CHAPTER XXVIII.
1. So Zarathustra suffered himself to fall into the power of the Sun King; and the soldierscaused him and Asha to march in their midst to the place of the skulls. And there camethousands and tens of thousands of people forth to witness the proceedings; for at thistime there were many who were in sympathy with Zarathustra, as well as many againsthim.
2. And in order to stay the multitude, the captain of the army called out many soldiers inaddition to those who made the arrest. Others ran to the king's palace, carrying the newsof his arrest, and the place he had been taken to.
3. The king said to the heralds: Though this man shall die, it is fit that proper judgment berendered against him, as an example before all men. Go, therefore, to the executioners,and command them to bring Zarathustra into my presence, that I may adjudge him todeath according to law.
4. This was accomplished. Zarathustra was brought before the king, who accosted him,saying:
5. By thy behavior thou art accused before thy king, and I adjudge thee to death. Butthat thou mayst be as an example before the world, I will render my judgments beforethe heralds, who shall proclaim my words unto all who desire to witness thy death.
6. First, then, thou wert ordered for arrest by my predecessor, and thou deliveredst notthyself up to my soldiers; neither could they find thee. For which thou art adjudged todeath.
7. Second. Without permission from the KING OF THE SUN,thou hast traveled in foreignlands, sowing seeds of disallegiance against the CENTRALKINGDOM. For which thou artadjudged to death.
8. Third. The KING OFKINGSoffered a ransom for thy head, and the king's soldiers weredisappointed in finding thee. For which thou art adjudged to death.
9. Fourth. In thy youth thou threatenedst to overthrow the city of Oas, the CITY OF THE SUNand failedst to make thy word good, thereby being a teacher of lies. For which thou artadjudged to death.
10. Fifth. Thou hast cut off the foreign tribute to the rightful OWNER OF THE WHOLE WORLD! For which thou art adjudged to death.
11. Sixth. Thou hast revived the doctrines of the dark ages, teaching of spirits and Gods,which things cannot exist, because they are contrary to nature, and contrary to the laws ofthe KING OF THE WORLD! For which thou art adjudged to death.
12. Seventh. Thou hast taught that there is an unseen Creator greater than thy king; whichis contrary to reason. For which thou art adjudged to death.
13. Eighth. Thou returndst to Oas not openly, but as a thief, and hid thyself in a chamberof the wall. For which reason thou art adjudged to death in the manner of thieves, whichis the most ignoble of deaths.
14. Therefore, I command the executioners to take thee to the den of thieves and cast theetherein; and on the morrow, at high noon, thou shalt be hung up by thy feet along with thethieves, where thou shalt be left hanging till thou art dead.
15. That my judgment may appease thy best friends, what sayest thou against my decrees?
16. Zarathustra said: All the charges thou hast made against me are true this day;but ere to-morrow's setting sun I will have disproved some of them. To-day thy kingdomis large; in two days I will be dead, and thou wilt be dead; and this great city will bedestroyed. Yea, the Temple of the Sun will be rent in twain, and fall as a heap of rubbish.
17. The king laughed in derision, and then spake to Asha, saying: Thou art an oldfool. Go thy way. So, Asha was liberated, and Zarathustra was taken to the den of thievesand cast therein. And the den of thieves was surrounded by the dens of lionsthat belonged to the king's gardens. And a bridge passed over, and, when the prisonerswere within, the bridge was withdrawn. And no prisoner could escape but would falla prey to the lions, which were fed on the flesh of the persons executed according to law.
CHAPTER XXIX.
1. During the night, Pon'yah, King of the Sun, bethought him that perhaps he mightobtain the secrets of Zarathustra, as regards his powers with uz, and he sent him thefollowing message, to wit: If thou wilt reveal the secrets of thy power to thy king,thy life shall be spared; and if thou wilt prostrate thyself before the King of Kings,saying: There is none higher! thou shalt have five cities to rule over all thy days.
2. To which Zarathustra sent back the following reply, to wit: Zarathustra hath no secretsto reveal; neither desireth he five cities, nor one city, to rule over. To-morrow I shall die,and on the following night thou also shalt die. And yet, erst thou diest, thou shalt see thetemple of the stars rent in twain and fall down; and the city of Oas shall fall and rise nomore; and Ya'seang, in Jaffeth, shall become KING OF THE SUN,and his dynasty shall standthousands of years.17
3. The king was surprised at such an answer, and so angered that he smote the messengerwith his sling, and he fell dead, and the king ordered his body to be cast into the den oflions.
4. It was near the middle of the night when the body was brought, and Zarathustra, beingtall, saw above the wall, and he called out, saying: Cast not the body into the dens withthe lions; for I will call him to life in the name of Ormazd. And the men laid the bodydown by the outer wall, and Zarathustra said: He that is standing by the body shall lay hishand upon it, for the power of life is through life.
5. And the man laid his hand on the flesh of the man's body betwixt the neck and theback, and Zarathustra said: The words I say, say thou also: LIFE OF THYLIFE, O ORMAZD! Restore Thou this, Thy Son, to life!
6. And, lo and behold, the man awoke to life, and opened his eyes, and presently rose up;and Zarathustra bade him depart out of the city. Now the arrest and condemnation ofZarathustra had caused thousands of people to assemble around about the prison; and theybeheld the man restored to life; and some of them went with him out of the city. And allnight, after that, Zarathustra healed the sick, and restored the blind and deaf, by callingover the walls in the name of the Father.
7. When it was near sunrise, the next morning, the place of the executions was crowdedwith spectators. Many of the Zarathustrians believed that Zarathustra would liberatehimself by the power upon him; and on the other hand, the king's people, especiallythe learned, desired to realize his execution, for they denounced him as an imposter.
8. The latter said: If he be the Master of the I'huans, let him prove his powers whilst he ishanging by the feet.
9. It was the law of Oas to keep twelve executioners, representing twelve moons, and atsunrise every morning they put to death whoever had been adjudged to death the previousday. Now, there were in prison with Zarathustra two thieves, condemned to the sameignoble death. And they were weeping and moaning! Zarathustra said to them: Weep not,nor moan, but rather rejoice. He Who gave you life is still with you. He will provideanother and better home for your souls.
10. Behold, I weep not, nor moan. They who put us to death know not what they do. Rather should the multitude pity them than us. Ye shall this day escape from the tyranny ofOas.
11. Zarathustra preached till high noon, and when the light fell on the top of the temple(of the stars) the twelve executioners entered the prison and bound the prisoners' handstogether behind their backs; then with another rope they tied the feet, bringing the rope upthe back of the legs and passing it betwixt the arms; and they carried the end of the ropeup over a beam and down again; and the executioners seized the rope and pulled upon it. And they swung the bodies of the victims high above the walls and made fast, leavingthem hanging there.
12. Thus was Zarathustra hung betwixt two thieves; and whilst he was yet alive a bolt oflight fell upon the temple of the stars, and it was rent in twain, and fell to the ground. Andwhen the dust rose it was as a cloud that magnified itself, till the air of the whole city waschoking; and there came another bolt of light, and, lo and behold, the walls of the city felldown, and Zhoo'das perished in the chamber of the wall.
13. The multitude ran for the king; and when they brought him out of the palace,another bolt of light fell on the palace, and it was crumbled into dust. The king calledto his guards, but they obeyed him not, but fled; and so, the multitude slew the king.
14. The learned men then went down to the place of executions, and Zarathustra was notyet dead; but the two thieves were dead. And Zarathustra said unto the learned men: Nowwill I give up my body, and behold, ye shall say I am dead. Let the executioners then takedown my body and cast it into the lions' den, and ye shall witness that they will not eat ofmy flesh. And some shall say: Behold, the lions are not hungry. Thereupon shall ye castin the bodies of the two thieves, and lo, the lions will fall upon them and eat their flesh.
15. Then shall the learned men say: Behold, Zarathustra's virtue laid in different flesh. Now I declare unto you, these things are not of the flesh, but of the spirit. For angels shallgather about my body and prevent the lions from tearing my flesh. Of which matter yeshall prove before the multitude; for in the time the lions are devouring the flesh of thethieves, the angels will go away from my body, and, behold, the lions will return and eatof my flesh also. Whereby it shall be proved to you that even lions, the most savage ofbeasts, have spiritual sight, and are governed by the unseen world, even more than man.
16. When Zarathustra had thus spoken to the learned men, he spake to the Father, saying: Receive Thou my soul, O Ormazd! And his spirit departed out of the body, and in thatsame moment the whole earth shook and trembled, and many houses fell down. So theycast the body into one of the dens, wherein were seventeen lions, but they fled from thebody. Then the executioners cast in the bodies of the thieves, and, lo and behold, the lionsfell upon them instantly.
17. And when the angels went away from Zarathustra's body, the lions returned to it andate also. And the keepers turned in other lions, and all the flesh was eaten. And themultitude ran and brought the body of Zhoo'das and cast it in, and the lions ate it also. And next day they cast in the king's body, and the lions ate of it, and were appeased oftheir hunger.
18. Now when it was night, some of the Zarathustrians gathered together at aneighbor's house; and Asha was present, and they formed a living altar in order to prayfor the soul of Zarathustra, and for the two thieves, and for Zhoo'das, and, lastly, forthe king. And now, came the learned men, saying: Why have ye not, during allthese years, notified us of these things? Behold, Zarathustra is dead! Asha said:
19. Have I not carried the alms-bowl publicly, proclaiming them from day to day? And the learned people said: Pity, old Asha! A knave hath dethroned his reason! NowI declare unto you, it is the same now as in the olden time; the learned men are fartheraway from the Father than are those devouring lions. Ye look into the corporeal worldfor light, and truth, and power, but are blind to the spirit, which underlieth all things. I declare unto you, whether it be heat or light, or disease, that floateth in the air, or growththat cometh out of the air, in all things it is the unseen that ruleth over the seen. Andmore powerful than heat and light, and life and death, is Ormazd, the Person of all things.
20. Till ye have learned this, I can explain nothing that ye can comprehend. And yet, toknow this, is the beginning of the foundation of everlasting happiness.
21. Whilst Asha was thus speaking, behold, the soul of Zarathustra came and stood beforethem, and he was arrayed in the semblance of his own flesh and color, and in his ownclothes. And he spake, saying: Fear not; I am the same that was with you and was hangedand died, whose flesh was devoured by the lions; I am Zarathustra! Marvel not that I havethe semblance of a corporeal body, for its substance is held together by the power of myspirit. Neither is this a miracle, for the spirits of all the living hold in the same way, eachits own corporeal body. As iron attracteth iron, the spirit learneth to attract from the air acorporeal body of its like and measure.
22. Then inquired one who was present: Where are the two thieves? To which Zarathustrasaid: As steam riseth from boiling water, without shape or form, so are their souls thishour. For this reason was I sent into the world by the Father. Let him who would becomecontroller of his own spirit unto everlasting life, learn the Ormazdian law, seeking togrow in spirit, instead of living for the things of this world.
23. Behold, there are here present Lords of the Hosts of Heaven, who are Sons andDaughters of the Most High Ormazd, the Creator. They will now gather together andreclothe the thieves, and show you of what like they are. Presently the two drujas, thethieves who were hanged with Zarathustra, stood before the people in sar'gis, and theyraved, and cursed, and moaned; but they were blind and dumb as to the place. Then Ashainquired of them, as to who they were and what they wanted, but they only cursed him,and added that they were to be hanged.
24. Asha said: Behold, ye are already dead, and your spirits risen from the earth! Towhich they replied by curses against the king. And now the Lords of heaven sat up thespirit of the king, but he knew not that he was dead, and he cursed also; whereupon thespirits of the thieves fell upon him with evil intent, and all the people beheld these things. But the Lords of heaven took away the sar'gis, and the drujas could not be seen more bymortals.
25. Zarathustra said: As in the earth they were angered and dumb, they cling to the earth. For which reason ye shall sing anthems and pray for them three mornings at sunrise; threehigh-noons, and three evenings at sunset. Do ye this also, henceforth, forever, for threedays, for all your kindred who die, or who are slain.
26. And ye shall utter only words of love for the dead; for whosoever uttereth curses forthe dead, bringeth drujas upon himself. In your love and forgiveness do ye raise them outof the torments of hell. And inasmuch as ye raise up others, so doth Ormazd raise up yourown souls.
27. One who was present asked how long a spirit lingered around about? To whichZarathustra said: Some for three days, some for a year, some for a hundred years, andsome for a thousand years! Until they have wisdom and strength to get away. But afterthree days ye shall no longer desire the spirit of the dead to remain with you; rather shallye say to Ormazd: Deal Thou with him and with us in Thine Own Way, O Father; we arecontent. Better is it for the spirits that ye call them not back from the higher heavensdown to the earth; better for you is it, that ye remember them high up in paradise; forthese thoughts will enable you to rise after ye are dead.
28. Remember that All Light answereth everything in heaven and earth after its ownmanner: If ye kill, ye are answered in torments sooner or later: If ye utter falsehood, ye areanswered in falsehood: If ye curse, ye will be cursed in return: If ye hate, ye will be hated: If ye seclude yourselves, ye will be excluded: If ye keep evil company in this world, yewill be bound in evil company in heaven: As ye seek to become a leader of men,remember that they whom ye rule over will be your burden in heaven: If ye teach not, yeshall not be taught: If ye lift not others up, none will lift you up: For in all things the samerule applieth in heaven as on earth, for it is a continuation in spirit of that which ispracticed in the flesh.
17 The title, KING OF THE SUN, has existed from the time of Zarathustra to the present, in one part or another of the Chinese Empire.
CHAPTER XXX.
1. On the following evening, when the Zarathustrians were assembled for prayer andsinging, the soul of Zarathustra again appeared before them in sar'gis, teaching the Wordof Ormazd. He said:
2. Two people there are on the earth: the one is engrossed in the affairs of the earth; theother in the affairs of heaven. Better is it for ye to be of the latter. The fool will say: If allpeople are engrossed with the affairs of heaven, then who will provide on the earth? Suchis the argument of all druks. Fear not, therefore, for the earth people becoming short ofvotaries.
3. So also will it be said of celibacy. The druks will say: If all people become celibates,then will the race of man terminate. Wherefore, I say again unto you, fear not, for therewill be plenty left who are full of passion, and are unmindful of the kingdoms of heaven.
4. Let all who can, live for the Higher Light; the lower will ever be supplied sufficiently.
5. Even as ye find two peoples on earth, so also do two peoples exist in heaven. The onefolloweth the Highest Light, and ever riseth toward the highest heavens. The otherfolloweth the affairs of earth, and riseth not, and hence is called druj. The latter engagethin sensualism, and quarrels amongst mortals, inspiring them to evil and low desires.
6. One present asked: How shall we know one another, whether we be of heaven or ofearth? Then Zarathustra answered, saying: Seek to know thyself; thou art not thyneighbor's keeper. Search thine own soul a hundred times every day, to know if thoupracticest the All Highest according to thine own light. Neither shalt thou find excuses forthy shortness; nor reflect overmuch on past errors, but use them as inspiration to perfectthyself henceforth.
7. Another one present asked: How of thieves, and falsifiers, and murderers? Zarathustrasaid: The man who serveth himself only is worse than any of these; there is noresurrection in him. But if a man cease his evil way, and practice virtue, he is on the right road.
8. A falsifier is like one with a clean gown on, that goeth about casting filth upon it; hesoileth his own spirit.
9. A thief is worse than an overburdened beast; he carrieth his stolen goods not only inthis world, but in heaven, to the end of his memory.
10. A murderer is like a naked man, who is ashamed, and cannot hide from the multitude. When he is in heaven, his memory of the deed writeth in human blood a stain on his soul,which all others see.
11. Another one asked: According to the I'hua'Mazdian law, the highest, best men forsakethe world, laboring to raise up the poor and ignorant, reciting prayers and anthems;taking no part in the affairs of people who are engrossed in the matters of earth; who,then, shall be the government of the wicked? To which Zarathustra answered, saying:
12. When there are not sufficient men and women for such purpose, there will be nowicked to govern. With all thy preaching, that the highest life is celibacy, there will beplenty left who will marry; with all thy preaching that the highest, best man will notbe a leader of men, nor a king, nor a governor, yet there will be plenty left who willfill these places, even though they beheld the walls of hell opened up to receive them.
13. Another one asked: If the Zarathustrians separate, and live by themselves, what willbe their power to do good amongst the evil? To which Zarathustra said:
14. As the highest heavens send Lords and masters down to mortals, so shall theZarathustrians send emissaries amongst the wicked, preaching the truth, and citing theexample of the Zarathustrian cities (communities).
15. For above all philosophy that man may preach, practice holdeth the highest place, andis most potent. See to it, therefore, that ye practice the Ormazdian law toward one anotherin all things. Avoid men of opinion; men of learning; who have pride therein; men ofargument; men who quibble for proofs in improvable things; men who wish to be knownas wise men; men who deny; men that can see defects in everything, and have nothinggood to offer in place thereof.
16. Shun the disbelieving man, for he is diseased, and may inoculate thee; the flatterer,for he is purchasing thee; a woman, for woman's sake; or a man, for man's sake;company, for company's sake; for all these imply that the Creator is less in thy sight, andnot so well loved.
17. One asked concerning spirits. To which Zarathustra said: For the affairs of earth,consult the spirits of the earth, the drujas; for the affairs of everlasting resurrection,consult thy Creator, and His holy spirits will answer thee in His name. And to whicheverthou hast made thyself companion, there will be thy abiding place after death.
18. See to it that thou becomest not inveigled by drujas, for spirits can assume any nameand form; but weigh their words, whether they be wise, and according to the Ormazdianlaw. If they teach not the higher heavens, but profess a long life in the lower heavens,consider them by their words. To flatter thee, they will profess to remember thee inanother life; and to please thee, say thou wert a king, and hath had many successions oflives on the earth.
19. But of what value under the sun is such philosophy? But to rise up, away from theearth, and from the lower heavens also; it was for bestowing this word unto men that Iwas sent into the world. It is to teach you to know the Father's upper heavens, and the wayto reach them, that His words were given unto men.
20. As it was in the olden time, so will it be again ere another generation pass away. Drujas will teach that the spirits of the dead go into trees and flowers, and inhabit them;and into swine, and cattle, and birds, and into woman, and are born over again in mortalform. Argue not with them; their philosophy concerneth not thee. Whether they be indarkness or in light, judge thou by the glory and beauty of the heavens where they live. If their words are of the earth, they belong to the earth; if they are servants to falseGods or false Lords, they will preach him whom they serve. But these matters arenothing to thee; for thou shalt serve the All Highest, the Creator. In this no man can err.
21. And in regard to the heaven, whither thou wouldst desire to ascend after death,magnify it with all thy ingenuity unto the All Highest Perfection. People it with thyhighest ideals for thy companions. Then see to it that thou makest thyself a fitcompanion for them also. If thou do this with all thy wisdom and strength all thedays of thy life, the Father will be with thee, and thou shalt be a glory in His works.
22. Thus preached Zarathustra after his resurrection from death; for three days and threenights preached he before his disciples; and Asha wrote down the substance of his words,and they were preserved unto the generations of Faithists from that time forth. And thewords were called the Zarathustrian law, the I'hua'Mazdian law, the Ormazdian law. Andthey were the first heavenly words given on tablets and skins and cloth, and in books, tomortals, save what words were given in secret to the tribes of I'hins, of which thedifferent nations of the earth knew nothing of their own knowledge as to what they were.
23. On the morning of the fourth day, when the disciples sat in crescent, which was calledthe living altar of God, Zarathustra again came in sar'gis. He said: Behold, the time hathcome for me to rise out of hada, where I have dwelt for three days.
24. The Gods who were with me all my earth life are gathered together even here, andthere are millions of them. Just near the river yonder standeth the boundary line of aheavenly ship of light! It is wider than the eye can see, and higher than the eye can see! Amillion of angels are singing in that ship! And there are great Gods and great Lords in it. So bright, mine eyes dare not look on them. They are all Sons and Daughters of the GreatSpirit.
25. The drujas are all run away now. Their foolish gabble is hushed, gone! It is as ifanother world came alongside, so majestic that this one was lost. Above, high, very high,yonder! Something like a sun illumes the ship of fire! I know it is He Who hath come forme. I go now! Whither I go I will build for you all.
26. And thou, O Asha! The Gods have thrown a mantle of light over thee! A chainreacheth from thee to Ormazd! Asha was overcome, and fain would have gone to thespirit, Zarathustra. The latter said: Stand thou, and I may kiss thee! So, Zarathustra kissedAsha, and departed.
END OF THE BOOK OF GOD’S WORD.
