Yasna 32

Ahunavaitī Gāthā (Yasna 28–34) · The Struggle Is Continued in the Midst of Reverses (That rival-monarch (thus we may supply the sense of lost verses) for whom some are plotting to secure the sovereignty, and who, once in power, would deliver over home, village, town, and province to ruin and to death, is active in his efforts, and offer- ing the devotions of his false religion to accomplish

His lord-kinsman will pray (as I Zarathustra prayed), and his labouring villagers, with his (trusted) peers, and his (fellow) Daêva-worshippers. But in my mind is the friendship of Ahura Mazda, the Great Creator, the living Lord; and Thine heralds, O Ahura! may we be; may we hold back those who hate and who offend You!

To these (for whom the prophet spake) Ahura Mazda answered, ruling as He does through His Good Mind (within their souls), He replied from His Sovereign Power, our good friend (as he is) through His surpassing Righteousness: We have accepted your good and bountiful Piety, and we have chosen her; ours shall she be!

But you, O ye Daêvas! are all a seed from the Evil Mind. He who offers sacrifice to You the most is of the Lie-demon, and (he is a child) of perversion. In advance (are your) deceits whereby ye are famed in the sevenfold earth!

For ye (are) confusing our thoughts, whereby men, giving forth the worst deeds, will speak, as of the Demon-gods beloved, forsaken by the Good Mind', (far) astray from the understanding of the Great Creator, the Living Lord, and (far astray) from His Righteousness!

Therefore ye would beguile mankind of happy life 3 (upon earth) and of Immortality (beyond it), since the Evil Spirit (has ruled) you with his evil mind. Yea, he has ruled you, (ye) who are of the Demon-gods, and with an evil word unto action, as his ruler 5 (governs) the wicked!

Full of crime (your leader) has desired to destroy us, wherefore he is famed, (and his doctrine is declared); but if this be so of these, then in the same manner, O Ahura! Thou possessest (because Thou knowest) the true (teachings) in Thy memory. And in Thy kingdom and Thy Righteous Order I will establish Thy precepts (in Thy name).

Among these wretched beings 5 (this their leader) knows not that those things which are declared as victorious' (by his allies) are bound together for the smiting; yea, those things by which he was famed (as victorious) by his (blade of) glittering iron. But the utter destruction of those things Thou, O Ahura Mazda! knowest, most surely!

Of these wretched beings Yima Vivanghusha was famed to be; he who, desiring to content our men, was eating kine's flesh in its pieces. But from (such as) these, O Ahura Mazda! in Thy discerning discrimination, am I (to be seen as distinct').

An evil teacher (as that leader is), he will ' destroy (our) doctrines, and by his teachings he will pervert the (true) understanding of life, seizing away (from me) my riches, the choice and real wealth of (Thy) Good Mind. To You and to Asha, O Ahura Mazda! am I therefore crying with the voice of my spirit's 4 (need)!

Aye, this man will destroy my doctrines (indeed, for he blasphemes the highest of creatures that live or are made). He declares that the (sacred) Kine and the Sun are the worst of things which eye can see; and he will offer the gifts of the wicked (as priest to their Demon-gods). And at the last he will parch our meadows with drought, and will hurl his mace at Thy saint (who may fall before his arms).

Yea, these will destroy my life, for they consult with the great of the wicked (enlightening themselves by their words). And they are seizing away the gifts of inherited treasures from both household-lord and from house-wife; (wretched men that they are), and those who will fiercely wound (my folk, repelled and in no way kindly moved) by the better mind of the holy.

(But Ahura will speak His rebuke, for) as to those doctrines which (such) men may be (basely) delivering (repelled) by the holiest action, (and galled by its sacred truth) God hath said: Evil (are they! Yea, unto these He hath said it) who have slain the Kine's life by a blessing (and have cursed her while they offered to help her), men by whom Grehmas are loved above Righteousness, and the Karpans, and the Throne of those who have wished' for the Demon of lies (as their deity and friend).

And the Grehma will seek for these things by means of his (evil) kingdom in the abode of (Hell which is) the Worst Mind (who both are together) the destroyers of life, and who, O Mazda! will bewail with glad but (envious) wish the message of Thy prophet. (But he will not abate with his vengeance), he will hold them afar from the sight of the truth!

His is Grehma; aye, his! And to (oppose) Thee' he will establish the Kavis and (their) scheming plans. Their deeds' of power are but deceits since they have come as an aid to the wicked, and since he has been (falsely) said (to be set) to conquer the Kine, he who shall kindle that (very) help of grace which removes our death afar, (and lightens Thy saving flame).

And therefore will I drive from hence the Karpans' and Kavis' disciples. And after these (have thus been driven hence and away) then these (my princely aiding saints) whom they (now) render no longer rulers at will over life, (and deprive of their absolute power), these shall be borne (at last) by the (immortal) two to the home of (Thy) Good Mind (in Heaven)!

(And) this entire (reward of the righteous) is from that Best One who teaches in the wide (mental) light of the pious, ruling (as supreme), O Mazda Ahura'! whose are my woes and my doubtings (yea, they lie in His power to heal), when I shall make (my prophets) men to be sought for the harm of the wicked. And this I shall do by the word of my mouth (to defend and avenge my saints)!