Hazrat Inayat Khan now gives an inspiring view of the poetic message of Zarathustra. The previous post in the series is here.

No doubt the poet is much more sensitive to the troubles and difficulties of life than an ordinary person. If he took to heart everything that came to him, all the jarring influences that disturbed his peace of mind, all the rough edges of life that everyone has to rub against, then he would not be able to go on. On the other hand, if he hardened his heart and made it less sensitive, then he would also close his heart to the inspiration which comes as poetry. Therefore, in order to open the doors of his heart, to keep its sensitiveness, the one who communicates with life within and without is open to all influences, whether agreeable or disagreeable, and is without any protection. His only escape from all the disturbances of life is through rising above them. 

The prophetic message which was given by Zarathushtra to the people of Persia was poetic from beginning to end. It is most interesting to see that Zarathushtra showed in his scriptures and all through his life how a poet rises from earth to heaven. It suggests to us how Zarathushtra communicated with nature, with its beauty, and how with every step he took he touched deeper and deeper into the depths of life. Zarathushtra formed his religion by praising the beauty in nature and by finding the source of his art which is creation itself in the Artist who is behind it all.

What form of worship did he teach? He taught the same worship with which he began his poetry and with which he finished it. He said to his pupils, ‘Stand before the sea, look at the vastness of it, bow before it, before its source and goal.’ He said to them, ‘Look at the sun and see what joy it brings. What is at the back of it? Where does it come from? Think of its source and goal and how you are heading towards it.’ People then thought that it was sun worship, but it was not. It was the worship of light which is the source and goal of all. That communication within and without sometimes extended the range of a poet’s vision so much that it was beyond the comprehension of the average man.

To be continued…