me. And yet I come to establish another kingdom, which is the Father’s. I come to overthrow sin and wickedness, and to build up that which is good. And in doing that, it shall be known among men that the soul is immortal.
I would rather see you and your people alive and full of joy, than to see them dead. You have said you understand the Ormazdian law; perceiving there is also a king’s law.
The king’s laws are for the earth-world; to punish the wicked and reward the valorous; the Ormazdian law is for the Zarathustrians, who need no kings. Your subjects are for war and plunder; but the subjects of the Great Spirit are for doing good, and in love and mercy. And have I not shown you that the Ormazdian laws are the stronger of the two? Yes, a hundred times stronger. It would be wiser for you to espouse the stronger law. You have gathered certain treasures, boasting of your treasures’ value. Because you have made a law of exchange for skulls and scalps; what have you achieved? Have you in fact made them valuable? Because a man brings a skull to you, you give him bread; does that make the skulls valuable? Now I declare to you, values consist not in the rate of exchange between men. Shall a man gather a heap of stones, and say: Behold, they are valuable! Or iron, gold, or copper, and say: Behold, they are valuable! Or say: A piece of bread is valuable, or flax, or wool?
Because man has set value on things not valuable, he builds in falsehood and death. Ormazd alone is valuable; the man who has the most All Light, has the greatest valuables. For by the Light of the Father all righteous things can be obtained easily. || While I’hua’Mazda was yet speaking, the spirit of Zarathustra went abroad, and, with ten thousand other spirits, brought fish and fruit, and let them fall to the ground. The people ran and gathered them up for food. || The king made no reply at first, for he was encompassed with evil spirits, who were angered with I’hua’Mazda and his proceedings. Presently the king said:
Because I am transcended by you, it is no longer useful for me to live. With that, he cut his belly across, and fell dead. And Zarathustra commanded that the king’s body be laid straight for three days; and it was done; and thousands of people came to look upon the king, to witness that he was dead. And they saw that, in fact, the bowels were gushed out of the wound, and that there was no breath in him.
So I’hua’Mazda suffered the spirit of the king to live three days in torments, and then he called his disciples around him, saying: Now I will raise the king to life, and it shall be testimony in Jaffeth.
And Zarathustra pushed the bowels back into the belly, and drew it shut, saying: In Your name, O Father, I heal this man’s body, as a testimony of Your Wisdom and Power! And when Zarathustra had drawn his hand over the belly twice, it was healed. And then Zarathustra said: O Father, as by Your spirit You quickened into life this, Your child, in his mother’s womb, restore him now to life!
And the king was healed, and restored to life before the people; he awoke, looked around, and then rose up. He said: Even now I was dead and in hell, and I saw millions of the dead, and they were in hell also. And there went up around them fires of burning brimstone, and none could escape.