Who
was Zarathushtra?
Zoroaster [zOr´Oas´´tur]
He was believed to have lived during 600 B.C, and was a religious teacher
and prophet of ancient Persia, which is the region covered by modern-day
Iran and Iraq. Zoroaster, the name by which he is ordinarily known,
is derived from the Greek form of Zarathushtra (or Zarathustra) [camel
handler], his Persian name. Zarathushtra's complete name is Zarathushtra
Haechataspa Spitama.
It is a well-known fact that
very little documentary evidence about the times and life of Zarathushtra
has reached our times, as he lived during a society where the people
kept no written records. His teachings were passed down by oral tradition.
Due to the invasion of Arabs, particularly Alexander of Macedon and
the destruction of the Iranian libraries much of what was written, has
been destroyed or lost. Scholars have take much of what is known today
from the text of his Divine Songs, the Gathas.
Historians have tried to reconstruct Zarathushtra's life mainly with
this one piece. However, since this is not meant to be a biographical
account, nor even a historical account of his times, but poetry describing
Zarathushtra's spiritual philosophy and worldview, is a moderate account
of what could have occurred.
There are sufficient indications to be able to piece together some basic
background information. However, this has left ample room for various
mythologies to evolve around his life.
It is believed that Zarathustra left his family and traveled at the
age of twenty. At the age of thirty he had his first series of revelations
from Divine Beings and came into the Presence of Ahura Mazda. His message
was one of deliverance from evil and the demons (daevas) of the old
religion. His attempts to proselytize at home failed, as he was persecuted
by the priests and the followers of the daevas. After some years of
no converts and constant persecution, he fled east to ancient Chorasmia
(now largely Persian Khorasan), where he converted King Vishtaspa (who
may have been Hystaspes, the father of Darius).
Legend has it that the Karpans (manipulative priests) surrounding the
King conspired against him and he was sent to jail. But he miraculously
cures the king's horse, after requesting four favors, which were subsequently
granted. One of which was that he be allowed to teach his faith to the
Queen, and she embraced the faith and went on to become one of his greatest
supporters. The king, however, required a sign. Ahura Mazda sent three
angels in all their splendor, and they showed the king a long life if
he took up the religion, and his demise shortly, if he didn't. Thus
he embraced the faith, and his entire court followed suit.
It is believed that he was
assassinated by a priest at the age of seventy-seven, but the legends
vary. Most agree, he led a long life, and was murdered in his later
years.
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