Atropates, the chief Magus of Media and leader of the influential Magian tribe, and his traditionalist followers, after agreeing to write the "Vendidad," immediately and with firm resolve set to work. This book was not intended to be merely a response to Kourosh's "Achaemenid Avesta," which had flowed like clear water among the people; rather, it was meant to be a sword of words that would both restore the lost authority of the Magi and sow the seeds of division and control in Median society. The name "Vendidad," meaning "Law Against the Demons" or "Law of Separation from the Demons," itself revealed its dual purpose: to suppress the people and to create a separation between old and new beliefs, as well as between the followers of different faiths. The Magi wanted to use this book to draw hard and invisible lines between themselves and others.
The main paragraph of the Vendidad was dedicated to harsh and oppressive penal laws; laws that, like shackles on the hands and feet of the people, restricted their lives. In various chapters of this book, precise details of sins and their punishments were stated, from the smallest mistakes in daily life to the greatest crimes. The main goal was to impose unconditional obedience through fear and terror, not to establish true justice. For every act of disobedience, from failing to observe ritual purity to the slightest doubt in faith or even an unpleasant thought, punishments such as flogging, heavy fines, and even death were prescribed. These laws were used not to establish justice, but to suppress any resistance or disobedience to the authority of the Magi and the king. The Magi wanted to use this book to exert their control over all aspects of people's lives, from the smallest daily tasks to the deepest beliefs and thoughts, and thus consolidate their power.
But the darker aspect of the Vendidad, which turned it into a poisoned sword, was its definitions of "daeva" (demon) and "followers of the daeva." In this book, the concept of "daeva" referred not only to demonic beings in Zoroastrian mythology but was also applied to the gods and deities of other lands on the Iranian plateau, including the indigenous gods of Elam and Mesopotamia, such as the Babylonian Marduk. This was done to justify the suppression and destruction of the temples and places of worship of other religions and to create open hostility with the nations that believed in those gods. This broad definition of daeva allowed the Magi to label any religious opposition or difference as "daeva-worship" and to engage in its ruthless suppression; an act that could lead to civil wars and division.
This hostile and fanatical policy, as reflected in history, was manifested and implemented in the post-Cyrus era, especially during the time of Xerxes. In an inscription from Xerxes, he explicitly states that in some regions of his realm, "daeva-worship" was prevalent, and he acted decisively to suppress them and destroy their places of worship. Xerxes says in his inscription: "Among these countries there was a place where previously false gods were worshipped. Afterwards, by the grace of Ahuramazda, I destroyed that sanctuary of the demons, and I made proclamation, 'The demons shall not be worshipped!' Where previously the demons were worshipped, there I worshipped Ahuramazda." These words are a clear sign of the beginning of religious wars in the Achaemenid era and the attempt at forced religious unification, which was in complete contrast to the idea of religious tolerance and moderation of Cyrus the Great.
Archaeological evidence also confirms these repressive actions. In the ancient mounds of Iran, traces of religious temples from the pre-Achaemenid and even early Achaemenid periods have been found, which appear not to have been deliberately destroyed, but rather filled in and hidden with mud and brick. This action indicates an attempt to eliminate the symbols of "daeva-worship" while at the same time preventing public anger by avoiding their complete destruction. These measures were all in line with the repressive policies formulated in the Vendidad and paved the way for future wars, separation among nations, and hidden discontent.
The goal of the Magi in this was to create a centralized and hierarchical religious system that had complete and unquestionable control over the beliefs and actions of the people. They wanted to use this book to reclaim their monopoly on the interpretation of religious teachings and to suppress any independent interpretation or one outside their circle of influence. This approach was in complete contrast to Kourosh's view of intellectual and religious freedom, which he had promoted with the "Achaemenid Avesta"; a view based on wisdom, tolerance, and respect for diversity.
With the writing of the "Vendidad," the traditionalist Magi had effectively declared a cultural and religious war on Kourosh's progressive ideas. Using a tool similar to Kourosh's, but with a completely different and contradictory content, they tried to turn back the clock of history and wanted to regain control over the minds and souls of the people. This intellectual confrontation, which was beginning in the heart of Media, would determine the future fate of the Iranian plateau and showed that the battle for power does not only take place on the battlefields but also flows in the battlefield of ideas, beliefs, and religious interpretations.
However, little Kourosh, who would be aware of all these conspiracies and actions through his secret espionage network, would be well aware of this threat in the future and, with his unparalleled wisdom and insight, would take action to counter this division and preserve the multicultural and tolerant identity of his empire. He knew that to build a thousand-year empire, he had to fight not only against external enemies but also against the internal seeds of division and shine the light of wisdom on the darkness of ignorance and fanaticism.