ZARATHUSTRA IS A STAUNCH FOLLOWER OF monotheism. The followers of the old religion, who believe in many gods, are described as angry and, therefore, harmful polluters of the moral life. They are said to be of the false spirit – those who are liars, those who are self-centered, and those who have doublespeak. They have strayed from the path of truth. Yet, they are an extremely powerful group, and men doing the worst deeds are said to be beloved of the gods, spreading hatred and making mankind wail in bondage.
Three persons are singled out by name. The first is Yima, who is none other than the famous King Jamshed after whom the Navroz festival on 21st March of every year is named. He is said to have illumined the material side of this earth instead of the spiritual, and is thus condemned by Zarathustra. The other person mentioned by name is Grehma, who may well have been some evil priest or king. He is said to doom life to death, but once reformed by suffering will ask to be instructed correctly. The third person mentioned by name is Bendva, who again is said to be both a liar and duplicitous by nature, thus leading Zarathustra to forbid his flock from associating with such persons in general.
Two verses are of particular interest – one dealing with black magic, and the other dealing with the soma cult. Thus, in Chapter 32.10 we are told about a group of black magicians who say that seeing the earth and the sun are bad as both the Earth and the sun would interfere with their nefarious deeds. Another interesting verse is in Chapter 48.10 which seems to refer to the Rigvedic cult of soma. Soma is said to be the juice which intoxicates the Gods in the Rigveda, who then do things that they wouldn’t have done otherwise. Obviously, this cult seems to have been powerful in Zarathustra’s time and is denounced by him, stating that the priests of this cult falsely fascinate persons with ‘muther’, the same as the Gujarati word for urine. The extremes of drug and alcohol abuse are what the Prophet is railing against here. These verses further go on to tell us not to be taken in by extreme worldly grandeur and alluring speech. False preachers are said to distort the scriptures and remove us from our real heritage. Their deeds and teachings show them up for what they really are. Ultimately, such persons are described as persons of poor understanding, for if they understood and knew that every evil action will have its recompense in the other world, and hence recoil on the evil person himself, they would not continue to be evil.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 30.6
Of the two, the believers in many gods chose wrongly. They were deluded when they argued among themselves concerning what is correct. They chose to have the worst of motives combined with deeds done in anger, which had baneful effects on mankind.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.3
But all you believers in many gods are clearly from the evil spirit, and so are those who greatly honour you. Among you are liars, self-centered people, and even those who are duplicitous, and men without conscience.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.4
And so, you have brought about a situation where men doing the worst are called beloved of ‘the gods’. They have moved away from high-mindedness, God’s wisdom, and strayed from the path of truth.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.8
Among these violent persons was Vivanhuso and Yima, who, desiring to placate mankind, illumined what is material instead of what is spiritual on Earth. From persons such as these may I stand apart on the Day of Judgement.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.9
The false teacher distorts the scriptures, and through his teachings corrupts life. He removes from us our real desire: the precious realization of high-mindedness. I have spoken out what is in my mind and appeal to You and to Truth.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.10
Such person distorts the scriptures when he says that it is the worst to be outdoors and in the sun. He makes the good follow evil. He hurls weapons against the righteous and poisons our habitat.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.11
Persons like this corrupt life. They regard as great evil lords and their evil ladies. They deprive us of our true inheritance – the best that truth has to offer. They distract the mind, O God.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.12
Through such teachings they turn mankind away from doing the best deeds. For such as these, God decrees retribution. They corrupt life with their glib words. Grehma prefers to run after untruth instead of the truth.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.13
Whatever power this Grehma hopes to win in the worst mind’s abode, he will ultimately destroy himself. He will then desire to know what is God’s real message. But I will watch over his threats to those who are truthful.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.14
Grehma and evil kings direct their energies, since days of yore, to ensnare good people. They approach evil persons for help, and doom Mother Earth to death in the hope that they are invincible.
AHUNAVAITI – Yas. 32.15
Thus are brought to ruin the plans of evil priests and evil kings. They are unfit to rule over persons who will ultimately be carried into the domain of the Pure Mind.
USTAVAITI – Yas. 44.20
How, O Lord, have the followers of polytheism become so powerful? This do I ask: those who are self-centered have delivered Mother Earth to wrath and continuous wailing, like the priests of old and evil rulers, who do not advance and increase the cause of truth.
SPENTA MAINYU – Yas. 48.10
When, O Lord, will there be men who will come to spread the faith? When will this infatuation with piss be eradicated, through which evil priests and wicked rulers of evil intent dupe people in this place?
SPENTA MAINYU – Yas. 49.1
Bendva has always resisted me greatly. I wish to win him over from his evil ways, O Lord. In Your mercy, give me the reward of defeating him by telling him about the revelations of the Pure Mind.
SPENTA MAINYU – Yas. 49.2
Indeed, Bendva makes me anxious. His evil teachings and duplicity separates him from the truth. Never does he commune with the holy Right-Mindedness or the Pure Mind, O Lord.
SPENTA MAINYU – Yas. 49.3
God has decreed the teaching that truth will prevail and untruth will be neutralized. So, choose carefully. Therefore, would I ask for association with the Pure Mind and prohibit association with all those who are wicked.
SPENTA MAINYU – Yas. 49.4
Evil persons increase hatred and cruelty with their speech – sham protectors, the wolves among shepherds. Those who perpetrate evil don’t have any desire to do good deeds. Such men create false Gods and evil ways of thinking.
VOHU KSHATREM – Yas. 51.10
And the man who seeks to destroy contrary to these laws, O God, is himself the child of the lie. All such are of poor understanding. For my people will I invoke Truth to come to us with its best blessings.
VOHU KSHATREM – Yas. 51.14
Neither to God’s laws nor to man’s do the priests listen with reverence. They deceive good persons. Through their deeds and teachings will they be consigned to the abode of woe/misery.