Chapter 20
On the next morning, at sunrise, Ormazd spoke again through Brahma, and Vede wrote down the words; and on the succeeding morning, the same; and so it continued for forty days; and in forty days, behold, the Veda was completed; the holy words of Brahma were written.
God said to Brahma: Go now, and preach my gospel to whoever will listen, proclaiming liberty to all who will follow you. I will be with you to the end. And you shall take Yu-tiv, your wife, and all your sons with you, even Hog, the youngest born.
So Brahma went forth preaching by day, and exhibiting the spirits of the dead by night. But to the chosen he spoke at dawn, in the early morning, the time the All Light was upon him. And his sons also preached and explained; and Yu-tiv explained to all women how it was with her when pregnant with her sons. Only Hog did not preach; nor did he open his mouth before the populace as to his unbelief. In his soul he said: These things may be true, and if they are true, it is well. If they are not true, still, the believing of them, by the populace, works righteousness and goodness. With all my philosophy, I cannot move the multitude to righteousness. But my father makes them like a flock of sheep; they cease from evil, and they practice good fellowship. Therefore, I will stand by my father to the end.
When Brahma came near a city, he halted outside the walls because there, according to law, the kings could not restrain his speech. And the multitude came out of the city to hear him, and many did not return, preferring to remain with Brahma and his sons in their camp. And when Brahma moved to another city they went with him. And in a little while the hosts of Brahma were as an army of thousands.
And not a few of them were men and women of wealth, and they cast their treasures at Brahma’s feet, saying: Take this trash, and give me of everlasting life instead. || But men of learning did not come to Brahma; nor did the priests, kings, magicians, or consulters of oracles.
God said: Take your hosts and establish them in families of tens, and of twenties, hundreds, and thousands, and give a head father to each and every family. And your people shall be a people to themselves, having nothing in common with the kings’ peoples.
Behold, my angel will go with you, and show you the wastelands, those that the kings’ peoples do not desire; and you and your people shall possess the lands and dwell together in love and wisdom, doing good to one another.
So Brahma did as commanded, and he established the mountains of Roam, and the valleys in the mountains of Roam; and his people dwelt there, being six thousand eight hundred and twenty, men, women and children.
And there came to Brahma a certain captain-general of the army of King Syaythaha, of the West Kingdom of Vind’yu, in which lay the city of Gowschamgamrammus, of a million inhabitants, and he said to Brahma:
In the name of the king, mightiest of men, Syaythaha, I am before you, O Brahma. Behold, the king sends you gold, silver and copper, saying: Brahma is good! Brahma shall give me the blessing of heaven!
Brahma answered the captain-general, saying: Brahma salutes the king, mightiest of men, Syaythaha, in the name of Ormazd, the Creator, in love and in these wise words that come to the soul of Brahma. Brahma sends the king’s servant, who is the captain-general, back to the king, with his gold, silver and copper, saying: Deal with your Creator and not with men! The Great Spirit holds all blessings in His own hands. Give Him your treasures!
The captain-general departed and returned with his gold, silver and copper to the king, and told the king Brahma’s words. The king was pleased with the wisdom of Brahma, but also felt rebuked and sore at heart. So Ormazd allowed satan to possess the king for a season; and the king resolved to destroy Brahma and all his people. And he commanded the captain-general to assemble together fifty thousand men, with arms, ready for battle. And when they were thus prepared, and started on their journey, which would require seven days, the king thought to inquire of the oracle as to his best mode of success.
Now the angel of God had taken possession of the oracle, but the magi did not know it, nor did Syaythaha. So the king came before the sand table, and the spirit wrote these words: He who has become one with Ormazd is mightier than an army. Take off your crown, O king, mightiest of men, and your golden robes, and all that is fine and fair to look upon, and clothe yourself in the poorest of garments, like a druk who wanders about. But your crown and your costly robes, and your raiment, fine and fair to look upon, put them on your body servant. And the pair of you shall go in advance of the army, as you come before Brahma.
And you shall witness that man who professes to labor for the poor, fall on his belly before the man of riches and power. And behold, O king, you shall feel justified in destroying him who falls before the crown and robes, knowing he is a hypocrite.
The king was pleased with this, and he fulfilled all that was commanded by the oracle; and when he came near Brahma’s camp, a man came before the king’s servant, saying: Behold, O king, command me as you will! And he prostrated himself on the ground before the king’s servant. At which the king, dressed as a druk, came to him and said: Who are you? And the man answered: Be gone, beggar! My matter is with the king! (For he mistook which was which.)
The king ordered the man to be seized and taken away and put to death; and the advance guard fell upon the man and slew him with war clubs. And when the man was quite dead, behold, Brahma came, and the king did not know him, nor did any of his advance guard. And Vus and Whe-ish were with their father, and the three came and stood by the dead man. Brahma then took the king’s hand, saying: You, dressed in the garb of a druk, come here, for you have flesh and blood toward holiness. Lay one hand on the dead man; put your other hand on my head, for I will prove Ormazd before your eyes. Behold, you who have tried to kill Brahma, killed another person!
And when the king’s hands were placed, Brahma stood by the head of the dead man, and his two sons by the heart; and Brahma said: In Your name, O Ormazd, and by Your power in me, return to life, O man! And arise! Arise! Arise!
And behold, the man was brought to life, and rose up and stood before the multitude.
The king trembled with fear, and the guard stood aback, amazed. And as for the servant arrayed in the king’s garb, he cast aside the crown and robes, and fled into the forest.
Brahma said to the king: Here stands the angel of Ormazd, and the angel says you are the king in disguise, and, moreover, that he, the angel, commanded you here for this purpose, saying to you in the oracle: He who has become one with Ormazd is mightier than an army!
The king said: This is true. I swear before You, O Ormazd, from this time forward I will wear such garments as these I have on, and my life shall be given to Your service. Let who will, take my kingdom and all I called mine.
So Syaythaha joined Brahma’s hosts; and with Syaythaha came his brothers and their sons and daughters. And those who came, cast into a heap whatever goods or moneys they had, and the head fathers of the families divided and distributed the same according to their best wisdom. And Brahma’s people, by commandment of Brahma, called themselves not Brahmans, but Vedans, that is, Truth-followers.
In those days the language of the kings of Vind’yu, and of men of learning, was All-ao, signifying, OUT OF ALL THAT IS GOOD. But the Vedans were the unlearned, and their language was imperfect, and had many meanings for every spoken and written word.
And God foresaw the liability to corruption of the Brahman religion, and he spoke to Brahma, saying: Behold, I have given you seven sons, six of light and one of darkness. Your six sons of light shall each establish a school among my chosen, and teach my scriptures by word of mouth. And all who afterward become rab’bahs shall be capable of repeating every word of the Veda by heart. And if, in later times, the plates and the books of my holy religion are destroyed by war, it will not matter. The substance of your labors shall live.
Then Brahma’s sons did as commanded, each and every one becoming a teacher. And again God spoke to Brahma, saying: Arise, and go where my angel will lead you, taking your wife and your son Hog, with you. And you shall travel from place to place for two years, and then return here, for your labor will be completed.