These are the fore-races of Brahma: Gons, Shone, Gamma, This, Ram, Zerl, Mex, Shriv, Vat, Eun and Delta, each a thousand years. Of Gamma and Delta, in the upper country (Wa-wa-o-gan), were born Gu-sem and Hagu by Gamma; and by Delta: Yots, Rammus, Borgl, Otesiv and Riv. Gamma was of the fourth descent of Git-ow; and Delta the third descent of E‘wangga, I‘hins from the land of Jaffeth.
The ascending caste of light in the lower country (Ho-jon-da-tivi) was by Ram, first; then Zerl, I‘hin migrants from the land of Ham; then Shriv, then Vat, then Gons and Eun, the half-breed druks; then Shone, and then This.
Jehovih, Who was called Ormazd by the Brahmans, sent His light to the earth world once for every hundred generations. And the light fell upon His Sons, prepared from before their births by the angels of Ormazd. In the times before the submersion of Pan, each cycle was called one man, and the length of his life three thousand years.
But for the times after the flood, Ormazd commanded the nations of the earth to be rated as a man, and it was so. Ormazd said: So that man will not be confounded, you shall count Osiris with the generations that do not believe, except in the sun; but of the Zarathustrians, their number shall be those who survived in the darkness of his cycle.
Which were: Zarathustra from the races of Shone and This; and of Zarathustra, Haman; of Haman, Wonchakaka, who begot Zoar, who begot Theo, who begot Andassah, who begot Mur, who begot Romsat; these were tribes of the Zarathustrian order, who rejected idols, Lords, Gods, Saviors, kings, queens, and all other rulers on the earth or in the heavens above the earth, except Ormazd, the Creator. And had faith in Him that to do righteously, and practice good works, made the best, nearest perfect man.
The Light by the Voice was lost in the sixth hundredth year after Zarathustra, but regained in Romsat by the I‘hins, from whom came the tribe Lo-jon, who begot Thonegala-hogreif, who begot Subinij, and from him to Wowthutchi-subinij, which were forty-four generations, in which the Voice always came to the chief rab‘bah.
In Chusa-king the Voice was lost, but again restored by the I‘hins, whose heirs were called Wah-sin-chung, who begot Avar, who begot Irigavagna, who begot Ben-haoma, from whom was descended thirty generations, the chief rab‘bah of whom could hear the Voice.
Ben-haoma counted the Faithists of his day including men, women and children, and there were four thousand of them, and all other nations and tribes in Vind‘yu were idolaters.
Through the descendants of Romsat the Voice was again regained via the I‘hins, through a tribe called Shriviyata, who begot Them-saga, who begot Friavamargalum, who bred with the I‘hins and begot Thace, who begot with the I‘hins, Anu, who begot with the I‘hins, Maha, who begot with the I‘hins, Brah, who had both voice and power from the Father. And he was called Brahma because of his great wisdom.
The angels of Ormazd had prophesied, saying: Out of your seed shall come one called BRAHMA, who shall have su‘is with power. Things that were revealed in Zarathustra have been lost, but shall be recovered in Brahma.
Romsat had prophesied, moreover: With the coming of Brahma will come the end of the I‘hin race in Shem (Vind‘yu).
God spoke in kosmon, saying: Let no man say: The beginning of the doctrine of One Spirit began with Brahma, Abram, Po or Eawahtah. For since man walked upright on the earth, behold, I have said to him: You shall have only one God, even the Creator. And in the cycles of my times I have raised up many who have comprehended my words, but others constantly put away the I AM, and raise up idols instead.
But let all men understand who, and what, is meant by the terms, Po, Abram, Brahma and Eawahtah, which is, that though I walked the earth with these men, teaching and speaking through them, yet none of them was idolized by men. For the nations of the earth, in the time of these four men, comprehended that they were not Gods, but men through whom, and to whom, I, God, had spoken. ||
Brahma said: Do all men have stars? Behold, since my childhood, I have had a star above my forehead.
No man could answer Brahma. They said: Brahma is foolish, even with all his wisdom.
Brahma asked the star: Who are you?
God said: I am your star; I am the light of the second heavens.
Brahma asked: What is your name, O star, you mysterious light?
God said: Call me Ormazd; I am the same light that spoke to Zarathustra in his time.
Brahma asked: Who are you, O Ormazd, you voice of light?
God said: You shall commune with one only, even your Creator; you shall worship one only, even He Who made you alive.
Brahma said: Why have you taken up your abode above my head?
God said: Attain to be one with your Creator, in wisdom, goodness and purity, and you shall answer your own questions.
Then Brahma applied to the rab‘bah, the Zarathustrian priests, and he learned abnegation of self, and the rites and ceremonies of the ancients.
When Brahma was grown up, God said to him: Arise tomorrow, my son, and I will lead you into another country, where you shall marry, and settle down for a long season.
Brahma said: Peaceful have been my slumbers, and joyous my wakeful hours all my life. I have made labor a pleasure, and I give all I have to the poor, doing Your commandments with all my wisdom and strength.
From my youth up I have not killed any living creature of Yours that goes on the earth, or swims in the waters, or flies in the air. Nor have I eaten anything that had ever breathed the breath of life; and I have been most abstemious in plain food and water only, according to the Zarathustrian law. Hear me, O Ormazd; for I will open my soul to You, and hold nothing back. || Ormazd said: It is well.
Brahma said: Woe is me, if my soul turns toward woman! Was I not wed to You, O Ormazd? Was I not Your Bridegroom from my youth up?
Why, then, do You not protect me to Yourself? Ormazd said: In times past I raised up many an iesu, and they were without flesh desires all their days.
Such men could not perpetuate the earth; they were good for their day. Zarathustra was an iesu. My Light is now for those who can perpetuate. All things are possible in My hands. Do not grieve, nor smother out any talent I created with the pure in flesh.
Brahma said: If I love a woman, O Ormazd, might I not lose my love for You? Ormazd said: By faith in Me you shall triumph by the road I marked out for you, since before you were born. Arise, then, O Brahma, and follow your star. I will lead you.
Brahma said: Can there be another way other than by celibacy? Can a married man serve Ormazd?
So Brahma traveled, and came into the country of Etchoyosin, where lay the mountains of Talavitcha, under King Tyama, who had enforced the Zarathustrian religion with sword and spear, and with chains and death, being himself sole interpreter.
When Brahma came to Au‘watcha, he stopped to inquire the way to the high priest‘s house, so that he could be absolved for twenty days in Tyama‘s kingdom, according to law, paying the price as apportioned for strangers.
In answer to his summons, there came to the gate, the damsel Yu-tiv, fairest of women, draped, also, to go before the priest for confession. Brahma inquired of her concerning the priest and the tax. Yu-tiv informed him, and, moreover, said: I am going there, and shall be delighted to lead you to the place. So Brahma went with Yu-tiv, and when they were gone a little way she said to him: Where did you come from, and what is your mission? Perhaps I may serve you. Behold, I see a star above your head!
Brahma said: Do you see a star? Now I say to you, there is an old legend that the pure in heart, looking upward, often see their own paroda [soul, or bird –Ed.], and think it belongs to another. ||
Yes, I have a star, and the Voice of Ormazd comes to me at times. For some years I strove to be a priest, for I saw the wickedness of the world, and, too, the tyranny and tortures of the church (ha‘oke), and my soul cried out for the oppressed who had more faith in the Great Spirit than in the priests. And Ormazd came to me and said: Brahma, My son, forsake your studies, and take your broad-axe, and go and hew logs. Behold, I will come to you sometime later, and you shall bless the earth.
So I gave up my studies and became a hewer of wood, living abstemiously day and night, and praying and striving with all my soul and strength to purge myself of all earthly thoughts. So I grew, as you see, to be a large man of great strength. But, alas, evil overtook me; my soul desired a woman. And I cried out to Ormazd, saying: Why have You put this matter upon Your son? Lo, I strove to be wedded to You only; I shut my eyes to all the earth, but You have allowed me to fall. Rescue me, I pray.
Then Ormazd spoke to me, saying: Behold, I have revealed My word through those who have no earth desires; but that time is past. I will now prove to the nations of the earth that I have power in directing the flesh, so that heirs can be born to Me. Arise, therefore, and go where I will lead you, for you shall take a wife and raise up seven sons, and I will deliver My edifice, to liberty.
So I rose up and followed the light of my star; I have come this far, but how much farther I must go I do not know; but I will go to the end of the earth if Ormazd requires it of me.
Yu-tiv said: I pity you, O man! One so holy should never wed with woman. To win such a man‘s love, the best of women would forget her God! To bear you one child, let alone seven, a woman would cleave the earth in two. It would be like peopling the world with Gods and Goddesses.
O promise me, stranger, you will turn from such unholy desires. I do not know what moves me past all modesty to speak to you like this, but I speak truly before Ormazd, Creator of heaven and earth, that before you came to my father‘s gate a voice spoke in my ear, saying: Quickly, put on your robes for confession, and hasten to the priest.
I tell you, O man, to save you, the angels of Ormazd came to me. It is true that two can see more than one.
Brahma said: Who are you, O woman? Yu-tiv said: A weaver of mats; no more. My father lives in that thatch over there; my mother‘s soul ascended to heaven, giving me birth. She was of the I‘hins. My father and I have been driven from place to place; all the ills of earth are written on my soul. And the rudeness of men; the lightheartedness of women! By day and by night my soul cries out for the miseries of the earth. O the sins of the earth! O the death of little infants! O the trials of the poor! O the suffering of the sick! O the anguish of the imprisoned! O stranger, stranger, stranger! Add no more people to this world!
Let us turn our souls upward; to Nirvania; to the regions of endless paradise! To the voices of angels and Gods! To wisdom that does not err; to music never discordant! To love that never separates! Never!
Brahma said: Now I beseech You, O Ormazd, that I may never marry! But because You have raised up here so fair a woman, and wise as well, give me leave so I may dwell near at hand!
Then out of the midst of the voices of their stars, Ormazd spoke, saying: Hold up your hand, O man! Hold up your hand, O woman! And they held up their hands, and Ormazd said: I am the Father, and you are My children. So that I may have joy, you may dwell near together.
Now after this, Brahma and Yu-tiv proceeded to the priest‘s house and made their sacrifices, and returned and came to Yu-tiv‘s father‘s house, and her father‘s name was Ali-egan-is, called Ali. And Yu-tiv told her father all that had happened, but Brahma said little. Ali said: What the All Light does is well done. My house is ample. Brahma shall stay as long as he desires.
When morning came, Brahma and Yu-tiv rose early, and came together and spoke in joyous greeting, and they were moved to shake hands, though such a proceeding was not according to the custom of the country, except between relatives. And it came to pass that they were together during much of the day, and in the evening they walked together, but did not touch each other.
Now on the second day, when they walked together, they held hands. And on the third day they joined arms. And on the fourth day they kissed each other. And after that they were only separated at night when they slept. But it came to pass that they were so delighted with each other that they sat up nearly all night, so as not to be separated.
And all the while they did not neglect their devotion to Ormazd; but finally they sat up all night, not sleeping, except in each other‘s arms.
Yu-tiv said: Since we sit up all night, it is wiser to sit on mats than on stools. Brahma said: It is wiser. So they provided mats, half raised and half spread down, for a season, and finally laid the mats full length, and they lay down together. More than that, history does not say.
But Brahma followed his trade in that country, and it came to pass they had a son born to them, and his name was Whe-ish; and in time another son, and his name was Vus, and then Vede, and Git-un, and Oos, and Sa-it.
Now after they lived together as man and wife, the voice of Ormazd no longer came to Brahma, though the angel of Ormazd remained, and at times talked to both Brahma and Yu-tiv. And during all the time, until after the birth of the sixth son, Yu-tiv had faith in Ormazd, and was a Faithist in her whole heart. But during all these years she had communion only with the angels, and had also suffered many hardships in common with Brahma.
And their love did not abate a fraction, and Yu-tiv believed in her husband, and encouraged his aspirations. He had told her ten thousand times: I know Ormazd will come; through me He will deliver the Faithists out of bondage.
And she believed in him; and believed these things would come to pass, and believed her sons would have the Voice of the Creator with them also. But after the birth of the sixth child, Yu-tiv lost faith in the Father! She said: All my life I have been in error. There is no All Person. There is no Voice, except the spirits of the dead. And they know little more of heaven than we. The Creator is dumb, like the wind; His voice is like the wind, it speaks nothing.
And after that, she ceased to use the name Ormazd, or Father, but said, Eolin, like the ancients. And Brahma ceased to speak anymore in the presence of Yu-tiv regarding the coming of Ormazd to himself; and he also adopted the name Eolin, signifying, like the wind, void of shape or person.
While this state of unbelief was upon them, they had another child born to them, and they called his name Hog, signifying FACT, or without inspiration; an animal that roots in the ground.
Yu-tiv weaned Hog when he was three years old, and, the next day the voice of God came to Brahma, saying: Brahma! Brahma! And Brahma said: Here I am, O Eolin. And the Father said: Be faithful another eighteen years! I shall be with you to the end!
So God did not speak to Brahma for eighteen years, but Brahma remained faithful, and Yu-tiv was full of hope. But when the time was fulfilled in Ormazd‘s own way, He came with renewed light, which was on Hog‘s twenty-first birthday.
While Brahma and his family were seated on mats, eating breakfast at sunrise, lo, a light, like that of a sun, came within the hut, passed over Brahma‘s head, and then disappeared. And out of the void, in the space above their heads, came these words: From this time forward, the twenty-first birthday shall be the time of maturity for man. Be watchful for the voice of Ormazd; He is Ever Present!
And all of them saw the light and heard the words, except Hog, for he, having been begotten in unbelief, could neither see the light nor hear the voice. And when they all had exclaimed: Behold the light! Hear that voice! || Hog spoke before them:
For many years you have prophesied this would come to pass when I reached my twenty-first birthday. Because of the love you all bear me, I know you would not pull a joke on me; but I am seriously grieved that you say: Behold the light, and hear the voice! For I say to you, these things are not in reason, and cannot be so. But in much hope, faith and belief, all of which you have cultivated for years, you allow your imaginings to stand for realities.
Now while Hog was thus speaking, the light came again and stood over Brahma‘s head while one might count to twenty; and the Voice said: Blessed are you, O Brahma; blessed you, O Yu-tiv! These things had to be fulfilled. I do not preach by reason alone, but provide living examples! (In his old age Brahma had attained iesu!)
Again all of them saw and heard the manifestation of Ormazd, except Hog, for he could neither see nor hear what came of the Spirit. Hog said: Do I not have eyes as good as the best? Show me a hair that I cannot see; let a mite fall that I cannot hear. Then Whe-ish, the first-born, answered him, saying:
First, my brother, I greet you with my love, for you are the fairest and best of all the great sons born of this God and Goddess, our father and mother. And I appeal to you in your great wisdom, how could we all have imagined the same light at the same time and in the same place? And greater yet, how could we have imagined the same spoken words? Hog replied:
How can my answers cope with one who has wisdom like you, O my brother? You have confounded me; but still I do not understand how you, and you, my most loving brothers, can see and hear things that I cannot. Do we not all have the same parts, so like one another that our neighbors can scarcely distinguish us from each other? And above all else, we are all fruit from the same father and mother, the holiest and wisest of created beings.
Now Yu-tiv spoke, saying: I am in Your judgment, O Ormazd! That which I have done, I have done! Deal with me for my great unbelief; I have sinned against heaven and earth. Even while You quickened into life within my womb this star of everlasting light, lo, I put out his eyes and stopped up his ears against You. The unbelief of my soul penetrated the walls of my womb and shaped the fruit of my holy husband into a man of darkness. O Ormazd, why was Your daughter born!
And Yu-tiv fell into tears. Hog said: O Goddess, mother! Do not weep, but rejoice for the glory of my birth. Because you and my holy father, a very God among men, brought me into life, my soul is boundless in rejoicing. I declare to you, O mother, I am not in darkness, nor am I blind and deaf. If there is another world, what does it matter to me? The glories of this one are boundless. And if there is a Great Light and a Voice, what are they to me! You have so filled my every vein of blood with your warm love, and with the sweet love of these, my holy brothers, and with the wisdom of my father, God among men, that I know nothing but to rejoice and to invent praises and thanks to you all, with all my wisdom and strength.
And now the Light gathered within the soul of Brahma, and he was as one with the Father. Then Ormazd, the Creator, spoke through Brahma, saying:
I created the earth not to be despised, as the Zarathustrians do through the hearts of monarchs and priests, but so that it should be the glory of man. This was the Zarathustrian law, but, for the sake of profit, bondage and evil, they have perverted My doctrines and bound up My peoples. They profess Me, even Ormazd; but they have turned My commandments and My doctrines upside down.
I came through Zarathustra and delivered those who called on Me in faith; and they became My chosen for a season; but they allowed evil to usurp their hearts; they squandered My substance in building temples and providing a superabundance of priests and priestesses. They raised up the sword and spear for Me; yes, by blood and death they established kingdoms and called them by My name, Ormazd!
The spirit of My Voice they put aside; but the words they retained, and added earthly meaning to them, by which they proclaim darkness for light, and light for darkness. And the poor and distressed who worship Me in truth and in spirit have learned to hate the established words. For which reason they are persecuted, bound, taxed, and despitefully used.
Yes, they impress into service of war, those who would not kill because of their natural love for Me and for My created sons and daughters. Thus they take these from their kindred, saying to them: Come away from peace and kill! Be a slayer of men; be a soldier of death for the glory of the king.
I commanded them, since ancient times, to kill not at all. My words were plain. But the kings commanded the priests to interpret My words in such a way that war could be justified.
I commanded them against taking that which was another‘s. My words were plain. But the kings commanded the priests to interpret the meaning in such ways that the kings could exact tribute for their own glory. And so they levy wherever and whenever they desire, saying: For the defense of the king and the country!
Thus they have perverted My commandments from beginning to end. But I declare to you, that in My sight, I will hold him accountable who kills one man; and ten times accountable if he kills ten men, and a hundred times for a hundred. They shall not hide death and murder from My sight by the word war.
Neither shall they excuse stealing by levying tax for the king or for the country‘s protection. For by their own evil, it has come to pass that they talk about protection. Have I made a law that one king or one country shall protect itself against another? Does any man not see that these doctrines come from the flesh and not from the spirit? (For as My kingdoms in heaven need no protection from one another; why should those on earth, who profess Me, require protection from one another, unless they are heeding the flesh and not Me?)
They profess to be Faithists in Me. But they immediately go and build fortifications of earth, stone and wood. And as for those who know Me in spirit and truth, perceiving I am wrongly interpreted for evil‘s sake, being those who rebel in their souls against these iniquities—these they seize and impress as lifelong slaves, or, if refusing, they kill them.
And those who work such wickedness say: Behold, we have the Zarathustrian law, the I‘hua‘Mazdian law, the Ormazdian law; ours is the holy, the revealed word. Let no man raise up his voice against these truths, or he shall surely be put to death!
But I looked down from My holy heavens and saw, and My ears heard; and I cried out in My soul for the evils of the earth. I said: Behold, I will go and deliver those who have faith in Me in spirit and truth. And I went over the lands of the earth, but I found no man in whom My light could shine. So I called My holy masters of generations, My angels high raised in heaven, and I said to them: Come and dwell on the earth many generations, and by inspiration raise Me up one in whom My light shall shine, for I will surely deliver My people.
Now I declare to you who are assembled, the time is at hand, and you are all so many parts in My work. Even as through My angels you named these sons; so also according to their names, I will establish My kingdom.
Therefore, permit Vede to write down the words I have spoken, for lo, he has learning and memory provided to that end. Be watchful for when I come again!
The next morning, at sunrise, Jehovih came again, speaking through Brahma, saying:
As I prepared a way for My voice, be wise in laboring to show this light to all peoples. Yet do not take sorrow to your souls for the latest born, Hog (who cannot see this light); for he is also in My keeping, and his wisdom shall be the glory of the earth.
For is not all fact interpreted by each and every man from the light of his own standing place? In which, error comes into the world by the darkness of men, in not perceiving rightly the things I have created. Behold, one man sees the forest with reference to its value in logs; another for splints for mats; another for shade to lie in; another for its solitude; and they all see by what dwells in them, but they see through their own particular windows.
Consider, then, the injustice of the man who says: You shall see as I see; hear as I hear; or who says: I have proven this to be true, and that to be untrue; or who says: Behold, we are many witnesses, and we attest.
While Jehovih was speaking so, His angel appeared and stood in the doorway of the hut, and all except Hog looked and saw the angel, and witnessed the color of the angel‘s hair and eyes, and the clothes he wore. And they pointed, saying in a whisper: Behold, an angel of heaven!
Then Jehovih spoke, illustrating, saying: While no one has yet spoken, let one at a time privately describe to Hog the appearance of My angel in the doorway.
Accordingly, they all, except Brahma, told Hog all that pertained to the angel, and their accounts accorded with one another. And Jehovih said: Speak, My Son, Hog. Hog said:
To whom shall I speak? For, whether You are my very father; or, in truth, the Creator, I do not know. God said: Who do you say the Creator is? Hog said: Even as the wind; the great void; without person, shape, or sense.
God said to him: For which reason I say to you, because of the unbelief of your father and your mother, while you were in your mother‘s womb, you are as you are. This they have attested to you thousands of times since you were weaned. And they have also attested to you as often, that during the bringing forth of your brothers, they were in the fullness of faith in Jehovih (Ormazd).
You were born of the earth, and can only see with earthly eyes, hear only with earthly ears, and can reason only with earthly reason. Hog said: Then in truth I shall go down to earth and there shall be no more of me; but these, my sweet brothers, and this Goddess and this God, my very father and mother, shall inherit everlasting life?
God said: I would place two eggs before you, with the birds within them nearly hatched; now with one you shall open the shell a little, and the young bird sees out, but the other you leave closed. Would you say one bird will have much advantage over the other when they are hatched? Or, that one shall not live, because, in fact, it did not see through the shell? Such, then, is your way to everlasting life. Of your darkness I will make light that will reach millions. Your sacrifice is the sacrifice of a very God among Gods.
Hog said: Because of your great wisdom, I fear to speak in your presence. But your words come out of the mouth of him who is the sweetest and holiest of created beings. Therefore I take courage in my argument.
Now, behold, they have all described the angel in the door; and their descriptions are alike in all particulars. And the wisdom of your words goes to the bottom of things, not like the words of man, but faultlessly. You have made me see that I am bound as if with iron hoops, and must go my way all my days. I do not complain against this; for I perceive it is not within my judgment to know even myself, as to what is good for me or not good for me. However, you have shown me this: I was molded as I am; I am as I am. If I have faults, they are not my faults. Neither are they my father‘s nor my mother‘s; for the cause of their unbelief at that time did not lie with themselves, but with you.
God said: Vede shall also write down your words; the glory and the wisdom of the earth shall come out of your mouth. The manner of my edifice shall be shown to the inhabitants of the earth. You have seen the king‘s temple and how he builds it. For the fine posts he sends his best hewers into the forest, and they choose the straightest and strongest trees, and fall them and hew them, and polish and engrave them, and the posts are set up in the front as strength and ornament. But for the walls of the temple, the king does not call for the best hewers, but the choppers, and they also go into the forest to fetch logs, not the straightest and handsomest, but whatever their axes come upon. And their timbers are put in the walls with mortar and withes. And the temple is completed to the king‘s will.
Jehovih said: My heavenly edifice is like this also; I do not send winter to please one man, nor summer; nor the rain. I consider in what way I shall induce men to raise up one another and to be considerate. Thus through Me: Your father, mother, brothers, and all Faithists that come after these, My doctrines, shall learn to consider the unbelief of mortals, and the impossibility of one man seeing through another man‘s eyes.
For as I have raised you up in a house of love for one another, so will I show the wisdom of disbelief, and its necessity on the earth.
The foremost of all lessons is that all men shall have liberty; and no man‘s judgment shall be binding on another‘s; for all do not see alike, nor can they understand alike.
So you shall be as considerate to those who do not see My light, or My Person, as you are to those who are born in su‘is; for they are of the same flesh and blood, and they have their spirits from the same Creator.
For in the evidence of the past and present it is before you, that men endeavor to enforce their doctrines by saying: BEHOLD THE WORD OF ORMAZD! HE HAS SPOKEN THUS! AND I AM HIS PRIEST! BOW DOWN YOUR HEADS!
Instead, man shall not bow down, but hold up his head and rejoice. Those who seek to enforce Me are My enemies.
Nor have I said of this man or that: Hear him, for he is Truth. || Shall the Creator make one greater than Himself, and thus cut Himself off? And yet the kings and priests of this day assume to be Truth in Ihua‘s (God‘s) name. And the mothers and fathers of many have become discouraged because of their great hardships; and they bring forth heirs who have eyes but do not see, ears but do not hear.
God said: In the days of Zarathustra, I came to deliver those who had faith but were in bondage; today I come to teach men how to bring forth heirs with eyes to see spiritual things, and with ears to hear them, and with liberty to all men.
In the next morning, at sunrise, God spoke again to Brahma, saying:
And the angel of God appeared in the middle of the circle, in sar‘gis, and talked with them face to face. And Hog said to the angel: In truth, I know you are not mortal, and yet you have the semblance of flesh, limbs, arms and an actual body having clothes that look just like mortal clothes.
Now I tell you face to face, I believe you are no angel of the dead, but actually a reflected self-substance, produced out of the substance of my father. Can you prove otherwise? The angel answered, saying:
Mortal words cannot convince you; nor can the words of a spirit. Behold, I will show you a friend of yours who is dead. With that, the angel showed the spirit of Hog‘s friend who was dead, and the man‘s name was Aara-acta; and so Hog said to him:
You are an actual counterpart of him I knew. What is your name? The spirit answered: Aara-acta! I tell you, O Hog, these things are true. I am the spirit of your friend; yes, I am that very friend. Hog said: Where do you dwell? Where have you been? Are you happy? Have you visited all the heavens?
The spirit answered him, saying: I live around here on the earth even as before death. I am happy; the glory of my present world surpasses the earth. I have not visited the highest heavens. I am as yet only in the first resurrection. Up above us there are heavens where all the people are Gods and Goddesses. I cannot go there; they are too white. || The spirit then disappeared, and Hog said:
I saw what I saw and heard what I heard. Yet I do not believe that I have seen a spirit nor heard one. A spirit must by reason be thin, subtle, and air-like.
Then the angel of God spoke, saying: How shall I please this man, O Ormazd? This morning I showed myself in the door of the hut, thin and subtle and air-like, and he did not see or hear me. Who can find a way to open this man‘s soul to Your Wisdom, O Ormazd?
Now Yu-tiv spoke, saying: Great is the glory of Your angel, O Ormazd! Heavenly are the spirits of the dead. Welcome, O you angels of heaven! Then Whe-ish spoke, saying: Even the lowest of heavens has great glory! O what delight it would be to dwell in such a paradise! Next Vus spoke, saying: Such wisdom and truth! What are Your kingdoms, O Father, when even the first heaven has such glory. Vede said: Truth is Your mightiest work, O Ormazd! Git-un said: Because I have lived to see these things, I will proclaim Your wonders, O Ormazd, for as long as I live! Oos said: You have framed Your worlds so wisely, O Ormazd, that even Your lowest of angels are the delight of my soul! Next spoke Sa-it, he said: Give us of Your abundance, O Ormazd. Open wide the gates of the lower heavens. I will take Your angels into my arms and rejoice forever!
Brahma then came out of his trance, though he had heard and seen all. He said: Whoever comes that can make me better, and show me how most to benefit Your world, him, O Ormazd, send to me. || And lo, Brahma was answered first of all! A light, bright as a sun, stood in the middle of the circle, and it was higher than the clouds, and displayed a staff on which was a banner of gold and silver; and on the banner, stars clustered to spell the words, Love, Wisdom and Power!
Presently the scene changed, and the angel of God said: He who spoke last (Brahma) has been answered first, because his words reached to the Fountainhead. Wherever you send your prayers, you are answered from there. With that in mind, I will now open the gates of the lower heavens, and you shall witness what you may.
The angel withdrew all surrounding lights, so that great darkness came upon the circle. Presently, Yu-tiv started, as if somewhat frightened. Then Vus sprang up, saying: What was that? And then another started, till presently all except Brahma and Hog were wild and startled, whispering: What do my eyes behold! O that foul smell! O that vulgar touch! And then one screamed; and another, and another, until all broke and fled, screaming and crying out in fear and distress; flying into the darkness of the grove, frantic; almost dead with fear!
Hog did not run; saw nothing to fear; heard nothing to dread; felt nothing to make him ashamed.
And his father, Brahma, did not run, was not afraid, and the two called to the rest, pleaded, coaxed and called in vain; could not stop them; could not find them in the darkness. They returned to the hut, Brahma and Hog; saw the torches burning brightly, and came in and found Yu-tiv and her sons huddled together in each other‘s arms, white and pale as death.
Hog asked the reason. Yu-tiv said: Shh! Are they gone? Shh! Keep them away! Then Vus spoke, saying: O my brother, do not ask what we saw! Do not ask what we felt, and what felt us! These things would not be lawful to mention! Say no more, in heaven‘s name! The air of heaven is full of demons (druj).
Now Vede spoke, saying: Alas, O my father, I dropped the holy book, the Veda I am writing. In my fright I let it fall. It is not sized yet, and if it rains before morning, the holy words will be lost! And not for a thousand worlds would I go back to the grove tonight. Oos said: Nor I, for a thousand worlds! Whe-ish said: For all the gold and silver in the world I would not go there tonight.
They all spoke in the same way except Hog, and with all the love they bore for Ormazd‘s words, not doubting they were His very words, not one would venture among the evil spirits they had seen, to recover the book.
Then Brahma spoke, saying: For many generations Ormazd has labored for this; I will go myself; I know He will protect me at all times and in all places. And Brahma rose up to depart; but then Hog spoke, saying: No, father; you are old; I am fresh and young, and besides, I know there are no spirits but in the imagination of men. I will go alone!
Neither will I carry a lantern or a torch; nor will I whistle or sing. I will confront all the evil spirits of hell and their captains. I will recover that book tonight even if I have to scrape every leaf from Ebon grove! And mark my words, I will return unscathed; nor will I see or hear a spirit all the time I am gone. || So, only Hog and Brahma were fearless.
With that, Hog departed, and after a while he returned, rejoicing, bringing the book; and he said: I neither saw nor heard a spirit, and I declare to you that none of you saw or heard them, for there are none. The extreme bent of your minds makes these imaginings seem real. And as to the great Light, with the words, Love, Wisdom and Power, which I also saw, I say to you, it is some emanation from this, our holy and most loved father. How often have we heard him use those same words! And as to those figures that talked, and had the semblance of men and women, even to the detail of their garments, I say to you all, they emanate from the same source, from our father, Brahma.
Now Yu-tiv spoke, saying: O happy unbelief, my son! O if only I had been born as you! O if only I had never seen such sights as I saw tonight!
Then Oos said: O happy brother, our youngest born! If only I were like you! O the vulgarity of those hands that came upon me tonight!
Vus said: O if only I had never known the unseen world! O if only I had been born in darkness like you, our most favored brother! ||
Similarly the rest of them, except Brahma, spoke deploringly of their gift of su‘is; and when they had finished speaking, the angel of God spoke through Brahma, saying: While it is yet night, I speak. With the dawn, at sunrise, comes the Father‘s Voice. Hear me, then, briefly, without expecting much wisdom, for I am not long born in heaven:
The Creator created two great men, the Faithist and the unbeliever; the first has passed through the trials of the flesh, and attained to the Father‘s Voice; for in becoming one with the Father, he no longer stands in fear of anything in heaven or earth. The glory of constant resurrection is before him forever.
All men who have not attained to this may be compared to a man going up a slippery hillside, who often rises high, but suddenly slides low. They glorify themselves for their own light, wisdom and good gifts, rejoicing for self‘s sake for the glories that have fallen upon them. But they are cowards.
Nevertheless, the Creator created a great man among these; and that is the unbelieving man. He has neither gold nor silver, nor house nor land; and he is without spiritual sight or spiritual hearing; but his glory is in understanding his own understanding.
He is the one who subdues the forest, and tames the beasts of the field to man‘s service. He goes alone in the dark, fearing nothing. He does not follow the course of any man, but searches for himself; the priest cannot make him believe, nor can the angels of heaven; none can subdue his judgment. He sees the glory of the earth and manhood. He calls to the multitude, saying: Why do you permit others, even priests, to think for you? Arise, and be a man! Arise, and be a woman!
He inspires of the earth and for the earth; through his arm tyrants and evil kings are overthrown. Through him doctrines and religions are sifted to the bottom, and the falsehood and evil in them cast aside. Yes, who but Ormazd could have created so great a man as the unbeliever?
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.
The place thus founded by Brahma was called Haraoyo, and his people, at this time, extended to seven cities and thirty villages, and possessed all the country of Roam, which had been uninhabited for hundreds of years. And the Vedans cultivated the lands, living on fruits, roots, and bread made from wheat grown in the fields; but they ate neither fish nor flesh, nor anything that had breathed the breath of life.
On the day of Yu-tiv‘s death, Brahma said: Sing no songs; pray in silence only. Let her soul be in quiet with Ormazd.
On the second day Brahma said: Pray in whispers, praise in whispers, the best, good deeds of the dead.
On the third day Brahma said: Burst forth a song of praise to Ormazd; extol the virtues of the dead.
On the fourth day Brahma said: In song and in prayer bid the dead arise and go onward, upward!
Thus on the fourth day they put Yu-tiv‘s body in the ground; and then they went and sat in the sacred circle and sang and prayed for her soul to go on to Nirvana (paradise). And when they had finished, a light came down in the middle of the circle, and an angel in white appeared. It was Yu-tiv; the soul of Yu-tiv in the glory of Ormazd, the Creator!
Then the angel Yu-tiv spoke, saying: The spirit is born from out of the head of the corporeal body; and angels stand around, where they receive the spirit of the dead onto a spirit blanket. For one day, in quiet, they keep the spirit, teaching it to reconcile and understand. On the second day, the spirit hears the prayers of the earth-people coming upward; and on the third day, the spirit understands death and birth of spirit.
And on the fourth day, when you sang: O Goddess, arise from the dead! The Father calls you from on high! Arise, O Goddess, and go your way! Then my spirit was free from the earth, resting in the arms of Gods and Goddesses who had come from on high to receive me. Thus, O my beloveds, the first resurrection is on the third day; and, to the holy, the second resurrection begins on the fifth day. After the fifth day do not call me back again! My labor lies up there! I must build houses for you all. Thus Ormazd sends me on before! If it is His will for me to return to you at times, I will return. His will above all—this is the greatest wisdom.
Whe-ish, her first-born, asked: What about the angels of the intermediate world, O mother? Then his angel mother answered, saying: They were shown to us in Ebon grove! Alas, some of them do not begin the resurrection for a thousand years!
Then Yu-tiv, the angel, came over near Hog, her latest born, whom she loved so much. She said: Can you see me, my son? Hog answered: No, I only faintly see a glimmering light: I hear a voice, but it does not sound like my mother‘s voice. Yet, if it is true that there is a soul that lives after death, and if in truth you are the very spirit and soul of her who brought me forth, do not be unhappy because of my unbelief. As for myself, I am happy because you brought me forth in unbelief; nor would I choose to be any other way. Whether our eyes are blue or black, or whether we are tall or short, believers or disbelievers, or however we are created, to fill our place in doing good to others with all our wisdom and strength, is this not glory enough?
Yu-tiv said: O you wisest of men! In the day you are born in heaven, you shall not linger long in the intermediate world, but be crowned a very God indeed! Here ends my labors with the earth, O, my beloveds! An otevan above waits for me to ascend; the Gods and Goddesses are calling me! Farewell, my beloveds! Farewell!
And now the music of heaven descended, and even while the mortals sang, the very gates of heaven opened, and the angel Yu-tiv rose upward in a sea of fire!
But behold, the love of great Brahma was too much for him! His eyes raised upward after the ascending light, and his soul burst within him. He fell down and stretched himself on the cold earth! He, too, was dead.
The angel of God came in the sacred circle and stood in its center. He said: Greeting, in the name of Ormazd! In His name I speak before you. First, then, who of all that was dearest to Brahma, he or she, shall arise!
And lo and behold, there arose every man, woman and child, more than ten thousand. The angel said: You, his most beloved, shall bury his body by the side of Yu-tiv. You shall bury him on the third day after his death, even at the hour of his death. And you shall sit around the grave three times a day, morning, noon and night, for one hour each time, singing and praying for the soul of Brahma; and you shall do this for two days.
And behold, on the evening of the second day you shall see the graves of both Brahma and Yu-tiv opened, and their very bodies will come forth, and Brahma shall speak with you face to face. || The angel then disappeared.
And the people did as commanded; and they sat around the graves in a circle, at a distance of ten paces from the graves, watching. And the brothers favored Hog above all the rest, so that he might be converted. And it came to pass, in the evening of the second day, two hours after sunset, there descended into the center of the circle a light, bright as the sun, so that the multitude held their hands before their eyes; and it was so bright that even the graves could not be seen, and the graves burst open.
And after a moment, the light was lowered so all could look upon the scene; and, lo and behold, Brahma and Yu-tiv stood arm in arm, in the middle of the circle, in their own flesh and bones wearing their burial robes.
Brahma said: Have faith in the Creator; with Him all things are possible. He is the All Master of all things. Never accept any God, Lord, Savior, priest, or king, but Him only, the everlasting All One, the Person.
Practicing good works to all men; abjuring self in all things; and Ormazd will dwell with you and in you forever.
Then Brahma and Yu-tiv came near Hog, so that he could see clearly. Hog said: Are you truly Brahma, my father; and you, Yu-tiv, my mother? Yu-tiv did not speak, but Brahma said: I am your father, even Brahma. To practice the highest light a man has; this is all that is required of any man.
Hog said: In truth it is my father! In truth it is my mother!
Brahma said: We are blessed! This is the first belief: to believe in the spirit surviving the corporeal body; the second belief is to learn the All Person. After this comes faith.
Hog said: You have proven the first; but as to the All Person, I cannot understand.
Brahma said: As I and your mother have revealed ourselves to you, and so proven ourselves, so in due season Ormazd will reveal Himself to you.
And these were the last words. Brahma and Yu-tiv rose up in the sea of fire, smiling and waving their hands in love to those beneath, rising higher and higher, till they disappeared in the sky.