Chapter 8
The Great Migration
“Think Zarathustra! Think of the future! Do something before it is too late for us all—leave!”
“You cannot stay here any longer, you must leave immediately.”
“All the evil ones, the karapans, the kavis, the sorcerers, the vile Bendva and, foremost among them, the cruel grehmas have joined forces to destroy you.”
“You must move far away from these wicked ones—away from the harm and ignorance of the necromancers and the evil fiends in order to arouse men by preaching. Men need you, therefore, you must be kept safe.”
Zarathustra thought hard before he called his disciples to himself. Sadly he spoke:
To which land am I to turn?
Where am I to go?
I am to leave my kin for there is no joy for me among my friends.
I am not to find happiness with the rulers for they seek falsehoods.
O Mazda Ahura,
How am I to please Thee?
(Gathas, chapter 46, verse 1)
O Mazda Ahura,
I know wherefore I am weak: my cure is rare and my
followers few.
I supplicate to Thee.
Behold me well!
I beseech of you the love of the lover for his beloved.
Bestow upon me the power of divine speculation
through the radiance of truth!
(Gathas, chapter 46, verse 2)
Zarathustra, that pillar of stoicism and hope, quickly overcame his sorrow and turned to the heavens with a joyous countenance and a felicitous soul:
O Mazda Ahura,
How wilt Thou aid Thy adoring Zarathustra in the
radiance of truth and divine thought?
I justly worship Thee through mine hymns and ask
Thee who is dearest unto you?
(Gathas, chapter 49, verse 12)
O Mazda,
How am I to know that Thou wilt rule over us all
through truth—even over he who seeks to harm me?
Show me in truth the working of divine thought!
Guide the Savior that he might know the fruit of his deeds.
(Gathas, chapter 48, verse 9)
Zarathustra earnestly called upon his disciples to fight against the vicious demons. He proclaimed:
“No matter how powerful, rank and foul the malevolent might be, regardless of how stained his hands might be with cruelty, no matter how versed he might have become in the ruination of a nation, and regardless of how forcefully me might have labored to be an obstacle to the true he will fall in a raging war against the righteous and he will see the victory of light, radiance, purity and righteousness.”
That corrupt one, who is vilely known for his
abominable behavior, will toil to prevent the
disciples of truth from leading men unto a better
existence.
He will be the obstacle to a truthful existence for
men in his country.
O Mazda, he who fights the wicked with the entire
force of his being will lead men and the created
world along the path of wisdom and divine
understanding.
(Gathas, chapter 46, verse 4)
O Mazda,
Indeed the evil ones frighten us with their behavior.
For they bring destruction and devastation unto men.
The powerful ones oppress the weak.
They wage war upon Thy creed.
They never think of truth.
They flee and forsake divine thoughts.
(Gathas, chapter 34, verse 9)
Zarathustra never lost hope nor did he ever allow doubt to infiltrate his soul while he fought for his own life and for the life of his followers against a sea of hate, malice, guile, falsehood, harm and dissipation. In the midst of darkness he sought light, in the eye of the storm he smelt the sweet odor of spring and of verdure. He would face his disciples and call upon them to raise their gentle tones in sweet laudation.
O Mazda,
Where art Thine adorers?
For they well know Thine invaluable instruction in
divine thought.
They consciously use Thy teachings both in
happiness and in sorrow.
I know of none but Thee!
Hence, guard me in the radiance of truth!
(Gathas, chapter 34, verse 7)
O Mazda Ahura,
In the light of truth do we seek Thy omnipotent radiance!
Let us find that immortal omnipotent radiance
which blatantly aids the followers of truth!
For it doth see and withstand the harm of the foe and
the malice of the evil wishers in its puissance.
(Gathas, 34, verse 4)
O Mazda,
How magnificent is Thine strength and sovereignty!
How I long to walk with Thee and to join Thee!
O that I might aid and succor Thy followers through
truth and blessed thoughts!
I know Thee above all else!
I abhor the false gods and the misled.
(Gathas, chapter 34, verse 5)
O Mazda Ahura,
Reveal Thyself unto mine eyes!
Strengthen my mind through righteousness!
Answer my prayers through divine radiating purity!
Strengthen me through truth!
Crown me with blessed thoughts!
(Gathas, chapter 33, verse 12)
O Mazda,
When the wicked one seeks to harm me what but
Thine radiance and thought can uphold me?
O Ahura,
T’is from the illumination of light and knowledge that
the creed of truth holds fast.
Thus, let my being and understanding be wise unto
this creed!
(Gathas, chapter 46, verse 7)
Zarathustra well realized the great universal secret. He knew the turmoils of men’s lives. He comprehended the strength of reward and of retribution. He knew, too, that in the battle between the unclean, the patriarchs and the criminals the pure and the good would win. The harm and destruction of the wicked would only turn unto themselves to unearth their suppressive rule.
He who joins true will is clad in the radiance of light.
He who is of the evil one will eternally live in darkness and regret.
This end is brought unto him through his own deeds and understanding.
(Gathas, chapter 31, verse 20)
He who fights the wicked ones with his words,
thoughts and deeds, the evil one and his disciples brings he
unto goodness. Such a one has fulfilled Mazda’s wishes through
his love and faith.
(Gathas, chapter 33, verse 2)
O Mazda,
Thou seest with brilliant eyes when man either openly
or secretively questions.
Thou findeth and seest through truth when a minor fall
is met with the gravest retribution!
(Gathas, chapter 31, verse 13)
O Mazda,
He who seeks to hurt the worldly cannot harm me.
His hostility will return unto him and it will end his existence.
His life will be dedicated to evil.
(Gathas, chapter 46, verse 8)
Zarathustra knew the fate of the kavis, the karapans and the wicked sorcerers. He would say:
“No matter how these sinners destroy men’s lives through their evil ways conscience will eventually rise against them to dethrone them and to obliterate them from the stage of life.”
The kavis and the karapans have joined forces to destroy
men’s lives through their evil deeds.
Yet their psyche and their understanding will confront
them at the hour of judgment.
They will pass into the realm of falsehood for all eternity.
(Gathas, chapter 46, verse 11)
Zarathustra would say to his disciples:
“Never lose hope but eternally fight the wicked and wait for the messenger I have sent to distant lands that he might search the globe and talk to all men to find those who are bestowed with divine thought.”