Chapter 18
In the next morning, at sunrise, God spoke again to Brahma, saying:
Consider the fruit of the earth, and the pasturage in the fields. The male and the female feed on the same grass; yet one yields milk, and the other is for the yoke; neither can any man change these creations.
What man shall say to another: Feed on this, or on that? || But they take those who are born in darkness, and raise up priests! The food for the flesh, or even fasting, cannot bring su’is. The air warms the earth, and not the earth the air. The spirit enlightens the corporeal part, and not the corporeal part the spirit.
Light is the freedom of all; to know this is the beginning of wisdom. Nevertheless, without suffering, some who are bound would not know they are bound, or, if knowing, would not desire freedom.
|| At this time, Hog, the youngest born, was greatly moved, and so God bade him speak.
Hog said: O if only I could believe these things! O if only I could see! O if only I could hear! O the misery of my darkness! O the horrors of the suspense of not knowing a matter! Bitter is my soul, and full of anguish! O the madness of this hour upon me!
How, O Wisdom, did You forget the time of my begetting, to let me spring up as an offensive weed in such a garden of paradise! ||
And he bowed his head and wept; and then Yu-tiv, his mother, who had brought him forth, spoke, saying: I perceive Your light, O Father, but I cannot bear it. You unlocked my members to bring forth these seven Gods! Never has woman on the whole earth brought forth so rich a harvest; but yet my soul is tortured to its very center! O if only the light of my soul could be transferred to this God among men! And she also wept.
Now spoke Sa-it, saying: I am nearest born to you, O my sweet brother, Hog,. No love lies as fondly to you as mine. And as to you, Yu-tiv, my Goddess mother, you have most wisely named me ABUNDANT. For in our love, Ormazd has provided us equal to the highest of Gods. Because I have witnessed that this purest and best of brothers cannot see spiritually, my soul is mellowed toward all the world. Yes, my outstretched arms shall receive the darkest of men, and my soul shall go up in praise of Ormazd forever!
Oos spoke next; he said: Most wisely I am named SPACE; for it has pleased Ormazd to show me the breadth of His Creations. What belief or unbelief is there that He has not provided a glory for it! Because my sweet brother, Hog, has been thus blessed with darkness, he shall be guardian to me in earthly wisdom all my days. In my faith I know it is well with him; yet in my love I wish he could see as we all see!
Then spoke Git-un, whose name signified TIME. He said: Behold, I am the fourth born, and, as it were, in the middle. Whose love is so delightfully hedged around as mine is! Who is so surrounded by the Light of heaven and earth! At one end behold my father, God among men; the very voice of heaven and earth; interpreter of the Creator’s words! At the other end, the best, sweetest brother ever created on the earth, with all the wisdom of men and angels. O the glory of this hour! O the delight to be with these Gods, and with Yu-tiv, Goddess among women!
Then Vus, the second born, spoke. He said: How shall I glorify You, O Ormazd, and not glorify myself! I am full to overflowing with delight for the love of these, my brothers and father, very Gods! But for Yu-tiv I have more than love. I perceive through my own sweet mother how the different castes of men are made! O mother, how very near the Creator dwells such a righteous woman!
Whe-ish said: To keep one’s thoughts and desires ever high; would this not deliver the world? Vede said: To know the truth and ever speak it in love and kindness, would this not deliver the world and establish Ormazd?
Brahma now woke from his trance, and he spoke, saying: To find the Father; to know Him; to reveal Him; these are all, and for His glory only.
Now God spoke again, saying: Wiser than all the rest is Brahma. Who of you all has not spoken of himself or herself? Who has uttered a word of praise or of thanks, and left out self? Judge, then, what is required of men so that my spirit may find utterance through their lips.
Then the Voice departed for that day; and the angel of God appeared in the door, so all except Hog could see him. The angel said: Come at midnight and sit in the sacred circle in the grove of Ebon so that you may see the spirits of the intermediate world. We will appear in sar’gis.
Hog did not hear the angel, but the others told him what the angel said. Accordingly, at midnight they sat in circle in the grove of Ebon.